Bicyclist Struck By Distracted Driver in Worcester Twp.

From the Lansdale Reporter:

Bicyclist injured

A 50-year-old Collegeville man on a bicycle was injured in an accident Saturday morning near the intersection of Kriebel Mill Road and Fawn Road in Worcester Township.

According to state police, the biker was heading north on Kriebel Mill Road approaching a stop sign at Fawn Road as William Faulkner, 31, of Collegeville, was driving west on Fawn Road approaching Kriebel Mill in a 2000 Dodge Ram pickup truck.

Police said Faulkner stopped at the stop sign and made a left turn, but was on his cell phone at the time and dropped it while making the turn.

As he picked up the phone, police said, Faulkner looked up and found himself in the biker’s lane shortly before hitting the biker.

The biker suffered unknown injuries and was transported to Phoenixville Hospital for evaluation. Faulkner suffered no injuries and minor damage to his front fender and door, police said.

No word as to whether charges were being filed, but the rash of recent major crashes involving suspected impaired or distracted drivers makes a very strong case for Pennsylvania and New Jersey to adopt vulnerable road user laws similar to the one just passed in Delaware. Vulnerable road user laws place penalties on any driver convicted of careless or inattentive driving and hits a pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, highway road worker etc.

View Bicyclists Crashes 2008-2010 NJ and SE PA in a larger map

NBW Needs Supporters to Help Win Zoning Variance

NBW kids at the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby

Neighborhood Bike Works is appealing a recent denial of certification of occupancy it received from the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I).  There are three ways supporters of NBW can help.

1. Friends, especially those who live in the vicinity of St. Mary's Church, can write a letter of support about the Church housing the NBW youth program and bicycle workshop in the basement of 3916 Locust walk and ask for a variance so that NBW can continue its operations there.  Folks who live in the 19104 zip code are especially encouraged to write a letter.  Send your letter to NBW.


2. Sign a petition asking for a variance and email the petition directly to NBW.

3. Attend the Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing where St. Mary's Church is appealing L&I's notice on Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 9:30 am at 1515 Arch Street, 18th Floor, ZBA Hearing Room 18002. 

"Last Minute" Registration (Comes After Late Registration)!

Dear Bicycle Enthusiasts!

Due to the number of calls and emails we've received tonight and this morning, we realized we need to make something clear: Registration does not close tonight, it is just the end of a price period.

So Fear Not! Tonight is our "Late" Registration Deadline, marking the end of a price period. Starting tomorrow, registration prices for Bike Philly will rise. So register today and save!! Go to www.bikephilly.org to register now (or up until September 12th!)

Sorry for any confusion and feel free to call me (Joshua) at 215.242.9253 ext. 8# with any questions.

P.S. Check out Fox's recap of last year's Bike Philly!

What Comes After Late Registration?

Bike Philly Deadline Today!

Would you like to bike through the heart of Philadelphia surrounded by bicyclists instead of cars? Are you curious about what a bicycle traffic jam of thousands of bikes feels like? Find out by riding the certified car-free Bike Philly on September 12.

Late registration closes at midnight so take four minutes to register now!

Check out the three ride options that range from laid-back family-friendly routes on car-free streets to a new challenging 35-mile option on shared roads.

And best of all, your registration supports the work of the Bicycle Coalition to make your ride better across the Delaware Valley!

Philly Bike Share Demonstrations A Success!

 

 

 

Mayor Michael Nutter explains the concept of bike sharing to a new bride and groom getting their photo taken at LOVE Park.

Last week, Bike Share Philadelphia showcased a bike share station at three locations in Philadelphia (Penn Bookstore, LOVE Park and Penn's Landing) to show what bike sharing could look like in Philly.  Several Bicycle Ambassadors joined Russell Meddin of Bike Share Philadelphia and spoke to close to 1000 individuals who stopped by to check out the bikes.  The demonstration was co-sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Transportation, University of Pennsylvania and the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation.   The station and bicycles were supplied by BCycle, which is running Denver's bike share program. 

A recent independent study found that a bike share program in Philadelphia is feasible, but funding issues have stymied further implementation. Bike Share Philadelphia hopes that the demonstration project will help inspire the City "to announce it is time to start a program so it can start to finding the necessary funding to start it rolling."

Experience bike sharing this week!

Thursday, August 26th in front of the Penn Bookstore in University City at 36th & Walnut Sts, 10am to 6pm

Friday August 27th at Love Park in Center City at 15th & JFK Blvd, 10am to 6pm

Saturday, August 28th at Penn's Landing on Walnut Plaza in Old City - off Columbus Blvd at Walnut St., 10am to 6pm

You are encouraged to come and try out these bikes and this bike share station. They are from the same bike-sharing system currently being used in the Denver, Colorado B-cycle program and in this summer's Chicago, Illinois pilot program.

