South of South Neighborhood Association Partnering With Police On Bike Registry Program

The South of South Neighborhood Association is partnering with the 17th Police District on a pilot bike registry program. Right now it's only for people living in the 17th District but the SOSNA website claims it could be expanded if found successful.

The process is pretty simple:

1. Bicycle owners fill out an online form and receive a confirmation e-mail from the police.
2. Within 2 weeks of receiving that e-mail, bring the bike to the police station at 17th & Federal.
3. Police will etch a serial number onto the bike.

Should your bike get stolen, that number will allow you to claim it should it be recovered, and help prove the bicycle was stolen should it be found on Craigslist or in a shop.

No bike theft prevention system is perfect, but registry certainly helps the sometimes-arduous task of proving ownership. We're glad to see the police taking bike theft seriously by partnering with a neighborhood association, in this case one representing a heavily-bicycled portion of the city.

Our Volunteer Training Night Happening This Wednesday

Reminder: our monthly volunteer training night is happening this Wednesday. It's going to be a busy summer, and we're looking for volunteers to help with bike counts, staffing events, and the glorious work of making our region a better place to ride a bike. We require all volunteers to receive training before helping out "in the field" so come this Wednesday to get started!

Volunteer training night
Wednesday, May 2nd
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Bicycle Coalition HQ: 1500 Walnut Street, Suite 1107
Questions and to RSVP (so we know how much pizza to get): steve@bicyclecoalition.org

Suggest Locations For Bike Sharing In Philadelphia

Bike Share Philadelphia has rolled out BikeSharePhillyMap.info. The site contains a new interactive map that allows you to suggest locations for bike sharing stations. You can also add weight to previously submitted locations by voting for them. The mapping exercise could help measure interest for bike sharing and influence the choices for future stations in the City.

Bike sharing is moving forward in other cities large and small. Chattanooga, TN started up a bike share program on Wednesday while New York, Chicago and Los Angeles will begin their programs later this year. Perhaps the biggest surprise is that compared to other forms of public transportation bike sharing is very cost effective. Washington's Capital Bikeshare has a farebox recovery ratio of 120% before marketing and management costs.  To put that into perspective, SEPTA's farebox recovery ratio of 51% is among the best in the country among public transit systems.

Go to Bikesharephillymap.info

Haverford Township Installs Signage For 1.3 Mile Bike Route

Haverford Township recently installed new bike signs along a 1.33-mile bi-directional bike route along Buck Lane, Meadows Lane, and Williams Road. These signs were obtained through a small grant we provided to our Delaware County Cycling Committee.

Look below the jump for a description of the route from Rich Kerr and more photos of the signs at work.

Get Ready: The I Bike PHL Challenge Begins May 1st

Last summer we piled up 150,000 miles riding to and from work. This year, let's take our biking national...

The I Bike PHL Challenge begins May 1st!

This summer, we have the chance to show the rest of the country just how much Philadelphia gets around by bike. Registration is free and open now!

• Log your miles through Endomondo's website or free smartphone app
• Create teams of up to ten riders
• Count all miles you bike this summer, for any purpose
• Opt to receive info from us during registration for chance to win new bicycles
• See how Philly and PA stack up to the rest of the nation

Want to get your friends or co-workers involved? We've prepared an info guide which supplements Endomond's own FAQs and tells you everything you need to know to put together a terrific team.

Where can your bike take your this summer?

Report Abandoned Bikes to 311 for the Summer Clean Sweep

Tired of seeing that same abandoned bike taking up valuable bike parking? Tell 311 about it!

The Philadelphia Streets Department will be sweeping Center City and surrounding areas of abandoned bikes this summer. To make this program as effective as possible, the City has opened the 311 call center to collect information of abandoned bike locations throughout the city.

Abandoned bikes:

• have missing or damaged parts;
• are in unusable condition;
• have been locked to the same location for one month or more.

