Mass Rail Trail News -- August 28 2012
Tom Connors
Google Maps now include the schedules for bus stops along its map routes in nearly 500 cities, according to Google Inc.'s official blog.
The feature was added to Google Maps for the Android application on Wednesday, according to Google. The change is to the "Transit Lines layer" so users can select a specific mode of transportation to display on the map.
Here's a list of what cities are covered, and which public transportation services are covered there.
In the Bay Area, the transportation services included are: AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, Muni, Valley Transportation Authority, Alameda/Oakland Ferry, Blue & Gold Fleet, Golden Gate Ferry, Baylink, and the Alameda Harbor Bay Ferry, according to Mountain View-based Google (NASDAQ: GOOG).
Sad News - Danny O'Brien, DCR's rail trail greenways champion, has passed away
I’m sorry to report that our colleague and friend Danny O’Brien passed away last night. Danny has been battling serious illness for some time and yet continued to work as able, right up to this week. We will all miss Danny’s gentle nature, kindness, good humor and professionalism. Not to mention his massive contribution to greenways and rail trails across the Commonwealth.
Calling Hours are 4pm to 8pm on August 30th (Thursday) at Mortimer Peck Funeral Home, 516 Washington Street, Braintree MA.
Funeral is at 11am on August 31st (Friday) at St. Thomas More Parish, 8 Hawthorne Road, Braintree MA.
Please pass this information on to anyone who would want to know. Your prayers and support are most appreciated,
http://www.peckservices.com/obits/obituary.php?id=201120
BRIDGEWATER- Daniel “Danny” Anthony O’Brien, 57 years of age passed away on Tuesday August 28, 2012 at his home surrounded by his loving family after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in Boston and raised in Braintree. He was a 1973 graduate of Braintree High School. Danny attended The University of Massachusetts Amherst and obtained a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Science in 1977. He was an Eagle Scout for Troop 253 of Braintree. Danny was a member of the original Hilltop Gang. He worked for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for 40 years. He worked his way up and became the Director of Bikeway Planning. Danny designed and created the bike trails in Massachusetts. His “baby” was the Cape Cod Rail Trail and he was known as the Godfather of rails to trails. Danny was very passionate about the outdoors. He was very adventurous and loved biking, hiking, kayaking and nature itself.
He was the beloved husband of Kristine N. (Nappi) O’Brien of Bridgewater and the devoted father of two daughters Kelsey A. O’Brien and Lindsey K. O’Brien both of Bridgewater. He is the loving son of Joseph F. and the late Marilyn K. (Sullivan) O’Brien of Braintree. Danny was the cherished brother of Maureen Johnson of Quincy, Karen M. O’Byrne of Wagener, S.C., Kevin O’Brien of Northborough, Joanne Plunkett of Abington, Lynn Kearney of Halifax and Timothy O’Brien of Weymouth. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Visiting hours will be held at the Mortimer N. Peck- Russell Peck Funeral Home 516 Washington Street, Braintree on Thursday from 4:00-8:00pm.There will be a gathering at the Funeral Home on Friday, August 31, 2012 at 10:00am to be followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Thomas More Church, Elm Street and Hawthorn Road at 11:00am. Burial will be private.
Memorial Donations in Danny’s memory may be sent to Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 765 Attucks Lane, Hyannis, MA 02601 or to The Lungevity Foundation 435 North LaSalle Street, Suite 310, Chicago, Illinois 60654.
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The town's new rail trail has proved popular this summer, with dozens of walkers, bicyclists, and joggers seen daily along its 2.5-mile length. The trail, which follows what once was the Hanover branch line of the Old Colony Railroad, was built at no cost to the town by Iron Horse Preservation of Nevada in exchange for the rails and ties. It opened in the spring. Town Administrator Allan R. Chiocca, a strong supporter of the project, said it will provide recreation and may even raise adjacent property values.
August 17, 2012
Norwottuck Rail Trail users get a chance to weigh in on improvements
HADLEY — Public users of the Norwottuck Rail Trail will have a final chance to weigh in on a list of proposed improvements at a Sept. 5 hearing in the Hadley Elementary School cafeteria.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will present its plans at the 7 p.m. hearing at the 21 River Drive school, including its vegetation management plan and the enlargement of the parking lot on Damon Road. Completed in 1994, the Norwottuck Rail Trail is among the oldest of its kind in Western Massachusetts. Extensions have been added to the original 8.8 miles, linking the trail for the Northampton Bike Path in the west and extending it into Belchertown in the east.
Ground glass was mixed with the material used to pave the Northampton-to-Amherst stretch of the path, causing problems for some cyclists. Paul Jahnige, the Director of the Greenways and Trails Program for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, said that glass will no longer be an issue because the $4 million project includes the repaving and widening of that section.
Other improvements include the realignment of the Route 9 tunnel to make it safer, creation of additional parking on Railroad Street in Hadley and the re-decking of three bridges.
The Case for Separated Bike Lanes
brooklynspoke.comThe other day, Doug Gordon decided to try a little bike lane experiment. Gordon, author of theBrooklyn Spoke blog, placed red plastic Solo cups (yes, the ones you use when drinking from a keg) along the edge of a painted bike lane that is often blocked by parked livery cars and other drivers.
Saugus rail trail near completion
Iron Horse Preservation Society began work on a community rail trail four weeks ago and is halfway through tearing up 2.6 miles of old railroad tracks in town.
Steel has been removed from the Revere line near Anna Parker Playground to Denver Street.
“We’d like to remove the rails at the crossing by Essex Street,” said Clay Larsen, Bike to the Sea representative for the project. “We may have to leave the others due to the budget.”
