| ------------------------------------------------------------ C-E-N-T-E-R-L-I-N-E-S ------------------------------------------------------------ #239 Wednesday, October 28, 2009 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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. T-H-E--N-A-T-I-O-N-A-L-&-I-N-T-E-R-N-A-T-I-O-N-A-L--S-C-E-N-E R-E-G-I-O-N-A-L and L-O-C-A-L--A-C-T-I-O-N-S T-H-E--R-E-S-E-A-R-C-H--B-E-A-T N-E-W-S--S-E-C-T-I-O-N-S THE NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL SCENE VICTORIA (BC) ADVOCATES HONOR SUSIE STEPHENS -> A small gathering of Victoria cycling advocates gathered in the mid-morning sunshine on the Galloping Goose trail to plant a tree in memory of the late Susie Stephens. Cycling advocates will know Susie from her work in Washington State as Executive Director of the Bicycle Alliance, but more importantly many more will know her as the energy behind the founding of the Thunderhead Alliance, now the Alliance for Bicycling and Walking. Susie's mother Nancy MacKerrow and brother Jack Stephens made the trek to Victoria for the ceremony. MacKerrow has been traveling across the U.S. to plant trees to honour her daughter, who died under the wheels of a bus while working in St. Louis for the Bicycle Federation of America / National Center for Bicycling & Walking at a National Parks Service conference. Her mother has been using funds from an insurance settlement to help support cycling advocacy, granting scholarships to bike advocates from around the U.S. and Canada to help them attend training workshops including Pro Walk/Pro Bike conferences since Susie's death in 2002. Susie had visited Victoria from her home in Seattle, helping to galvanize energy in the local cycling coalition and afterwards, helping to convince the NCBW that Victoria was ready to host the Pro Walk/Pro Bike conference that came to the city in 2004. City councillor John Luton, a long time advocate and Alliance Board member organized the event and paid tribute, along with MacKerrow, to Stephens work on cycling issues. A local flowering Dogwood was planted alongside the popular multi-use trail that Stephens had a chance to enjoy on her visits to the BC capital. Trail users will be treated to an annual burst of striking, white spring blossoms on the tree and for the next several weeks, a sprinkling of messages tied to the branches by those attending the ceremony. - John Luton (thanks to John for sharing his memories and thoughts)
NCBW HELPS ALABAMA CITIES PLAN COMPLETE STREETS -> According to an Oct. 26th Press-Register article, "About two dozen officials from cities on both sides of Mobile Bay talked Thursday about how to make the entire area a nicer place to walk or bike through, and a safer place to raise children...Thursday's meeting was part of a weeklong visit to the area from two representatives of the Washington, D.C.-based National Center for Bicycling & Walking, a national pedestrian advocacy group. They were invited by Smart Coast, a nonprofit group active in the area that has sponsored conferences on sustainable community design. "Sharon Roerty, executive director of the National Center, facilitated the meeting. Among the participants were Chickasaw Council members Ross Naze and Jennifer White, Gulf Shores Councilwoman Carolyn Doughty, Daphne Councilwoman Cathy Barnette, Mount Vernon Councilwoman Verdell Trotter-Dees and several engineers and planners with the city of Mobile. Roerty asked participants to rank their own cities in 12 categories that her organization has identified as key characteristics of 'walkable communities.' "Those included intact town centers, speed controls on appropriate streets, square footage limits for new stores in certain areas, and community decision-makers who are 'visionary, communicative and forward thinking.' A few participants gave Fairhope high marks. The Fairhope City Council passed a resolution two weeks ago promising that in the future, the city will follow the 'complete streets' concept, making it the first city in Alabama to do so. Now, when street or sidewalk projects are planned, Fairhope engineers and planners must consider not only autos, but also buses, bicycles and pedestrians..." Centerlines caught up with Sharon Roerty, who explained that NCBW’s work in the Mobile/ Baldwin County area of Alabama is a pilot program under this year’s Active Living Resource Center program. “We are helping the region organize for change – changing policy and changing the built environment; creating better and more access to facilitate youth activity; all with the intent of reversing childhood obesity.” Source: http://tinyurl.com/yfe8vxv
MEASURING COMMUNITY WALKABLITY -- WALK 21 REPORT Earlier this month planners from all over the world descended upon New York University’s campus for the Walk21 Conference. Before the conference got into full swing, several eager planners arrived early to attend one of the three day long pre-conference workshops. The pre-conference workshop titled Measuring Walking featured our own Sharon Roerty (the National Center for Bicycling & Walking Executive Director, Active Living Resource Center Director). Using Dan Burden’s 12 characteristics that define a walkable community, Sharon outlined what it means for a city to be pedestrian friendly. During the presentation Sharon sought to engage the audience through an NCBW activity called Walkable Communities Bingo. The activity asked audience members to score (0, 1, or 2 points) their favorite city for each of the walkable community characteristics. After tallying the scores for all 51 participant surveys, it became apparent that several characteristics were insufficiently being met. Of the 12 characteristics, Universal Design scored the poorest with 32 participants assigning their city 1 point for universal pedestrian design. Only one other characteristic had a majority of tallies (27) for the one point column and that was the Decision Makers Are Visionary characteristic. Furthermore, the tallies were somewhat evenly dispersed for the characteristics of Key Streets Are Speed Controlled and Town Is Thinking Small. Such varying scores might suggest that cities have a long way to go before the pedestrian is king again. Yet these results came from an audience that hailed from pedestrian centric cities such as Amsterdam, Paris, and New York City. So what does this survey say about the current state of the pedestrian environment? For starters, there is still much to be accomplished. Even as New York City has made huge strides to accommodate for pedestrians, the automobile still receives a lion’s share of the funding and attention from stakeholders. While funding is certainly an issue for pedestrian infrastructure, much has to do with how our cities have been and are being designed. That is why the characteristic of Universal Design is so important when creating pedestrian spaces throughout a city. We certainly have the tools to create wonderful pedestrian infrastructure. After all, walking has been the transportation mode that has transcended all generations. It’s just a matter of figuring out how walking fits into the complex puzzle of the urban environment. Check out the Active Living Resource Center’s community assessment tools at http://tinyurl.com/6tpd2l
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN MOVEMENT IN 8,000 BC & NOW -> In an Oct. 14th Connecticut Public Radio interview, "Central Connecticut State University professor Mary Collins, author of 'American Idle,' visits a hunter-gatherer site in the Midwest to understand the movement patterns of humans 10,000 years ago, explores the growing divide between the average American and the professional athlete, visits workers on factory floors, and talks with an expert on body intelligence and morality..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yj5czol
HOW TRAFFIC JAMS HELP THE ENVIRONMENT -> According to an Oct. 9th Wall Street Journal article, "Congestion isn't an environmental problem; it's a driving problem. If reducing it merely makes life easier for those who drive, then the improved traffic flow can actually increase the environmental damage done by cars, by raising overall traffic volume, encouraging sprawl and long car commutes. A popular effort to curb rush-hour congestion, freeway entrance ramp meters, is commonly seen as good for the environment. "But they significantly decrease peak-period travel times—by 10% in Atlanta and 22% in Houston, according to studies in those cities—and lead to increases in overall vehicle volume. In Minnesota, ramp metering increased overall traffic volume by 9% and peak volume by 14%. The increase in traffic volume was accompanied by a corresponding increase in fuel consumption of 5.5 million gallons..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yzk3mc4
ACCESS BOARD'S FED OUTDOOR AREA GUIDELINES COMING -> According to the Oct. 20th FHWA Recreational Trails and Transportation Enhancements Update, "The US Access Board released for public review a draft of final guidelines under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) for Federal Outdoor Developed Areas on October 19, 2009. The draft final guidelines are issued under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) rather than the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These guidelines address how to achieve accessibility in outdoor developed areas and take into account challenges and constraints posed by terrain, the degree of development, and other factors. They specify where compliance is required and provide detailed technical criteria for new or altered trails, beach routes, and picnic and camping facilities. Source: http://tinyurl.com/yjdwnhr
WEBINAR: PLANNING COMPLETE STREETS FOR AGING AMERICA -> According to the Oct. Complete Street News, "During this free webinar hosted by the National Center on Senior Transportation, AARP's Jana Lynott and NCST's Lucinda Shannon will discuss AARP's recent report 'Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America.' They will review how complete streets policies provide an opportunity to increase safety and availability of travel options for older adults as well as policy and practice recommendations from the report. The webinar is November 4th from 1 to 2 pm Eastern Time." For more on the webinar, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yg3xfyx
LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FALL BICYCLE FRIENDLY AWARDS -> According to an Oct. 20th news release, "The League of American Bicyclists is proud to announce 15 new Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) and three renewing BFCs. Notably, 10 out of the 15 new awardees are from the Midwest to the East coast, disproving the myth that building great cities for cycling only works in the West. Three new states, Arkansas, Louisiana, and South Dakota have their first BFCs with this designation cycle. 'This round of applications had more communities in the east and Midwest than ever before that are investing wisely in bicycling,' said League President Andy Clarke. 'All areas of the U.S. are realizing the importance of bicycling.' "Additionally, the American Community Survey (ACS) recently released their 2008 report, which includes community bicycle mode share percentages from 2000 to 2008. League BFCs had higher levels of bicycle commuting than cities not participating in the program. The average BFC bicycle commuter share is 1.5 percent, 2.5 times the national average. "'This strongly suggests that the efforts of the BFCs to improve bicycling conditions by investing in engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation and planning are paying off with larger increases in bicycle commuters,' said League Policy Analyst Darren Flusche..."
