http://www.elpais.es/composicion/images/portada_prin/200611/12/1163346897.jpg

 

And to think that the article mentions that Spain is behind compared to other Eurpean countries, I wish we were that behind. (Note: this is a Google translation of the original article in Spanish http://www.elpais.es/articulo/sociedad/Bicicletas/CO2/elpporsoc/20061112elpepusoc_1/Tes/ )

 

Bicycles against CO2

Some thirty Spanish cities `organizes one bicicletada' to promote the use of this vehicle against the contamination

 

Thousands of citizens of all Spain have removed today their bicycles to the street to demand more tracks bicis and less vehicles, more sport and less contamination. Some thirty cities has secundado the march to animate to the population to use the bicycle and to contribute to the reduction of polluting emissions to the atmosphere. The Coordinator in Defense of the Bici calculates that with the action this morning, more than 12,000 people than they have gone out have avoided the emission of almost 15,5 tons of CO2 of the atmosphere...

 

http://www.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elpais.es%2Farticulo%2Fsociedad%2FBicicletas%2FCO2%2Felpporsoc%2F20061112elpepusoc_1%2FTes%2F&langpair=es%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF8

 

Building a Better Bike Lane

Bike-friendly cities in Europe are launching a new attack on car culture. Can the U.S. catch up?

By NANCY KEATES

May 4, 2007; Page W1

 

COPENHAGEN -- No one wears bike helmets here. They're afraid they'll mess up their hair. "I have a big head and I would look silly," Mayor Klaus Bondam says.

 

People bike while pregnant, carrying two cups of coffee, smoking, eating bananas. At the airport, there are parking spaces for bikes. In the emergency room at Frederiksberg Hospital on weekends, half the biking accidents are from people riding drunk. Doctors say the drunk riders tend to run into poles...

Bikes at the Amsterdam train station. Construction there begins soon on a 10,000-bike garage.

 

Traffic in Copenhagen

 

 

CITY

% OF ARTERIAL ROADS WITH BIKE LANES

% OF COMMUTERS WHO BIKE

COMMENTS

 

Boulder, Colo.

97%

21%

Boulder has spent an average 15% of its transportation budget on building and maintaining bicycle traffic over the past five years. The goal is to create a system that's "equitable for all users," with no hierarchy among pedestrians, cars and bikes, says Marni Ratzel, who runs the city's program.

 

Chicago

11%

1-2%

Mayor Richard Michael Daley bikes to work, setting the example for this city, which released an ambitious new bike plan last year. The goal: making all of Chicago's streets safe and convenient for cycling.

 

Davis, Calif.

95%

17%

Mostly flat and temperate, this town's logo is a bicycle; it has more bikes than cars and is the only place to earn platinum status on Bicycle Friendly Community's list of top cities. The city is about to build a $1.7 million bike-only tunnel under a major road.

 

Madison, Wisc.

About 37%

3.2% There are 32 miles of bike lanes, 35 miles of bike paths and more than 100 miles of signed bike routes. On University Avenue, the major street in the downtown and University of Wisconsin campus area, there can be over 10,000 bicyclists a day -- plus 30,000 cars.

 

Palo Alto, Calif.

13%

5.7%

Along with the bike lanes on roads, the city also has nine miles of bike paths. In 2004 it spent about $5 million on a rail line under-crossing and $1.5 million on a 0.8-mile bike path.

 

Portland, Ore.

28%

5.4%

Though there are lots of hills and rain, this city has 163 miles of bike lanes. All but two bridges accommodate bicyclists. There's still a long way to go: The city still has 38 miles of bike lanes left in order to achieve its master plan. But in some neighborhoods bike commuters are as high as 9%.

 

San Francisco

About 4%

2.1%

In November 2003, San Francisco voters approved a half-cent sales tax measure, estimated to total $2.6 billion over 30 years. Of that, $56 million (a little more than 2%) will go to bike-related projects.

i took these pics this afternoon. this is a new bike parking stand in ny on the northside of union square. i think it is pretty slick. it matches the new bus stops and newsstands. i've never seen that nyc cycling map before.

