| ------------------------------------------------------------ C-E-N-T-E-R-L-I-N-E-S ------------------------------------------------------------ #174 Wednesday, May 02, 2007 ------------------------------------------------------------ CenterLines is the bi-weekly e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking. CenterLines is our way of quickly delivering news and information you can use to create more walkable and bicycle-friendly communities.
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE CALLS ON FHWA TO CHANGE THE WAY RESCISSIONS ARE HANDLED In a letter to FHWA Administrator Richard Capka dated 13 April 2007, Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) and Subcommittee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) stated that "the Committee...is very concerned that the failure to provide adequate notice combined with the inability of the public and local partners to participate in the rescission decision-making process undermines the local planning process, a hallmark of the federal surface transportation program." The letter goes on to note that recent data on rescissions (we read that to mean FHWA has finally given up some of the data they refused to provide to various bicycle, pedestrian, and trails organizations!) makes clear that state DOTs have disproportionately rescinded funds authorized for Transportation Enhancements, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ), and the Bridge program. The Committee notes that these three programs made up 70 percent of the fiscal year 2006 rescissions, although they only account for 25% of the total funds apportioned to the states. The letter concludes by urging the FHWA "to issue a revised order extending the deadline for states to respond to the FHWA's March 19th order. In so doing, FHWA should require the states to establish a process to involve the public and local partners in its decision-making process regarding the implementation of the rescissions." This is an issue that has long been of great concern to bike/ped/trail advocates (including the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, LAB, NCBW, and state and local advocacy groups) and it is heartening to see the Committee take such a strong, clear position on the matter. See a copy
of the Committee's letter at:
In the past three weeks NCBW staff members have been hard at work bringing technical assistance on bicycling and walking programs to small cities and rural communities on the west coast and in the southeast. The Coosa Valley Regional Development Center (CVRDC) and Bike! Walk! Northwest Georgia recently hosted a week-long series of work sessions and presentations focused on implementing bicycle, pedestrian, and trail projects and improvements in small cities and rural communities. Using funds provided by the Georgia DOT, the CVRDC hired the NCBW’s Bill Wilkinson and Mark Plotz to spent a week visiting and working with public agency and community leaders in Rome, La Fayette, Trenton, and Cartersville, Georgia. The week concluded with a Friday morning presentation on "Planning and Implementing Cycling and Walking Projects in Non-Urban Areas." Wilkinson and Plotz said they were surprised and impressed by how much had been done and how much more was underway in each community, primarily in the form of trail development, but also including streetscaping, new sidewalks, and efforts to address Complete Streets issues related to State highways. "The people we met shared with us some great trail projects, both completed and under way, and almost off-handedly described very ambitious plans for county and regional trail networks,” said Wilkinson. “There is a very strong 'can-do' attitude that is justified by all the things they have already done." Key to the success of the jam-packed week was the planning and preparation of Bill Moll (Bike! Walk! Northwest Georgia) and David Kenemer and Dean Clemmer (CVRDC), and the great participation and presentations from the leaders of the various communities. In Salinas, California, NCBW’s Bob Chauncey led two workshops, and then presented some observations to the mayor and city council. He was invited by the Built Environment Committee of the Council for a Healthier Salinas and the Nutrition and Fitness Collaborative of the Central Coast. “East Salinas has its share of challenges,” said Chauncey. “Its violent crime rate is 25% higher than the national average, it is said to have the nation’s highest percentage of residents per household, and its chief industry is agriculture – which provides few well paying jobs.” Yet despite these challenges, Chauncey reports a core group of residents, business leaders, elected officials, public health staff, and planners beginning to unite behind improving conditions for walking and bicycling. “East Salinas has a population that walks and bikes for transportation. They need only some help in attracting additional support, and a focus on a few specific improvements to build momentum for longer term success,” Chauncey said. He accepted an invitation to return to facilitate next steps. For information on how your community can work with NCBW, contact Chauncey at bob@bikewalk.org
-> In a recent note, Michael King wrote, "Anyone interested in the Yucatan next March? Well I've got a conference for you: the 9th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, http://www.safety2008mx.info. Researchers will attend and discuss ways to save lives by looking at traffic injuries as a disease (not happenstance). If you are interested in presenting, let me know. Abstracts are due in June. For an interesting perspective, download http://tinyurl.com/yv6bk7. Michael King <miking7@earthlink.net>
