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.

Not Asking for More Money

. . Bike/Ped advocates are not asking for more federal money for bike/ped projects.  They want to be sure money that is available is used for these applications.  Tennessee has a history of high rescission of Transportation Enhancement and Congestion Mitigation money.  Our Safe Routes to School grants are only obligated at 32%.  MAP-21 increases the risk of loosing available funding.
. . The League of American Bicyclists found "In states with active bike advocacy groups, very little money was sent back." (HINT! on how to protect YOUR interests)
. . Our department of transportation will set the ground rules and choose the projects that are going to be funded.  Advocates must become part of the process and help communities build an inventory of good ready-to-go bike projects.

. . The federal granting process is complicated, messy, and difficult to navigate. America Bikes is developing the tools and resources for advocates so they can speaks loudly and intelligently. 
. . Nearly 400 people participated in "The ABCs of MAP-21" webinar on 8/13/12. Download the recording and slides here. 

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

Proposed Concord Road (SR-332) Project

The Farragut Press Enterprise is reporting that the proposal to widen Concord Rd (west end of SR-332) from Turkey Creek Rd to Northshore Dr is running into opposition. The road would go from two lanes to five, with bike lanes and a sidewalk on one side of the street. A asphalt greenway would line the other side. Opponents of the project have raised objections over the amount of land (and a home) that would have to be taken. In addition, there is the argument that development in the area has come to a standstill, and that the widened road would end at two lane Northshore Dr, which is arguably a busier road.

The west (actually north) end of the proposed project (going beyond Turkey Creek Rd) has previously been widened to include sidewalks on both sides, but no bike lanes, and has a 40 mph speed limit. The stretch in question currently has a 30 mph speed limit, but has no sidewalks, bikelanes, or parallel greenways. Many drivers exceed the 30 mph limit there. Certainly sidewalks would provide a means for people living in the area to more readily walk to the rest of town, including other neighborhoods, Kroger Marketplace, The Little Gym, and beyond. The bike lanes unfortunately would not extend past Turkey Creek Rd, although the road itself is actually quite ride friendly due to the presence of two lanes on each side.

Would going from two lanes to five (with probable higher speeds) be better or worse for cyclists? As previously mentioned, sidewalks would benefit pedestrians. Long term plans call for a greenway paralleling Northshore Dr to improve connectivity throughout the area. In this era of tightened budgets, could improvements short of going to five lanes be made that would not be so expensive and potentially disruptive?

United States Bicycle Route System

. . The United States Bicycle Route System (USBRS) is gaining support daily. Click a state to see the most up-to-date state status on the project. The National Corridor Plan identifies 50-mile wide corridors, both prioritized (numbered) and un-prioritized (faint brown corridors). The Plan can change, based upon state opportunities and interests, with new corridors or realignments. As corridors turn into routes, the lines will go from wide swaths of color to defined routes. Links to U.S. Bike Route (USBR) maps, state bike maps and informational websites will be provided as they become available.
. . TDOT enlisted a consultant to expand the state bicycle route network. Once TDOT approves the network, it will be sent to local Bike/Ped Coordinators and Bike Walk Tennessee for review. Bike Walk Tennessee is partnering with TDOT to implement routes that fall within the National Corridor Plan, visit Coast Down Hills to see the draft routes. USBR 25 will be the first route implemented and will coordinate with Kentucky.
. . For more information or to volunteer, contact Bruce Day from Bike Walk Tennessee.

Thermoplastic Edge Lines

Bike/Walk Tennessee directors Bruce Day and Tom Evans on January 15 tested how compatible grooved thermoplastic edge lines are with cycling, using road bikes with 700x25 tires on a stretch of US 246. The grooved lines presented no problem whatsoever, and they rode on and across them numerous times. Although the lines can be felt, they did not present anything other than the ordinary for a road cyclist.