CROSSWALKS & PED SAFETY WEBINAR This Nov. 9th FHWA webconference (1:30-3:30 ET) will have 3 presentations and discussions on the crosswalk guidelines issued several years ago in the document "Safety Effects of Marked Versus Unmarked Crosswalks at Uncontrolled Locations." Presentations: Charlie Zegeer (PBIC) will discuss the study and recommendations; Peter Lagerwey (Toole Design Group) will discuss Seattle's use of the guidelines; and Mary Anne Koos (Florida DOT) will discuss how FDOT uses the guidelines in a statewide crosswalk policy. Source: Fall 2009 FHWA Pedestrian Forum: http://tinyurl.com/ykqt6pd
BOOMERS TAKING TO THE "LIFESTYLE BIKES" -> According to an article in the Oct. 23rd AARP News, Sixty-six year old Lucy Rigg McAdams "quickly found out what many other 50-plus Americans have been discovering -- the U.S. bike market is now catering to their wants and needs. Many older bicyclists aren't looking for sturdy mountain bikes designed for daredevils or racing styles for Lycra-clad hard bodies. Instead, they're interests are piqued by the newer, more comfortable models broadly referred to as 'lifestyle' bikes. Lifestyle bikes boast features like padded seats for a soft ride; lower, U-shaped crossbars for trouble-free mounting; low gears for easy pedaling; and a sturdy, upright frame for balance. And some, like Rigg McAdams' new $1,800 wheels, are power-assisted. "This interest has made such bikes the hottest category of two-wheeled transportation today. From an almost nonexistent market a decade ago, these lifestyle bikes now command a third of the 3.1 million bike sales anticipated in 2009. But the most noteworthy shift in the market is who's now riding bikes. 'We've seen riders in the demographics between ages 9 and 29 plummet,' says Loren Snyder, spokesman for Cannondale USA in Bethel, Conn., citing figures from the Bicycle Products Suppliers Association. 'But the number of baby boomers and older riders is skyrocketing. Since 1998, riders over 50 as a category has moved from 7 percent to 21 percent as of 2008.'..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yfvgwbe
NOVA SCOTIA CYCLISTS SEEK SAFER ROUTES, DRIVER ED -> According to an Oct. 27th Vanguard article, " Biking promoters have a vision they'd like to see become reality. It doesn't include having bottles thrown at cyclists by motorists or being crowded off the road by traffic -- as some who attended a meeting at Meadowfields School described experiencing. The Nova Scotia Bikeways presentation and consultation on Oct. 20 was a partnership event organized by Bicycle Nova Scotia, Eastwind Cycle Consulting and Nova Scotia Health Promotion and Protection. Peter Williams, co-owner of Eastwind Cycle, facilitated the meeting, which close to 35 attended. "'Most motorists don't actually want to kill us,' he said to laughter, after listening to accounts of traversing dangerous cycling routes (the airport stretch and along Lake Milo). Some cyclists used the Magdalene Islands as an example of a cycle-friendly environment. In the Nova Scotia Bikeways Report executive summary 'vision,' safe bikeways and bicycle infrastructure planning becomes integrated into transportation planning at the municipal and federal level, with the province developing a culture of cycling that involves Nova Scotian residents as well as visitors from near and far..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yzqsjsc
CNT, FRONT SEAT ADD NEW FEATURES TO WALK SCORE -> According to an article on the Center for Neighborhood Technology website, "CNT promotes location efficient neighborhoods which have walkable streets, access to transit, mixed land uses, and concentration of retail and services. These neighborhoods require less time, money, and greenhouse gas emissions for residents to meet their everyday travel requirements. Walk Score was launched in 2007 to help people find walkable places to live. Walk Score is a web tool that calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, and now public transit. "CNT is working with the makers of Walk Score, Front Seat, on a project that was recently funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. The Foundation awarded a grant to Front Seat to add public transit, transportation cost, and greenhouse gas emission data to Walk Score. CNT will provide Front Seat with the estimated transportation costs of a location as well as the household greenhouse gas emissions from transportation..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yhmxny4
