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Blumenauer Introduces P.O. Act
Nat'l Blueprint: Activity in Adults 50+
New Cambridge (MA) Bike/Ped Advocate
Nat'l Congress of Ped Advocates Coming
Penn. Mountain Bikers Face Restrictions
Access Board to Study Roundabouts
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Noisy Neighborhoods Harm Children
Michigan Bicyclists on Cycling Advantages
Woman's Day Profiles Ped Activists
S. SF Serious About Commute Options
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A View from the Field, by Peter Moe
How much of a difference can a day make? Plenty. I've
just returned from presenting at a one-day conference on
Creating Active Communities in Lincoln, Nebraska, sponsored
by the state's Department of Health Cardiovascular Health
(CVH) Program. Representatives of State and local health
departments, transportation, parks and recreation, planning
and advocacy groups were educated, inspired and challenged
to work together to create more active, more walkable, more
bicycle-friendly communities.
Friends and co-presenters Mark Fenton, Walking Magazine's
editor-at-large, and Western North Carolina's CVH Program
leader Erica Thompson joined me in laying out the simple
case for action: 1) Physical inactivity and obesity have
reached epidemic levels and something must be done to
counter these trends; 2) The condition of the physical,
built environment is a contributing factor, removing
opportunities and creating barriers to the simplest forms
of activity, walking and bicycling; and 3) Only a sustained
and coordinated effort involving a range of government
agencies, decision-makers, and community interests can
bring about the changes in public policy and practice
needed to create environments that encourage activity,
bicycling and walking.
Judging by the number of light bulbs that turned on above
people's heads (I call these _A-Ha!_ moments) during the
day's sessions, and the number of requests for advice and
information afterward, I'd gauge the experience as
"enlightening." I congratulate Barb Fraser and her
colleagues at the Nebraska CVH program for bringing
together such a diverse and interesting group. I hope that,
in time, we can look back at new partnerships and
cooperative efforts and activities that grew (in part) from
this one day and say that we truly did make a difference.
Having a similar meeting of your own? Tell us about it!
Need help building physical activity into your program? Let
us know. Send your correspondence to pete@bikefed.org
Commentary by John Williams
Issue 51 of the Forum is out and readers may notice a
change in the name. Since 1977, we've published "Bicycle
Forum," a journal for advocates and professionals. Issue 50
came out last year. With issue 51, we've shifted direction
(slightly) and changed the name to reflect the
organization's new name. We're now calling it "NCBW Forum"
(or National Center for Bicycling & Walking Forum, if you
like a very looonnnggg version) and the content now
explicitly includes pedestrian-related articles,
references, and news items.
While we have broadened our mission, we are very much aware
of the dangers of mixing bike and pedestrian interests in a
cavalier fashion. To see what the new "NCBW Forum" looks
like, contact Corey Twyman at the D.C. office for a copy.
He's at corey@bikefed.org
Also, if you got issue 51 and noticed the printing problem
on the articles on "South Africa" and "Tracking Pedestrians", you can
download PDF files of the corrected versions at:
http://www.bikewalk.org/pdf/africa.pdf (102KB)
http://www.bikewalk.org/pdf/tracking.pdf (64KB)
On 21 May, twenty-three national, state, and local
bicycle organizations signed on to a letter from the
National Center for Bicycling & Walking to US Department of
Transportation Secretary Mineta asking for a nationwide
moratorium on shoulder rumble strips (SRS) until a
bicycle-friendly design and policy is issued by the Federal
Highway Administration and adopted by the various state
DOTs.
According the NCBW's Bill Wilkinson, "The bicycle community
supports the use of SRS -- they can help save lives --
where appropriate, but there are real concerns about the
threat to cyclists caused by some design and application
treatments. For more than three years, the bicycle
community has been trying to work with the Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) and various state DOTs to come up
with an approach that will (a) not be a hazard to
bicyclists and (b) not preclude bicycling on roadway
shoulders. The FHWA Washington office says they are close
to issuing some sort of 'technical assistance' on SRS.
However, some FHWA division (i.e., state) offices have been
actively urging state DOTs to move forward now with SRS
treatments known to be dangerous to bicyclists and to apply
SRS in ways that will force cyclists off the shoulder and
in some cases off the road. We have been forced to take a
more aggressive approach."