Grooved thermoplastic road markings may present a more bike-friendly alternative to rumble strips in terms of reducing run-off road crashes. The markings gently alert drivers to reaching the line, and they're not as loud. As an additional benefit, pavement longevity is not adversely affected by them, unlike the case with rumble strips. Bike/Walk Tennessee is proud to have assisted TDOT with this assessment.
Click here for copy of the report.

New Bicycle and Pedestrian Policy at TDOT

On the heels of a successful meeting with Governor Elect Bill Haslam's staff on this past Friday, Bike Walk Tennessee advocates were pleased to read that the Tennessee Department of Transportation has recently strengthened its bicycle and pedestrian policy.  The entire policy can be viewed here, but this is a list of major improvements to the policy:

Watertown US70 Gets Rumbled

US 70 Bike Route in Watertown was resurfaced and rumbled last week (early November 2010).  This stretch of highway runs to the Dekalb county line and is used for the annual Big Hill Challenge sponsored by the Veloteers. The grooving was applied in accordance with the March 2010 TDOT specifications.

Oak Ridge Turnpike - phase I expansion complete

Oak Ridge Turnpike, one of the main thoroughfares through the city of Oak Ridge, has had a 4 mi section widened with 5 ft sidewalks and 6 ft bike lanes on both sides. The phase I widening project extended from Illinois Ave to Westover Drive. More details are available at the Oak Ridger Website. The project cost $26.1 million.

Tennessee State Bike Route Survey

. . The Tennessee Department of Transportation is currently gathering information for an update to the state bike route network, and is inviting citizens to complete a short online survey regarding their experiences bicycling Tennessee’s highways.  Input from the survey will help guide the department in developing a comprehensive bicycling network that will assess state routes with respect to bicycle suitability and determine future action items pertinent to the furtherance of the goals of TDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian plan.

. . In 2005, as part of PlanGo, TDOT’s Multi-Modal Long Range Transportation Plan included a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan element that recommended a statewide bicycle system.  Since that time, the department recognized that changes in infrastructure and data collection necessitate an update to the existing bicycle route network.  In order to provide meaningful connections to cyclists’ destinations, TDOT invites the public to participate in the online survey by new deadline October 30, 2010.  Below is a link to the survey:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TNBikeSurvey

Driver's License Manual

Good news- I spoke with TDOS today and the revised driver's license manuals with the 'Share the Road' section are currently at the print shop.  They should be printed and released in approx. 2 to three months.  A test question is being prepared to be added after the new comprehensive manual is released.

Also- TDOS operates a motor vehicle network displayed on big-screens in the regional driver service stations.  The network features safety messages targeted towards drivers and, as of April, they now have a '3 foot rule' spot AND a Share the Road spot playing on the network!  Unfortunately these can only be viewed at the driver service stations so there's no link for me to forward to you, but I was able to view it at the station over on Hart Lane near my house.  Very cool! 

Jessica.L.Wilson@tn.gov
TDOT Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator

National Strategy Meeting on Rumbling

. . The League of American Bicyclists, the Alliance for Biking And Walking, and Adventure Cycling call for a National Strategy on dealing with safety rumble strips.  The Alliance is hosting a teleconference.  Click here to Register.
. . Although Bike Walk Tennessee has reached a reasonable compromise with TDOT on this matter, we must remain vigilant and engaged. Board Members have elevated this matter to these three organizations and insisted on their involvement.
. . Bike Walk Tennessee will be assisting TDOT and their contractor RPM Transportation Consultants in identifying routes important to bicycling.  Please visit our Web Page that provides instructions on how bicyclist can help in this effort.

Making a Difference

In an article in the Chattanooga Free Press (click here to read) Troy Ivey, president of the Chattanooga Bicycle Club, noticed all of that happened this year that advanced Tennessee in the League of American Bicyclists' rankings.  He remembered TDOT's effort to add staff members and programs "devoted to bicycle issues" along with the formation of an independent statewide advocacy group called Bike Walk Tennessee (BWT).
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"Those two small things made a difference," Mr. Ivey said.
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This is just a small step.  A LOT more needs to be done and we need help.
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"Clearly one area where improvement is needed is educating the public about safe bicycling and driving practices," TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely said in this same Free Press article.
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Sarah Lovett, Founder and Membership Chair of BWT, has started a program with the Rutherford County Safety Commission that could become an education model for all of Tennessee.  Sarah is taking us that next step.