GROUP GETS GOOGLE TO ADD BIKE STUFF TO MAPS In an Oct. 13th "Google Maps 'Bike There'" article, Peter Smith wrote, "Congratulations, y'all! 50,000 signatures! We hit that number about a week or so ago, thanks to 'Jessica' -- the 50,000th signature. Shortly after we hit the big 50k mark, Google made a small announcement on their LatLong blog: "'The best part about this new dataset is that we've been able to add a lot of new, detailed information to Google Maps -- information that helps people better explore and get around the real world. For example, college students will be pleased to see maps of many campuses; and cyclists will now find many more trails and paths to explore. Soon we even plan on providing you with biking directions to take advantage of this new data. Of course, in the true Google spirit of 'launch and iterate,' we plan to work with more data sources to add new features in the map..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yhxdken
SAN JOSE (CA) TRAIL USAGE UP NEARLY 10% -> According to an Oct. 19th news release, "The City of San Jose's Trail Count 2009 shows city trail usage up by 9.6% in both bike and pedestrian traffic...The Trail Count, the third annual survey of city trail users, was conducted on According to Mayor Chuck Reed, "San Jose's Green Vision puts San Jose on the path to being a cycling-friendly city. Trails are a critical component of our efforts to create livable neighborhoods where residents have easy access to transit and the ability walk or bike to work, school, shopping, and dining." For more info, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yhsa94v
NEW YORK CITY'S BICYCLE ACCESS BILL -> According to an Aug. 17th Slate article, New York City's Bicycle Access Bill was "recently signed into law after a New York City Council vote of 46-1. The measure will require the owners of commercial buildings with a freight elevator to allow people to enter the building with a bicycle—though what happens from there depends on the building. "While the right to enter a building with a bicycle may seem minor, the bill potentially represents a huge de facto increase in the city's supply of bicycle! parking, which is currently estimated at 6,100 racks, many of these outdoors. What's more, New York's City Council also passed a bill mandating that commercial parking garages provide spaces for bicycles—one bike space for every 10 cars, up to 200 cars..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/nh6f42 Summary of the bill: http://tinyurl.com/lu3bjy
DENVER MAKING STREETS MORE PED/BIKE FRIENDLY -> According to an Oct. 13th Post article, "Increasing business to merchants along Denver's busiest roadways is one of the goals of a city initiative focused on designing streets to accommodate pedestrians and bikes, as well as cars and public transit. Eight city departments are collaborating on the Living Streets initiative, which will support the vision of Blueprint Denver, a framework for guiding development in the city. "'We're changing the conversation from talking about roads for vehicles or cars to making streets for living,' said Peter Park, manager of the city's community, planning and development department. The city isn't looking to spend a lot of money on the project. Rather, over time, it will implement changes as other necessary improvements to the roads are made...Cities that have adopted similar policies have seen significant economic impact on both commercial and residential real estate..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yfc75xs Via the National Complete Streets Coalition e-newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/yhj6noa
GINGRICH SPEAKS OUT FOR WALKING, BIKING TO SCHOOL -> According to Transportation For America, "A few days after schools across the country celebrated Walk to School Day, a middle school in Saratoga Springs, New York is in the news once again for their policy prohibiting students from walking or biking to school. Apparently, Newt Gingrich caught wind of their policy and wrote the school district a letter urging them to drop their policy." As he put it in a letter to the Times Union, "At a time when nearly one-third of American children and teens are overweight or on the brink of obesity, students like Adam who exhibit healthy behaviors should not be punished but rather rewarded. "Overweight and obese children are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure -- health problems that were once confined to adults. Our country is facing a national crisis, and the time to act is now..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/ykvuv2h