For 20 years Bike to the Sea has been lobbying five communities to support a nine-mile recreational trail that extends from Everett to Lynn. After getting approval from Malden and Everett, Bike to the Sea representatives appeared before the Board of Selectmen Jan. 24 to bring Saugus onboard the project.
The Saugus rail trail will connect residential neighborhoods with the downtown business district, Saugus Belmonte Middle School and areas of open space.
Iron Horse has been working quickly, Larsen noted, and the trail is likely to be open to the public in mid-October.
“The town is very excited,” Board of Selectmen Chairman Mike Serino said. “I am onsite every day with Clay and Iron Horse. People walking by and stop and ask us when it will be done. They’re all excited for it to be done.”
Private-label beverages benefit Rail Trail
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Residents have an opportunity to quench their thirst while supporting the Danvers Rail Trail. The town committee that oversees the trail has arranged to purchase private label beverages to sell to trail users. The beverages — diet root beer, root beer, ginger ale, raspberry lime rickey, lemonade, sparkling water, and spring water — come in bottles with a Danvers Rail Trail labels affixed to them. The labels depict a steam engine from the 1880s, except for the spring water, which comes with a label that shows an image of the rail trail. Danvers Fresh Marketplace on Elm Street has agreed to carry the full line of drinks while Danvers Indoor Sports on Andover Street is selling the spring water. A portion of proceeds will benefit the trail. The beverages can also be purchased directly from the committee by contacting in...@danversrailtrail.org.&
Poughkeepsie Journal "Walkway's growth can empower area" Aug 18, 2012
Now, Massachusetts's RTP funds are under threat of being eliminated! Contact Gov. Patrick to preserve these funds today.
As you may recall, a few months ago we contacted you about a bipartisan amendment to our nation's then-draft transportation bill, championed by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), to preserve the RTP. Thanks to a groundswell of support from around the country, that effort was successful and Congress affirmed that the RTP was too important to lose.
However, there's a catch: Governors were given the opportunity to opt out of funding this program, and must decide whether to do so by September 1. This dangerous caveat could mean that tens of millions of dollars that were intended for trail investments could be used for very different purposes.
Make no mistake: This question of whether governors will opt out is the first test of the strength of our movement under the new federal transportation law.
If you think it's important for Americans to have safe places for people to walk and bike... for children to be outside and explore nature... for all of us to experience the natural beauty of this country...
Then please contact your governor now.
Thank you,
Marianne Wesley Fowler
Senior Vice President of Federal Relations
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Westfield's initial phase of Columbia Greenway Rail Trail due to open
Published: Wednesday, August 08, 2012, 8:15 PM
WESTFIELD – Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail are planning a celebration later this summer or early fall to mark the completion of the first of three phases of the trail in Westfield.
The group is also turning its focus now on construction of a second phase of the project and to an educational campaign on the importance of both motor vehicle and bicyclists sharing public streets.
“The first phase of Westfield’s trail is simply spectacular. One has to experience it for themselves,” Friends president Jeffrey J. LaValley said.
“We have a committee engaged in planning for a dedication or event that will mark the opening of this initial phase,” said LaValley. ‘It will be late summer or early fall,” he said.
The first phase is all but complete with the city and contractor now engaged in the ‘punch list’ mode that identifies any addition work or corrective action needed to complete the project.
Earlier this year Westfield received a $1 million grant from the state Department of Environment and Conservation to help finance the project. Overall, when all three phases are complete the Westfield phase of the bike trail that extends south to Farmington, Conn. will cost an estimated $7 million.
“We are excited the initial project is done and will officially open soon to the public,” LaValley said, noting the public is already using the trail.
The next phase of the project is expected to be the northern section of the city that includes crossing the Westfield River. The final phase, the downtown section, will connect the northern section with the southern section. Funding for the next phase has been earmarked for 2014, project manager John J. Bechard, said earlier this year.
The completed section connects the downtown, off Broad Street in the Tin Bridge and Ponders Hollow area to Southwick which completed their stretch of the trail last year.
Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail formed about three years in support of the Westfield’s trail but planning for it started many years earlier.
LaValley said the group plans to distribute literature about trail safety, including public road safety, via kiosk’s stationed along the trail. They are also planning on scheduling several workshops on motor vehicle and bicycle safety.
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., design engineers of Worcester is working with the city on the rail trail design and Mayor Daniel M. Knapik and City Engineer Mark s. Cressotti have said the plan is to proceed on an annual basis until Westfield’s trail is complete.
A protected pedestrian and bicycle path is coming to the shores of Brooklyn.
New York City Department of Transportation hasunveiled final plans to implement the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a 14-mile pathway connecting communities along Brooklyn's waterfront. Separate paths for bicycles and pedestrians will allow cyclists and walkers to commute, exercise, explore and relax from Newtown Creek in north Brooklyn to the beginning of the Shore Parkway Greenway in Bay Ridge.
Nice PDF file -- when opening, click the plus sign to enlarge the 2 pages
Five miles of the greenway are already in place and include some of the most popular bicycle and pedestrian routes in the city. Two additional miles along West Street and around the Navy Yard are now being designed. Altogether, this unique set of pathways and green spaces are transforming Brooklyn's waterfront.
The DOT plan released this week includes the finalized route and funding options for the 23 separate segments that together make up the greenway.
The greenway has developed thanks to a partnership of public agencies and private organizations, including NYC DOT, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and Regional Plan Association. More than $20 million in federal funding has been secured for the greenway, including over $14 million sponsored by Rep. Nydia Velázquez.
RPA has worked with Brooklyn Greenway Initiative for more than a decade to develop the conceptual and technical design for the greenway and build support for its creation. The summary of the implementation plan released this week was crafted by RPA, in consultation with DOT and BGI. The project represents a key element of RPA's campaign for waterfront greenways throughout the metropolitan region, including our work with Jamaica Bay Greenway Coalition.