A copy of the letter to Secretary Mineta is available at:
http://www.bikewalk.org/srs.htm
BLUMENAUER INTRODUCES POST OFFICE COMMUNITY
PARTNERSHIP ACT
According to a May 17th news release, Congressman Earl
Blumenauer (D-OR) recently introduced the Post Office
Community Partnership Act of 2001 (H.R. 1861). The
legislation "outlines minimum community contact procedures
for any proposed closing, consolidation, relocation, or
construction of a post office. Additionally, the bill
requires the Postal Service to comply with local zoning,
planning, or other land use laws."
"The Act modifies the considerations that the Postal
Service must currently consider when making a determination
to take action on a post office. Modifications include
considering:
* the extent to which the post office is a part of a core
downtown business area
* concerns of local officials, including consistency with
growth projections and land use plans
* consistency with the size, scale, design, and general
character of the surrounding community
The bill has 57 Republican and Democratic original
cosponsors and is endorsed by the following national
organizations: American Planning Association, American
Society of Landscape Architects,National Center for
Bicycling and Walking, Council for Urban Economic
Development, National Association of Realtors, National
Conference of State Historic Preservation Offices, National
Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Action,
Sierra Club, and Smart Growth America. The bill now goes to
the House Committee on Government Reform for consideration.
Senators James Jeffords (R-VT) and Max Baucus (D-MT) also
introduced identical companion legislation in the Senate..."
NATIONAL BLUEPRINT: INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG
ADULTS 50+
"The National Blueprint: Increasing Physical Activity
Among Adults Aged 50 and Older," representing a renewed and
aggressive commitment to meet the challenges of enabling
mid-life and older Americans, was released this month.
Contributors to the development of the report include the
AARP, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American
Geriatrics Society, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, The National Institute on Aging, and The Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation. The report affirms the central
role that walking and bicycling will play in the future
health of older Americans.
"This is a society-wide call to action. We need fresh ideas
and community innovations to help make physical activity a
vital part of our lives," says J. Michael McGinnis, M.D.,
senior vice president and director of the health group at
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "You can bombard people
with all the ads and devices you want, but if they do not
have sidewalks to walk on, positive reinforcement from
healthcare providers, or time in their busy days for
physical activity, they will not commit to an active
lifestyle."
"To translate this plan into action organizations will have
to reach beyond their comfort zone. For example, many
mid-life and older people are not likely to walk if they
live in neighborhoods that have no sidewalks, or are
dangerous. Public health professionals will have to learn
about local transportation planning and how to work with
elected officials to encourage exercise friendly
neighborhoods." (from the report summary)
Among the specific recommendations for research is to:
"Identify barriers to walking for adults age 50 and older,
determine why these barriers exist, and develop specific
recommendations for how to overcome and avoid them."
To view a copy of the report in PDF format, visit
http://www.rwjf.org/rw_publications_and_links/publicationsPdfs/Age50_Blueprint_singlepages.pdf
NEW CAMBRIDGE (MA) BIKE/PED ADVOCATE ARRIVES
Our informers tell us that Cambridge (MA) bike/ped guru
and classical musician Cara Seiderman recently presented
the community with its latest bicycle/pedestrian advocate:
Jonas Bernard Seiderman Hansen. Jonas was born Monday May
14th (vital statistics of 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 21 inches).
According to sources, "Everyone is doing fine and he's
looking forward to his first ProBike/ProWalk Conference."
NAT. CONGRESS OF PED ADVOCATES COMING
The National Congress of Pedestrian Advocates will be
held August 16-18 in Oakland, California. According to a
release from Ellen Vanderslice of America Walks, "More than
just a conference, the National Congress of Pedestrian
Advocates will be a hands-on, feet-on-the-ground training
camp for building pedestrian power. It will kick-off a
campaign by America Walks to recognize at least forty
active pedestrian advocacy groups nationwide by the end of
2002.
"The Congress will also be an opportunity for delegates
from the member groups of America Walks to take collective
action to frame positions on pedestrian issues of national
significance. Attendance at the Congress is limited by the
capacity of our facilities to 150 people."
