June 22, 200717 yr Simply Living's Peak Oil & Global Warming learning group has set up 2 meetings about pedestrian and bicycle plans in Columbus. I hope you both join us and spread the word. COLUMBUS - MAKE IT COOL! Want to make Columbus more pedestrian and bicycle friendly? WHO? The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) and the City of Columbus are working to make Columbus more pedestrian and bike friendly. WHAT? YOUR interest and involvement are critical to make these plans a reality! WHEN and WHERE? Join us at these upcoming meetings or check these websites for opportunities for public input: PEDESTRIAN PLAN: Thursday, July 12th, 7-9 PM, 2231 N. High St. Rm. 100. Tony Hull of MORPC will share details about MORPC's proposed pedestrian plan. www.morpc.org BICYCLE PLAN: Wednesday, August 29th, 7-9 PM, Whetstone Library - Hear more about the proposed Columbus bicycle plan. Fill out the survey about bicycling in Columbus by the end of July! www.altaplanning.com/columbus WHY? Never doubt the power of citizens committed to a more sustainable community! Join us! Please contact Lisa Staggenborg ([email protected], 436-9931) with any questions. Visit www.simplyliving.org for more information.
June 23, 200717 yr Bill protecting cyclists passes Sharing roads - A recent death gives a push to a measure creating tougher penalties for careless drivers Thursday, June 21, 2007 JAMES MAYER SALEM -- A careless driver who kills or seriously injures a cyclist or other "vulnerable" road user will face much stiffer penalties -- up to a year's license suspension and a $12,500 fine -- under a bill that cleared the Oregon Legislature on Wednesday... House Bill 3314 picked up speed after a 26-year-old Idaho woman with a suspended license struck and killed Washington County cyclist Tim O'Donnell as he signaled to make a left turn on a rural road earlier this month. Original link: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1182396317323250.xml&coll=7 The cyclist's widow, Mary O'Donnell, watched from the gallery as the Senate approved the bill earlier this week.
July 4, 200717 yr Licking County Bike path erodes as officials debate Wednesday, July 4, 2007 3:27 AM By Gail Martineau THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Licking County residents have nearly 40 miles of bike trail to enjoy. They just have to watch out for the potholes, cracks and creek erosion. Full story: http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/04/Bike_Trail.ART_ART_07-04-07_B4_JS76TPR.html Link to info about TJ Evans Bike Trail: http://www.columbusinline.com/plac2sk8/johnstown_to_newark_trail.htm
July 7, 200717 yr a new scooter shop is opening up in lakewood. a couple storefronts down from Around the Corner. im not sure what the name is but it looks like theyll be opening soon.
July 7, 200717 yr a new scooter shop is opening up in lakewood. a couple storefronts down from Around the Corner. im not sure what the name is but it looks like theyll be opening soon. Pride of Cleveland Scooters http://www.clevelandscooters.com/ moved there from west 25th. Sad for me, good news for Lakewood. They are open 10 am tomorrow...really great people, great scooters!
July 11, 200717 yr County exercise paths not always happy trails Wednesday, July 11, 2007 3:33 AM By Kathy Lynn Gray THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH In a perfect world, bicyclists in Franklin County could ride trails without veering around ambling walkers or skidding to a stop because an errant dog has crossed their path. Full story: http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/11/ruderide.ART_ART_07-11-07_B1_QP78JOA.html
July 13, 200717 yr I never considered Solon particularly "bike-friendly." But what do I know... I just ride bikes. Solon seeks 'Bicycle-Friendly' title Posted by Ray Jablonski July 12, 2007 15:59PM Categories: Breaking News The City of Solon has filed an application with The League of American Bicyclists, based in Washington, D.C., to be recognized as a "Bicycle-Friendly Community." "If we earn the designation, Solon would become the first city in Ohio to receive the national recognition," Mayor Kevin Patton said. He said the Bicycle-Friendly Community designation is an extension of the "Healthy Solon" program. The mayor said the city hopes to have a decision regarding its application soon.
