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Last Saturday in Cupertino was filled with sunshine and all things bike. Over 750 community members came out and had a fantastic time at our Fall Bike Fest! The event has grown tremendously from its humble start as a bike rodeo in the City Hall parking lot 12 years ago. The 2025 edition featured two guided bike rides, a brand new Little Loop course for toddlers and our youngest riders, a bike rodeo and on-bike games, and lots of bike-themed activities. Collectively, this year’s participants and volunteers biked over 1,300 miles during Bike Fest between all rides and activities. That’s the equivalent of a bike ride to the Grand Canyon and back! Even more incredibly, 72 miles of that was contributed by 275 tricycles, training wheel bikes, and scoot bikes who rode 2028 laps of the Little Loop!
In attendance this year, we had Mayor Chao who gave our keynote address. Vice-Mayor Moore and Santa Clara County Supervisor Abe-Koga also said a few words. Bicycle Pedestrian Commissioners Eshelbeck, Marcy, and Wolfe came out to volunteer, along with Sustainability Commissioner Padgaonkar. We also had representatives from both CUSD and FUHSD out to help. Many, many thanks to all of them and to the 140 volunteers who generously donated their time and talents for the day. Bike Fest could not happen without each and every one of you, Thank you and we’ll see you next year!
Please see Cupertino.gov/bikefest for a closer look at this wonderful event.
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Cupertino's Fall Bike Fest is paid for, in part, by 2016 Measure B funding. |
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Fall is Here- Call for Volunteers
As school starts again and our Safe Routes program kicks off in full gear, parents- we beckon thee! We need more parent volunteers to support our Walk n’ Roll to School Days and other Safe Routes activities. Will you consider helping your child's school to educate and encourage students to walk, bike, and carpool to school? Volunteering can be as simple as helping with a one-time event, although we’re also looking for parents who have time to get involved more consistently. We especially would love your support organizing a Walk n' Roll Day this Fall at your school. Sign up if interested!
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Celebrate Ruby Bridges This November- Shoutout To Lincoln Elementary!
November 14 is National Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day!
Who is Ruby Bridges? A powerful civil rights advocate who paved the way for African American children in the US. On November 14, 1960, at the age of six, Ruby became the very first African American child to attend the all-white public William Frantz Elementary School. Ruby and her mother walked to school on that very first day, escorted by federal marshals. Later, Ruby began walking to and from school safely on her own. This honoring of Ruby Bridges is celebrated annually by school walk and roll events around the country on November 14th.
Lincoln Elementary Example: For the last two years, Cupertino’s Lincoln Elementary has hosted a Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. This is how they did it: PTSA members, school staff, and students chose two nearby locations for groups of families and kids to gather and walk to school together. When both groups arrived at the school, they joined together and walked a lap around school, all wearing purple to honor Ruby Bridges. For their first event in 2023, the PTSA gave out purple beanies and gloves first come, first serve to students and many brought them back to wear again in 2024. Lincoln plans to walk again for Ruby Bridges this year.
Planning A Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day: We hope more schools in Cupertino will join Lincoln in celebrating Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day this Fall. Here is a helpful webinar resource for planning.
As a reminder, National Walk n Roll to School Day is also coming up on October 8! Want help planning a Walk n Roll day? We can help! Contact us for planning support at saferoutes@cupertino.gov.
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The Active Transportation Plan Needs Your Input
Thank you to everyone who gave their input in Phase 1 of the Active Transportation Plan (ATP) development! All your feedback was used to develop a list of recommended projects to improve the City’s pedestrian and bicycle networks. The next step is to prioritize those projects. We need your help again. Provide your input by commenting through our webmap and/or by attending an upcoming event. Please tell your friends and family that Phase 2 is now active and join us for the upcoming ATP Phase 2 Community Workshop to learn more about the project and provide feedback!
Community Workshop Details:
- Monday, October 6 (online) from 6-7:30 p.m.
- Register Online
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Mindful Driving Tip- Keep Moving Forward
Your mindful driving tip for October is to plan your school drop off route so you only drive forward around the school (no U-turns, no backing up).
Getting our kids to school on time can be such a challenge. We don’t even think about our next stop, much less plan our driving route to it. Luckily cars are usually agile enough to make U-turns to get us out of sticky situations. However, during a U-turn, our car is temporarily taking up the entire road while we do not have 360° of visibility. U-turns are legal on most residential city streets if there’s no sign prohibiting it, but only when there is no oncoming traffic in any direction for 200 feet. So, if you see a car coming in front or behind you (and there almost always is at drop-off and pick-up times), it’s illegal, dangerous, and inconsiderate to everyone around you. This month, in honor of National Pedestrian Safety Month, we challenge you to take a few minutes one evening to look at your route to and from school. Plan your trip so that you keep moving forward and don't have to make a U-turn or reverse. You might even find it makes your commute faster and less stressful!
For More About Pedestrian Safety Awareness Month, visit: https://gosafelyca.org/share-the-road/
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Join us for SR2S Working Group Meetings
Safe Routes to School (SR2S) Working Group meetings are Hybrid held on the second Wednesday of most months in Conference Room C at Cupertino City Hall and on Zoom. If there's a topic you'd like the Working Group to discuss, email us! saferoutes@cupertino.gov
Visit the link below to register, access agendas, and view the complete list of dates for this school year’s Working Group meetings. We hope to see you at our next meeting!
Working Group Meetings
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Important Upcoming Dates
Agendas will be posted 72 hours before each meeting at the links below.
- Monday, October 6, 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
ATP Phase 2 Community Workshop (online)
Location: Zoom
- Wednesday, October 8
National Walk to School Day
- Wednesday, October 8, 4:00 p.m.
SR2S Working Group Meeting
Topic: Bike Fest Recap
- Friday, October 10
City of Cupertino Turns 70!
- Wednesday, October 15, 7:00 p.m.
Bicycle Pedestrian Commission
Topic: TBD
- Wednesday, November 12, 4:00 p.m.
SR2S Working Group Meeting
Topic: TBD
- Friday, November 14
National Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
- Wednesday, November 19, 7:00 p.m.
Bicycle Pedestrian Commission
Topic: TBD
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