Walk some new sections of the Schuylkill River Trail in Philadelphia

If you missed the highly successful walk in February, we are holding another one!  The day before Bike Freedom Valley,  the Complete the Schuylkill River Trail Coalition is holding a second walk from Bartram's Garden to Dupont Crescent on Saturday, June 19th.   Meet us at the Bartram's Garden parking lot at 9:30am.  We will walk through the Bartram's property to 51st Street, over to Gray's Ferry Ave, and over the Gray's Ferry Bridge to see the newly constructed Dupont Crescent site across the river.   Refreshments will be provided.  The walk will end at the Philadelphia Trolley Works, who will kindly "bus" everyone back to Bartram's Garden after light refreshments. Approximate length of walk: 2 miles. Please RSVP for this event.

You Did It! Bike Lane Fans Win

Thanks to everyone who rallied and let their fingers do the voting on the need for more bike lanes in Philadelphia.  After we put out our call for action Wednesday afternoon, over 1000 people voted in the Philly.com reader poll.  By the end of today, 1607 voted and the results are: 84.6% voted "yeah!" , while 15.3% voted "no".   This highly scientific poll indicates that there is plenty of support for the Philadelphia's forthcoming bike/ped plan which will recommend a doubling of the city's current number of bike lanes.  Your support for the plan is needed and we thank you for making it known.

Manayunk Canal Update and Suggested Detour

The Philadelphia Water Department's contractor has completed installation of the 1st section of sewer liner adjacent to the Towpath. The Canal Towpath will be opened up to pedestrian & bike traffic tomorrow morning, through the long Holiday weekend.

The Towpath will once again be closed starting next Tuesday morning (June 1st) for the installation of the second section. It is anticipated that the path will remain closed through Friday, June 4th.

Some trail users have been less than civil with construction crews. It started with those not paying attention to any of the posted signs. Some were confrontational when the workers attempted to tell them that the path was closed others just walked their bikes through the construction zone. In addition, the contractor noted that on several occasions when he discovered that the sign he’d posted at Locke Street had been thrown into the canal.

This is truly behavior that trail users (mostly cyclists) should not be displaying. We understand the frustration of suddenly coming upon a trail closure but to take this out on people just trying to earn a living is just plain wrong and for us embarrassing.

On the other hand this is another example of why a citywide detour policy is needed. A closure on the Schuylkill River Trail is worthy of closure and detour signs miles in advance. Imagine driving on I-76 and suddenly coming upon "Road Closed" signs. A KYW traffic advisory and a SmarTraveler traffic alert should be seriously considered.

For a detour from Manayunk take the towpath to the Fountain Street Bridge (the red bridge) and turn right up the path before the bridge. Turn right on Fountain which becomes steps and walk up to Umbria St. Turn left on Umbria to Shawmont Ave/Minerva St and make the sharp left down to Nixon St in Shawmont.


View Canal Towpath Closure in a larger map

Last Days to Enter Your Commuter Challenge Trips!

Bike Month is almost over, which also means that our Commuter Challenge is drawing to a close. But it also means that we're about to give away a bunch of great prizes! Make sure to enter your trips by bicycle so that you can be entered to win! The last day for the competition is Monday, May 31st.

End of the Month Prizes:

• Individual- Top 10 people that log the most trips during the month of May will be entered in a raffle to win a brand new Breezer folding bike!
• Team- Top 3 teams that log the most trips during the month of May will receive additional, to-be-determined, prizes!

Week 2 winners of the Bike Month Commuter Challenge (and the great prizes they won) were announced earlier this week! Congrats to:

• Lieren: You have won a Planet Bike Cascadia Fender courtesy of EMS and a Bicycle Jersey courtesy of Bucks County Bicycles.
• Sally: REI Seatbag with patch kit and tire levers courtesy of REI.
• Icelello: Winner of Fruit and Veggie take home case courtesy of The Fruit Guys.
• Team Septa: Winners of Aluminum Water Bottles courtesy of Zipcar and I Bike PHL T-shirts courtesy of the Bicycle Coalition.

And don't forget about the Bike Month Photo Contest- Best Photo From Your Ride or Commute, which will also be ending at the end of the month. Any photo that you saw or got to by bike qualifies! Just make sure your bike, or a piece of it, is in the photo so we know you biked there. Submit photos to max@bicyclecoalition.org.

All photo entries will be displayed on our flickr and facebook pages, and winners will receive I Bike PHL T-Shirts and their photos prominently displayed.

Bikecabs Hit The Streets This Weekend... Well Some Streets

The Philadelphia Bikecab Allliance and Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown held a ribbon cutting ceremony launching bikecab service. The two founding companies Chariots of Philly and VeloPark plan to have more than a dozen bikecabs running this weekend.







Bikecabs are regulated by the Streets Department and the Bikecab Alliance was formed to assist member companies to comply with regulations and to build a positive relationship with the community.

But the overly cautious regulations set for bikecabs shows that proponents had to give up a lot for passage. Bikecabs for example cannot operate at night, when buses are scarce and taxicabs are in high demand. A look at the map shows that most of the ideal places for bikecabs to operate are off limits. This includes all of Old City, much of the historic district and the stadium area. This service would be a welcome link for the half mile plus trip from the Broad/Pattision subway stop to Lincoln Financial Field (and you wonder why more people don't take the train to Eagles games).





One reason cited for banning bikecabs on certain streets is that they impede traffic, but this tie up on 3rd St in Old City ended shortly after a Duckboat Truck (top center) turned right. At less than 5 feet wide bikecabs are about foot narrower than cars and can be easily passed on most of the neighborhood's major streets.

