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National Strategies for Advancing Bicycle Safety Released
Tell Us Your Road Hog Crash Stories
Plan to Ease Grand Teton Park Traffic
LAB's "Best Of Bike Month" Awards Contest
Austin Bike/Ped Bridge Nears Completion
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Toronto Launches Bike Share Program
Denver Post Slams Bush Admin. Energy Policy
Honolulu Celebrates Bike to Work Week
Milwaukee Cyclists Stick It To Oil Companies
Bike to Work Day in SF Bay Area
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NATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR ADVANCING BICYCLE SAFETY
RELEASED
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (part of
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the
Federal Highway Administration released an advance
version of the National Strategies for Advancing Bicycle
Safety last Friday, as a part of the Bike to Work Day
celebration in Washington, DC.
The National Strategies document outlines specific actions
to improve bicycle safety in five major areas: 1) sharing the
road with motorists; 2) enhancing bicycle safety education;
3) increasing bicycle helmet use; 4) enhancing the role of
the legal system in promoting bicycle safety, and 5)
using bicycle facilities and community planning for bicycle
safety.
The strategies were the focus of a national conference of
safety experts and advocates, bicycling enthusiasts, and
government agency representatives held in Washington,
DC in July of 2000. The conference, sponsored by the
NHTSA, CDC, FHWA, and the Pedestrian and Bicycle
Information Center, focused on developing consensus an
actionable agenda for bicycling safety.
“The conference was the most diverse gathering of
expertise and interests that I have ever seen brought to
bear on bicycle safety issues,” says Peter Moe, Senior
Planner with the National Center for Bicycling & Walking.
“The National Strategies reflect the desire of participants,
despite their different viewpoints, to reach consensus and
to work together toward common goals for bicycle safety.”
A final print version is expected from NHTSA soon (keep your
eye on CenterLines for news). CL will report on each of the five strategies
in sequence—beginning with “Share the Road” in the
next edition (also see below). To view the advance version of the document,
and to learn more about how it was developed, visit http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/bike/
TELL US YOUR ROAD HOG CRASH STORIES
The National Center for Bicycling and Walking is
currently compiling cases of motorists and bicyclists who
have been injured by a driver not sharing the road. We are
trying to gather data to assess the severity of the problem
and to explore possible trends in these incidents. Examples
of not sharing the road include "unintentional" acts by
motorists, such as turning into your path, as well as
"intentional" acts such as purposefully hitting running
into you or trying to push you off the road. All
information will be treated confidentially."
If you have experienced such a case yourself, please share
the details. The NCBW has created a handy on-line form to
submit your information. Fill out the form at:
http://www.bikewalk.org/cdc_form.htm
PLAN TO EASE GRAND TETON PARK TRAFFIC
According to an article in the May-June issue of the
National Parks Conservation Association magazine, "Visitors
to Grand Teton National Park may soon have more diverse
transit options if elements of a new study are followed and
funded.
"In January, the Park Service issued a final draft of a
transportation study that recommends ways to move away from
automobile-based travel and increase opportunities for mass
transit, bicycling, and walking. The study was drafted with
help from 35 appointed members of local and national
interest groups, including Tony Jewett, NPCA's Northern
Rockies regional director. 'The study is visionary and
far-reaching,' said Jewett. 'It is strong and ambitious in
its recommendations to move away from automobiles and into
mass transit and muscle-powered alternatives,' such as
biking and walking.
"Some suggestions for promoting bicycling in the park
include paving shoulders of existing roads to create bike
lanes, designing pathways separate from roads, and
improving signs and parking for bicycles. For pedestrians,
the plan proposes sharing bicycle pathways, using more
signs to clearly define walking trails, and improving
facilities in major activity centers. 'The lack of
provision for walking in [major activity centers] results
in a significant amount of driving for short trips that
most people would be willing to make by foot,' the study
states..."
Source:
http://www.npca.org:80/magazine/may_june/news6.asp
LAB'S "BEST OF BIKE MONTH" AWARDS CONTEST
Also, according to the BikeLeague News, "The League
of American Bicyclists announces the first 'Best of Bike
Month' awards competition. The goal is to recognize
outstanding efforts to promote bicycling at the local
level, to compile a list of best practices in bike month
celebrations, and to get a picture of the extent of
National Bike Month celebrations.
"All reporting forms on Bike Month festivities returned by
June 15, 2001 will be entered into a national database
providing a comprehensive picture of Bike Month activities
across the nation. Winning communities will receive an
all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC in late July for
the 'Best of Bike Month' awards ceremony and dinner.
