Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Amendment Threatens to Eliminate Bike/Ped Funding -- Contact Your Senators Today!
From Safe Routes to School National Partnership:
We need your help! Please contact your Senators today so we can maintain the Transportation Alternatives program and the local control provisions that help build bikeable and walkable cities and towns.
Just last year Congress passed a new transportation bill, MAP-21, that dismantled dedicated funding for biking and walking by combining Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School and Recreational Trails into one program and cutting the funding by 30%. The saving grace was that the bill included a local control provision to ensure that Mayors and communities could access to these dollars to support local transportation priorities.
Now Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky wants to wipe out what’s left.
Senator Paul has introduced an amendment to the Transportation Appropriations bill to prohibit ANY MONEY from being used for Transportation Alternatives, and to redirect that money towards bridge repair.
While we agree that repairing our bridges are important, both for safety and economic development reasons, so are our local economies and the safety of our children. Dedicating the small amount of Transportation Alternatives funding to bridge repair couldn't fix our country's bridges in 50 years. And, taking that small amount of funding away would dangerously undermine efforts in our cities, towns and counties to provide safe and efficient transportation options for everyone, including our children. With rates of bicycling and walking fatalities on the rise, that is a trade we can’t afford to make.
Please contact your Senators and ask them to save Transportation Alternatives by voting NO on amendment 1742.
Thank you so much for your help!
Deb Hubsmith
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Justice Delayed and Denied in Cocke County
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Tragedies Strike Cyclists in May
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Oasis Bike Shop on CNN
Looks like fertile recruiting ground for generation after next Bike Walk Tennessee leaders.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Tennessee Bicycle Crashes Over the Years
|
Average
|
Change
|
Percent
|
1996 to 2000
|
465
|
|
|
2001 to 2004
|
499
|
34
|
7.4%
|
2005 to 2009
|
404
|
-95
|
-19.0%
|
Year
|
Pedalcyclists
|
|
|
2003
|
4
|
2004
|
4
|
2005
|
7
|
2006
|
7
|
2007
|
6
|
2008
|
7
|
2009
|
9
|
2010
|
4
|
2011
|
5
|
2012
|
8
|
|
|
Total
|
61
|
Average
|
6.1
|
Friday, May 3, 2013
Tennessee now rated 17th on LAB's Bike Friendly State Rankings???
My first thought when reading this after just returning from a ride from Hendersonville, TN to Kingsport, TN, was, "How can this be?" TDOT has effectively killed any realistic chance for a USBR 80 by rumbling the only unrumbled road, TN 62, to connect Wartburg to Oak Ridge. US 70 was already rumbled and other alternates reqire many miles deviation. TDOT was apprised of the critical nature of TN 62 several years ago but they have either forgotten, that TDOT division did not get the word, or they just don't care.
On further reflection, I must admit that Tennessee's major cities have all made significant progress. That is where most people cycle. One more reminder of how marginalized is the touring cyclist. Andy Clark, League President, had a reply to several howls of protest in the comments section. It further clarifies the process and admits that all states have a long way to go. My current thought is that the rankings are about right and Jessica Wilson deserves our thanks.
One more reminder of how important is our state wide advocacy.
Below are Andy Clark's remarks. Note, he will be at the TN bike summit. A chance for some of us to give him a piece of our mind. Just kidding, Andy.
Monday, April 29, 2013
New Sheriff in Town
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) First Bicycle Friendly University in Tennessee
Read more here!
Monday, April 1, 2013
Memorial Ride for Stacy Floyd
The story was posted last year to the Every Bicyclist Counts web site of the League of American Bicylists.
The Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation is helping to publicize the ride.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
We Are Traffic!
Check out the website because they talk about the "sixth e" of biking advocacy which is equality. They have a US map showing the states that have bike equality. No surprise that Tennessee is in the majority but only two states have bike equality. One is Arkansas! The other is North Carolina! How did that happen?
Tennessee is listed as unequal because of laws that
1. Limit riding to two abreast
2. Require riding far to the right
3. Allows discriminatory local laws
This list gives an idea of their point of view. I never thought of a limit on riding more than two abreast as discriminatory. Riding far to the right just seems second nature but automobiles aren't required to stay to the right. I haven't reviewed the entire web site but it's a different POV. Sort of John Forrester I guess.
What do you think?
