Bicycle Coalition Offers Free Air and Advice on Spruce St

The Bicycle Coalition rolled out its pilot "service station" at 16th and Spruce during Wednesday's evening commute. The station staff offered free air, safety tips and up to the minute information about the new bike lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets. More than 50 cyclists stopped by and gave us their opinions about the new facilities. They left with an I BIKE PHL sticker as well the guide to biking in Philadelphia. The pilot was an overwhelming success, so look for more BCGP service stations in the future.

The bike service station is a concept introduced by the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition who have used itto improve their outreach to the local bicycle community. (Photos on Flickr) They shared their knowledge during a recent membership conference held by the Alliance For Biking And Walking a national organization composed of bicycle and pedestrian advocacy groups.

Opportunity to Participate in the Annual Bike Coalition Bicycle Count

It's time for the Annual Fall BCGP Bicycle Count!
We need volunteers to count bicyclists at several key intersections and bridges over the next two weeks. These counts are very important benchmarks for determining the level of bicycling and bicycle behavior in Philadelphia. The Bicycle Coalition has conducted counts since 1990 and data from these counts were used to prepare the report we released last year called Double Dutch, which found that bicycling had doubled between 2005 and 2008.

The counts are 1.5 hours from 7:30-9:00 am or 4:30-6pm. We have a table of available locations and hours here .

If you are willing to sign up for an available slot, take a look at the table and send an email to max@bicyclecoalition.org with your choices of location(s) and time slot(s).

Things to know
We ask that you select a site and tell Max approximately which day you will do the count.
Max sends you directions and a form for you to fill out for counting bicyclists.
DO NOT count if it is raining. Go another day when it is not raining.
Fax or email the form back to Max.

If you have any questions, contact Max at max@bicyclecoalition.org or 215-242-9253 x8

Video - Passing In Bike Lanes

This video focuses on passing fellow cyclists (all too common now in some parts of town) and shows some good technique not just for passing but for any reason that you have to leave the bike lane.



The video was produced by former Philadelphia resident Steve Bozzone for the Intersection 911 project. Steve moved his Bozz Media company to Portland OR (where the video was filmed), perhaps another tiny example of the brain drain that we are still struggling here with in Philadelphia.

A First Look At The Delaware Waterfront Trail

The Delaware Waterfront Trail is nearly complete. The interim trail was constructed in two phases

• Striping and minor widening of the waterside sidewalk on Columbus Blvd from Chart House to Washington Ave
• A path on an independent right of way from Washington Ave to the Waterfront Square big box shopping center.

The trail offers some new views of the South Philadelphia waterfront including Philadelphia Fire Department Marine unit vessels, views of the South Camden waterfront and an open view of Center City through a post industrial meadow on the Foxwoods Casino site.

Philly's First Electric Assist Bike Shop Opening In Mt. Airy

Philly Electric Wheels, the first store in the region to sell and service electric assist bicycles exclusively opens Oct. 1 in Mt. Airy neighborhood. The store is located in the Green on Greene building at 550 Carpenter Lane at Greene St across from Weavers Way Co-op and a few blocks from SEPTA's Carpenter R8 Regional Rail station.

The store is holding a launch party and offering test rides on October 15th from 2-7PM, for more information go to www.phillyew.com


View Larger Map

Photo of the Day - Rainbow over Camden

Rainbow view last night from the Ben Franklin Bridge. PATCO riders and car passengers got a glimpse, but on a bicycle you can stop and really take it in.

Sunny In Philly Assaults Cyclist

I was very disappointed to see that one of my favorite TV shows "Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia" made a mockery of assaulting a bicyclist with a beer bottle at 16th and Moyamensing.



Not sure why the quality is so bad here, but if you want a better view try this link.

I get it, the whole basis of the show is that they are total a-holes without any redeeming qualities, but for sure there are a few FX viewers out there saying - "Yeah nail him!" and that to me is disturbing.

Northwest Philadelphia SRT Bicycle Counts & Survey

The Schuylkill Project, with support and advice from the Bicycle Coalition, conducted a bicycle count and survey last week along the Schuylkill River Trail in three locations (Shawmont, Wissahickon Transportation Center, East Falls Bridge). Bicyclists were counted at each of the three locations, and asked at the Shawmont and East Falls spots to indicate to counters if they were commuting or recreating. The Bicycle Coalition will incorporate these counts into its fall count project and report that we intend to issue at the end of the year.

