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In the past 10 days, the city of Long Beach celebrated a tremendous victory and suffered an incredible loss.

After a long, determined advocacy campaign, the Port of Long Beach Harbor Commission agreed on March 14 to include a class-one bicycle and pedestrian path on the Gerald Desmond Bridge. Two days later, the man who worked so tireless for that critical project — Mark Bixby — died tragically in a plane crash.

According to a Tuesday press release from Bikeable Communities, an advocacy organization of which Bixby was a board member:

“We’re elated that the Harbor Commissioners, Port staff and Caltrans have come to understand the importance of including bicycle and pedestrian access on the new bridge,” said Martin Howard, a longtime friend of Bixby’s and a fellow board member of Bikeable Communities, a nonprofit advocacy organization. “You only have one opportunity to build a billion-dollar bridge in a century. And Mark felt passionately that the bridge needed to be constructed to benefit everyone and to connect as many places as possible. He called it the bridge to everywhere.” As a member of the non-profit bicycle advocacy group Bikeable Communities, Bixby was tireless in his efforts to educate and inspire all parties involved to understand the importance of these facilities both to the Port with its focus on sustainability, and the City as it endeavors to become one of the most bike-friendly cities in the nation. Through Bixby’s efforts, Bikeable Communities leadership and volunteers worked in partnership with nearly 20 organizations, clubs and advocacy groups to raise awareness of the need for bicycle and pedestrian paths to create viable and safe routes to Terminal Island…

But shortly after the vote last week, Bixby died when a two-engine plane bound for a ski trip in Utah suffered mechanical issues upon take-off and crashed near the Long Beach Municipal Airport. Bixby’s untimely death sent shock waves through the local and national cycling community. “We in the bicycling community (and the broader community) are mourning the loss of Mark Bixby,” wrote Andréa White-Kjoss, President/CEO of Bike Station. “At 44, Mark was a husband and father of three, accomplished in many arenas, and was just hitting his stride as a cycling advocate. He was the leader in the successful fight, just concluded, for bicycle and pedestrian path on the new Gerald Desmond Bridge and was a driver for many other bicycling-related projects and programs. He spent a lot of time on his road bike as a member of the La Habra team. We have lost a warm, talented, and energetic friend, husband, father, son, brother, and advocate.”

Again, according to the Bikeable Communities press release:

“Advocates and professionals alike who worked with Bixby on bicycle and community related issues appear to all agree there could be no greater tribute to the passionate leader than to see the bicycle and pedestrian path on the new Gerald Desmond Bridge named in Bixby’s honor. “It was Bixby’s vision, passion, negotiating skills, work-ethic and ability to forge a collaborative coalition that took the bike and ped path from concept to a world-class idea that will impact thousands for generations to come,” said Howard. “His leadership and vision on many issues will be sorely missed by many in Long Beach, but in particular, by the cycling community.”

There will be a memorial ride tomorrow, March 25th, at 8 a.m., starting at Leeway Sailing Center on the Peninsula in Long Beach and traveling to the top of the Gerald Desmond Bridge. Read about Bixby’s efforts for the bike/ped path on his blog: asthewheelturns.wordpress.com. Learn more from Bikeable Communities here.