We Are Traffic!

While catching up on the podcasts from The Outspoken Cyclist I heard an interview with Dan Guitierrez from  i am 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.

AAA pro cycling PSA

While reading the Alliance report on the National Bike Summit this great little PSA popped out to me. It says something when that bastion of automobile supremacy gives us a nod. 

http://vimeo.com/60585187

LAB Call to Action

Tell the DOT that every bicyclist counts: Send an Email to Secretary LaHood now 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.

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:

It can be difficult to launch bike-share in a small city with a transportation system that is heavily reliant on car travel, Pugliese said. But Chattanooga’s experience can offer inspiration to other small cities.

In its first six months of operation, the system has provided 12,600 rides. Together, riders burned more than one million calories. All those bike trips have resulted in up to a 8,100-pound reduction in emissions. The system will add three more stations in residential neighborhoods in the spring.

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.

We did it because bike share is an initiatory attempt to change that super pesky assumption that driving makes sense for every trip.  The message is to leave your car in the parking garage- that lunch break is faster by bike.  Have fun, on a bike!  See the city a better way (by bike).  Tennessee has made progress in bike share, with the recent launch of Nashville B-cycle and a bike share feasibility study completed in Memphis.  Early recognition that the opportunities and limitations are different in  Chattanooga than in Boston/Chicago/NYC will help the smaller cities take advantage of this technology at the proper scale.

Tennesse Bike Summit Memphis, May 22-23, 2013

The 2013 Tennessee Bike Summit is on. Click here for the website and registration.

http://www.tnbikesummit.org/

Ride Your Rickshaw?

The Tennessee General Assembly (unfortunately) is back in session. They met for a week and then took a two week vacation (must be a nice way to work!).  House Bill 13 has been introduced and amends the definition of a "rickshaw" so that it does not include a bicycle built for more than three persons!   This is in reference to the authority of cities to regulate pedal carriages and rickshaws. Who has a bicycle for more than three persons?  I've only seen one in my whole life. It was a family of four on the greenway near Arlington, Virginia. It was obviously a custom bike so I asked how much it cost. The captain just looked at me and said "a lot".

Bike Share Comes to Nashville

Mayor Dean announced the opening of Nashville B-Cycle last month and all reports say it's off to a great start. Most of the stations are in the downtown area but you can easily ride to or from Five Points, Centennial Park, Vanderbilt, Fisk/Meharry or Farmers Market. Details here. Leave a note in the comments if you have been on the bikes and let us know how it works.

State Laws concerning cycling resource

The League of American Bicyclists, AKA "The League," has compiled snapshots of state laws affecting cyclists.  If can be found here.  It's worth a look, especially ours to see if it needs any corrections.  I don't see any problems but have refrigerator blindness regarding such things.

Report From a Survivor

Unlike Michael Rivas,  Stacey Floyd,  Kate Richardson and countless others Michael Montgomery lived to tell about his “accident” with a trucker who was clearly violating state law. Unfortunately, as is true in so many cases, there was no prosecution by the District Attorney General. 

 Michael is now working with Bike Walk Tennessee advocating for cyclists as we attempt to convince the justice system to take these cases more seriously. We thought an update from Michael on his situation would help all of us appreciate his  ordeal and the continuing need for BWT advocacy.

Michael Montgomery Update

February 19, 2013 will be the two-year anniversary of my bike wreck when I was hit in the designated cycle lane by a dump truck. When a 185 pound man on an 18 pound cycle gets hit by a fully loaded 37.5 TON dump truck, survival is not normally part of the outcome.

I had to be resuscitated at the scene, by my still unidentified “Angel” physician, and suffered broken ribs, back, shoulder, lacerated spleen, a Traumatic Brain Injury and a punctured lung. The most serious injury was the multiple pelvic fractures. 

During the first operation two days after the wreck, I bled out on the operating table, had 9 units of blood pumped into me and had to be resuscitated again. There were numerous complications and I had to have the surgery done again, at which point I had blood clot problems and a MRSA (drug resistant) infection. I spent several weeks in rehab at Vanderbilt Hospital and two more months in a nursing home and did not walk for almost five months. 

Nine months after the wreck I got back on a bike and finished the ride I started on February 19 for my first post wreck ride.

My new normal includes pain and stiffness most of the time for normal activities. The witness, bystanders, doctors and other health care professionals remind me what a miracle it is that I survived. As a Christian, I certainly now have an appreciation for miracles, and the power of prayer. I was so fortunate to have family locally to help, as well as cycling friends, church friends, and literally hundreds who I don’t even know, donate money and pray for me from all parts of the world.

