Davis Bike Loop

The Davis Bike Loop as seen by a GPS, a bike and Google Earth

Map of route	http://www.davisbicycles.org/guide/bikeloop Orange Lines are Paths, Green Lines are Streets
Bike Loop Brochure	loopbrochure.pdf
Video of route	YouTube Vimeo (better quality)
Google Earth/GPS of route	http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?page_id=112808

The Davis Bike Loop is an approximately 12 mile long route through The Greenbelt that passes through most of the major pieces of bicycle infrastructure in town (also check out bike tunnels and bike bridges). Davis Bicycles is responsible for the route. Before the route had painted markings, the route was marked by chalked arrows and the letter "G."

The route is suitable for walking, jogging or bicycling. It runs mostly on paths and trails, but has some sections on quiet residential streets. The route was chosen to be safe and pleasant, but not fast. It is suitable for casual bicyclists who don't mind going slow and yielding to pedestrians, young riders, old riders, and new riders. It is also great for experienced riders who want a slow, comfortable ride on a sunny day. The route is designed to be used as a navigable route for children, so parents can send their kids across town for a trombone lesson on a safe, easy-to-follow route. If it is your first time following the route, however, it is strongly suggested you pay careful attention to the path markers and look everywhere for them. The path does not take a straight path through the greenbelts and it is easy to get off course because you aren't paying attention and can easily miss a sudden turn.

If you have a GPS you can upload the davisbikeloop-whole.gpx file into it if you want to have it route you through the winding courseway. The map above is the route as displayed within google earth, and you can also download the Google Earth File to browse the path yourself: davisbikeloop-whole.kmz .

The system was proposed in the 1980s by Landscape Architecture professor Mark Francis and his then student (and now Landscape architecture Professor) Steve Greco. Several greenbelts had already been built, such as the sections in Village Homes and the North Davis Greenbelt, but they were not connected in a network and there were no plans to do so. Francis and Greco proposed a suburban greenway system with a loop around the periphery of the city, a second loop several miles out in the country, and spokes radiating out from downtown/campus connecting out to the two rings. Their proposal was adopted as part of the city's General Plan in the late 80s.

In the early 1990s, the plan was carefully followed during the building boom greenway components were built whenever land was developed. We are fortunate that Francis and Greco had the vision to propose the greenway and our leaders adopted it, because it would be impossible to retrofit such a system into existing neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the "rural greenway" loop was not advanced as a greenway, though the current open space policy is a direct result of the original greenway proposal, and since the city owns land or holds conservation easements on it, there is a possibility that the outer loop can still be built. The "spokes" have not been emphasized as much as the greenway loop, but there are fairly good routes connecting the loop to the core in most places.

In the early 2000s, Francis would offer periodic tours of the greenway, and would always conclude that it was only about 70% done, and probably wouldn't be completed in his lifetime. All of the segments were well-used by neighborhood residents, but as there was no navigation system, people had to learn to find the best route on their own. UC Davis Institute for Transportation Studies student Chris Congleton marked the route with stenciled arrows in 2003 for a transportation conference, but the graffiti patrol erased the marks before the conference began. Also in 2003, several improvements were completed on the greenway that made a complete, navigable route around the entire city (Putah Parkway tunnel under the railroad tracks, section by Meadowbrook School, and the 5th St. Tunnel/Mace Ranch Park in 2005). Without any fanfare, and without anyone really noticing, the greenway loop became complete to the point where it was functional and usable as an inter-neighborhood transportation route.

In September 2007, Davis hosted the http://walkbikecalifornia.org and Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals http://www.apbp.org conferences. The Davis Bicycles group thought it would be beneficial to invite the attendees on a self-guided tour of the greenway, and suggested to City Council and Public Works that the mostly-complete greenway was now ready to be marked. Davis Bicycles! drew up a map, did a few test rides of the loop and submitted it to the Campus Committee on Bicycles and the Bicycle Advisory Commission both of whom gave the route tentative approval.

