Path Update
Perkiomen Trail opened up a new section between 9th Ave Collegeville and Hollywood Drive near Graterford Prison. There are two new parking areas for the trail, one at Hollywood Drive and another on PA 29 at the Pennsylvania Live Steamers Model RR facility.

The Delaware Canal is being graded and resurfaced with a fine red stone dust in what is aguably the most useful section of the towpath between Home Depot in Levittown and the Ramada Inn at the PA Turnpike Overpass. A small section between Levittown Parkway and US 13 near the Levittown Station is complete. A third section in Bristol is being graded, to get from the Ramada Inn to the Bristol Section you must cross US 13 at Green Lane. This dangerous crossing was the scene last night of a fatal car/ped crash that killed an 8y.o. boy trying to cross the street there.

The Schuylkill River Trail in Center City continues to make progress. Crews are now working on a long ramp that will provide access to Market St. The ramp which is ADA accessible stretches almost to Chestnut St.

TECHNIQUES FOR WALKABLE, BIKEABLE COMMUNITIES - APR 29
Date: 23 Apr 2003
From: "ANJEC" {info@anjec.org}

BEST FOOT FORWARD: TECHNIQUES FOR WALKABLE, BIKEABLE COMMUNITIES

Tuesday April 29
5:30 - 9:00 pm
Voorhees Twp. Municipal Building, Voorhees

Come to ANJEC's Bike/Pedestrian workshop to learn more about how you
can be an advocate for bicycle and pedestrian access in your
community. Presentations by a panel of experts and local bike/ped
advocates will be followed by an informal discussion. This workshop is
designed to provide and opportunity to share ideas, make contacts, and
work on achieving the "critical mass" needed to make NJ the most
walkable, bikeable state in the nation.

The cost of this workshop is $5 ANJEC members, $10 non-members and if
your environmental commission participates in ANJEC's workshop plan
there is no fee. To register, for directions, or other information
please email: info@anjec.org or call (973) 539-7547.

* * *

Association of NJ Environmental Commissions (ANJEC)
300 Mendham Rd
Mendham NJ 07945
Tel: 973-539-7547, 609-737-7263
Fax: 973-539-7713
Email: info@anjec.org
Web: http://www.anjec.org/html/workshops.htm


Top

Another reason to promote cycling as a healthy physical activity. Obesity the result of high caloric intake and a sedentary lifestyle causes up to 90,000 cancer deaths a year.

Bike on Bus Blitz

Bike to work day is Friday May 16, at 12pm at Dilworth Plaza (NW corner of City Hall). At 10am we will be at 69th St. Terminal for a SEPTA bike on bus blitz. We will be trying to fill the bike racks with volunteers and hopefully attract the press. Please send us an email if you would to help out.

We need riders on the inbound Routes 103, 107, and Routes 122. We'll splurge for the tokens, and afterward you can take the EL directly to the bike to work festivities.

Ben Franklin Bridge Walkway Information:
The north walkway will be closed and the south walkway will be opened beginning Thursday, April 17 thru Wednesday, April 23.

Another Perkiomen Trail opening extravaganza
While other regional trails can't seem to get off the ground Montgomery County continues to push the Perkiomen Trail north. Saturday April 26 9am at the Hollywood Way Trailhead on Perkiomen Creek Road just north of Graterford Prison. Only 4 miles remain between the north and South segments of the trail. The last segment will be joined by two bridges scheduled to be constructed in October but we have been seeing signs that this may be delayed, stay tuned.

Doing a double take-

I could not believe it. For the first time in the 25 months that SEPTA has been installing bike racks on buses, I actually saw one carrying a bike. A north bound 57 bus was sporting a boneshaker on its front heading north on 3rd St at Market around 2pm Saturday.

Next week the Bicycle Coalition will be announcing a bike on bus blitz media event. Volunteers ridng SEPTA will be loading their bikes onto and off buses at 69th St. Terminal to raise awareness of the program for both SEPTA and the public. SEPTA currently has 10 routes that are supposed to be Bike Accessible (24, 28, 35, 77, 103, 107, 115, 116, 122, 305). However on some routes people in charge of assigning buses have not adhered to this policy, this seems to be especially a problem on the 77 which runs between Chestnut Hill, Jenkintown and Northeast Philadelphia.

All are welcome to help us "stuff the racks" which will occur around 10am on a weekday morning. If you can't please support the bike on bus program by using the racks on the above routes whenever you can.

