The Bike Parking Mess At Penn Center

Finding a place to park your bike at Penn Center next to Temple Center City Campus and the elevator down to Suburban Station is now down to finding a vacant spot on the railing... any railing.

My count is about 40 bikes located inside this photo, what you cannot see is a second crappy school rack crammed with bikes. The bikes wrap around the rest of the railing as well as the inverted U racks and signposts on the JFK Blvd sidewalk.


















Click on Image to Enlarge

Bike Station anyone? Do you recall this conceptual drawing at the old visitors center? The building is directly across the street from this plaza.

New SEPTA Rail Car Mockup At Suburban Station

TSEPTA General Manager Joseph Casey invites the public to get a glimpse of the new Silverliner V Regional Rail Cars. A full-scale mock-up version of the Silverliner V car will be on display at Suburban Station (Track O) on Thursday, October 2nd and the viewing event will commence with a special ceremony at 12:00 noon.

The mock-up of the Silverliner V car will remain on display at Suburban Station from October 2 through October 16 (weekdays only) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. to provide an extended opportunity for everyone to "steel" a peek into the future of SEPTA.










It's a great opportunity to take a look at the interior of the rail car, and we'll be able to look at how a bike will be accommodated on the train. The mock up does not have a bike tie-down in the wheelchair spaces installed although the 2005 Technical Specifications Document states on page 3-29:

3.5.8 BICYCLE TIE DOWN
Suitable provisions shall be made at the folding passenger seats to secure two bicycles in each car. A versatile clamp arrangement designed for a 4 g vertical and lateral load and an 8 g longitudinal load is desired. The feature shall not displace any passenger seats. Details of the design and construction shall be as proposed by the Industrial Designer and approved by the Engineer.

City Kicks Off Bicycle Pedestrian Plan Project

The City of Philadelphia finally got down to business today with the consultant Toole Design meeting with the steering committee for the new bicycle and pedestrian plan project.

Toole's principal planner Jennifer Toole and project manager Nick Jackson went over the timeline and public input opportunities for the plan followed a by a brief brainstorming session highlighting the top bicycle and pedestrian issues in the following neighborhoods; South Philadelphia, Center City, Lower North Philadelphia, Upper North Philadelphia, Germantown-Mt. Airy-Chestnut Hill and Roxborough Manayunk.

The plan is expected to be completed in early 2010 followed by adoption by City Council at some later date.

Photo of the Day - Bicycle Traffic on the Walnut St Bridge

BCGP Board Member Kyle Gradinger took this shot of a bicyclists outnumbering cars on the Walnut St Bridge this morning. During one 15 minute period nearly 100 bikes were counted.

We are just beginning our fall bike counts and results from the first few counts show a significant jump from 2006 when we did our last set of comprehensive bike counts. We'll post more info as we gather more data.

City to Shore Cyclist Struck By Hit and Run Drunk Driver

NBC 40 in Atlantic City reports that a cyclist on the MS City to Shore ride was struck by a hit and run drunk driver on the causeway between Somers Point and Ocean City/Longport on Saturday Afternoon. The cyclist was hospitalized with moderate injuries.

Another cyclist photographed the the license plate of the offending vehicle which was later found in Cape May County. The driver was charged with DWI and leaving the scene of the crash.


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New Philly Sustainability Magazine Focuses on Bicycling

The kickoff edition of Grid Magazine a startup sustainability publication for Philadelphia named their first issue the Bike Issue. In it is an article about bike share, an interview with Bicycle Attorney Stuart Leon and their own Center City/University Bike Map with pointers to get across town.

The first issue is a prototype which is only available as an online pdf or $2 for a printed copy. The Grid Magazine plans to hit the newsstands in February.

SPECIAL EVENT for East Coast Greenway in Philadelphia!

Next Monday the 29th, major East Coast Greenway (ECG) donors will be having dinner at the Day by Day restaurant on the corner of Sansom and 21st Streets in Center City Philadelphia. There will also be an after dinner AV presentation by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council on its "Close the Gaps" study on the ECG in PA. These donors are riding from Wilmington to NYC on sections of the ECG and we are encouraging PA Committee members to attend both the dinner and accompany them for all or part of their trip through our state (Marcus Hook to Morrisville).