The National Center for Bicycling & Walking has sent a letter to Risa Wilkerson, Chair of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, inviting and encouraging the Partnership to host its 2008 conference in conjunction with Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2008 in Seattle (2 - 5 September), and to continue with NCBW on its biennial conference schedule. This is similar to the conference/annual meeting coordination that NCBW and the Thunderhead Alliance have been doing for several years. Noting that the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference program has provided an extensive focus on SRTS topics for the past several gatherings and will certainly do so again in 2008, NCBW executive director Bill Wilkinson noted the many advantages of a combined conference. The NCBW also hopes that by combining the two conferences, potential participants will not be forced to choose one over the other, thus missing out on all the content and interaction of the other meeting. "We know from our surveys and participant feedback that many professionals and advocates can only afford to attend a single such meeting each year, sometimes only one meeting every couple of years," Wilkinson said. “A substantial number of the participants, including those working for public agencies, pay their own expenses to attend Pro Walk/Pro Bike. This is a key reason we have maintained our biennial schedule.” Wilkinson added that a cooperative, joint conference would also help avoid fragmenting the bicycle/pedestrian movement. “We need to build synergy among all the various programs and themes, including SRTS, Complete Streets, Trails, Bicycle-Friendly Communities, Walkable Communities, Active Living and Healthy Communities, social justice, and more," he concluded. The NCBW will soon distribute a survey to the Pro Walk/Pro Bike mailing list to gather input for the 2008 program, and to solicit input on the question of multiple vs. combined conference events in the fall of 2008.
-> According to an Apr. 19th news release, "A new online simulator to prove to drivers the dangers of being behind the wheel when travelling too fast, after drinking or when using a mobile phone has been launched by [Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)]. It shows how speed, weather and impairments dramatically affect stopping distances and result in crashes and pedestrian deaths. "Motorists can see how long it takes to stop when a child dashes out from behind a van to retrieve a ball bouncing in the road. They can set their speed at 5mph intervals between 20mph and 45mph to check their stopping distance in normal conditions. But they can also see how using a mobile phone, alcohol or wet weather makes things more dangerous. After starting the simulator they have a driver's-eye-view of the road ahead and as the ball appears the car starts to slow. They then see if they stop in time or if the child is hit..." Go to:
-> In
a recent note, John Gideon, President of the Central Ohio Bicycle Advocacy
Coalition wrote, "COBAC and a number of other organizations (Mid-Ohio
Regional Planning Commission, City of Columbus, OSU Knowlton School of
Architecture, etc. etc.) have partnered with AIA/Columbus Chapter in an
international design competition. John also mentioned that "AIA/Columbus Chapter has partnered with COBAC in seeking to have Columbus adopt a Complete Streets policy." For more info, contact him at <jgideon@cobac.org>.
Email: <aturnbull@bikewalkvirginia.org>
-> According to a recent announcement from the North Carolina Institute for Public Health, 'There's still time to register for our next Public Health Grand Rounds: 'Healthy Places Leading to Healthy People: Community Engagement Improves Health for All.' The program will be presented on May 11, 2007 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm E.T. This program may be viewed at a satellite downlink site near you or as a webcast. Online registration, program information, and a list of currently available sites are located at our web site. Registration is very important! It helps us to measure the impact of these programs and continue to provide them FREE to all participants. If you don't find a site near you on our website, please contact us by emailing <grandrounds@unc.edu> or phone (919) 843-9261. Remember! Your nearest site facilitator may need a request from you before registering a viewing site for the broadcast." To register, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yocje6
-> According to a May 1st news release from PedNet Coalition in Columbia, MO, "The Walking School Bus program has been such a success that the PedNet Coalition is now piloting the bike version-the Bike Train program. Columbia's Bike Train is one of just a handful of similar programs in the country. "Through the end of this school year a group of four elementary-age children and Ian Thomas, executive director of the PedNet Coalition, are riding their bikes to and from Fairview Elementary School one day per week. All of the participating children have completed PedNet's youth bicycle proficiency program, Bike Pro. The concept of the Bike Train is the same as for the Walking School Bus -- an adult mentor rides to pick up each of the children at their homes, and they proceed to school... "Funding for this pilot program comes from the Active Living by Design grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation which was awarded to the PedNet Coalition and the Columbia/Boone County Health Department in late 2003. One of the main goals of the grant is to promote physical activity to children and families within the area." For more information, contact Ian Thomas at <ian@pednet.org> or (573) 445-2928.