In July, the stencil was complete and crews marked the loop in August and September, 2007. The stencils were repainted in the summer of 2008.

On October 21st, 2007, an opening ride and ceremony was held. A video of the event can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7dMuyONoFs.

One of the markings used for the loopWhat the markings look like to a bicyclistA friendly city paint crew laying out a stencil by the South Davis Bike Path in August 2007

Old Mark, New Mark, White Mark, Green Mark Bike Tour Maps installed in 2007The bike loop passes through part of the arboretum

Comments:

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2007-09-04 19:15:13   I saw some of these in West Davis and Village Homes last night, and followed them down Russel, but they dropped before I got to campus. —GeoffJohnson

2007-09-04 19:25:32   The ones I saw were on Drexel Drive and Loyola Drive. —JasonAller

2007-09-04 22:24:13   At the head of bike path leading from J Street towards the bike tunnel that goes under the tracks. —KevinChin

2007-09-04 22:56:03   I believe Ted Buehler may have been involved with this. He might have more info. —jefftolentino

He was. Who do you think is behind Davis Bicycles? -wl


Having him post a map would spoil the fun of figuring out the loop based on the street markings people find. :) —kc

2007-09-05 09:34:07   I saw them on 14th St. and the path that goes past Community Park. —CovertProfessor

2007-09-05 12:26:40   must. get. a. map. —WesHardaker

Does anyone know how to do a legend in googlemaps? —TedBuehler

2007-09-11 10:59:05   Good work on the map, Wes. —jefftolentino

• Thanks... I'm tired now though. I pulled a bike trailer (loaded with a kid for half the way) for the entire ride. —WesHardaker
  

2007-09-11 11:09:19   The page looks awesome!

—JamesSchwab

2007-09-17 The markings are complete now, including campus (UCD).
My 10-year-old and I did the complete loop on tandem last Saturday and we loved it. Got us from West Davis to South Davis and back with no need to look at any maps or any worries about getting lost or needing to deal with unsafe spots. It created a nice sense of exploration and ownership and community. We met and talked to several different people, including 2 older ladies who were out exploring the loop. People are discovering this loop—it's a great ride. The pathways—largely off-street—are beautiful and it really makes you proud of Davis.

—MikeR

2007-09-18 06:41:35   I have also completed a tour of the loop (though not all in one day due to other tasks; the map above was actually hand-pieced together from various days of GPS tracks). Anyway, the loop is certainly fantastic. It does make some interesting choices, though. I was sure it was going to turn north into the Northstar Greenbelt as it's one of the best sections of paths in Davis. But it didn't and headed down 14th instead. Overall, though, the loop is certainly a great trip. —WesHardaker

2007-11-02 00:53:11   Already many of the green markings are fading away. Using signposts (or road marking quality coatings) would be better. Corresponding, taking out the overly superfluous routings would help as well. —jimc

2007-11-25 12:59:45   Wow! This is amazing! I have only been biking now for about four weeks since I moved here and just have an Electra Townie 3 speed cruiser and love this loop and was able to do it all (except for a bit of walking on the Dave Pelz overcrossing). I start near Mace Ranch where it winds through charming residential areas along Loyola and Drexel-all the little old houses, which also avoids that wicked J street hill on Covell; then it winds around the other side of the North Davis Elementary school along 14th St & Villanova, finally turning through Sycamore Park and Arroyo Park and hitting that very cool stretch of bike path that winds through the community gardens and co-ops of Village Homes (I had never seen that portion of Davis and doubt I would just by car!). After that you hit beautiful green farms along side you on Evenstar, turning down through a great trek through portions of the UC Davis campus (catching some of the buildings, the art and those egghead sculptures)and then scenic shots of the arboretum. Coming out the Arboretum you follow along the Putah Creek and more rich farmland, wind through a few more residential parks until you hit the Dave Pelz overcrossing and are back at the beginning.