Day by Day is an outstanding restaurant and catering service and they are opening the restaurant just for us Monday evening. If you would like to attend this special opportunity to meet ECG donors and the Rhode Island-based national staff of the East Coast Greenway Alliance please RSVP by emailing Dennis Winters by 6 p.m. this Saturday, September 27th. Dinner and the program is $40 per person. I hope to see you there!

Dennis R. Winters, National Trail Council & PA Committee Chair
East Coast Greenway Alliance

LAB Announces Bicycle Friendly Business Winners

The Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) program recognizes employers’ efforts to encourage a more bicycle friendly atmosphere for employees and customers. The program honors innovative bike-friendly efforts and provides technical assistance and information to help companies and organizations become even better for bicyclists. This new initiative complements the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) program, which has been recognizing cities and towns for their bicycle friendliness since 2003.

The Bicycle Friendly Business program welcomes applications from any business, corporation, organization, association, or nonprofit group with more than two employees. We encourage applications from large and small businesses with single or multiple locations. All of the business’s workplaces must be considered when completing the application.

Completed BFB applications must also include the approval signature of at least one of the business’s leaders.

BFB website has a quick quiz that helps determine if a business should apply by asking 5 questions.

Is your business bicycle friendly? Give yourself a 5 if your answer is yes, and
a 1 if your answer is no. If you score more than 6 points, apply!

Does your business have an action plan to help promote cycling?

Does your business offer incentives for employees to commute to work by bike?

Does your business work with local advocates to improve bicycling conditions for the community?

Does your business provide secure bike parking and showers?

Does your business have a bicycle team or club?

And the first round winners are:

Gold
Alta Planning + Design, Portland, Ore
Clif Bar & Company, Berkeley, Calif.
Landry's Bicycles, Boston, MA
Quality Bicycle Products, Bloomington, MN

Silver
Community Cycles, Boulder, Co
Ecology Action, Santa Cruz, Calif.
REI - Northbrook, Ill Store

Bronze
California Giant Berry Farms, Watsonville, CA
EasyStreet Online Services, Beaverton, OR
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, Roanoke, VA
Santa Cruz Seaside Company, Santa Cruz, CA
Urban AdvenTours, Boston, MA
Whatcom Council of Governments, Bellingham, WA

Honorable Mentions were given to:
Atlassian, San Francisco,Calif.
Beckmann's Bakery, Santa Cruz, Calif.
Geo. H. Wilson, Inc., Santa Cruz, Calif.
National Park Service, Midwest Regional Office, Omaha, NE
Sprinkle Consulting, Inc., Lutz, FL
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc., Watertown MA

Bike Coalition Talk At Essene Natural Foods Tonight

Here is a chance to talk to us directly At Essene Natural Foods:

The Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia gives a Presentation on Everything about Biking!

Wednesday, September 24, 7:00 p.m.

Bike for fun. Bike to work. Bike safety. Bike everywhere. A presentation from Philadelphia's foremost cycling advocates. Everything you need to know about how, when, where, and why biking is part of a healthy lifestyle.

719 South Fourth Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147
In the heart of historic Fabric Row

Sayonara Hay Creek Trail

What a difference a county line makes. You can physically see it at the Montgomery - Berks County line on the Schuylkill River Trail west of Pottstown. While the Montgomery County side is paved and well signed the Berks County side (known as the Thun Trail) is gravel and with a dearth of signage.

Berks County took another step back in trail development with its scrapping of the Hay Creek Trail. Which would run along an abandoned rail line from Birdsboro down to Geigertown. The County has already spent more than $600,000 on the project and will have to give $260,000 grant back to the state.



End of the pavement at the Berks County Line.

City Reduces Free Cars and Parking For City Employees

The Daily News reports that about 200 city employees who got free cars and parking will have to turn in their keys starting next month. In the article Assistant Managing Director (and former BCGP President) Jeffrey A. Friedman stated that the administration is adopting a new general standard for take-home-car privileges. They should be limited, he said, to officials who need to respond to off-hour emergencies about once a week.