The Ruth Mott Foundation of Flint, Michigan, has awarded a grant to the National Center for Bicycling & Walking (NCBW) for Phase I of the "It's Our Neighborhood, Too" program. Bob Chauncey and Mark Plotz will lead the NCBW team; Sylvester Jones is the Ruth Mott Foundation's Program Officer for this grant. The NCBW concept is to work with a local partner (based in Flint) to get kids aged 8 to 18 involved in creating their own vision for their neighborhoods, identifying the actions needed to realize the vision, and learning how to make it happen. Walking and bicycling will be part of the focus, but so too will issues such as access to good foods, safe and exciting park and play spaces, job opportunities close to home, and more. The NCBW
hopes to develop a model program to directly engage young people in the
process of making their neighborhoods great places to grow up and to live. QUOTES R US > "I was shocked
to find how robust a predictor of social isolation commuting is. There's
a simple rule of thumb: Every ten minutes of commuting results in ten
per cent fewer social connections. Commuting is connected to social isolation,
which causes unhappiness." -> "What you
want is as much activity within a 5-minute walking radius of the center
of the project. You want people living there, working there, in order
to make it active even at times when it's not historically active." IN
THE NEWS
-> According to an Apr. 19th Jackson Hole News & Guide article, "Grand Teton National Park officials said Wednesday they have approved a transportation plan that would allow construction of 41 miles of multi-use pathways, a realignment of the Moose-Wilson Road and development of a park bus plan. The path system, expected to cost roughly $45 million, would include nine miles of paths from the park's south boundary to Antelope Flats Road, 15 miles of path between North Jenny Lake and Colter Bay, 10 miles along Teton Park Road from Moose Junction to North Jenny Lake Junction, and 3 miles along the Moose-Wilson Road from Granite Canyon entrance station to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve... "David
Axelrad, whose 13-year-old daughter Gabriella Axelrad died after a car
hit her as she was cycling through Grand Teton National Park in July of
1999, called the decision 'fantastic.'...Tim Young, executive director
of Friends of Pathways, also expressed relief at the news. 'Friends of
Pathways is very pleased and supportive of this record of Source: http://tinyurl.com/2684rt
On Monday
April 30th, by a 9-0 vote, the Seattle City Council passed its Complete
Streets ordinance, affirming Seattle's commitment to routinely build streets
that serve all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists,
and the mobility impaired. This is the culmination of four years of work
by the local transportation advocacy community, We at Cascade Bicycle Club wish to extend our thanks and congratulations to everyone who contributed time and energy to the passage of this legislation. Thank you. Text of the ordinance: See the video:
-> According
to a May 1st Local News 8 story, "May is officially here and in Pocatello
it means bike to work month. Pocatello Mayor Roger Chase and officials
from the Bannock Planning Organization cut the ribbon and officially declared
May as National Bike to Work month in Pocatello and Chubbuck. 'We're trying
to promote bicycle riding, alternative "'One
more bike, one less car on the road,' said Kirk Hendrick, Bike to Work
Board Chairman. 'With gasoline prices and everything like it is, I can't
understand why more of us aren't riding. Pocatello is a pretty bike friendly
town and it's pretty easy to get to work,' he said. 'I think it's important
to see how all our bikes and other activities we do, Source: http://tinyurl.com/2coc3n Note: there's also a feature video at the story's link.