NYC Department of Transportation news release
Media coverage: Streetsblog NYC
By Alex Marshall, Editor, Spotlight on the Region
In June, 24-year-old Emma Blumstein was bicycling along Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn, in the bike lane, when a flatbed truck turned in front of her. She went under the wheels, and was killed.
In May, Mireya Gomez, 50, was bicycling along Roosevelt Avenue in Queens when a car traveling in the same direction struck and killed her.
In April, Mike Rogalle, 58, was walking along the sidewalk of Beekman Street in Manhattan when a GMC SUV jumped the curb and hit him from behind, killing him.
The drivers who killed these people didn't face criminal charges, fines, or receive points on their licenses, according to news reports.
In New York City, drivers who harm those walking or bicycling usually suffer no penalties unless proven to be driving drunk or recklessly, even if they do something obviously against the rules like jump a curb. Sometimes drivers suffer no penalties even if they are drunk or reckless, because by policy New York City police only investigate accidents where someone dies or is on the verge of death.
As New York City prepares to unveil its bike-sharing plan, there has been increasing discussion of whether the laws governing the streets, as well as the enforcement of these laws, are reasonable. Late last month, a group led by Councilman Brad Lander called on the New York Police Department to change the way it investigates traffic accidents.
New York City is probably a safer place to bicycle and walk then it was 10 or 20 years ago. In 2011, 21 people on bikes and 134 people on foot were killed compared with 13 cyclist and 191 pedestrian deaths in 2001. Even though cycling deaths have risen, there are a lot more cyclists out there now — four times as many, says the city. This is in large part because of the 350 miles of bike lanes installed under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, along with continued campaigns about bicycle and driver safety.
State aid propels greenway in Southampton
Staff Writer
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SOUTHAMPTON — The town is one step closer to transforming a former rail bed into a bike path, after Gov. Deval Patrick approved $500,000 for the creation of the rail trail as part of a $1.5 billion transportation bond bill.
Supporters of the proposed path said that if another state grant gets awarded later this year, the town could purchase the two-mile stretch of land for $360,000 in 2013.
"It's the first step in a long process, but it's a very positive step," Michael Buehler, chairman of the Greenway Committee, said of the half-million dollar earmark.
The proposed greenway - a term for any kind of recreational path - would stretch from the end of the Manhan Rail Trail on Coleman Road to the intersection of Route 10 and Valley Road, near the Westfield line. The railway will not sell the quarter-mile section of rail that would connect the greenway to Westfield because it uses it for rail equipment storage, Buehler said.
The town has yet to decide what the trail will look like, but a feasibility study completed in 2011 proposed designs ranging from a $900,000 gravel trail to a $2.6 million path that would include parallel paved and unpaved routes.
Buehler said the committee is in discussions with Pioneer Valley Rail, which has approached the town about selling the two-mile section of track.
Earlier this year, there was a discrepancy about land appraisals. Pioneer Valley Rail appraised the land at $595,000, while the town valued the land at $360,000. A third independent appraisal the town commissioned this summer also valued the land at $360,000, and the town by law cannot pay more than that, said Conservation Commission Chairman Charles McDonald.
Buehler said there is no way of knowing when the $500,000 from the state will become available to the town.
Meanwhile, the Conservation Commission is pursuing a $240,000 Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) Grant from the state to finance the purchase. If awarded, probably in December, the grant would reimburse the town for two-thirds of the purchase price for the land.
McDonald said LAND grants are for projects that protect and increase accessibility to conservation land. "This railway goes along the Manhan River and is adjacent to many conservation properties, so the trail will be a green corridor," he said.
The town would need to match the grant by providing the other $120,000 to purchase the land, likely from Community Preservation Act funds, he said.
He said voters would need to approve the funding with a two-thirds majority at a special Town Meeting.
The Greenway Committee is considering options for creating the path, including seeking assistance from Iron Horse Preservation Inc., a Reno, Nev., nonprofit that creates rail trails for free. The organization removes the iron rails, sells them as scrap metal and puts down a gravel path, Buehler said. The town's preference is still to eventually pave it, he added.
"We're still in the very early stages of this, but if we're successful with the LAND grant, and we can reach an agreement with Pioneer Valley Rail and Iron Horse Preservation, we could conceivably have a trail within two or three years," Buehler said.
The committee is also working to jumpstart the Friends of Southampton Greenway, a group that did community education and outreach in 2008, when the town voted to fund the greenway feasibility study.
Buehler said he envisions the Friends group playing a major role in keeping the public informed in the progress of creating the trail. And later, he hopes they will stay involved in the maintenance of the trail.
"With our desire to be as efficient as possible with the town's resources, our goal is to have a robust Friends group that can do maintenance to minimize the labor and financial burden on the town," he said.
Unlike its neighboring cities of Easthampton and Westfield, where rail trail projects are further along or completed, Southampton has struggled to get voters to favor the creation of a recreational trail. They failed to approve the project twice in 1995 and 1996.
Anyone interested in getting involved with the Friends of Southampton Greenway can visit the group's website at www.southamptongreenway.org or the "Southampton Greenway" Facebook page.
Billerica bike-trail articles seek $1M, board makeover
BILLERICA -- Days after state Rep. Marc Lombardo's $150,000 bike-path earmark cleared its last Beacon Hill hurdle, two preliminary Town Meeting warrant articles calling for more town bike-trail funds and a makeover of the project's committee managed to squeak by hours before the deadline passed for petitioner proposals.
One article, submitted by Dyer Street resident and Deputy Town Moderator Cosmo Cavicchio, would create a Yankee Doodle Bike Path Committee composed of four community members appointed by Town Moderator Gil Moreira, one appointed by selectmen Chairman Andrew Deslaurier, one appointed by Finance Committee Chairwoman Mary McBride and one appointed by Recreation Commission Chairman John Bartlett.
