A Review of Jeff Mapes' new Book

Books / Sunday Book Review

Bike Messenger

By DAVID BYRNE

Published: May 31, 2009

An argument for commuters to ditch the car in favor of the bicycle, for the sake of cities and health alike.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/books/review/Byrne-t.html

A New Law in NY

A new law in New York City might increase the penalty for motorists who kill bicyclists. See this from Transportation Alternatives:

The Hayley Ng and Diego Martinez Law

Government Body: NY State Legislature
Bill Status: Introduced

A07917A (Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh)
S5292-A (Senator Daniel Squadron)

View T.A. Support Memo

Bill Overview:

Will create the offense of careless driving and procedures and penalties relating to instances of careless driving which contribute to the serious injury or death of a vulnerable roadway user, e.g., a pedestrian or cyclist.

The Vulnerable User Roadway Act is an attempt to expand the available charging options by creating an enhanced civil penalty to punish careless drivers who seriously injure or kill vulnerable roadway users. In many instances, District Attorneys are unwilling or unable to pursue criminal charges against an individual who has committed a seemingly "minor" traffic violation, e.g., an illegal u-turn, which contributed to the serious injury or death of a vulnerable roadway user.

Penalties associated with this legislation will include: (1) the completion of a traffic safety course; (2) the performance of community service which includes activities related to driver improvement and public education on traffic safety; (3) mandatory court appearance by the defendant; (4) assessment of points on a driver's license; (5) financial penalties up to $10,000; (6)and the possibility of driver license suspension or revocation.

A Car Free German City

In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars

By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

Published: May 12, 2009

A young development in Vauban illustrates a trend of planning communities to thrive without automobiles.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/12/science/earth/12suburb.html

Bicycling and the Law

So law can be boring. Fair enough. But the truth is, the law matters.





Even though its important, the law is not easy to understand. Bob Mionske is a cycling lawyer who has a column in Bicycling magazine and wrote a nice little treatise on "Bicycling and the Law."



His website is fantastic, and features a number of helpful insights and articles.

On Speed

Author Jeff Mapes writes:

Ah, speed. Like in the U. S., "speed kills" is a hoary slogan in the Netherlands. But they really seem to mean it...In urban areas, 30-Kilometer-per-hour zones--about 19MPH--have become commonplace as a part of the government's "sustainable safety program." I've seen people drive in parking lots faster than that in the states. I've probably done it myself. Fred Wegman, who directs Holland's Institute for Road Safety Research, said that Dutch authorities have strong public support for decreasing speeds. "There's a strong political and social interest to save vulnerable road users, to protect road users, to protect children, to protect elderly people" who are bicycle and walking, he said.

I think slowing down is a big piece of the solution. By solution I mean the ways in which we encourage more people to get on a bike or get out and walk. Not only does speed kill, perhaps most importantly speed scares cyclists and walkers.

By the way, Mapes' book "Pedaling Revolution" is the equivalent of "Fast Food Nation" for cycling. It is fantastic.

In Today's Commercial Appeal

A Gem:

125 years ago: 1884

Now that Memphis has several miles of paved streets it is likely that the bicycle, so extensively used in the East and in many Southern cities, will come into fashion here. But before it can it will be necessary for the city officials to repeal that old-fogie ordinance banning bicycles.

An Unnecessary and Tragic Injustice

My intention for this post is not to be confrontational for the sake of confrontation. But in the words of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1967, "There comes a time when silence is betrayal."

I recevied the following email from the Memphis Hightailers this afternoon:

Bob Firehammer was killed while riding his bike on Hwy 64 last Wednesday. A vehicle ran off the road, hit Bob and he was apparently killed at the site. The Firehammer family are St. Francis parishioners and his son Alex went to school at Saint Benedict. Bob’s funeral was this morning at St. Francis.

Link to the online guest book

Fayette County - ROBERT LEE “Bob” FIREHAMMER, JR., 51, resident of Hickory Withe Community, recently retired Naval Captain after 26 years of active duty and husband of Debra Firehammer, died April 15, 2009.

Services at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at Cordova with a visitation at the church from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday.

Interment, with full military honors will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at West Tennessee Veteran’s Cemetery. Captain Firehammer served as officer on board the USS Samuel B. Roberts when the ship struck a mine in the Persian Gulf.

He also leaves five children, his parents and three siblings. Memorials requested to the Firehammer Children’s Scholarship Fund c/o Navy Federal Credit Union. Peebles Fayette County Funeral Home—West Chapel Oakland, TN 901-465-3535 http://www.peeblesfuneralhome.com/


Let us be clear, when a bicyclist is killed by a car it is usually an accident. But we must be clear about the nature of an accident: if a car accidentally collides with a bicyclist for whatever reason, "accident" is indeed a reasonable explanation for what happened.

But accident is not an accurate word if a municipality cites "a fear of liablity" as cause for not making roads safer (i.e our own municipality currently refuses to create official "bike lanes" because they are afraid they could be sued if a cyclist is killed in or around the bike lane. Federal Law, in fact, exempts a city from liablity if the city designs bike lanes according to AASHTO guidelines).

If it is not up to a municipality to protect a bicyclist, whose responsibility is it?

The driver?

In the event of an accident involving a bicyclist, can a driver truly be held liable? Usually citations are written to one or the other car when two cars are involved in an accident. But even if the driver is held liable when a cyclist is hit, what are the conseqeunces for driver who kills a cyclist? A $50 fine for violating the TN 3 Foot ordinance?

Mr. Firehammer had 5 kids. He is a veteran, having fought in the Gulf War.