-> According to a May 1st WPRI news story, "The unofficial start of summer is approaching and experts say it's the peak time for child injuries. The first-ever U.S. report ranking each state on child accidental injury deaths was just released Monday, April 30th. Both Rhode Island and Massachusetts ranked in the top ten. Release of the report coincides with the kick-off of National Safe Kids Week in the United States, April 28 to May 6, 2007. The beginning of summer is known to emergency personnel as 'trauma season,' where deaths and serious injuries increase dramatically. "The U.S. report ranks the 50 states including the District of Columbia for accidental injuries. The five highest ranking states were all found in the northeast, Vermont (#1), New Jersey (#2), the District of Columbia (#3), New York (#4), and Delaware (#5). The five lowest-ranking states were Wyoming (#51), Alaska (#50), South Dakota (#49), West Virginia (#48) and Nebraska (#47)..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yplss5 For a copy
of the ranking, go to:
-> According to an Apr. 16th New Yorker article, "...People like to compare commutes, to complain or boast about their own and, depending on whether their pride derives from misery or efficiency, to exaggerate the length or the brevity of their trip. People who feel they have smooth, manageable commutes tend to evangelize. Those who hate the commute think of it as a core affliction, like a chronic illness. "Once you raise the subject, the testimonies pour out, and, if your ears are tuned to it, you begin overhearing commute talk everywhere: mode of transport, time spent on train/interstate/treadmill/homework help, crossword-puzzle aptitude-limitless variations on a stock tale. People who are normally circumspect may, when describing their commutes, be unexpectedly candid in divulging the intimate details of their lives. They have it all worked out, down to the number of minutes it takes them to shave or get stuck at a particular light. But commuting is like sex or sleep: everyone lies. "It
is said that doctors, when they ask you how much you drink, will take
the answer and double it. When a commuter says, 'It's an hour, door-to-door,'
tack on twenty minutes. Seven hours is extraordinary, but four hours,
increasingly, is not. Roughly one out of every six American workers commutes
more than forty-five minutes, each way. People travel between counties
the way they used to travel between neighborhoods. The Source: http://tinyurl.com/28bv4s
-> In
an Apr. 29th Morning Call op-ed piece, Thomas Hylton wrote, "Last
week, the Bethlehem (PA) Area School Board voted to demolish its 1918
Broughal Middle School, a building that is as solid and usable as the
district's 1923 Liberty High School or Allentown's 1916 William Allen
High School. Broughal will be replaced with a new school at the same site.
This comes on the heels of a proposal to sell the district's Nitschmann
"Usually,
new schools win out, many of them built on huge campuses outside of town,
spawning car-dependent development and draining the life from older communities
by removing one of their prime assets -- walkable neighborhood schools.
Two years ago, for example, the Catasauqua Area School District opened
a $32 million high school on 57 acres outside district boundaries in Allen
Township. The Souderton Area School District "Statewide,
the loss of such schools has been a major factor in what the Brookings
Institution calls the 'hollowing out' of Pennsylvania -- disinvestment
in older urban areas in favor of developing suburbs. The Pennsylvania
Department of Education and the Pennsylvania School Boards Association
have sponsored a new publication called 'Renovate or Replace? The case
for restoring and reusing older school buildings.' It Source: http://tinyurl.com/yp69y2 Note: The
"Renovate or Replace?" report (2.9mb) can be download here:
-> In
an Apr. 23rd first-person Times article, Maria Cortes Gonzalez wrote,
"When we picked the lot for our home in Socorro about four years
ago, we knew it would be a good idea to pick one facing a pond/park. Having
three children at the time, we knew the park would come in handy. At first,
it only had a few park benches and trees. But my children "A few
months ago, when we started looking for spring sports for the boys, we
heard that a couple was starting a soccer league in Socorro. At first,
I got excited thinking that a Socorro league would mean I wouldn't have
to be driving far to East Side parks to get my children involved in sports.