July 13, 200717 yr Neal Peirce A New Two-Wheeled Course?: How To Get More Americans To Use Bicycles July 8, 2007 Anne Lusk of Harvard's School of Public Health has a startling -- many would say quixotic -- ambition for America's cities. She'd like to equip them all with cycle tracks. Full story: http://www.postwritersgroup.com/archives/peir070708.html
July 13, 200717 yr Implamentation is the reason people dont bike. For the most part bike paths dont go much of anywhere outside of a park, and are used for all sorts things not related to biking. It makes it painfully difficult to get through to people to understand that you wouldnt push your baby or walk your dog in the road, so why would you do that on a bike path? Bike laws. A hodgepodge of laws that govern bike travel. Stuff like shaker heights requires a bike helmet, other cities dont. Places where you can and cannot bike.
July 13, 200717 yr Wow. Here in Lexington we have a "Metro bike" law. Bicyclists have an undue and unfair advantage against automobiles, and are granted many exceptions. For instance, as a bicycle commuter, I can coast through stop signs and traffic signals at my leisure when the coast is clear. No stop is required. This is because bicycles can gain distance from cars (and can be made more visible) by peeling ahead; will not trip signals with loop or infrared detectors; and for some (like me), it is cumbersome to keep clicking out of the pedals and then clicking back in block after block.
July 14, 200717 yr I like the idea of separating cycle tracks from traffic by creating a parking lane away from the curb. Some of the cities I've visited, like South Bend, Indiana, have major thoroughfares that are disconcertingly wide and make the downtown feel barren and pedestrian-unfriendly; that would be a creative solution that would make the area more attractive and more functional for a wider variety of transport modes.
July 14, 200717 yr I like the idea of separating cycle tracks from traffic by creating a parking lane away from the curb. Some of the cities I've visited, like South Bend, Indiana, have major thoroughfares that are disconcertingly wide and make the downtown feel barren and pedestrian-unfriendly; that would be a creative solution that would make the area more attractive and more functional for a wider variety of transport modes. Do you mean having the bikes riding in the parking lane? Personally, I only like bike lanes on busy roads where cars can get major speed. On city streets in dense neighborhoods, most of the time I'll just take the lane so I don't have to worry about someone not seeing me and smacking into me or someone opening a door on me. Of course, I have to admit I despise urban biking, and it's really trashed my cycling. I used to live in the country and could go 40 miles without seeing a stop light. That was awesome.
July 14, 200717 yr Seicer I used to use toe clips - yeah pretty pointless in the city. I don't understand the not having to stop at stop signs idea, tho. Rob one of the probs with a bike lane like that is: how do you make a left turn ? I think that if you start making bike lanes, motorists will think that is the only place you should be. If you really need to get around - you need to use the road.
July 14, 200717 yr Part of the answer lies in better driver education. When's the last time you saw anything in either a driver training course or a BMV license exam that covered bike safety rules for motorists?
July 14, 200717 yr Seicer I used to use toe clips - yeah pretty pointless in the city. I don't understand the not having to stop at stop signs idea, tho. Rob one of the probs with a bike lane like that is: how do you make a left turn ? I think that if you start making bike lanes, motorists will think that is the only place you should be. If you really need to get around - you need to use the road. If there are bike lanes on a street than that IS where you should go. If there aren't, then the majority of potential bikers won't take that route, anyway. Of course, if there isn't a bike lane then bikes do and should have full rights to the road. But a few hardcore bikers willing to share the streets with heavy auto traffic doesn't a transportation system make. I think that nearly all major streets should have bike lanes, as they do in The Netherlands. Also, in The Netherlands, if you need to make a left turn, you generally wait for the signal to change, as a pedestrian on a sidewalk would. A pain, but worth it considering the overall quality and comfort of the system.