 

this one is in front of a hellishly busy barnes&noble. also, union square itself often has a popular farmer's market right across the street, so it'll get a lot of use. the only downside is it takes up maybe just a little too much room on the sidewalk. what do you think of it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That sidewalk is crazy!  Why did they put it there instead of "in" the park on the northside.  There is all that space.  Great Idea bad location.

I think they look pretty slick as well...they do however (as you mentioned) take up a bit too much room on the sidewalk, but on sidewalks a bit wider they would be just fine.

 

NYC has been implementing what I think is a fantastic streetscape furniture plan...with this being part of it.  The trick will be to make sure that there is a consistent "wall of furniture."  What that means is to have a consistent distance this stuff protrudes into the walking path.  By doing this it will make even narrow sidewalks feel manageable as people will get used to the average spacing this new stuff takes up...whether it is a bike stand, bus stop, or public bathroom.

^ yeah, i do think people will get used to it ok too. i just hope the new stuff can stand up to the daily beating. the style seems somewhat glassy and fragile. the bus stops already have scrachitti and graffiti. all in all i think it was a waste of money.

 

 

That sidewalk is crazy!  Why did they put it there instead of "in" the park on the northside.  There is all that space.  Great Idea bad location.

 

i am as flabbergasted about that as you are.

 

you can bet they don't do this to park ave (which has very wide sidewalks and relatively few people).

 

i just hope the new stuff can stand up to the daily beating. the style seems somewhat glassy and fragile. the bus stops already have scrachitti and graffiti. all in all i think it was a waste of money.

 

You said it- should be very interesting to see how these things hold up.  Every time a new bus stop gets shattered, it seems to find its way to one of the local blogs.  The whole program was paid for by the folks selling ad space though, no?  I don't think the city is out of pocket any.

Nice looking, but a ridiculous idea, imo.  Why shelter those bikes with a roof like that?  Isn't anyone on a bike riding in that weather anyway?  Is it just to raise the visibility of the stop?  Surely there are other ways of doing that.  The cycling map is nice.

Nice looking, but a ridiculous idea, imo.  Why shelter those bikes with a roof like that?  Isn't anyone on a bike riding in that weather anyway?  Is it just to raise the visibility of the stop?  Surely there are other ways of doing that.  The cycling map is nice.

 

Advertising dollars

I see advertising on the reverse of the map.  Are they going to advertise on the roof as well?  I suppose people looking down from the skyscrapers could be an audience.

I see advertising on the reverse of the map.  Are they going to advertise on the roof as well?  I suppose people looking down from the skyscrapers could be an audience.

 

Honey, It's NYC, I wouldn't put it past them.

Nice looking, but a ridiculous idea, imo.  Why shelter those bikes with a roof like that?

 

to provide another pretty glassy surface to deface and shatter, duh!

 

Did someone mention urban bicycle parking?

 

Yup.

 

Why shelter those bikes with a roof like that?  Isn't anyone on a bike riding in that weather anyway? 

 

are you suggesting that bike parking shouldn't be sheltered?  or, are you suggesting that a flat roof with minimal coverage isn't going to do much good against rain, let alone blowing rain/snow?  does NYC have any longterm storage bike lockers anywhere, perhaps near subway stations? http://www.bikelink.org/ 

 

Yup.

 

 

Yes, that is a bicycle parking garage in the Netherlands.

 

--

 

I honestly see no major issue with the covered bicycle parking. It only entices those who have not ridden before -- those just starting out or who would otherwise not bicycle -- to ride. I would not like to see these all over the city, given that they are more expensive than looped racks, but they are much more visible and can turn a profit with the advertising.

How about this option for short term bike parking?  the cyclopod is very compact and the canopy provides better cover for the bikes.  the website provides details on a solar powered security light for night time usage, though not sure that this wouldn't be drowned out by ambient lighting in an urban setting.