No more racing from work to pick up kids and then to the "Within
a week, I felt tremendously lucky, with my routine stroll across the street
-- folding chair in tow -- to watch my children kick the ball and run
to their hearts' content. And I could keep an eye on the 2-year-old playing
on the swings. The 10-year-old, who has other interests, can stay home
safely, knowing I'm only a yell away. Or if dad's Source: http://tinyurl.com/2vjqp5
-> According
to a May 1st WCAV story, "Charlottesville City leaders gathered to
try and map what the Downtown areas of Charlottesville will look like
in the coming years. 'I think the Downtown Mall is the soul of Charlottesville,'
said Vice-Chair of the City Planning Commission, Jon Fink. To keep that
soul alive, City leaders met tonight to map out how "'It's not sort of a cookie cutter approach. It's really trying to tailor to those neighborhoods and the quality of the housing and buildings that are there now,' said City Councilor Dave Norris. 'We're trying to take a look ahead one decade, two decades to make sure that we preserve the great elements of the Downtown Mall,' Fink said. "Many
believe one of the Mall's greatest elements is a sunny and airy corridor
for pedestrians. For that reason, an advisory committee is recommending
changing the maximum height for buildings from 101 feet to 70 feet. Under
the modified ordinance, a building could be built higher but would have
to go through a city approval process. 'We want to keep it at a pedestrian
scale because that's what we are building for and that Source: http://tinyurl.com/2vwrvh
-> According
to an Apr. 30th Green Guide article, "Now that the winter snow and
April showers have finally subsided, it's the perfect time to tune up
the old two-wheeler and pedal your way to work. It just so happens that
next Monday kicks off a national Bike-to-Work Week, and there's no better
way to burn calories while cutting pounds of carbon "Yet,
there are even more reasons to drop the keys and hop on the saddle. 'On
a personal level, you'll save money, get good exercise and experience
your city in ways that are impossible at 30 miles per hour,' says Dani
Simons, deputy director for communications at of Transportation Alternatives,
a New York City bike, pedestrian and mass transit advocacy group. 'On
a broader, societal level, it'll cut local air pollution, Source: http://tinyurl.com/yvymd8
-> According
to a May 1st Times article, "Walkers and bike riders at Meadowview
Elementary School can look forward to a safer trip to school in the future.
Instead of traveling alone across busy intersections and construction
area, students will get to travel on new sidewalks and in groups via a
walking school bus -- an organized group of students who walk to school
together. The school will benefit from the Safe Routes to "'We
want our kids to get to and from school safely,' said Shelly Barrett,
principal at Meadowview. 'This program will help us to do this.' Students
who live on Donnie, Shirley, Givens, Palmer, LaDon, Joey, Ruffin and McClure
streets and those who live west of Swan Lake Road on O'Keefe, Birdwell,
Sullivan and Shirley streets in north Bossier City will "The
school would also implement safety training classes for parents, teachers,
students and community members. A safety patrol program using fifth-grade
student leaders as 'walking school bus drivers and bicycle squad officers'
will be the basis of the Meadowview Elementary community campaign called
'Stop, Look, & Listen! Roadrunners Are on Their Way.' As part of the
safety patrol program, fifth-grade students who walk to Source: http://tinyurl.com/yq5oh3
-> According to an Apr. 25th Coloradoan article, "At a time when so many are wringing their hands about how to reduce the rapid increase in obesity, the Coalition for Activity and Nutrition to Defeat Obesity, is making progress. Last week, CanDo, through the Poudre Valley Hospital Foundation, received a well-deserved $182,448 grant to promote health and fitness in Fort Collins. It is the most recent in a long line of support for CanDo's efforts to push for policies and programs that will improve the lives of local residents. This funding will be used to help low-income residents lose weight and to broaden the Safe Routes to School program. "With
its mountains, trails systems and plethora of recreational opportunities,
Larimer County appears to be the perfect place for a healthy lifestyle.