Callers to 311 will be asked to provide information on the location of the bicycle and distinguishing details. Bicycles that have been abandoned for more than 1 month will be tagged for removal by City forces one week before scheduled removal to allow owners a chance to remove their property. Abandoned bicycle cleanups will occur on a bi-annual basis and removed bicycles will be donated to local charities for refurbishment.

We have helped the Streets Department with previous abandoned bike removals, and are glad to see the City recognizing the value of this service by conducting another sweep.

Bicycling and Pedestrian Advocacy Workshop This Wednesday In Berwyn PA

Learn how to build a
safe biking & walking
community!

Are you concerned about your children's safety when they walk or bike in your neighborhood or community? We are holding a workshop this Wednesday on that very subject!

Join us in Berwyn PA this Wednesday to talk about what you can do to make your community safer for bicycling and walking, particularly for school children.

What: Safe Routes Workshop
When: Wednesday, April 25th 2012
Where: East Town Library - 720 First Avenue, Berwyn PA 19312
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 PM

Despite the limited amount of dollars for transportation today, there is still much you can do on the local level to make your neighborhoods and communities safer for children to ride and walk.

Our Safe Routes Philly program has brought bicycling and pedestrian safety lessons to more than 30,000 Philadelphia school children. In this workshop, Safe Routes Philly staff will teach you how to apply for funding, advocate for infrastructure changes, and work with your local schools on encouragement and education activities.

Please RSVP to Diana at 215-242-9253 x 309 or diana@bicyclecoalition.org so we have an idea of how many people to expect. We look forward to seeing you there!

Get Your Students Active And Creative With Our Bike Month Poster Contest

May is Bike Month, and Safe Routes Philly is offering a contest to get Philadelphia's elementary school students involved!

We will be holding a poster contest open to all Philadelphia students in grades 2-6. The contest asks students to create a poster answering the question: Why do I ride a bike? The deadline for entry is May 7th. Five winners will be chosen to participate in the Philadelphia Bike to Work Day with Mayor Nutter on May 18th!

If you are an educator interested in getting your students more active and healthy, this is a great way to combine such lessons with a creative project.

Find the complete contest rules here, and a social studies lesson which can be easily adapted to incorporate the contest. Questions? Contact Safe Routes Philly Community Representative Megan at megan@bicyclecoalition.org or 215-399-1598 x706.

Upcoming Meetings to Comment on the NJ Bike Map

Even Lance needs to check the map sometimes

NJDOT is holding a series of meetings to introduce and discuss the final draft of the New Jersey Statewide Bicycle Map and Resource Guide. In addition to attending the meetings, interested members of the public can comment on the maps via the NJ Bike Map Project website.

The bike map is intended to be a resource for education, advocacy, and trip planning. It includes locations of bike lanes and major multi-use trails. Roads are graded as Most Suitable, Moderately Suitable, and Least Suitable. The three grades for evaluated roads is not unlike the ratings for the BCGP regional bike map, but  with a different methodology being used the road ratings may differ on the respective maps.

Sign Up For Zipcar This Week & They'll Make A Donation To Us!

Have you been thinking about joining Zipcar? Well, do it this week and you'l both save money on your membership, and Zipcar will make a donation to us!

From the Zipcar press release:

For the week of April 16-22, 2012, Zipcar is offering new members who sign up in person the opportunity to join for a discounted rate of $50. To help make this Earth Week even more meaningful, each new member will receive $50 in driving credit and the local Zipcar office will donate an additional $10 in driving credit for each new member who joins from April 16 to April 22, 2012 to a designated non-profit, sustainable partner in their local community. This special offer will be available to new members who sign up in person, either at various Earth Week events in which Zipcar will be participating in and around the community or by visiting a local Zipcar office.

Zipcar has an office in Center City at 12th & Locust. Want to join but can't visit the office? Sign up online and use the code "EARTH2012PHL" and you'll get $50 in free driving and Zipcar will donate $10 to us. (As announced by their Philly Twitter account).