This photo shows volunteer Sandra Radich working the sidewalk. (Russell Meddin takes credit for coming up with the clever burma shave messages asking cyclists to indicate if they were commuting or recreating.)

Some bicyclists also stopped to take a survey that the Schuylkill Project (with help from Chris Kingsley) developed to gage use and user preferences about the SRT. If you use the SRT, please take the survey yourself if you haven't already!

S-P Bike Lanes May Be Blocked For Yom Kippur Services

Yom Kippur falls on September 27th-28th. As part of the agreement with neighborhood associations and religious institutions parking is allowed in the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine St during religious services. Synagogues are located on the 400 and 1800 blocks of Spruce St. and the 500 block of Pine St.

PENNDOT Press Release - Chester Valley Trail Construction Begins on Monday

From the Greater Valley Forge TMA Website:

CONSTRUCTION STARTING ON $3.2 MILLION ECONOMIC RECOVERY PROJECT TO BUILD CHESTER VALLEY TRAIL

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that construction is scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 28, on a $3.2 million economic recovery project to build the first phase of the Chester Valley Trail in East Whiteland Township, Chester County.
Crews will work over the next 11 months to build the initial phase of the Chester Valley Trail from approximately Church Farm Road to Route 29. The project is financed will federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

As part of the project, two miles of abandoned rail line will be converted into a 12-foot wide paved trail with 1.5-foot wide graded shoulders on each side. The project also includes building three precast culverts and a steel truss pedestrian bridge.

C. Abbonizio Contractors, Inc. of Sewell, N.J. is the general contractor on the $3,261,542 contract. The project is expected to finish by Aug. 20, 2010.

Within the five-county Philadelphia region, PennDOT is investing $255 million of federal economic recovery funds on 29 transportation projects, which include road and bridge improvements, Intelligent Transportation System installations, traffic signal upgrades, multi-use trail construction and curb ramp replacements.

PennDOT has awarded 21 transportation economic recovery projects in the region.
To learn more about how the federal economic recovery program will benefit Pennsylvania, visit www.recovery.pa.gov.

Ben Franklin Bridge Walkway Late Opening on Sunday

The Ben Franklin Bridge walkway will open late at 12 noon on Sunday, September 27 due to charity event. Alternate routes are the PATCO High Speed Line, NJ Transit Buses and the RiverLINK Ferry. Those traveling long distance from Burlington County can use the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge walkway.

The walkway is closed for the Hope To Cure Walk however the event is only from 10AM to 12 Noon.

We have to again how the Delaware River Port Authority justifies keeping the bridge closed before the event (6AM - 9:30AM).

Biketoberfest is Coming!

The second annual Biketoberfest will take place on October 18th at the Dock St Brewery in West Philadelphia and is a celebration of the things we love - bicycles, beer, bands and brats. Biktoberfest is a fundraiser for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.



Tickets are only $8 in advance/$10 at the door. For details go to http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/events/biketoberfest

Nutter's Bike Ride on 6ABC

With great bike lanes there must also come -- great responsibility

As the press coverage over the past few days has reaffirmed, there are strong opinions out there about bicyclists. We know that all road users need to take responsibility for their own actions. We can do our part by obeying the rules of the road. The National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration and the League of American Bicyclists produced this video that provides bicycling safety tips.



And while our Bicycle Ambassadors season has ended, they have left behind some valuable publications to download for bicyclists and motorists on their website. In fact, the Bicycle Coalition has started our new bikePHL education blog to keep up the bicycle education work of encouraging all cyclists to ride safely and more often.

And if you haven't already please take the I Bike PHL pledge. When I stop for a red light on Spruce St. in the morning I have learned to hug the cub as there may be a platoon of bicyclists behind me who will blow right past me through the light. As former Portland resident (BCGP Education Director) Breen Goodwin has often said "Bicyclists in Portland stop at red lights". We too should prove that to be above the fray and put the onus of responsibility on the scofflaw motorists.

BCGP Wins City Paper Choice Award and Inflated Ego

And the winner is... The Bicycle Coalition for the City Paper's 2009 Choice Award for Planning and Design. I am at a loss of words. I would like to thank our Co-Stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio. Oh sorry, after receiving our recent award from Philadelphia Magazine you would think we would nail this acceptance speech thing down. I really should just say- Thank You City Paper.


After 37 years of working for a better city and region in relative obscurity it's nice to receive some recognition for our work. I should also mention that we are among a very impressive list of runner ups-Piazza at Schmidts Bart Blatstein, Design Philadelphia, Plan Philly and Center City District CEO Paul Levy.