 

 

I think that's pretty cool actually.

Why shelter those bikes with a roof like that?  Isn't anyone on a bike riding in that weather anyway? 

 

are you suggesting that bike parking shouldn't be sheltered?  or, are you suggesting that a flat roof with minimal coverage isn't going to do much good against rain, let alone blowing rain/snow?  does NYC have any longterm storage bike lockers anywhere, perhaps near subway stations? http://www.bikelink.org/ 

 

 

Well, both actually.  What good does this do?  If you're getting off of or onto your bike, haven't you, by definition, been out in the elements, or about to embark out into them?  It's not as if you're getting out of or into a climate controlled car or bus/train.  You're already wet and cold, or about to be.  Where I could see sheltered bike parking work is at commuter stations with lockers, showers, services, etc.

Where I could see sheltered bike parking work is at commuter stations with lockers, showers, services, etc.

 

No showers or lockers, but CTA Dempster is a small step in the right direction:

 

They would run out of space pretty fast if bicycles were taken seriously as transportation by a large segment of the commuting population. This was late autumn, chilly and windy, though. Maybe in warm weather there are more bikes.

They would run out of space pretty fast if bicycles were taken seriously as transportation by a large segment of the commuting population.

 

You can fit about 15-20 bikes in the space it takes to park a car indoors.

How about this option for short term bike parking?  the cyclopod is very compact and the canopy provides better cover for the bikes.  the website provides details on a solar powered security light for night time usage, though not sure that this wouldn't be drowned out by ambient lighting in an urban setting.

 

Unless my eyes deceive me, the only way to hook your bike up to that rack is by the tires, which is less than ideal.  Could be easily remedied, though.

 

I like the NYC racks, but I agree that the shelter is minimal.  Still, it sends the right message (though not as strong as the Netherlands example!) that bikes are viable transportation options and infrastructure investments are important and worthwhile.  That said, I'd assume they're paying for themselves through advertising dollars.  Which is why I'm surprised that we don't see more of those around the US.

 

As for the NYC bike map, you can get those (or at least you used to be able to) at most bike shops.  In my opinion, it's the best all-around map of the 5 boroughs, with street names, preferred routes, and even dashed lines that represent where the subways run underground!  It's durable too...

Unless my eyes deceive me, the only way to hook your bike up to that rack is by the tires, which is less than ideal.  Could be easily remedied, though.

 

Good question MapBoy. 

Upon closer inspection and another look at the website, it appears that each slot offers 2 lock connections.  One on the bottom to the rear wheel and a second on an arm near the top, which reaches past the front wheel to meet the frame.

 

In the attached picture, the upper lock goes through both the frame and the front wheel.  A compact u-lock would likely fit only through the frame, though I wonder if the tension is enough to prevent the front wheel from being stolen.

 

 

 

Why shelter those bikes with a roof like that?  Isn't anyone on a bike riding in that weather anyway? 

 

are you suggesting that bike parking shouldn't be sheltered?  or, are you suggesting that a flat roof with minimal coverage isn't going to do much good against rain, let alone blowing rain/snow?  does NYC have any longterm storage bike lockers anywhere, perhaps near subway stations? http://www.bikelink.org/ 

 

 

Well, both actually.  What good does this do?  If you're getting off of or onto your bike, haven't you, by definition, been out in the elements, or about to embark out into them?  It's not as if you're getting out of or into a climate controlled car or bus/train.  You're already wet and cold, or about to be.  Where I could see sheltered bike parking work is at commuter stations with lockers, showers, services, etc.

 

i think the main point of the roof might be more to give some protection to the riders to be able to stand under and read the bike map & to lock/unlock their bikes --- rather than to protect the bikes themselves.