Winners will also have their event showcased in the
League's magazine and BikeLeague News. Winning
communities will be selected based on the success and
creativity of their events, with particular attention given
to events that attract significant numbers of new riders."
For a printable version of the reporting form or for any
questions on Bike Month, please go to
http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/bikemonth.htm , or write
anthony@bikeleague.org or call (202) 822-1333.
AUSTIN TX LAMAR BIKE/PED BRIDGE NEARS COMPLETION
Everyone loves construction photos and no doubt the
folks in Austin, Texas, are aware of this popular
obsession. After all, while they have a very nice web page
with text describing their new Lamar Bicycle/Pedestrian
Bridge (Grand Opening scheduled for June 16th), the real
heart of the project's website is the PHOTOS!
For those who can't do without text: "The City of Austin is
building a new Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge over Town Lake. At
the south end, the bridge will connect to the intersection
of Lamar Boulevard and Riverside Drive as well as the hike
and bike trail. The entire bridge will be accessible to
people in wheelchairs. The bridge is designed to provide
four lanes for pedestrians and bicyclists to cross Town
Lake. It has observation decks on both the east and west
sides, and there are planters and benches available. On the
north end, the bridge will have an accessible ramp
structure to reach the shore and allow users to connect to
the hike and bike trail and Cesar Chavez Street. There will
be new sidewalks connecting the users back to Lamar
Boulevard from Cesar Chavez Street. These sidewalks will
also be ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible..."
And more info can be found at:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/downtown/0799/lamarb0799.htm
and:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/news/lpbb_default.htm
Now, on to the exciting stuff. Visit these two sites to see
the PICTURES!
Photos:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/news/lpbb_new_photos.htm
Still more photos:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/news/photos_page.htm
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TORONTO LAUNCHES BIKE SHARE PROGRAM
According to a May 8th Reuters story, "Canada's largest
and most congested city, beset by air pollution and
increased traffic, launched a bike sharing program Monday
it hopes will prompt commuters to leave their cars at home
and rediscover the benefits of cycling. The BikeShare pilot
program, inspired by initiatives in Amsterdam, Copenhagen
and Portland, Oregon, aims at reducing vehicle emissions by
encouraging Torontonians to pick up a bicycle at one of
six locations available next to subway stations or commuter
parking lots and return it the next day.
"'They are very straightforward bicycles, with one gear,
but Toronto is very flat,' said Toronto councilor Jack
Layton, himself an avid, year-round cyclist. 'We want to
make them unattractive to the thieves because Toronto is
the bicycle theft capital of the world - we have 11,000
bicycle stolen each year here - but we are not going to
panic about that,' he said.
"For an annual C$25 ($16) fee, riders can pick out one of
150 used yellow bicycles equipped with a lock, a basket, a
bell and reflectors, and cycle throughout Toronto or along
Lake Ontario on the city's 200 km (125 miles) of bike
lanes. Layton hopes to have 1,000 bikes and 1,000 km (625
miles) of bike paths before 2004 in response to the growing
popularity two-wheeled transportation. Plans also call for
the expansion of the number of pick-up and drop-off
depots..."
Source:
http://www.enn.com:80/news/wire-stories/2001/05/05082001/reu_bike_43446.asp
Search: http://www.enn.com:80/search/search-r.asp
Title: "Toronto launches bike share program "
Author: Julie Remy
DENVER POST SLAMS BUSH ADMIN. ENERGY POLICY
In a May 6th editorial, the Denver Post took the Bush
Administration to task for their "supply side-only"
approach to energy policy, saying "Conservation is far more
than a 'personal virtue,' as [Vice President] Cheney
condescendingly described it. It is a national necessity.
"Most disturbing, the Bush team is crafting its new policy
behind closed doors. Democratic U.S. Reps. John Dingell of
Michigan and Henry Waxman of California want federal
Comptroller General David Walker to investigate whether
private interests (including campaign contributors) are
influencing Cheney's Energy Task Force, which has been
meeting in secret. That secrecy leaves the Bush team wide
open to criticism.
"Two oil guys, Bush and Cheney, are calling for more oil
drilling, while a former lobbyist for the big car makers,
Andy Card, is now chief-of-staff in a White House that
disdains conservation..."