As a volunteer and employee for 15 years at the BCGP, I can say that our current staff is the best team we have ever assembled, furthermore we now have a sympathetic City government that is challenging not only this city's parochialism but the region's as well. Most importantly though we have to thank our members and everyone out there bicycling- a mode of transportation that is part of the solution in a battery of current issues -climate change, congestion, fuel prices, obesity and livable communities. The stars are aligned and if we don't make progress now, when will we ever?

Philadelphia and surrounding counties collaborate on $36M grant proposal to fund multi-use trail network

Grant would connect Schuylkill River Trail, East Coast Greenway & Camden GreenWay
















For the first time ever, Pennsylvania and New Jersey are poised to create a regional network of bicycle and pedestrian trails. In an unprecedented collaboration, six different counties and agencies in eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey submitted a joint proposal to build 17 different trail segments to the U.S. Department of Transportation. On September 15th, the City of Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, Schuylkill, Camden counties and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources applied for $36 million of U.S. DOT Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary grant funds to add 16.3 miles of trails and bridge crossings to the “spines” of the region’s network: The Schuylkill River Trail and the East Coast Greenway along the Delaware River.

The proposal, called Generating Recovery by Enhancing Active Transportation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey (GREAT-PA/NJ), would significantly complete an integrated, multi-county bicycle pedestrian network for the region. By filling in 17 critical gaps along the Schuylkill River Trail and the East Coast Greenway, it would help connect over 128 miles of bicycle trails in the region, providing more active transportation options and more multi-modal connections for the region’s 6 million residents.

“We are thrilled that after years of planning and public outreach but little construction, this grant program offers the Greater Philadelphia region an opportunity to finally build new trails so it can transform itself into a more connected, economically competitive and sustainable community,” said Spencer Finch, Director of Sustainable Communities at the Pennsylvania Environmental Council.

The public benefits of filling out this network include the creation of 1,400 jobs, the connection of residential neighborhoods to commercial corridors and places of work, the connection of residents to transit stops, economic development, enhancement of underserved neighborhoods access to green space and alternative modes of transportation, and improvements in public health. It will enhance the sustainability of the region by increasing the number of those who are able to (and enjoy!) walking and biking instead of driving for short trips, thus reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution.

“If this application wins approval, the region will finally have what it needs to entice more people to switch from their car to more sustainable modes of transportation for short trips: a connected trail network that can be used by users of all ages and backgrounds throughout the region to commute, run errands, exercise or go to a nearby park,” said Sarah Clark Stuart, Campaign Director at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.

The submitted proposal includes trail segments and bridge crossings in Schuylkill (1 segment), Montgomery (3 segments), Philadelphia (7), Delaware (1), Bucks (2) and Camden (3) counties. The sponsors of the projects include: Schuylkill River Heritage Association, Montgomery County Planning Commission, Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation, Schuylkill River Development Corporation, Bartram’s Garden, Delaware River City Corporation, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Borough of Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Cooper’s Ferry Development Association. The proposal also received letters of support from over 52 elected officials, institutions and non-profit organizations, including all four Senators and eight Members of Congress in the region.

The proposal submission coincides time-wise with Philadelphia’s celebration of a new bicycle facility the Mayor’s inaugural ride of the new Spruce and Pine Street bike lanes on September 23rd.

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council promotes the protection and restoration of the natural and built environments through innovation, collaboration, education and advocacy with the private sector, government, individuals and communities as partners to improve the quality of life for all Pennsylvanians. For more information: www.pecpa.org and www.pecpa.org/eastcoastgreenway

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization working with area governments and community organizations to help improve bicycling safety and education in southeast Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and Delaware. The Bicycle Coalition is a member of and contributor to various national, state, regional and county bicycling, pedestrian and transportation organizations. For more information: www.bicyclecoalition.org

Mayor Nutter Takes Inaugural Ride on Spruce/Pine Bicycle Lanes

Mayor Michael Nutter was joined by Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler and Deputy Mayor Don Schwartz and Director of Sustainability Katherine Gajewski to officially "cut the ribbon" on the new Spruce/Pine bicycle lanes at 21st and Pine Street this morning. After stating how the new lanes will calm traffic, provide bicyclists with a safe way to get across town and help make the Philadelphia more sustainable, Mayor Nutter encouraged everyone (motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians) to follow rules of the road. He then rode down Pine Street greeting pedestrians and motorists as he rode to City Hall. (He even cleared out a truck that was parked in the bike lane!)