 

So they're protected for the minute it take them to do that after they've biked in the rain for 20 minutes previously.  I understand that is the reason, but not why it is considered a useful thing to do.

no, you don't lock/unlock your bike and look over a map of a 469 sq mi city in a minute (i don't think you would do it that quickly with a 77 sq mi city either). for one thing even if you know the city pretty well you might still be looking for specific bike routes. so it's useful to have a shelter because it's nice to do those things out of the weather while you get your head in the game to get back on the road. also, i suppose they want to promote biking as a transportation option.

 

other than that, i think the firm that sold the mta these standardized new bus stop/newsstand/bike parking designs is just looking for ways to "get paid" and it's a waste of money.

So they're protected for the minute it take them to do that after they've biked in the rain for 20 minutes previously.  I understand that is the reason, but not why it is considered a useful thing to do.

 

I am not sure why a roof over a parked bike is so perplexing.  if you leave your bike out in the rain, it gets wet.  riding a wet bike, after the rain has stopped is unpleasant.  especially if you have a seat that soaks up water.  depending on your bicycle and how well maintained it is, a little rain can foul your chain, make your brakes less efficient, and make your handle bar grips slippery.     

other than that, i think the firm that sold the mta these standardized new bus stop/newsstand/bike parking designs is just looking for ways to "get paid" and it's a waste of money.

 

Neither the MTA nor the City paid any money for these structures (not to install and not to maintain)- they are all part of the Cemusa street furniture franchise: http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dot/html/sidewalks/streetfurniture.shtml#sheltered

This I love- functional and political at the same time:

 

 

I'm glad the bicycle parking has a roof over it..

This I love- functional and political at the same time:

 

 

What a hoot!  This is pure genius!

other than that, i think the firm that sold the mta these standardized new bus stop/newsstand/bike parking designs is just looking for ways to "get paid" and it's a waste of money.

Neither the MTA nor the City paid any money for these structures (not to install and not to maintain)- they are all part of the Cemusa street furniture franchise: http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dot/html/sidewalks/streetfurniture.shtml#sheltered

 

i didnt know that, thats great news.....as long as that company stays in business.

 

Article/commentary at the http://www.shortnorth.com/BikeBollards.htmL about the new bicycle parking bollards being installed in Columbus' Short North neighborhood and wondering if bikers really will use them.

 

When the Rubber Hits the Road

Will the Short North's new bicycle bollards

really help bikers?

by Jennifer Hambrick

February 2008

 

Are the 41 new bicycle bollards being installed around the Short North and funded by several Short North civic organizations really filling a need for the cycling community, or are they a pork barrel project that misses the point?

 

Six of the bollards – galvanized posts specially designed for bicycle parking – have already been installed at the City parking lot at 709 N. High St., a dozen have been installed where some side streets intersect with High Street, four will be placed at Italian Village Park and the remainder will be installed in Goodale Park.

 

More than $11,000 in grants from Short North civic organizations and committees, including the Short North Foundation, the Short North Special Improvement District and the Italian Village Society, has been given to fund the design, production and installation of the bollards.

 

But is it worth it? How much of a problem has bicycle parking in the Short North been, and how much incentive will the installation of the new bollards provide to get people to bike, instead of drive, though the Short North?

 

Ben Weiner, who commutes to work by bicycle through the Short North, says the absence of facilities designed specifically for bicycle parking along the High St. corridor has created problems for cyclists and pedestrians.

 

“Bicycle parking’s usually difficult because there’s no designated place, and even though there are usually plenty of objects to chain your bike to, a lot of times you feel that’s in the way, or you’re worried that if you locked your bike to a sign it’s not secure. It could be more likely that your bike could be vandalized,” Weiner said. “And because there’s no designated parking place, bikers perceive that it’s not that convenient and it doesn’t encourage people to bike to the Short North.”

 

Since the bollards installed along the High St. corridor are on side streets near their intersections with High St., and not directly on High St., Gazette Pedal Pusher columnist Greg Knepp says they will keep parked bicycles out of the way of pedestrian traffic.

