Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition January-February 2010 Newsletter
Bob Krzewinski
Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition
January/February 2010 Newsletter
www.wbwc.org - 734/864-4095 - in...@wbwc.org
WBWC Meetings
WBWC Board Meetings - WBWC Board meetings are held at the Ecology Center (117 N. Division in Ann Arbor - just north of Huron) on the first Thursday of every month starting at 7pm. Bicycle parking is available right behind the Ecology Center.
For previous WBWC Board meeting minutes, where you can learn of the current activities and projects of the WBWC, visit http://www.wbwc.org/minutes.htm.
WBWC Board – Officer Election Results
At its November 2009 annual membership meeting, the members of WBWC elected the following Board of Directors members for a two-year term of office: Tim Athan, Oscar Bustos, Carolyn Grawi, Jim Nieters, and Kris Talley.
At the December 2009 WBWC Board of Directors meeting, the Board elected the following officers for a one-year term of office: Pete Hines – Chair, Lily Guzman – Vice Chair, Tim Athan – Secretary and Frank Schwende – Treasurer.
WBWC Memberships Up For Renewal
Membership in the WBWC runs on a calendar year, and with a new year upon us, renewing your membership in the organization (if you have not done so already) is very much appreciated.
Dues payments are the main source of income for the WBWC this organization, currently. As you consider your financial support, here is some data that may help you determine the value of this organization to the vitality of our community as reflected in the WBWC accomplishments for 2009…
- Eliminating freeway barriers - the WBWC initiated an intergovernmental task force to develop and implement a plan to provide pedestrian and bicycle facilities on the Ann Arbor - Saline Road bridge over I-94, resulting in a Transportation Enhancement Application filed by the City of Ann Arbor on behalf of a coalition of participating government agencies.
- Pedestrian Issues Forum - the WBWC solicited public input from a “Walk, Talk and Chalk” city walk and organized a public panel to discuss strategies to implement solutions. This information gathering work initiated the WBWC’s effort to revise local ordinances and state law to increase legal protection of pedestrians in crosswalks.
- Bicycle Valet Parking - provided valet parking service at several major events in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, including Ypsilanti Heritage Festival and the Ann Arbor Art Fairs.
- Issues and events - the WBWC was instrumental in the organization of a community response to the car-bike crash that resulted in the death of Tim Pincikowski. Along with the AABTS, we organized a memorial ride and service of remembrance at the crash site. The WBWC also spoke out against the anti-bicycling rhetoric voiced by radio hosts Deminski and Doyle on WCSX (a Detroit radio station).
- Internal Governance - the WBWC board initiated the process to apply for federal 501c3 status. This will allow the WBWC to apply for grants and will clarify the tax deduction status of contributions to the WBWC.
Individual member dues are $25 ($10 for students). Family memberships are $35. Upon receipt of your dues check, we'll send you a WBWC membership card which is good for discounts at most area bike shops and The Bivouac. Please send you dues payment to: WBWC, 117 N. Division Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Include any contact information that needs updating (mailing address, phone, etc).
County Snow Removal Regulations Resource
The WBWC has on its webpage a summary of sidewalk snow removal ordinances for each city, village and township that has such an ordinance on record. The direct link to the WBWC snow removal ordinance webpage is www.wbwc.org/snow.
Ann Arbor / Saline Road Non-Motorized Improvements Update
In December 2008 the WBWC initiated an intergovernmental agency task force to provide a pedestrian and bicycling crossing over I-94 at the Ann Arbor - Saline Road interchange. Over a series of about 1/2 dozen meetings the participating agencies, including the City of Ann Arbor, the City of Saline, Pittsfield Township, WATS, the Washtenaw County Road Commission, the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation commission, and MDOT agreed on a plan to seek funding for the first of a two phase project, in which a protected pedestrian walkway and realignment of vehicle lanes to provide a wide bicycle/motor vehicle shared lane would be built on the east side of the existing bridge over I-94 (northbound).
On behalf of the task force the City of Ann Arbor's Transportation Manager, Eli Cooper, has submitted a Transportation Enhancement Application. This application is currently being reviewed by MDOT. All we can say for sure at this point is that the proposal was well received, is supported by our MDOT regional staff, and that various sources of funding are being considered by MDOT to allow this project to get underway. If we get approval and funding, construction on Phase 1 may be completed as early as 2011. Phase 2, which would provide facilities on the west (southbound) lane would have to be pursued at a later date, probably in conjunction with scheduled bridge and entry ramp maintenance.
This process has been a great learning experience for all those involved, and the WBWC intends to use our collective experience to advocate for additional infrastructure throughout Washtenaw County. The new generation of transportation planners and engineers seem more in tune with the role of active modes transportation. With the rise of these progressive minded professionals and our experienced advocacy work, we all can be encouraged about the future of biking and walking in our county
Ypsilanti Wins Promoting Active Communities Program Award
The Promoting Active Communities (PAC) program is an online assessment and award system. Communities can use the online self-assessment to evaluate their built environments, policies, and programs related to promoting and supporting physical activity. Michigan communities that complete the assessment are eligible for an award that recognizes them as an innovative Michigan community that is making it easier for their citizens to lead an active lifestyle.