His death will likely be seen simply as tragic. But the real tragedy is that Mr. Firehammer's death may have been prevented. If a municipality does not do what is in its power to protect bicyclists, the words "tragic" and "accident" are in-suffcient words to describe what actually occured.

The "fear of liablity" as cited by a municipality may have in reality contributed to the death of Mr. Firehammer. A bike lane or a special facility designated for bicyclists may not have fully prevented Mr. Firehammer's death; on the other hand, it may have made the difference.

The problem is not simply that a municipality has neglected to protect bicyclists.

In fact, Tennessee State law do not provide rights and protections for cyclists killed in the roadways.

The point is this: noone should have to die needlessly. And a bicyclist should not have to fear that they may be killed for trying to do something good for their body, their community, and for our planet.

When a bicyclist is killed in a public roadway, if no protection was provided for them by a municipality, the word to describe the situation is not "accident." The word is unjust.

A municipality should take as many measures as are fiscally responsible to protect bicyclists. To do anything less is to accept that innocent people will be killed for riding their bicycle in the roadway. To accept this is to accept that which is unacceptable.

Copenhagen: City of Cyclists

Copenhagen - City of Cyclists from Colville Andersen on Vimeo.

Go Mike Crum!

'Natural' dream for cycling fan

At 30, he realizes goal as owner of frame-building shop

By Lesley Young

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Michael Crum's dream was to have his own custom bicycle frame shop by the time he was 30.

While he was working as a bike mechanic at Outdoors Inc., he told one of his customers about his plans, and word got around. Some time later, the customer's boyfriend came into the store and offered to help.

Now, at 30, Crum has received orders for eight custom bicycle frames in the past year since he and his silent partner started Magnolia Cycles.

"He just came in and told me he was interested in investing his money in something he was passionate about," said the Mountain Home, Ark., native.

Crum has worked on bikes since he was in junior high school, while participating in racing and mountain biking sports.

"I just fell in love with it. It was the only thing I stuck with," he said. "I lived in a small town, and the sense of freedom it gave you. ... You could ride anywhere on a bike, and I always had fun. It just felt natural."

The former art student completed a couple of courses in bicycle maintenance and frame building at the United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, Ore.

He also established a solid relationship with his metalsmith instructor while attending Memphis College of Art and learned what would prove to be useful brazing and metal fabrication techniques.

Crum builds custom frames for mountain bikes, road bikes and cyclo-cross bikes -- road bikes built to go off-road -- in a small wooden garage in the backyard of his home in the Vollintine-Evergreen neighborhood of Midtown.

Using a computer program, he customizes frames to fit a rider's size, riding style and festoonery -- color, bells and whistles -- by punching in the customer's measurements and getting a drawing with the information he needs to cut and weld the frame.

"I don't have enough control over some aspects, (and) I have actually considered just going back to my drafting table and drawing the design by hand," Crum said.

After he opened the business, the first frame he built was for himself.

"It sounds selfish," he says, but it was "mainly due to the fact that I was just getting back into brazing and did not want anyone riding that first bike aside from myself," he said. "I'm still riding it."

He says he'd like to one day make a penny-farthing bicycle, "the ones that have the really big front wheel and the small back wheel."

"It's a very different type of ride, and I think it would be interesting to learn how to make one."

He also hopes to get more involved in the Memphis cycling community.

"As a company, we really want to support local cycling and raise awareness of cycling," Crum says.

Michael Crum

Profession: Owner of Magnolia Cycles, custom bicycle frame shop

Phone: (901) 485-7021

Online: magnoliabicycles.com

Hometown: Mountain Home, Ark.

Family: Fiancée, Amber Ragland, 28; two dogs, Samson, 5, and Mischa, 1; and two cats, Boo, who weighs more than 20 pounds, and Shaggy.

Hobbies: Photography, painting and bike riding

© 2009 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online

Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

One of my dreams has been to ride this trail along the spine of the Rocky Mountains.



http://www.tronaldregham.com/awm/great-divide-mountain-bike-route/429/

But I gotta do the world first.

Cycle For Safety Comin' Up!

Event Description:
This is an event for the whole family and our intention is to educate cyclists and the general public on bike safety rules and laws affecting motorists and cyclists. Remembering Cory Horton, one of the founding members of our team, is another goal of this event. This year we will have a shorter 34 mile ride, in addition to the 52 mile ride to Cory's memorial site. Also, a Fun Ride will be held on the campus of St. George's and will be a closed course. A raffle of cycle related items, will be given away at 2pm. Additional raffle and food tickets can be purchased at the event. Hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixins will also be served at 1pm. Cool max tee shirts will be given to first 150 registered. Event packets can be picked up event day, or May 2nd at Bike World in Collierville, 763 West Poplar Avenue, from 10am-6pm. Everyone must sign waiver.

Location:
St. George’s Independent School, Collierville Campus

Schedule of Events:
•10:00 am - Start of 34 and 52 mile rides from St. George’s.
•12:30 pm - 5 mile Fun Ride Starts. This ride is for ALL ages and abilities. The ride will be on a closed course this year.
•1:00 pm - Kid’s Activities and Food Service begins. Hamburgers and hot dogs with all the fixings will be served to all registered participants. Separate food tickets can be purchased.
•2:00 pm - Raffle of cycling related items. All registered participants will receive one entry. Additional raffle tickets can be bought separately.

Extras:
Cool max Tee shirts to first 150 registered participants with cycle safety bullet points on back.

Cost:
$25 for the 32 and 54 mile rides. (Includes cool max shirt, raffle ticket and food.)
$12 for the Fun Ride. (Includes cool max shirt, raffle ticket and food.)
$5 Raffle ticket sold separately.
$5 Food ticket sold separately.

Registration:
Register online at RacesOnline, or download and mail-in the registration form here.