These lanes make a world of difference to bicyclists in terms of providing a significant amount of buffered street space. We encourage all bicyclists to use these lanes as often as possible and ride safely so that Mayor Nutter is encouraged to add north-south lanes, and more lanes throughout the City. The Streets Department is also counting cars and speeds to document if traffic is "calmed" on Spruce and Pine.

Roman Deininger wrote a great story in today's Inquirer . We encourage you to post a positive comment on the article's comment section. We also encourage you to send a brief message to City Council about how you are using the bicycle lanes. Check out the Citypaper's Clog post praising the lanes and make a comment there.

NBC 10 is running an online poll. Please take the poll and let everyone know you are "thrilled"

Photo of the Day - Bike Lane Sweeping

Your tax dollars at work. Philadelphia Streets Dept sweeping the bike lane on Columbus Blvd below the Ben Franklin Bridge.

Spruce and Pine Bike Lane Update

The striping, bike stencils and hash lines are done on Spruce St from Broad to 21st. 11th St to Broad striping is in but no stencils or hash lines. E of 11th line painting going on Pine St today.



The bike lanes appear to have quickly attracted cyclists even before they are done. As we have noticed on the Walnut St Bridge and on 22nd St, bicyclists often travel in platoons of 3 to 4. Some drivers are confused at this point partially due to habit and the lack of "bike only" signs. A few are defiant and drive in the bike lane especially west of Broad. But the bike traffic in the bike lane is slowing those who want to drive through.

Check out BCGP Acting President Kyle Gradinger's helmet cam video as we work to document the before and after effects of bike lane striping - http://www.vimeo.com/6673870

Bicycle Coalition Wins "Best of Philly®" Award

They like us! They really like us! In August Philadelphia Magazine gave the BCGP a 2009 Best of Philly® award for the best organization for volunteering.

Cruise and Bike to Bermuda

Now this is possibly the ultimate bike on transit trip.

There is a unique opportunity to be part of the “Bring Your Own Bike” cruise to Bermuda on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas sailing from Cape Liberty, Bayonne NJ. May 8-13, 2010. Bring your bike onboard and enjoy two days of riding on the scenic island of Bermuda. Escorted rides available. For full details, itinerary, and pricing, please contact Erik of Cruise Holidays at 610-630-7245 or email erik@cruiseholidays.com

I took a cruise to Hawaii on my honeymoon and grew jealous of a crew member that had his own bikes and disembarked at each stop. Bringing your bike on cruise a great idea and no time is wasted in port looking for bike rentals.

Basic Cruise Itinerary

Bike Stencils on Spruce St

We took this shot at Spruce past Broad. We were one block behind the crew laying down the thermoplastic stencils. 1:40 PM on September, 18

Fundraiser for Norristown Neighborhood Bike Works

The Norristown Chapter of Neighborhood Bike Works will be holding a fundraiser on Sunday September 20 from 10:00am to 2pm next to the Schuylkill River Trail at 579 E. Main St. in Norristown. They will be selling snacks and drinks.

Please stop by and visit our booth. Paul and I will be there from 10 to noon.

Google map with the event location

Background

In a recent effort to address the incidents against cyclists along the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT), particularly in Norristown, a group of cyclists organized to identify ways to attempt to change the relationship between cyclists and the Norristown community and create a positive impact on Norristown youth. They quickly focused on how we could create bicycling opportunities for area children

Neighborhood Bike Works (NBW) stepped forward to bring their proven and successful program to Norristown. With the help of the Norristown government we have a location to hold the Earn-a-Bike class at no charge at the Elmwood Park Band Shell. The band shell located within one mile of the Schuylkill River Trail and a short ride to the Norristown Farm Park Trail.

The Norristown chapter of Neighborhood Bike Works must raise its own funds to hold the first Earn-a-Bike class. The Earn-a-Bike class is fourteen two-hour after-school lessons, free to participants. Children 8 to 16 years old who participate in this program take classes on bike repair, riding skills, rules of the road and nutrition. Upon completion of the program the students can earn a bike and a helmet for themselves. Graduates are entitled to attend drop-in sessions and participate in group rides and other activities.

Thanks to the efforts of several local cycling clubs NBW has raised $1900.00 of the $5000.00 through on line donations.

Scooter and Motorcycle Parking Debuts in Center City

New on-street motorbike parking at 19th and Sansom. The Parking Authority promises that scooters and motorcycles on the sidewalk will be ticketed and possibly towed. But it remains to be seen if this type of paid parking catches on.