To register, point your browser at:
http://americawalks.org/congress/
If you have questions about registering, you may telephone
our registration specialists at AHI, Inc, 1-800-788-7077,
or e-mail them to convene@aol.com
PENNSYLVANIA MOUNTAIN BIKERS FACE RESTRICTIONS
According to a May 23rd alert from the League of
American Bicyclists, "The Pennsylvania Game Commission
recently released draft changes to its recreational usage
management policy. If implemented, these changes could
close 1.4 million acres of state game lands to mountain
bikers.
"The League of American Bicyclists is supporting the
International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA and
http://www.imba.com and the Keystone Mountain Bike
Association (KMBA and http://www.patrails.com ) in opposing
this potential ban on recreational bicycling. 'We are
disappointed by this proposal,' said IMBA Pennsylvania
State Representative and KMBA Board member Tim Cusick. 'The
PGC has been very open to discussion and we were hoping for
a more cooperative outcome.'"
The LAB suggests supporters write to the Pennsylvania Game
Commission and tell them why cycling should be allowed on
State Game Land (deadline: June 4, 2001). Here are some
suggested points:
* The League, IMBA and KMBA recognize the need to balance
the environment and recreation.
* State game lands are a valuable resource for mountain
bicyclists and should remain open to cycling.
* More than 500,000 Pennsylvania residents enjoy mountain
biking.
* The Pennsylvania Game Commission should work with KMBA
and IMBA to find solutions.
Mail comment letters to:
Clay VanBuskirk, Regulations, Pennsylvania Game Commission,
2001 Elemerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110
According to Martha Roskowski's May 16th Bicycle
Colorado newsletter, the organization "just finished
reviewing the results of CDOT's Bicycle Friendly Rumble
Strip tests that 29 cyclists participated in last fall. The
report recommends a relatively mild milling of 3/8" which
is a compromise between the shallower millings preferred by
bicyclists and the more aggressive millings that made more
noise and vibration in vehicles. The combination of these
test results and our previous work is resulting in a "not
so horrible" rumble strip...I wouldn't call it great. In
short: It's a 12" wide rumble, placed next to the white
line, with 48' of rumbles then a 12' foot gap. The design
uses the traditional milling machine, set at a shallow
depth of 3/8"."
Bicycle Colorado plans to get the report online at:
http://bicyclecolo.org
TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT SPENDING LAGS
According to a May 11th release from the Rails-to-Trails
Conservancy, "The National Transportation Enhancements
Clearinghouse (NTEC) recently published its annual report
on the status of nationwide spending of Transportation
Enhancements (TE) funds, Federal dollars that are available
to build bicycle and pedestrian facilities among other
eligible TE activities. This comprehensive report details
the status of all 50 states', Puerto Rico, and the District
of Columbia's TE spending according to five benchmarks,
from level of available funds to amount actually reimbursed.
"NTEC's report finds that after nine years of the
Transportation Enhancements program, the states have
assigned most of the money to selected projects, but
obligation and reimbursement numbers continue to lag
behind-- the difference between programming the money and
actually getting projects implemented and completed. The
report explores supply vs. demand for TE funds, as well as
the distribution of funds across the twelve eligible
activities. The latest project data finds that bicycle and
pedestrian facilities and rail-trails have been awarded
over 50 percent of all Federal TE funds, with historic
preservation and landscaping and scenic beautification the
next two largest shares of funding."
To download a copy of the report go to:
http://www.enhancements.org and click on "Documents". The
report is in the section titled "NTEC Products." You can
also request one by email: NTEC@transact.org
ACCESS BOARD TO STUDY ROUNDABOUTS
According to the May 7th issue of Access Currents, the
U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance
Board " is providing additional support for research at the
Department of Blind Rehabilitation at Western Michigan
University to assess the problems for visually impaired
pedestrians in current roundabout design. This research
will provide technical assistance materials on good
practice for accessible roundabout designs."
