Santa Rosa Staff Honored as Civic Bike Leaders of the Year

The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition (SCBC) has named Dan Hennessey, Torina Wilson, and Alexander Oceguera as the 2025 "Civic Bike Leaders of the Year", awarding them with the Golden Spoke Award for their leadership in advancing bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in Santa Rosa.

As leaders in the City's Transportation and Public Works Department, the trio has been instrumental in creating safer, more accessible streets for all users. Their work reflects Santa Rosa's commitment to sustainable mobility and thoughtful planning for active transportation.

Guided by the City's Active Transportation Plan, Dan, Torina, and Alexander have engaged the community to gather input on bicycle and pedestrian needs, ensuring improvements align with residents' and City priorities. This approach has helped the City expand protected bike lanes, improve key thoroughfares like Sonoma and Santa Rosa Avenues, and implement Safe Routes to School initiatives that enhance safety for students and families.

The City continues to advance transformative projects that enhance connectivity, including protected bike lanes on the Hearn Avenue Overcrossing and on Sonoma Avenue, as well as the long-awaited Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing near Santa Rosa Junior College. The 2025 Pavement Preventative Maintenance (PPM) program, scheduled to begin in late September, will also reconfigure a road diet along West College and North Dutton Avenues, reducing travel lanes to lower vehicle speeds and create space for bike lanes with buffers, and introducing traffic calming measures on W Steele Lane.

In addition to infrastructure improvements, the awardees have championed community engagement and staff participation in active transportation. The City played an active role in Bay Area Bike to Work Day, organized its second Bike-In Block Party, and encourages staff to ride their bikes to work by providing convenient, dedicated bike parking areas.

SCBC specifically highlighted the leadership of Dan Hennessey, Transportation Director; Torina Wilson, Transportation Planner; and Alexander Oceguera, Active Transportation Planner for their collaborative approach, innovative thinking, and dedication to making Santa Rosa streets safer for all road users.

Santa Rosa's recognition as a hub for active transportation demonstrates how leadership, community input, and teamwork can transform streets into safer, more connected spaces for everyone.