Experience the future of public transportation on two wheels with a system which can provide door-to-door mobility. If it can be done in Minneapolis, Washington, DC, Denver, Chicago, and will soon be on the streets of Miami Beach, San Antonio, Des Moines and Honolulu, then there is no reason why Philadelphia can't move from only a demonstration of bike sharing to the real thing.

Bike Share Philadelphia sponsors these events in cooperation with

the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities, the University of Pennsylvania and the

Delaware River Waterfront Corporation.

Assistance at the event will be provided by the Ambassadors of the Bicycle Coalition.

Come join us for a ride!

See Map for Locations:

View Bike Share B-cycle Demonstration August Philadelphia in a larger map

Take SEPTA to Bike Philly!!

Why drive when you can ride? To support Bike Philly, SEPTA is adding a car just for bikes on the following inbound Regional Rail trains:

Train #3409 departing West Trenton at 5:58am

Train #703 departing Chestnut Hill East at 6:11am

Train #522 departing Malvern (Paoli Line) at 6:30am

Volunteers will be on board to help you board. We suggest you purchase your weekend round-trip ticket or Independence Pass (for all day access to all of SEPTA) ahead of time, but you can also purchase them onboard.

Don’t forget, bicycles are also allowed on the Market Frankford Line, the Broad Street Line, the Norristown High Speed Line and SEPTA buses are equipped with bike racks to hold two bicycles.

Click here for more information on how to take your bike on SEPTA.

Click here to help us grow Bike Philly on facebook.

* Please note. Due to varying return times for cyclists, return trains will not have the extra bike car and may be subject to the usual two bike per car restrictions. Please respect the instructions of the conductor of your train.

Wissahickon Gateway Ready for Engineering Study

As reported earlier this year, the most critical gap in Philadelphia's Schuylkill River Trail, the Wissahickon Gateway, finally received some funding in early 2010 to begin the process of figuring out how to improve this section.   Currently, trail users are forced to weave in and out of motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic around an overcrowded and heavily used intersection of major roads, bus routes and highway onramps.  The trail  needs a new bike/ped bridge over the Wissahickon Creek and an alignment that winds behind and in between several parcels between Kelley Drive and where Main Street.  PA's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources provided a $50,000 grant to the City of Philadelphia to conduct an engineering study early in 2010, which the City has matched with its own funds.  Last Friday, the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department posted a "Request for Proposals" to study this section of the trail.  Prospective consulting firms are directed to the City's econtract page and to click on "new contract opportunities."  There is a mandatory pre-bid meeting on August 30th and the deadline for submitting proposals is September 15th.

Rendering of potential new riverfront trail from 

Schuylkill Project

   

26th Police District Bike Registration

Monday (8/23) Tuesday (8/24) Thursday (8/26) 6-8pm
26th Police District (615 E. Girard Avenue)
The 26th District has been experiencing a rash of bike thefts in the area. Please help get the word out about the 26th District's Bike Registration Drive! Come out and register your bike with the district, just in case yours does get stolen! Do everything you can to prevent yourself from becoming a victim - use a U-Lock, and bring your bike inside overnight!

(Thank you to New Kensington CDC Weekly Updates and Reminders for this information)

Man Dies After Crash On Umbria St

6 ABC reports that a 70 year old man has died in a crash with a motorist in an SUV on the 5000 Block of Umbria St in Roxborough. Umbria St is the unofficial on-road alternate route for the Schuylkill River Trail and has bike lanes.

A cyclist who came upon the scene minutes after the accident asked eyewitnesses what happened and as it was described to him the cyclist "was drinking from his water bottle, and turning into the road at the crest of the hill" and was hit by the eastbound motorist. Tow truck operators who were on the scene before rescue stated that it was the third bike crash on Umbria this summer.

The witness notes that the victim may not have been wearing a helmet, but it's not known if head trauma was a factor, or if wearing a helmet would have resulted in a different outcome. Twice this summer bicyclists wearing helmets were killed by vehicles, in both cases the motorists were traveling in the 45+ mph range.

The speed of the striking vehicle is not known, but the driver did stop. Anecdotal observation of this stretch of Umbria suggests that motorists routinely exceed the 25 mph speed limit.

Followup: The victim has been identified as Steven Chasetz, 64 of Plymouth Meeting. The Bicycle Coalition wishes to express its condolences to the family.


View Bicyclists Crashes 2008-2010 NJ and SE PA in a larger map

Bike Philly is just around the corner! Help us get 5,000 riders at the event!