What started as the worst day of my life has turned into the best day of my life in so many ways. I have learned how our insurance, medical, civil legal and criminal legal systems work (or don’t). I hope that no one would ever have to go through a similar ordeal. But I hope the knowledge I have gained from this experience will allow me to help others, if they are in a similar situation. I am happy to talk to anyone in a similar situation about what to expect, to do or not to do.

My thanks go to so many who were a part of the recovery process.

Michael

Bike Walk Knoxville

Bike Walk Knoxville, a new chapter of Bike Walk Tennessee is being established. A steering committee met on Dec.9, 2012 to develop a mission, by-laws, and an action plan. Officers will be elected in the near future after by-laws are approved.

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.)

Bike racks, bike lanes/greenways on agenda for 2013 in Johnson City

The Livable Communities Development Group of the Johnson City, Jonesborough, Washington County Economic Summit is digging into some specifics on the first of its top six issues areas (see below) for 2013 and beyond: “More interconnected, beautiful and clean bike and walking paths connecting destinations to live,work, shop and play in our community.”

(For the full article, click here: Bicycling update)

 After collaborative discussion, the group is set to work on two tracks, both in close coordination with the City of Johnson City. The first is planning and implementing the purchase and installation of additional bicycle racks around Johnson City. The second is looking comprehensively at the current network of bicycle routes that connect areas of the city, and working toward short, medium and long-term improvements that enhance connectivity and safety for Johnson City’s children and its growing number of adult cyclists.

 “We applaud the City and its staff for the many steps they’ve taken in this regard over the past several years,” Livable Communities facilitator Dan Reese said. “Our goal is to come alongside representatives of the planning, traffic and other divisions within the Development Services Department to keep the desire for continued improvements on the front burner.”
Development Group members are in the early stages of discussions internally and with the appropriate city representatives about both issues… Read more: Bicycling update

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):

1. Put cars in their place - design cities around people, not cars.
2. Mix the uses - mixed use development shortens trip lengths, making them feasible.
3. Get the parking right - we often have excessive parking requirements, as well as underpriced parking.
4. Let transit work - have transit go to the busiest areas, and go to the mixed use areas. Aim for 10 minute headways.
5. Protect the pedestrian - have streets (two-way over one way) that favor slower travel. Parallel parking can "shield" pedestrians from automobile traffic.
6. Welcome bikes - bikes can calm traffic, benefitting pedestrians and cyclists themselves.
7. Shape the spaces - make the environment comfortable for walking.
8. Plant trees
9. Make friendly and unique [building] faces - have buildings and storefronts that people want to look at.
10. 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.

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.

Robertson County Growth online survey

Online Survey Available for Input on Growth and Development Plan for Robertson County and the cities of Adams, Coopertown and Cross Plains
Survey is in Addition to Four Community Workshops Scheduled December 3-6

Springfield, TN – Residents now have the opportunity to provide needed input on the Robertson County Growth and Development Plan from the comfort of their home or office. Project officials have established an online survey to make the process as convenient as possible. The survey can be found under “Give Us Your Feedback” at www.RobertsonChamber.org/Growth.  There is also a series of workshops scheduled December 3-6, providing additional opportunities for feedback.

“We can’t stress enough how important the input of residents and business owners is for the success of this project,” said Jonathan Garner, chair of the project’s steering committee. “This plan will affect everyone in some way, so providing ample opportunity to have issues addressed is very important to us.”
               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. 

Residents are also encouraged to attend one of four Community Workshops to learn more about the plan. The workshops are scheduled for Monday, December 3 through Thursday, December 6.  Consultants with Littlejohn Engineering Associates, Inc. will lead the discussions. See a complete listing of the dates, times, and locations for each workshop on the following page.

                                                                             

Knoxville - North Gay St Redevelopment

Metro Pulse is reporting that a plan to modify north Gay St so that it would have wider sidewalks and traffic lanes, but reduce the number of lanes from 4 to 2, is in its final stages of planning. The plans were started around 2009. Crossing 2 lanes of traffic will be easier than crossing 4 at the same time. Being a heavily biked area, the modifications would make that section of road much more of a complete street. Where else do we have streets that could use some similar sort of "diet?"

Way to Go NASHVILLE

Each new round of Bicycle Friendly Community awards is exciting, but today’s announcement is big. With the addition of major urban centers — including Los Angeles, Miami and Nashville — two-thirds of America’s largest cities are now BFCs. Click here for more info.

