Biking and Walking News 5-18-12
Ira Weiss
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Biking & Walking News
Ira S. Weiss, Editor May 18, 2012
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Decisions are Underway, Ask Congress to Protect Funding for Sidewalks and Bikeways
An overwhelming majority of Americans—including large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans—support federal funding for bicycling and walking. It doesn’t have to be a partisan issue.
Senators and Representatives are meeting now to create a final transportation bill, and we need your help to protect the hard-fought Cardin-Cochran agreement. Without this agreement, states will be able to use bicycling and walking funds towards more highway lanes. Contact your Senators and Representatives today to ask them to preserve this bipartisan agreement so that communities can access funding for Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking.
Just two months ago, the Senate passed a transportation bill that included the Cardin-Cochran agreement. This bipartisan compromise would ensure that local governments and school systems are able to access much-needed funds to make bicycling and walking safer and more accessible. Your local leaders—mayors, city councilors and county officials—know what your community’s transportation needs are, and the Cardin-Cochran amendment helps ensure they can compete for funding to make those improvements.
Funding for bicycling and walking has popular support—a recent Princeton survey found that 83 percent of Americans support federal funds for sidewalks and bike lanes. Local elected officials across the country want to respond to their constituents, and need federal funding to build sidewalks, bike lanes, and crosswalks.
Will you help us get the message to Congress? You can help in two ways:
- Ask your Senators and Representatives to maintain the Cardin-Cochran agreement, which gives local governments a voice in transportation planning.
- Ask your mayor or other local elected official to send a letter of support to your Senators and Representative for the Cardin-Cochran agreement. A sample letter with instructions is available in Word or PDF format.
http://cts.vresp.com/c/?SafeRoutestoSchoolNa/39bc8dc3dd/cfab0a69f9/e0de11ed3c/action_KEY=10688
Thank you for standing up to tell Congress that Americans support funding for Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking.
RIDES
Mayor's bike ride slated for May 23
Wednesday May 16, 2012 4:59 PM
Whitehall-area residents will have an opportunity to exercise and meet local dignitaries during an event that is part of an initiative of Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman. Whitehall Mayor Kim Maggard will join Coleman at 6 p.m. May 23 for the Mayors Community Bike Ride. "I am excited to be a part of this ride. It will be a great way to see the central Ohio area in a way we don't always get to experience," Maggard said. The event will begin at Patriot Preparatory Academy, 4938 Beatrice Drive, north of East Livingston Avenue and east of South Hamilton Road. Area residents and civic leaders also are invited to accompany Coleman, Maggard and mayors and city staff members of other municipalities. "This event is a great way to promote healthy lifestyles, as well as show the commitment and unity of community leaders in central Ohio," Maggard said. "I hope to see many Whitehall residents join in this event…" http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/whitehall/news/2012/05/14/mayors-bike-ride-slated-for-may-23.html
Tour de Cure
Event pedals to battle diabetes
By JENNIFER NESBITT
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday May 16, 2012 5:12 PM
It affects nearly 1 million people across Ohio, and much work remains in the effort to raise awareness and money to fight diabetes in the Buckeye state. The American Diabetes Association's 2012 Tour de Cure, a bicycling event, will begin at 6 a.m. June 9 at Westerville Central High School. "Every 17 seconds, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with diabetes," said Tisha Reynolds, the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure coordinator. "There are also thousands of people living with diabetes who don't know they have the disease." Nearly 840,000 Ohioans have been diagnosed with diabetes, Reynolds said, and 300,000 to 400,000 Ohioans are estimated to be living with the disease without realizing it. "(With the tour), we're trying to raise money for advocacy information, research and education for people that have diabetes," Reynolds said. The 2012 Tour de Cure includes 30-, 60- and 100-mile bike rides, as well as a 12-mile family-fun ride. The longer rides are more difficult, allowing all levels of riders to participate, said Frank Bibens, Emerson Network Power president and chairman of the Tour de Cure. "There are rides for all levels of people, and so 100 miles goes through Knox, Delaware, Coshocton counties. ... It's for the more experienced riders who are willing to put some training in and go through the nice countryside," Bibens said. "The family-fun ride is something for all to enjoy. It goes along the bike path along Hoover Dam." The start time for the rides are staggered so all riders could finish the tour at about the same time at Central, Bibens said. The rides will be followed by a large celebration with food, entertainment and activities for children… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2012/05/16/tour-de-cure-event-pedals-to-battle-diabetes.html