Source:
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1002,73~29632,00.html
Search: http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1002,25,00.html
Title: "Energy policy incomplete"
Cost: $1.95
HONOLULU CELEBRATES BIKE TO WORK WEEK
According to a May 7th article in the Honolulu
Star-Bulletin, "Organizers of next week's Bike To Work Week
concede the event is unlikely to attract a turnout of Tour
de France proportions in Honolulu. But even if the city's
roadways are not covered in a sea of spandex, the idea is
to encourage commuters of all ages to give bicycling to
work a try and to reward those who already do.
"Companies are also encouraged to recognize those employees
who choose to bike to work, said Georgette Yaindl of the
Hawaii Bicycling League. 'What we've focused on this year
is getting some recognition for employees who already bike
to work,' she said. Organizers of the event will be
contacting Hawaii employers to ask them to recognize in
some way those employees who are already biking to work,
she said.
"One of those companies who has already agreed to pay
tribute to employees who bike is Big City Diner in Kaimuki.
The restaurant's bike-riding employees will receive lei and
a free lunch, said the diner's owner, Lane Muraoka. Muraoka
says he will also change the marquee above the restaurant
to remind people about the event. 'It will help to create
more awareness (about bicycling) and it just makes sense,'
Muraoka said..."
Source:
http://starbulletin.com:80/2001/05/07/business/story2.html
Search:
http://starbulletin.com/search.html
Title: Event promotes bike commuting
Author: Lyn Danninger
MILWAUKEE CYCLISTS STICK IT TO OIL COMPANIES
According to a May 9th story in the Milwaukee
Journal-Sentinel, "With gas prices spiking again, 'people
are beginning to realize that biking is not only good
exercise but that it saves money,' Jeanne Hoffman,
executive director of the Bike Federation of Wisconsin,
said Wednesday. Even the concrete-minded state Department
of Transportation, which is two years into a 20-year
program of bike-path building, likes bikes, said Ken
Leonard, DOT's director of planning in the bureau of
infrastructure management. Biking is clearly a 'relatively
small' part of the overall transportation picture, Leonard
said. 'But every little bit helps,' he said.
"The Rev. Mark McDonough is doing his part by commuting by
bike from his Shorewood home to his downtown Milwaukee
church. He started the practice last summer when gas prices
also spiked - although McDonough's motivation was not
primarily economic. 'It was more my Presbyterian
background, which is strongly supportive of the
environment,' said McDonough, 45, who previously served at
a Detroit church. 'It's a lot easier to get around
Milwaukee on a bike than Detroit,' he said. McDonough also
favors walking to his favorite Shorewood stores whenever
possible.
"The Milwaukee office of the Bike Federation of Wisconsin
will sponsor a bike-to-work week in this area June 4-8,
said Andrea Broaddus, the office director. 'Gas prices
create an incentive to bike, but unless people feel safe
while biking and a have a place to put their bikes at work
and to shower when they get there, it's a deterrent,'
Broaddus said. Employers can do more to provide those
amenities, she said..."
Source:
http://www.jsonline.com:80/news/metro/may01/bike10050901a.asp
Search: http://www.jsonline.com/general/search.asp
Title: "Cyclists to oil giants: You can't fuel me!"
Author: Kenneth R. Lamke
BIKE TO WORK DAY IN SF BAY AREA
According to L.A. Chung's May 8th column in the San Jose
Mercury News, "OK, OK. I'll get back on my bike. You
scolded. You tsk-tsked. You told me not to surrender the
road after I told you I don't ride anymore. OK. For one
week.
"If it's good enough for San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown
and Supervisors Gavin Newsom and Chris Daly, it's good
enough for me. If it's good enough for Jake McGoldrick,
Matt Gonzales and Mark Leno, a few other San Francisco
supervisors, it's good enough for me. If it's good enough
for Rep. Mike Honda and San Jose City Council members Chuck
Reed, Ken Yeager, Linda Lezotte and David Cortese, hey,
it's good enough for me. If it's good enough for San Jose's
assistant chief of police, it's good enough blah-blah.
"Next week is National Bike to Work Week, and the bike
coalitions around the Bay Area are getting politicians and
law enforcement brass on two wheels for a one-day photo op,
complete with stylish lender bikes for the short rides.
They're urging the rest of us to do the same (on our own
wheels) that week. If the San Francisco mayor, several
supervisors, a congressman and several San Jose City
Council people can ride to work one day, I'll give it a
whirl. I don't need a lender bike, either..."
