Biking and Walking News 6-8-12
Ira Weiss
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Biking & Walking News
Ira S. Weiss, Editor June 8 , 2012
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Fairfield Heritage Trail Association Monthly meeting agenda – June 12, 2012 – 6:00 pm
Olivedale Senior Center, Lancaster, OH (Rosedale Meeting Room, basement)
NOTE: AGENDA MAY BE ADJUSTED TO FACILITATE MEETING FLOW
1) CALL TO ORDER
2) APPROVAL OF May 8, 2012 MEETING MINUTES
3) APPROVAL OF THE TREASURER’S REPORT
4) Reports on/discussions oF ONGOING items
a) Safe Routes to Schools
b) Lancaster Trail Update/Signs/Educational Opportunities
c) Johns Trail Update
d) Regional Planning Commission Subcommittee/road signs
e) Johns Trail- Claude Ford Memorial Walk
f) Down town Lancaster bike racks
g) Bike Rodeo at OU Lancaster
5) NEW BUSINESS
a) Tour de Cause
b) Covered bridge sign
6) ADJOURN
Transit Columbus hosts
"A TOAST TO TRANSIT"
Thursday, June 28
5:00—7:00 p.m.
Cup O’ Joe/MoJoe Lounge in Downtown
(at High & Town near Columbus Commons)
RSVP at: in...@transitcolumbus.org
Come to meet others who want to see public transportation improve and GROW in Columbus & central Ohio
We’ll also TOAST COTA’s success as the transit system
with the largest increase in bus ridership nationally in 2011
Rails to Trails: Community Transformation Grants
We want to alert you to a new opportunity to fund active transportation in your community! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now accepting simple letters of intent for 2012 Community Transformation Grants (CTG) until June 18, 2012, with full proposals due July31, 2012. These grants—which will award $70 million to 25-30 communities of 500,000 people or fewer—may be used for active transportation programs and, in certain cases, infrastructure. We see CTG grants as a great opportunity for you to take a step forward on your community's trail and active transportation plans. In particular, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) partners might be interested in programs designed to encourage active living: “Creation of or enhancing access to places for physical activity involves the efforts of worksites, coalitions, agencies, and communities as they attempt to change the local environment to create opportunities for physical activity. Such changes include creating walking trails, building exercise facilities, or providing access to existing nearby facilities.” You can check out the CDC Guide to Community Preventive Services for examples of evaluated programs and projects. If you’re interested in, we’ve put together a sample, customizable letter of intent to get you started and a copy of the checklist of items that must be included with the letter of intent. Please contact us with any questions about these resources, and to enable us to identify additional ways we might help. http://support.railstotrails.org/site/R?i=WAzUMbWCNg4eTqJ_uNrtLQ
MORPC Complete Streets Toolkit now Available
(Columbus –June 5, 2012) The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC) recently produced its Complete Streets Toolkit. While the Toolkit is available on line at www.morpc.org/completestreets, hard copies were forwarded to MORPC member agencies.
The Complete Streets concept has been gaining attention over the last several years. Complete Streets are roadways designed to safely and comfortably accommodate all users, including, but not limited to motorists, cyclists, pedestrians, transit and school bus riders, delivery and service personnel, freight haulers, and emergency responders. Complete Streets allow for a wider range of transportation options compared to conventional roadway designs, resulting in improved safety, mobility, and community health. MORPC adopted a Complete Streets Policy in April, 2010, which requires that transportation projects utilizing MORPC-attributable funds accommodate all users of the roadway. In order to better enable our member agencies to implement Complete Streets, MORPC developed a Complete Streets Toolkit. The Toolkit is a wide ranging resource for planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining Complete Streets. Within its pages, you will find guidance and best practices relating to engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, evaluation, land use, transit, and parking management. Additionally, the document contains “model policies” which can serve as a template for creating a Complete Streets policy for local communities. For more information on the Complete Streets Toolkit or the Complete Streets Policy, please contact Kerstin Carr, kc...@morpc.org or by phone 614.233.4163.
Nominate a City for the Sustainable Transport Awards
ITDP and the STA Committee invite you to nominate your city for the 9th Annual Sustainable Transport Award. Nominations are now open and will be accepted online until September 15th, 2012. More info and nomination form here. http://www.itdp.org/get-involved/sustainable-transport-award The Sustainable Transport Award is given to a city or major jurisdiction that has had a profound, mitigating impact on climate change by enhancing the sustainability and livability of its community using innovative transportation strategies. These strategies should increase mobility for all residents, reduce transportation greenhouse and air pollution emissions, and improve safety and access for bicyclists and pedestrians. Nominations can be submitted by NGOs, government agencies, planners, activist groups, and individuals, and will be reviewed by the STA Committee.