 

Sabrina Bobrow, a commuter biker and chair of the Bicycle Bollards for Goodale Park Committee, says cyclists have for years been forced to lock their bikes to park benches and trees in Goodale Park, and that the installation of bicycle bollards in the park will give cyclists a safe place to leave their bikes without damaging the park’s trees.

 

“On High St. it’s more of a benefit to pedestrians,” Knepp said. “In Goodale Park, it’s more of a benefit to bicyclists so they can have someplace to put their bikes.”

 

But are the bollards, especially those along the High St. corridor, actually what bikers want? Mike Pham, who commutes by bicycle to work at the North Market, says bicycle parking off High St. doesn’t meet cyclists’ first priority for parking: convenience.

 

“You’d probably want to park on High St. rather than turning down an alley somewhere just because it’s that much closer (to where you’re going). Whatever is there and whatever is convenient is what people are going to use,” Pham said.

 

Zach Henkel, host of WCRS’ local cycling program, Cranksters, is skeptical that the bollards will be convenient enough for bikers.

 

“Cyclists tend to want to lock their vehicle as close to within view to where they’ll be as possible, so if they happen to put one of these bollards right next to the gazebo (in Goodale Park) and the cyclist will be at the gazebo, then they might use it, but they’re not going to lock up their bike at one end of the park and go all the way across the park to the gazebo,” Henkel said.

 

Nor does Henkel think the presence of bollards in the Short North will encourage more people to bike in the area.

 

“If you want more people riding bikes in the Short North, you need to keep the rent down,” Henkel said. “Biking is really a form of transportation for people with not much money. That’s why I got into it, that’s why most of my friends are in it.”

 

Reda Ashour agrees that the lack of bicycle parking facilities isn’t what keeps people from pedaling through the Short North. Ashour, a volunteer for the non-profit bicycle advocacy organization Third Hand Bicycle Co-op, says she tries to avoid the Short North’s heavy car traffic on her bicycle commutes between Clintonville and Downtown.

 

“The problem in the Short North is certainly not the bike parking. The problem is the car congestion and parking,” Ashour said. “Drivers are constantly turning in and out of parking lots and trying to get to their bars or restaurants with no other goal than to get where they’re going. People are completely blind to the fact that there are cyclists riding down High St. through the Short North.”

 

Weiner disagrees.

 

“Biking through the Short North (is) a very attractive thing about the Short North. Not only is it visually interesting, but the motorists are looking out for bicyclists and are very aware. It’s pleasurable and easy and safe to bike to as a destination for bicyclists.”

 

When Ashour does have to spend time in the Short North, she looks for the most convenient place to park her bike.

 

“I’ve always locked it as close (to where I’m going) as I can,” Ashour said. Putting (the bicycle bollards) on side streets is another example of how consideration is never given to bikers. Car parking is available right in front of restaurants. Why can’t bicycle parking be available there too?”

 

The 41 bicycle bollards that are in the process of being installed around the Short North may be just the tip of the iceberg. If the bollards in Goodale Park are well used this spring and summer, when cycling is heaviest, Bobrow says more may be installed around the park. Cyclists get to decide whether or not the additional bike parking the bollards offer was worth the expense.

 

 

Here a photo included with the article:

 

 

Here are the bike bollards installed in a city-owned parking lot:

 

 

 

^ very nice. i am loving all these crazy and creative bike stands.

Bike bollards/poles are some of the better bike storage methods, where you can use a U-Lock to secure a bike. Here are some others --

 

^ Not fond of this at all. Where can you attach your U-lock, which is more secure and requires a plasma torch to cut? Sorry, I would never use a cable, especially on wheels.

 

^ Old styled bike rack that isn't friendly with those using a U-lock. Requires lifting of the bike over the bars (which can then damage paint) to lock on.

On April 22nd Denver will unveil the first citywide bike share program in the US. The program will start with 50 bike share stations throughout the city. Along with mass transit the Denver area has been investing significantly in bike lanes and multi-modal paths that connect the metro region for bicyclists.