Thinking about biking more and driving less this summer? Get a Zipcar membership before Monday and help us make your bike ride a little better!

Bike Rentals and a New 4-Wheel Trail User Coming To Lloyd Hall

Last Saturday, seasonal bike rental service returned to Lloyd Hall. A new concession between Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) and Wheel Fun promises a more robust inventory of rental bikes as well as a new Center City location at the Fairmount Park Welcome Center in JFK Plaza (Love Park), which will open in late April or May in time for Bike to Work Day. Wheel Fun is a national franchise operation that specializes in hourly rentals. They will be open on weekends until Memorial Day from 9:00 AM to dusk, then 7 days a week from 9:00 AM to dusk through the fall.

In addition to bikes and tandems, Wheel Fun also offers for rent surreys (also known as quadracycles) and double recumbents. You may have seen these in the early morning rumbling down the boardwalk in Seaside, Ocean City, or Wildwood. These slow moving pedalcycles appeal to families or friends who wish to socialize while they pedal at slow pace.

A Philadelphia First - City Offering In-Street Bike Corrals To Philly Businesses

Philadelphia is taking a major step towards improving its bicycling infrastructure and its economy with a new program they are announcing this week: free in-street bike corrals to interested Philadelphia businesses.

The new corrals won't look like this one on Walnut &
Sydenham, but will provide parking for 12 bikes

We brought the first in-street bike corral to Philadelphia last September, turning one car parking spot into 14 bicycle parking spots. The corral has been a huge success: always in use, and facilitating commuting, errands, and shopping in Center City.

Now the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) is offering 10 in-street bike corrals to interested businesses. 

The application process is open now and runs until May 30th. The racks are free to businesses who complete the application. If your business or property has more demand for bike parking than can be met by sidewalk racks, this is your opportunity to get an in-street bike parking corral in front of your place of business!

Here is the announcement from the Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities:

Following the successful pilot last fall of an in-street bike parking rack on Sydenham St. just south of Walnut St in Center City, our office received numerous requests from businesses around the City to provide in street bike parking. Starting this month, MOTU will be soliciting applications from businesses and organizations who want to convert a single car parking space in front of their building into parking spaces for 12 bicycles. We will be awarding up to 10 of these racks free of charge to applicants who prove that they meet the criteria outlined in application packet.

Interested businesses or organizations are required to complete the following steps:

• Determine if their location meets space requirements
• Provide evidence that their location has a high and unmet demand for bicycle parking
• Complete the application form
• Acquire letters of approval from their district City Council representative

One of 80 bike corrals installed in Portland, OR

This program will follow the examples set by peer cities across the country including Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland Oregon, and Milwaukee in which a single car parking space is converted into parking spaces for multiple bicycle parking.

Applications are due May 30th, but those submitted by May 15th will get preferential treatment. Download the application here!

Professional Women's Cycling Team Looking For Housing For Pro Race In June

The Philly pro cycling races are coming up on June 3rd, and the Diadora/Pasta Zara women's team is looking for a place to stay the week leading up to the race. Interested in this rare opportunity to host a professional athletic team? Here are the details:

• Team is 5 riders, including current Road World Champion Giorgia Bronzini
• Team manager Diana Ziliute
• One mechanic (will wash his/her hands before sitting on your couch)

They are arriving in Philadelphia on May 29th and leaving on June 1st. Interested hosts and hostesses should contact Milay Galvez at ASI: mgalvez@advancedsports.com or 215-824-3854 Ext. 1788.

