Philadelphia Cycling Committee April Meeting Notes

BCGP Philadelphia Cycling Committee
April 15, 2008


Russell Meddin called the meeting to order at 6:47

Bike Parking Project: Stuart distributed a spreadsheet with the parking data she has acquired to date. Stuart said the information that was being gathered would be used to support attempts in City Council to require bicycle parking in new residential and commercial developments and structured parking facilities.

Boyle said that he and Stuart talked to Darren Gatti and Dave Perri for two parking spaces with bike racks during Bike Week, May 12th – 16th. The spaces will be at 40th & Walnut and sixteen hundred block of Chestnut.

Bike Week Plans: Boyle said the Ben Franklin Bridge walkway will be open to 8 p.m. Bike Film Night at International House on Wednesday May 14th; Bike to the Phillies game on Thursday May 15th with NBW parking bikes.

South Street Bridge Update: Gradinger reported on the latest status of the bridge reconstruction. Secretary Cutler has said the project will not be delayed but may be willing to make some of the functional changes being promoted by the SSB Coalition. He also said that bicycles and pedestrians make up about twenty percent of peak hour traffic and that is comparable to similar travel in the Netherlands.

Jim Campbell said the Council and the Mayor have received over 500 letters supporting the Coalition’s position.

Fairmount Park Construction Updates: Boyle said that the sidewalk between the Falls Bridge and the Wissahickon Bridge will be widened to eight feet. He also said the un-signalized crosswalk at the Art Museum would be painted this summer.

Philadelphia Bike Map Wiki: Boyle presented a PowerPoint presentation on a Google map he has created that cyclists can identify hazards and other information important to cyclists. He said that currently the map was available to everyone, but if it is hacked or otherwise abused, he will see that it is secured and password protected.

April 17th Sustainability Fair: 30th Street Station, a Sustainability Fair all day and an evening lecture from 6:30 – 8 p.m. at the Academy of Natural Sciences.

2008 Bike Counts: Boyle said the Coalition would be hiring someone this year to do bike counts. However, this spring he said volunteers would be needed to complete four years of counts. South Street Bridge would be the priority for this week or next.

He wanted all counts on bridges to be completed by May 12th.

Bike Share Hearings: Meddin reported that hearings would be held on April 30th at 2 p.m. Alex Doty, Russell Meddin, Rina Cutler, Brittany Bonay, Donald Schwartz, Mark Madden, Martin McDonough (Dayco), and possibly someone from Clear Channel.

Bike Bus Taxi Conflicts: No Report

Rally for Parks Funding: Noon on Dilworth Plaza at City Hall. The rally will be in support of the Mayor’s $3MM increase in Fairmount Park funding.

Bicycle Ambassador Program update: Stuart reported that the Bicycle Ambassador Program contract was about to be completed and that Alex Doty was interested in any literature that could be used to distribute to cyclists and motorists in the course of their duties.

Old and New Business:

Ride of Silence, May 21st, 6:45 p.m. Art Museum steps.

Meeting adjourned at 8:09 p.m.

Next Meeting May 20th 6:30PM Whole Foods Fairmount, 20th and Callowhill St