For more information on this project or other Board
research efforts, contact Lois Thibault, Coordinator of
Research, at research@access-board.gov or visit the
Board's website at:
http://www.access-board.gov/research&training/research.htm
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SAN JOSE COMMITTEE PUSHES PED PROJECTS
According to the May 17th edition of Walk San Jose
Reporter, "On April 25, The San Jose Redevelopment Agency
announced the results of the Strong Neighborhoods
Initiative's Project Area Committee (PAC) election. The
50-member Project Area Committee, consisting of 35 elected
members and 15 Council appointed community based
organizations, will oversee improvement plans and the
allocation of $20 million in redevelopment funds.
According to the Redevelopment Agency, the SNI is the
largest neighborhood revitalization effort in San Jose's
history.
"Not surprisingly, pedestrian improvements are high on the
list of priority issues for SNI neighborhoods. The
Downtown Neighborhhoods Leadership Forum (DNLF), a powerful
coalition of 17 neighborhood associations in the greater
downtown and university areas, has identified fourteen
pedestrian corridors for possible inclusion in San Jose's
general plan, which could see improvement through the SNI.
"These corridors are intended to enhance pedestrian links
to schools and parks, and improve pedestrian circulation in
the greater downtown area. Eventually they should link to
the Coyote Creek and Guadalupe Greenbelt trails, and become
part of a citywide bicycle and pedestrian network. The
idea is not to exclude vehicular traffic, but rather to
enhance and prioritize pedestrian movement..."
A map of the proposed Pedestrian Corridors can be found at
http://www.walksanjose.org/pedestrian_corridors.htm
ATLANTAN DOES THE COMMUTE MATH
The March issue of GoBoulder!'s newsletter included this
item:
"Commuting for the sake of your house in the suburbs? It's
a common condition in the 21st century. Last year Atlantan
Sandra McCooey decided she'd had enough. She calculated
that her hour-long, 23-mile drive between her home in
Alpharetta and work in downtown Atlanta was costing her
$5,000 per year. So, she sold her 4,400-square foot home
for 1,200-square-foot condominium just blocks from her
business.
"'I'm 50, and I'm wasting my whole life in the car,' said
McCooey. Not surprising to McCooey, a recent study showed
that metro Atlantans spend proportionately more for
transportation than residents of any other metropolitan
area in the United Sates except Houston. In fact, metro
Atlantans, on average spend more on transportation than on
housing, food and health care. The study was conducted by
the Surface Transportation Policy Project and the Center
for Neighborhood Technology."
SOURCE:
http://www.ci.boulder.co.us/goboulder/news/63/63pg4.html
NOISY NEIGHBORHOODS HARMFUL TO CHILDREN'S HEALTH
According to a May 24th ENN story, "Continuous,
low-level traffic noise is a pollutant that can cause
health and motivational problems in children, researchers
in the United States, Germany and Austria have found.
"The low but continuous noise of everyday local traffic can
cause stress in children and raise blood pressure, heart
rates and levels of stress hormones, reports a new study by
a Cornell University environmental psychologist and his
European co-authors..."
Source: Environmental News Network
http://enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/05/05242001/noisekid_43685.asp
See R-E-S-O-U-R-C-E-S section for access information on the
study, itself.
According to a May 24th article in the Washington Post,
"Less than three of the city's 1,102 miles of streets have
bike lanes. The last time the city published a bike map was
1982, and a bicycle transportation plan drawn up in 1975,
envisioning a 75-mile network of continuous bikeways, has
been in a drawer for a quarter of a century. But all of
that has begun to change since an avid bicyclist arrived at
city hall.
"Showing that no potential constituency will go unplumbed,
Mayor Anthony A. Williams has reached out to fellow
cyclists. In a speech before several hundred of them last
November, he promised to make the District
'bicycle-friendly' by providing 'smoother pavements and
safer roadways.' Williams also pledged to appoint a city
bike coordinator, update the dormant bicycle transportation
plan, make new trails a higher priority and, over five
years, lay out 50 miles of new bike lanes and install 500
new bike racks. The mayor also endorsed car-free zones on
upper Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park during weekday
non-rush hours.
"Earlier this month, the city's First Cyclist, attired in
helmet and bow tie, participated in 'Bike to Work Day,'
sponsored by the 4,500-member Washington Area Bicyclist
Association (WABA), the region's largest bicycling advocacy
group. 'After years of feeling like no one was paying
attention to us, we feel there is a new understanding that
bicycles fit in perfectly with the livable community
philosophy,' WABA president Peter Harnik declared. 'We're
very high on the mayor,' Harnik added..."