Source:
http://www0.mercurycenter.com:80/premium/local/docs/chungbiker08.htm
Search: http://www0.mercurycenter.com:80/resources/search/
Title: "Bike to Work Week no time to be chicken about
riding"
Author: L.A. Chung
Cost: $1.95 (if more than a week old)
According to the May 7th "Lane Ranger" column in the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Maps sometimes persuade you to
go where you might fear to tread, which brings us to the
most unlikely map of all. The Atlanta Bicycle Campaign has
helped prepare a map of the traffic-infested Central
Perimeter area that details which streets are the
friendliest --- or most fearsome --- for bikers. Available
for free online at http://www.perimetergo.org or by calling
770-394-4540, 'The Perimeter By Bicycle' color codes the str-
eets around Perimeter Mall so bikers can route the trek of
least resistance.
"The red-colored routes (much of Ashford Dunwoody, some of
Abernathy and a stretch of Peachtree Dunwoody roads, for
example) represent the 'most difficult cycling conditions,'
which is defined as high-speed, high-volume vehicular
traffic on relatively narrow lanes with lots of merge and
right-turn-only lanes. Yellow routes are 'medium level
cycling conditions,' while green roads represent the 'best
conditions for cycling.' And believe it or not, even in a
traffic-snarled place like the Central Perimeter, there are
quite a few roads bikers consider bikeable..."
Source:
http://www.accessatlanta.com:80/partners/ajc/epaper/editions/monday/business_a36f23a9828632400071.html
Search: http://stacks.ajc.com/
Title: "Top-flight Georgia maps keep drivers, bicyclists on
right path"
Author: Joey Ledford
Cost: $1.95 (if more than a week old)
And now for something completely different:
THE EVOLUTION OF THE AMERICAN FRONT PORCH
Subtitle: The Study of an American Cultural Object
"...While to many the front porch is unfamiliar, to the
rest it must bring to mind a memory, experience, or actual
place. This project may help to connect these cultural
memories of the front porch to an understanding of the
important role it has played in the national experience.
..."
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CLASS/am483_97/projects/cook/first.htm
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"FHWA FINAL GUIDANCE: TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT
ACTIVITIES, 23 U.S.C. AND TEA-21"
December 17, 1999 guidance includes relevant memos. Don't
leave home --- or work on Enhancement projects --- without it!
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/te_final.htm
"GUIDANCE ON THE USE OF TACTILE PAVING SURFACES"
A Jan. 1999 online report from the UK Department of the
Environment, Transport and the Regions that describes
treatments that aid visually impaired pedestrians. "There
are certain key design principles which, when applied, make
it easier and safer for visually impaired pedestrians to
move around. Layouts of all pedestrian areas should be
simple, logical and consistent. This will enable people to
memorise environments that they use regularly and predict
and interpret environments that they are encountering for
the first time..."
http://www.mobility-unit.detr.gov.uk/tactile/index.htm
"PERSONAL SECURITY ISSUES IN PEDESTRIAN JOURNEYS"
A Nov. 1999 report intended as part of the efforts of the
UK Department of Environment, Transport, and the Regions to
"improve personal security for both transport passengers
and pedestrians. It shows the range of personal security
concerns pedestrians have, and describes a number of
initiatives which have improved and promoted walking, both
as discrete journeys and as links to public transport
services. Key lessons and recommendations to promote best
practice are also highlighted. Some of the initiatives
described show that with imagination, rather than big
budgets, a range of effective measures can be achieved."
http://www.mobility-unit.detr.gov.uk/psi/index.htm
"AMERICA'S UNUSED LEGS: A PEDESTRIAN'S LAMENT"
An April 2000 article by the staff of Drivers.com that
says "Citing research done at the University of
California, Bryson says a study of the nation's walking
habits concluded that 85 per cent of people in the U.S. are
"essentially" sedentary and 35 per cent are "totally"
sedentary. The average American walks less than 75 miles a
year-about 1.4 miles a week, barely 350 yards a day. "
http://www.drivers.com/cgi-bin/go.cgi?type=ART&id=000000242&static=1
"WALKING-SPEED, STRIDE AND CADENCE IN GAIT ASSESSMENT IN
DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS"
A study by MM Samson, A Crowe, SA Duursma, JAG Dessens, and
HJJ Verhaar of the Mobility Laboratory, Department of
Geriatrics, Utrecht University Hospital and Utrecht
University Faculty of Social Science. Some results: "Speed
and stride tend to decrease with increasing age. Cadence
however did not change with increasing age. Groups of
subjects of the same age showed a large variation in
walking speed and stride. Lower values of gait parameters
found in old subjects are partly due to differences in
height. Cadence had no correlation with height and body
weight."
http://www.nig.nl/congres/congresouderworden98/abstract-samson1.html
"WALKING TIME ESTIMATES FOR TRAILS"
"The walking speed on trails depends both on the distance
to be covered and on the altitude at which one walks. The
walking times for trails shown in these pages are based on
the walking time table published by the Schweizer
Wanderwege, Federation Suisse de tourisme pedestre, Ente
svizzero pro sentieri, CH-4125 Riehen. This table gives
isochrones as function of horizontal and vertical distances
to be covered.