Commuter Race Results Are In...And The Bicyclist Wins!

In addition to being an affordable, healthy, sustainable, and fun method of commuting to work, Philadelphia learned today that bicycling is one of the fastest ways to get around our city!

Proving again the theory that a bicyclist who commutes four miles or less in Philadelphia will generally arrive before --or within a few minutes of-- other commuters during rush hour, in the Bicycle Coalition's 6th Annual Commuter Race this morning the bicyclist was the first to arrive. The motorist followed 5 minutes later, and the transit user 10 minutes after that.

The race began at the corner of Frankford Ave and Master Street in the Kensington neighborhood at 8:00 a.m., and competitors raced to the center of Center City, 15th and Market. Pat Cunane, CEO of Advanced Sports, Inc., was the bicylist, riding his Breezer commuter bike in office clothes. Our Bike Month Coordinator, Nisha Mitchell, was the transit rider; and Jeremy Nelson, general manager of ZipCar Philly, drove a Mini Cooper convertible provided by ZipCar. Bicycle Ambassadors accompanied the bicyclist and motorist to make sure that they followed all rules of the road.

Arrival times at the finish line were:
Bicyclist: 13:20 minutes
Motorist: 19:14 minutes
SEPTA User: 24:09 minutes

Thank you to all of our contestants and sponsors! Check out additional photos here.

In other Bike Month News, the Week 2 winners of the Bike Month Commuter Challenge (and the great prizes they won) were announced today! Congrats to:

• Lieren: You have won a Planet Bike Cascadia Fender courtesy of EMS and a Bicycle Jersey courtesy of Bucks County Bicycles.
• Sally: REI Seatbag with patch kit and tire levers courtesy of REI.
• Icelello: Winner of Fruit and Veggie take home case courtesy of The Fruit Guys.
• Team Septa: Winners of Aluminum Water Bottles courtesy of Zipcar and I Bike PHL T-shirts courtesy of the Bicycle Coalition.

ALL RIDERS in the Commuter Challenge are entered into in the Individual Competition and are eligible for raffle prizes. It's not to late to sign-up, start riding, and win the some great end-of-the-month prizes, including a Breezer Ziggy Folding-Bike!



































Commuter Cost Analysis
Daily Cost
Bicycle: $0.00
SEPTA: $4.00 (or $2.90 with two tokens)
Car: $19.66*
*Parking $15.50 (rate at 1300 Market Street garage) plus $4.16 mileage (based on AAA estimated costs of $.52 per mile)

Yearly Cost
Car: $10,943
(According to AAA, the average cost of owning and maintaining a new car is $7,823 per year plus $3,120 in parking (based on a monthly rate at 1300 Market Street garage).)
SEPTA: $936
($78 per month for a city Transpass)
Bicycle: $260
($500 every four years for a new bike plus annual maintenance of $135)

Update - West Oak Lane Jazz Festival to Set up Bike Racks

You may remember that we reported on the West Oak Lane Jazz Festival no bikes policy that was posted on its website a few weeks back. We are now happy to report that the Festival will welcome bikes with racks set up at the intersection of Ogontz Ave and Tulpehocken St.

Apparently the policy note was intended to state that bicycle riding was not permitted inside the Festival area, which is perfectly understandable. The addition of bike parking will improve transportation options for those who do not want to deal with remote shuttle parking or extra bus/train transfers.

Philly Bike Parking update

Remember the bike parking bill that City Council passed last summer that requires bike racks to be installed in new construction?  The Streets Department has proposed implementing regulations  that define design guidelines, set rules for racks being installed on private property, public right of way and for "art" racks. Too bad these regs weren't in effect when Temple University--Center City campus recently installed these brand new lousy school racks (see photo); the very kind of rack that will not be allowed under the new regulations.

To make installation of racks on private property easier (under the current code, you are supposed to get an individual City Council ordinance to install a rack on your own property), a bill has been introduced by City Council allowing private bike racks to be installed on the sidewalks for a $25 over the counter permit form.  The new legislation will be heard on Tuesday, June 1st in at a City Council Streets Committee hearing.

Vote for More Philly Bike Lanes!

The Daily News is running a Reader Poll on whether or not the City should install 200 more miles of bike lanes, as called for in the soon-to-be-issued Philadelphia Pedestrian Bicycle Plan. 

As of 12:30 Wednesday, the detractors are winning. Please vote now and forward this email/post to your friends and networks.  Let's rally!

Long awaited bike cabs and Delaware River bike/ped trail to launch on Thursday 5/27

11:30 am -- Bikecabs start in Philadelphia (finally!)
Philadelphia Bikecab Alliance is holding a press conference at Dilworth Plaza (north side of City Hall) to announce that bikecab services in Philadelphia will begin this holiday weekend. The Philadelphia Bikecab Alliance, made up of Velo Park and Chariots of Philly, will be joined by City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and City transportation officials to discuss their efforts to promote the safe operation of Bikecabs and announce the launch of Philly's first green vehicle-for-hire service. 

12:30pm -- First Phase of Delaware River Trail to Be Opened (finally!) by Mayor Nutter
Mayor Nutter will (re)inaugurate the first section of the Delaware River Trail that is now under the jurisdiction of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. This trail, designed by the Center City District, has been delayed by a variety of issues. The trail section between Pier 64 and Washington Avenue is being opened.  We'll be there to see the trail for ourselves. Bicyclists are encouraged to come. Here are more details from the press advisories we've received.

Location of Press Conference: The start of the Delaware River Waterfront Trail at Pier 64.  North of Pier 70 Shopping Center.  Turn off Columbus Boulevard into the shopping center parking lot just north of Mifflin Street & continue east through the lot to the water’s edge & make a left onto the surface road and proceed north behind Walmart.