July 15, 200717 yr Actually, I take the lane because its safer. If I want to make a turn, I can look behind, signal with my hand (more like pointing at the lane, since drivers are clueless about proper hand signals), and turn. Motorists can see you, will not likely run over you. Stay in the _middle_ of the lane, not on the white stripe or in the right-tire path.
July 15, 200717 yr "since drivers are clueless about proper hand signals" :-) Whenever I use a hand signal, I wonder what the cage pilots think of it because I know they don't have any idea what I am doing.
July 15, 200717 yr As I said earlier, there needs to be better education at the driver education level, both at the beginners level and when licenses are renewed. I use hand signals as well and I make sure I use them well in advance of any turn, just to make sure whoever's behind or ahead of me sees me. But you can never assume they understand.
July 16, 200717 yr "Hey, I think that commie pinko on da bike just done flipped me the bird! I'm a-gonna plaster his pedal-pumpin' puss all over da side of my pickup and plaster his ass on my Yosemite Sam mudflaps!!" "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 16, 200717 yr ^ hahaha The worst when some motorcyclist started trash talking with me on a country road. He even flicked me off! Around here, I get yelled at least once every time I take to the roads in the Rocky River Reservation....a METRO PARK!!! "Get off the road!!" "OK, would you prefer I get on the bike paths and running over every granny, jogger and little kid on their first BMX bike? Sounds like a plan."
July 24, 200717 yr Wanted: More butts on bikes Portland looks at how to make cycling more attractive to all By Jennifer Anderson The Portland Tribune, Jul 20, 2007 A little morning rain didn’t stop the stream of bike and foot traffic over the Hawthorne Bridge on Tuesday morning. City Hall hopes to get even more people biking by revamping Portland’s master bike plan. The unexpected downpour this week didn’t throw Eva Frazier for a loop at all. Full story: http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=118488987395788100
July 24, 200717 yr Flynn is an idiot: "I don't want more bike lanes because the existing ones don't take me where I want to go?" Uh, OK. Good thinking there pal. So Henry Ford probably said: "I'm not going to build cars for the masses because we don't have enough paved roads." Of course he didn't. He joined with other like-minded people and lobbied for public funding for paved roads. So the Wright Brothers told the Army: "We're not going to build you any planes because there aren't any airports or hangars." Of course they didn't. They built them. As for the user-fee concept, it has its definite drawbacks such as stifling (if not outright removing) public debate as to whether continually investing in a user-funded mode of transportation is the wisest course of action either for a specific project or as a general principle overall. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 24, 200717 yr “If people want special amenities for bikes, they need to find a way to fund them,” says Craig Flynn, a Parkrose resident who ran for Metro Council in 2002 and speaks around town on transportation and density issues. “If bikes are getting more than their fair share, they need to find a way to fund it through their user fees. We need money for cars.” I don't object to the "user pays" concept. To achieve the quickest, largest impact, we should start with cars, because they incur the greatest overall costs. Equip cars with event recorders that keep track of gps info, speed, and engine sensor data (to monitor emissions). At annual registration renewal, recorder data can be used to compute the owner's share of public infrastructure costs, and the amount can be added to the registration fee. That's much more equitable than taxing people who don't own cars, in order to pay for amenities for car users.
July 31, 200717 yr The League of American Bicyclists opposed dedicated bike routes because they expected that governments would force the cyclists to use the lanes and prohibit use of the public roads. Further, the bike-routes would be poorly maintained or patrolled for safety or crime.
July 31, 200717 yr That's just stupid. Plain stupid. The number of bicylists willing to share the public road is relatively insignificant. Way to protect a minority of hardcore experts at the expense of expanding bicycling as a mainstream mode of transportation. Idiots.