Kudos to the City for walking the walk and we welcome the 200 new potential bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders.

Bike Sharing at National PARK(ing) Day A Big Success

Bike share usage at National PARK(ing) day indicates that interest in bike sharing in Philadelphia is high. The bike share demo was set up at two stations 34th and Walnut in University City and 16th and Locust in Center City.














The Bike Share Philadelphia's Bike Sharing Demo was co-sponsored the Fuji Bikes, PhillyCarShare and the Bicycle Coalition.

Gihon Jordan Memorial Service and Bike Ride

All are welcome to a memorial service for long time Bicycle Coalition activist and board member Gihon Jordan which will be held this Saturday, September 27th at the Germantown Friends Meeting 47 W Coulter St at 2:00 PM.

A memorial bicycle procession to the service will leave from two locations:
1 - Clark Park at the SE Corner of 45th and Chester at 12:30 PM
2 - At the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 1:00 PM

The two groups will meet up at the intersection of 33rd and Dauphin just east of the Strawberry Mansion Bridge.

Gihon's Memorial Bike Ride

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Gihon's Memorial Bike Ride Art Museum Option

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Pro Walk Pro Bike Plenary Sessions

Perils for Pedestrians host John Z. Wetmore filmed the three plenary sessions for ProWalk/ProBike in Seattle from September 3 to 5th.

The Wednesday opening session of the 2008 ProWalk/ProBike
pedestrian and bicycle conference in Seattle. The featured speakers are Peter Harkness, Editor of Governing Magazine, and Greg Nickels, Mayor of Seattle, Washington.

Opening Plenary Session on Google Video


The Wednesday luncheon of the 2008 ProWalk/ProBike pedestrian and bicycle conference in Seattle. The featured speakers are Dr. Tom Hansen, CEO of Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, and Ron Sims, King County Executive.

Wednesday Luncheon of Google Video


The Friday final plenary session of the 2008 ProWalk/ProBike
pedestrian and bicycle conference in Seattle. The featured speakers are Bill Wilkinson, The National Center For Bicycling and Walking, and Congressman James Oberstar, Chair of the
House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Closing Plenary Session on Google Video

Kudos to PENNDOT a Roundabout For Jenkintown

Former BCGP board member and bike map cartographer Steve Spindler offers some inspiration for all of us to get involved locally to improve bicycling and walking regionally. Steve worked with Jenkintown neighbors, local planning experts and PENNDOT to develop a bike and pedestrian friendly solution to the Greenwood Avenue bridge over the busy Jenkintown-Wyncote Train Station.

PennDOT's project management team responsible for rebuilding the Greenwood Avenue Bridge deserves recognition.

About Jenkintown:

In case you don't know about Jenkintown. Jenkintown Borough takes pride in being a safe and pleasant place to walk and bike. Speed humps have been installed on busier neighborhood streets. The business district has plans to install bike racks and the borough is redoing the streetscape, and SEPTA increased the number of bike racks at the train station at the Jenkintown Community Alliance's request. The Borough is engaged in the 611/263 Corridor Study. A Safe Routes to School proposal has been submitted. It's probably one of the few school districts in the United States where children can walk to school from Kindergarten through 12th grade. Jenkintown is the most frequently used SEPTA regional rail station outside of Zone 1 and is only a 20 minute ride from Center City Philadelphia. And it's an awesome place to live.

The challenge of rebuilding a bridge:

Greenwood Avenue Bridge in Cheltenham Twp borders Jenkintown and crosses over SEPTA tracks at Jenkintown-Wyncote Train Station. This spring, PennDOT consultants presented a plan to rebuild the bridge to the same width as the current bridge. Borough representatives pointed out that a bridge only gets built once every 75 years and that it needs to be designed with pedestrians and bicyclists in mind. This was the challenge.

Figuring out what's feasible:

Tom Branigan, Bob Thomas, Bill Ince and I met for lunch and walked around the site. Nobody knew what the solution would be, but Bob reflected on the Walnut Lane Bridge roundabout in Philadelphia (near the Wissahickon Park) and suggested that a roundabout would eliminate the need for a left turn lane. This would create space for bicycle lanes and a wider sidewalk.

