Bike Share In Memphis

The City of Memphis has recently increased the role of the bicycle in its alternatives for transportation and increased its investment in supporting facilities.  One of tools cities are using are Bike Share programs in order to increase the availability of this mode of travel. The City of Memphis, Livable Memphis, Shelby County Health Department, and the Hyde Family Foundation commissioned Alta Planning + Design to explore the feasibility of Bike Share for Memphis.

The objective of this study is to provide Local Context Analysis to assess the preparedness of the City for Bike Share and to identify potential issues.  Click here to read a copy of their initial assessment. 

840 FONDO Ride

John Schroer, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Transportation, announced that a portion of State Route 840 will open exclusively to bicyclists Oct. 13, for “Eight Forty Fondo Festival.” Fondo is Italian for “ride.” The ride will be part of the opening ceremonies for the final 12 miles of SR 840 that remain unopened. The unopened stretch traverses southern Williamson County. It is scheduled to open to motor vehicles Nov. 2, according to Schroer, who served as mayor of Franklin from 2007 to 2011.

“We're going to have an 'Eight Forty Fondo' on the new section of 840,” Schroer said. “The governor [Bill Halsam] is going to participate, and we want you to come and ride with the governor. [The surface] will be smooth and perfect.”

For more info CLICK HERE

AAA Wants to Block Spending on Greenways and Trails

The American Automobile Association want to remove all Greenway and Trail funding from the federal highway budget. The president of AAA Mid-Atlantic recently advocated for the elimination of existing federal dollars that help build bicycle and pedestrian trails and sidewalks. These funds have helped create more than 19,000 miles of trails, walking and bicycling facilities across the country—likely including your favorite nearby trail.

Bicycle Street Art

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-08-31-when-guerrilla-art-takes-bike-activism-to-the-streets-slideshow

Here are some great examples of more inspired bike art seen on streets across the country.

enjoy the show!

Bike-Path Crusaders: How They Roll - AARP Bulletin Article

The July/August 2010 edition of the AARP Bulletin's article entitled Biketopia, led me to the attached video. The article itself explains how Brunswick, Maine became a LAB designated Bike Friendly Community.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, which was formed over 10 years ago, diligently works to keep issues in front of the community officials and planning groups in the area.

I think the take home message for this article is in line with my theory of how to affect change in your community - Relationship building, education, persistence and patience.

Go here to read the article -http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/transportation/info-7-2010/brunswick_maine_bike_paths.html

Or look for your personal copy of AARP Bulletin in your mailbox...and I know you get it....

The Path Less Pedaled

Dear folks at Bike/Walk Tennessee,
. .We are two artists who have sold all our belongings to explore the US by bicycle.  We are currently in Nashville and are doing a presentation at Nashville Bicycle Lounge on the 26th.  We're hoping you can help promote it.
. . Russ was an active bicycle advocate in Long Beach, CA.  Along our journeys we've been visiting different bicycle communities to see what other parts of the country are doing.  We've been to cities with vibrant communities like Austin, Portland and Eugene to cities that are just developing like Fort Worth, Denton, Shreveport and Jackson, MS.  It has offered us an interesting perspective in what it takes for cities to be bike friendly.
. . Anyway, we hope you can attend and if not, please spread the word!

Here's the link to the Facebook Event page

Best, Russ and Laura
www.pathlesspedaled.com

Is it ALL, NOTHING, or CO-EXISTENCE?

"We still want to minimize the impact on traffic. We're looking for a way to make more room for the cars," says Jim Sebastian, DDOT's bicycle program manager.
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That comment is being met with fierce criticism from some bike advocates.
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"That floors me. Those words (about returning space to cars) should never come out of the mouth of a bike coordinator," said one city bicycle official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.  
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Can bikers and drivers coexist peacefully?

Ray LaHood Continues to Defend Bicycles

Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who suffered a torrent of criticism from a host of road users this month after declaring ¨the end of favoring motorized transportion at the expense of non-motorized transportation¨, has defended his new bicycle policy in a recent blog post.

¨We know that 90 percent of the people are not going to be cycling to work or around town. But that opportunity and that kind of alternative is something people have said they want....We know that making biking and walking safer creates more livable communities. It makes Americans healthier at a time when the US military has indicated that 27% of recruits are too overweight to qualify for service. It lowers greenhouse gas emissions. It reduces our dependence on foreign oil...¨

Head over to the Transport Seretary´s Blog to read more. 

What do you think--does having a champion for Biking and Walking in the President´s cabinet make a difference for those of us biking and walking here in Tennessee?