August 9, 200717 yr Columbus leaders peddle plan to be more pedal-friendly A Bicentennial Bikeways Plan seeks to add miles of safe lanes. By JENNIFER WRAY Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman and Councilwoman Maryellen O'Shaughnessy took to the city's bike paths Thursday to announce the launch of a plan intended to ease the way for bicyclists. Full story: http://www.snponline.com/NEWS8-1/8-2_colbikes.htm
August 13, 200717 yr It might be a good time to take up biking By FELLICIA SMITH REPOSITORY STAFF WRITER With gas prices reaching $3 a gallon more than once this year, another option to get to work and around town is bicycling. Full story: http://www.cantonrepository.com/index.php?Category=9&ID=369891&r=8&subCategoryID= -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.cantonrep.com
August 20, 200717 yr Trail repairs face more obstacles Busy path riddled with potholes at OSU, bikers say Monday, August 20, 2007 3:23 AM By Tim Doulin THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH It looks like much-needed and delayed improvements to the Olentangy bike trail that runs through Ohio State University won't begin until next year. Full story: http://dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/08/20/OSUTRAIL.ART_ART_08-20-07_B5_EA7LNQ6.html
August 20, 200717 yr Secretary Peters Says Bikes “Are Not Transportation” from Streetsblog.org We'd expect this kind of thing from some people, but on PBS' "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" this week, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters said that instead of raising taxes on gasoline to renew the nation's sagging infrastructure, Congress should examine its spending priorities -- including investments in bike paths and trails, which, Peters said, "are not transportation." Some excerpts: "You know, I think Americans would be shocked to learn that only about 60 percent of the gas tax money that they pay today actually goes into highway and bridge construction. Much of it goes in many, many other areas." "There are museums that are being built with that money, bike paths, trails, repairing lighthouses. Those are some of the kind of things that that money is being spent on, as opposed to our infrastructure." "Well, there's about probably some 10 percent to 20 percent of the current spending that is going to projects that really are not transportation, directly transportation-related. Some of that money is being spent on things, as I said earlier, like bike paths or trails." http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/17/secretary-peters-says-bikes-are-not-transportation/
August 21, 200717 yr Secretary Peters Says Bikes “Are Not Transportation” from Streetsblog.org We'd expect this kind of thing from some people, but on PBS' "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" this week, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters said that instead of raising taxes on gasoline to renew the nation's sagging infrastructure, Congress should examine its spending priorities -- including investments in bike paths and trails, which, Peters said, "are not transportation." Some excerpts: "You know, I think Americans would be shocked to learn that only about 60 percent of the gas tax money that they pay today actually goes into highway and bridge construction. Much of it goes in many, many other areas." "There are museums that are being built with that money, bike paths, trails, repairing lighthouses. Those are some of the kind of things that that money is being spent on, as opposed to our infrastructure." "Well, there's about probably some 10 percent to 20 percent of the current spending that is going to projects that really are not transportation, directly transportation-related. Some of that money is being spent on things, as I said earlier, like bike paths or trails." http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/17/secretary-peters-says-bikes-are-not-transportation/ damn, noozer, you beat me to it... this woman's a moron of the highest degree if she thinks that's the case... RTA's bike rack usage statistics can readily point out the fallacy in her thinking
August 21, 200717 yr damn, noozer, you beat me to it... this woman's a moron of the highest degree if she thinks that's the case... RTA's bike rack usage statistics can readily point out the fallacy in her thinking Doesn't that actually prove her point ? I don't want to defend this lady but, from a federal/interstate POV, bicycles kinda aren't viable transportation.
August 21, 200717 yr This is just anecdotal, but when the Columbus area first started seeing an influx of Latin American immigrants, mostly from Mexico & Central America, the first thing I noticed was how many of them traveled from their homes to their jobs .... by bike. It was a cheap, resourceful mode of transportation for them as they were starting a new life here in the U.S. Dear Secretary Peters: how is that NOT a mode of transportation? I ride the Olentangy Bike Trail almost every morning for exercise and I see numerous people riding toward OSU and downtown with saddlebags and backpacks. Does Madame Secretary think they somehow don't count as in need of transportation amenities? Columbus too has bike racks on COTA buses and they are well used. How does using one mode of transport as a "bridge" between Point A and Point B somehow make the bike less of a mode? This is just another way that the Bush Administration muddies the waters so it doesn't have to spend $$$$ on domestic needs that can help us become more mobile and less dependent on someone else's oil.