Reached Monday afternoon, Cavicchio said his intention behind filing the article is for the matter to be settled before October Town Meeting.
Specifically, Cavicchio said he would like to see the current bikeway committee empowered "to perform research and development tasks with absolutely no restrictions."
"As far as I am concerned, if we get the support from the town manager and selectmen, then the current committee could stay in place and we'll pull the article," he said.
Cavicchio's comments came a week after selectmen voted unanimously to revive the five-member bikeway committee following a June vote to suspend operations. The directive last Monday, however, irked Cavicchio and current Yankee Doodle Bike Path Chairman John Piscatelli.
A major part of the motion to revive the committee required members to focus solely on working with Lombardo to find state money."In other words, we want this committee to do as much as it can," said Cavicchio.
The other article submitted Monday, drafted by Piscatelli, calls for the town to set aside $1 million for the path. Reached Monday, Piscatelli stressed that the article does not call for immediate spending but instead "simply opens a bank account embedded in our stabilization fund in which we can put money aside."
Like Cavicchio, Piscatelli said he hopes his article does not see the floor of Town Meeting and added that he wants "to find a solution everyone is comfortable with before Town Meeting starts."
"To those who argue about the technical obstacles in place against the path, I'd simply say all we're doing is putting money into a stabilization account," Piscatelli said. "If we can't get the path done, then it just means we've got more money in the town's stabilization fund."
He added that "there will always be projects with more priority," like revamping Middlesex Turnpike or bringing town sewer access to more residents. If he were pushed to decide between prioritizing a bike path or a new high school, Piscatelli said he would "choose the new school every time."
"I'm really just doing the job I was assigned to do," he said.
Selectman Dave Gagliardi, who also serves on the current bikeway committee, said Tuesday he and Piscatelli talked about the warrant articles Monday night and noted the conversation was fruitful and that both are "trying to work this through and see if we can come to some sort of a compromise."
As for Lombardo's victory in securing the $150,000 in the state's transportation bond bill, the Billerica Republican said in a statement the money "will be needed for project design and land acquisition" and that the money secured "will go a long way in helping the town complete this part of the project."
Town Manager John Curran has estimated the path could cost between $4 million and $6 million to complete.
Read more:http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_21316761/billerica-bike-trail-articles-seek-1m-board-makeover#ixzz23jyrvF9M
Townsend board tables rail-trail talks
TOWNSEND -- Selectmen tabled discussion Tuesday of moving forward with steps to build the Squannacook River Rail Trail pending input from Police Chief Erving Marshall.
The decision followed a presentation by Steve Meehan of Squannacook Greenways, the nonprofit organization in charge of the project. The organization asked the board if it would write a letter of commitment to build a sidewalk on Main Street in the area of Townsend Harbor as well as provide regular police patrol for the trail -- two things the state Department of Conservation and Recreation is looking for as a partner in the project.
There was concern over whether the Police Department had the means to provide regular surveillance to the rail trail.
Selectman Sue Lisio said she is "full of support" for the project moving forward.
"I'd like to hear from (Marshall)... How much extra is this going to cost us?" asked Selectmen Chairman Nick Thalheimer.
Stoneham Working to Resolve Tri-Community Bike Path Issues
Before the town enters into a 99-year lease with the MBTA there are some land concerns that Stoneham wants addressed first.
The town of Stoneham anticipates signing a 99-year lease with the MBTA for a parcel of land that starts in Stoneham and runs through Woburn as part of the Tri-Community Bike Path, but not before some concerns Town Administrator David Ragucci has regarding the area in question are addressed.
"The town of Stoneham has a lease with the MBTA for the parcel of land that starts at Maple (Street) and goes through Woburn which is part of the bike path," Ragucci said following Tuesday night's Selectmen's session. "Over time there has been fill placed there by somebody. When the engineers went to look at that section, the grade now is not conducive for a bike path; it's just too steep.
"So, somebody is going to have to take some of that dirt out of there to make it acceptable as a bike path."
"What we're looking to do is to extend the lease agreement that says we're taking that land as-is," Ragucci continued. "My concern would be that if we take it as-is somebody might turn around and say 'Hey, the town of Stoneham knew the dirt was there, you knew it wasn't conducive for a bike path because of the slope and you're responsible for taking the dirt out.' That's unfair to the taxpayers of Stoneham.
"If we're going to do it as a Tri-Community, as I think we will and should, we all should commit to cleaning it up with the TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) (funds)."
Ragucci said soon he'll be contacting Woburn Mayor Scott Galvin and Winchester Mayor Richard Howard to discuss the cost to fix up the site "because it's not going to be borne by Stoneham."
New Rail Trail Signs Almost Complete
The signposts went in this past weekend for four news signs along the Danvers Rail Trail.
Pieces of rail are now standing upright all along the Danvers Rail Trail, all ready for four new interpretive signs.
Ten “weekend warriors” helped on the job on Sunday - Paula Boyce, Bob Brown, Laura Cilley, Dan Curtis, Kate Day, Matt Duggan, Lori Dupont, Charley Lincicum, Larry Olasky and Ronna Shur.
The work involved “hard work and heavy lifting,” according to Kate Day, Danvers senior planner. They used an auger donated by Danvers Hardware, she said. The group finished up by enjoying some of the new private label Rail Trail drinks.
Day said the rail, which will now serve as signposts, should “provide a handsome base” for four new signs that tell the story of the railroad in Danvers. The signs were developed with the help of the Essex National Heritage Commission.
The group meets next on Thursday, Aug. 16 to complete the steps of sign installation – securing the rails with cement. They will meet at 5 p.m. in the Hobart Street parking lot alongside the trail. Anyone is welcome and Day said the group is always looking for fresh energy. RSVP to Day via e-mail atkd...@mail.danvers-ma.org.