Latest Issue of Centerlines is available here

Conserve by Bike Amendment Update

You will be pleased to know that the Conserve by Bike amendment to H.R. 6, the House Energy Policy Act,
passed by unanimous consent around 10:30 on Thursday. The House passed H.R.6 Friday afternoon. The Senate is still working on its version and Senators Durbin and Collins will once again attempt to have Conserve by Bike added to it. Once the Senate passes its version, the two Houses will meet to work out differences. If Conserve by Bike makes it into both bills, we should be set! I'll keep you posted.

As we enter into the debate on TEA-21 reauthorization, we may only have 1-2
hours notice on many issues, so please know that time is of the essence and
it is critically important to act fast should you receive an action alert.
We will try to keep them to a minimum. Our collective voices will make a
difference!

Thanks for your understanding, your help, and your support.

Melé Williams
Director of Government Relations
League of American Bicyclists
1612 K Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20006

Rail Trail Foot Dragging
The Press of Atlantic City reports that once again that Lacey Township (Ocean County, NJ) officials are finding excuses to delay the Central NJ Rail Trail - a 14 mile paved path that will run between South Toms River and Barnegat. The Township Planning Board has asked for a moratorium on negotiations to acquire the right of way to (get this) complete a traffic study as part of the larger review of the township master plan. This community on the eastern edge of the Pine Barrens is already overrun with sprawl. Apparently township officials feel that building a road for cars to go through the township is much more important than creating a destination that people would want to go to.

Bike Map now on Bicycle Coalition's website
We have also added the Third Wheel the official newsletter of the BEEP program.

CALLING ALL ARTIST: Neighborhood Bike Works' Arts Auction

Bike Parts Art Raid: Raid our HUGH collection of OLD BIKES and BIKE
PARTS and make ART. We have all shapes and sizes of bicycle materials
for art use only.

Your piece will be auctioned to support NBW* and to make you famous.

All Art will be displayed during the first week of June and auctioned by
the very tall Todd Kimmel on First Union's Bike Race Weekend.

Raid Dates and times

1) 9:30am-2pm, Saturday 12th

2) 6:30pm-9pm, Tuesdays ( April 15th) and Thursdays ( April 17th)

Location:
3916 Locust Walk in the BASEMENT of the PARISH BUILDING of ST. Mary's
Church. For directions or parking arrangements call 215-386-0316. Signs
will be posted directing people to office.

Raid Requirements

Bring a non-refundable copy of one piece of your art to register for
Raid, Show and Auction.


* Neighborhood Bike Works [NBW] is a non-profit youth development
program in West Philadelphia where kids earn bicycles through
participation in & completion of NBW programs of Bike safety, repair,
and maintenance.

TAKE PARTS, MAKE ARTS SUPPORT WEST PHILADELPHIA YOUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!
*******************************************************************


Please come out and support the first annual Major Taylor Cycling
Challenge benefiting Neighborhood Bike Works. The are different races
for all ages and levels. We need volunteers as well as youth to
participate and help out with this event. To volunteer or for more
information about Neighborhood Bike Works, please contact us via the
information listed at the end of the email. Here's the scoop...


For the serious cyclist: The Diamond Circuit Race

US Cycling Federation sanctioned event for elite level amateur bike
racers. Come out and enjoy a Flat, smooth, 2-mile lap with sweeping
turns. ( Categories for beginner, intermediate, and advanced men,
women's open class, and juniors.)

For children age 8-17 years old: Bike Races for Boys and Girls

All participating youth must wear a helmet and have a permission form
signed by an accompanying parent or guardian.

General Information:

The Major Taylor Cycling Challenge will be held Saturday, April 12 @
Strawberry Mansion Park ( 33rd and Diamond Streets)

The Diamond Circuit Race is from 6am -1pm. Registration begins at 6am
and closes 15 minutes prior to each race. For more Information, contact
Corey Hillard, (215) 225-7757 or epicryde@netaxs.com

The Bike Races for Boys and Girls begins for ages:
8-10 years- 1pm
11-14 years - 1:30pm
15-17 years- 2pm

In addition, a Free Bike Safety Checks by NBW from 10am-2pm.


Don't Miss the Fun and Races!!!!

10 WORST CITIES FOR BICYCLE THEFT
Kryptonite’s Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft*
1. New York, NY
2. Chicago, IL
3. Miami, FL
4. San Francisco, CA
5. Washington, DC
6. Boston (includes Cambridge, Allston, Somerville)
7. Austin, TX
8. Philadelphia, PA
9. Minneapolis, MN
10. Honolulu, HI


The latest FBI Uniform Crime Report (2000) shows that the average price of the bicycles stolen is $276. With more than 313,469 bicycles reported stolen in 2000, consumers lost well over $86 million to thieves.

source: Kryptonite Press Release June 2002

Ben Franklin Bridge Walkway Information

Due to the repainting project, the south walkway will remain closed and the north walkway will be opened thru Sunday April 13th.