The STA Committee includes the most respected experts and organizations working internationally on sustainable transportation. Committee members are:
- Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP)
- EMBARQ, The World Resources Institute Center for Sustainable Transport
- GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)
- Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Center (CAI-Asia)
- Transportation Research Board Committee on Transportation in Developing
- Countries
- Clean Air Institute for Latin America
- United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD)
- Transport Research Laboratory
The award winner and honorable mentions will officially be announced at an evening reception at the Transportation Research Board’s Annual Conference in January 2013. Finalists will be notified by November 1, 2012. For more details on the Sustainable Transport Awards, and to nominate your city or any city, visit staward.org.
RIDES
Bike to Work Event to take place in Downtown Columbus
Join MORPC, City of Columbus Mayor “Biking” Mike Coleman, and Franklin County Commissioner and MORPC Board Chair Marilyn Brown at Consider Biking’s 2012 CEO Bike to Work Challenge Monday, June 11. Riders will meet at 7:30am at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center and enjoy a ride ending at Columbus City Hall, where Mayor Coleman, Commissioner Brown and others will say a few words about the importance of bicycling in central Ohio. The CEO Bike to Work Challenge is a fun, educational and healthy way to mingle with your coworkers, but your families, friends and people of all ages are also welcome to join. MORPC will be on hand with the brand new Columbus Metro Bike Maps. The maps are designed to guide riders through the Columbus metropolitan area using the safest bike routes possible. The 2010 map can be viewed here and the 2012 map will be available online soon. Café Brioso will provide coffee, baked goods and fruit cups, and Trek Bicycle Stores of Columbus will be available for help with all your biking needs.
For questions or to RSVP, contact Bryan Saums at br...@considerbiking.org . Those in need of a bicycle for the ride may also contact Bryan by Friday, June 8 and a bike and helmet can be provided at the Audubon Center the morning of the ride.
Chillicothe to host Great Ohio Bike Adventure riders
Jun. 5, 2012
CHILLICOTHE -- Chillicothe GOBA coordinator Julie Lambert got involved with the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure through her love for Chillicothe. Lambert is working with the Chillicothe Ross Convention and Visitors Bureau to make sure GOBA attendees have plenty of activities for their two-day stay in Chillicothe and have a way to get there. GOBA riders will arrive in Chillicothe from Hillsboro on June 17 and depart for Ashville on June 19. During their time in Chillicothe, Yoctangee Park will be transformed into a tent city hosting at least 2,000 people. "GOBA has described it like a moving city," Lambert said. "It's called GOBA-ville, and it's just going to be massive…" http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20120605/NEWS01/206050306/Chillicothe-host-Great-Ohio-Bike-Adventure-riders
BikeColumbus Friday, July 13, 2012
Register Now at www.bikefestival.com
Mayor’s Twilight Ride – Friday, July 13, begins at 7:00 PM, Registration opens 5:30 PM
Please join Mayor Michael B. Coleman for the Fourth Annual Twilight Ride at COSI. Rides of 10 miles and 20 miles are offered. Event begins and ends at COSI where all riders return to WaterFire Columbus for free entrance, entertainment and bonfires on the riverfront. Cost is $25 (early bird) and $30. Ride the Steve Barbour Memorial tour on Saturday, July 14th and the two events are only $50.
*Chance to join The Columbus Food Truck Festival, Noon-10PM on the ride back to COSI!
*Brand new free family event from 4PM-5:30PM with bike rodeo safety training, COSI activities and fun!
*Bigger and better corporate/non-profit/government team competition with prizes!
Local businesses encouraged to welcome bicyclists during tour
Jun. 3, 2012
CHILLICOTHE -- The Chillicothe-Ross County Chamber of Commerce and organizers of the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure are encouraging local businesses to use their marquees to welcome the event's cyclists to town. More than 2,000 cyclists are expected to come into town June 17-19 at part of the weeklong bicycle tour. http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20120603/NEWS01/206030333/Local-businesses-encouraged-welcome-bicyclists-during-tour
Glacier Ridge
DAY TIME EVENT DESCRIPTION OPENINGS
Jun 15 Fri 8:30 pm Night Bike Ride Enjoy an 8.5-mile ride through fields an
UA grad begins cross-country bike trek
By ALAN FROMAN
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday June 6, 2012 1:35 PM
During his summer break from Miami University, Jameson Lowery is going on quite a road trip. Lowery will travel on bicycle from San Francisco to Washington, D.C., as part of Push America's Journey of Hope. Push America, an outreach program of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, raises money and awareness for people with disabilities. "Serving others was a big part of my high school career," said Lowery, an Upper Arlington High School graduate and member of the Trinity United Methodist Church in Grandview. "I have a particular interest in causes related to people with disabilities. I've volunteered a number of times with Special Olympics," he said. "Push America was one of the reasons I decided to join Pi Kappa Phi." Lowery will be one of about 90 fraternity members from across the country participating in the Journey of Hope. Participants had to raise at least $5,500 to qualify for the trek; Lowery has raised nearly $9,500. The journey began last weekend… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/grandview/news/2012/06/05/ua-grad-begins-cross-country-bike-trek.html
For one participant, bike tour holds many benefits
By JENNIFER NESBITT
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday June 6, 2012 4:19 PM