Contact:
For more information, contact Doug Ruddle at 901-355-5743 or by email at chefruddle@yahoo.com.

Bike Racks in Cooper Young

Memphis Commercial Appeal - Printer-friendly story
'Fine-art bike racks' in Midtown Memphis spotlight artists

By Christopher Conley

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Don't think of them as bike racks, but rather sculptures with the functional purpose of securing your bicycle.

Two artistic bike racks sprang up in front of Café Olé at Cooper and Young recently.

And artist Yvonne Bobo recently finished installing a green rack in a gingko-leaf motif in front of Burke's Books at the same intersection.

Eventually, there are to be a dozen of the fine-art bike racks around the neighborhood, symbols of a community that's both arty and urban, according to Cooper-Young Community Association president Debbie Sowell.

The bike racks are a way to promote cycling and support local artists, she said.

The racks are provided to businesses without cost, with funding from Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop and the UrbanArt Commission.

The Cooper Young organization also will oversee the repainting and refurbishing of the hallmark train-trestle art over Cooper at York this summer, Sowell said.

"We're known as an artsy neighborhood," Sowell explained. "We want people who come here to know they are in Cooper-Young."

Typical bike racks -- the ones with a row of metal slots -- secure only the front tire, making it fairly easy for thieves to remove the tire and walk away with the frame.

And, they're not much to look at.

"Most bike racks are not only ugly, they're dysfunctional," said Bobo, who has a studio in Cooper-Young. "We wanted something functional and artistic," she said.

Cooper street is lined with gingko trees, so planners decided to use the fan-shaped leaf pattern.

Other bike racks planned will use different motifs.

Bobo said she designed her bike racks through the fall, and began cutting the pattern and welding the stems in January.

The installation of bike racks is part of a broader campaign to further bicycling in Memphis, for aesthetic, health and environmental reasons.

Enthusiasts are pushing the concept of bike lanes, which have been a success in other cities.

"People see installing bike lanes as being like parting the ocean," said Anthony Siracusa, executive director of Revolutions Community Bicycle Shop in Cooper-Young. "But it's not only possible, it's inexpensive," he said.

"There's no way the bike is going to stay on the back burner in Memphis," he said. "The stars are aligned."

-- Chris Conley: 529-2595
Scripps Lighthouse

© 2009 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online

The Memphis Bike Map Project

Today I would like to launch the Memphis Bike Map Project. The map below is intended as a starting point for the creation of the ultimate Memphis Bike Map, which I hope we can put together through dialogue and feedback on this blog. I've identified a few routes that work well for bicycles throughout the city, but I would like to have your feedback on the routes I've got as well as suggestions about inclusions of other routes in order to create the best map possible.

So, you can do a couple things.

1) Click on the link to the map just below and leave a comment on Google Maps about a particular loop or section on the map. What you think of its overall quality, it's safety, the road conditions, lights, etc. Be as specific or as vague as possible!


2) Post your own map as a comment to my map with new route recommendations and I'll incorporate them into the Ultimate Map, which I'll try to update daily.


View The Memphis Bike Map in a larger map

Buenos Dias.

I've got too much work to be focused on getting it done!

Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) Meeting next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

The BPAC meetings and all MPO meetings are public, so please make it a point to attend this meeting if possible. Tim is a wonderful facilitator with excellent insights on urban planning, and these meetings provide an inside look at how bicycle planning works in this city. In short, if you want a more bike friendly city, go to these meetings. Let me know if you want to ride out to the meeting, cause I sure will be doin' that. This from Tim Moreland:

This is a reminder that the next BPAC meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 15th at 5:30 pm. The meeting will be held in at the MPO’s conference room at 1075 Mullins Station Rd. Memphis, TN 38134. The agenda and minutes from the January 14th meeting are attached for your reference. I have also attached the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects where you can review the bicycle and pedestrian projects being funded. If you require any special assistance to attend this meeting please contact us at 901-379-7840.



Tim Moreland

Memphis MPO Planner

1075 Mullins Station Road - Rm 118

Memphis, TN 38134

(901) 379-7853

(901) 379-7865 (fax)

tim.moreland@shelbycountytn.gov

New Rotue (for me!) to Central Downtwon

This route takes us along very tame streets. Through Cooper Young and Central Gardens there are no main streets, and you get to cross Union at McNeil/Kimbrough (it changes names at this intersection), which is a small and manageable intersection. Take McNeil down to Jefferson, which dead ends at McNeil, and you'll take a left on Jefferson through all the condemned apartment buildings. There aint a damn thing goin' on in that neighborhood now. It's kind of sobering, but that is a topic for another post.

Once you're on Jefferson you'll cross Cleveland at a light, and then head over the I-240. This part and the next part--where you ride through the medical center--is the only somewhat scary section. Compared to Linden, though, I think this section of Jefferson is a piece of cake! In the midst of the Med. Center you'll come to Adams. It runs into Jefferson near the Med. Merge right onto Adams and before you know it you're in the VIctorian Village. This is a VERY COOL and underutilized part of Adams! Woo-hoo!

At this point you're practically downtown.

Enjoy:

View Jefferson/Adams Downtown in a larger map

One of my Favorite Things

I can't cut and paste the pictures, but this is the intro to my favorite snippet on bicycle culture. Follow the link, and then follow the Copenhagenize blog. Seriously:

Here it is. A quick and easy - and very tongue-in-cheek - guide to determining if you live in a city with bike culture. All from the good people here at Copenhagen Bike Culture Blog [Cycleliciousness].

http://www.copenhagenize.com/2007/11/18-ways-to-know-that-you-have-bicycle.html

On Windsocks in Denmark

I'm pretty pumped about putting a wind powered generator on the handlebars of my bike while I tour around the world. This small wind generator manufactured by HYmini has received pretty good reviews. It comes with a half dozen cell phone charger plugs, and you can purchase plugs for the Iphone, PSP, and Nintendo DS. Nice.


