Music City Bikeway

The Music City Bikeway is a 26-mile continuous bicycle route linking Percy Warner Park in western Nashville/Davidson County to Percy Priest Dam in eastern Nashville/Davidson County. This signed-route uses greenway trails, bike lanes, park roads, and signed- shared roads to connect major parks, densely populated neighborhood areas, and downtown Nashville. 
Interactive Route Map

Metro Bikeways Program Information
Led by Metro Public Works Engineering Division, project team members include the Metro Bike/Ped Advisory Committee, and RPM Transportation Consultants. For additional information contact the Public Works project manager at 615-880-1678.

Moving in Harmony

Moving in Harmony is a campaign to increase pedestrian, cyclist and motorist safety with an end goal of eliminating deaths and reducing injuries due to pedestrian or bicycle and motor vehicle collisions. The city of Nashville is committed to the improvement of safety through continued education and improved infrastructure to ensure we can all move in harmony on Nashville's roads.
This web site contains laws and recommendations for walking, biking and driving safely in Nashville, as well as resources for cyclists and pedestrians. For a complete list of all laws, and regulations regarding motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians please visit the Tennessee State Safety Resource Center website.

Knoxville Bike Collective

Metro Pulse has an article describing the Knoxville Bike Collective. It is run by volunteers, and offers to teach people bike maintenance and repair. Located in the basement of the Marble City Brewing Company, the collective is a great place to obtain a refurbished bike, as well as to meet like-minded folks. They will also gladly take donations of time, money, bikes, and bike equipment. Having personally been there, I must say that it is a wonderful place. The email address is knoxbikecollective@gmail.com Are there similar organizations elsewhere in the state?

First Citation Under "Due Care” Law

. . A 16-year-old motorist veered out of the lane on Highway 99 in Spring Hill and hit cyclist Chris Conlee according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol report. He has a broken leg, rib, and scapula. In past years the driver might have claimed he didn’t see the cyclist, but not this time.  Thanks to Tennessee’s new “due care” law drafted and promoted by Bike Walk Tennessee the motorist was charged with a violation that could be a possible $500 fine, loss of his driver's license and 11 months in jail and or probation.

. . Even with the new law Conlee is worried the case won't be prosecuted, because of an inadequate police report with no statements from the eyewitnesses and no photographs.

JOB POSTING

Livable Memphis, a local bike/ped advocacy organization in Memphis, TN, is hiring a program coordinator to direct its Walk Bike Memphis program, which serves as the primary bike/ped advocacy group in the city. Please help us spread the word about this opportunity and share widely.

Attached is a pdf of the job description and here is a link to the posting:

http://www.livablememphis.org/2012/03/were-hiring-wanted-livable-memphis-program-coordinator.html

Further Improvements in Senate Bill Passes

. . The Senate transportation bill has passed with bipartisan support and key provisions to fund biking and walking. A second manager’s amendment to the bill allows bicycles on federally owned roads and preserves the Recreational Trails program.
. . Previously, a Mandatory Side-path law in the bill banned bicycles on federally owned roads if with a speed limit over 30 mph and an adjacent paved path within 100 yards, ignoring bicyclists’ right to the road. The new manager’s amendment allows bicycles on federally roads if the road has a bicycle level of service (BLOS) rating of B or higher. 
. . The initial bill also eliminated the Recreational Trails funding for organized trail planning, development, and maintenance. DOTs now have the option to preserve the Recreational Trails program in their state. Funding would be equivalent to 2009 levels of Recreational Trails for that state.

Outdoor Knoxville Launched

Outdoor Knoxville was launched last week. It is provided by the legacy parks foundation. It has a directory of places, groups, and events on a calendar for those in the area, or who are visiting.