We hope that on-street bicycle parking isn't too far behind. (Note - There are no plans to charge for on-street bicycle parking).

Join the BCGP For PARKing Day Tomorrow

Join the Bicycle Coalition tomorrow, Friday September 18, for PARKing Day at our stand at 45th and Baltimore! We will be setting up near Studio 34, where Neighborhood Bike Works' Bike Parts Art Show will be opening at 7pm the same evening.

For more info on PARKing Day, check out this great video from Streetfilms. Also the Parking Day Philadelphia Network has a map of where some people will be setting up.

Bike Temple and Mobile Bike Repair

Bike Temple is a collaboration between Temple University's Office of Sustainability, Breakaway Bikes, Neighborhood Bike Works and Fuji Bicycles.

Designed to reduce Temple’s carbon footprint on the City of Philadelphia and to enhance student life on campus. The program encourages sustainable means of transportation by providing Temple students, faculty and staff bicycles at a reduced cost. Bike Temple will also educate the Temple population about the bicycle as an alternative and preferential means of transportation.

Breakaway's mobile service unit is located on 13th St. between Berks and Norris and Tuesday and Wednesday: 8:00am - 11:00am and 3:00pm - 6:00pm.

Bike Temple's Facebook Page
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Speaking of Mobile Bike Repair Wilmington based Spinners Mobile Bicycle Repair has now expanded its house call service to Chester, Delaware and Eastern Montgomery Counties.

Finally our list of supporting bike shops which offer discounts to BCGP members, another reason to join today.

WANTED! Stolen BikeE

A recumbent BikeE was stolen from Fairmount section of the city sometime during the night of Tuesday, September 15. If you've seen this bike around town since then, please contact this person. It's a very distinctive bike!

It looks pretty much just like this picture, except it is a darker blue color, and there are no handlebars on the back seat.

Transportation Enhancements Saved (Again)

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who contacted their Senators. All local Senators voted against the amendments that would have gutted the Transportation Enhancements program and DE Senator Carper spoke against the amendment before the vote on 2372.

Votes were roughly segregated by party lines, although DC Streetsblog noted a few surprise votes. It should be noted that when Transportation Enhancements were last threatened in the Republican majority House of Representatives in September 2003 a bill to restore Transportation Enhancements won handily (327 to 90).

Vote Summary:

Coburn Amdt. No. 2371
S.Amdt. 2371 to H.R. 3288

To remove an unnecessary and burdensome mandate on the States, by allowing them to opt out of a provision that requires States to spend 10 percent of their surface transportation budgets on enhancement projects such as road-kill reduction and highway beautification.

Roll Call - Yes 39, No 59

Coburn Amdt. No. 2372
S.Amdt. 2372 to H.R. 3288

To fully provide for the critical surface transportation needs of the United States by prohibiting funds from being used on lower-priority projects, such as transportation museums.

Roll Call - Yes 41, No 57

Bicycle Rack Design Competition

DesignPhiladelphia: October 07 – 13, 2009

DesignPhiladelphia is a city-wide cultural event spotlighting all things design from architecture to interior design, fashion to product design, textile to graphic design. It's a journey exploring exhibitions, workshops, studio tours, lectures, special events and product roll-outs that inspire, engage, excite and delight.

DesignPhiladelphia has included a competition to design a new bicycle rack for the city. Check out the website for additional details and judging guidelines.

Who knows, maybe we will be lucky enough to participate in the judging!

Action Alert - Contact Your Senator to Support Transportation Enhancements

Transportation Enhancements under Attack Again !
FY 2010 Transportation Appropriations Bill

We need your help TODAY, a vote on the amendments are likely on Wednesday.

Senator Coburn (R-OK) is offering two amendments to the Fiscal Year 2010 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill that will strike funding for transportation enhancements, the money that has paid for most of the trails in the region. The two amendments are S. Amendment 2370 and S. Amendment 2371.

Contact Your Senator Today

Chalking It Up on Pine St

These chalk marks which serve as the template markers for the bike lane showed up on Pine St between 22nd and 15th today. If you are bicycling in Center City you should cruise over to Pine to get a feel of how wide the bike lanes will be.

Spruce Pine Bike Lanes Coming!

These signs went up on last Thursday along Spruce and Pine Streets in Center City. The Streets Department will be "marking" out the lanes this week and stripping will follow the week after. We've been told by the Mayor's Office of Transportation that the lanes should be ready for use by Saturday, September 26th.