Darby Creek Elementary School
Third-graders to ride 10 miles for charity
By PAMELA WILLIS
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday May 16, 2012 4:40 PM
Pedaling fast to raise funds, Darby Creek Elementary School third-graders will ride bicycles 10 miles on the Heritage Rail Trail to benefit the Lost Boys of Sudan, a term referring to boys orphaned or displaced during civil wars in Africa. The Darby Annual Great Ride Across the Trail, or DAGRATT, will begin at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at Homestead Park, 4675 Cosgray Road in Hilliard. Teacher Susie Scott said her third-grade students have been training all spring for the bike ride and keeping a bar-graph record of their miles. "We have a big class graph to record our collective training miles," she said. "Last week, for example, the class collectively rode 122 miles. All students will ride 10 miles on DAGRATT." She said the ride begins at the Homestead Park trail head. After five miles of riding, the students will stop for a drink and a snack and then ride back five miles to the Lakeside Pavilion, where parents will have a cookout for the hungry cyclists. "We'll have a double police escort in full uniform with officer Marcus Blevins and officer Mike Metz," she said. "BikeSource will have (its) head mechanic at the picnic shelter to fix and adjust bikes…" http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/hilliard/news/2012/05/15/darby-creek-elementary-school-third-graders-to-ride-10-miles-for-charity.html
Co-founder: Pelotonia about the quest for a cure
By LORI WINCE
ThisWeek Community News Friday May 11, 2012 7:38 PM
When Tom Lennox was diagnosed with colon cancer in June 2007, he wasn't thinking about founding Pelotonia, a fundraiser that has raised more than $25 million for cancer research in three years. "I was just a regular boring guy," he said. The New Albany resident recently spoke about co-founding the event at Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts in New Albany. Lennox, 45, said he was working in investor relations for Abercrombie & Fitch when he was diagnosed. He went through chemotherapy, radiation treatments, surgery and more chemotherapy before he was given a clean bill of health in September 2007. "I was very lucky," he said. "It was (in the early stages) and I was told after surgery that they got everything. The chemo after was a precaution." Throughout his treatments, Lennox stayed in shape by riding his bicycle. He said he was inspired by professional cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, and he wanted to be as fit as possible. "I wanted to be fit for surgery, to present the best specimen for the surgeon," he said. "Plus, training was good for my head." In 2008, Lennox met Michael Caligiuri, chief executive officer of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at Ohio State University. Lennox said Caligiuri told him his idea for a fundraiser that already had corporate sponsorship and was related to cycling… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/johnstown/news/2012/05/11/co-founder-pelotonia-about-the-quest-for-a-cure.html
NAHS senior rides in Pelotonia to honor sister
By LORI WINCE
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday May 16, 2012 5:07 PM
Eighteen-year-old Riley Adams has a special reason for riding in the Pelotonia bicycle tour each year: He honors his sister, Eden, who died at age 8 from neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer. "This year we have a special jersey with purple and gold on the back and front," Adams said. The jersey includes a photo of his sister. The New Albany High School senior first rode in Pelotonia in August 2009, eight months after Eden died. Pelotonia is a 180-mile cycling tour in which riders raise funds for cancer research. All money raised by riders -- $25 million in the past three years -- goes to the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute at Ohio State University. Costs of the race are paid by corporate sponsors. Adams has raised more than $35,000 for research. "Every year I've raised $4,500 or more," he said. When asked how hard it is for an 18-year-old to raise funds, he joked, "I go door to door and send constantly nagging emails and on Facebook and all that." Adams said he raised $1,400 in his first two weeks this year. "You'd be surprised how fast it adds up," he said… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/newalbany/news/2012/05/16/nahs-senior-rides-in-pelotonia-to-honor-sister.html
SAFETY
Hit-skip driver is given 3 years
He gave away SUV, hid after killing pedestrian
By John Futty
The Columbus Dispatch Saturday May 12, 2012 6:50 AM