But in 2005, the Health District of Larimer County reported in its health
survey that 49 percent of adults in the county were overweight. In perhaps
an even more startling statistic, fewer than 75 "CanDo
is attempting to reverse those trends by working with existing organizations,
such as Poudre Valley Health Systems and Poudre School District, as well
as local employers to address obesity-related issues. For example, CanDo
and PSD have developed policies to promote healthier lunches and snacks
at schools coupled with increased activity. In 2005, Source: http://tinyurl.com/yvbfsm
-> An
Apr. 30th Tribune article asks, "Could you imagine if everyone across
the country wanted to move to South Bend? Kyle Ezell, founder of Get Urban
America Ltd. of Columbus, Ohio, says that could happen. As the keynote
speaker Saturday for Downtown South Bend Inc.'s first South Bend Pride
of Place Design Awards banquet, the urban living stylist who teaches developers
and people across the country to be better urban "Cities
equal business, according to Ezell. If no one knows about South Bend,
he maintains, then the city is losing business. Inside the South Bend
Regional Museum of Art, amid a room of individuals involved in the development
of the downtown, Ezell laid out his perception of the biggest obstacle
preventing further progress in this city. 'Look at South Source: http://tinyurl.com/yvhusy
-> According
to a May 1st Star-Tribune article, "The city must work around huge
parking lots and poor street layout in designing a more walkable city
center. It has halted development to consider just how to make that happen.
Victoria Rosenbaum frequents many businesses in what Plymouth calls its
city center -- Cub or Lunds for food, Life Time to work out, the post
office to mail packages, Old Chicago for drinks. If she's "Last
week, the City Council approved a moratorium on development in the city
center -- bounded in part by Hwy. 55, Vicksburg Lane and Plymouth Boulevard.
While development is paused, the city will decide how to make the area
more walkable. 'For all that the city center is,' said Steve Juetten,
economic development director, 'one thing it's not is "The city also is considering improving crosswalks; building pedestrian trails through parking lots; eliminating multiple accesses to Hwy. 55; and encouraging mixed-use development in spots. In short, it wants the area to be more like a downtown..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/ytrzu3
-> According to an Apr. 23rd Southern article, "The Unit 2 School District and city of Marion have joined forces to help refurbish as many sidewalks in town as possible. Washington School Principal Deborah Runion said she is composing a Safe Routes to School plan to obtain federal funds through the Department of Transportation in order to build new sidewalks near schools in the community. Safe Routes to School is a national program that encourages more children to walk and bike to school to improve their health. "'This
is still in the preliminary stages,' Runion said. 'I can write the grant
request for whatever we think we're going to need, but there's no guarantee
we will get any money. A lot depends on how many other schools apply for
the grant.' Runion said she would like to see sidewalks improved or replaced
near all four of the district's elementary schools "'We budget $50,000 a year with monies that come from a gasoline tax,' said John Bradley, Marion street superintendent. 'We have a list of requests and we try to get to the worst of the worst first. Last year, we did repair work on Warder Street, South Madison, South Mechanic and North Van Buren. Everyone wants new sidewalks, but we can only get so much done at a time.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2h5e5y
-> According to a May 1st Record article, "There's hope that residents can be persuaded to get out of their cars and onto their feet, to improve their health and build vibrant streets. Urban expert Lars Gemzoe says cities around the world have created lively pedestrian streets where before there were just cars. But persuading people to embrace walking over driving does not happen overnight, he warns. 'It's a mindset change, as well as a change of the physical environment,' he said in an interview. "Based
on what other cities have done, Gemzoe says it requires: "Gemzoe,
a Danish architect and professor, spoke yesterday to planners, builders
and politicians, at a conference to promote walking in this region. A
public forum on walkability followed last night in Kitchener. In this
region, many people drive everywhere, all the time. Regional Coun. Jim
Wideman, who walks regularly for exercise, figures a major shift Source: http://tinyurl.com/yw5q57
-> According
to a May 1st Model D article, "University Cultural Center Association
(UCCA) has completed fundraising and design for Phase 1 of the Midtown
Loop, a culturally-oriented pedestrian walkway in the district. The cost
of the first phase, which will travel Cass from Canfield to Kirby and
Kirby from Cass to John R, is $3 million--$5 million has "The
Loop will consist of a 12-foot wide path that is distinguished with patterned,
stained concrete and separated from street traffic with decorative bollards.