Anyone used this thing? I'd be interested to hear some feedback.




I saw a lot of these last time I was in Denmark. I figured we were supposed to watch out for windsocks. Now I know they meant that it was kinda windy. Still, all that wind ought to come in handy with this clever little device on my bars...except for that part about actually riding into the wind.

The Jeff Roth 3 Foot Law

You may know that Tennessee has a 3-foot law, meaning that bicyclists must receive at least a 3 foot berth from cars when the car is passing the bicycle on a public roadway.

Well, you may not know that the law cannot be enforced by Memphis' Police. The reason?

The Roth Law is a state law, and as such only state police can enforce the law. The loophole has been explained to me in this way: it's all about who gets the money from the ticket.

Now, while it may not seem like a big deal--as far as I know, no ticket has ever been issued under the Roth Law though some of my colleagues in East Tennessee would know far better than I--the takeaway point is that the law has not existed on the books in Memphis.

Now it will:

Memphis Commercial Appeal - Printer-friendly story
Memphis City Council committee passes 8 ordinances

By Amos Maki

Originally published 09:40 a.m., April 7, 2009
Updated 09:40 a.m., April 7, 2009

A slew of new ordinances that match existing state law were approved by a City Council committee today.

The eight ordinances, which cover everything from the open container law to banning phony 911 calls, will still require three readings before the council before they become law. Each ordinance is a misdemeanor and punishable by a $50 fine.

City Atty. Elbert Jefferson said the city is pursuing the new laws because of changes mandated by the General Assembly through the Tennessee Municipal Reform Act, which required municipalities to pass their own versions of state laws.

Jefferson said city police officers had been writing tickets for offenses covered by the eight ordinances under a catch-all provision, but in the wake of the Municipal reform Act those tickets were being dismissed.

“When we became aware of that restriction, instructions were given to officers to not use (the catch-all provision) and if they did, they were dismissed,” said Jefferson. ”We’ve been working on this to enforce them at a local level as a code violation.”

The new ordinances could provide a fresh stream of revenues to the cash-strapped city. Memphis is facing a possible $15 million deficit this budget year and a $25 million deficit to begin the next budget year, which starts July 1.

“This is all based on generating revenue for the city and enhancing public safety,” said councilman Harold Collins.

The ordinances would:

** ban open containers of alcohol in a car

** prohibit the use of off-highway motor vehicles on highways

** punish vehicle owners who allow an unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle

** penalize transporting minors in the beds of trucks

** punish non-emergency 911 calls

** prohibit school bus drivers from using mobile telephones while transporting children

** order drivers to give three feet of clearance when passing bicycles

** ban the operation of low-speed vehicles on city streets.

Collins expressed some concern about overregulation and a money grab by the city. He wondered if parents could be cited for allowing their unlicensed children to drive a car with a parent along as part of driver training, a bonding experience for many children and parents.

“I don’t want our city to be so regulating and looking for the dollar that we can’t have these experiences,” said Collins.

Strange Rock

I seriously cannot get over how amazing the Memphis Greenline is going to be. It's going to be equally as amazing as the music in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Vje_2WVkYg&feature=player_embedded

Cyclists aid Revolutions

Cirque Du Velos donates $410 to shop

By By Yale Spina, Special to My Life

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Cirque Du Vélos, a local cycling team composed of 22 males who all do something other than ride for a living, awarded Revolutions Community Bike Shop $410 to support its ongoing advocacy of bicycling in Memphis.

Revolutions, a ministry of First Congregational Church on Cooper in Midtown, "provides affordable bicycles, tools, and education for Memphians interested in making bikes a part of their lives," says director Anthony Siracusa. "It is composed of over 600 active members and over the past decade has helped thousands of cyclists find greater harmony on two wheels."

Revolutions used the funds to cover travel expenses to Washington to attend the annual Bicycle Summit in March. "We have the full support of District 9 Representative Steve Cohen to pursue the American Bikes Agenda," says Siracusa. "We fully expect that within 10 years Memphis will be the premier bicycling community in the South."

Cirque du Vélos, French for Circus of Bicycles, is a Memphis, Tennessee-based cycling club and amateur race team sponsored by Peddler Bike Shop. Formed in late 2007, Cirque du Vélos members share a common interest in riding competitively in local and regional organized rides and races. Membership is intentionally limited to a smaller, cohesive group of cyclists who share similar objectives and who see cycling not only as a competitive sport, but also as a means of sustaining excellent health and as a platform for benefiting the communities where we live, work and ride.

For information, visit cirquevelosmemphis.com

Midtowner Yale Spina is a member of Cirque du Vélos.

© 2009 Scripps Newspaper Group — Online

Ride your bike to the Grizzlies game this Friday!

Grizzlies Go Green: Tour de Grizz bike ride

Related Articles

• Memphis Grizzlies to host “Tour de Grizz” as part of Grizzlies Go Green game on April 3
• Grizzlies Give Back throughout the month of April

Friday, April 3
Grizzlies vs. Mavericks

Go Green with the Grizz for a game and try on sustainable travel as part of a group by participating in a 4.8 mile bike ride to the game. You'll also get a special ticket discount.