New to central Ohio three years ago, Doug Vidler was looking for away to meet people. His company, Emerson Network Power, is a primary supporter of the American Diabetes Association's annual Tour de Cure bike fundraiser, and the company has an active group of bikers who train for the tour. "Our group was involved with Tour de Cure, and I figured it was a great way to get to know people and get out. I hadn't ridden a bike in years," Vidler said. "I dusted off the bike, and I realized I had a long way to go to keep up with these dogs." Nevertheless, Vidler signed up for and completed the tour's shortest route, the 12-mile family ride. "It wasn't my proudest moment, but I got back," Vidler said. Since then, the Westerville resident has become an avid biker, training year-round for the tour… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2012/06/05/for-one-participant-bike-tour-holds-many-benefits.html
SAFETY
News from ODOT’s Heather Bowden
With the close of Bike Month, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who led and/or participated in events in your part of the state. It has once again been another successful month! I am sure that many of you included educational events complete with “Share the Road” messaging. I wanted to share some statistics that I think would be helpful when everyone is out continuing to advance the safety message. We ran the crash numbers for the last three years that involved bicycle and car crashes in Ohio and it is pretty consistent: Half of the crashes that occur between bicyclists and cars are the fault of the bicyclist and the other half are the fault of the automobile driver. This is a pretty clear indicator that we need to make sure we are asking drivers to stay alert, share the road safely, and be aware of all roadway users, including bicyclists. Conversely, we need to be reminding our bicyclists to obey all the rules of the road, communicate intentions effectively, and ride in a predictable manner.
Bicycle At-Fault vs Vehicle At-Fault Annual Crash Statistics | ||||||
Year | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | |||
| Total Crashes | % | Total Crashes | % | Total Crashes | % |
Bicycle At-Fault | 1039 | 52% | 997 | 49% | 879 | 50% |
Vehicle At-Fault | 975 | 48% | 1040 | 51% | 878 | 50% |
Total | 2014 |
| 2037 |
| 1757 |
|
June 23 bike rodeo tests kids' cycling skills
By LORI WINCE
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday June 6, 2012 2:35 PM
Children ages 5-12 can saddle up for the New Albany Police Department's second annual bicycle rodeo, set from 9 a.m. to noon June 23 in the parking lot east of Swickard Woods Boulevard. "Last year, we had five courses set up with various goals," said New Albany police officer Ryan Southers. "Most (courses) teach bike safety, moving in and out of traffic and maneuverability." New Albany police Sgt. Ed Burton said the majority of bicycle accidents involving children happen when kids ride their bicycles out of a driveway into oncoming traffic. "This teaches them to be safe on the road," Burton said. "We make sure they can control the bike and make sure the bike is the right size." Burton said the rodeo attracted 30 children in 2011 and he's hoping to double that count this year. "We did one last year in August. This year we're doing it in June, after school ends," he said. "We hope that changes attendance." The rodeo will begin with a short safety course, with police officers explaining bicycle laws and safety issues. Children should ride on the right side of the road, use hand signals to turn and stop, and wear proper safety equipment, Burton said. Each bicycle brought to the rodeo will be checked by employees of roll:, a bicycle store at Polaris, to make sure the height of the handlebars and seat match the rider… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/newalbany/news/2012/06/04/june-23-bike-rodeo-tests-kids-cycling-skills.html
Letter: State is serious about distracted driving
Monday June 4, 2012 3:10 AM
The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission would like to applaud the General Assembly and Gov. John Kasich for the passage of House Bill 99, which bans teenagers from using handheld devices while driving and, for adults, makes texting while driving a secondary offense. This is an important first step in addressing the dangers of distracted driving. We also commend the work done by distracted-driving activist Sharon Montgomery to bring this issue to the forefront. The problem of distracted driving has become more prevalent with the increased use of mobile devices. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute estimate that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve some form of driver inattention. The traffic-safety administration estimates that in 2008, 5,870 people lost their lives and another 515,000 were injured in police-reported crashes in which one form of distraction was noted on the crash report. The institute found cell phones to be the most common cause of driver distraction. Changing people’s behaviors can be done, but it must be approached in a multifaceted way. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has said, “Decades of experience with drunk driving have taught us it takes a consistent combination of education, effective enforcement, a committed judiciary and collective efforts by local, state and national advocates to put a dent in the problem.” It is important that we continue to raise awareness of the problems associated with distracted driving, and part of that involves legislation that reflects the severity of these problems. ROBERT LAWLER Interim executive director Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission Columbus http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2012/06/04/state-is-serious-about-distracted-driving.html
Ohio governor to sign statewide texting ban
7:16 AM, Jun. 1, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio is poised to become the 39th state to prohibit texting while driving. Gov. John Kasich (KAY’-sihk) is scheduled to sign a ban Friday on writing, reading and sending texts from behind the wheel. The measure includes a stricter crackdown on teen drivers’ use of electronic devices. Minors would be banned from using cellphones, iPads or other electronics while driving. Texting would be a secondary offense for adult drivers. That means they could be ticketed for typing messages only if they were first pulled over for another offense, such as running a red light. Teens could more easily be pulled over for violating the texting ban. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, the measure would be among the broadest in the country in terms of teen distracted driving restrictions. http://www.marionstar.com/article/20120601/NEWS01/120601001/Ohio-governor-sign-statewide-texting-ban