Who: Mayor Nutter, along with Councilman DiCicco (invitation pending), Paul Levy, President of the Center City District and Tom Corcoran, President of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation will unveil the first phase of the Delaware River Trail, which is now open and ready for bicyclist enthusiasts.

Bike Month Week 3: Commuter Race and Greenworks Anniversary Celebration

Nope, Bike Month isn't over yet!

Wednesday, May 26, 8:00 am: Annual Bike Month Commuter Race
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia will be staging a race between three commuters: a bicyclist, a car driver and a transit rider. The race will test the theory that a bicyclist who commutes four miles or less in Philadelphia will generally arrive before, or within a few minutes of, other commuters during rush hour. To give the car every chance to win the race, the driver will be in a convertible sports car provided by Zip Car.

Starting in North Philly at Frankford and Master Streets, the three racers will all compete to get to 15th and Market fastest. Join us at the finish line at 15th and Market to see who arrives first!

Wednesday, May 26, 10:00 am: Ride to First Annual Greenworks Party and Progress Report
It has been one year since Greenworks Philadelphia, Mayor Nutter's sustainability plan, was unveiled, and this Wednesday the city will unveil the program's First Annual Progress Report. Guests and celebrators will enjoy local food, a rumba band, a project from Mural Arts, planting demonstrations with PHS and a neighborhood tour led by the mayor.

The ride to the event will be led by the Bicycle Ambassadors and leave City Hall at 10am. The event begins at 10:30 a.m. and will be held at The Asociación de Puertorriqueños en Marcha (9th and Norris Streets).

Wednesday, May 26, 6:00 pm: Urban Riding Basics Class
Join the Bicycle Ambassadors at The Free Library Durham Branch (3320 Haverford Avenue) for a public class discussing everything you need to know to get on a bike for commuting or recreation. Bicycles are not needed for the class.

Above photo: The Evening Bulletin front page from the first Commuter Race organized by the Bicycle Coalition in May of 1972.


NOTE: I apologize for the earlier email that was sent out (I accidentally hit the enter key) and hope that it was not too much of an inconvenience.

Chat with Stu Bykofsky at 1:00

Following his latest rant against bikes, the Daily News "Earth to Philly" blog will be hosting a live chat with me and Stu. Tune in at 1:00 today!

LAB - NJ and DE Go Bronze while PA Slowly Rusts

On Wednesday the League of American Bicyclists announced the 2010 Bicycle Friendly States rankings which are based on a 95-item questionnaire that evaluates a state’s commitment to bicycling and covers six key areas: legislation, policies and programs, infrastructure, education and encouragement, evaluation and planning, and enforcement.

In the rankings New Jersey advanced from 10th to 8th, Delaware ceded it's 9th place ranking to Arizona and fell to 10th while Pennsylvania slipped further towards the bottom, dropping from 40th to 42nd place alongside a slew of southern states.

New Jersey and Delaware took the extra step of applying for a Bicycle Friendly State award designation which enables states to receive further recognition and promotion of their efforts as well as feedback, technical assistance, training and further encouragement to improve their bicycling legislation, projects, and programs. Both were awarded Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly State designation and in fact were two of the three states that received a Bicycle Friendly Award, with Oregon receiving a Silver designation.

View the entire state ranked list and a breakdown of how the states fared in each evaluation

category.

New Jersey and Delaware join Philadelphia and Newark DE (Bicycle Friendly Communities) as well as CityRyde (Bicycle Friendly Business) with Bronze level awards. Look out George Hamilton.

New Schuylkill River Trail Map

The Schuylkill River Heritage Area (SRHA) has produced a new map of the entire extent of the Schuylkill River Trail.  It is not available on line, but copies will be handed out at various locations between 10-12 noon along the trail starting this coming Saturday.

Schuylkill Banks
Waterworks Interpretive Center
Lloyd Hall
Bathey House East Falls (when open)
MDC Office in Manayunk
Valley Forge Welcome Center
Phoenixville Schuylkill River Heritage Center
SRHA Offices Pottstown
Goggleworks Reading
Our Town Foundation Hamburg
Hopewell Furnace

Manayunk Canal Closing For Sewer Line Work

A contractor for the Philadelphia Water Department will begin sewer line work installation on the Manayunk Canal Towpath. The path will be closed from the late morning on Sunday 5/23/10 until Friday 5/28/10 from Fountain St to Shawmont Station.


View Canal Towpath Closure in a larger map

You Go Earl!

Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer devotes five minutes of Congressional floor time to praise Bike Week activities, Safe Routes Philly and the BCGP's advocacy efforts. Most importantly he highlights the disparity between the percentage of traffic deaths that are bicyclists or pedestrians (15%) with the percentage of transportation safety dollars dedicated to bicycle and pedestrian projects (3%).

Bike Month Update: Bike to Work Day is Friday!

Entering our third week of Bike Month, we're picking up steam for Philly's biggest Bike to Work Day ever, this Friday May 21st! Please read about the great events happening this week:

-Leading up to Bike to Work Day, the Bicycle Ambassadors are offering free, public Urban Riding Basics classes every day this week. If you know someone who just started riding, or wants to but has some apprehensions, our classes are a great way to gain some confidence or brush up on the latest advice!

• Tues, 5/18: Urban Riding Basics @ the BCGP Office 5:30-6:30pm at 1500 Walnut St., Suite 205.
• Weds, 5/19: Lunchtime Urban Riding Basics @ BCGP Office 12:30pm-1:30pm at 1500 Walnut St., Suite 205.
• Thurs 5/20: Urban Riding Basics and Biking in Philly Discussion @ Wooden Shoe Books, 7:00-8:30pm at 704 South Street.