I printed out an aerial photo from the internet and sketched roundabouts on it. We met with Mike Girman, of DMJM Harris, the following week and showed him the concept. Mike appreciated that we were not asking to widen the bridge, and he offered to have an outstanding roundabout specialist, Holly Rybinski, assess the feasibility.

The solution:

In August, DMJM Harris and PB invited us to see the roundabout plan they had developed. They wanted informal feedback before presenting it more formally to Jenkintown and Cheltenham.

This week, PennDOT presented the bike/ped friendly bridge design to both Cheltenham Township and Jenkintown Borough. Brian Teles, of PB, presented a draft design for the roundabout. It is actually an oval designed to reduce travel speeds to 15 mph.

The reaction:

Borough Council Members thanked PennDOT's team for listening and coming up a desirable solution. Council members and others at the meeting were really pleased.

The benefits:

Project can continue forward without revisiting environmental clearances.

Solution improves traffic flow.

Solution is bike/ped friendly.

Solution benefits SEPTA, which is building a 700 car parking structure adjacent to the bridge.

Solution reduces vehicle emissions.

Why I sent this:

I feel fortunate to have seen engineering and design at its best. I hope everyone involved will be proud of the outcome. Jenkintown is really going to benefit. I'm grateful for this.

Steve Spindler

Happy PARK(ing) Day

Borrow a bike share bike today take some time to explore the two dozen mini parks created in parking spaces today. National Parking Day has grown from a guerrilla action to a worldwide event, thanks to the support of the Trust for Public Land.


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The Bike Share spaces Bike Share Philadelphia with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Fuji Bicycles and F R E S Penn will operate two bike sharing stations for National Park(ing) Day in Philadelphia

1) 16th and Locust (south side of Locust at 16th) convenient to PATCO and the Walnut-Locust Subway Stop.

2) 34th and Walnut (north side of Walnut at 34th) convenient to UPENN and the 34th St Market Frankford El Stop.

A valid ID and Deposit are required to borrow the bicycles. One hour use maximum.

Fairmount Park Begins MLK Path Repairs

On Monday the Fairmount Park Commission Staff began repair work on the MLK Drive Path just south of Montgomery Drive. The roots of the old street trees along the green strip between the path and the road have caused the pavement to heave and has resulted in an umcomfortably bumpy ride, especially for those on road bikes.

It looks like crews are doing a few tree root systems at a time. As of Wednesday the first set of repairs are complete with more segments dug out. The park arborists are taking care to minimize the damage to the trees.

































Click on photos to enlarge

Another Attempt To Put A Wedge In "Bike Partisanship"

Conservative bloggers continue to scapegoat bicycles. This recent posting titled as "All You Need To Know" on the To the Point Blog.

Harley Girl















Schwinn Boy














Of course Barack Obama's riding a Trek and he is towing his children behind him but who's paying attention.

Well here's the good news, bikes are being mixed into the presidential campaign race, when is the last time that happened. 1896?

The League of American Bicyclists has now created a Rogues Gallery of public figures trash talking bikes. And the Denver Post has published the Freewheelin usage results for the Republican and Democratic Conventions. The verdict the Democrats took more bicycle trips but the Republicans clocked more miles per trip.

South Street Bridge Update

An email message was sent out late this afternoon by Jim Campbell and Marcia Wilkoff of the South Street Bridge Coalition. A compromise has been reached between the Coalition, the Streets Department and PennDOT.

These issues were included in the original bid documents:

Turning Radii at Schuylkill Expressway Ramps - Turning radii were reduced from earlier designs to 33/36/36/42-ft. corners which are the minimum that can be accomplished under Federal Highway Administration requirements.

Bicycle Safe Roadway Grates - Bicycle safe grates that have adequate inlet capacity will be used.

Translucent Barriers - Translucent proprietary “Quilite” panels will be installed at the electrified railroad crossings to increase natural lighting.