10 ways you can help grow Bike Philly:

1. Share this blog with your friends, family and colleagues (cut and paste it in an email!).

2. Become a fan of our Bike Philly page on Facebook.

3. Suggest the Bike Philly page to your Facebook friends.

4. Spread the word. Tell your friends, family, and colleagues about the ride! (You know who I'm talking about.)

5. Create a team! There's no minimum number required but sign up 10 people for your Bike Philly team and you ride FREE! Email caroline@bicyclecoalition for more information about this team incentive.

6. Distribute Bike Philly postcards or posters at your place of business or your favorite local coffee shop, restaurant, retailer, etc. It's easy and gratifying! Stop by our office to pick them up.

7. Volunteer at Bike Philly or before. There are lots of fun options and remember, you can volunteer and ride the ride! To sign up to volunteer at Bike Philly, email Caroline or call her at 215.242.9253 ext 7#

8. Perform at Bike Philly! Got talent? This year we're excited to involve West Philly Hula Hoopers and various "Musical Marshals" who've volunteered their spinning and playing throughout the day, making Bike Philly more joyous than ever! Again, contact Caroline to sign up.

9. Become a member! As a member of the Coalition you directly support bicycle advocacy and education, making biking better in greater Philly. As our membership grows, Bike Philly grows.

10. Anything you can think of! Be creative, blog, make some bicycle art, ask friends in high places for support and email blasts. Push our visibility and Bike Philly buzz!!

Thank you for your support and enjoyment of bicycling in Philadelphia.

Not registered for Bike Philly 2010? Click here.

Farewell for now North Walkway

The Ben Franklin Bridge South Walkway Reopens On Monday, August 30 At 6:00 a.m.

Farewell cattle chute, former prison site and pedestrian tunnels.




Hello Center City, Campbells Field and Battleship New Jersey.

Rack Deco - Chains, Chainrings and Yarn Bombs

Can you lock your bike to this on 3rd near Arch St. What is it? A boat mooring?



This chainring rack has been in Palmer Park for several years.



Needless to say the Ambassadors didn't remove this one. Let's hope that the Yarn Bombing of bike racks doesn't take away too many bike parking spaces.

New Bike Lanes Connect Temple to Fishtown

As part of its resurfacing program the Streets Department has added completed new bike lanes on Berks St from 7th St to the Berks Market Frankford El Station on Front Street in Fishtown/Kensington. Plans are to complete the eastbound bike lane all the way to Temple University.



The one way section of Berks features a narrow buffer to the bike lane.



View of the bike lanes from the Berks Station platform. Note the missing link with parking on the left side. There is an outdated "sharrow" marked under those cars.



Bike racks being used by commuters at the Berks El Station.

Take Action- Rescissions May Force Cuts of Bike Funds

Protect vital bicycle funding programs- demand proportionality in rescissions!

Take Action!

The Jobs Bill passed by Congress last week contains a $2.2 billion rescission of transportation funds from state Departments of Transportation. In many states, the DOT will likely target bike funding programs for the money to send back to the federal government – unless local advocates speak up and make sure that doesn’t happen. States must report which program funds are affected by August 25th- so action is needed this week!

Unlike previous rescissions there is no proportionality requirement calling for equal distribution of funding program cuts. Instead, the law gives the States maximum flexibility to choose the unobligated balances of funds to be rescinded.

The amount each state has to rescind is up to $200 million for the largest states. Many programs that fund bicycle projects are threatened by these rescissions including. These programs are often unfairly targets for cuts or rescissions, and in some cases have been completely gutted.

Take action now! Please contact your Governor and ask that rescissions be done equitably across programs, and that those that traditionally fund bicycling projects not be unfairly targeted.

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Philadelphia Cycling Committee Meeting Tonight

The regular monthly Philadelphia Cycling Committee - BCGP meets at The Bicycle
Coalition Education Office 1500 Walnut Street (3rd Floor) Suite 305 on Tuesday, August
17, 2010 at 6:30 PM (6:00 PM refreshments).

Our guest will be Stephen Buckley of the Mayor's Office of Transportation
who is also the Deputy Commissioner for Transportation at the Philadelphia Streets Department. He will make a small presentation and will be open to discuss bicycling in
the city.

Take a look at the July 2010 Minutes

Bike Philly Welcomes Haverford College

Bike Philly, our annual bike ride through the city and surrounding neighborhoods, has been growing year to year. With our ridership increasing, we have outgrown our rest stop at Narberth Park. We are happy to announce that our new rest stop will be at Haverford College.

What does this mean for the ride itself? It means that the 35 mile route, or specifically the 15 miles that were on shared roads has changed. This year's Bike Philly features a 40 mile route replacing past 35 and 50 mile routes. You will still ride on Latches Lane past the Barnes Foundation and Merion Station but the route will move south of the Main Line railroad tracks through the streets of Wynnewood and Ardmore and into Haverford Township to the rest stop at Haverford College.

