Workshop on Wheels to Promote Cycling

Calabasas city officials will sponsor a workshop on wheels Saturday with a community bike ride around the city to gather input from residents about the best way to promote bicycle use and expand the city’s cycling facilities.

Participants will meet at 9 a.m. at the Calabasas Swim and Tennis Center, 23400 Park Sorrento, before starting on a bike ride led by the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station’s Bike Team.

The purpose of the ride is to educate the public about the planning process for a new bicycle facility, and inform people about existing bike routes and trails and plans for new bike lanes.

At the same time, officials hope to learn what residents want in a bicycle facility, information they will incorporate into the city’s Bicycle Master Plan.

“We will use the public workshop in making the determination of what is the best way to go about creating an atmosphere that encourages bike riding,” said Robert Yalda, Calabasas’ traffic and transportation manager.

“We want to create bike lanes where people can ride their bikes to work rather than jump in their cars.”

He said improvements would probably include a bike trail that would link Woodland Hills to Calabasas and Westlake Village up to the Ventura County line, with routes in areas in between.

Ride participants will leave the center at 9:30 a.m., and the workshop will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The ride and the workshop are free to the public, and lunch will be provided.

For more information, call Yalda at (818) 878-4242, Ext. 254, or Bill Dvorak, project manager for DKS Associates, an advisory firm hired by the city, at (818) 796-8677.