August 21, 200717 yr I don't want to defend this lady but, from a federal/interstate POV, bicycles kinda aren't viable transportation. Even if the federal government strictly adhered to the federal/interstate POV, which it doesn't, we should still encourage competition and alternatives in the transportation matrix, including bike trails. Traveling by airplane wouldn't be "viable" for most people if the federal government didn't subsidize the heck out of it.
August 22, 200717 yr Part of the concept of rail trails is "rail-banking," reserving abandoned/inactive rights of way in case they're needed again in the future for restoration of rail service. That ties in with long-term transportation strategy.
August 22, 200717 yr Further evidence of the faulty estimation of bicycles by USDOT Secretary Peters. As the article below illustrates, bicycles aren't just for the "spandex crowd" anymore. Bikes: We like fun, but we really like functional Portland's personality as a biking city evolves from recreation and fitness toward transportation for the average Joe and Jane Tuesday, August 21, 2007 STEVE WOODWARD The Oregonian Emily Gardner, a car-driving native of Detroit, Mich., grew up a self-proclaimed couch potato. She spent time snacking and watching MTV. She didn't ride a bike, much less commute on one. Full story: http://www.oregonlive.com/living/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/living/1187706313314690.xml&coll=7
August 22, 200717 yr ^Nothing, if you're the guitar player for Ratt. Note that Portland's bicycle amenities, such as dedicated bike lanes, play such an important role in expanding the bicycle's role beyond just an enthusiast's sport.
September 5, 200717 yr Goal is to get students walking, bicycling State of Wisconsin using $4 million to help kids reach school safely, under own steam By TOM HELD [email protected] Posted: Aug. 31, 2007 As children make their way back to classrooms, schools and municipalities in Wisconsin will start spending $4 million in federal transportation grants to encourage and help more of them make that trek by foot or bicycle. Full story: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=655505
September 7, 200717 yr The City of Columbus will be a holding a public meeting September 26, 2007 to discuss the ongoing Bicentennial Bikeways Planning efforts. The study will include an assessment of current conditions and identify potential improvements for implementation. The public meeting will be interactive, providing an opportunity to hear background information on the study, review data collected on existing conditions, and offer the public an opportunity to provide input and comments. The public meeting is scheduled as follows: Date: Wednesday, September 26, 2007 Time: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm – Cyclist “Happy Hour” 4-5 p.m. Place: The Pavilion at North Bank Park Directions Please join us! For more information, please visit the project web site http://www.altaplanning.com/columbus/ The current project newsletter is available by clicking the following link. It is designed to be able to print and post for review and notice by interested groups. http://www.altaplanning.com/columbus/ColumbusNewsletterSummer07.pdf Parking for this event has been arranged after 5 p.m. in the parking lot of Atlas Blueprint located at 374 W. Spring Street at the corner of Spring & Hanover Streets. We look forward to you insight and valuable input on this important transportation project. Please feel to share this information with your employer or other interested parties. If you have any questions please feel free to call me at 645 - 7488 or email me at [email protected]. Steve Tweed Project Manager City of Columbus Public Service Department Transportation Division Planning & Programming 645-7488 [email protected]
September 10, 200717 yr Civic Innovations Lab Newsletter: Lab grants $30,000 to indoor bike park Newest Lab "Champion" Ray Petro had a business plan for his indoor biking park -- in his head and scrawled on random pieces of paper inside a crammed file drawer. "I guess I just didn't fully understand what it was," Petro said of a well-written business plan. With assistance from his Civic Innovation Lab mentor, Bernie Moreno, president of Mercedes/Porsch of North Olmsted, Petro and a friend put pen to paper. The result: A document Petro plans to enlarge and post "so I'm forced to walk by it everyday." This issue of Lab Link examines the elements of strong business plans. You'll also hear more from Petro, whose new plan dictates