Remember shared roads mean that roads are open to vehicular traffic and the rules of the road apply. Once we finalize the route we will publish a detailed route map and link to the turn by turn directions in Google Maps.



Photo - Haverford College by Elisa B. on Flickr

Where to Bike in Philadelphia Photo Contest

A new guidebook to be published in 2011 by Bicycling Australia will feature 80 bike rides for adults and kids in Philadelphia.  Written by local writer Julie Lorch of GRID magazine, this book will one of the first guidebooks published about bicycle riding in American cities.  The publishing company is holding a photo contest with cash awards in addition to publication for top six winners. Deadline is September 15th, so get started on finding your favorite photo to submit!

Vision for Schuylkill River Trail on southwest Philly industrial parcel next to Bartram's Garden

This past spring, the Community Design Collaborative's Initiative--Infill Philadelphia sponsored an industrial sites design challenge called Industrial Past to an Industrial Future.  Architects Chariss McAfee and Charles Loomis, along with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), Southwest Community Development Corporation, and the University of the Sciences were tasked with preparing a vision for the land along the Schuylkill River Trail between the Gray's Ferry Bridge and Bartram's Garden.   This 300,000 square foot industrial-zoned parcel, owned by the PIDC, was formerly the site of the National Heat and Power Company and lies at the bottom of the Gray's Ferry Bridge on the Southwest Philly side of the River, just north of the Bartram's Garden property.  The master plan of the Schuylkill River Trail envisions a trail section along this parcel to link together Bartram's Garden with a bicycle/ pedestrian bridge crossing the Schuylkill over to Gray's Ferry Crescent.

The team prepared a vision for an eco-industrial park with the path skirting the edge of the property.  They propose access from an elevator on the Gray's Ferry Bridge, creating an access point for the Woodlawn and Kinsessing neighborhoods to complement the bike/ped bridge that is being planned by Schuylkill River Development Corporation using the abandoned rail bridge that is swung open.

Bike Sharing Demo (and the UN?) Coming To Town

Bike Share Philadelphia has announced that it is bringing 3 bike sharing demonstrations this month:

• Thursday, August 26th in the plaza in front of the Penn Bookstore in University City at 36th & Walnut Streets, 10AM to 6PM
• Friday August 27th at Love Park - 15th & JFK Blvd, 10 AM to 6 PM
• Saturday, August 28th at Penn's Landing on the Walnut Plaza, off Columbus Blvd., 10 AM to 6PM

Meanwhile bike sharing is stealing headlines. Colorado Gubernatorial Candidate Dan Maes narrowly won the Republican Primary on Tuesday. A few days before the election Maes warned voters that his Democratic opponent Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper's policies, particularly his support for the B-Cycle program, are "converting Denver into a United Nations community."

"This is all very well-disguised, but it will be exposed," Maes told about 50 supporters who showed up at a campaign rally in Centennial, CO.

On a more positive note - Kudos to commentator Michael Smerconish for asking Mayor Nutter to bring bike sharing to Philadelphia after being inspired by "Boris' Bikes" (Barclay's Cycle Hire) on a recent trip to London.

"And there's the fitness factor. Hizzoner was willing to fight tooth and nail with City Council to levy a tax on sugary drinks - in part out of concern for the city's rising obesity rate. Making it easy for both city residents and visitors to bike around town would seem to fill the same bill."

Unfortunately his idea for Mike's Bikes is already taken by that shop on S. 13th Street. How about Philly Psycles or Brotherly Bikes. What catchy phrase do you propose for Bike Sharing in Philadelphia?

And finally in New York City a new twist on bike sharing that actually makes the bike the station by attaching a lock box to the frame. SoBi or Social Bicycles plans to deploy bikes in New York City this fall. Think Bixi meets the Dutch White Bicycles.

The Social Bicycle System from Ryan Rzepecki on Vimeo.

Is Jimmy Streets is retiring?

The Sanitation side of the Philadelphia Streets Department recently got itself a fancy new website, paid for with grant funds. However, the Transportation division of the Department was left with circa 1990s web pages and "Jimmy Streets." Not sure what is taking the City's Division of Technology so long to update these old sites that bedevil some of the city's departments, but it makes one wonder.

The good news is that the transition prompted the Mayor's Office of Transportation to redouble its efforts to update the grossly out of date content on the "Bicycle Network" pages. We've been told that new content (and maybe a new look for the pages?) will be up by next week. Don't know for sure if this means that Jimmy Streets is retiring, but we hope he continues to bike if he does.