A driver who fled after striking and killing a pedestrian last year on the North Side was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison. Alex C. Hernandez, 27, pleaded guilty in March to one count each of felony vehicular homicide and failure to stop after a crash that killed 52-year-old Vaughn Parker. Hernandez was driving an SUV eastbound on Rt. 161 west of I-71 about 4:30 a.m. on June 8 when the vehicle went off the right side of the road and struck Parker, who was walking beside the road. Hernandez drove away, hid in an apartment off Morse Road and tried to conceal the crime by giving away the damaged SUV, a Chevrolet Trailblazer. Police officers, acting on a tip, found him about 10 days later. Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Daniel T. Hogan sentenced him to one year for vehicular homicide and two years for failure to stop, to be served consecutively. Hernandez was credited with 330 days served in jail since his arrest… http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/05/12/hit-skip-driver-is-given-3-years.html
BANNED IN MAY 2010
Police write few citations for texting
By Theodore Decker
The Columbus Dispatch Sunday May 13, 2012 6:04 AM
Fewer than 100 people have been ticketed for texting while driving in the two years since a citywide ban on the practice went into effect. As Ohio lawmakers consider legislation that would ban all texting while driving and prohibit teen drivers from using any handheld electronic devices, police agencies already experienced with texting bans in their own communities say enforcement can be difficult. However, that does not diminish the dangers posed by inattentive driving, they say. “When your attention is divided more and more, it opens up the chance of bad things happening,” said Lt. Anne Ralston of the State Highway Patrol. In a traffic bulletin issued this spring, the patrol reported that driver inattention caused 31,231 crashes across Ohio during the past three years, including 74 fatal crashes and 7,825 injury crashes. Between 2009 and 2011, 2,723 of those crashes occurred in central Ohio, according to numbers compiled by the Department of Public Safety. Since Columbus’ ban on texting while driving went into effect in May 2010, 88 drivers have been cited by city police, according to statistics compiled by Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk Lori M. Tyack’s office. Police issued 30 citations in 2010, 41 in 2011, and 17 this year through Thursday… http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/05/13/police-write-few-citations-for-texting.html
Statewide Texting Ban To Clear Ohio Legislature
By: Associated Press | NBC4
Published: May 15, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio --
Ohio teens could not use their cellphones, iPads or other electronic devices while driving under a bill poised to clear the state Legislature on Tuesday. All drivers also would be banned from texting, though young drivers could more easily be pulled over for the offense. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, the measure would be among the broadest in the country in terms of teen distracted driving restrictions. The organization says texting while driving is already prohibited in 38 states. Ohio's bill would make texting behind the wheel a minor misdemeanor, with possible fines of $150. The measure wouldn't trump city ordinances on texting or cellphone use that might be tougher. Some lawmakers contend the legislation chips away at personal freedom, while others argue it doesn't go far enough. http://www2.ohio-votes.com/news/2012/may/15/statewide-texting-ban-clear-ohio-legislature-ar-1037083/?sc_cid=CMH-NEWS-9amDlyNews (exact same story in Lancaster Eagle Gazette)
Texting while driving bill targets teens
May. 16, 2012
Written by
Francesca Sacco
The Eagle-Gazette Staff
LANCASTER -- Caroline Brendsel, a sophomore at Berne Union High School, keeps her phone safely tucked away while she drives. "I'm not particularly good at texting, so I don't know how people text and drive," Brendsel said. "I don't text while I drive, and I get nervous when other people do it. I think a ban on texting is a good idea." So does the state. The Ohio Legislature cleared a statewide texting-while-driving ban Tuesday, and it is expected to be signed by the governor. The bill will make texting with a handheld device a secondary offense for adults and a primary offense for teen drivers younger than 18. Corinna McIlwain, a secretary at Berne Union High School, is pleased the new bill is moving forward. "We have strict rules about texting while driving," the mother of two, one driving and one about to, said. "Certain plans allow you to shut off your child's phones at certain times, like when they are in school. I've threatened to do that, but I never had to go that far. I don't believe anyone should be texting while they drive, and I hope that there are fewer accidents…" http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/article/20120516/NEWS01/205160302/Texting-while-driving-bill-targets-teens
Texting ban called a 'good start'
Legislation tougher on teen motorists
10:20 PM, May. 15, 2012