As you may (or may not) know, Ypsilanti completed the Promoting Active Communities Awards Ceremony in 2009 and received a Silver Award on December 9th in Lansing. And while they did receive the Silver award, word is they were not too terribly far from the Gold. The award could not have been given without the interest and involvement in the community of such groups as the Washtenaw Biking and Walking Coalition, Ypsi Health Coalition, Bike Ypsi, Friends of the Border to Border Trail, and the City of Ypsilanti Planning and Parks and Recreation Commissions. More information about the Promoting Active Communities assessment can be found here: http://www.mihealthtools.org/Communities/.
Washtenaw Avenue Redevelopment Proposed From Ann Arbor To Ypsilanti
The WBWC Ride Around Town (RAT) bicycle rides are held every month in Ann Arbor (even during the winter) with the goal of not only allowing people to ride in a social setting, but also to demonstrate how cyclists can ride in an urban setting and obey all traffic laws. Ann Arbor RAT rides start at Plaza Park, Liberty and Division in Ann Arbor at 6pm on the second Friday of each month, and are generally five miles in length. Since the RAT rides are a demonstration that biking in an urban environment can be done safely, all participants are asked to follow all traffic regulations, wear helmets, and be fully equipped for legal riding (i.e. lights and reflectors). After the actual ride, those participating are also invited to a "RAT hole" (a local restaurant) for post-ride socializing.
Michigan News
2010 Michigan Bicycle Summit
The 2009 Michigan Bicycle Summit will be on Saturday, March 27, 2010 in the Lansing area, so please mark this date down and save it. This event is presented by the League of Michigan Bicyclists and designed for cyclists who want to learn more about how they can make a difference in the sport they love so much. Not only will people learn from the excellent presenters, but you will network with other bicyclists from around the state and learn what does and does not work for them. For further details visit www.lmb.org.
New Traffic Control Devices Standards Issue
Obesity May Consume 1/5th Of Every Healthcare Dollar
The U.S. News and World Report recently reported that "In 2018, more than half the adults in Oklahoma, Mississippi, Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, and South Dakota could be obese. That's just one of many alarming projections in a study released last week by Kenneth Thorpe, chair of Emory University's Department of Health Policy and Management, and it comes, appropriately, as Congress is grappling with how to best reform a healthcare system that is becoming wildly and unsustainably expensive."
"By Thorpe's calculations, within a decade, nearly 1 of every 5 dollars spent on healthcare in the United States will be attributable to obesity-related conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure. 'It's certainly a wake-up call,' Thorpe says. 'To see you've got six states within 10 years of the majority of the adult population being considered obese—that's a pretty remarkable statistic.'..." For more on this story visit http://tinyurl.com/ydmfprl. To view the Childhood Obesity News Digest visit http://tinyurl.com/yf5742w.
Alliance For Biking & Walking
The Alliance for Biking & Walking (of which the WBWC is a member), formerly known as Thunderhead Alliance, is the North American coalition of grassroots bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. The organization seeks to unite advocacy leaders to help them become more effective by sharing best practices and innovations. The also work to strengthen organizations through resource sharing and training opportunities. Finally, the help advocates create organizations in underserved communities. Alliance organizations are working together to transform communities into great places to bike and walk. For more information on the Alliance For Biking & Walking, visit http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/
Survey: Retailers Value And Support Bike Advocacy
"Believing in bike advocacy and supporting it are two different things, but this survey showed that bicycle retailers are likely to do both. Nearly 80% of the retailers said that they are members of an advocacy organization, either locally or at the state or national level, and 59% said supporting bike advocacy is even more important to them now than it was five years ago..." For more on this story visit http://tinyurl.com/ygtybjr.
University Football Bike Parking Immensely Popular
In the “wouldn’t this be nice here” column comes a report from the California's Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition. "A record-shattering number of bicycles were parked in the SVBC-run bike corrals at the first three Stanford home football games this season. September 19th saw 974 bikes, September 26th witnessed 1,002 cyclists, and October 3rd received 1,339 grateful riders. We're most grateful to the volunteers who did a great job watching the bikes; they even caught a bicycle thief who was about to run off with a bike from one of the corrals! If you'd like to volunteer at a game (and perhaps foil the efforts of would-be villains), there are still opportunities. Navigate to the SVBC website to learn more..." For more on the story visit http://tinyurl.com/yl7glhl.