Making City Biking Less Scary
weegeebored/FlickrCity streets can be scary places, especially when you're on a bike and everyone else is rushing past you in cars. Our streets can also be deadly places: in 2010 [PDF] 618 U.S. cyclists were killed on roads. Fully one-third of bike fatalities happen within intersections. The prospect of getting smashed into the asphalt keeps all but the most fearless cyclists off of many city streets. Scary streets mean a less bikeable city.
"Nobody wants to ride their bike in the left lane of a six-lane road with 40-mile-an-hour traffic. It's crazy," says Peter Furth. He's a civil and environmental engineering professor at Northeastern University and co-author of a new report out from the Mineta Transportation Institute that looks at how varying levels of "traffic stress" on different city streets can limit where people are willing to ride.
Furth and his colleagues mapped out the different levels of stress on the streets of San Jose, California, and they find that while many streets are calm enough for most riders, they're sliced up by streets with high levels of stress. High-stress streets are measured as those with high speed limits, limited or non-existent bike lanes and signage, and large distances to cross at intersections.
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These improvements are just suggestions to prove a point, and Furth and his colleagues haven't penciled out the specifics of how they could be paid for or built. But he argues that most of the suggestions have low or moderate costs. "Even the higher cost solutions are still an incredible bargain, 10 times less expensive than the kind of infrastructure we do for transit or highways," Furth says.
A previous study looking at his hometown of Brookline, Massachusetts, found that the city's streets could become a nearly complete low-stress bike network at a cost of $20 per person per year for about a decade. That's comparable to what bike friendly countries like Denmark and the Netherland spend, but it's a long way off from what's currently spent on bicycle infrastructure in the U.S.
"At the federal funding level, we're spending between 50 cents and 75 cents per person," Furth says. "It's a drop in the bucket."
Kicking that up a bit could help bring about the sorts of improvements many cycling advocates clamor for. But making the jump from 50 cents to $20 per capita isn't likely to happen any time soon. Using maps like these, the little money that's available can be better targeted to improve a city's bike network. That may not turn everyone into a fearless urban cyclist, Furth says, but it could help make the city streets seem a little less scary.
American bike sharing systems more than doubled in 2011
by Dan Malouff • December 30, 2011 12:11 pm
2011 closes as the last year that Washington will probably lead the nation in bike sharing stations after having the most in 2010 and 2011. In 2012, New York City will launch a 600-station system, dwarfing DC's system.
Boston's Hubway. Photo by Luis Tamayo on Flickr.
Here are the current US bike sharing systems, ranked by number of stations. The list is more impressive than last year's version.
Nationwide, the total number of cities with bike sharing expanded from 8 to 18, and the total number of bikesharing stations more than doubled, from 251 to 559.
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Washington/Arlington, DC/VA: 140 stations
- Minneapolis/Saint Paul, MN: 115 stations
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Miami Beach, FL: 70 stations
- Boston, MA: 61 stations
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Denver, CO: 52 stations*
- Madison, WI: 27 stations
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Broward County, FL: 20 stations
- San Antonio, TX: 20 stations
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Boulder, CO: 15 stations*
- Washington State University - Pullman, WA: 8 stations
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Chicago, IL: 7 stations
- Omaha, NE: 5 stations
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University of California - Irvine: 4 stations
- Des Moines, IA: 4 stations
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Tulsa, OK: 4 stations
- Louisville, KY: 3 stations
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Kailua, HI: 2 stations
- Spartanburg, SC: 2 stations
For the second straight year Washington's Capital Bikeshare was the largest system, but CaBi will begin to face more serious competition in 2012 and 2013 as a number of new cities begin to launch their own networks. Baltimore is expected to launch with 30 stations next year, Chicago may build up to 300, and most notably of all: New York is moving forward with a 600-station behemoth system.
See also:
Suburbs are the next frontier for bike sharing
For Bike Advocates, Delayed Gratification
ADVOCACY Paul Steely White of Transportation Alternatives.
By J. DAVID GOODMAN
Published: August 10, 2012
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IT was supposed to be the summer of bike share.
Read more articles in this week's Metropolitan section.
Related
Chicago Delay Fuels Concern About New York Bike Sharing(August 9, 2012)
Richard Perry/The New York Times
IDLING With the delays in the New York City bike-share program, racks are covered in plastic tarps in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
And for Transportation Alternatives, the bicycle and pedestrian advocacy group, it was supposed to be a time to celebrate. A fund-raising party in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn — complete with a choreographed “Bike Ballet” — was set for Aug. 23, a date chosen early this summer and meant to occur long after the bikes had rolled out.
The party will go on. But, with Labor Day looming, the city’s bike-share program, to be the largest in the country and once promised for July, has not yet hit the streets.
On Friday morning, thousands of bikes for the program, sponsored by Citigroup and known as Citi Bike, sat in boxes in Building 293 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
“We’re still taking deliveries,” said a worker, who declined to be identified, rolling through the cavernous space on one of the few royal blue Citi Bikes so far assembled. Gray pieces for some of the hundreds of expected docking stations were stacked nearby. No activity could be seen at a few bike mechanic stands in one corner of the warehouse.
There is no official date for the rollout, and supporters fear the warm-weather window to begin the program this year is shrinking.
Chicago bike rental program pushed back
Emanuel: Delay about doing things 'the right way'
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 Mayor Rahm Emanuel expressed confidence in his administration’s plan to introduce bike rental stations in several city neighborhoods, despite a decision to push back the program’s rollout until spring. (Alex Garcia, Chicago Tribune / August 8, 2012) |
8:22 p.m. CDT, August 8, 2012
Mayor Rahm Emanuel expressed confidence Wednesday in his administration's plan to introduce hundreds of bike rental stations in several city neighborhoods, despite a decision to push back the program's rollout until spring.