Ohio outlaws texting while driving
Minors face fine, 60-day loss of driver’s license
By Jim Siegel
The Columbus Dispatch Saturday June 2, 2012 5:49 AM
Surrounded by family members of those killed by drivers distracted by cellphones, Gov. John Kasich yesterday made Ohio the 39th state to ban texting while driving. The new law, which takes effect in 90 days, also bans drivers younger than 18 from using any hand-held electronic device, whether to text, make a call or do anything else. “This is why we are doing this,” Kasich said, sitting behind the desk in his ceremonial office, holding a photo of 23-year-old Keith Homstad Jr. in his right hand and a photo of 16-year-old Dalton Ludwig in his left… http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/06/02/ohio-outlaws-texting-while-driving.html
Ohioans prepare for new ban on texting while driving
Jun. 2, 2012
COLUMBUS -- Drivers in Ohio are banned from reading, writing and sending text messages from behind the wheel under a bill Gov. John Kasich signed into law Friday. Ohio is the 39th state to prohibit texting while driving, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association. The law also includes a stricter crackdown on teen drivers' use of electronic devices, making the measure among the broadest in the country focused on distracted teen drivers. Here are some questions and answers about the legislation: http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20120602/NEWS01/206020303/Ohioans-prepare-new-ban-texting-while-driving
Companies move to ban drivers’ use of cellphones
By Tanya Mohn
THE NEW YORK TIMES Sunday June 3, 2012 8:57 AM
The signs dotting the parking lot outside the Owens Corning headquarters in Toledo make the company’s new policy clear: “No cellphone while driving.” In the wake of the National Transportation Safety Board recommendation last December that states and the District of Columbia ban the use of cellphones while driving, the company decided to adopt a similar ban: No employees may use their cellphones for business calls when they are driving. The policy took effect March 31. “I think we learned that the world doesn’t end on one phone call,” said Doug Pontsler, vice president for environmental, health and safety at Owens Corning. “People find their own way to make this work.” Owens Corning is not the only company to institute a ban on cellphone use by employees when driving. About a year ago, the National Safety Council, a nonprofit advocacy group, contacted Fortune 500 companies on their policies. Of the 150 or so companies that responded, 20 percent had a full cellphone ban in place, said David Teater, the group’s senior director of transportation strategic initiatives. He added that the council had seen an increasing number of companies adopt such a policy in recent years. Still, there is no comprehensive data on how many companies have cellphone policies, he said… http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/06/03/companies-move-to-ban-drivers-use-of-cellphones.html
Rural roads are not safer with rumble strips
Jun. 2, 2012
To the Editor:
We need to stop ODOT from installing rumble strips along two-lane highways in Ohio. The Ohio Department of Transportation has made a decision to install rumble strips on the edges of two-lane rural roads in Ohio. These rumble strips are just beginning to show up in Fairfield County. We need to find a way to make ODOT stop installing these strips and remove the strips already installed. The strips have 10-foot-long gaps every 60 feet. After the rumble strips are installed, ODOT paints the white edge stripe on top of the rumble strip. Ohio is spending $4 million on this project… Imagine living on one of these rural roads, near a turn. All day and all night you will hear the rumble of the strips. Now think about people on bicycles trying to get over to the edge of the road and hitting these strips. That is dangerous for the cyclist… http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20120602/OPINION03/206020310/Rural-roads-not-safer-rumble-strips
Thanks goes to motorists who helped protect fallen bicyclist
Jun. 1, 2012
To the Editor:
On the morning of May 21, as I was riding my bicycle to work on North Columbus Street, I had a blackout and crashed. I have ridden my bicycle for many years and miles in all kinds of conditions and never had this happen before. I am writing this to thank the motorists who stopped and protected me from being hit. Even though I got up after catching my breath and rode the rest of the way into town, I was later admitted to the hospital and spent four days tracking down the problem. Again, thank you to all motorists who share the road with us cyclists. In this instance, my life was in your hands, and you took good care of me. http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20120601/OPINION03/206010313/Thanks-goes-motorists-who-helped-protect-fallen-bicyclist
Another cyclist injured after bike trail barrier crash
Jun. 5, 2012
BELLVILLE -- For the second time in six weeks a serious crash has occurred on the Richland B&O Trail. An 80-year-old Mansfield man was listed in fair condition Monday night in MedCentral/Mansfield Hospital after his bicycle hit a post last week on the Richland B&O Trail. On April 25, a 53-year-old man died from injuries received in a bicycle crash the day before on the trail. Giuseppe Maino, a contractor at the 179th Airlift Wing of the Ohio National Guard base, was riding with friends when he struck a post and died from his injuries, according to Richland County Coroner's Investigator Bob Ball. On Thursday morning, Dale Sturdevant of Mansfield was riding on the B&O Trail with his wife, Sandra, when the latest accident occurred… http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/article/20120605/NEWS01/206050304/Another-cyclist-injured-after-bike-trail-barrier-crash
Pedestrian dies after being hit by car
Jun. 2, 2012
LANCASTER -- A Lancaster man has died after being hit by a car Tuesday night.