Events in April: Explore New Trail/Bike Opportunities

Bob Thomas (photo by Phil Straus)

Sunday, April 15th - 1 pm - Walking Tour of the (proposed) Forge to Refuge Trail -- Plans are afoot to extend the Cobbs Creek Trail as part of the proposed Valley Forge to Heinz Refuge Trail.  Join architect and trail designer Bob Thomas on an exploratory walk from West Philadelphia to Haverford Township to see the various possibilities for this portion of the trail, which would travel through Cobbs Creek and Karakung Parks. For more information and registration go to the Parks Alliance website and click on "walking tours"

April 18 & 19th - 5:30 pm - Lower Schuylkill River Master Plan Feedback  Sessions.  Phila Industrial Dev. Corp. and Phila. City Planning Commission will present early ideas and recommendations from the Lower Schuylkill Master Plan and give citizens the opportunity to offer feedback. The Master Plan Study for the Lower Schuylkill River District is a collaborative effort to create a blueprint for high-quality sustainable redevelopment of the historically industrial corridor along the east and west banks of the Lower Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, PA.  This is a great opportunity to advocate for completing the Schuylkill River Trail from Bartram's Garden down to Fort Mifflin. Meetings are April 18th at 5:30pm at the Richard Allen Charter School, or April 19th at 5:30pm at UPenn's South Bank Campus at 34th & Gray's Ferry Avenue.

April 24th - 3:30-5pm Earth Day Navy Yard Bike Tour. Hosted by Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC) for Energy-Efficient Buildings, this ride will feature an overview of the Navy Yard's past, present and future, its sustainability-focused tenants, water department initiatives, and much more. Register here.

Steven Rea: Hollywood Rides a Bike at the Free Library tonight

Burgess Meredith on a bike while Stallone trains
(looks like the path along Kelly Drive)

If you missed Steven Rea's slide show at our Annual Meeting last October, don't miss it tonight.  The Philadelphia Inquirer film critic will be discussing his new book, Hollywood Rides a Bike, a collection of favorite pictures from his blog, "Rides a Bike." The blog features photos of famous actors riding around on bicycles. Here's a review of the book from the San Francisco Chronicle

Where:
Montgomery Auditorium
Free Library of Philadelphia

1901 Vine St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103

When:
Monday, April 9th
7:30pm-8:45pm

Bethlehem Hit And Run Prevented By Witnessing Bus and Car Drivers (Video)

On April 2nd, a bicyclist was struck from behind by a driver on Fahy Bridge in Bethlehem, PA. Then something really cool happened.

When the driver immediately attempted to flee, a bus driver ahead of the crash blocked the driver's escape. A second vehicle boxed in the criminal, and a police office arrived shortly to take him into custody.

Hooray for helping!

The whole thing was caught on camera by the city's wireless camera system.

From the police report and the video, it seems the bicyclist was not seriously hurt (although his back wheel was torn in half). The driver will be charged under, among other things, the state's newly-passed 4 foot passing law.

A thousand good human points and a big thank-you to the bus driver, Mr. Richard Gubish Jr., and the other witnessing motorist, Mr. Judson Smull, for being compassionate and quick-thinking motorists. Nothing will curb the rate of hit and run crashes like our collective refusal to let such callous behavior slide.

Scofflaw Motorists Leave Injured Teenagers Behind In Northeast Philadelphia

According ot the Upper Moreland Patch a hit and run driver struck two teens - a cyclist and a skateboarder - on Tomlinson Road in the Somertom section of the city. The report notes that the cyclist was traveling eastbound adjacent to the westbound curb. The driver of the silver Honda Odyssey then swerved and struck the skateboarder in the eastbound lane.

The 15 year old on the bike was treated for minor injuries. The skateboarder's family has posted a $10,000 reward and a family friend is offering a $1,000 reward to car repair shops if they report the suspicious vehicle.

On Tuesday Night another teen on a bicycle was struck by a hit and run driver, this time at high speed. David Silva, age 17, was crossing Tyson Avenue on his bike when he was broadsided by a motorist. Police are looking for a dark colored vehicle with tinted windows and a damaged front end.

Video Of Recently Recovered Stolen Bikes

The Philadelphia Police Department has uploaded this video of some of the stolen bikes they recently recovered. If you see your bike, or can help return one to its rightful owner, call the Major Crimes unit at 215-686-3396. (original link to the video)

Calling Volunteers To Help The Chinatown Bike Lane

Volunteer opportunity!