"For the usual Alpine trails in good state, and with an
inclination of 10-20%, they assume a mean elevation speed
of 300-350m/h and a mean descent speed of 450-600m/h. The
fastest climbing rate is for trails at 25% (370m/h). For
nearly horizontal trails, they assume a speed of 4.2_km/h.
Maximum horizontal speed is achieved for trails going down
at a rate of 5% (4.5km/h)..."
http://rjd.home.cern.ch/rjd/Walk/speed.html
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May 13-19, 2001, Bike to Work Week. Info: League of
American Bicyclists, 1612 K Street NW, Suite 401,
Washington, DC 20006-2082, voice: (202) 822-1333, fax:
(202) 822-1334, email: bikeleague@bikeleague.org
website: http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/bikemonth.htm
July 3-6, 2001,Environmental Design Research Association
(EDRA) Annual Meeting, Edinburgh, Scotland. Info: EDRA,
P.O. Box 7146, Edmond, OK 73083-7146, voice: (405)330-4863
fax: (405)330-4150, email:edra@telepath.com
website: http://www.telepath.com/edra/home.html
August 3-5, 2001, Bikefest 2001 - LAB's National Rally,
Altoona, PA. Info: League of American Bicyclists, voice:
(202) 822-1333, email: bikeleague@bikeleague.org
website: http://www.bikeleague.org/rallies/rallies.html
August 16-18, 2001, First National Congress of Pedestrian
Advocates, Oakland, CA. Info: AmericaWalks, email:
info@americawalks.org
website:
September 13-16, 2001, Rail~Volution: Envisioning the New
Frontier, San Francisco, CA. Info: (503) 823-6870.
website: http://www.railvolution.com/ataglance.htm
September 17-21, 2001, Velo-city 2001, Edinburgh/Glasgow,
Scotland. Info: Meeting Makers Ltd, Jordanhill Campus, 76
Southbrae Drive, Glasgow G13 1PP, Scotland, voice: 0141 434
1500 fax: 434 1519, e-mail: Velo_city@meetingmakers.co.uk
website: http://velo-city2001.org/
September 21-22, 2001, New Zealand Cycling Conference 2001,
Chateau on the Park, Christchurch. Call for Papers out now.
Info: NZ Cycling Conference, PO Box 237, Christchurch, NZ,
voice: 03 371 1472, fax: 03 371 1864. email:
cycling@ccc.govt.nz
September 26-29, 2001, TrailLink 2001: the 3rd
International Trails and Greenways Conference,
St. Louis, MO. Info: Rails- to-Trails Conservancy,
voice: (202) 974-5152, email: rtcconf@transact.org
website: http://www.railtrails.org
October 4-6, 2001, Innovative Approaches to Understanding
and Influencing Physical Activity, Dallas, TX. Info: The
Cooper Institute, Dallas, TX.
website: http://www.cooperinst.org/conf2001.asp
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JOB > THUNDERHEAD ALLIANCE EXEC. DIRECTOR
The Thunderhead Alliance is a growing coalition state and
local organizations advocating for bicycle-friendly
communities. Our mission is to increase bicycling in the
United States by securing more funding for bicycle projects
and programs and improving policy to facilitate bicycling.
With the help of the Board of Directors, the Executive
Director will play the key role in crafting, funding and
carrying out the strategic plan. Fundraising, fiscal and
contract management, and grassroots advocacy experience are
critical skills. The successful candidate will understand
Washington DC culture and will be an opportunistic
fundraiser. Salary $32,000 - $40,000 with benefit stipend,
DOE. For more information, contact Board Member Chris
Morfas at (916) 446-7558 or chris.morfas@calbike.org
------------------------------------------------------------
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------------------------------------------------------------
Contributors: Bill Wilkinson, Peter Moe
Editor: John Williams Send news items to: john@montana.com
Director: Bill Wilkinson
------------------------------------------------------------
National Center for Bicycling & Walking 1506 21st St NW,
Suite 200, Washington D.C. 20036 Voice: (202) 463-6622
Fax: (202) 463-6625
Email: ncbw@bikefed.org