-Wednesday evening is the Philadelphia Ride of Silence, a silent, slow-paced ride commemorating cyclists who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways. Meet at the Art Museum Steps at 6:45 pm for a seven-mile, police-escorted ride through Center City. Volunteers are still needed to help lead the ride; contact Russell if you're interested. And if you don't live in the city, check out these other Ride of Silence events in our area.

-As stated earlier, Bike to Work Day is this Friday, May 21st 2010! Friday will feature "Commuter Stations" at 5 different locations throughout the city for Bike-to-Workers to stop for some coffee, snacks, and conversation! Please join Mayor Nutter, the Bicycle Coalition, and many others for the annual Bike to Work Day Ride from the Art Museum to City Hall. Plus, RSVP for the Mayor's Ride and you will be entered to win a Breezer Ziggy Folding Bike!

• Center City (21st & Chestnut) - 9:00am-6:00pm
• Center City (ING Cafe, 1636 Walnut Street) - 8:00am-12:00pm
• Kensington (Corner of Frankford and Master Streets) - 7:00am-9:00am
• Manayunk- Manayunk Brew Pub (4120 Main Street) - 7:00am-9:00am
• Temple University's Bike to Work Breakfast: 7:00am-9:30am at the Bell Tower. Free continental breakfast, drawing for a Fuji Bike, maps and more.

Don't forget to let your friends know that you're biking to work this Friday by inviting them to our Facebook Event!

-Saturday, May 22 is the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby. A Kinetic Sculpture is a Human-powered vehicle that also has an artistic theme. Think of parade floats on bicycles, or mummers on hand crank driven pirate ships, or an alien space ship on 2 welded together bikes. Check out the website for more information and details on how to get involved.
Commuter Challenge Update: In the first week of our Bike Month Commuter Challenge, participants made 323 trips and rode over 1143 miles! You can still sign up to track your trips and win great prizes.

Special congratulations to Michael K, Alex B, and Krowseye, the Week 1 Individual Winners; as well as our Week 1 Team Winner, the Philadelphia Spinners. All winners received a free entry to Bike Freedom Valley.

Prizes for next week include: Novara Expanding Wedge Seat Bag with Novara Tire Levers and Novara Patch Kit. Find out more about all our great end-of-the-month prizes!.


Bike Month Photo Contest Update: We've gotten some great submissions, but we'd love to see more of your great photos! Photos must be taken somewhere you got to or saw by bike. More information on entering.

A sample Photo Contest Entry from 15th and Cherry, by Max.

Members of Congress Reps. Schwartz and Blumenauer visit BCGP office

Bicycle Coalition staff, board members and Fuji employees were on hand to greet House Representatives Allyson Schwartz (PA-13) and Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) when they visited the Bicycle Coalition's office late Monday afternoon as part of a full day tour of Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs.  Congresswoman Schwartz, brought Congressman Blumenauer to Philly to see examples of green and sustainable infrastructure

and transportation projects and to meet with city and regional agency officials, including Mayor Nutter, who are working to make the region a livable community.  We told them about the Coalition's advocacy and education programs that are helping encourage more bicycling and answered their questions about what the region is doing to promote bicycling and walking. Representative Blumenauer is a great champion of bicycling (he is proudly BIKE-PARTISAN) who introduced the Active Communities Transportation Act to make investments in transportation projects that will encourage a mode shift (more bicycling and walking, less car driving).  Representative Schwartz, who lobbied hard for the recent TIGER grant to build trails in Philly and Camden, introduced the Green Communities Act to make grants for greening projects, We greatly appreciate their time, attention and great questions.  Thanks for coming by! (more photos here).

TMRW: See the Green City Philly is becoming, one garden at a time- Urban Gardens Bike Tour!

Join us tomorrow, 5/15 at 2pm to see first hand the Green City that Philadelphia is becoming, one community garden at a time!

The Bicycle Coalition, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and members of the City Harvest Growers Alliance Program (CHGA) have partnered together for a bicycle exploration of urban gardens and food systems. Taste local produce at every farm, and then stop with us at the Yards Brewery for a beer at the end of the tour!

The tour will begin at 2pm at the Our Front Yard Garden (N Front Street & Fairmount Avenue), and will end by 4 or 5. You can sign-up at the beginning of the ride, too!

The tour will start at Our Front Yard Garden and Liberty Lands Community Garden in Northern Liberties. We will head north to the Teens For Good Garden with a stop through the Village of Arts and Humanities. We will end at Emerald Street Farm in Kensington.

We will make a stop at each of the three different urban garden projects where participants will learn about the various innovative community efforts to create access to locally grown food. At each stop we will sample prepared dishes straight out of the gardens!

These and many other urban farm projects are building community with fresh foods and beautiful landscapes.

Starts 2pm. You can register online or day-of at the start. Entry fee: $15/$10 for Bicycle Coalition members. For more info: Growing Green Urban Gardens Bike Tour

The marginalization of traffic deaths and crashes

Charles Komanoff wrote a terrific piece on Streetsblog last week about the contrast between law enforcement's reaction to the terror of the failed bombing attempt in Times Square and how it responds to the terror of everyday carnage of people dying or getting injured in traffic crashes. The quote I like best is:

"Dangerous driving deemed devoid of murderous intent is okay; bicycles hitched to “security-sensitive” fences are not. Putting law-enforcement personnel on bloated “anti-terror” details is an appropriate use of police; assigning them to enforce traffic laws protecting pedestrians and bicyclists is not. “Narrow escapes” such as Saturday evening in Times Square merit blanket coverage; the everyday bullying of millions of walkers and hundreds of thousands of bike riders is, well, everyday."