The Society Hill Civic Association will be holding it's general membership meeting to discuss the bike lanes on September 16th 7:30PM at Pennsylvania Hospital's Zubrow Auditorium. Deputy Commissioner Steve Buckley will speak and take questions about the bike lanes. Support among Society Hill residents is critical, the last paragraph from an article in SHCA's summer newsletter reflects the Association's skepticism:

We understand and appreciate the benefits of safe and designated bike paths in our community, but we are also concerned about the viability of the plans as proposed. The PCPC has promised to meet again with SHCA’s Bike Path Committee to provide detailed responses to the above issues. Thus far, we have contacted neighboring civic associations asking for their input and support. The city has also promised us that prior to any “trial” implementation, there will be a public forum for residents to explain and discuss the proposal. (The public forum was subsequently held on August 12th).

We urge everyone who lives within SCHA's boundaries (Front to 8th and Walnut to Lombard) to attend Wednesday's meeting. You can also send a quick email message to the SHCV President expressing your support.

Do it for this guy, because bike lanes benefit more people than just cyclists:

TD Bank Bike Philly Report on Fox 29 and Inky

Today's Inky covered yesterday's ride on the front page of the local section.

Pennsylvania has a new state-wide Walk and Bike Organization!

Click on the new logo to visit the Livable Streets page and learn more today.

TD Bank Bike Philly Slideshows on Flickr

Smooth sailing was the theme for this year with 3000 happy riders. Our events team gets better at running this thing every year. For example there were more than two dozen bike mechanics available before, during and after the ride. Thanks to our Maria our events coordinator, all of our the volunteers, sponsors and our departing Bicycle Ambassadors for a successful TD Bank Bike Philly.





Media Coverage:
Philly.com - A City of Bikes on Sunday
Phillyist Interviews Honorary Chair Lisa Nutter

Comment on PA State Rail Plan on Monday Evening

A Public Meeting has been scheduled to review the Draft Intercity Passenger
and Freight Rail Plan. The draft plan will include goals, objectives, and recommendations (short and long term) for transportation improvements related to rail in the Commonwealth.

The plan will enable PennDOT to implement a more efficient and effective approach to
intercity rail transportation within the Commonwealth. Specifically, consideration will be
given to more frequent and timely passenger rail service and increased use of the
freight rail system for goods movement. In addition, this plan will also aid in prioritizing
rail projects throughout the state by identifying those that will provide the most benefit
for the limited funding available.

PennDOT needs to hear from the bicycling community to emphasize the importance of bicycle access on trains (and intercity buses) as well as secure bicycle parking and bicycle networks connecting to stations.

The meeting will be held in an open house format so community members can stop by to learn about the plan, ask questions and provide written comments.


Monday, September 14, 2009
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
SEPTA, Board Room
1234 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Three Hours Left to Register

Looking for a last minute bike thrill? Feeling a little stir crazy after so many days of rain? You have until 8:00 tonight to register online for tomorrow's certified car-free TD Bank Bike Philly! (You can also register onsite tomorrow from 6:30 to 7:30 am at the Art Museum steps.)

SEPTA's Bike Cars for TD Bank Bike Philly

The following SEPTA trains will have an additional bike car on September 13 and will not limit the number of bikes allowed on the train:

• R2: Train 2107 departing Warminster @ 5:41 am arriving 30th street @ 6:34 am.
• R3: Train 4109 departing West Trenton @ 5:58 am arriving 30th street @ 7:04 am.
• R5: Train 2522 departing Malvern @ 6:30 am arriving 30th street @ 7:15 am.
• R7: Train 2703 departing Chestnut Hill East @ 6:11 am arriving 30th street @ 6:49 am.

From 30^th Street Station, cross the river on Market St, take the ramp to the Schuylkill River Trail and follow the signs to the start (about a mile away).

From Richard Masoner on Flickr

Most other Regional Rail trains arrive too late for Bike Philly but you may still have some transit travel options as shown below.

PATCO - Last departure that will get you to Bike Philly in time leaves Lindenwold @ 6:30AM. Use 16th/Locust Stop and follow the map below to get to the start.

NJ TRANSIT Buses - Some NJ Transit buses have bike racks, while others carry bikes in the luggage compartment. Depending on your route use the Broad and Vine Bus Stop or the Greyhound Terminal. Check the schedule to make sure your bus arrives by 7:00 AM.

Tell Us About Your Bike Philly Public Transportation Experience - We are interested in improving public transportation options for future TD Bank Bike Philly events. You can help by telling us about your Bike Philly transit experience (or nightmare). Photos work great also.