Discounted ticket prices
Terrace Level $10
Plaza Level $20
First Tennessee Club Level $25

Buy discounted tickets online

Just use the password: GREEN

Tour De Grizz details

• Group Bike Ride departs at 6 p.m. from parking lot at First Congregational Church, 1000 S. Cooper.
• View the bike route.
• Check in begins at 5:30 p.m.
• Escorted round-trip by Memphis Police Dept.
• Rain or shine – be prepared for wet weather
• Ticket includes secure “Bike Valet Parking” inside Grand Lobby of FedExForum
• Post-game return ride departs FedExForum 15 minutes following conclusion of Grizzlies game

For more information, contact Anna at 901.205.1491 or via e-mail.

Bicycle Magazine now has Bicycle Lawyer on Staff!

This fella is kind of amazing:

Bob Mionske is a nationally-known cycling lawyer with a practice exclusively focused on representing cyclists. An advocate for the rights of cyclists, Bob is the author of Bicycling & the Law, the first book written for cyclists on their legal rights and responsibilities since 1895. Bob is also a former U.S. Olympic and pro cyclist; Bob represented the United States in the 1988 and 1992 Olympic games, and was the National Road Race Champion in 1990, amassing a record of over 100 wins during his racing career.

Check out his first article here:

http://roadrights.bicycling.com/2009/03/the-commuter-ta.html

The Greenline gets the Greenlight!

Vote passed today. 13-0

This from Greg Maxted:

Yesterday, the county voted 13-0 in favor of providing $375,000 to complete the first 7 miles of the CSX Greenline!

Mayor Wharton stopped by to lend his support.

It was a veritable Greenline love fest.

The highlights:

• Shelby County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the $375,000 for the Greenline Project!!!
• $4,750,000 to buy 7 miles of abandon rail, from SFPC
• $1,500,000 to build a trail, from the Feds
• Plan is to finish it by the end of the year!!!

This is huge, yall. Like whoa.

An idea is floating between the Greenline people and city officials regarding the creation of a parking lot off of Flicker Street near Avery.


View Larger Map

The city owns all the property around the head of the Greenline, and the Greeline folks hope that they will consider construcing a parking lot for people to park and then ride out to the Farms on the CSX. Thats a great thing for families etc., but for cyclists interested in riding their bikes to the greenline and riding out to SF this is also great news. There are a number of bike friendly routes to get to the trail head at Flicker and Avery, so the creation of a well lit, well designed starting place with a parking lot on Flicker is a win for the families and the avid cyclists riding to the trail head.

Yahoo!

Check out a blurb on my trip at Mary Cashiola's Blog

http://inthebluff.blogspot.com/

Sustainable Shelby Meeting hosted by The Sierra Club

I think Sustainable Shelby is one of the most amazing government led initiatives our region has seen.

Having served on the Traffic and Transportation Committee as a citizen interested in the direction of our city, I can say that the process was both democratic and refreshing.

When the official document is released, you'll be able to find analysis and commentary here at Pedal Power.

Sierra Club hosts Sustainable Shelby discussion March 26

The Sierra Club presents:
Sustainability in Shelby County: The Next Chapter
With the upcoming release of the long-awaited Implementation Report of the Final Recommendations from the Sustainable Shelby Initiative, a public forum will be held to discuss the results, the input process, and the promise of what implementation of these proposals means for Memphis and Shelby County.
Where: Trinity United Methodist Church, 1738 Galloway Avenue
When: Thursday March 26
6:30-7:00pm - Refreshments and Networking
7:00-8:30pm - Panel Discussion with the Sustainable Shelby Implementation Team, Q&A
Email or call Don at 276-1397 for more details.

Bike Sharing Done Right

This is something Memphis can certainly do. It would, in fact, boom in our downtown with the right marketing.


http://springwise.com/transportation/bikesharingasia/

Exclusive Article!

My editor at the Commercial Appeal did not run this column on the Healthy Memphis page of the Commercial Appeal because it contained too much "advocacy" for a Health and Fitness section. I want to publish it here for you today.

Daily papers are on the decline. Why not run stories that people want to read, stories about dedicated citizens committed to making Memphis into the very best city it can be?

******************************************************************************************

Last Wednesday night (February 25), a crowd gathered into a meeting room at the Benjamin J. Hooks Public Library for a meeting sponsored by the local Sierra Club. Sandwiches were eaten, 2 liter cokes consumed and chocolate chip cookies devoured. But the main course for the evening was a presentation from Greater Memphis Greenline Executive Director Syd Lerner. Four years ago, a group of what Lerner described as “do-gooders” organized themselves into a 501 (c) 3 for the express purpose of turning the CSX rail line that runs through the heart of Memphis into a multi-use path. Walkers, runners, bicyclists, children in strollers and roller-bladers would be soaring along this abandoned corridor in a little less than two years, they believed. Lerner described the private group of donors prepared to purchase the right of way for the trail, The Memphis Connection Group, as the silent partners just off stage prepared to dole out the dough necessary to make this 13 mile abandoned rail corridor into a world class greenline. Four years, three radically different estimates and 7 million dollars later a handshake deal has only just been reached for about half of the land in question.

When the right of way is officially purchased by the Memphis Connectors Group, Shelby County will take over legal jurisdiction of the land. Approximately 6 miles of the rail-line, from Polar and Tillman to Shelby Farms Park, is the band of land under consideration. The final half of the greenline, from Shelby Farms east, is a second priority for the Greater Memphis Greenline organization. The political wherewithal required to acquire the property from CSX, at least initially Lerner explained, is more likely to come from developing the corridor where it runs through well-populated areas. To date, CSX has pulled the old rail road ties from it’s western most point to Shelby Farms, and the Greater Memphis Greenline expects to begin plans for resurfacing within the year.