Larry D. Smith, 60, was crossing North Memorial Drive in the 400 block heading east when he was struck by a 2000 Toyota driven by Veronica Janell Church, 34, of Lancaster.
Smith was taken to Fairfield Medical Center and later transferred to Grant Medical Center in Columbus, where he died about 5 p.m. Wednesday.
http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20120602/NEWS01/206020320/Pedestrian-dies-after-being-hit-by-car
Newark bicyclist struck by SUV
6:43 AM, Jun. 7, 2012
Written by
Advocate staff report
NEWARK-- A Newark bicyclist was in fair condition Wednesday at Grant Medical Center in Columbus after he collided with a sport utility vehicle at the intersection of West Church and North Fourth streets earlier in the day. Charles Luckett was crossing Fourth Street on a bike when a black SUV, turning right from West Church Street onto North Fourth Street, struck him at 2:58 p.m. Wednesday, Newark Police Sgt. Brian Webster said. Newark firefighters driving past witnessed the collision, Webster said. Luckett was unresponsive initially, so safety personnel called for a medical helicopter. Webster said Luckett was alert and responsive by the time he was taken to White Field for air transport. The crash is being investigated, Webster said. http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20120607/NEWS01/206070340/Newark-bicyclist-struck-by-SUV
Bicyclist at fault for Wednesday collision
11:05 AM, Jun. 7,
Written by
Advocate
staff report
NEWARK — The driver of a sports utility vehicle will not be cited for a collision with a bicyclist Wednesday afternoon. Charles Luckett, 55, of Newark, was at fault for riding his bicycle into the path of Dawn Perkins, 38, of Newark, who was turning from West Church Street onto North Fourth Street at 2:58 p.m. Wednesday, Newark police Sgt. Scott Snow said. Luckett was flown to Grant Medical Center for treatment and was listed in fair condition Wednesday, a hospital spokesperson said. http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20120607/NEWS01/120607006/Bicyclist-fault-Wednesday-collision
Boy, 10, injured in Heath bike mishap
Jun. 7, 2012
Written by
Advocate staff report
HEATH -- A 10-year-old boy was flown to Children's Hospital in Columbus on Wednesday after he was injured in a bike accident. Brian Parker was riding his bike in the area of 1100 Thornwood Drive at 6:48 p.m. when he flipped over the handle bars and landed on his back, Heath Fire Capt. Bob Kozlowski said. He was flown to Children's as a precaution, Kozlowski said. His condition was not available late Wednesday, a hospital spokeswoman said. http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20120607/NEWS01/206070334/Boy-10-injured-Heath-bike-mishap
HEALTH
Local fitness task force marks first anniversary
Jun. 7, 2012
LANCASTER -- It's been a year of accomplishments for the fitTogether task force in its fight against obesity in Central Ohio. The group has worked to get healthier items on local restaurant menus, participated in road races and other fitness activities and educated the community on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, among other things. "It is essential that we work together to get our community healthier," Fairfield Medical Center President and CEO Mina Ubbing said Wednesday. "We can't afford not to." Ubbing spoke at the first anniversary celebration of fitTogether… http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20120607/NEWS01/206070307/Local-fitness-task-force-marks-first-anniversary
LOCAL NEWS
City laid sidewalks before gas-line work
By Mark Ferenchik
The Columbus Dispatch Thursday June 7, 2012 7:43 AM
Don Limes said he was thrilled last year to watch city crews install sidewalks along Weber Road just east of I-71. Limes, who owns three rental properties on Weber, said he had waited 15 years for them. “It was such a blessing to get these sidewalks put in,” he said. That feeling was short-lived. Columbia Gas of Ohio crews have torn out sections of the sidewalks along Weber in the North Linden neighborhood to replace gas mains. Limes wants to know why Columbus would put the sidewalks in before Columbia Gas started the work. It turns out that the city didn’t know about the upcoming gas-line project. Last year, the city spent $4 million to install 9.2 miles of sidewalks along 20 streets in the city, said Rick Tilton, assistant public-service director, including filling in gaps on Weber between I-71 and Cleveland Avenue where Columbia Gas is replacing lines. Columbia Gas is restoring the sidewalks — both old and new — as well as replacing any damaged sod, company spokesman Ken Stammen said… http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/06/07/city-laid-sidewalks-before-gas-line-work.html
Marlene Welsh
LANCASTER: Marlene Ann Walton Welsh, 74, born November 24, 1937, to Rose and Clifford Sheldon in Detroit, Michigan, died June 1, 2012, with family by her side at home in Lancaster, Ohio. Marlene graduated from St. Benedict High School in High Park, MI. Marlene was energetic with a youthful spirit. She shared her unwavering Christian faith and zest for life with her entire family, many friends, and the community. She was an active parishioner at St. Mary of the Assumption Church and a Lazarus Committee member. In addition to donating over 20 gallons of blood, she volunteered at the Red Cross and was a Hospice volunteer for 20 years. Marlene was a member of Toast Masters serving as President in 1992. Throughout her life, Marlene loved being outdoors hiking, ice-skating, fishing, canoeing, spelunking, cross-country skiing and traveling with her husband, children and grandchildren. She was an avid cyclist and rode TOSRV (210 mile two-day bicycle ride) 23 times with her most recent ride in 2011. Marlene rode GOBA (300 mile Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure) for 16 years with her children and grandchildren and was "Grandma" of Grandma's GOBA Gang. She was a member of the Columbus Outdoor Pursuits and the National Speleological Society. Marlene was an enthusiastic runner and for many years participated in area road races and frequently won her age group. She was employed by the city of Lancaster for 12 years and was the first woman utility meter reader… http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/lancastereaglegazette/obituary.aspx?n=marlen-welsh&pid=157890867&fhid=9047