Walkway hours are 6:00 am - 7:00 pm daily.
For additional information, call My Linh Nguyen at 856-968-2228

Better Late than Never
An AP article about the Bicycle Commuter Act (HR 1052) sponsored by Congressman and bike commuter Earl Blumenaur (D-OR) appeared in the Sunday Inquirer a full 8 days after it ran in other papers nationwide including the Wilmington New Journal. The act would extend the transportation fringe benefit in the tax code to bicycle commuters. Currently the bill has one local sponsor Rep. Rush Holt from NJ. Contact your local congressional representative and ask them to cosponsor HR 1052

Interactive Online Bike Map is now available. The print option allows you to print out the map segments in conveniently on 8 1/2 X 11" Paper.
Web address www.bikemap.com/coalition. The map will soon be available on the BCGP website.

Woodhaven Road opponents ready to Shock and Awe PENNDOT
From the Ambler Gazette - Nearly 1,400 opponents of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's plan to extend Woodhaven Road and widen other area thoroughfares squeezed into the Lower Moreland High School auditorium March 27 to get an update from four groups organized in opposition of the project.

Portions of the Pennypack Trail are being repaved (finally!). As of this evening the segment from Bustleton Ave to the Tabor Ave branch has been paved. They seem to have widened the trail slightly and they are also doing some soil stabilzation work. It looks like they are paving from east to west.

Bike Maps now in South Jersey
Maps have been delivered to shops in Gloucester County. Maps are also now available at the Independence Visitor's Center.

SEPTA Proposes major service cuts
Due to a shortfall generated by an inexperienced governor and a partisaned state legislature SEPTA has proposed major service cuts effective in October 2003.

Proposed SEPTA service cuts

-- Reduce transit service

--Operate Sunday service levels on Saturday (CTD)
--Operate Bus on trackless trolley routes
--Reduce midday MFSE and BSS

-- City Transit Division
--discontinue service on bus Routes 19, 35, 47M, 77, 121 and Broad-
Ridge Spur
--route segment discontinuance on bus Routes C, 3, 24, 27, 31 67 and
88
--route consolidation on bus Routes 63 and 64

-- Suburban Transit Division Victory District
--discontinue service on bus Routes 116 and 123
--route consolidation on bus Routes 117 and 119
--increase midday headways on Media and Sharon Hill trolley lines
--increase headways on bus Routes 108 and 109
--service reductions on bus Routes 112, 113, 115, 118 and 120

-- Suburban Transit Division Frontier District
--discontinue service on bus Routes 92, 128 and 133
--route segment discontinuance on bus Route 97
--service frequency reductions with no service after 6 p.m. on
weekdays and Saturdays on bus Routes 93, 94, 127 and 130
--service reductions with no Saturday service on bus Route 206

-- Regional Rail Service
--discontinue service on R6 Cynwyd, R1 Airport, R2 Warminster and R8
Chestnut Hill West
--close 9 stations--Lamokin, Angora, Eddystone, Rydal, Delaware
Valley College, Linkbelt, Eddington, Wister and Wissinoming
--service reductions--no weekend R5 service beyond Lansdale
--no weekend service on R8 Fox Chase

-- Total Savings -- $25 million
--CTD - $14.5 M
--STD\Victory District - $1.7 M
--STD\Frontier District - $1.1 M
--RRD - $7.7M

REDUCE EXPENSES

-- Cut Material and Services
-- Labor
-- Exposure to budget overruns due to unforeseen circumstances
-- Reduce expenses $15 Million

RAISE FARES

-- Average fare increase of 5.5%
--Tokens by 10 cents
--Transfers by 10 cents
-Passes-
-- CTD Weekly increase 75 cents
-- CTD Monthly increase $3.00
-- RRD Zone 3 Weekly increase $2.50
-- RRD Zone 3 Monthly increase $7.50
-- Parking fees $0.50 to $1.
-- Revenue Increases $15 million
-- Ridership declines 1.5%

Schedule

-- Release budget outlook to public - week of March 31, 2003
-- Distribute budget - week of April 6
-- Public Hearings - May 5-12
-- Board Approval - June 26

Insensitive quote of the week
"SEPTA will be crying 'poor me,' but those cuts are here to stay," said Eric Bugaile, director of the Republican-controlled state House Transportation Commitee."
I guess stranded SEPTA riders are just collateral damage.

Bike Map deliveries were made to about 20 bike shops yesterday including Doylestown, Buckingham, New Hope, Newtown, Langhorne, Bristol, Harleysville, Souderton, Willow Grove and Levittown.