Finally - Automatic Bike Counters

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission has purchased 10 bicycle counters that will help give us a clearer picture as to where and when bicyclists are traveling in Center City and throughout the region.















The counters are very similar to the standard pneumatic tube counters that transportation departments have been using for decades. The main difference is that these smarter counters can differentiate between a motor vehicle and a bicycle.

DVRPC is currently calibrating the devices and testing them on Spruce and Pine Streets. In October the Center City Cordon Count program will kick off. The counters will be rotated to 57 entry points into center city for a 5 day period (to adjust for weather).

The devices are booked through mid November and DVRPC plans to buy more counters which retail for about $1000 a piece. Pedestrian counters which detect heat and movement and placed 3 feet above the ground have also been purchased.

Official bike and pedestrian traffic counts will then be accessible through the DVRPC Traffic Count Web Mapping Application. For more information about the traffic counting program contact Scott Brady sbrady@dvrpc.org.

Remarkable People: Safe Routes Philly at John Marshall School

We wanted to share this great post from the IBikePHL education blog.




'




Safe Routes Philly Instructor Cy Maramangalam teaching hand signals to students

At the end of the school year, there were some pretty incredible schools with some pretty amazing people working there. One school not to be excluded is John Marshall School in Frankford.

John Marshall School is located in the Frankford area of Philadelphia. Our connection to the school happened when one of our people met a teacher – Ms. Michelle Linton – from the school at an Urban Garden bicycle tour. Thanks to everyone’s help and proactive push, we were able to make it happen!

The first class was quite interesting. As soon as I noticed that I had 8 students in the first class, I assumed that it was a special education class, but little did I know that it was an autistic support class.

I was a little nervous as I prepared to begin my lesson, having no prior experience teaching autistic children and knowing that my lesson had to change slightly to accommodate this special audience. I slowed the pace a little bit, focused the lesson on three points (helmet check, checking your bike, and hand signals), and welcomed support from their teacher Michelle. The lesson went smoothly, and the students were wonderful, as were the remaining classes at John Marshall School!

During a chat I had with Michelle a few days later, she was super thankful for our visit and mentioned that her students were using hand signals as they made turns through the school hallways! What a pleasant success.

Michelle and the Principal, Ms. Carla Glover, are very supportive of the Bicycle Coalition and Safe Routes Philly and are excited to get the students of John Marshall School more involved in biking. Throughout the summer, Michelle and I have been corresponding on getting a team together for Bike Philly, and Michelle made it happen! Look for the John Marshall School team at Bike Philly! Kudos Michelle!

Special thanks goes out to Ms. Kirk, Ms. Colby, and Ms. Dudley for welcoming our Bike Safety lesson to their classrooms, Ms. Glover for the wonderful support, and Ms. Michelle Linton for being an incredible champion for her students. Here’s to 69 more students who are now safer in the streets of Philadelphia.

~Cy

Would you like Safe Routes Philly to teach a bike safety lesson at your school? Direct instruction lessons are available at all independent, charter, private, and parochial schools. Contact Cy@bicyclecoalition.org to get connected!

Safe Routes Philly – the youth education program of the Bicycle Coalition - is hosting an event the day before Bike Philly on Saturday, September 11^th. Safe Routes Philly Family Phest provides a fun day for families to learn bicycle skills and discover health- and youth-oriented community resources available to them. Bring the family out Saturday to Family Phest and Sunday to Bike Philly and make it a bicycling weekend. And don't forget about the BCP's Scenic Schuylkill Century ride. Mom or Dad can do the ride while the other brings the family to our Phest. Family Phest is held at Eakins Oval from 10:00am-2:00pm on Saturday, September 11^th.

Breaking News: Feds may be approving innovative bikeway designs soon

Painting a green bike lane in San Francisco

Why are colored bike lanes, bike boxes, bike signals, appearing around the world, but rarely in the United States and not here in Philadelphia?
 
The reason is because up to now, the federal government doesn't approve of these kinds of innovative designs; it won't allow federal dollars to be spent on them unless conducted as an "experiment."  The two main guidance documents that are used by the feds and state DOTs for approved facilities: the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) "Guide for Development of Bicycle Facilities " (1999) and the FHWA's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices are slow to be updated with approvals for these types facilities that are proving to work well at making streets safer for bicyclists, thus holding back their implementation.

Cities who want to try innovative bikeway designs have to go through a lot of red tape before getting approval, which serves as a deterrent to those cities, such as Philadelphia, who rely on federal dollars for repaving.  This is a huge lost opportunity, as Philadelphia's streets only get repaved every 15-20 years and the City is in the middle of a multi-million dollar repaving program using federal stimulus funds. 