Help the Alliance

This month for each bike trip you log on the 2 Mile Challenge, Clif Bar will donate $1 to the Alliance for Biking & Walking. The clock is already ticking, and to reach our ambitious goal of 10,000 trips in October, we need your help!

Go to 2MileChallenge.com, create a profile, and start logging your trips by bike. You can even download the BikeBrain app to keep track of your trips.

It's an easy way to support the Alliance and state (think Bike Walk Tennessee) and local advocacy organizations.

We're not asking you for a dime, just some good old fashioned pedal power. Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Miller - President / CEO

Italian Helmet Hair Not A Problemo

I'm spending a few days in Italy where, at least in the old cities like Florence, bicycles are for transportation and not play. No one was wearing a helmet while cycling in the city center where Michaelangelo once walked and worked. No word on his helmet use. David didn't wear one while slaying Goliath.

Bike Purchases in Italy

However, this is a surprise in any country outside of China. Motor scooters are very popular in Italy and may outnumber bikes in the cities I've seen. I doubt they will lose their love of the car but can you imagine this happening in the US? The auto makers would go mad. They would probably lobby to outlaw bicycles.

I did see some helmet use by recreational riders on Sunday in a small town outside Florence. They were in full kit and riding in the hilly region. I wonder how much our emphasis on helmets discourages ridership by sending a message that its a dangerous undertaking? Obviously the narrow streets of a European city are very different from the US but food for thought none the less.

Tennessee Trafic Safety Website

TDOT has a new website devoted to promoting traffic safety.  Motorcycles have their own section. Getting bicycles and pedestrians a spot looks like yet another opportunity for Bike Walk Tennessee.
http://tntrafficsafety.com/

Alliance Seeks Feedback

. . The Alliance for Biking and Walking is planning its new resources, programming, and training opportunities for 2013 —  and wants your input. They would like your feedback on how they're doing and what they can do better.

Please take a moment to complete our membership survey.

. . The survey takes 15 minutes or less to complete. Feel free to have multiple people from your organization take the survey, as this gives us perspectives on different areas where we can provide assistance. 
. . Please take a moment to complete the survey by October 31, and help to ensure that the Alliance is able to help you grow your organization’s strength in 2013 and beyond.
. . Thanks in advance for your important and critical feedback.
 
Mike Samuelson, Member Services and Open Streets Coordinator

Jeremy Leaves the Alliance

. . I am writing to tell you that after five rewarding years, I am leaving my position as Member Services Director at the Alliance for Biking & Walking as of today, October 1.

. . I appreciate the opportunity I have had to work with you. Whether it was through Alliance member services such as coaching, Mutual Aid Calls, Winning Campaigns Training, or strategic planning; all Alliance leaders have touched my life in many, many ways. I am so proud of the Alliance and our work to grow the power of Alliance member organizations, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to be part of your success.

. . Together, you have and you will accomplish so much! I am truly honored to have worked alongside the most talented, dynamic and hardworking people.

. . I know that there will still be opportunities to connect with each of you. I plan on continuing work in strategic planning and meeting facilitation, and I’m sure our paths will cross (if nothing else, at the next Enclave Party).

. . To contact me in the future, please email me at jwg@SGEndeavors.com. I am no longer receiving messages at Jeremy@PeoplePoweredMovement.org.

My best, 
Jeremy Grandstaff, Member Services Director

NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, Second Edition

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has released the second edition of its Urban Bikeway Design Guide. As with its first edition, the guide provides guidance on the design of numerous creative bicycle facilities in an urban environment. I had mentioned the first edition last year, on April 2. Since then, no new full member cities have been added, but Arlington, Cambridge, Hoboken, Indianapolis, Memphis, and Ventura (CA) have become affiliate members. The Urban Design Bikeway Guide offers interesting suggestions on facilities that planners might want to consider implementing.

FWHA Releases Interim MAP-21 Guidance.

. . Today, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) released interim guidance documents and Q&A’s regarding implementation of MAP-21.  The materials are online at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/map21/. 
. . FHWA will also hold two webinars – Wednesday and Thursday – to provide an overview of the MAP-21 guidance documents.  All interested members of the public are invited to participate. MAP-21 Implementation Webinars

• 1:30 - 3:30p.m. EST, Wednesday, September 26. Register online at: http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.aspx?webconfid=25047
• 1:30 – 3:30p.m. EST, Thursday, September 27. Register online at: http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/resources/webconference/web_conf_learner_reg.aspx?webconfid=25066