Congratulations to Tennessee

The Bicycle Friendly State (BFS) program links the League of American Bicyclist’s work with federal level and community advocacy throughout the nation and recognizes states that actively support bicycling. The state rankings were first conducted in 2008 and are conducted annually, with all questions and methodology remaining consistent to track states’ progress. The BFS rankings are based on a 95-item questionnaire that evaluates a state’s commitment to bicycling and covers six key areas: legislation, policies and programs, infrastructure, education and encouragement, evaluation and planning, and enforcement.

Tennessee’s 43’rd ranking last year disappointed those working to promote bicycling in our State. In response a lot was accomplished this year both at the State and Municipal level and both in government and advocacy. It was a joint effort of all parties. The improvement was unprecedented click here to find how Tennessee did.

Jessica Wilson (TDOT) took a lot of time and effort this year to complete the survey accurately.  It was reviewed by Pat Clements, Bruce Day, and Tom Evans.  Copies of it are here.  For a quick summary as to how Tennessee ranked in the individual categories click here.

Making Tennessee Safe for Bicyclists

On May 13'th Scott Stevens wrote to TDOT asking what he could do to make the roads in Lincoln County safer for bicycle use after the death of Sharon Bayler. Here is the response.

Mr. Stevens:

First, please accept my condolences for the loss of your friend.

We were made aware of this tragic incident through members of our statewide bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group, Bike Walk Tennessee. This group has been actively working with the Department on ways to make Tennessee a safer place to cycle. I would like to share with you several initiatives that we have developed during the past year to make this goal a reality.

In September of 2009, our agency signed a revision of the State Strategic Highway Safety Plan that, for the first time, includes measures to reduce bicycle and pedestrian crashes and fatalities. As a result, TDOT’s Bicycle and Pedestrian staff now attend road safety audit reviews where we make recommendations for bicycle and pedestrian safety measures at high crash locations identified through data collected by our Project Planning office. In addition, we worked with the Tennessee Department of Safety to geo-code bicycle and pedestrian crashes and fatalities so that we can better identify these locations. We also worked with the Department of Safety to include a section on ‘Sharing the Road with Bicycles and Pedestrians’, as well as corresponding test questions, for an upcoming revision to the Tennessee Driver’s License study guide and exam.

You mentioned in your letter that you would like to work with TDOT to identify routes that cyclists from Alabama frequent most often, so that they can be better defined as bicycle routes. Bike Walk Tennessee is currently collecting this information for our office as part of an update to our Long Range Plan, and I feel certain that they would welcome your involvement. I am copying the Chair, Pat Clements, to make him aware of your interest. You may also reach him by e-mail at BikeWalkTN@gmail.com.

Again, I am truly sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. Thank you for reaching out during this time of sorrow to help make Tennessee roadways safer for all users.

Please feel free to contact me or the Department’s bicycle/pedestrian coordinator, Jessica Wilson, at 615-741-5025 or Jessica.L.Wilson@tn.gov if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Jeanne Stevens, AICP, Director, Long Range Planning Division

Tennessee Dept. of Transportation

TDOT's New Bike/Ped Coordinator

It won't be official until May 2'nd, but everyone is so pleased with the appointment that we're letting out the info.  TDOT's previously TEMPORARY Bike/Ped Coordinator is now PERMANENT.

I believe my director wants to send out a formal announcement to my contact list as soon as the paperwork is approved . . . Or you can just go ahead and post it yourself if you'd like. I was trying to hold off on announcing it on my facebook profile until the paperwork went through, but I just couldn't resist because I'm so excited!!  Jessica L. Wilson