Source:
http://washingtonpost.com:80/wp-dyn/metro/dc/A66052-2001May23.html
Search:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/archives/front.htm
Title: "For Cyclists, a More Open Road? City Vows to End
Long Legacy of Neglect Toward Biking Community"
Author: Caryle Murphy
Archive copy cost: $2.95
According to a cover story in this week's US News and
World Report, "Traffic, everyone knows, is one of the
bigger hassles of modern life. But just in time for
Memorial Day, a blizzard of brand-new data confirms just
how bad congestion has become. Since 1982, while the U.S.
population has grown nearly 20 percent, the time Americans
spend in traffic has jumped an amazing 236 percent. In
major American cities, the length of the combined
morning-evening rush hour has doubled, from under three
hours in 1982 to almost six hours today. The result? The
average driver now spends the equivalent of nearly a full
workweek each year stuck in traffic.
"That's not just lost time-it's real money. Congestion
costs Americans $78 billion a year in wasted fuel and lost
time-up 39 percent since 1990. In Houston, traffic jams
cost commuters on the Southwest Freeway and West Loop 610
an average $954 a year in wasted fuel and time. In New
Jersey's Somerset County, congestion costs the average
licensed driver $2,110 a year. Truckers-and the businesses
that depend on them-say clogged roads are choking off
economic growth and reducing the nation's competitiveness.
Commercial truck travel increased by 37 percent during the
1990s. By 2020, it's expected to double in most parts of
the country..."
Source:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/010528/usnews/traffic.htm
SF BAY BRIDGE MAY GET BIKE LANES
According to a May 1st article in the San Francisco
Chonicle, "To the delight of bicyclists, Caltrans said
yesterday that it could build bike lanes across the entire
Bay Bridge, from Oakland to San Francisco. Already planned
for the bridge's new eastern span, bicycle and pedestrian
lanes could be added to the western span for between $160
and $380 million, lower than earlier estimates, according
to a new report.
"'We weren't sure if it could be done or not,' said
Caltrans spokesman Jeff Weiss. "'There was a grassroots
push to examine the possibility of a bike lane on the west
span. Now, we know it can be done.' Bicyclists would get
from one end of the bridge to the other, a route of about
five miles, via a bike path on Treasure Island that would
avoid the tunnel on Yerba Buena Island. The more expensive
plan calls for replacing the concrete upper deck of the
western span with lightweight steel that would support se
parate bike and pedestrian lanes on each side of the
bridge..."
Source:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/05/01/MN207369.DTL
Search: http://www.sfgate.com/wais/search/arch-pro.shtml
Title: "Bike lanes possible all way across bay: Caltrans
offers Bay Bridge options"
Author: Benjamin Pimentel
MICHIGAN BICYCLISTS POINT OUT CYCLING'S ADVANTAGES
According to a May 23rd article in the Detroit News,
"Gripe to Lucinda Means about the high price of gasoline,
and she'll tell you to take a bike, a pair of blades or a
hike. Means, the executive director of the League of
Michigan Bicyclists and a San Francisco transplant, doesn't
even own a car. The full-time lobbyist and bike tour
organizer commutes 5 miles to her downtown Lansing office
on a recumbent bicycle. This month she's cycling around the
state to promote National Bike Commuting Month, a campaign
to reduce traffic congestion by finding nonmotorized
methods of getting to work and running errands.
"About 8.8 million Americans, or one in 60 commuters, bike
to work, according to a 1990 Harris poll conducted by
Bicycling Magazine. Means contends the number would be
higher if more companies had showers and secure parking,
and more communities had recreation paths.
"A confluence of factors supports Means' fitness crusade:
- Gas prices have risen to close to $2 a gallon, making
short hops by car less affordable. A 4-mile hop to the
store might consume less than a half gallon of gas, but it
contributes to a mounting problem of gridlock.
- The recently released Surface Transportation Policy
Project ranked Detroit the third worst for congestion in
the nation. The report also said Michigan's road- building
spree would not end gridlock. An increased effort to bike,
walk and in-line skate to errands would free up roadways.