SEATTLE BIKE CLUB HOSTS TRAFFIC JUSTICE SUMMIT -> According to an Oct. 15th Seattle PI article, "At least 200 people turned out Wednesday for the Cascade Bicycle Club's Traffic Justice Summit, which was held at City Hall to talk about toughening the law for at-fault drivers who kill or maim pedestrians and bicyclists. The advocacy group is pushing for a 'Vulnerable User Bill,' which would expand Washington's negligent driving law to include traffic infractions that result in death or serious injury to a cyclist or pedestrian. Such infractions then would become gross misdemeanors, punishable by up to a year in jail. "Michele Black spoke about her husband, Kevin, a University of Washington scientist, who was killed as he rode his bike to work this year in Ballard. The driver, who had turned in front of him, was at fault. The family waited for months to hear what consequences she would face in the legal system. But the driver was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and prosecutors had no state law with which to file criminal charges, Black said. 'We were thinking something would happen to this driver,' she told the audience. 'I don't want another family to have to feel that pain.' Black asked earlier during the summit why drivers in such cases don't at least lose their license, or get forced to take driver re-training courses..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yhlgu4b See a related article here: http://tinyurl.com/yjdpuue
COVINA (CA) GETS 1ST BIKESTATION SECURE BIKE MODULE Combining the security of a full-scale Bikestation bike transit center with the cost-effectiveness of traditional bicycle parking methods, the new Bikestation Secure Bike Module will be installed first in Covina, California at the Covina MetroLink station. A new product of Mobis/Bikestation, the Secure Bike Module significantly improves on older 'locker' concepts by providing completely secure, digital access bike parking in self-serve unstaffed modules only about the size of one parking stall; 10x25. Thirty-six secure parking spaces can accommodate up to 80 users. Unlike earlier 'shed-like' approaches, the Modules feature a high-tech, sustainable design (using LEED standards) that complement the site and can become an icon for any city, campus or commercial center. "According to Andrea White-Kjoss, CEO of Mobis/Bikestation, 'The new Bikestation Secure Bike Modules overcome one of the top issues that keeps people from using their bikes for transportation —- fear of theft. The Modules are completely secure and, at the same time, are so cost-effective that any city can afford to take a step toward the establishment of a bicycle infrastructure. Often cities may choose to put a Bikestation hub at a few key locations in their transit system and place Bikestation Secure Bike Modules at other stations to form a complete network. Because Bikestations are run primarily by membership, a Bikestation member can access any Bikestation in the U.S. -- whether transit center or Secure Bike Module -- at any time 24 hours per day. The Secure Bike Module significantly extends the Bikestation concept for people everywhere.'..." Contact: Bikestation, A Mobis transportation alternatives, inc. company
ALBERT LEA (MN) "VITALITY PROJECT" GETS PEOPLE MOVING -> According to an Oct. 14th AP article, "Hardware store owner and heart attack survivor Leo Aeikens spent most of his life with a hankering for meat, cheese and ice cream. But an ambitious effort aimed at making his entire southern Minnesota city healthier has Aeikens calling himself a vegan and weighing 25 pounds less in just 10 months. The 69-year-old's radical lifestyle change came as part of the 'Vitality Project,' an endeavor spearheaded by adventurer and travel writer Dan Buettner and AARP with major funding from United Health Foundation. Organizers say the project has added several years to the lives of Albert Lea residents through improved diet, exercise and living habits. "With organizers' help, the city crammed five years of sidewalk and bike trail construction into a year to make exercise easier for its 18,000 residents. Restaurants added healthier menu options and grocery stores showcased wholesome foods. People snacked on fruits and veggies and ate less fast food. "Schools stopped celebrating birthdays with sugary treats and started setting up 'walking buses' that allowed kids to walk to and from school together with adult supervision. Employers gave workers time to exercise. Organizers said the first-of-its kind experiment added an average 3.1 years to the expected longevity of participating residents as calculated by something called a 'vitality compass,' an interactive tool in which participants answered 35 lifestyle questions..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yfb468b Via RWJF Public Health Digest: http://tinyurl.com/yld6ksb
PORTLAND (OR) GROUP WANTS TO UNDERSTAND BIKING BARRIERS -> A recent article on the Community Cycling Center's website asked "Have you noticed who rides bicycles in your community? Have you noticed who doesn't? In early 2009 the Community Cycling Center recognized that, despite the cost savings and health benefits of bicycling, many people cannot or do not choose bicycles to get around -- particularly among communities of color. "We want to understand why. So we have been meeting leaders and learning about organizations in our area to understand community health issues and discuss the role that bicycles might play. We will share what we learn during the Understanding Barriers to Bicycling project, including reading lists, lessons learned, and evaluation reports..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yhf2dkk