Written by
Staff and wire reports
COLUMBUS - A statewide texting-while-driving ban that could be tricky to enforce cleared the Ohio Legislature on Tuesday and was headed to the governor's desk for his expected signature. The House cleared the measure on a 82-12 vote. The Senate passed it earlier this month. All drivers would be banned from texting, though young drivers could more easily be pulled over for it. John Gordon, a Marion County Common Pleas Court bailiff who believes his son died because another motorist was using a cellphone while driving, called lawmakers' action a "good start. I think the law that they've placed on ... those under 18 should be all the way around." "I do understand why they have placed such a strict sanction on juveniles, because their primary function should be learning how to operate motor vehicles, not multitasking," he said… http://www.marionstar.com/article/20120516/NEWS01/205160306/Texting-ban-called-good-start-
Ohio House passes ban on texting
State will become 39th to enact law when signed
By Jim Siegel
The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday May 16, 2012 6:14 AM
Though sponsors would have liked for the bill to be stronger, the House yesterday gave final approval to legislation that would ban texting while driving for adults and prohibit anyone under age 18 from using any electronic device while behind the wheel. Ohio will become the 39th state to ban texting while driving once Gov. John Kasich signs House Bill 99. The House voted 82-12 to approve Senate changes to the bill. Under the bill, texting while driving would be a secondary offense for adults, meaning an officer would first have to cite the driver for another offense. The ban on handheld devices for those younger than 18, including cellphones and tablet computers, would be a primary offense. “Texting while driving is a serious problem that creates dangerous conditions for every person on the road,” said Rep. Nancy Garland, D-New Albany, who jointly sponsored the bill with Rep. Rex Damschroder, R-Fremont. “This form of distraction has caused numerous injuries and deaths on Ohio’s roadways, and it is time to end these tragedies.” Garland cited numbers from a variety of studies: Drivers who text are 20 times more likely to get in a crash or near-crash; the reaction time of texting drivers is 12 percent slower than drunken drivers; and a person going 55 mph can drive the length of a football field without looking up at the road when texting. For teen drivers, the punishment for using an electronic device would be a $150 fine and a 60-day license suspension for a first offense. It grows to a $300 fine and one-year suspension for repeat violations… http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/05/16/house-passes-ban-on-texting.html
May 15, 2012
Release #12-177
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
10 Bike-Related Recalls to Check Out Before You Hit the Road This Spring
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Now that spring is here, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is reminding consumers to check to see if their bicycles, bicycle components or accessories have been recalled before using them. Recalled bicycles, components and accessories can be dangerous and cause an accident, resulting in injury or even death. If you have a recalled product, contact the firm for the remedy. Once that's taken care of, remember to properly strap on your bike helmet!
Check out these recent bicycle-related recalls. You can find out more about these recalls and others at our website www.cpsc.gov.
Product | Recall Press Release | Hazard
Bridgeway Bicycles (91,000 units) | 11-331 | The bicycle chain can break, causing a rider to lose control and fall.
Trek 2012 FX and District bicycles (27,000 units) | 12-024 | The bolt that secures the seat saddle clamp to the seat post can break posing a fall hazard.
Fuji Saratoga Women's Bicycles (10,500 units) | 12-112 | The bicycle's frame can break in the center of the downtube during use, causing the rider to lose control and fall.
Public Bikes 2010 through 2012 Model Year Bicycles (4,100 units) | 12-145 | The pedals can crack and break, posing a fall hazard to the rider.
Specialized 2012 bicycles with Advanced Group carbon forks (460 units) | 12-096 | The brake component housed within the bicycle's carbon fork can disengage from the fork and allow the brake assembly to contact the wheel spokes while rotating, posing a fall hazard.
Chariot bicycle trailers (44,000 units) and bicycle trailer conversion kits (70,000 units) | 12-085 | The bicycle trailer's hitch mechanisms can crack and break, causing the trailer to detach from the bicycle. This poses an injury hazard to children in the bicycle trailer.
Topeak Babyseat II Bicycle Carrier Seats (40,000 units) | 12-143 | A child can place his or her fingers in the opening at the grab bar's hinge mechanism. When the consumer lifts the grab bar to remove the child from the seat, the child's fingertips can be caught in the hinge mechanism, posing a laceration and fingertip amputation hazard to the child.