Greenline projects inevitably draw criticism. Neighborhoods worry that increased access to their back yards will prove alluring to criminals, a point carefully negotiated by the Vollintine Evergreen Community Association (VECA) when that group began to establish its 1.7 mile greenline years ago. Today, walkers and students enjoy the greenline’s arboretum while joggers and bicyclists recreate in a car-free public space. Time has proven VECA’s greenline to be an amenity rather than a liability.
Greenlines are bold delineations of a sensible city, a symbol that a city is focused on improving the quality of life for all its people. For bicyclists in particular, the CSX Greenline may represent the single biggest step forward in Memphis’ history.

Keep up with the Greater Memphis Greenline’s progress on their webpage at:
www.greatermemphisgreenline.org

CSX on the Way!

Shelby County officials seal deal with CSX; new trail coming soon

Land next to Shelby Farms will be used for greenway

By Tom Charlier (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Sunday, March 22, 2009

What now is an abandoned rail line through swampy forests and a sweeping cross-section of Memphis is on track to be converted this year into a biking and hiking trail that officials describe as the area's most significant recreation project in ages.

Shelby County has reached agreement with to purchase 7.04 miles of the rail corridor from Farm Road to the Poplar viaduct area. The deal clears the way for construction, by year's end, of a paved trail connecting neighborhoods just east of Midtown with Shelby Farms.

The so-called greenway, or linear park, has been a long-term goal of local officials, who say it will improve residents' quality of life, help attract new businesses and possibly end Memphis' standing as one of the nation's most sedentary and obese cities.

"I'm not at all overstating things to say that this project will have a positive impact for generations to come," Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton said. "... It touches on impacting our community's health, on linking citizens together, and even on clean modes of transportation."

This week, a County Commission committee will get its first look at a resolution authorizing the deal. It calls for the county to accept $4.775 million from the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy to cover the purchase as well as some design work and improvements to rail bridges. The nonprofit group gathered the money through private fundraising.

Most of the funds needed for the actual trail construction will come from a $1.5 million federal surface transportation grant. The only county funds needed will be a $375,000 local match for the grant.

"Anytime you can pull down $5 million by putting up $375,000, how do you walk away from that?" Wharton asked during a recent interview.

The full commission is expected to vote on the resolution March 30.

Efforts to reach CSX officials for comment late last week were unsuccessful.

The stretch from Farm Road to Avery, near the viaduct, encompasses a little more than half of the entire 13.34-mile corridor being abandoned by CSX, with the remainder extending east from Shelby Farms almost to Houston Levee Road. Local officials say they plan to begin negotiations toward the purchase of the other 6.3 miles once the first trail section is complete.

The rail corridor dates to at least 1916, but by the late-1990s it was used little. In 2003, CSX received federal authorization to discontinue service on the line.

City and county officials began their efforts to buy the corridor more than five years ago, but talks broke down as the railroad asked for as much as $17.8 million for the entire 13.34-mile stretch. A local group known as Greater Memphis Greenline was organized to promote the project.

Last year, CSX removed most of the rail and did some clearing along the corridor as the two sides came closer to agreement.

With the purchase, the western half of the corridor becomes part of the nationwide Rails-To-Trails program, which allows it to remain a contiguous property for use in recreation. Nationwide, there are about 15,000 miles of rails-to-trails projects, with an estimated 100 million users annually.

The initial seven-mile trail in Memphis will be particularly useful, proponents say, because it enhances the accessibility to Shelby Farms for Memphis residents. Officials with the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy say one of the most frequent complaints they hear concerns the inability of residents to ride bikes or walk to the 4,500-acre park from the west.

The trail represents a "seven-mile addition to Shelby Farms Park," said conservancy chairman Calvin Anderson. "It physically connects us with neighborhoods -- a goal we have had since inception."

With the resolution before the commission, the conservancy would be granted authority to operate, enhance and maintain the trail.

Conservancy executive director Rick Masson said that with the commission's approval of the resolution, construction of the paved trail should be completed well before the end of the year.

One key concern the conservancy says it is trying to address is security. Some residents living adjacent to the corridor have expressed fears that the trail might provide enhanced access not just to bikers and hikers but also to criminals.

Masson said conservancy officials have met with Memphis police officials and will meet with residents to discuss ways to maximize security. The trail won't be opened to the public, he said, until a security plan is in place.

"We're going to have a comprehensive security plan to allay any fears the community might have, and they will have input," Masson said.

Some residents welcome the trail. As she raked cut weeds and debris on a portion of the corridor behind her elderly mother's home just north of Mullins Station on Saturday, Jean Anderson said the project will represent a marked improvement.

"It'll be nice. It beats weeds and garbage," she said.

-- Tom Charlier: 529-2572

On the soon to be striped bike routes in Memphis...

There are a number of perks and drawbacks to the City's plan to create bike routes in the city, and I hope to explore some of those here.

First, before the routes were approved, I spoke with the city's engineering department about which streets would receive bicycle facilities. They explained that while nearly 7 routes were under consideration within the city limits (G-town, Collierville, Millington have their own engineers and route recommendations), they could not reveal the details of which routes were considered. I have enjoyed a fruitful relationship with the City Engineering department over the past few years, but I did not understand why they could not discuss with a member of Memphis' Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee proposed bike routes in Memphis. In advance of the meeting where they approved the routes, I sent a brief message to the engineers that contained this statement:

My concern as you all move into tomorrow's ETC meeting is that we will end up striping and signing 7 half-mile segments of roadways with no clear explanation of what is being connected by the routes. Put another way, as an individual involved in the creation Memphis Bike Plan and having served on the BPAC committee since its inception, I believe that the stimulus dollars would be best spent through the creation of a single route or a couple of routes which provide a connecting corridor between two population generators. While I understand the idea of striping one small piece of a much larger route with the intention of completing it in the future, as was the case with Shady Grove Rd., I think the best way to positively impact the Memphis community--both the community of bicyclists and the communities connected by a route--is to carefully chose one or two corridors that you can fully complete with these stimulus dollars.