Alta Bicycle Share got a city contract to install 300 stations this year, with 3,000 bicycles for rent in an area bounded by the lakefront, Western Avenue, Montrose Avenue and 43rd Street.
But the Chicago Department of Transportation now says the stations won't be in place until spring.
"I'm not disappointed. We want to do it right," Emanuel said when asked about the delay at an unrelated news conference. "It's about planning and doing things in the correct way and the right way."
Alta has had software problems with its bicycle rental systems in New York and Chattanooga, Tenn., but city spokesman Peter Scales said those difficulties did not play a part in the delay here.
Saugus rail trail bike path project finally gets under wayOriginally Published on Friday, August 10, 2012By Matt Tempesta / The Daily Item
SAUGUS — More than a mile of abandoned Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority railroad lines in Saugus are history as work on Bike to the Sea’s Northern Strand rail trail is finally under way.
Clay Larsen, project manager for Bike to the Sea, said about half of the railway that ran through Saugus has been ripped up, including the railroad ties, to make room for a 2½-mile bike path.
The path starts at the Revere Line near Salem Street and goes past the Anna Parker Playground, past the Belmonte Middle School, through Central Street to Chute Brook and out to Boston Street.
“Work has been really smooth and fast,” said Larsen during a walk-through with selectmen on Thursday morning. “They’ve been working about a month. We’re going to do a gravel trail with recycled asphalt, which is what you get for next to nothing.”
The “next to nothing” aspect of the project is what selectmen Vice-chairmen Steve Castinetti said he likes about it.
“It fits right in with our budget,” said Castinetti. “I think it’s awesome. It’s a huge step up for the town and I think it will bring a lot of interest to the town. This is a win-win for the business community as well if we could get people from outside of Saugus to just ride through town and see what there is to offer.”
Joe Hattrup is the Chief Operating Officer for the non-profit group Iron Horse, which has been tearing up the rail for the last month. Hattrup said they do all their work at minimal cost to the town and are funded by selling the steel rails for scrap.
According to Hattrup, the rails weigh about 145 tons per mile.
“We contract with a town that gets a lease with MBTA and we convert that corridor into a trail for the donation of the rail materials,” said Hattrup. “We do all the work and it doesn’t cost anything.”
A crew of eight worked Thursday morning to load hundreds of old railroad ties onto a flatbed truck using forklifts and backhoes between Adams Avenue and School Street. Hattrup said the ties are all sent to Pennsylvania to be recycled.
“Nothing goes to landfill,” said Hattrup. “It’s a total green project.”
Hattrup’s company is based in Reno, Nev., and on Thursday he marveled at the thick canopy of trees that enclose much of the trail.
“In the West we don’t have this,” said Hattrup. “This is really special because that’s why people love the trails. If you were in the West it’s not nearly as popular because you don’t get this kind of growth.”
According to Larsen, safety signs will be installed at trail intersections along with boulders at trail entrances to keep out motorized vehicles.
“We’re going to work with the town so a couple of places will have gates and some will have boulders,” said Larsen. “We’re going to make the ATV guys feel unwelcome.”
Larsen said he’s hoping the project will be finished by mid-October and is urging residents to keep off the trail for the time being.
“Right now you need to think of it as a construction site,” said Larsen. “We asking people to stay off of it … There’s a lot of people walking their dogs. We don’t want to encourage people to come down here until October.”
The Saugus trail is a part of a roughly 10-mile trail that has been in the works for nearly 20 years. If all goes according to plan, Larsen said, the path would start in Everett, run through Malden, Revere and Saugus and finish in Lynn.
Work is already underway in Malden and “in the pipeline” in Revere, however, Larsen said Lynn has been a holdout on the project.
“They’re not really working on it yet,” said Larsen. “We’re hoping once we get up to the Lynn line they’ll start getting some pressure. They have been working with us … but it’s moving forward very slowly.”
Selectmen Chairman Michael Serino said he’s excited to see the project finally underway.
“I’ve been out here everyday working with Clay and Iron Horse,” said Serino. “People have been walking the streets and they stop to ask us when it will be done and they’re all excited for it to be done.”
Serino said opposition has been minimal after 115 notices were sent to out to homes that abut the trail, noting that a dozen people showed up for a recent Conservation Commission hearing and roughly half still opposed the project after the meeting.
NEIGHBORHOOD JOINT | NYACK
Where Cyclists Fuel Up on Carbs
The Runcible Spoon cafe in Nyack, N.Y., is a weekend social hub where amateur bicyclists from New York City. More Photos »
By LIZ ROBBINS
Published: August 9, 2012
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MEMBERS of this particular brunch crowd do not exactly meet at noon for mimosas and omelets.
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Robert Stolarik for The New York Times
Cookies decorated to look like dragonflies and animals are brisk sellers. More Photos »
Up and out of the city long before the sun broils, they rush across the George Washington Bridge and head north along the Palisades, arriving 20 miles later, sweat-caked and ready for the payoff: muffins, coffee and camaraderie at the Runcible Spoon in Nyack, N.Y.
Every weekend, this downtown corner cafe turns into a buzzing social hub for New York City’s amateur cyclists, a destination — or a milestone — just far enough to justify the calories.
“I wouldn’t call it a scene,” Cedrick Gousse, 28, said one recent Sunday morning as he chatted with spandex-suited fellow racers on the sidewalk outside. “I’d call it more of a community.”
The bicycles line up on North Broadway like Harleys at a roadhouse, thin road tires wedged in racks overflowing with carbon vanity and vintage steel pride. Their owners lounge at the outdoor tables, kibitzing about cranksets, aero bars, local races or, when they can help it, anything other than cycling.