The City of Philadelphia is releasing an addendum to the bid package for the South Street Bridge Reconstruction Project. This addendum includes many of the changes that were agreed upon by the City of Philadelphia and the South Street Bridge Coalition:

Vehicle Lane Design – A four-lane traffic design will replace the five-lane design.

Crosswalk at Schuylkill River Park – An additional crosswalk with a pedestrian activated traffic signal will be added at the ramp and stair from the Bridge down to the Schuylkill River Park. The traffic signal will be portal mounted above the roadway. The curb ramps at this crosswalk will be widened to 6-ft. on both sides of the Bridge to allow multiple bicyclists to simultaneously cross and access the bicycle lanes.

Speed Limit – The posted speed limit for the entire Bridge and viaduct will be reduced to 25 MPH.

Bicycle Lanes – Bicycle lanes have been widened as a result of the reduction in the number of vehicle lanes.

Advanced Bicycle Stop Bars – Bicycle stop bars will be advanced to allow bicyclists to get ahead of motorists for greater visibility and safety.

Lighting – Pedestrian style lights will be installed. The majority of the bridge lighting will be sidewalk mounted at the curb. All light standards will include mounting brackets for future banner placement.

Signal Timings –Traffic signal timings have been optimized for pedestrian movements and safety.

Reflective Pavement Markers – Reflective pavement markers will be installed at the curve on the east side to improve roadway visibility.

Sidewalk Surface – The sidewalks will be scored and tinted to resemble grey slate pavers.

Roadway Surface – The roadway will be tinted to resemble asphalt.

Guiderail – Decorative vertical elements will be added to the sidewalk side so that the railing appearance is more pedestrian friendly.

In addition to the above agreed upon changes, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) has received funding from PennDOT to undertake a traffic study to determine how traffic is dispersed during the Bridge closure.

The South St Bridge Coalition is still talking with the Streets Department and will inform us of additional details and developments as the project progresses.


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First Responders Ride Commerce Bank Bike Philly

Temple's Bicycle EMS Unit on the job on a very hot day. Seriously can we get them summer uniforms? Thanks to all the First Responders who made sure that this year's ride was a safe one.















Photo Mike Szilagyi

Houston - Hurricane Ike meets a bike

Photo by Peter Wang

This scene may soon be a memory since oil prices are dropping like a rock. Meanwhile Congress will be assuming the role of oil/crack dealer with a vote on offshore drilling as early as tomorrow.

Commerce Bank Bike Philly 2008 a Success!

Bicycle Coalition staff are still recovering from yesterday's Commerce Bank Bike Philly event, but we hope that you had a good time if were one of the 3000 bicyclists who rode yesterday. We'll report soon on the highlights as soon as we catch up on our sleep.
In the meantime, read about Commerce Bank Bike Philly in today's Inquirer and listen for a story on WHYY.
Also, if you took any photos from the ride that you want to share, please join our Flickr Bike Philly 2008 group. It's very easy to share your photos if you upload them to your own Flickr account. Check out the photos even if you don't have an account!

Weather Looks Good for Commerce Bank Bike Philly

The weather report is looking great for Sunday -- a sunny day that won't get hot until after we are done riding. We've got you covered with cool drinks, food, mechanical support and NO CARS.

You can still register online today or register day of at the registration tent in Eakins Oval (across from the Art Museum) starting at 6:30 am. More information is at ridebikephilly.org.

Mayoral Press Conference at Commerce Bank Bike Philly Start

Mayor Nutter will be holding a press conference on Sunday morning at the Commerce Bank Bike Philly Start Point. The Mayor who will be riding the with his family is likely to announce the name of the newly appointed pedestrian and bicycle coordinator.

Bike Sharing Demo on National PARK(ing) Day

September 19th is National PARK(ing) Day a movement that began in San Francisco. National PARK(ing) Day is an opportunity to celebrate parks in cities and promote the need for more parks by creating temporary public parks in public parking spaces. It was concept created by San Francisco art collective Rebar in 2005 to re-imagine the potential of the metered parking space.