Rendering of bike lane on  new South Street Bridge

In order to install green bike lanes on the South Street Bridge for example, the Streets Department has had to develop an "experimental study" in order to get approval from PennDOT and the FHWA.  Needless to say, when the Bicycle Coalition has asked for colored bike lanes to be installed on other streets and bridges, the request is rejected because of the lack of federal approval. 

According to a post yesterday on BikePortland.org, U.S. DOT may "soon give 'interim approval' to these designs, which would expedite their use across the country."  Portland transportation officials and Representative Earl Blumenauer, OR-D, have been lobbying Secretary La Hood.   Specifically, they have been asking FHWA to "work in cooperation with the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO, the city version of AASHTO), provide interim approval for several new (in the U.S.) bikeway designs, work with NACTO to develop the forthcoming "Cities for Cycling Urban Bikeway Design Guide" and implement the findings of an FHWA-sponsored fact-finding mission to bike-friendly cities in Europe that took place in May 2009."

This is an exciting development.  We hear that a Cities for Cycling (a project of NACTO that Philadelphia's Office of Transportation is part of) event is in the works for the fall in Philadelphia.  We hope by then some advancements on this front will have taken place.

Ride Against Aids Team To Arrive In Mt. Airy

A Mount Airy couple is sponsoring the Philadelphia the visit of 7 cyclists participating in the Ride Against Aids to raise awareness and funds for the fight against AIDS in Rwanda.

The cyclists are expected to arrive in Philly sometime this afternoon or evening and depart on Wed Aug 11th. Barbara & Elliott Waters will provide them a place to sleep Tuesday evening, plus dinner & breakfast on Wednesday. Elliott Waters is the pastor at Church of the Annuciation, 324 Carpenter Ln, Phila PA 19119, phone (215) 844-3059.

Philly Electric Wheels (PHEW!) has offered to check their bikes on Wednesday morning before they take to the road again.

FACE AIDS fights AIDS by building a global movement of youth dedicated to health equity and social justice. This summer, seven FACE AIDS members are riding their bikes across the country in the Ride Against AIDS. The Ride Against AIDS team is committed to raising funds for the FACE AIDS programs in Rwanda and spreading awareness about AIDS across the United States. The Ride Against AIDS is a creative and powerful way for these exceptional students to engage in service and demonstrate their passion for making a difference in the AIDS epidemic.

Five of them are rising sophomores and athletes at Stanford University, one is a rising senior at the University of Wyoming and one is a recent graduate from Illinois Wesleyan University. The riders will be biking from Palo Alto to Boston over the course of 67 days, following a Northern route, and they are all excited to meet people around the country and complete the physical challenge of a lifetime.

To learn more about the ride, the riders or read their blog, go to www.faceaids.org/raa. Unfortunately the website has not been updated in the past week so contact the Church for an update on the arrival time of the group.

Video - Bike Philly 2009 Revisited

Still unsure about signing up for Bike Philly on September 12? This is not Gran Fondo, but as this video shows, it is great fun.

2009 TD Bank Bike Philly from Eric Sison on Vimeo.

Register for Bike Philly

New Full Time Night Hours For Bike Cabs

Some more burdensome rules have been removed for bike cabs. The latest change of orders for bike cabs now allows them to operate from Dawn until 2AM, with this new change of hours bike cabs will be allowed on sections of Market, Walnut, JFK, Race and Arch after 7pm.

Walnut Race and Arch are particularly important because it opens up the Walnut St shops, Chinatown and the Convention Center to the bike cab operators.

In other news the Old City Civic Association voted unanimously to allow full bike cab access. No word as to when Bike Cabs will be covering Old City streets.

Let's hope the City continues to take steps to enable this green mode of transportation to thrive. How about shifting Air Quality Alert dollars from brochures and TV PSA's to subsidizing Bike Cab rides and public transportation on those days?

.

Big Weekend For Cyclists

With great weather on their side four very different bike events will be occurring within 90 miles of Philadelphia this weekend.

1. The Brandywine Bicycle Club's Dog Daze Century starting at the Brandywine Valley Association on Wawaset Rd outside West Chester (Map).

2. Somewhere between the Dog Daze Century and competitive races lies Gran Fondo Colnago Philadelphia. Gran Fondo rides are popular in Italy. There is no competition (as in winners) but everyone wears a timing chip, to assure course completion, and awards are given to confirmed finishers and the fastest climbers. Starting at the Art Museum the 100 mile ride (with shorter options) travels on a popular route to St. Peters Village near French Creek State Park. Unfortunately there is no day of registration for Gran Fondo.

3. In Bethlehem the Coalition for Appropriate Transportation will be hosting free valet bike parking for Muzikfest. Bike parking is directly adjacent to the AmericaPlatz venue.