Inside, patrons with chiseled calves banter anxiously in a bathroom line that, on the busiest weekends, can snake past the sandwich counter and out the door.
Villagers regard the regular flood of two-wheeled visitors as a mixed blessing. Across the street, a sign in a window admonishes sprawled-out riders not to lean their bikes against the building.
But Bob Mattern, 53, a daily visitor who works at a restaurant nearby, prefers them to the weekday play groups. “Given my choice,” he said, eating a bagel with bacon, egg and cheese, “if I had a table of cyclists and three mothers with their kids running all over the place, I’ll take the cyclists.”
Joohee Kim, 28, who manages the Spoon, which her mother, Okhee Kim, bought nearly six years ago, tries to cater to all the clientele, but acknowledges that the riders — 75 percent of her weekend business — help the bottom line.
“As much as the townspeople may say they really love it or they hate it because the cyclists are clogging roads,” Ms. Kim said, “for us, we’re open arms.”
She obsesses over the weather just as riders do, using the forecast to plan how many muffins to bake each day. And while some cyclists may grumble about the weak espresso or prefer the pastries up the block, they keep coming to the Spoon, in droves.
“It’s basically a carbohydrate-fueling source,” said Paul Weiss, the chief program officer of the Asphalt Green fitness center on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, which fields the biggest triathlon team in the city.
He favors the blueberry muffin, but cautions that at 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds, he is not that picky. “I’ve never gone there when I wasn’t ready to eat my own arm.”
The cafe’s name comes from Edward Lear’s “Owl and the Pussy-Cat,” and its offerings carry a little bit of the nonsense poem’s whimsy.
Cookies decorated to look like dragonflies and animals are brisk sellers. Ms. Kim, who trained as a graphic designer, thought they would catch the eyes of children of all ages.
“Usually, if I’m going to bonk, I will crush a few cows on the way out,” said Bernie Childs, 30, a member of the triathlon team TRI2B, who lives in Manhattan.
Translation: “Usually, if my legs feel as if they are no longer attached to my body and I am about to pass out, I will eat some thickly frosted cow sugar cookies to help me get home.”
As tempting as it is to linger with friends, cyclists know to drag their wheels back to the city while the sugar still churns in their systems. By midafternoon Sunday, the racks had thinned, the city slickers disappearing until the next ride.
Northern Strand Community Trail Ribbon Cutting
Malden, MA
Save the Date: Saturday, September 15, 2012
Event starts at 9:00 am
- Ribbon cutting
- Bike ride
- Cookout
- Raffle
- Details to follow
Somerville Community Path being extended -- somewhat
Currently, the path extends from Ward Six and into Ward Five and by spring of 2013 the city plans to start construction to run the path through Ward Five from Cedar Street to Lowell Street, a quarter of a mile stretch. Right now officials are estimating it to be completed by late summer of that year, at a cost of $2.1 million, funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and MassDOT.
"The Community Path is a valuable amenity when it comes to encouraging Somerville residents to get outside and become more physically active," said mayoral spokesman Thomas Champion. "This project is highly complementary to the coming of the Green Line and to the City’s overall efforts to become even more walkable, bike-able and truly multimodal."
However, Weissman said she has concerns with MassDOT connecting the project to the Green Line Extension. She said the Community Path Extension should be constructed alongside the Green Line Extension project, but that MassDOT will not design or build the Community Path crossing over the Fitchburg tracks from Inner Belt/Brickbottom to Lechmere/NorthPoint as part of the Green Line Extension. According to her, the Green Line Extension project will build only the foundation for the Community Path Extension, but will not complete the extension from Lowell Street to the Inner Belt/Brickbottom area.
"We need MassDOT to fully fund Community Path construction as part of the Green Line Extension, or as mitigation for delays," Weissman said.
According to Weissman, the end goal is to connect the 2.5-mile Community Path with the 23-mile Minuteman Path in Lexington with the 23 miles of paths along the Charles River in Cambridge and Boston to create a 50-mile network of open paths.
MassDOT has some concrete problems
The latest problem for the $15 billion project is pieces of the roadway in the Tip O’Neill Tunnel that were supposed to last 30 years are crumbling after just 10 years, prompting $1 million in repairs and daytime work that is causing issues for drivers and could affect the morning and evening commutes.
According to Department of Transportation officials, the problem stems from the decision by project managerBechtel/Parsons Brinkerhoff to use concrete on steep slopes in and out of the tunnel and at the entrance to the ZakimBridge. The concrete is crumbling and separating from the steel reinforcements, causing potholes and other roadway defects and triggering lane closures while repairs are done, though some are being put off until next year. Officials estimate at least $1 million will have to be spent on the unexpected problems, including the shutdown and lane closures at the foot of the Zakim Bridge, where a 600-foot section of roadway will be repaired later this month.
This harkens back to all the problems of the Big Dig, from falling ceiling tiles to underground leaks, but the current mess may sound more familiar because of the substance of the issue: concrete. Bechtel/Parsons managers chose to use concrete because of its purported durability on steep slopes, but that has been shown to be more effective in warmer climates than the freeze-thaw conditions in New England.
One would think history would provide a lesson here. One would be wrong. Most recently, the MassDOT board had to approve nearly $100 million for the MBTA, which was the focus of a CommonWealth investigation, to replace defective concrete ties along the Old Colony Commuter Rail line. The ties were touted as having a lifespan of 50 years yet less than 10 years later, they were ripped up and replaced with old-fashioned wooden ties. Just a few years before agreeing to use the concrete ties, the MBTA had settled a suit against another concrete manufacturer for defective ties along other stretches of T tracks. T officials had vowed never to use concrete again until the issues with the mix were settled. They’ve now made a revow to that effect.
