Bike-To-Brown

More Bike Love from the ProJo

With good timing during this Bike Month, the ProJo produced a beautiful two-page spread in the middle of the Lifebeat section today about Rhode Island’s collection of bike paths. It has a lot of good information about the many paths and bike routes in the state, with a well-designed map and many color photos of riders enjoying the sights along some of the paths. It even has a section that lays out the rules for pedestrians to share the path effectively. It takes a well-balanced view of the path’s uses for both recreational and transportation purposes, which is great. It adds to their earlier article about transportation alternatives. I hope the ProJo publishes additional articles this month that focus on cyclists using the broader road network as well, and prints the rules for motorists to share the road effectively! That would be a real coup, and a great service to all bicycle users in the state. Today’s spread is a positive tribute to all the hard work that our communities and RIDOT are doing together to build facilities for cyclists. Even though I don’t get onto these paths much myself, I definitely appreciate all the hard work and coordination they take to create and maintain.

100% Wind Powered Town

This isn’t really related to bikes, but I thought it was too cool to pass up.  According to a KOMU news article, the town of Rock Port Missouri, population 1,300, is the first US city to be 100% powered by wind.

“It’s a big deal,” Project Director Eric Chamberlain said. ”It’s a big deal for renewable energy and it’s a big deal to be energy independent.”

“What we’re celebrating is that the wind farm in Rock Port can produce more energy each year than what this community uses, and that has never been done before,” Chamberlain said.

“What we’re showing here is the city is producing 2 megawatts more than they need, so in essence, this meter is running backwards,” Chamberlain said.

I was just excited to see some town in the US taking alternative energy seriously, now back to bikes…

East Bay Bike Path Changes

It’s been a while since I’ve ridden in via the East Bay Bike path.  Between the construction and the broken sewer main in East Providence, I just got tired of dealing with detours and took other routes.  I decided to ride it in this morning, just to see it’s current status, in advance of bike to work day next Friday, May 16th.  I was pleasantly surprised by two things:

1. The Squantum Club in East Providence has finally repaved the section of the bike trail where their road crosses.  Ever since I’ve been riding the bike trail, this section, small as it is, has frustrated me.  I was tired of the roller coaster ride.  But mostly, I was frustrated by the fact that a private road affected a public route and the owners of the private road weren’t held accountable.  Now, if we could only get rid of those stop signs.  Motorists would be up in arms if a public road was forced to stop for the benefit of a privately owned road.
2. I presume it was in conjunction with Earth Day, but some group of people spent a significant amount of time cleaning up trash along the Northern end of the bike trail.  Does anyone know who or what group was involved?  It would be great to join forces with them next year and lend a hand.

ProJo Front Page: Transportation Alternatives

I was pleasantly surprised to see a front-page, above-the-fold article in today’s Providence Journal about transportation alternatives in this time of rising gas prices. It featured a huge color photo of a Providence bike commuter, on a rather nice city bike (probably a Breezer for you gearhounds). The article itself focuses mainly on bus ridership, but includes other options such as walking, carpooling, and biking, and even has a final paragraph that mentions this month’s Bike to Work Day event.

It’s great to get such positive, practical media coverage that represents some real transportation alternatives.

Bike Trains for 2008 B2WD

As of now, there are two bike trains planned in conjunction with B2WD 2008.  I’d encourage anyone planning to ride near either of these routes to join the trains.  They are a great way to show motorists that there are alternatives to driving everywhere.  If you regularly commute via another route and would be willing to organize a bike train, please contact me and we can work to add another route.

Bike to Work Day 2008

This year the Providence Bicycle Coalition, Providence Foundation, and the US Open Cycling Foundation are working together to organize a bigger and better Bike to Work Day event.  We encourage anyone who can to come join the festivities on May 16th!

As with previous years, there will be a morning press event starting at 7:30am. This will be followed by afternoon events starting at 3pm, including bicycle-related vendors providing safety tips and demonstrations, local environmental organizations, information about upcoming bicycle signage and lane striping, Rack n’ Ride demonstrations by RIPTA, refreshments, a bike raffle and entertainment. You can read the official press release for additional information. We will also be posting additional updates to the PBC B2WD blog.

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Riverside Sewer Repair Could Take 3 Weeks

According to a Projo article

A city sewer main that runs along the East Bay Bike Path in the Riverside section of the city broke recently and public works officials say it will take three weeks to repair.

The bike path just north of Crescent View Avenue will remain closed during the construction.

Public Works director Stephen H. Coutu said a detour route for bike path users isn’t necessary because, “the path has been closed all winter [for repairs to Barrington sewer pipes] and now we just have our own project.”

I rode through this section of the path on the way home last night and didn’t notice anything other than the usual problems, plenty of dirt.  What are the chances that the path will be back and operational by the time Bike-to-Work day comes around?

Bicyclists and Pedestrians Can Cool the Climate

From the Rails to Trails Conservancy

For the first time, the U.S. Department of Transportation confirms in an interim report to Congress on the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, the climate benefits that can be gained by a community that embraces bicycle and pedestrian travel.

The federal report reveals that bicycling and walking trips in Columbia, Mo., Marin County, Calif., Minneapolis, and Sheboygan County, Wis., range from 7.3 to an unexpected 19.6 percent of total person trips.

Of critical importance is the fact that these levels of non-motorized transportation in the four communities reduce total vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) by an estimated 156.1 million miles over the course of a year. Based on the VMT reductions reported, a saving of more than $23 million in fuel costs alone, and a reduction of 67,000 metric tons of C02 emissions can be projected.

It’s great to finally see a report at the level of Congress finally addressing bicyclists and pedestrians.  Now we just need these type of reports to manifest themselves into something tangible, federal and state support of alternative transportation modes.

Cycling Injuries Research Study

We reported a while back about a study being prepared by Mark Greve, MD.  The final version of the survey is now online and I’d encourage everyone to set aside a few minutes and fill out the survey.  The purpose of the study is to collect data about people

who ride their bikes for fitness, fun, competition, commuting or delivery of goods and services.

The study is one of only a few to focus specifically on cycling injuries. Our goal is to help improve and promote cycling for health and transportation.

Mark is an attending physician and researcher in the Injury Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital and is also the faculty sponsor of the Brown Cycling Club.

Information will be collected via an online confidential survey. Participants will be anonymous.

The Rights and Duties of Cyclists

The most recent RoadBikeRider newsletter pointed their readers to a video that

runs just over 4 minutes and focuses on rules for riding urban streets, specifically how to occupy traffic lanes and make turns. The idea is for the cyclist to take charge just as if he or she were driving instead of pedaling.

Here is a pointer to the video for your lunchtime enjoyment