4. And as we reported earlier tomorrow is the first Saturday of NYC's Summer Streets.

Pennsylvania "Smart Transportation" Funding Available

Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation (PenDOT) has announced that it is making $24 million available for 2011 and 2012 for "projects that exhibit Smart Transportation principles."  This program, called Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative (PCTI), is providing up to $1.5 million for pre-construction and construction projects, planning proposals may receive up to $200,000.  Projects will be selected on the degree to which the project supports Smart Transportation principles and the ability to implement local land use actions in support of the transportation investments within the first two years of the Transportation Improvement Program.

The online application must be submitted by September 15, 2010.  The program guide is here.   Boroughs, towns, counties, education institutions, transportation management agencies, and transit agencies are eligible to apply.

The first round of PCTI, announced in May 2009, released $59.2 Million for 50 community-led planning and construction projects. These projects were selected from an overwhelming response of over 400 applications requesting more than $600 million in funding.   The Greater Philadelphia region received  $14.2 million in the first round for the following projects. 


Bucks County

• Newtown Borough received $30,000 to create and implement design standards that encourage new developments to incorporate features to make walking and bicycling more viable modes of transportation.
  
• Chalfont Borough received $463,405 to install pedestrian safety improvements with connections to an elementary and middle school, the community and transit.
  
  Chester County
  
• New Garden Township received $200,000 to study the Baltimore Pike and Newark Road corridors to develop a sound traffic improvement and access management plan in preparation for future development pressures along the corridor.
  
• Borough of South Coatesville received $50,000 to study the feasibility of a multi-use trail along Brandywine Creek, First Avenue and Modena Road.
  
• West Bradford Township received $2,000,000 to install pedestrian and roadside improvements to create a walkable, mixed-use community corridor.
  
  Delaware County
  
• Borough of Millbourne received $35,000 to plan for multi-modal transportation improvements near the Millbourne train station.
  
  Montgomery County
  
• Abington Township received $275,000 to plan for transit-oriented development at the Noble Train station.
  
• Lower Merion Township received $350,000 to construct bicycle and pedestrian improvements from Cynwyd station to the Cynwyd trail.
  
  
• Borough of Lansdale received $3,500,000 to improve traffic circulation within the Borough by rehabilitating segments of Wood and Vine Streets.
  
  
• Cheltenham Township received $1,400,000 to construct traffic calming and pedestrian improvements to provide intermodal connectivity in a high density area.
  
  Chester and Montgomery Counties
  
• Montgomery County received $1,775,000 to reduce the width of Hanover Street vehicle lanes in order to have room to install bike lanes, parking, and a multi-use trail from River Road to High Street
  
  Philadelphia County
  .
  • City of Philadelphia received $2,480,000 to reconstruct sidewalks and provide pedestrian enhancements and lighting along 10th and Berks Streets past the Temple Regional Rail station to the corner of Germantown Avenue.
  • City of Philadelphia received $1,735,422 to improve pedestrian safety and provide traffic calming in the Chinatown neighborhood along and around Vine Street between 9th and 11th Streets.

BFB South Walkway Closes AGAIN

The South Walkway of the Ben Franklin Bridge is once again closed for construction and the North Walkway is open "until further notice". We are not sure of the details of the construction project but last Thursday a cadre of what appeared to be bridge engineers were seen on the South Walkway.



UPDATE: Construction is for the continuation of fiber optic work. The DRPA expects that the South Walkway will be reopened in about a month but if the weather cooperates it will be sooner.

Fairmount Park Bicycle Tour

Darren Fava and Rob Armstrong of Department of Parks and Recreation are leading a two-hour bicycle tour of Fairmount Park  to benefit the Preservation Alliance on Sunday 8/22 from 10-12noon.  The tour will explore the history, art and architecture of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park.  

Starting at Lloyd Hall on historic Boathouse Row, you will first visit the Water Works and nearby Lemon Hill Estate where the park began as a drinking water protection plan.  The tour continues along Kelly Drive to see pieces of the extensive outdoor art collection that comprises the park's "museum without walls." The tour crosses the Falls Bridge and returns along MLK Drive in West Park where the history of the Centennial District will be explored.  Participants must wear a helmet, have city cycling experience and a bicycle in good working order.  Purchase tickets here.

Summer Streets In NYC August 7,14,21st

For the 3rd year in row New York City will host Summer Streets for 3 Saturdays (August 7, 14, & 21). The Summer Streets program temporarily close Park Avenue and connecting streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park to motor vehicles and open it up to people.