Little Tricky Bicycle Helmets (30,400 units) | 12-082 | Product testing demonstrated that these helmets do not comply with CPSC safety standards for impact resistance. Consumers could suffer impact head injuries in a fall.
GT, Giant and Trek Bicycles with SR Suntour Suspension Forks (17,000 units) | 12-149 | The suspension fork's internal support tubes can break and cause the rider to lose control, fall and crash.
Gore Bicycle Brake Cables for Road Bikes (9,700 units) | 12-125 | When the brake cables are installed on Campagnolo style brake levers, they can detach, causing the brakes to fail and posing a fall hazard.
To see this press release on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the products involved and links to the individual recalls, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12177.html
Salsa Cycles Recalls Bicycle Racks Due to a Fall Hazard
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2012
Release #12-175
Firm's Recall Hotline: (877) 725-7211
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Salsa Minimalist bicycle racks
Units: About 1,100
Manufacturer: Salsa Cycles, a wholly-owned brand of Quality Bicycle Products Inc., of Bloomington, Minn.
Hazard: The L-shaped mounting straps used to attach the bicycle rack to the front of the bicycle can break and cause the rack to fall while the bicycle is in use, posing a fall hazard to the rider.
Incidents/Injuries: Salsa Cycles has received two reports of bicycle racks breaking at the mounting straps, resulting in minor injuries from falls.
Description: This recall involves all Salsa Minimalist bicycle racks sold after January 2011. The racks are made of tubular aluminum with a black or silver finish, and can be installed on either the front or rear of a bicycle. The recalled bicycle racks have steel mounting brackets, identified as straps, with a single hole in the center used to mount the strap to the bicycle fork. "Salsa" is printed on the side of the bicycle rack.
Sold by: Bicycle retail stores nationwide and on Internet retailers from January 2011 through March 2012 for about $80.
Manufactured in: Taiwan
Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the recalled bicycle racks and contact an authorized Salsa dealer for inspection, re-mounting or refund.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, please contact the firm toll-free at (877) 725-7211 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's website at www.salsacycles.com
To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including pictures of the recalled product, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12175.html
HEALTH
TV Review | The Weight of the Nation: Obesity imperils health of country
By David Wiegand
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE Monday May 14, 2012 7:01 AM
Everyone has seen the news reports about obesity in the United States: fresh statistics from the latest study, read with professional detachment, as images of pudgy bodies cross the screen — their faces blurred or their heads just out of the camera frame. Such stories have been delivered for years, becoming as much a staple of TV news as weather reports. Obesity represents an epidemic and perhaps the biggest U.S. health problem. So goes the message that HBO pounds home with singular effectiveness in the four-part multidisciplinary documentary The Weight of the Nation. Produced by Sheila Nevins and John Hoffman, the result blames the food and advertising industries as well as public officials for not only failing to fix the problem but also making it worse. The Weight of the Nation essentially writes a prescription for the country and its health and economic future. Should nothing change, 42 percent of Americans will have become obese by 2030, according to a report released last week during an obesity conference at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta… http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/05/14/documentary-obesity-imperils-health-of-country.html
LOCAL NEWS
Street-smart cycling
In honor of National Bike to Work Week, riders share tips for commuting in the city
By Joe Blundo
Dispatch Tuesday May 15, 2012 8:24 AM
Be safe and be comfortable. And don’t be in a hurry. So goes some of the advice offered by veteran bike commuters in Columbus. This is National Bike to Work Week, but, if you imagine that such a thing is just for athletic people riding carbon-fiber cycles in expensive biking togs, perhaps you might reconsider. You don’t need fancy equipment, these commuters say. But you do have to be visible to motorists because cyclists still aren’t on the roads in great numbers. A survey by the U.S. census for the years 2006-10 estimated that 3,157 people in Franklin County — or about 0.5 percent of commuters — were getting to and from work by bicycle. Efforts to encourage bike commuting have probably increased the number since, according to officials. “There’s definitely more awareness than there used to be, and I think the local governments are more interested in trying to build bike infrastructure,” said Juana Sandoval, associate engineer at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission. The city, for example, is getting 294 bike-parking spaces and bike lockers Downtown with a $490,000 grant from the U.S. Energy Department. To see activities planned for Bike to Work Week, check the calendar of events at www.considerbiking.org. (Some cities really get into it: Boulder, Colo., with a Bike to Work Day on June 27, sets up breakfast stations for pedalers and walkers.) Here are tips from three commuters: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2012/05/15/street-smart-cycling.html
Highway patrol to assist with cycling event
May. 11, 2012