SANTA MARIA (CA) UPDATES '92 BIKEWAY MASTER PLAN -> According to an Oct. 22nd Times article, "For the first time since the early 1990s, Santa Maria is updating its Bikeway Master Plan -- a blueprint for additional bicycle transportation and recreation facilities in the city. The plan describes improvements to Santa Maria's bikeway network, such as support facilities and an expansion of more than 130 miles of new bike trails. Brian Halvorson, Community Development Department planner, said the 1992 plan is 'very functional' and was key in the development of several bike trails throughout the city, including the 3.2-mile Santa Maria Levee trail. "However, the document has not been updated with street and highway code standard revisions from Caltrans. Additionally, the city has been unable to apply for funding from state, federal and local sources because of the lack of an update, Halvorson said. The update is a 'huge upgrade' to the existing bicycle network, Halvorson said. The new plan promotes bicycle riding in the city while serving as a starting point for future developments and setting new guidelines and standards, he said. The plan is good for about 20 years, he added. 'We're almost doubling all the types of bike paths,' Halvorson said..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yzgx82n Via the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition: http://tinyurl.com/yh32qh2 "HEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS" MAY CUT DIABETES RISK -> According to an Oct. 12th MedPage Today article, "Neighborhoods that provide easy opportunities for exercise and healthy eating are associated with reduced residents' risk of developing type 2 diabetes, researchers said. People living in 'healthy neighborhoods' were less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in a five-year cohort study, after controlling for such factors as age, income, race, and education (hazard ratio 0.62, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.88), reported Amy Auchincloss, PhD, MPH, of Drexel University in Philadelphia, and colleagues. "'The strength of the association was considerable and equivalent to a reduction in type 2 diabetes incidence associated with a BMI of 5 [points] lower in this sample,' they wrote in the Oct. 12 Archives of Internal Medicine. Acknowledging no easy fix for the obesity epidemic and rise in incidence of type 2 diabetes, the researchers said that "altering our environments so that healthier behaviors and lifestyles can be easily chosen may be one of the key steps in arresting and reversing these epidemics." Source: http://tinyurl.com/yzfvofw
U.S. BICYCLE INJURIES BECOMING MORE SEVERE? -> According to an Oct. 14th Reuters article, "Bicycle injuries in the US have become more severe and there has been a marked increase in chest and stomach injuries. Moreover, despite greater public awareness, helmet use has not increased and head injury rates have not fallen. 'There is a paucity of studies looking specifically at bicycle injuries,' lead researcher Dr. Jeffry Kashuk, from the University of Colorado, Denver, told Reuters Health. In the last several years, greater environmental awareness, economic downturns, an emphasis on fitness, and other factors have fueled greater bicycle use in the US. "The severity of injuries and time spent hospitalized for bicycle injuries tended to increase in the past decade, according to the findings he presented Tuesday at the American College of Surgeons annual meeting in Chicago. The number of chest injuries rose by 15 percent, while abdominal injuries increased threefold over the last 5 years. The findings stem from a study of 329 bicycle injuries treated at the Rocky Mountain Regional Trauma Center at Denver Health Medical Center from 1996 to 2006..." Source: http://tinyurl.com/ykhwec8
AND NOW, FOR SEVERAL THINGS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT... UK CYCLIST AWARENESS TESTS YouTube video: "CONGESTION IN COPENHAGEN" Via Oct. 28th Braking News, Cascade Bicycle Club: http://tinyurl.com/yl6z9b2
-> "THE IMPACT OF TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE ON..." -> "MOBILITY AS A POSITIONAL GOOD: IMPLICATIONS..." -> "WHO IS REALLY PAYING FOR YOUR PARKING SPACE?..." -> "THE INFLUENCE OF THE VERB CAMPAIGN ON CHILDREN'S..." -> "SOCIAL MARKETING AND HEALTH COMMUNICATION..." -> "FALL 2009 FHWA PEDESTRIAN FORUM NEWSLETTER" -> "ACOUSTIC BEAMFORMING: MAPPING SOURCES OF TRUCK NOISE"