Alex Doty posted a similar blog entry last month, pondering the ramifications if security decision makers cared as much about the impacts of distracted driving as they did about the feared impacts of the Icelandic volcano eruption, which cost the worldwide economy $130 million a day.  Why was it worth $130 million a day to prevent potential deaths from airlines, but it's tolerable to live with motor vehicle crashes that cost $230 billion a year or $630 million a day (2000 figure) in the United States and claim upwards of 33,000 lives and cause 5 million injuries annually?  U.S. policy doesn't tolerate a single airliner crashing or a terrorist succeeding ever, but it tolerates the equivalent of a terrorist killing 100 people a day in the number of people who die in daily motor vehicle crashes.   It reflects a decision that death by air flight and terror deserve a zero tolerance policy (and it largely works), but death or injury motor vehicles does not (the results speak for themselves).   It doesn't have to be that way; Sweden set an ambitious goal to reduce fatalities and serious injuries in motor vehicle crashes to zero, called Vision Zero.


The tolerance for motor vehicle crashes turned a new page recently.  Philadelphia's Police Department announced that they would no longer send police cruisers to respond to fender benders. While all incidents should be reported to 911 according to the Philadelphia Police Dept's website, if the crash involves vehicle damage only, officers will not be sent to the scene. While perhaps this rationale is from a budgetary point of view, it's a depressing reminder that traffic incidents are continually tolerated (marginalized!) as acceptable risks not worthy of police response, even when they are portenders of worse to come.  Brian Hickey wrote a great opinion editorial on the danger of giving aggressive drivers a free pass.  We asked the Police Department how its new policy would be applied to bicyclists and was told that every incident should continue to be reported to 911; that the dispatch operator will direct those involved about what to do.  If there are any injuries, police and medic response will be dispatched.

Always call 911 if you are in a traffic incident (or are harassed by someone), but you can also tell the Police Department about it or the response you experienced, by using the Bicycle Coalition's See Click Fix widget; all incidents reported on this online tool get sent directly as an email message to the Police District where the incident occurred.

Mercer County, NJ Bike Map Finalized

The Mercer County Bike Map has graduated from its beta status and will be a permanent fixture on the DVRPC website. The bike map was created when DVRPC did an initial computer analysis of the roads using a "Bicycle Level of Service Model". It that was then opened to the public, who provided comments and offered changes. More than 100 changes were made to the maps due to the comments.

The final version also takes advantage of the Google Maps Bicycling Layer and it is hoped that at some point the data will be incorporated into the Google bike routing application. But it is unclear right now when that will happen.

The data collected by DVRPC for the bike map is also being integrated into the Mercer County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. This plan is the first NJDOT bike/ped plan project that is being done at the County level and that plan should be completed later this year.

DVRPC believes that the Mercer County map is a model for online bike maps in the other 8 counties in the region. However County (or City) Transportation officials must make a formal request to the Commission because DVRPC needs to incorporate the project into its work program.

SRT improvements and new segments/connections coming soon!

There are a number of trail improvement, construction and planning projects underway in Northwest Philadelphia and Lower Merion. This post provides the latest information about the status of various sections of the SRT (on road and off road routes) and important connections.

East Falls Bridge to Ridge Avenue (Department of Park and Recreation) – Philadelphia's new Parks and Rec. Department will widen and improve the sidewalk/path starting in Spring 2010. During construction, the on road detour will be on Calumet Street and Ridge Avenues.

Wissahickon Gateway (DPR) – Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and Philadelphia's DPR are jointly funding an Engineering study of crossing the Wissahickon Creek and the area behind the Transportation Center and other buildings along Ridge/Main (up to the movie theatre complex) to inform how to design a new bridge and riverfront path to circumvent the difficult on road sections of Ridge and Main Streets. The scope of this study is being developed and an RFP will be out this summer.

Manayunk Canal Towpath/Lock Street to Shawmont (DPR) – Funding is in hand for Fairmount Park staff to do trail improvements along the entire canal towpath. These improvements will start after the Philadelphia Water Dept. finishes sewer repairs near the Shawmont area.

Manayunk Bridge and Ivy Ridge (Schuylkill Project)– New path on old R6 Line. The Schuylkill Project (part of the Manayunk Development Corporation) has submitted an application to DCNR and William Penn Foundation for funding to conduct a feasibility and preliminary design study. This is the first important step necessary to make this important connection between the Cynwyd Trail and Schuylkill River Trail.

Cynwyd Trail (Lower Merion Township)--Consultants are preparing final construction drawings and LMT will advertise for construction bids this summer or fall.

Shawmont to Montgomery County Line (DPR) – A new path segment will be constructed on the rail/utility line from Port Royal Avenue to Shawmont Avenue. A ramp will descend down to the Shawmont/Nixon Street intersection. Design is complete and PECO lease has been finalized. City Council needs to approve the PECO lease. The existing SRT path between Port Royal and Montgomery County line will be widened to 12′ with 2’ shoulders on either side while overlaying surface with bituminous overlay. The Philadelphia path width will match Montgomery County portion of the SRT. This project is funded by both TIGER and Transportation Enhancement funds.

Livable Communities Panel with U.S. House Members Blumenauer and Schwartz

May 17, 2010 7:00pm - 9:00pm

 

On Monday, May 17th, Livable Communities Task Force Members Earl Blumenauer and Allyson Y. Schwartz will join Penn Design School’s Penn Praxis and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia for a panel discussion on how we can ensure that livability is a priority for Philadelphia. The panel will be moderated by Harris M. Steinberg, FAIA of the University of Pennsylvania School of Design.