Parks levy extension could bring in cash for roads, more
By BRETT NUCKLES
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday June 6, 2012 3:16 PM
Powell city leaders say much-needed capital improvements could be funded by extending the life of the city's existing parks levy. City Council was expected to discuss the plan at meeting Tuesday, June 5, as one option to pay for road improvements, new bike paths, new traffic signals, the creation of a new park and other projects. The current 1.8-mill property tax levy, approved in 2002, has funded the construction of several parks in the community over the last decade. It is set to expire in 2013. But city officials are considering a ballot issue for the November election that would extend the life of the levy for 10 more years. All collected funds would be redirected to pay for capital improvements throughout the city… Construction of new bike paths and bike path connections… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/olentangy/news/2012/06/05/parks-levy-extension-could-bring-in-cash-for-roads-more.html
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
Grant to aid safe school routes in Newark
Safe Routes money will help add sidewalks, bridge as paths to some district buildings
6:16 AM, Jun. 2, 2012
NEWARK -- A bridge connecting a residential area to the Legend Elementary and Liberty Middle school area should greatly increase walkers to the school, district leaders say. With a $500,000 Safe Routes To School grant, the city of Newark is able to afford the bridge and a couple of sidewalks leading to other middle schools. "It's been something that has been looked at for quite a while," Assistant Development Director Aaron Schill said of the bridge that has been discussed since the schools opened in 2007. The grant also will cover a sidewalk on Arlington Avenue, which leads to Heritage Middle School, and a sidewalk on Church Street from North 21st to Green Wave Drive. Bike facilities on Cedar Street from Arlington Avenue to the Panhandle Trail also will be added. "Basically, every student that walks (to Heritage) has to walk on Arlington," Schill said. The project must be completed by 2015. Schill said designing should start soon… http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20120602/NEWS01/206020301/Grant-aid-safe-school-routes-Newark?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage
ODOT awards grant to Pickerington Local School District
Jun. 1, 2012
COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Department of Transportation has awarded a $460,000 grant to the Pickerington Local School District from its Safe Routes to School grant. The project is one of 68 approved for funding, drawing a total of $16 million in federal funding. The Pickerington project is to install pedestrian paths and curb ramps at various locations in the district. Each project will receive anywhere from $2,000 to $500,000. These awards make up the highest amount of funding the program ever has distributed at one time. The proposed projects encourage and enable children from kindergarten to eighth grade to walk or bicycle safely to and from their neighborhood schools. For more information on Safe Routes to School, visit www.dot.state.oh.us/SafeRoutes .
June SRTS E-News
This month's articles include:
- Local Host Sought for Safe Routes to School National Conference
- The Latest from Capitol Hill
- National Partnership Welcomes New Steering Committee Members
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http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/enews/june2012
Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinar - June 14th (1pm ET)
Slowing Drivers Down: Why It Matters and Two Communities' Solutions
Presenters:
Scott Bricker, Executive Director, America Walks
Elizabeth Stampe, Director, Walk San Francisco
Mark Lear, Traffic Safety Programs, Portland Bureau of Transportation
Traffic safety, especially the speed of cars around schools, is one of the biggest barriers to walking and biking to school reported by parents. Reducing the speed of traffic around schools is a good step to make routes to school safer and encourage families to walk and bike. This webinar highlights strategies used by two communities to successfully slow vehicle speeds around schools. Scott Bricker, Executive Director of America Walks, will review relevant research around speed and pedestrian and bicyclist safety and provide a general overview of steps your community can take to slow vehicle speeds around schools. Then, Elizabeth Stampe, from Walk San Francisco, will discuss how Walk San Francisco worked with the City's transportation department to enforce an existing state law and helped to reduce speed limits around 181 schools. Finally, Mark Lear, from the Portland Bureau of Transportation, will describe the City's development of a "neighborhood greenways" network with speed limits of 20 MPH. He'll present some basic design elements of Portland's greenways and discuss how they built a diverse community coalition to achieve their goals. This webinar is part of the SRTS Webinar Series, developed by America Walks and the National Center for Safe Routes to School. For more information please contact Michelle Gulley at: mgu...@americawalks.org
Walk to School Day 2012 Registration Now Open: Join the Celebration on October 3
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (June 4, 2012) — Registration is now open for the 16th Walk to School Day, an annual event in the United States that is a part of an international effort to celebrate the many benefits of walking and bicycling to school. Walk to School Day 2012 will take place on Wednesday, October 3. Walk to School Day participation reached a record high in 2011 with more than 4,000 registered U.S. events, and that number is expected to rise once again in 2012.