- A new American Council on Exercise report says fitness
gains can be accomplished in increments of 10 or 15
minutes, dispelling a long held notion that we need 30 to
45 minutes of steady exercise to properly elevate our heart
rate and burn calories. The report finds more acceptability
for running short errands on foot, blade or bicycle,
something that filters fresh air into the lungs and has an
aerobic component. 'Any fitness activity is better than
none,' says Tom Caeppert, exercise physiologist for Central
Michigan University. 'If you seldom find time to exercise,
then combining it with an errand is a workable
incentive'..."
Source:
http://detnews.com:80/2001/health/0105/23/h08-227280.htm
Search: http://detnews.com:80/search/index.htm
Title: "Use muscle power, not horsepower"
Author: Stories Maureen McDonald
According to a May 8th story in the Washington Post,
"Maryland's Washington suburbs will receive more than $91
million for school construction and renovation in the
coming fiscal year, nearly one-third of all the state
funding Gov. Parris N. Glendening announced yesterday. For
the first time, Prince George's County received more money
than any other jurisdiction in the annual quest for school
construction money. Its $46 million allocation edged out
the usual top dollar earner, Montgomery County, which re
ceived $45 million.
"The money was part of $295 million announced by Glendening
(D), most of which will be used for renovations and
additions to schools throughout the state. In recent years,
Maryland has shifted its emphasis from new school
construction to improving existing schools. Eighty percent
of the new money will go to renovation. 'Instead of
building new schools out there somewhere, as part of our
smart growth program, we're redirecting that money to
existing schools,' Glendening said. 'Young families follow
good schools. You can use school construction to be the
heart of rebuilding communities.'..."
Source:
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60907-2001May7.html
Search:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/archives/front.htm
Title: "Pr. George's, Montgomery Schools Get $91 Million "
Author: Daniel LeDuc
Archive copy cost: $2.95
WOMAN'S DAY PROFILES PED ACTIVISTS
According to the May 17th issue of the Walk San Jose
Reporter, "You know that pedestrian activism is truly going
mainstream when you see it featured at the supermarket
check-out stand. The May 15, 2001 issue of Woman's Day
magazine ran a story called 'Pedestrians in Peril'
featuring Walk San Jose's fellow ped groups Safe Paths of
Hillsborough, Los Angeles Walks, BayPeds, American Walks,
and Atlanta's PEDS group.
"The article notes that:
--Each year 6,000 pedestrians are killed and 90,000 are
injured
--One in five is a child
--You are 36 times more likely to be killed walking than
driving a car
--You are 300 time more likely to be killed walking than
flying
--Less than 6 percent of Americans' trips are on foot, yet
13 percent of all traffic deaths involve pedestrians
--For every pedestrian killed by a car, at least 14 more
are injured.
"Mirroring what's happening here in San Jose, the article
states, 'Now, more and more pedestrians are beginning to
press their local governments to slow traffic and provide
better, safer footpaths.... This is crucial, says [Ellen
Vanderslice, president of America Walks]. 'You have to
have people in the community demanding better choices for
their community.'"
Source: Walk San Jose Reporter. Questions and comments can
be directed to us at
mail@walksanjose.org
S. SAN FRANCISCO GETS SERIOUS ABOUT COMMUTE OPTIONS
According to a May 14th article in the San Mateo County
Times, "South San Francisco is requiring 35 percent of
employees at a new business complex to find ways to work
other than driving alone. And if the owners of the Bay West
Cove development can't meet the goal, they may be slapped
with a $15000 penalty for every percentage point they fall
short of the mark.
"The strict requirement is part of an extensive
Transportation Demand Management Plan, or TDM, worked out
by the city and the two developers of the 42-acre project
at Oyster Point, which will feature biotechnology
research-and-development space, offices, retail, a hotel
and restaurants.
"Tom Sparks, chief planner for South San Francisco, said
officials took the tough stance for two reasons. 'There is
simply not room to build our way out of the traffic
congestion that development of the East of 101 area will
create,' he said. "We also wanted to do what planners have
been talking about for years--getting drivers off the
roads.'..."
