Media Room

Media inquiries for the Bikeable Communities team should be requested via our Media & Communications person Melissa Balmer at cell or via email: .

Current Release

For Immediate Release

Date: Monday October 22, 2012

From: Melissa Balmer/Director of Communications for Bikeable Communities tel email:

Long Beach CA – Charlie Gandy, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the non-profit bicycle advocacy organization Bikeable Communities will address the Seal Beach Council tonight on four specific safety issues regarding a segment of Pacific Coast Highway in Seal Beach during the Oral Communications section of the council’s meeting tonight Monday October 22^nd . The meeting will begin at 7:00 pm at 211 Eighth Street in Seal Beach.

Gandy’s address to the council on behalf of Bikeable Communities is not only in response to the recent very serious injuries suffered by a bicyclist in that segment of PCH in Seal Beach, but to draw attention to the growing concern over the safety of bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike on all of Southern California’s iconic Pacific Coast Highway with recent serious injuries of bicyclists in Newport and the death of a bicyclist on PCH in Malibu.  Over 370 people have signed the Bikeable Communities petition for a safer PCH through Seal Beach. This is Bikeable Communities first step in creating a new PCH Safer Design campaign.

Tonight Gandy will call for the Seal Beach Council to formally adopt a resolution to work with Caltrans, OCTA and Bikeable Communities on the following four key safety issues:

1. Prohibit OCTA bus, tow trucks and large trailer parking on PCH from 1st St. to Seal Beach Blvd.
2. Install carve out bus stop niche locations for passenger pick up/drop off.
3. Move bus layover spot from PCH to Balboa Drive
4. Install bike lanes on all of PCH through Seal Beach

Thus far the City of Seal Beach, Caltrans and the OCTA have been very positive and responsive in their communications with Bikeable Communities over this matter. An initial meeting to discuss next steps has been set up for November 6^th.

Prior to the council meeting Gandy is inviting interested press to meet with him at 5:30 pm in the area of Pacific Coast Highway in Seal Beach that is causing the concern.  He will be mapping out exactly what happened in the recent bicyclist/motorist collision that caused the concern and why the Bikeable Communities four key safety points will alleviate this issue. Media interested in meeting with Gandy on PCH this evening prior to the meeting, or speaking with Gandy about this issue should contact Melissa Balmer at or email her at . Images specifically illustrating the problems can be found here: https://bikeablecommunities.org/2012/10/03/2347/#more-2347. Copies of these images can be made available for the use of the media.

Charlie Gandy is one of the leading biking and walking advocates in the U.S., well-known for his ground breaking and innovative ideas. The founder of Bike Texas (then the Texas Bicycle Coalition), Gandy has  served the Director of Advocacy Programs for the National Center for Biking and Walking, and created the Thunderhead Retreat bicycling and walking advocacy training which served as the incubator for the national advocacy organization The Alliance for Biking and Walking. As the Mobility Coordinator for the City of Long Beach he originated the Bike Friendly Business District Program. In September of 2012 he served as Host Chair of Pro Walk/Pro Bike: Pro Place Conference.

About Bikeable Communities

Bikeable Communities is a 501(c)3 established to promote bicycling safety and foster the ideal of bicycle networked communities throughout the Southern California coastal region. Bikeable Communities works at the local, regional and state level to advance safer bicycle infrastructure, create more collaborative bike-friendly communities, promote bike safety knowledge for riders, and safe access for bike riders of all skill levels and interest. Learn more at  bikeablecommunities.org.

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