Learn more about bikes on transit.

Bike Philly Friday Update

Bike Philly and the Bike Part Art Show made the cover of the WKND section of Inquirer.




















Packet Pick Up Today:

Zipcar
9AM - 8PM
218 S 12th St
Philadelphia, PA 19107-5514
(215) 735-3691
Get directions


View Larger Map

TD Bank Bike Philly Rider Packet Pick-Up

The Bicycle Coalition is happy to offer you the convenience of picking up your rider information prior to the ride on Sunday. This will allow you to pass by the registration table and ride right up to the start line.

Today's Pickup Point is:
Keswick Cycle
408 N. Easton Road
Glenside, PA
4pm-8pm


View Larger Map

Remember that you can still sign up online for Bike Philly until Saturday Night @ 11:59PM. Weatherwise Sunday is still looking like the best day of the week. Partly Sunny and 67 degrees at the start with a high of 79 with comfortable humidity levels. (Weather Underground Forecast)

Looking Ahead On The Schuylkill River and Chester Valley Trails

Trailreporter.com has been quiet for the past several weeks. With those rascals on the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown back in school we can look forward to watching the gap shrink between Mont Clare and Pottstown with the announcement of planned construction this fall of 3.8 miles trail between Cromby Rd/Township Line Rd at the Phoenixville border and Linfield Road in Parker Ford in the shadow of the Limerick Nuke Station.



One interesting modification of the plan is that the new section of trail will not be paved, at least for now. So the Chester County segment will look much more like the Thun Trail section of the SRT in Berks County, like this recently completed segment in Birdsboro.

As previously reported a section of the Chester Valley Trail will be built concurrently. The CV Trail will be paved and the county hopes for developer cooperation for a total of 3.9 of construction to be completed by the summer of 2010. The rest of the trail from Route 29 to the Schuylkill Trail is scheduled to be built in 2011.

Schuylkill River Trail Construction Article in the Phoenix

Chester Valley Trail Construction Article in the Daily Local

Chester County Cycling Coalition Meeting 9-21-09

Who can attend? Any and all interested parties who have a vested interest in bicycling in Chester County. That includes if you are a commuter, a recreational biker or a transportation groupie. Chime in with your recommendations & walk or ride away feeling good about contributing in helping to reduce the carbon footprint in your communities.

Where? Chester County Government Services Building
601 Westtown Road West Chester PA 19380-0990,Room #149 (Map)

When? September 21st 2009 at 7:00 PM

Highlights of the meeting will include establishing 3 priorities for 2010, and discussing connector routes in & around West Chester, Coatesville, Phoenixville & Kennett Square. First hand updates on the progress of the Chester Valley and Schuylkill River Trails will also be presented.

For more information please contact CCCC Chairperson Mary LaSota - mrylasota@yahoo.com

Agenda

Philadelphia Seeps Into Nation's Bike (Counter) Culture

Depending on what news source you look at, between 400 and 1000+ participated in the Philly Naked Bike Ride. From a news cycle perspective it was a brilliant accident, a Sunday night event on a holiday weekend timed with the local news offered a far more interesting story than the usual interviews with visitors to the Ocean City Boardwalk.

This weekend's other event was the International Hardcourt Bicycle Polo World Championships in Kensington. 48 teams registered including many from Canada and Europe registered for the event which took place over two days. It could be surmised that tournament participants injected extra energy into the naked ride. The final stop of the ride - an afterparty in adjacent Northern Liberties even suggests a wee bit of coordination.

But naked riders and bike polo does not make bicycling a mainstream activity. TV Viewers in the exurbs must be wondering what's crazier: parading naked or riding a bike in the city.

Spending a week with the family in North Wildwood has given me hope for the future. I saw more than a half dozen bike trailers with kids in tow and even a trike with a front end kids compartment, similar to the Dutch Bakfiets. Bike shops were selling beach chair clamps that attached to the chainstay of the bike. People who were vacationing a few blocks off the beach saw the utility of bikes for the last half mile.



Which is why TD Bank Bike Philly is so important. We have succeeded in putting our city on the nation's bike culture map, but your cousin in North Wales or Evesham isn't clamoring to bike from the Adventure Aquarium to the Philadelphia Zoo. Take the cars away and add some TLC and suddenly the absurd becomes palatable.

We hope that ride with us this Sunday and more importantly invite your cousin along. Clothing and helmets are of course mandatory.