This year National PARK(ing) Day will kick off in full force in Philadelphia, the Bicycle Coalition team will be running a bike sharing demonstration project at two locations. 33rd and Spruce 34th and Walnut AND 16th and Locust. Details are sketchy but it will be likely be free the no charge and maximum rental period will probably be 1 hour.and that a credit card and ID will be required to hire the bikes. You can drop off your bike at either station.

For more information about other PARK(ing) Day activities go to
http://blog.parkingdayphilly.com/ and the Trust for Public Land website.















Photo: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid

Free Early Bird Parking For Bike Philly

The Fairmount Park Commission has made available the free parking lot behind the Art Museum on Waterworks Drive off of Kelly Drive adjacent to Boathouse Row for Bike Philly participants. There are only about 200 spaces so expect this lot to close before 7AM.


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Camden Trails Planning In Today's Inquirer

Biking, walking trails planned for Camden

By Paul Nussbaum

Inquirer Staff Writer

Local planners and government officials yesterday launched an ambitious plan to create about 25 miles of biking and walking trails in Camden. The six trails are envisioned to be part of an eventual network in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties that would use old railbeds, existing rail corridors and local roads. The Camden County trails would run along the Delaware and Cooper Rivers and to Philadelphia via the existing sidewalk on the Ben Franklin Bridge. There would be a path looping downtown Camden and a path from the Cramer Hill section of Camden to the existing Merchantville bike path...


Read the Full Article Here

SEPTA Bike Trains For Bike Philly

SEPTA Regional Rail will operate trains with extra capacity for bicycles on Sunday Morning on the R5 Malvern Paoli Line and the R3 West Trenton Line. All other Regional Rail Lines will continue to allow 5 bicycles per train as long there is sufficient space available.

From Philadelphia Bicycle News

The R5 Train will depart Malvern at 6:30 AM and make all local stops to 30th Street Station including Paoli at 6:34, Wayne at 6:44, Bryn Mawr at 6:54 and Narberth at 7:01. Arrival time at 30th St Station is 7:15

The R3 Train will depart West Trenton at 5:58 AM and make all local stops to 30th St Station including Yardley at 6:01, Langhorne at 6:09, Somerton at 6:16, Jenkintown at 6:31 and Melrose Park which has a high (door level) platform at 6:35. Arrival time at 30th Street Station is 7:04 AM.

Once at 30th Street Station you should exit at the 29th Street entrance and use the crosswalks to get to the south sidewalk of the Market St Bridge (the bridge with the eagle sculptures) and proceed across the bridge to the ramps down to the Schuylkill River Trail. When you get to the bottom of the ramp turn right on the trail to get to the Art Museum start point of the ride.

LAB Announces Bicycle Friendly States

As a companion to the Bicycle Friendly Community Program the League of American Bicyclists announced their rankings on Bicycle Friendly States which focuses on policies, laws, funding and implementation on the state level.

Surprisingly New Jersey ranked 9th while more predictably Delaware and Pennsylvania ranked 31st and 38th respectively. New Jersey was given praise for it's dedicated bike funding (albeit a paltry $4 million), a statewide mountain bike plan, a hands free cell phone law and an exemplary Safe Routes to Schools program.

Also at the Bike Summit League Executive Director Andy Clarke announced that Seattle made it's debut on the Bicycle Friendly Community with a Gold rating.














Looking at the pathway on the floating I-90 Pontoon Bridge on Lake Washington between Seattle and Mercer Island, WA.

In Street Bike Parking

When we get back to Philadelphia next week I will be posting a lot about Pro Walk Pro Bike and the Thunderhead Alliance Retreat. But for now a couple of photos.

In Street Bike Parking

thunderhead
Originally uploaded by Bikes on Transit

Bike Parade For Gihon Jordan on September 27th

A memorial meeting for worship will be held for Gihon Jordan at 2:30 PM on Saturday September 27th, at Germantown Friends Meeting, 47 West Coulter Street, Philadelphia, PA 19144.

A reception will be held afterwards in the friends meeting reception room. There will also be a bike parade to the meeting house for all who would like to join. At 12:30 the ride will start from Clark Park, which is on Chester Avenue between 43rd and 45th Streets.

The exact route is still to be determined - it will be posted later so that people can join in along the way.