Search: http://www.sanmateotimes-ang.com/
[hit "Search the County Times" button]
Title: "SSF forcing some workers to use transit"
Author: Justin Jouvenal
And now for something completely different:
THE BICYCLE BRIDGE
According to the Rejects Revenge Theatre Company's
description of their new play, THE BICYCLE BRIDGE, "The
Bicycle Bridge is the story of an enraged elephant in a
besieged city, of the music made by the subterranean
inhabitants, and of a love that can never die. Told through
words, music and falling over..."
http://www.rejectsrevenge.com/
(click on "current shows")
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"SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION: THE CANADIAN CONTEXT"
A Canadian contribution to the land use dialogue at the
Ninth Session of the United Nations Commission on
Sustainable Development that was held April 16 to 27, 2001,
is now online. The monograph "describes the state of
transportation in Canada as it relates to sustainable
development. Reflecting recent developments in sustainable
transportation, it discusses the nature of the challenges
we face and what we are doing to address them."
http://www.tc.gc.ca/envaffairs/english/UNCSD9_April23_01.htm
"MAKING TRANSIT WORK"
Subtitled "Insight from Western Europe, Canada, and the
United States," this TRB Special Report (#257) " identifies
practices and policies employed in Western Europe and
Canada to encourage public-transportation use and suggests
approaches the United States could take to increase
ridership as well."
The report may be downloaded in PDF format at:
http://books.nap.edu/html/SR257/SR257.pdf
"COMMUNITY NOISE EXPOSURE AND STRESS IN CHILDREN"
An article in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of
America (Mar. 2001, Vo. 103, Issue 3) by Gary W. Evans,
Peter Lercher, Markus Meis, Hartmut Ising, andWalter W.
Kofle. The abstract says, in part, "Children in the noisier
areas had elevated resting systolic blood pressure and 8-h,
overnight urinary cortisol. The children from noisier
neighborhoods also evidenced elevated heart rate reactivity
to a discrete stressor (reading test) in the laboratory and
rated themselves higher in perceived stress symptoms on a
standardized index. Furthermore girls, but not boys,
evidenced diminished motivation in a standardized
behavioral protocol..."
To read the abstract, go to:
http://ojps.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=JASMAN000109000003001023000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=Yes
The article can be purchased online for $18.00.
"THEY PAVED PEARS AND RICE AND PUT UP A PARKING LOT"
An article in the March issue of Grist Magazine by Lester
Brown (subtitled "Pavement is replacing the world's
croplands"). "As the new century begins, the competition
between cars and crops for cropland is intensifying. Until
now, the paving over of cropland has occurred largely in
industrial countries, home to four-fifths of the world's
520 million automobiles. But now, more and more farmland is
being sacrificed in developing countries with hungry
populations, calling into question the future role of the c
ar. There's no such thing as free parking..."
http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/maindish/brown030101.stm
"A REVIEW OF TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR RAMPS"
The Jan.1996 Final Report prepared for the U.S. Access
Board by Jon A. Sanford of North Carolina State University.
"With the significant change in demographics over the past
two decades and the projected increase in the number of
older people and people with disabilities, a reevaluation
of the current ADA requirements for the design of ramps for
their usability by current and anticipated populations
seems appropriate."
http://www.access-board.gov/research&training/Ramps/report.htm
"HENRY HIKES TO FITCHBURG"
Award-winning picture book by D. B. Johnson: "Inspired by a
passage from Henry David Thoreau's 'Walden,' this
wonderfully appealing story follows two friends who have
very different approaches to life. When the two agree to
meet one evening in Fitchburg, which is thirty miles away,
Henry decides to walk while his friend plans to work all
day to earn the fare for the train. Playful pictures follow
the progress of each, whether through a bustling small town
or a countryside alive with curiosities for an inquisitive
bear." Get more info and see the first few pages at:
http://www.henryhikes.com/
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June 2, 2001, National Trails Day. Info: American Hiking
Society, voice: (301) 565-6704 ext. 206, email:
ntd@americanhiking.org
website: http://www.americanhiking.org/events/ntd/index.html
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: http://americawalks.org/news/congress/
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, Martha Roskowski
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Reporter)
Editor: John Williams Send news items to:john@montana.com
Director: Bill Wilkinson
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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