This loop is great for anyone who comes to visit-even if they haven't biked for a while as long as you take it slow it still only takes 2 hours to complete. Kudos to the designers! —Judge

2008-03-08 15:40:14   The bike loop is great fun - it is fairly well marked, although we got a bit lost somewhere between the UCD domes and the bike church, but we managed to pick up the trail again. It's a lovely, fun ride that explores parts of Davis you may not otherwise visit. —AcMach

2008-03-13 15:23:34   Great bike path, but I got lost and never picked up the trail, but I managed to find my way back. Must try again soon! —VTang

2008-03-13 16:23:24   When I did the loop, I lost the trail going westbound around 5th and Orchard Park Drive. Must not have seen the turnoff that leads into Russell Park, but I reconnected with it when I intersected with the path that leads to the southern 113 bike overpass. Great ride; it made me realize how much of Davis I really haven't seen. —KevinChin

2008-03-14 08:50:35   Riders, be aware! "The route was chosen to be safe and pleasant, but" I was hit by a car at an inferior intersection on the Loop: where Villanova dead ends into Sycamore. Not a criticism of the Loop, but rather to say that there are many hazards along it. Keep your eyes and ears awake, your hands on the brake levers, and wear your bicycle helmet, please! —DougWalter

2008-03-19 13:25:47   Finally managed to complete the loop! It's a great ride and so far I've been back at least every other day. It's a good idea to really pay attention because there are quite a few intersections where cars don't have to stop. Still an excellent path to bike though. —VTang

2008-03-30 20:36:02   I really enjoy the loop, you do have to be careful on the street intersections, but it's a nice ride that allows you to see many of Davis' parks. —LizMelack

2008-04-06 13:26:51   ive been on it twice now and it is good exercise! try it today! —davisrox

2008-07-13 15:09:46   i am going to do this on friday july 18. any good advise as what to bring and etc?? —applepearpp

2008-07-17 09:41:52   Davis Bicycles! will be riding the Bike Loop on July 29th with City Bike/Ped Coordinator Tara Goddard to review the route in preparation for repainting it. Start will be at 6:30pm in Community Park across from Rainbow City. For more information contact info@davisbicycles.org —LeoRainer

2008-08-23 15:50:16   the J st tunnel is a killer. would suggest to take a left at the end of J st instead. —applepearpp

2008-08-25 06:26:16   I noticed the other day that at least many of the stencils have been repainted. Hopefully with better paint this time. —WesHardaker

2008-09-21 14:58:52   Why does the Loop not include the North Davis Greenbelt? It would seem natural when going east coming from the 113 bike overpass to turn left on Sycamore and then catch the green belt at either Antelope or Alvarado. Or another natural loop is to follow the bike path on H street and connect on F street, coming back to the current loop on the Covell bike over-crossing into Community Park. I'm sure there must have been some discussion of this. —CarlTesterman

2009-05-31 14:00:18   Yesterday, my friend Emily and I got confused on the Bike Loop for a little bit because the markers disappeared soon after we passed the bathrooms at the Community Park heading east. I suspect that since the new crossing was constructed near the Davis Art Center, no one has painted any new Bike Loop markings. But then we crossed F Street on a hunch and picked up the trail again near the baseball field on H Street. —CalamityJanie

2009-06-30 15:59:48   The markings around Davis are pretty easy to follow, however the markings on campus have definitely faded a lot. Other than that, a great aerobic exercise. Although when I rode the loop, it was over 100 degrees outside and I think I got heat exhaustion. —JustinAi

2009-09-23 21:10:13   I'm training for a marathon. This looks like it would be good for a long run. Has anyone run this route? —Melisa

I'm not a runner, but I've biked it multiple times. If you like running on cement (many don't) it should be a good run. There will be some issues where you're running on city streets with blocks where you'll have to jump on/off sidewalks to cross streets and a few places you'll need to wait for traffic lights, but other than that it should be nice. —WesHardaker