CHILLICOTHE -- The Ohio Highway Patrol has announced troopers will be working with this weekend's Tour of the Scioto River Valley to ensure the safety of both participants and the driving public. Motorists should be aware that the route through the area Saturday will include Ohio 104 from Pickaway County to Yoctangee Park, then through downtown Chillicothe to Ohio 772 and on to Cooks Hill Road. The cyclists then will rejoin Ohio 104 to Three Locks Road, then on to Higby Road to Ohio 335 into Pike County. Once they arrive in Waverly, they will pick up U.S. 23 for a short while, the Ohio 104 into Scioto County to Ohio 73 for the remainder of the ride to Portsmouth. The route will be traveled in reverse on Sunday. Anyone needing to report an emergency or other problem along the route can call (740) 775-7770 or (877) 7PATROL. http://www.chillicothegazette.com/article/20120511/NEWS01/205110319/Highway-patrol-assist-cycling-event
Railroad-themed park
Council poised to pave way for Hilliard Station
By KEVIN CORVO
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday May 16, 2012 4:47 PM
It is not yet known when construction will begin for Hilliard Station Park, at the northwest corner of Main and Center streets, but Hilliard City Council members are ready to begin the process of providing improvements for the park. Council members are prepared to spend $90,000 for the design work required to improve Center Street between the Heritage Rail Trail and the future site of the park, a distance of about 1,200 feet. Improvements include the construction of sidewalks, storm sewers, street lighting, landscaping, on-street parking and other amenities. An ordinance authorizing Service Director Butch Seidle to contract with E.P. Ferris & Associates to provide the services, for an amount not to exceed $90,000, was introduced at the Monday, May 14, meeting of council's City Planning, Projects and Services Committee. It is scheduled for introduction and a first reading at the next regularly scheduled meeting of Hilliard City Council, at 7 p.m. June 11 at the Hilliard Municipal Building, 3800 Municipal Way. Improvements are also to include the construction of traffic circles, not to be confused with roundabouts, at Wayne and Center streets, and another traffic circle at the northwest terminus of Center Street. Seidle described traffic circles as "traffic-calming" devices that require motorists to make complete stops to safely navigate. Roundabouts are different because entering traffic yields to traffic already in the circle and does not necessarily come to a complete stop. No additional private right-of-way acquisition is needed for any of the infrastructure improvements… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/hilliard/news/2012/05/15/railroad-themed-park-council-poised-to-pave-way-for-hilliard-station.html
Waterloo Road bridge replacement under way
By NATE ELLIS
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday May 16, 2012 5:43 PM
A Violet Township bridge replacement slowed by external factors now is moving forward and could be completed by mid-summer. Demolition of the Waterloo Road bridge in Violet Township began May 10. The work is expected to keep Waterloo Road closed between Hill and Winchester roads for up to the next 10 weeks. However, Violet Township and Fairfield County officials said last week the result will be the construction of a new bridge over a Walnut Creek tributary that will allow for better and safer traffic flow. "The new bridge will be wider than the narrow one that's being replaced and will allow for continuous, two-way traffic to move through safely," said Greg Butcher, Violet Township engineer. "With the significant increase in traffic on Waterloo Road due to the opening of the Diley Ridge Medical Center, the Hill-Diley interchange and commercial activity throughout the Diley Road corridor, we have seen a three-fold increase in traffic volume within the last three years," he said. Last February, Butcher said traffic counts showed 2,500 to 3,000 vehicles travel over the bridge each day. That's up from approximately 1,000 vehicles per day in the late 1990s, he said. The increased traffic was particularly troublesome at the bridge, because it wasn't wide enough to permit two-way traffic for larger vehicles, such as trucks and emergency-response vehicles. The bridge replacement is estimated to cost $277,777.77, according to Fairfield County Chief Deputy Engineer Jeff Baird… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/pickerington/news/2012/05/16/waterloo-road-bridge-replacement-under-way.html
City looks to bond $10.55M in debt for old, new projects
By JENNIFER NESBITT
ThisWeek Community News Wednesday May 9, 2012 6:43 PM
Westerville City Council heard the first reading of legislation May 1 to issue $10.55 million in bonds to refinance debt on several old projects, as well as finance several new projects. "We're taking advantage of interest rates that are at a historic low right now," said Westerville Finance Director Lee Ann Shortland. The refunded bonds were issued in 2003 and 2004, Shortland said. The city is looking to refinance $6 million in bonds that helped pay for construction of buildings for the Westerville Division of Fire and to provide equipment for the division, and for the renovation of city buildings at 21 S. State St., 28 S. State St., 29 S. State St. and 64 E. Walnut, and for installing new street lights, conduit and manholes for the electric division. Refunding those bonds is projected to save the city about 9.5 percent, or $450,000, at current interest rates, Shortland said. New bonds the city is looking to issue would finance projects including:
* $1.6 million for installing new conduit and lighting for the Westerville Electric Division.