Panelists:

• Alan Greenberger, Acting Deputy Mayor for Planning, Economic Development, and Director of Commerce, will provide the city's perspective.
• John Gattuso of Liberty Property Trust will offer the perspective of the private developer.
• Shawn McCaney of the William Penn Foundation will provide the philanthropic perspective.
• Tony Sorrentino of the University of Pennsylvania will provide the institutional perspective.

RSVP here

Location: 

Academy of Natural Sciences 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy Philadelphia, PA 19103

Time:  7:00 to 7:30, reception 7:30 to 9:00, program

Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Portland co-chairs the Livable Communities Task Force. From 1996 to 2007, he served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where he was a strong advocate for federal policies that address transportation alternatives, provide housing choices, support sustainable economies and improve the environment. 

click here for more information on the Livable Communities Task Force

This event is sponsored by Penn Praxis, the Academy of Natural Sciences, Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz, and Rep. Earl Blumenauer

Now This Is An Office!

According to Treehugger.com the Delaware Valley Green Building Conference has awarded third place to the Swedish Firm We Are You in a Bicycle Transit Center design competition. The proposed location is the troubled corner of 8th and Market. Site of a parking lot that replaced the Disney Hole.

The building included bike parking for 250 bikes and a 5,000 Square Foot office for the local bicycle advocacy organization.




By the way the DVGBC site has not published the names of the winning designs on their website. Regardless, don't expect such a smart and grand structure to be built anytime soon.

Last Day To Comment on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Here is your last opportunity to tell the City what you think about this plan. When finalized, it will become the blueprint for how Philadelphia modifies its streets and sidewalks, and updates its code, laws and policies on bicycling and walking over the next decade.

Go to the plan or simply submit comments using this form.

Need some ideas for comments? Check out the Streetfilms video of facilities being implemented in Long Beach, CA. Most interesting for Philadelphia is the green striped shared lane that is showcased at 3:07.

Featured Bike Month Events Week 2: Urban Gardening Tour and more!

We've begun our second week of bike month, and wanted to let you know about some of the great events happening later this week (as well as a sneak peak of tons of events for next week). Check out the full Philly Bike Month Calendar to see more info about these events and many more!

It's not too late to sign up for the Bike Month Commuter Challenge and win great prizes for riding your bike, or to pull out your camera and submit a photo for our Bike Month Photo Contest!

See this and more on the Growing Green Bike Tour this Saturday!

Featured Events This Week:
Friday, May 14:
Sustainable 19125's Car-Free Fridays
Get happy hour specials if you ride your bike!

Saturday, May 15:
Growing Green Urban Gardens Bike Tour
Join the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and members of the City Harvest Growers Alliance Program (CHGA) for a bicycle exploration of urban gardens and food systems. Starts 2pm. Entry fee: $15/$10 for Bicycle Coalition members. Register here.

9th Annual R.E.Load Maypril Fools Fun Ride
Essentially a huge scavenger hunt, you'll be given a list of stops at the start, each with a different points value assigned to them. Registration begins 12pm. Entry fee: $10.

Bicycle Ambassador Service Station on the Schuylkill River Trail, 8am-12pm
Come out to the base of the trail (25th and Locust) to meet our new team of Bicycle Ambassadors, brush up on your bike safety tricks, and get a quick check of that bike you just pulled out of the basement for bike-to-work day. Look out for guest bike mechanics, too!


Next week: Free Urban Riding Classes at the BCGP Office on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Then, on Friday, Philly's biggest Bike-to-Work-Day ever!

Ben Franklin Bridge South Walkway Closed For Repairs

Beginning Monday, May 10, through Monday, May 24, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge south walkway will be closed to provide access to DRPA personnel making fiber optic repairs. During the closure, the north walkway will be open. Walkway hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily. (10PM from May 17-21st for bike week)



On its approach to the Camden staircase the North Walkway narrows into a 800 foot long catwalk or "cattle chute" that sometimes require bicyclists (or polite pedestrians) to back up and let people going the opposite way pass. On the other hand the view is different, most notably the demolition of the Riverfront State Prison and the emerging Sugar House property.

Forget Portland-Lets Get Real With Minneapolis

According to the 2008 American Community Survey 4.3% of the commuters in Minneapolis MN bicycle to work (Avg. January temp. = 13 degrees), nipping at the heels of mild Portland, OR. Streetfilms in cooperation with NACTO produced this film that looks at the bicycling capital of the Midwest.

GREEN 2015 -- How Philadelphia will add 500 new acres of green space

The City of Philadelphia is hosting a series of community meetings to hear the public's thoughts about the future of green space in your neighborhood.  These meetings will help shape the City's action plan to add 500 acres of public space to meet Mayor Nutter's sustainability goals. 

Tuesday, May 25, 6:30 pm -       Sheet Metal Workers Union, 1301 S. Columbus Blvd., 19147
Wednesday, May 26, 6:30 pm - Associacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha, 2319 N. 7th St., 19140
Monday, June 14, 6:30 pm -      Germantown Friends School, 31 W. Coulter St., 19144
Wednesday, June 16, 6:30 pm - Bartram’s Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Blvd., 19143
Monday, June 21, 6:30 pm -       Perzel Community Center, 2990 Saint Vincent St., 19149
Tuesday, June 22, 6:30pm -        Phila. Free Library - Skyline Room, 1901 Vine Street, 19103

This effort will likely help determine which trails the new Department of Parks and Recreation will focus on in the future.  Please attend a meeting to help advocate for new trail segments to Complete the Trail and East Coast Greenway within Philadelphia.

