• WOBO is run entirely on volunteer power.
• We're efficient and effective and 100% of donations go into public outreach materials and programs to make Oakland more walkable and bikeable.
• Help us do more by making a donation or purchasing a WOBO annual membership (Individual - $35, Household - $50, Individual w/WOBO t-shirt - $ 50). To contribute or discover member benefits, visit our Donation Page.

When a Finance and Management Agency project replaced over 4,400 on-street parking meters with "pay and display" parking kiosks last year, it dealt a blow to bike parking. Thankfully, the Transportation Services Division began installing over 350 bicycle parking racks in February, most of them in Oakland's main commercial districts. Installation is expected to be complete by the end of Spring 2009. Here's one of the new racks (on Piedmont Ave) in use, replacing a headless meter post which was in the same spot.

WHEN: Tuesday, April 28th, from 6:30-8:30pm
WHERE: B.A.W.T., 2301 Broadway (enter on 23rd)
WHAT: Join WOBO as we prepare for Bike to Work Day, May 14th!

We need your help to get ready for WOBO's energizer stations, as well as to support the 1,000 participants expected throughout the O. We will be prepping materials and making plans to set up, staff, and take down our two energizer stations at 27th & Broadway and Oak and 14th St (right at the corner of Lake Merritt).

We hope you can make it, and that you are ready. Check the WOBO website for information and a link to our BTWD volunteer Google doc.

The biggest Bike Day in da' Bay – Bike To Work Day – is on May 14th and WOBO needs your help to make this BTWD the best yet! A few easy ways to get involved with Bike To Work Day:

• Volunteer! Click here for info on BTWD Volunteer Opportunities
• Lead a Pedal Pool for District 3 or 5. Email our Pedal Pools coordinators
• Nominate a cyclist you admire for the Bike Commuter of the Year Award
• Register a team for the 2009 Team Bike Challenge
• Enter to win fabulous BTWD prizes!

Tell the City of Oakland that improving biking and walking should be a focus of Oakland's Energy and Climate Action Plan! Attend one of their Public Workshops on Thurs, Apr. 30th.

Transportation is Oakland's leading producer of greenhouse gases and the City wants input on reducing these emissions. Let them know that making cycling and walking safe and easy would mean significant emissions reductions in the near term. Attend one of the two sessions on April 30th: 3-5pm & 7-9pm at Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 3.

Bike Broadway Campaign: Bike Counters Needed!

WOBO is working to get the City of Oakland to create safe bicycle lanes on the Broadway corridor. Data about how much this corridor is used will help make the case that even with the high rate of bicyclist-related accidents and poor pavement conditions, bicyclists still rely on Broadway to get around downtown Oakland.

All volunteers who participate in the count must attend a short training session so that we can be sure we're all coordinated in our methods. The training will be from 5-6pm on Sunday May 3rd, at 23rd and Broadway (where we've been having our most recent WOBO meetings). Click here for more info.

Help Write and Produce the WOBO E-Newsletter:

Location: Webster St, between 34th & 35th (Below 580 overpass). Seriously, this one is huge. What's worse, it's at the bottom of a downhill on the busy Webster Street Bike Route. Yuck. Click here to report potholes to the Oakland DPW (they'll actually fix 'em!). Until then: watch out!

Do you have a nominee for next month's Pothole of Shame? Please send a picture along with a short description to dominic@walkoaklandbikeoakland.org.

And if you really hate potholes, you should join us for the "I Hella Hate Potholes" ride May 2nd (starts 11am from Fruitvale BART). Check out some Oakland pothole hunters in action:

On Wednesday, March 25th, Councilmember Nancy Nadel hosted a community meeting to involve her constituents in the upcoming decisions about Federal Stimulus funding. WOBO correspondent Shannon T was there to get the scoop.