 

Here a couple of links to the program.

http://www.denverbikesharing.org/

http://www.bikedenver.org/

 

(Source: http://www.denverbikesharing.org/)

I'd love to see Cincinnati do this. It would be great to put stations at big parking garages.

 

I know UC is planning to do some sort of bike lending thing. That's nice, but a bit limited in use. Especially since the area around campus is intimidatingly hilly, especially for those who aren't used to cycling. Also, I assume, it's just for students.

 

If it were done downtown, I could imagine a family of four parking and renting bikes to get around on a nice spring/summer day, on game day, or whenever.

Sign the petition at the Rails to Trails Conservancy url:

 

The American Automobile Association (AAA) wants Congress to cut funds that support trail, biking and walking programs in order to funnel that money to the highway system. AAA has forgotten that bicyclists and pedestrians drive, support AAA, pay gas taxes and want balanced transportation systems that provide the choice to get around in a variety of ways.

 

Help us help them remember! 

 

http://support.railstotrails.org/site/PageNavigator/AAA

 

The president of AAA Mid-Atlantic recently advocated for the elimination of existing federal dollars that help build bicycle and pedestrian trails and sidewalks. These funds have helped create more than 19,000 miles of trails, walking and bicycling facilities across the country—likely including your favorite nearby trail.

 

AAA encourages its members to get outdoors and explore the country—including by bicycle—so why do they support cutting programs that help their members do precisely that?

 

On September 1, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy President Keith Laughlin sent a letter asking this question to AAA. Robert Darbelnet, president and CEO of AAA, was quick to respond yet he did not address our central concern.

 

AAA Mid-Atlantic suggests that an $89 billion annual highway fund shortfall can be blamed on investments in walking and bicycling. But those investments total less than $1 billion annually and produce tremendous benefits for everyone, including drivers.

 

The reality is that many bicyclists drive, support AAA, pay gas taxes and want balanced transportation systems that provide the choice to get around in a variety of ways—for commuting or daily errands, or for fun and exercise.

 

If AAA’s false ideas take root, America’s transportation future—one where communities are more livable and people have safe and convenient choices for getting around—is in jeopardy.

 

Help us show AAA that trail, walking and bicycling programs actually benefit everyone, very much including their own members!

 

---

What is AAA saying?

 

http://www.railstotrails.org/ourWork/whereWeWork/national/news/AAA.html

 

In a recent issue of AAA World magazine, Don Gagnon, president and CEO of AAA Mid-Atlantic, argued to restrict the federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF) to just highways. That argument may sound reasonable on its face given the fund's name, but such a change would eliminate popular and effective programs that have been the lifeblood of our movement for two decades, helping to create more than 19,000 miles of rail-trails and many other bicycle and walking facilities around the country.

 

Since 1991, Congress has clearly intended the HTF to be used flexibly for all aspects of a surface transportation system. Instead of this flexibility, Gagnon prefers a return to the interstate highway focus ushered in by President Eisenhower. (Read below for more on why HTF funds should be used for walking and bicycling.)

 

Gagnon would have these essential components of a balanced transportation system compete for extremely scarce (if not frozen) general funds against everything else the government does. That's like, after 20 years of stellar job performance in a highly specialized field with scant job prospects, your boss fires you but says he hopes you find another job somewhere else.

 

RTC has called upon AAA National President Robert Darbelnet to disavow Gagnon's position and to join RTC in our campaign to increase and improve active transportation investment. Thus far, Mr. Darbelnet has not agreed to either.

 

Ultimately, if AAA Mid-Atlantic's position on federal transportation funding were implemented, it would be devastating to trails, walking and bicycling because effective programs would be orphaned from the rest of transportation, denying them resources and well-established implementation channels.

 

AAA RESPONDS

Upon hearing of RTC's petition, many of you contacted AAA on your own. Thank you! Below are several talking points from AAA National and/or individual clubs in response to your queries, and our corresponding thoughts.