Bucks County Moves Forward With Bike Plan

The Bucks County Commissioners have awarded the Philadelphia firm Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, Inc.to prepare a countywide bicycle plan.

The plan will be developed as part of the county’s overall comprehensive plan, which will cover recreation, transportation and open space among other components.

The commissioners first appointed a bicycle task force in 2008, which recommended that the county conduct a study that will guide plans for enhancing the county’s path and bikeway system. The study is expected to be completed in about 18 months.

AAA Mid-Atlantic - DC Bike Plan is a "War On Drivers"

On May 3rd AAA Mid-Atlantic which provides driver services from New Jersey to Virginia put out a press release urging its members to oppose bike lanes that are being installed along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington DC. Unlike the District of Columbia DOT, this professional organization is not basing their concerns on a specific traffic study but rather a fear of doomsday gridlock.

“If implemented, this plan could make things worse. Lane closures must be approached with extreme caution to avoid excessive traffic delays and the diversion of motorists into neighborhood streets, increasing cut-through traffic in peak periods.”

AAA Mid-Atlantic's DC Managing Director, Public and Government Affairs Lon Anderson goes even further, in an Op Ed piece he called the bike lane plan a "war on drivers"

Here in Philadelphia, we've became accustomed to such knee jerk reactions. Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky has written article after article as to why bicyclists and bike lanes make no sense for the city. Like others of his ilk, he bases his positions on anecdotal information, however his jabs of bicyclists have been subject to widespread criticism, which may explain why has taken to discrediting our bike count data.

But the studies done on the Spruce and Pine Bike Lanes as well as other places where bike lanes have replaced travel lanes show that the "war on drivers" is as about as real as the bike lane fairy. Before and after counts on Spruce and Pine Streets indicated that bike traffic on those streets nearly doubled while traffic speeds decreased by a meager 2 mph. The pedestrianization of Broadway in New York City was a lane reduction project on a grand scale, yet NYC DOT's study showed positive results without sending Manhattan into the feared gridlock.

The AAA Mid-Atlantic press release highlights their membership poll to point out that their members are not happy with bike facilities, but it doesn't take much to put a spin on the results - "Polling shows some residents already have some misgivings about the proposal. In fact, 53 percent of District residents say bike lanes and other added bicycle perks will not make them more likely to bicycle to work on a regular basis, the 2010 AAA Transportation Poll ® shows. Even so, 20 percent of surveyed AAA members in the District said the changes would compel them to become regular bicycle commuters." So does that imply that up to 47% of AAA members would consider bicycling to work more often? I also wonder if the 20% of AAA Mid-Atlantic's membership who favor more bicycle facilities would want to continue to be part of an organization that doesn't share their values.

For those that don't like AAA Mid-Atlantic's Politics there are other options. Most notably Portland based Better World Club which offers several plans that roadside assistance for your vehicle and your bicycle. For the car free they also offer a bike only assistance plan. Those who enroll in this program automatically become a member of the League of American Bicyclists.

A advancing brigade of bicyclists passes an unsuspecting line of parked cars in preparation for the "War on Drivers"

Green Light for Cynwyd Heritage Trail

After much deliberation and universally positive testimony from the public, the Lower Merion Township Commissioners on the Park and Recreation Committee voted 13-0 to recommend to the full Board that the Planning Dept. move forward on developing construction documents and soliciting bids to build the Cynwyd Heritage Trail for $2.4 million.  This is a very important milestone for the Cynwyd Trail, which will be the anchor for an off-road trail connecting Lower Merion to the Schuylkill River Trail.  Congratulations to Chris Leswing, the LMT Planning Dept and Parks and Rec. Dept., and the Friends of Cynwyd Trail; all of their hard work is bearing fruit! 

May is Bike Month!

May is National Bike Month, and here in the Philadelphia area we have plenty of events to keep you celebrating the freedom of two wheels all month long!

Whether you want to explore murals and urban gardens by bike, enjoy car-free drink specials, take an Urban Riding class with our Bicycle Ambassadors, or participate in a number of fun rides, there's something bike-related for you in May.

Beginning next week, the Philadelphia Commuter Challenge will begin! Register as an individual or with a team to log the number of trips you make by bike this month, and win great prizes from us! Then, Bike Month will culminate in National Bike to Work day on Friday, May 21st, bigger and better than ever!

Click here for the full bike month calendar. The calendar is constantly being updated, so check back often. Contact our Bike Month Coordinator, Nisha (nisha@bicyclecoalition.org), if you have questions or know of any other May bike events.

Featured Bike Month Events This Weekend:

Friday, May 7- Sustainable 19125's Car-Free Fridays: As part of Sustainable 19125's Walk-Bike-Ride campaign, ditch your car and celebrate your reduced carbon footprint at select bars every Friday in May.

Saturday, May 8- Philadelphia Mural Arts Bike Tour: A tour of Philadelphia's renowned murals by bike allows an outstanding opportunity for participants to see and photograph murals up close!

Monday, May 10- Philadelphia's Bike Month Commuter Challenge Begins: Learn more and sign up to compete here!

Ben Franklin Bridge Walkway Update

Detour to the North Walkway for Two Weeks

Beginning Monday, May 10, through Monday, May 24, the Benjamin Franklin Bridge south walkway will be closed to provide access to DRPA personnel making fiber optic repairs. During the closure, the north walkway will be open. Walkway hours are 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily.

Bike to Work Week

From May 17th to the 21st walkway hours are extended to 10 PM for National Bike to Work Week.