We are partnering with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation to conduct a shopper survey in Chinatown. We are looking for volunteers interested in making our city's bike lane decision-making more informed.

What's involved:

• Speak to shoppers in Chinatown about how they arrived there
• Record responses on paper
• Shift slots are flexible in length, time of day, and day of week
• Speaking Mandarin or Cantonese is not required (but extremely helpful!)

One of the lessons of our February meeting with PCDC was that there is not enough data about the 10th Street bike lane. No one has investigated what percentage of Chinatown shoppers arrive by bike, by foot, or by car. Knowing this will make future decisions impacting the 10th Street bike lane more informed.

Interested? Contact our volunteer coordinator Steve by phone (215-399-1598 x707) or by e-mail. All volunteers will receive one of our I Bike PHL t-shirts, a great accessory for springtime bike riding! You can also attend our volunteer training tomorrow night to get trained on street outreach and sign up for projects like this one.

No Foolin' - Cars Must Now Give Bicyclists 4 Feet When Passing

Today Pennsylvania joined 21 other states with a Safe Passing Law requiring motorists to give bicyclists four feet of clearance when passing.

The Drive Safe PA website gives a good summary on the changes in the law:

"Effective April 2, 2012, motorists must allow at least four feet between your vehicle and a bicycle for the vehicle to safely pass the bicycle. When safe to do so, it is legal to cross the center double yellow line if necessary to provide the required four feet when passing a bicycle."

"Also, no turn (right or left) by the driver of a motor vehicle shall interfere with a bicyclist proceeding straight on a roadway or shoulder."

Don't expect police bike patrols going out with yardsticks to measure passing distances. This law's true strength is its role as a vulnerable road user law for cyclists. It gives law enforcement a tool to hold negligent motorists accountable in the event of a crash. It also helps clarify the relationship between cars and bicycles on the road, and how both can and should maneuver around one another to keep everyone safe.

Success of the law may be hard to measure but with a good promotional campaign this law can help police and civilians understand how to coexist with cyclists on the road.

A short clip from Fox29 featuring our own Mary Duffy after the jump.

Holy Smokes, We're 40 Years Old

We were founded in 1972. That makes us 40 years old this year. Wow. That's a big birthday.

We're 40 and thus suckers
for gratuitous ZooBorns photos

We might not look it, but we're older than Microsoft. We're older than Roy Halladay. We're approximately 40 times as old as this adorable cheetah.

We aren't sure exactly when in 1972 we were founded. The first meetings of the "Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition" were held in the back room of J. Mulligan's Restaurant and Bar in 30th Street Station.

Since those heady early days, the goal of our work has been the same: speaking up for the rights of bicyclists, and making our region a better place to ride a bike.

That ride looks a lot different today than it did in 1972. Today you can take your bike on SEPTA and on the Ben Franklin Bridge. Philadelphians now live in a city with a bike/ped plan and more than 400 miles of bike lanes (all built in the last two decades). With ever-closing gaps, you can ride your bike from Philadelphia to Valley Forge on dedicated bike/ped paths.

We're not resting on these accomplishments. But we are marking this anniversary with a new logo and other big announcements in the months to come.

New logo!

This week, help us celebrate 40 years of making our rides better by telling us about your rides!

We're on Twitter (@bcgp), and we'd like to know how your ride has changed in the past 40 years. Tweet at us with the biggest improvement in your ride since 1972.

What? Not 40 years old? Then tell us one way you want your bike ride to improve before you turn 40.

Use the hashtag #bikePHL. We'll share our favorites and a couple respondents will score I Bike PHL t-shirts and/or these snazzy new tote bags we just ordered (now that we're 40, we must start stockpiling canvas tote bags).

Lastly, a big thank you to all our members and supporters for standing behind our 40 years of work. Together let's make the next 40 years even better for bicycling and walking in the Greater Philadelphia Region.