* $745,000 for extending and improving the city's sewer system.
* $2.5 million for improving city streets, curbs and sidewalks.
* $655,000 for extending the city's water services.
The projects the bonds would be issued for all are part of the city's five-year capital-improvement plan, Shortland said… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/westerville/news/2012/05/09/city-looks-to-bond-10-55-million-in-debt-for-old-new-projects.html
MAC to unveil bright, bike-shaped bike racks
By CANDY BROOKS
ThisWeek Community News Thursday May 3, 2012 1:16 PM
Some big wheels will be the center of attention in Worthington on Friday night. The oversized metal wheels are part of the two artistic bike racks that will be unveiled to the public beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, May 4. The bright-red rack at the McConnell Arts Center will be dedicated first. At 7 p.m., an identically designed purple rack will be unveiled next to House Wine, just south of Graeter's, on the northeast corner of High Street and New England Avenue. Anyone who rides to the event will be given a bike pin. Everyone is invited to ride from "rack to rack." The whimsical racks resemble four side-by-side wheels, supported across the top by handlebars. Bikes may be attached to the wheels. The bright colors are part of the fun, MAC Director Jon Cook said. "I think they're really cool," he said. The racks were the brainchild of Sustainable Worthington co-founder Fred Yaeger. "I travel around Ohio quite a bit, and I've seen these artistic bike racks and thought they would make a great addition to downtown Worthington," he said… http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/worthington/news/2012/05/02/mac-to-unveil-bright-bike-shaped-bike-racks.html
SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL
Safe Routes to School Education Forum
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
10:00am-11:30am
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Scioto Conference Room
111 Liberty Street, Suite 100
Agenda
I. Welcome and Introduction—Amanda McEldowney, MORPC
II. Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Office of Ohio Governor John R. Kasich SRTS Initiatives—Chris Albanese, Outreach Coordinator
III. Safe Routes to School National Partnership Ohio—Kate Moening, Ohio Advocacy Coordinator
IV. Ohio Department of Transportation SRTS Update—Julie Walcoff, Ohio Department of Transportation
V. Five Days of Freedom— Evelyn Ebert, MORPC
VI. Peer Exchange—Discussion of May National Bike to School Day
VII. Closing Remarks
The next Safe Routes to School Education Forum will be held on Tuesday, May 22 from 10am-11:30am in the Scioto Conference Room at MORPC. I have attached your Parking Pass and Agenda for the meeting. Please RSVP for the meeting by Friday, May 18, 2012 and if you have any questions please let me know. Also, National Bike to School Day is Wednesday, May 9; if your school plans to participate in a walking or biking to school event during May please let me know. Make sure to register your event on the newly redesigned Walk to School Website. Please come prepared to share about your event at the Forum.
I look forward to seeing you at the meeting!
Thanks!
Amanda
Amanda McEldowney
Program and Event Coordinator
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
111 Liberty Street Suite 100
Columbus, OH 43215
Safe Routes Coaching Action Network Webinar - May 22nd (1pm ET): Lessons from the 2012 Oberstar SRTS Award Winners
Presenters:
Pam Barth, MRP, Project Manager, National Center for Safe Routes to School
Melissa Kramer-Badtke, Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Associate Planner, East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
Amy Thompson, SRTS Coordinator for Heatherwood Elementary School
One of the best ways to build a SRTS Program is to take a page from a winning playbook. Each year, the National Center for Safe Routes to School has the privilege of recognizing one Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program in the country for outstanding achievement in promoting safe walking and bicycling to school. This year - a first in the history of the James L. Oberstar Safe Routes to School Award - two schools will receive this national honor: Heatherwood Elementary School in Boulder, Colo., and Omro Middle School in Omro, Wis.