 

1. AAA is not anti-bike.

2. AAA will not call on Congress to de-fund trail, walking and bicycling programs. AAA is simply calling for a change of accounting, not actually the elimination of any programs.

3. AAA is a federation of clubs around the country. Each club makes its own decisions independent of the others on many state and local matters.

4. The HTF was created to fund the interstate highway system. We should follow its original intent.

5. Extraneous spending must be eliminated from the HTF to ensure safe roadways for our users.

 

 

 

AAA: We are not anti-bike.

RTC: We have treated AAA with professional respect and are not interested in name-calling. We are interested in resolving a critical federal policy disagreement. AAA has commendable general policy principles on its website, and local chapters have been involved in efforts to promote bicycling and walking safety. However, these efforts are overshadowed by AAA's failure to disavow AAA Mid-Atlantic's call to eliminate active transportation programs from the HTF because active transportation and safety will suffer greatly without these programs.

 

 

 

AAA: We will not call on Congress to de-fund trail, walking and bicycling programs. We are simply calling for a change of accounting, not actually the elimination of any programs.

RTC: AAA has yet to disavow Mr. Gagnon's desire to push trail funding out of the HTF. He assumes these investments could be covered by "general revenues," but this central assumption is disingenuous and at the heart of our policy disagreement with AAA.

 

The fundamental question is whether we want our transportation dollars to fund a balanced transportation system or one that is solely reliant on automobiles. It is not realistic to believe that programs removed from the HTF, which operate through well-established channels using agreed-upon formulas, will be resurrected through other funding channels. AAA's position would eliminate Transportation Enhancements (TE) and other long-standing programs that build active transportation facilities such as trails.

 

Starting over with new programs is especially impractical in the face of a possible budget freeze. Even if budgets were not so tight, to divorce active transportation funding from the transportation finance system would deny state and local officials needed flexibility to develop a healthy mix of transportation choices.

 

 

 

AAA: We are a federation of clubs around the country. Each club makes its own decisions independent of the others on many state and local matters.

RTC: RTC launched this national campaign to address a position AAA Mid-Atlantic has taken on a critical federal policy issue. We are aware that AAA is organized into regional offices that are the primary points of contact with members, and that regional offices can bring local and regional concerns into their communications.

 

However, on this critical national issue, AAA needs to speak with one voice. Consequently, RTC has asked AAA's president to state that AAA will not advocate for removal of biking and walking programs from the HTF and, thus far, they have not done so. AAA has some admirable policy principles, but travel choices and accessibility for all users cannot happen without support for the funding programs that actually make the choices and access possible.

 

 

 

AAA: The HTF was created to fund the interstate highway system. We should follow its original intent.

RTC: In 1991, Congress passed the Intermodal Surface Transportation Equity Act (ISTEA), which explicitly recognized the importance of—and need to fund—a multi-modal transportation system. The decades preceding ISTEA yielded little to no advancements for trails, bicycling and walking because there were no dedicated programs. AAA says it supports a multi-modal transportation system, but that is an empty gesture without HTF funding for programs—like TE—that work through established implementation channels that are unique to the HTF. AAA's position would roll back the clock to pre-ISTEA neglect of active transportation.

 

 

 

AAA: Extraneous spending must be eliminated from the HTF to ensure safe roadways for our users.

RTC: We share with AAA a paramount concern for improved traffic safety. We support adequate roadway maintenance and focus especially on ways to reduce crashes involving cyclists and pedestrians, who comprise around 13 percent of roadway fatalities.

 

Contrary to Mr. Gagnon's letter, a deteriorating highway system cannot be blamed on transportation funding flexibility. Too little is spent on active transportation to make a dent in the problem. The main culprits are lack of political will to invest more in transportation and the prioritization of road building over maintenance. Mr. Gagnon appears to assume that these dynamics cannot be changed, so he concludes that biking, walking and transit must be removed from the Trust Fund, completely missing that these investments improve conditions for all users, including drivers.