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! -> October 29-November 1, 2009, Rail-Volution, Boston, MA. Info: -> November 5-6-2009, Streets as Places Seminar, New York, NY. Info: Project for Public Spaces -> November 12-13, 2009, 7th New Zealand Cycling Conference, New Plymouth, NZ. Info: -> November 13-15, 2009, Winning Campaigns Advocacy Training, Richmond, VA. Info: Kristen Steele, Alliance for Biking and Walking, San Francisco Office, phone: (415) 513-5281; email: http://tinyurl.com/cx5xvr -> January 10-14, 2010, Transportation Research Board (TRB) 89th Annual Meeting, Washington D.C. Info: -> February 4-6, 2010, 9th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference, Seattle, WA. Info: -> February 7-10, 2010, 10th American Academy of Health Behavior Annual Scientific Meeting, Clearwater Beach, FL. Info: -> May 30-June 2, 2010, International Conference on Safety and Mobility of Vulnerable Road Users: Pedestrians, Motorcyclists, and Bicyclists, Jerusalem, Israel. Info: -> June 13-18, 2010, Built Environment Assessment Training (BEAT) Institute, Philadelphia, PA. Info: -> September 13-17, 2010. Pro Walk/Pro Bike¬Æ the Sixteenth International Symposium on Walking and Bicycling, Chattanooga, Tennessee. -> JOB -- TRANSPORTATION ANALYST -- UNIV. OF WASHINGTON Commuter Services at the University of Washington has an outstanding opportunity for a Transportation Analyst in Transportation Systems. Under the direction of the Transportation Systems Manager and the Director of Transportation Services, the Transportation Analyst will conduct studies to plan, monitor, evaluate, and market the University’s transportation management program; conduct surveys and collect transportation data; analyze complex data sets and manage existing databases; support marketing initiatives; and administer elements of the U-PASS program. In addition, the Transportation Analyst will site, design, and work with vendors to implement new bicycle parking facilities; monitor and coordinate maintenance of existing bicycle parking facilities; and take a leading role in development of new programs in support of bicycle commuting.
-> JOB -- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR -- WALK OAKLAND-BIKE OAKLAND WOBO is fast-growing and seeks its first Executive Director to support and leverage the tremendous work of our volunteers and to build momentum for WOBO to become Oakland’s premiere group promoting walking and bicycling as sustainable and equitable transportation investments and choices. The Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors and will be responsible for oversight of campaigns, fundraising, membership development, building relationships with key stakeholders and partners, and serving as a primary contact and spokesperson for the organization. Principal Responsibilities: Financial Management/Fundraising; Member and Volunteer Development; Campaign Support & Advocacy; Board Relations: Salary: This is a 24-30 hours/week position with FTE compensation of $40-50k commensurate with experience, with potential for increased hours based on funding availability. A medical benefit matching stipend will be available. Some evenings and weekend work will be required. Ideal start mid-November 2009... For the full announcement, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yg4a4mb
-> POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW -- UNIV. OF E. LONDON Fixed term until 31st December 2011 Dr. Rachel Aldred, Senior Lecturer in Sociology within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, has been awarded an ESRC First Grant to study "Cycling Cultures in a Mass Motorised Society: a multi-method case study of four English urban areas". You will be the research fellow on this project; you will be carrying out the majority of the empirical research and you will participate in other stages of the research including data analysis and research dissemination and networking. You should have a PhD (or near completion), or a Masters plus substantial research experience. You will have in-depth knowledge of an academic or policy field of relevance to the research area. You must have experience of carrying out qualitative interviews, be interested in cycling as a research area, and be willing to travel around the UK to conduct fieldwork. You should be available to start work on 1st March 2010 or soon afterwards. The closing date for applications is 11th November 2009 and we anticipate that interviews will take place on 7 December 2009. For the complete announcement and links to more info, go to: http://tinyurl.com/yggfkkc
-> JOB -- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR -- BICYCLE ALLIANCE OF WA. -> RFP -- ESTIMATING BICYCLING AND WALKING* -- NCHRP 08-78 *Full title: Estimating Bicycling and Walking for Planning and Project Development For details, go to: http://tinyurl.com/mxukns
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