In this sixty minute webinar, you will have the opportunity to learn from these award winning programs. First, Melisa Kramer-Badtke, the Regional SRTS Coordinator will explain how a Program found success in the small, rural city of Omro, where only about 42 percent of middle school students live within two miles of the school and many of these students must cross one or more major barriers, including two highways and a river.
Next, Amy Thompson, the SRTS Coordinator for Heatherwood Elementary, will provide insight into how in just three years the School's SRTS efforts and activities resulted in an increase from 12 percent to more than 43 percent of the school's students regularly walking and bicycling to school. Amy will also discuss how their Program was able to include the school's autistic students in the district-wide Bike to School Day. This effort was funded by $1,000 mini-grant from the National Center and what an incredible impact that inclusion made.
We hope that you can join us to learn from these two wonderful SRTS programs and hopefully take some of their lessons back to your programs to share in their success.
This webinar is part of the Safe Routes to School Coaching Action Network 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
Down With Training Wheels
They train kids how not to ride a bike! Why balance bikes are better.
By Nicholas Day|Posted Friday, May 11, 2012, at 12:33 PM ET
Gentle reader, let your mind wander back to the day you first learned how to ride a bike. Who can forget such a magnificent moment? It’s an iconic scene: The child is nervous on his shiny new Schwinn, but he trusts his father—and his training wheels. On the sun-dappled day they are finally removed, the child is confident that his training wheels have prepared him to ride a bike—that they have trained him. His father runs beside the bicycle, holding onto the seat, and then let’s go. The child triumphantly sails forth—face down, into the pavement. Oh, the memories! For generations, training wheels have been the standard way of not teaching children how to ride a bike. It’s a time-honored childhood ritual: fumble with wrench, remove tiny wheels, watch child fall on face, repeat. It doesn’t have to be like this… http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2012/05/training_wheels_don_t_work_balance_bikes_teach_children_how_to_ride_.html
Cincinnati Named Bronze-Level Bicycle Friendly Community
May 14, 2012
Today, Cincinnati was named a 2012 Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. This is the first year the city has won the designation. The Bronze-level award recognizes the City’s commitment to bicycle infrastructure and advocacy, which was outlined in the City’s comprehensive Bike Plan first implemented in 2010 after an extensive public outreach and engagement process. “We’re honored to be included among America’s most bicycle-friendly communities. The award, as well as the bike share study, show the City’s continued commitment and investment to making bicycling a viable transportation option for our residents,” said Michael Moore, Director of the City’s Department of Transportation & Engineering (DOTE). To continue progress on the Bike Plan, the City is working on a bike share feasibility study in Uptown, Downtown and Over-the-Rhine. In a bike share program, public bicycles are available to rent on-demand at fully automated kiosks located around the city — fast and convenient access for any trip that’s too long to be easily walkable but too short to require the use of a car or public transit. Bike share programs typically consist of several bicycle rental kiosks, with 10-12 bicycles per kiosk, at convenient locations throughout the city. The kiosks accept credit card payment for rental. Bicycles can be returned at any kiosk location, and the rental cost is determined by the length of use. With research and guidance from Leadership Cincinnati, the City has chosen Alta Bicycle Share, Inc. to conduct the study. Alta Bicycle Share will identify the best way to implement a successful bike share program in Cincinnati, including locations for kiosks, the number of kiosks needed and rental rates. Alta Bicycle Share is the most experienced bike share company in the US, and has developed and launched bike share systems in Washington, DC; Boston, and New York City. Other progress over the past year: http://www.queencitybike.com/?p=4099
Past issues are available here: http://www.considerbiking.org/category/newsletters/
Contact Information
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Web site - www.considerbiking.org
Facebook - Facebook Page change to http://www.facebook.com/considerbiking
Twitter - @Consider_Biking http://twitter.com/#!/consider_biking
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
Pickerington, OH 43147