PS. I highly recommend The Outspoken Cyclist it is a great show. They cover lots of topics and the host is a bike shop owner with an interest in all types of cycling.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
AAA pro cycling PSA
http://vimeo.com/60585187
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
LAB Call to Action
Transportation agencies across the country are about to miss an
important opportunity to improve non-motorized traffic safety and
encourage healthy and active transportation options. |
Monday, February 11, 2013
Bike Chattanooga Featured on Streetsblog DC
Though not a totally infrequent occurrence, it's always nice to see Tennessee in the Streetsblog feed. Today's article about Chattanooga as a case study in bike sharing strikes a few points that are very relevant to small- and mid-sized cities planning or implementing bike share programs. Chattanooga Bicycle Coordinator (& BWT Board Member) Phil Pugliese was interviewed for the article:
Pugliese and other project leaders in Chattanooga recognized from the beginning that Bike Chattanooga would be used most heavily by tourists and downtown workers making short trips, rather than commuters, who are often target users in other, larger programs. As is typical for a mid-size southern city, the majority of Chattanooga residents live outside the city center and drive to work alone. According to Census data, only 0.1% of people bike to work, and 0% walk to work. Zero percent! The existing behavior of driving for virtually every trip creates a tepid pedestrian culture and uncertain market for bike share...but Chattanooga did it anyway.
Bikes at the weekly bike commuter breakfast. |
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Tennesse Bike Summit Memphis, May 22-23, 2013
http://www.tnbikesummit.org/
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Ride Your Rickshaw?
Monday, January 14, 2013
Bike Share Comes to Nashville
State Laws concerning cycling resource
Friday, January 4, 2013
Report From a Survivor
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Bike Walk Knoxville
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Share the Road License Plates being distributed
After years of hard work by the Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation, the first batch of 1000+ Share the Road License Plates are in the process of being distributed throughout the state. (Photograph courtesy of Jim Mead.) Some people have already received letters from their counties informing them about picking up their plate orders. A lucky few have already received their plates by now.
Reaching this point is quite a milestone in terms of cycling advocacy throughout the state. What are future milestones that we can aspire to? In the near future anyone will be able to get such a plate for his/her car (this initial batch of 1000 was by pre-registration only.)
Friday, December 7, 2012
Bike racks, bike lanes/greenways on agenda for 2013 in Johnson City
(For the full article, click here: Bicycling update)
Development Group members are in the early stages of discussions internally and with the appropriate city representatives about both issues… Read more: Bicycling update
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
The Atlantic Cities Book Review - Walkable City
The Atlantic Cities has an excellent book review on the book Walkable City by Jeff Speck. Numerous other outlets have also reviewed the book. In short, the 10 pieces of walkability are as follows (quoted from the review):
- Put cars in their place - design cities around people, not cars.
- Mix the uses - mixed use development shortens trip lengths, making them feasible.
- Get the parking right - we often have excessive parking requirements, as well as underpriced parking.
- Let transit work - have transit go to the busiest areas, and go to the mixed use areas. Aim for 10 minute headways.
- Protect the pedestrian - have streets (two-way over one way) that favor slower travel. Parallel parking can "shield" pedestrians from automobile traffic.
- Welcome bikes - bikes can calm traffic, benefitting pedestrians and cyclists themselves.
- Shape the spaces - make the environment comfortable for walking.
- Plant trees
- Make friendly and unique [building] faces - have buildings and storefronts that people want to look at.
- Pick your winners - with limited resources, it's important to spend such on what makes the greatest differences.
The review's author then goes into some more detail about areas of disagreement such as the pros and cons of pedestrian-only zones, the desirability of green space, and the like. Parking and congestion pricing is tricky, in that newly revitalized downtowns should seek to welcome people coming in and visiting. Regardless, the book promises to be an interesting read.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Proposed James White Parkway Extension in Knoxville
A public hearing will be held at South Doyle Middle School December 6 at 5:00 PM over the proposed extension to the James White Parkway in South Knoxville. The TDOT description of the proposed project and lengthy history is here. The proposed project has drawn significant opposition because of the number of homes that will have to be taken, plus the degradation to the numerous trails and such that have been constructed in the area that would occur were the project to proceed. Parts of South Knoxville do not want through traffic to bypass it by going around Chapman Highway. Here is a partial list of project opponents. The proposed project would cost more than $100 million dollars.
- Knoxville News Sentinel Editorial Board
- Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero
- Knoxville Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis
- Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett
- The Appalachian Mountain Bike Club
- Legacy Parks Foundation
- Ijams Nature Center
- South Haven Neighborhood Association
- Metro Pulse's Frank Cagle
The project is designed to alleviate an expected increase in traffic on Chapman highway in the future. Alternatives that have been proposed are improvements on Chapman Highway. Chapman Highway, being one of the main streets in south Knoxville, can certainly be upgraded in its bike/ped friendliness with sidewalks and bike lanes as part of any overall improvement project.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Robertson County Growth online survey
Survey is in Addition to Four Community Workshops Scheduled December 3-6
The survey provides a series of 13 questions that allows the participant to answer in his or her own words. Questions range from where new housing should be located to which new industries may be good additions to the local economy. There is also a feedback section to openly address any issue not presented in previous questions.