Walk to School Day event registration is free and available to individuals and organizations holding an October event in the United States. Events that register on the Walk to School website, www.walkbiketoschool.org, will be displayed on an interactive U.S. map on the website, where neighboring communities, media and other organizations can identify who is walking in their area.
Registering a Walk to School Day event provides organizers access to free, downloadable materials on the newly redesigned website, including stickers, certificates and customizable fliers. They can also easily create and share a walking or bicycling to school route via the new Map-a-Route tool. Registrants can also subscribe to a weekly e-newsletter for six weeks in September and October with tips and resources for organizing a Walk to School Day event.
International Walk to School Day is a global event that involves communities from more than 40 countries walking and biking to school. It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Over time, it has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school. Today, thousands of schools across America – from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico – participate every October.
For more information on Walk to School activities in the U.S., visit www.walkbiketoschool.org. To see who walked in 2011, visit www.walkbiketoschool.org/go/whos-walking/2011. To learn more about Walk to School Day 2011, read the annual report.
National Partnership Welcomes New Steering Committee Members
Fresh experience and geographic perspective will bring value
The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is governed by a Steering Committee of 21 members with national, state and local perspectives on Safe Routes to School. The National Partnership is pleased to announce and welcome the following new Steering Committee organizations: Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (Amanda McEldowney), National Association of Regional Councils (Erika Young), National Parent Teacher Association (Mary Pat King) and University of Miami WalkSafe™ & BikeSafe™ Programs (Dr. Gillian Hotz). In addition, the following Steering Committee organizations were nominated and selected to serve for another three-year term on the Steering Committee: Alliance for Biking and Walking (Kristen Swanson), Kaiser Permanente (Dr. Sandy Stenmark) and WalkBoston (Wendy Landman). To view a complete list of current Steering Committee organizations and their member representatives
Cities' future bleak if the smart depart
Well-educated young adults abandon many U.S. urban areas
By Sabrina Tavernise
The New York Times Sunday June 3, 2012 7:29 AM
DAYTON — As cities such as this one try to reinvent themselves after losing large swaths of their manufacturing sectors, they are discovering that one of the most critical ingredients for a successful transformation — college graduates — is in perilously short supply. Just 24 percent of the adult residents of metropolitan Dayton have four-year degrees, well below the average of 32 percent for U.S. metro areas, and about half the rate of Washington, the country’s most educated metro area, according to a Brookings Institution analysis. Like many Rust Belt cities, Dayton is a captive of its rich manufacturing past, when well-paying jobs were plentiful and landing one without a college degree was easy. Educational attainment lagged as a result, even as it became more critical to success in the national economy. “We were so wealthy for so long that we got complacent,” said Jane L. Dockery, associate director of the Center for Urban and Public Affairs at Wright State University here. “We saw the writing on the wall, but we didn’t act.” Dayton sits on one side of a growing divide among U.S. cities, in which a small number of metro areas vacuum up a large number of college graduates and the rest struggle to keep those they have. The winners are metro areas such as Raleigh, N.C., San Francisco and Stamford, Conn., where more than 40 percent of the adult residents have college degrees. The Raleigh area has a booming technology sector and several major research universities; San Francisco has been a magnet for college graduates for decades; and metropolitan Stamford draws highly educated workers from white-collar professions in New York such as finance. Metro areas such as Bakersfield, Calif., Lakeland, Fla., and Youngstown, where fewer than a fifth of the adult residents have college degrees, are being left behind. The divide shows signs of widening as college graduates gravitate to places with many other college graduates and the atmosphere that creates. “This is one of the most important developments in the recent economic history of this country,” said Enrico Moretti, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, who recently published a book on the topic, The New Geography of Jobs… http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/insight/2012/06/03/1-cities-future-bleak-if-the-smart-depart.html
Michigan Students Make Headlines with Celebratory Bike Ride
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Zac Totten wanted to go out with bang. Little did he know that his senior bike ride idea would make national news headlines. The senior at Kenowa Hills High School in a suburb of Grand Rapids, Mich., wanted to put on a show, but he didn’t want to end his run with something silly. “In years past, seniors did stupid stuff, like painting the school and camping at the school — dumb things that got them in trouble,” he told me this morning. “I wanted to do something that wouldn’t harm the school and would be good for the community.” So he came up with a great idea that fit that bill. He got on the (private) Facebook group for his senior class and proposed a bike ride. The idea took off and, with more than 80 kids expected to participate, Zac realized they needed back-up. His friend Steve called the police, who arranged an escort. Zac’s mom invited her friend, the city’s Mayor Rob VerHeulen, who showed up for the event with donuts for the riders. And, then, smiling and singing the school fight song, the band of merry seniors pedaled to school.