The area will be landscaped and contemporary lighting will be installed
adjacent. Street furniture and bike lockers are also planned along the
route. UCCA is creating a public art plan that will "Pre-development work, including the settling of easement agreements with adjacent landowners, is currently underway, with Mosey hoping to see Phase 1 construction begin in July 2007. The City of Detroit Department of Public Works will bid out and oversee the construction of the pathway and associated infrastructure. The project has been funded by Michigan Department of Transportation, a federal earmark, the Greenways Initiative of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Metropolitan Title Co. and Woodward Avenue Action Association..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/2yffkn
BAY AREA ROADWAY COLLAPSE: CYCLIST TERRORISM? -> "...The
destruction of the bridge is, in truth, clearly the work of rogue cyclists
intent on destabilizing the Homeland and the Middle East by reducing demand
for oil. Just two days earlier, the San Francisco Chronicle gossip reporters
got wind that a coalition of rogue cyclists known as Critical Mass was
going to riot in the streets AGAIN. Once the Source: http://tinyurl.com/2eq29n QUICK HITS NYC
-- "FIRST SUSTAINABLE 21ST-CENTURY CITY" CYCLISTS
GO FREE TO CALAIS, FRANCE (FROM DOVER) SEATAC
(WA) AIRPORT RUNWAY OPTION ANGERS CITY CAR
CLUBS: 21ST CENTURY PARK AND RIDE WINNIPEG
(MB) BEGINS BUILDING MEMORIAL LABYRINTH TRIUMPH
OVER ADVERSITY SET IN MEAN GLASGOW STREETS KIDS
TO LIVE OFF AUSTRALIAN BUSH TO SHED POUNDS RESOURCES
CALENDAR Additional
training opportunities are available on the National Center for Bicycling
& Walking web site. Add your own items to the on-line calendar...it's
quick and easy. Please be sure your calendar items pertain to training
and workshops in the bicycle, pedestrian, or livable community fields.
Go to: HEY, YOU! SEND US YOUR CALENDAR ITEMS -- PRONTO! -> May 16, 2007, 6:30pm, Ride of Silence - Corvallis, OR. No fees. Helmets required. Contact: Jerry Rooney, email: <jeroon@peak.org> -> May
17-20, 2007, CNU XV: New Urbanism and the Old City, Philadelphia, PA.
Info: -> June
2, 2007, Bring awareness to your trail - host a National Trails Day event
- hike, bike, ride horses, paddle. Info: -> June 10, 2007, Bike to the Sea Day, Malden, MA. Info: http://www.biketothesea.com -> June 12-15,
2007, Velo City International Bicycle Conference, Munich, Germany. Info: -> June
14-16, 2007, BikeEd Conference, Austin TX. Info: The League of American
Bicyclists; phone: (202) 822-1333; email: <bikeleague@bikeleague.org>. -> June
18-21, 2007, International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderly
and Disabled Persons, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Info: Urbanicity Conference
Alerts, Alistair Campbell, email: <a.campbell@urbanicity.org> -> June 24-27,
2007, 3rd Urban Street Symposium, Seattle WA. Info: -> July
9-11, 2007, Transportation Land Use, Planning, and Air Quality Conference,
Orlando, FL. Info: -> July 13-15,
2007, Thunderhead Training, Louisville, KY. Info: -> August
8-10, 2007, TrailLink 2007 Conference Portland, OR. Info: Sarah L. Shipley,
Manager of Events and Communications, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 1100
17th St., NW - 10th Fl., Washington, DC 20036; phone: (202) 974-5152;
email: <sarah@railstotrails.org>. -> August 10-12,
2007, Bike!Bike! Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. Info: -> August
24-26, 2007, Thunderhead Training, Los Angeles, CA. Info: -> August 28-30,
2007, the third annual Pro Walk ®/Pro Bike Florida Conference. Theme:
Healthy Community Makeovers -- Designs and Programs for Active and Healthy
Lifestyles. Orlando, FL, at the Embassy Suites Downtown hotel. Info at: -> September
11-14, 2007, Walk/Bike California 2007 conference, Davis, CA. Held in
conjunction with the APBP Professional Development Seminar. Info: Rebecca
Markussen, Communications Director, California Bicycle Coalition, 1008
10th St., Sacramento CA, 95814; phone: (916) 446-7558; email: <rebecca@calbike.org> -> September
11-14, 2007, APBP Professional Development Seminar, Davis, CA. Held in
conjunction with Walk/Bike California 2007 conference. Info: Kit Keller,
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals; PO Box 93, Cedarburg,
WI 53012-0093; phone: 262-375-6180; fax: 866-720-3611: email: <kit@apbp.org> -> September
20-22, 2007, Colorado Pedestrian Summit, Vail, CO. Info: Gay Page, President,
Colorado Walks; phone: (303) 549-5081; email: <GayPage@ColoradoWalks.org>. -> September
28-29, 2007, Healthy Trails, Healthy Communities conference, Rochester,
NY. Info: Parks & Trails New York, (518) 434-1583. -> October
1-4, 2007, Walk21 International Conference, Toronto, ON, Canada. Info: -> October
5-7, 2007, Thunderhead Training, plus lobby training Oct. 8 and Hill visits
Oct. 9, 2007, Washington, DC. Info: -> November 5-7,
2007. 1st National Safe Routes to School Conference: Creating, Building
and Sustaining Momentum, Dearborn, MI. Info: -> December
9-12, 2007, Mid America Trails & Greenways Conference, Chicago, IL.