big things for his business. For three years mountain biker Ray Petro relied solely on word of mouth to lure patrons to his biking "park," 88,000 square feet of challenging, man-made trails inside a warehouse on Cleveland's west side. It was a calculated move. Petro (pictured at left) sought experienced mountain bikers, not teens looking for dangerous thrills or families looking for theme-park diversions. Serious bikers expect to be injured sometimes and would be less likely to sue, Petro reasoned. Nowadays he still aims for serious bikers, though he recognizes that those bikers may enjoy a mix of trail types. Armed with a good waiver form that all park visitors sign, Petro hopes to broaden the park's appeal. He will use $30,000 from Civic Innovation Lab to write a business plan, build infrastructure at his business and create a marketing strategy. "I built things in here the first year that I thought would be OK for the average biker," said Petro, a builder by trade. "It turns out that maybe I was an above-average rider. "Now our total focus is the weekend rider; if we build one thing for an expert, we build nine for beginners." That wide net has transformed Ray's MTB Indoor Park into a local, regional and national draw. The park's Web site, www.raysMTB.com, boasts a special package deal for out-of-towners who stay at a local Holiday Inn; park visitors filled more than 500 rooms last year. Meanwhile Petro has been contacted by entrepreneurs in New Jersey and Minneapolis who hope to replicate his concept. Petro now employs three different race teams who promote the park on weekends, performing stunts under tents with the park's logo. He's preparing to mail 2,100 posters to potential customers, mountain-biking magazines and bike shops "from the Tennessee border all the way to Maine." Jennifer Thomas, director of Civic Innovation Lab, views Ray's MTB Indoor Park as a potential economic driver -- an adventure sports venue with the ability to lure visitors to Cleveland during the unlikeliest time: winter. Ray's is open five months a year, when cold and snow hinder outdoor biking. "Mountain bikers tend to be passionate about the sport," Thomas said. "Our mentors feel that Ray's park is a great fit for the Lab; he rehabilitated an empty warehouse, and he has built a new industry -- adventure sports -- as an economic driver for Cleveland. '" Petro's friend and paid business advisor, Mindy Knuth, recently completed a business plan, Petro's first. "I feel now like I have a handle on it, rather than it having a handle on me," he said. "We know what riders like. We have set rules. We know what nights riders come: what night is good for 16- to 18-year-old riders, what nights adults come. I'm guilty of keeping way too much of this in my head." In addition to the marketing and business plan, Lab money will pay for an electronic, point-of-sale system to track park visitors' ZIP codes. Petro hopes to use that data to get more dollars from his 45 sponsors, including Moen, Subaru and bike-maker cannondale (which spells its name with a lowercase c). "My sponsors consider it a national attraction," he said. "So far, it's the only one in the world."
September 11, 200717 yr I think Ray's MTB Park is one of the best assets of Greater Cleveland. It's also one of the things that can keep young people here -- no other city in the world has anything like it. If I was 15 years old, I would be there so often that I would have my mail sent there. I'm 40 now and considering getting a bicycle again -- and Ray's is one reason why. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 11, 200717 yr Multiple reasons: my own physical and financial health, and maybe even my psychological health knowing I'm doing the right thing for the environment and energy issues. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 14, 200717 yr The bicycle thief Bike activists face an uphill climb against Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, who claims bike paths are not transportation and are stealing tax money from bridges and roads. By Katharine Mieszkowski Sept. 14, 2007 | Imagine you're the federal official in the Bush administration charged with overseeing the nation's transportation infrastructure. A major bridge collapses on an interstate highway during rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring an additional 100. Whom to blame? How about the nation's bicyclists and pedestrians! Full story: http://salon.com/news/feature/2007/09/14/bike_paths/
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