The 2nd Birthday Party for Tip Top Bike Shop was a good time for all and a big success for WOBO. We signed up new members, raffled off some sweet art and t-shirts, and raked in some donations at the beer counter. Thanks to Lagunitas for donating the beer. Thanks to everyone who came out and learned about WOBO. And of course many, many thanks to Richard and Charlotte for making us the beneficiaries of Tip Top's party this year! We love you!

Creating more walkable, bikeable neighborhoods has a lot to do with the culture (i.e. the role of biking, walking and open space) of the people who live in them. Cultural influences have already started to transform Fruitvale and Chinatown, so you know that it's a real thing. This article from Good Magazine runs through what positive changes we can make to our streets and why they're important.

Since this kind of change is already taking place in Oakland, think about getting involved with one of our two major pedestrian campaigns. Our Downtown Crosswalks campaign seeks to upgrade major intersections along the Webster/Franklin corridor with ped-friendly scrambles, curb-cuts, and walking-oriented timed lights. The Harrison/Oakland campaign's goal is to create street closures for recreation (à la Ciclovía) which would transform our streets into true public space. To get involved in these campaigns or see what other pedestrian projects we're working on (there are several), email Alec.

Earth Day Events – Sat, Apr. 18th

Click the link above to find events all over Oakland from 9am-noon. Clean it. Green it. Mean it.

Oakland City Council Meeting: BTWD Proclamation – Tues, Apr. 21st

The City Council meeting is open to the public, and this might be a good one to attend. They'll be issuing the proclamation declaring 5/14/09 as Bike to Work Day (and May 2009 as Bike to Work Month) after some other business. The meeting starts at 6 so the proclamation should come up sometime after 6:30-ish.

New Highway-Style Bike Network Signs: Presentation by City – Tues, Apr. 21

There will be a presentation on Oakland's new highway-style bike route signs at the East Bay Bicycle Coalition monthly meeting – Rockridge Library (5366 College Ave) from 8-9pm.

Climate of Change – Thurs, Apr. 23rd

Join Bay Localize for an evening of music, insight, and conversation about building stronger communities in the face of climate change and the economic crisis. First Unitarian Church, 685 14th St from 6 to 8:30pm.

Harrison St/Oakland Ave Community Transportation Plan Workshop – Thurs, Apr. 23rd

We need your help to increase bike & walking access around this central corridor! Come out to the Westlake Middle School Gym (2629 Harrison & 27th Street) at 6:30 pm.

WOBO Ride: See the New Bike Network Signs – Sat, Apr. 25th

Join WOBO for a community ride to tour the new highway-style bike route signs in Oakland. If you want to be part of the action, meet us at Market and 3rd Streets (near West Oakland BART) for a 10am departure. The ride will run from 10a-noon. We encourage you to RSVP through the WOBO website or through the Facebook page for the event.

Sunday Streets: San Francisco (1 of 6) – Sun, Apr. 26th

Sunday Streets transforms miles of San Francisco's roadways on Sunday mornings to provide recreation opportunities, inspire physical activity among participants and connect underserved neighborhoods by providing car-free open space.

Berkeley Bike Rodeo Planning Meeting – Tues, Apr. 28th

The meeting is from 10 to 11:30am at the Frances Albrier Community Center – 2800 Park St, Berkeley. Breakfast will be served! Email Amy at ARanger@ci.berkeley.ca.us for more info.

Oakland's Energy and Climate Action Plan: Public Workshop – Thurs, Apr. 30th

Participants in this workshop will discuss potential energy and climate targets for the Oakland community and provide input on actions to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Come to either of the two identical sessions: 3-5pm & 7-9pm at Oakland City Hall, Hearing Room 3.

I recently saw a cyclist wearing a bike helmet which had an SMD LED strip on the back. I did a search to see if his setup was made with a pre-packaged kit, but it wasn't. However, there are some options out there for in-helmet lighting, from those still in development (photo), to helmets with built-in front and rear lights, and even a do-it-yourself EL wire kit to illuminate your helmet (click on "Bicycle/Helmet"). Although the photos and packaging on that last item look like they haven't been updated since the early 80's.