SEPTA and NJ TRANSIT carry bicycles on all weekend trains. Bolt Bus offer direct service to New York for much less than the train and carry a limited amount of bicycles. Amtrak carries folding bicycles only.

Bike Rentals in and near Philadelphia

Are you thinking about participating in Bike Philly (September 12th), but worried your old junker might not make it? Do you want to upgrade to a new ride but you insist on a test ride? Are friends in town and you’d like them to travel in style? Want to tour Philadelphia or the Schuylkill River Trail by bicycle?

Rent a bike! We’ve scoured the region and found these dealers who would be more than happy to set you up for as low as $20 a day. Be sure to book your wheels pronto – they are sure to sell out in advance of the big tours (MS150, Bike Philly and PNBR).

National Online Bike Rental Service - http://rentabikenow.com allows you to rent and reserve bikes online.

Bikesport
325 W. Main St.
Trappe, PA
(610) 489-7300

Breakaway Bikes
1923 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 568-6002

Operating: Lloyd Hall Bike Shack (Open weekends only)
1 Boathouse Row
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 568-6002

Cycle Sports
641 N. Main Street
Doylestown, PA
(215) 340-2526

Fairmount Bicycles
2015 Fairmount Avenue
Philadelphia, PA
(267) 507-9370

Human Zoom

4159 Main St., Manayunk
Philadelphia, PA
(215) 487-7433


New Hope Cyclery
404 York Rd
New Hope, PA 18938
(215) 862-6888

Philadelphia Bike Tours
(215) 514-3124 / (215) 334-0790 / (866) 667-3395
Will deliver bikes to downtown hotels

Philadelphia Cycles, Inc.
826 North Broad Street, Philadelphia
(215) 765-9118

Philadelphia DeTours
Segway, Bike, & Running Urban Excursions
3 Hour Bicycle Tours (10am-3pm)

Philly Electric Wheels (Renting electric bikes)
550 Carpenter Lane
(215) 821-9266

Tailwind Bicycles
160 Main Street
Schwenksville, PA
(610) 287-7870

Valley Forge Bikes
610-783-4593

operating: Valley Forge National Park
1000 Outer Line Drive
King of Prussia, PA

Fairmount Park at Bathey House
3269 South Ferry Road, East Falls
Philadelphia, PA


View Philadelphia Bike Rental Locations in a larger map

Delaware Vulnerable Users Bill to become Law

Delaware Governor Jack Markell will be signing the Vulnerable Road Users Bill into law on Thursday August 12th at 12:00 PM at Paper Mill Park, Polly Drummond and Paper Mill Roads, Pike Creek, DE.

SB 269 amends the careless or inattentive driving law by enhancing the penalty for a careless or inattentive driver who contributes to the serious physical injury of a vulnerable user in a public right of way. Delaware is only the fourth state in the nation to pass such a bill and barring unforeseen circumstances the third state in which the bill will become law. Vermont adopted the law in May while Oregon passed a law in 2007. The Texas legislature passed a bill in 2009-only to have it vetoed by Governor Perry. State legislatures in Virginia and California voted down bills in their respective states.

The SB 269 was fashioned after the Oregon Law which is broken up into two sections. ORS 801.608 defines a “vulnerable user” and ORS 811.135 describes additional penalties for careless driving when vulnerable users are affected.

Codifying and defining vulnerable road users, is in itself a huge step forward. Requiring police to note that a vulnerable user was seriously injured or killed in their reports should help raise awareness among law enforcement and the courts that pedestrians and bicyclists are legitimate road users and are entitled to legal protections.

Many thanks to the bills sponsors - Delaware State Senator Sokola and Representative Barbieri
along with Co-sponsors Sen. Bunting and Reps. Bennett, Carson, Hudson, Jaques, Miro, Schooley, D. Short, Walls & Brady

Bike Philly Pre-Registration deadline Today August 1st

Bike Philly is a morning of relaxed biking on certified car-free Philadelphia streets. Bring friends to celebrate with thousands of bicyclists of all ages.

Enjoy the historic beauty of Philadelphia on two wheels and support the Bicycle Coalition's efforts to make the Delaware Valley more livable and sustainable.

If you haven't registered yet, you can avoid the extra cost of late registration by signing up by Sunday! More people are signing up for Bike Philly than ever before -- we broke a record with almost a thousand early bird registrations!

Rates if you register by 11:59PM EDT on August 1:

• Bicycle Coalition Membership and Adult Entry - $ 65
• Adult Non-member - $ 40
• Adult Member - $ 35
• Philadelphia Bicycle Weekend - $ 65
  (Bike Philly on Sept 12 and the Scenic Schuylkill Century on Sept 11)
• Student (w/ valid ID) - $ 15
• Youth (12 and under) - $ 5

You can Register Here