 

Active transportation investments cost-effectively reduce congestion and wear and tear on the roads, while increasing safety for the most vulnerable users. And even as drivers, we can find ourselves feeling unsafe as we walk from our cars to our final destinations.

 

RTC members' letters to AAA:

 

http://www.railstotrails.org/ourWork/whereWeWork/national/news/AAA_comments.html

 

http://www.stevencanplan.com/the-bollards-are-in-nuff-said/

 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has pledged to build 100 miles of these cycle tracks across the city.  I look forward to seeing these.  Throw in the Navy Pier flyover that will begin construction next year and hopefully...hopefully the Bloomingdale Line and Chicago will be experiencing a major boom in modern bicycle infrastructure.

Eastcost Greenway:

 

This 3,000-Mile-Long Bike Lane Will Let You Ride From Maine To Florida

 

If you ride 50 miles a day, you could do the entire trail in less than two months. But they have to finish it first.

 

One day, not too far in the future, cyclists will be able to ride all the way from Maine to Florida, thanks to a 3,000-mile bike path that is already almost one-third completed.

 

The lane is being cajoled into existence by the East Coast Greenway Alliance (ECGA). So far, 850 miles exist, and another 200 should be in place by 2020. In the U.S., it seems amazing that such a thing could exist at all, but the really amazing part is how it’s being built. 

 

Full Article At:

http://www.fastcoexist.com/3061881/this-3000-mile-long-bike-lane-will-let-you-ride-from-maine-to-florida/?utm_content=bufferd28be&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

 

Canada Opening 22,000 km Car-Free Bike Path Across The Country In 2017

by Jeremy Hazan

· September 1, 2016

 

 

 

Canada has its very own “car-free highway” currently being built and so far it’s 20,770 km long!

 

Construction began in 1992 and is scheduled to be completed by 2017, just in time for Canada’s 150th anniversary.

 

So far over 87% of the trail is complete, and it already connects most of the major cities in Canada.

 

Although it isn’t a bike path in the traditional sense, it is exclusively designated for recreational purposes and only allows bikes, hikers and horseback riders in the summer and in the winter it is used for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

 

Read more and see map and photos at:

http://www.mtlblog.com/2016/09/canada-opening-22000-km-car-free-bike-path-across-the-country-in-2017/#

Pool noodle keeps Toronto cyclist safer.

https://t.co/G61Uoogka5

There's a guy in Cincinnati who does that with some sort of springy thing with a flag on it. 

 

I've been passed by thousands and thousands of cars and it's rare for one to pass within 5 feet of your elbow, let alone 3 feet (one meter).  On a bike it seems like passing cars are closer than they are, and if they are relatively close, you do experience a draft that in some cases can cause you to wobble.  If I tried to make a video of cars passing close to my elbow, I'd have to ride for weeks before getting a clip of someone really getting close. 

Maybe if you're riding in the middle of the lane that won't happen, but if you're nervous and staying near the curb or edge of the pavement then motorists absolutely will make unsafe close passes. 

Why You Shouldn't Trust Media Coverage That Blames Pedestrians for Getting Struck

http://usa.streetsblog.org/2017/09/20/why-you-shouldnt-trust-media-coverage-that-blames-pedestrians-for-getting-struck/

"You could be an armadillo hit on the road, and the state treats you just the same as a… cyclist" https://t.co/CgoZBuOlWi

The Great American Rail Trail will connect Washington, DC with the Pacific Coast in Washington State.  The trail would come through Ohio utilizing what will be a portion of the Cleveland to Pittsburgh Trail and the Ohio to Erie Trail:
 

 

Great American Rail Trail website:  https://www.railstotrails.org/greatamericanrailtrail/

 

 

I thought it would be useful to have a thread about what other cities/regions are doing with developing cycling infrastructure so we can better gauge where Ohio falls.  I'll start with this video about Philadelphia:

 

The Philadelphia (Bike) Story:
 

 

Montreal's Exciting New Express Bike Network (Le REV)