“It was a lot of fun,” Zac says. “It was a great experience.” But then something unexpected happened. After hanging out and taking some pictures, the students started to go inside — but they were redirected to the performing arts center by a school official. “We got chewed out a little bit by our principal who said we were suspended and weren’t able to participate in the traditional senior walk, where we walk through the high school and say goodbye to our teachers and underclassmen,” Zac says. “She said they were going to investigate the prank more and some people might not walk at graduation. My heart kind of dropped, because it was my idea and I had a speech to give [at graduation]. It was really scary at first.” Joshua Duggan, a board member of the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition (GGRBC), was lobbying at the Michigan state capitol when he heard the news. Even before the local advocacy organization could respond, the community rallied behind Zac and his fellow students. In fact, the response backing biking was so strong that the principal quickly reversed course — and even apologized publicly… http://blog.bikeleague.org/blog/2012/05/michigan-students-make-headlines-with-celebratory-bike-ride/
Towpath Trail builders have new way to get around contaminated land in Cleveland
Published: Wednesday, June 06, 2012, 10:00 PM Updated: Thursday, June 07, 2012, 7:57 AM
By Doug Brown, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Plans to connect the Towpath Trail through a plot of radioactive land south of Steelyard Commons have been ditched. Instead, officials are working on an ambitious multimillion-dollar detour that would finally connect the Harvard Avenue trailhead with the shopping area, and complete one of the last links in the 110-mile trail. The connector could be in place by 2016, nine years after the effort began. "We are on a plan called 9-B," said Ohio Canal Corridor Director Tim Donovan. Eight previous proposals to connect the Towpath in that area were scrapped. Completion of the trail, which when done will go from Lake Erie to New Philadelphia (south of Canton), hit a major snag in Cleveland. The proposed route, which generally follows the Ohio Canal, would have gone through the former Harshaw Chemical plant property. The company processed uranium for the Manhattan Project and Atomic Energy Commission in the making of atomic bombs between 1944 and 1959. The land has radioactive residue… http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/06/towpath_trail_builders_have_ne.html
City Council Votes ‘Yes’ to Bicycle Safety Ordinances
Posted on: 10:18 pm, June 4, 2012, by Bliss Davis
CLEVELAND — The Cleveland City Council voted “yes” on bicycle safety legislation in their last meeting before summer recess Monday. The legislation is known as the Bicycle Transportation Safety Ordinances which were crafted to meet the needs of Cleveland’s growing cyclist population. The new laws support three-foot passing, requiring motorists give cyclists three feet of space to pass them, as well as use of a bike lane by an automobile illegal. The ordinances would also give cyclists more protection at intersections. The ordinances were introduced by Councilmen Joe Cimpermen, Ward 3, and Anthony Brancatelli, Ward 12, and are supported by Bike Cleveland… http://fox8.com/2012/06/04/city-council-votes-yes-to-bicycle-safety-ordinances/ (follow link to watch video)
Philadelphia launches major bike trail system
By Tyler Falk | June 4, 2012, 9:02 PM PDT
You can now count Philadelphia among a growing list of cities that are making new bike infrastructure a priority. About 250 miles of combined bike and pedestrian trails already make their way through the Greater Philadelphia region. But the city thinks it can do better for people getting around on two wheels or legs. Over the next 20 years the region wants to have as many as 750 miles of these trails. Last week, a new coalition, headed by the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia along with the mayors of Philadelphia and Camden, N.J., announced their collective vision to see the trail network, called The Circuit, completed. Here’s what supporters say The Circuit will do for the region: When we connect the 750 miles of The Circuit, Greater Philadelphia will have a trail network unlike any other in the country — connecting the urban, suburban and rural communities of the fifth largest metropolitan region in the US. The Circuit will make our region stronger by providing a place for healthy transportation and recreation, connecting our communities to greenspace, and making our neighborhoods more attractive places to live and work. Connectivity is certainly the key to making this plan — or any transportation plan for that matter –successful. Imagine if roads were built like bike lanes and trails. They wouldn’t be nearly as useful. You can’t build one here and there and expect them to work. Instead, they need to be part of a larger network of bike infrastructure to really thrive. That’s the goal of this project… http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/cities/philadelphia-launches-major-bike-trail-system/3412?tag=nl.e660
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Contact Information
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Biking and Walking Newsletter Editor, Ira S. Weiss - iwe...@insight.rr.com
Consider Biking Staff, http://www.considerbiking.org/contact/ 614-447-8894
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Ira S. Weiss
11735 Eddington
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