Real Time Naked Bike Ride Coverage on Twitter and Flickr

Twitter can be mundane but when you want real time reports and photos it's priceless. 17 Minutes since the gathering begun and there were already more than a dozen photos and reports.


Photo on the left on Twitter. Photo on the right (on BCGP's Flickr site) was taken a little later in the evening, when the crowd got much larger.

New Plans For the Betzwood Bridge

The long awaited replacement of the of the Betzwood Bridge between the Schuylkill River Trail and Valley Forge finally appears to be moving forward. The Bridge was closed in 1993 and severed access to Valley Forge National Park from the Schuylkill River Trail.

The closing of the bridge raised the ire of the Bicycle Coalition of the Delaware Valley who staged a protest at the bridge. Several protesters were arrested when the fencing blocking the bridge was cut (charges were later dropped) but the result was a series of meetings with PennDOT that helped reopen access. First a bike shuttle service was initiated and that was replaced by the construction of the current "temporary walkway" that was cantilevered from the US 422 Bridge. The original Betzwood Bridge was eventually demolished.

Montgomery County originally planned a reopening of the bridge with a physically separated multi-use path and was supposed to be constructed in the late 1990's. However the latest proposal calls for a bicycle and pedestrian only bridge, the result of right sizing the project with the adjacent Schuylkill Crossings Route 422 bridge project.

At this time the design build contract could be let as early as December 2010 although it is likely that construction won't begin until sometime in 2011.



Scenes from the Betzwood Bridge Protest in February 1993

Mayor Nutter To Ride in TD Bank Bike Philly

The Mayor's Office confirmed today that for the third straight year the Honorable Michael A. Nutter will be riding in TD Bank Bike Philly. He will be joining Honorary Chair Lisa Nutter and 3500 of his closest friends. It is expected that the Mayor will speak briefly before the ride.

We hope to see you there, online registration is available until September 12.

Hard Court Bike Polo World Championship This Weekend

Hardcourt Bicycle Polo World Championship September 5th - 6th, 2009 Philadelphia, PA.

Games will be held at the Cohox Recreation Center at Cedar and Cambria Streets AND the Cionne Recreation Center at Lehigh and Aramingo. Hosted by the City of Philadelphia's Department of Recreation.

Check the Google Map of tournament locations and information.

Certified Car-Free Deadline Extension

We had some problems with people being able to load our web page over the last few days and decided to extend the pre-registration deadline for TD Bank Bike Philly until tomorrow. We didn't want an Internet glitch to deprive you of your free t-shirt!

Don't miss out on September 13th's morning of certified car-free biking and register today

PNBR - That Other Sunday Ride in September

Sunday's Philly Naked Bike Ride should be a really neat warm up ride for Bike Philly. Except you're naked, riding at dusk and in traffic (Bring Lights!). Actually the ride is really clothing optional (along with some creative concealment) and you may want to consider leaving the 200 lumen Dinotte light at home. You won't need your wallet either, its free.

What you do need is an email sign up for the exact time and start point of the 90 minute ride which is available on their website. They also have a Facebook page which claims more than 400 fans, a good number of those are probably just that.

Philly Naked Bike Ride
Sunday September 6 2009
Start point TBD
Start Time - Sometime after 5PM

Do I really need to put in a disclaimer? Good, lets just say that neither BCGP nor the Bicycle Ambassadors are affiliated with this event.

Bike Routing on Google Maps - Suggest It

The Google Maps "Bike There" petition has generated more than 5,000 signatures and it appears that Google may finally be responding to the deafening roar from the bicycle community. Google Maps offers a suggestion page for improvements and bike routing has been added as a possible improvement. You can help the bike route cause simply by voting for it.

1. Go to the Google Maps Suggest It page, for your convenience we embedded it below.
2. Scroll down the list to the Route Information section
3. Click the "Suggest It" button after the last choice - "Add bike trail
information and biking directions".



Unlike transit or driving routes, bike route choices can be very subjective and the difficulty in route selection is compounded by the the near total absence of nationwide data. The result has been the creation of several local route planners that are running on different algorhythms.

What Google can do is to set a worldwide standard for bike route planning:

• It should be based on existing road data so that anyone can at least find a basic bike route
• It should be overlayed with data from communities that have taken the pains to map bike lanes, bike boulevards etc.
• It should offer options for route preferences such as hills, traffic volume and transit connections.
• Routing selection should be flexible enough to consider users suggestions for route improvements, and to provide credible data that may not be available elsewhere, such as pinch point hazards and the availability of bicycle parking.