Info: phone: (312) 427-4256 -> May
18-21, 2008, National Roundabout Conference, Kansas City, MO. Info: Richard
Pain; email: <RPain@nas.edu>. -> September 2-5, 2008, Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference, Seattle, WA; hosted at the Westin Seattle. Watch for info at: http://www.bikewalk.org/conference.php JOBS GRANTS AND RFPS ->
JOB -- BIKE PGM COORDINATOR -- MIAMI BEACH, FL This classification
is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing policies, strategies,
and controls to ensure an effective city-wide bicycle program. Responsibilities
include developing and implementing safety awareness programs; revising
and distributing bicycle suitability maps; conducting special project
studies related to non-motorized
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition is Hiring a Director of Planning. This full-time salaried position is currently available and will be open until filled. Interviews will begin the week of April 30, 2007. The Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) is a non-profit that was established in 1998 to promote safe bicycling for everyday transportation and recreation. The organization is recognized as a national leader in bicycle advocacy, and plays a critical role in shaping Marin County transportation policies and projects. MCBC has 11 full-time and part-time staff, and its office is located in Fairfax, California. More information about the MCBC can be found at www.marinbike.org Interested
applicants are invited to apply by sending the following to Kim Baenisch,
Executive Director, at kim@marinbike.org,
with: No phone calls, please.
Los Angeles
County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC), the premier bicycle advocacy group in
Southern California, seeks a dynamic, solutions-oriented, proven leader
for the full-time position of Executive Director to promote bicycling
safety, education and access throughout the large and diverse Los Angeles
County region. LACBC is a growing nonprofit that interacts with local
and state governments, cyclists, law enforcement and other key stakeholders
to make safe cycling an integral part of daily life in Southern California.
This is a rare opportunity to lead a passionate organization with an impressive
list of accomplishments in a high-profile urban area on the cusp of major
expansion, at a moment when support for cycling and for solving environmental,
transportation and View the
complete job description at http://labike.org/positions/executive_director_lacbc.html.
Submit cover letter, resume, highlighted list of professional accomplishments,
three professional references and salary compensation requirements to:
k@labike.org. Resumes without salary history will not be considered. NO
phone calls please. LACBC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a
The Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation is seeking a new Executive Director. This is an exciting organization that promotes biking, walking, transit, car-pooling, and car-sharing in central Virginia. The full-time position is based in Charlottesville. We are looking for a dynamic "do-er" who is excited to shake things up in Virginia! Check out the description
at: HOUSEKEEPING TO
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local, statewide, and regional training events on NCBW's National Training
Calendar: COPYING: We encourage you to copy our content as long as you identify the source in this way: "from CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking." Contributors: John Williams, Bill Wilkinson, Gary MacFadden, Mark Plotz, Sharon Roerty, Bob Chauncey, Chris Jordan, Anne Villacres, Ross Trethewey, Linda Tracy, Harrison Marshall, John Cock, Russell Houston, Tim Torma, Christine Leduc, Chris Santillo, Ian Thomas, John Gideon, Joshua Duggan, Michael King, Tom Bertulis, Allen Turnbull, and the Fratellis. Editor:
John Williams |