After a public announcement, it looks like a half dozen or so half block bike lanes is what we will receive. Perhaps this was the right decision.

But while any bike facility in Memphis is seemingly a good bike facility, I think it is important to remember the fragile nature of our current position. Because we have only 1 bike lane way out east, support for bike facilities in the public mind is still pretty low. Thus, any bike facility we create should be a success.

What is a success?

• The Bike facility generates more ridership from different types of riders (e.g. not fixed gear dudes and spandex warriors)
  
• The facility scores PR points for its location and importance to a community
• Finally, the bike facility should become a tool to teach motorists how to drive more safely when near bicyclists.
  

Will the new lanes provide these critical victories? Lets deal with them by category:

Wide Outside Lane
The plans for bike facilities include a wide outside lane for Vollintine street between Ayers and Bellevue. According to the Memphis Bike Plan, a wide outside lane is defined as:

Wide Outside Lane
(A) Shoulder bike lane (which) typically attract(s) Type A and Type B bicyclists. A WOL is a rightmost vehicular travel lane that has at least a couple of extra feet in width and that is signed for use by bicyclists. The extra width that a WOL provides allows motorists to pass bicyclists without encroaching into the adjacent travel lane. Because WOLs are used by both motorists and bicyclists, they primarily attract Type A bicyclists and some of the more experienced Type B bicyclists.

Advantages:

• They separate the flows of vehicular traffic and bicycle traffic. This
separation is especially advantageous for streets with high speeds and/or high traffic volumes.

• They attract a variety of users.

• Often, they can easily be incorporated on roadways that have shoulders. Shoulders that are at least four feet wide only require signage to designate a shoulder bike lane. Wide Outside Lanes (WOLs)


Advantages:
• They provide additional width for bicyclists so that motorists do not
have to drive too closely to bicyclists or encroach into the adjacent
travel lane.

They increase the visibility between motorists and bicyclists because they require bicyclists to ride in the flow of vehicular traffic.

• WOLs can easily be designated by adding signage. This is especially
important for roadways that do not have enough width to accommo-
date bike lanes, but do have enough width to accommodate
WOLs.

******************************************************************************************

The wide outside lane is low hanging fruit, no doubt. But will it create a safer space for cycling? I think the easy answer is yes, for now, but it will by admission probably not prove attractive to people who do not already rides bikes.


The second group of routes are "Sign Shared Roadways," and Front St. from Union south to GE Patterson will receive this designation as will Perkins Extended from Walnut Grove to Poplar. The Memphis Bike Plan defines them as such:

Signed Shared Roadways (SSRs)
An SSR is a conventional roadway that is signed as a preferred route for bicy-
clists. SSRs are typically reserved for arterial or collector streets that have a
high demand for bicycle travel or that make important connections, but can-
not accommodate bike lanes or WOLs due to physical constraints. Because
SSRs do not provide any additional width for bicyclists, they tend to only
attract Type A bicyclists.

Advantages:
• They can be implemented at a low cost because they only require
signage.

• Because motorists and bicyclists must travel in the same lane, SSRs
increase the visibility between motorists and bicyclists.

• They provide a bicycle route on a roadway that makes an important
connection but cannot accommodate bike lanes or WOLs.

Disadvantages:
• They attract only the most experienced bicyclists.

• They do not provide additional width for motorists to pass bicyclists.

• They appeal to fewer users because they require bicyclists to ride
in the flow of vehicular traffic.

• They can create conflicts between bicyclists and vehicles that are
parked on the street. Bicyclists must be cautious of vehicle doors
that may be opened as they are passing a parked vehicle.
******************************************************************************************

Once again, the SSR is low-hanging fruit. It is not ideal to designate roadways as Sign Shared as it will not cater to the group of cyclists that want to ride but do not because they fear for their safety. While these roadways are a sign of progress for Memphis, will they create the victories mentioned earlier?

My point here is not to be a stickler for perfection. I do not want my thesis to me missed: Memphis, while behind most cities its size in terms of bike facilities, has an opportunity to do alot of things better than other cities. In our haste to create something, my point is that we should not settle for just anything. I'll leave it to you to decide whether the above routes are an anything.


Finally, the majority of the proposed routes are bike lanes. Peabody west from Diana to Bellevue will receive a bike lane; Waring north from Wells Station; Wells Station north from Waring to Watts; Norris st. from Mallory east to Norris Circle and Germantown Rd. from Kingsland south to the city limits.

This is what the Memphis Bike Plan says about bike lanes:

Bike Lanes
A bike lane is a travel lane on a roadway that is designated by signage and
pavement markings for the preferential or exclusive use of bicyclists. Bike
lanes are one-way facilities that are provided on both sides of the street in
order to carry bicyclists in the same direction of travel as motorists. They
are typically four feet wide, but can be as much as six feet wide, such as
when they are located adjacent to on-street parking. Bike lanes are primarily
preferred by Type A and Type B bicyclists. Typically, bike lanes will experi-
ence some limited use by Type C bicyclists.

Advantages:
• They separate vehicular traffic and bicycle traffic. This separation is
especially advantageous for streets with high speeds and/or high traffic
volumes.

• They increase the public’s awareness of bicycling through the use of
signage and pavement markings.

• They attract a variety of users.


Disadvantages:
• They create potential conflicts between motorists and bicyclists who
are turning left because bicyclists must cross the vehicular traffic
lanes in order to complete the turn.

• They create potential conflicts between bicyclists and motorists who
are turning right because motorists must cross the bike lane in order to
make the turn.