Corrected Date: Volunteer night is tonight, May 5!

The earlier post that went out yesterday incorrectly stated the date of volunteer night as 4/7.

It is tonight, May 5th, starting at 6:15 at the BCGP Office. So, please join us for a special Cinco de Mayo Outreach Training Volunteer night!

The incorrect message was written from a hotel lobby while on our way to the PA Bike Summit- I apologize for any confusion!

Volunteer Night Tomorrow: Outreach Training

Important Note: Early-bird registration for Bike Freedom Valley ends TOMORROW, May 5th. Sign up ASAP for discounts and a free t-shirt!

For volunteer night tomorrow evening, we will be hosting a second Outreach Training for those who missed last month's. With the start of summer (or, at least, the summer heat), we will need plenty of volunteers!

If you are interested in helping to educate and encourage Philadelphians about our mission to promote bicycling in the region, while also honing your own outreach skills, please join us for volunteer night on May 5th at 6:30pm (6:15 for refreshments)!

Former Bicycle Ambassadors will train you the basics of being an Outreach Volunteer. We will teach you how to engage people in conversation, talk about the Bicycle Coalition's mission and work, and encourage people to become members.

Please join us on May 5th:
Schedule: 6:15pm- Arrive for food and drink; 6:30pm- Introductions; 6:45pm- Outreach training and role playing; 8:15pm- Wrap-up.

Please RSVP by emailing events@bicyclecoalition.org.

Correction: This post earlier stated the volunteer night date as April 7th. It is tonight, Wednesday May 5th. Sorry for any confusion!

Moorestown Bike Plan Open House

The first Public Meeting for the Moorestown Bicycle Plan will be held on
Tuesday, May 11th at the:
Moorestown Public Library.
111 West 2nd Street
Moorestown, NJ 08057-2471


View Larger Map


The event will be conducted in an Open House format, from 3:30pm to 7:30pm, with information on display in the library's meeting room (meeting flyer). You can also comment online through the Community Walk website.

Alliance's Winning Campaigns Training Comes to New Jersey

For those that attended BCGP's Annual Meeting last night, guest speaker Jeff Miller Executive Director for the The Alliance for Biking & Walking mentioned that the next Winning Campaigns Training is to be hosted by the New Jersey Bicycle Coalition in Edison NJ at the Shelton Baptist Church Community Center. The center about a 5 minute walk of the Edison Train Station on the NE Corridor line (see map below).

The Winning Campaigns training will provide you with the tools to organize a successful campaigns (i.e. Scudder Falls Bridge, TIGER Grant) and focuses on seven essential elements:

• Issue Focus - Define the issue
  
• Campaign Goals - What are the social changes that you hope to achieve?
  
• Assess Your Resources - SWOT analysis, allies and opponents
  
• Strategy - Power Mapping targets and audiences
• Communications - Media outreach, stair speech, slogan
  
• Tactics and Timelines - effective and appropriate tactics
  
• Resource Management - budgeting the true cost of the campaign, volunteers

Finally, if attendees are members of the Alliance for Biking & Walking they can sign up for the discounted rate of $75 vs $125 (BCGP and NJBC are eligible for the $75).

For more information see the relevant links below.

New Jersey Bicycle Coalition Winning Campaigns Webpage
http://www.njbike.org/winning-campaigns.html

Alliance for Biking & WalkingWinning Campaigns Trainings Webpage for Edison.
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/site/EventRegistration-Overview/2578/


View Larger Map

Comment on Philadelphia's Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission has released for public comment its draft Pedestrian/Bicycle Plan.  This plan was developed by a steering committee of city agency staff and non-profit organizations, including the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and Toole Design Group.  

Two Open Houses were held in late April.  The public is invited to read over the Vision and Goal Statement, a summary of new policy recommendations (or read the full set of recommendations), and review the proposed bikeway network in the study area (So. Phila, CC, parts of North Philadelphia, and NW Phila).  You can also see a zoomed in map of the proposed network in Center City. 

(Bikeway networks for other parts of the City -- West Phila, SW Phila and North Philadelphia -- will be developed during a second phase of the Plan in 2010 and 2011.)

Here is your opportunity to tell the City what you think about this plan.  When finalized, it will become the blueprint for how Philadelphia modifies its streets and sidewalks, and updates its code, laws and policies on bicycling and walking over the next decade. 

Comments are due on May 11th. You can email your comments to Debby Schaaf, or use this form. 

This plan is being funded by a Transportation Enhancement grant through the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

Bicyclists' Support Needed on May 5th for Cynwyd Trail

On Wednesday, May 5th at 6:15 pm, the  Lower Merion Township Commissioners will vote on the final design for the Cynwyd Heritage Trail.  The meeting will be at the Township Building, 75 East Lancaster Avenue in Ardmore in the second floor board room.

If you support the construction of the new 2.5 mile trail through Lower Merion that lays the foundation for an important offroad connection to the Schuylkill River Trail, please come to this meeting to help demonstrate to the Commissioners that the backing of the community for this project is broad and enthusiastic. The Friends of Cynwyd Trail are optimistic that the Commissioners' vote will be positive to approve the proposed design and the township's commitment of capital costs to supplement the state and federal grants and County Open Space funds that are paying for the vast majority of the trail construction costs. This commitment is necessary to start the bidding process.  But, the presence of many supporters is invaluable.  Please come and out and show the Commissioners that their yes vote is needed and appreciated.

Lower Merion Township has been an important partner of the Complete the Schuylkill River Trail Coalition and the Cynwyd Trail is an critical trail segment that will help set the foundation for linking together Lower Merion and Manayunk.