There was some history for the road engineers to study as well but the lessons were either ignored or never learned. When Interstate-495 was first built, it terminated at I-95. The final 10 miles of the north and south stretches from Franklin to Foxboro were paved with concrete slabs, the idea being that concrete had a longer life and more durability than traditional asphalt. The concrete’s lack of elasticity, an inability to withstand the freeze-thaw cycles, and heavier traffic after the road was finally opened and extended to the Cape caused crumbling sections and sharp potholes, and eventually pushed transportation officials to replace the concrete with asphalt.
There’s also some serious problems around the state with concrete bridge supports chipping and crumbling along the state’ highways, adding even more costs to an already overburdened maintenance budget, not to mention safety uncertainty.
Until global warming takes a firm foothold, it’s a pretty good bet that the use of concrete in the frigid northeast will not be warmly embraced.
Portland Adds Nation’s First Bike Counter to Hawthorne Bridge
Posted: 09 Aug 2012 08:50 AM PDT
You’ll find the digital “bicycling barometer” on the AM inbound side of the Hawthorne Bridge. It was made possible by the non-profit group Cycle Oregon, which purchased the machine with a $20,000 grant. Lots of extra details are over at Bike Portland, including an in-depth look at how the system works.
Seattle is reportedly just about to install one as well. Which city or location in the U.S. should be next? Where would you put one in Boston?
A Design Public Hearing will be held by MassDOT to discuss the proposed Norwottuck Rail Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Path project in Amherst, Hadley and Northampton, MA.
WHERE:
Hadley Elementary School Cafeteria
21 River Drive
Hadley, MA 01035
WHEN:
Wednesday September 5, 2012
at 7:00 P.M.
Project#: 605065
The purpose of this hearing is to provide the public with the opportunity to become fully acquainted with the proposed Norwottuck Rail Trail Bicycle and Pedestrian Path project. All views and comments made at the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.
The proposed project consists of widening and resurfacing the existing bicycle and pedestrian path; replacing wood bridge decks and railing; constructing a precast concrete boardwalk; construction of rest stops and turnarounds, selective tree trimming and removal; parking lot reconstruction; cleaning drainage swales; erosion control; and other miscellaneous work.
More information can be found at:
http://www.mhd.state.ma.us/default.asp?pgid=content%2Fhearings%2Fhadley_090512&sid=hearing
Chicago Puts Off Bike-Share Launch Until Next Year (WSJ, NYT)
August 9, 2012
Drink to this: Rail trail sells beverages to raise money
By Ethan FormanStaff Writer
DANVERS — It will cost about $2 a foot to install a smooth surface on the Danvers Rail Trail.
Also for $2, you can pick up a fizzy beverage at Danvers Fresh Marketplace on Elm Street, with proceeds supporting the rail trail.
The Danvers Rail Trail’s line of beverages feature labels with a photo of a Boston & Maine steam engine, taken in Danvers in 1880 by E.C. Tibbets. The drinks come in a variety of flavors, including ginger ale, lemonade, root beer, raspberry lime and sparkling water.
The Danvers Rail Trail Advisory Committee is also selling spring water at $1 a bottle, available at Danvers Fresh Marketplace and the Danvers Indoor Sports complex on Route 114.
“Customers have been receptive to it,” said Danvers Fresh Marketplace owner David Moreno. “They understand it’s obviously to their benefit.”
The idea of selling private-label beverages to support the rail trail came from Selectman Bill Clark, who serves as a liaison to the rail-trail committee. Clark also sells a private-label beverage at his farm stand on Hobart Street.
Presently, the 4.3-mile stretch of rail trail from Peabody to Wenham sports a coarse base layer of gravel that makes it tough on wheels. To improve the surface, the committee wants to add compacted stone dust, similar to the surface of rail trails in Wenham and Topsfield.
Danvers and Wenham have applied for a $70,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Recreation to help fund that project, according to Danvers Senior Planner Kate Day.
She expects to hear about the application in mid-September.
In 2008, the town signed a 99-year lease with the MBTA to create the recreational path. In 2009, the nonprofit Nevada-based Iron Horse Preservation Society began the work to salvage the rails for scrap and build the rail trail. No town taxpayer money has been used to build the project.
Iron Horse has since removed the rails and wooden ties, leveled the trail, and filled in wet areas.
The finishing touch will be adding the compacted stone dust.
To further beautify the trail, there are plans to install interpretive signs and decorative planters, with the latter project the recent recipient of a $1,300 grant from Cell Signaling Technology’s Corporate Donations Committee. Boy Scout Troop 155 will manage this “adopt-a-planter” program.
Staff writer Ethan Forman can be reached at 978-338-2673, by email at efo...@salemnews.com or on Twitter at @DanverSalemNews.
Portland makes bikes count on the Hawthorne Bridge
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor) on August 8th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)
From now on, people crossing the Hawthorne Bridge by bike will count. Literally. A new bike counter (a.k.a. the bicycle barometer) — the first of its kind in the United States — went live at midnight last night and at this morning's press conference the number was already well over 2,000.
The event was a chance for the City of Portland to unveil the new counter; but the moment really belonged to Cycle Oregon, the local non-profit that gave the City $20,000 to make it a reality. (The idea for the counter came from PBOT Bike Coordinator Roger Geller. Read more background in our archives.)
Jonathan Nicholas, the former columnist for The Oregonian who co-founded Cycle Oregon, was on hand this morning. As usual, his words cut through the clutter and I think they're worth sharing verbatim:
"The first thing I want to make clear today is that this bike counter is not part of a spandex revolution. The last thing our city needs is more middle-aged men in tight pants. What our city needs is more young men and women with decent paychecks. This bike counter is really part of job creation in our city.