• They create conflicts between parked vehicles and bicyclists when
they are placed adjacent to on-street parking. Bicyclists may have
to navigate around parked vehicles that encroach into the bike lane.
Also, bicyclists must be cautious of vehicle doors that may be opened
as they are passing a parked vehicle. Therefore, when placed adja-
cent to on-street parking, bike lanes should be between five and six feet
wide.
******************************************************************************************

Bike lanes. Ah, that panacea, pie in the sky, distant solution to cycling woes has finally come to the river city. And what will our streets be like once they are striped and signed? My guess is that people will use these facilities. But it will be the same people who have been riding bikes in Memphis. The reason: the bike lanes do not connect anything.

People want to be able to go somewhere on their bicycle, even if just to the park to ride and recreate, and the current slate of bike lanes connects nothing. It is a point I have made in the past and a point I will continue to make. To increase the mode share of bicyclists, to decrease the vehicle miles traveled (VMTs) in Memphis, to create safe streets for bicycle commuting you must have corridors of connectivity. This is where our first round of bike lanes falls short.

I join you in hope and optimism as these facilities are an excellent stride in the right direction. It is an imperfect and flawed stride, however, and we should be careful to learn from these routes to improve future routes.

In Memphis, we have serious cyclists. We have casual cyclists. We have potential cyclists, and this is our strength. If we communicate with each of these groups, create working relationships with the public as the Office of Planning and Development (OPD) has done, we will begin to take the very best steps towards improving our city for bicycling.

Updated Map

Bike Lanes approved for Memphis

It looks like President Barack Obama's Stimulus package has trickled down to Memphis. The following routes have been approved for construction by the Memphis MPO.

Check out Wayfaring.com to see how the routes fit together on a map. First, locate Memphis. Then, search "Revolutions community bike shop." On the sidebar you will be able to locate "bike lanes," "sign shared roadways," etc.

It appears we're heading in the right direction.

Shelby County Government Projects

· CSX Rails to Trails – Avery Road to Farm Road – Construction Trail - $1.5 million

Town of Arlington

· Arlington Bike and Pedestrian Trail Phase I – Arlington Middle School to Arlington Elementary School – Construction of pedestrian and bike trails and appurtenances - $350,000

City of Bartlett

· US 70 – Broadway Avenue – Pedestrian Bridge Design - $50,000

· US 64 – Yale Road – Off Street Bike Design - $100,000

City of Germantown

· Wolf Rive Blvd – Kimbrough to Farmington – Green Belt Construction - $3.5 million

In addition to the projects above the MPO municipalities will be doing Re-Surfacing Projects and the following roadways will be either Striped, Marked, or Signed for Bicycle and Pedestrian.

Town of Arlington

· Airline Road – CSX to I-40 – Bike Lane

City of Bartlett

· Alturia Road – Summer to Yale – Yale to Constance a Bike Lane, Constance to Summer Signed Shared

· Bartlett Blvd – South City Limits to Memphis Arlington – Bike Lane

· Old Brownsville – Ellendale-Springtree and East of Rockyford-West of Gailyn Manor – Bike Lane

Town of Collierville

· Wolf River – Collierville Bible Church to Byhalia Rd – Bike Lane

· Houston Levee – Bailey Station to Winchester – Greenway

· Wolf River – Byhalia to Riding Brook Dr – Bike Lane

City of Germantown

· Farmington – Wolf River to Germantown – Wide outside lane Germantown to Exeter and Corbin to Wolf River

City of Memphis

· Perkins Extended – Walnut Grove to Poplar – Signed Shared Road Markings

· Vollintine – Ayers to Bellevue – Wide Outside Lane

· Peabody – Bellevue to Diana – Bike Lane

· Waring – Wells Station to Summer – Bike Lane

· Wells Station – Waring to Watts – Bike Lane

· Front – Union to EG Patterson – Signed Shared Road

· Norris – Mallory to Norris Circle – Bike Lane

· Germantown – Kingsland to City Limit South – Bike Lane

City of Millington

· Veterans Parkway – Raleigh-Millington to Navy – Bike Lane

· Veterans Parkway – North of Navy to US 51

If you have any questions about a specific project you may contract Tim Moreland, Memphis MPO Planner, at Tim.Moreland@shelbycountytn.gov or (901)379-7853.

My final days in DC

I'm sitting in a small, cozy cafe and bookstore in DC called the Potter's House, a subsidy/portion of DC's famous Church of the Savior, a very social justice oriented church that has a number of congregations that meet in homes throughout the city. I had never actually been to the Potter's House and I think it's quite nice. The book collection is superb and the tuna sandwhich wasn't bad at all!

I stopped into DC's City Bikes, voted the best shop in DC by readers of the weekly rag here. It was a neat shop--a well-behaved German Shepard chased a ball up and down the showroom, a mechanic who could have played guitar for ZZ Top built wheels, and bikes lined the place on two floors. I met the manager of the shop this past week, Jesse, a very nice guy who has started building his own bicycles frames here in DC.

The shop had a copy of the City Paper featuring a story about a lack of bicycle helmet use in DC. Its a fascinating story, and I'd love to know your thoughts. Check it out here.

Personally, I say put the helmet on. That way, you can get the issue off the table to focus on the creation of better bicycle facilities in urban areas. Call me old fashioned.

It Starts Today

Ladies and Gentlemen--

Today I begin my journey into the heart of the blogosphere. Henceforth, this site will be the forum for my thoughts on cycling in cities around the world. I also hope it becomes a forum for discussion, a place for debate and creative discourse on how cities like Memphis, TN can be transformed by human powered transportation.

In the words of Captain Spock, oft quoted by Professor Luther Ivory: "Live long and prosper!"