Octa's transportation blog

OCTA Supports Cycling Safety and Bike-Friendly Communities

OCTA is dedicated to raising awareness about bike safety while continuing to build a cycle-friendly community that extends throughout Orange County.

In October, OCTA will take part in two open street cycling events where major roads will be closed to traffic and open to bike and pedestrian activity only.

Orange County's first-ever Ciclovía, an open streets event for bicyclists, walkers and runners, will be held in Santa Ana on Sunday, Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Called SOMOS (Sunday on Main Open Streets), the event will take over a 3-mile route that connects historic South Main Street with the city’s vibrant downtown.

The following weekend, Re:Imagine Garden Grove will encourage visitors to think of the city in a whole new way while experiencing three miles of car-free streets for biking, walking, skating and playing. The event will be held Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

At events such as these and through a variety of other programs, OCTA reaches out to Orange County cyclists and motorists to educate and build awareness of safety issues, including the new Three Feet for Safety Act that went into effect on Sept. 16.

The new law, AB-1371, is designed to reduce car-bicycle crashes. Drivers must give people riding bikes at least 3 feet of clearance when passing in the same direction.

As part of its Three Feet for Safety Awareness Campaign, OCTA created a video PSA that reminds viewers to bike smart, bike safe and give cyclists room to ride. The video has gone viral and to date has educated more than 311,000 viewers on Facebook and YouTube about this important new safety regulation.