Measuring Community Walkability – The Walk 21 Report
In 2009 planners from all over the world descended upon New York University’s campus for the Walk21 Conference. Before the conference got into full swing, several eager planners arrived early to attend one of the three daylong pre-conference workshops. The pre-conference workshop titled Measuring Walking featured our own Sharon Roerty (the National Center for Bicycling & Walking Executive Director, Active Living Resource Center Director). Using Dan Burden’s 12 characteristics that define a walkable community, Sharon outlined what it means for a city to be pedestrian friendly. During the presentation Sharon sought to engage the audience through an NCBW activity called Walkable Communities Bingo. The activity asked audience members to score (0, 1, or 2 points) their favorite city for each of the walkable community characteristics.
After tallying the scores for all 51 participant surveys, it became apparent that several characteristics were insufficiently being met. Of the 12 characteristics, Universal Design scored the poorest with 32 participants assigning their city 1 point for universal pedestrian design. Only one other characteristic had a majority of tallies (27) for the one point column and that was the Decision Makers Are Visionary characteristic. Furthermore, the tallies were somewhat evenly dispersed for the characteristics of Key Streets Are Speed Controlled and Town Is Thinking Small. Such varying scores might suggest that cities have a long way to go before the pedestrian is king again. Yet these results came from an audience that hailed from pedestrian centric cities such as Amsterdam, Paris, and New York City.
So what does this survey say about the current state of the pedestrian environment? For starters, there is still much to be accomplished. Even as New York City has made huge strides to accommodate for pedestrians, the automobile still receives a lion’s share of the funding and attention from stakeholders. While funding is certainly an issue for pedestrian infrastructure, much has to do with how our cities have been and are being designed. That is why the characteristic of Universal Design is so important when creating pedestrian spaces throughout a city. We certainly have the tools to create wonderful pedestrian infrastructure. After all, walking has been the transportation mode that has transcended all generations. It’s just a matter of figuring out how walking fits into the complex puzzle of the urban environment.
Check out the Active Living Resource Center’s community assessment tools at http://tinyurl.com/6tpd2l. For more information on NCBW’s Walkable Community Bingo contact Jo...@bikewalk.org
Baby Boomers Taking To “Lifestyle Bikes”
According to an article in the October 23rd AARP News, Sixty-six year old Lucy Rigg McAdams "quickly found out what many other 50-plus Americans have been discovering - the U.S. bike market is now catering to their wants and needs. Many older bicyclists aren't looking for sturdy mountain bikes designed for daredevils or racing styles for Lycra-clad hard bodies. Instead, they're interests are piqued by the newer, more comfortable models broadly referred to as 'lifestyle' bikes. Lifestyle bikes boast features like padded seats for a soft ride; lower, U-shaped crossbars for trouble-free mounting; low gears for easy pedaling; and a sturdy, upright frame for balance. And some, like Rigg McAdams' new $1,800 wheels, are power-assisted.
"This interest has made such bikes the hottest category of two-wheeled transportation today. From an almost nonexistent market a decade ago, these lifestyle bikes now command a third of the 3.1 million bike sales anticipated in 2009. But the most noteworthy shift in the market is who's now riding bikes. 'We've seen riders in the demographics between ages 9 and 29 plummet,' says Loren Snyder, spokesman for Cannondale USA citing figures from the Bicycle Products Suppliers Association. 'But the number of baby boomers and older riders is skyrocketing. Since 1998, riders over 50 as a category has moved from 7 percent to 21 percent as of 2008.'..." For the complete AARP story visit http://tinyurl.com/yfvgwbe.
Google To Add Bike Maps
In an October 13th "Google Maps 'Bike There'" article, Peter Smith wrote, "Congratulations, y'all! 50,000 signatures! We hit that number about a week or so ago, thanks to 'Jessica' -- the 50,000th signature. Shortly after we hit the big 50k mark, Google made a small announcement on their LatLong blog:
"'The best part about this new dataset is that we've been able to add a lot of new, detailed information to Google Maps -- information that helps people better explore and get around the real world. For example, college students will be pleased to see maps of many campuses; and cyclists will now find many more trails and paths to explore. Soon we even plan on providing you with biking directions to take advantage of this new data. Of course, in the true Google spirit of 'launch and iterate,' we plan to work with more data sources to add new features in the map..."
For more information on this story, visit http://tinyurl.com/yhxdken. To see a GoogleMap with Seattle's trails visit http://tinyurl.com/ykfv9o4.
Web Resources
Includes articles on the comment period for FHWA's step program; NHTSA grants for four pedestrian safety focus locations; a free pedestrian safety webinar on November 9; California's strategic highway safety plan and pedestrians; neighborhoods receiving funding from nhtsa to improve pedestrian safety; and free FHWA pedestrian safety materials - http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/pedforum
A new book has been published about the growing lack of physical activity in the United States with the appropriate title of “American Idle”. For more on this book visit http://www.bikewalk.org/index_amidle.php
Active Communities Vs. Obesity Rates
“Building an Impactful, Sustainable Coalition" white paper from LiveWell Colorado - http://tinyurl.com/ygxrbpc
Human Vision During The Walking Process
Fact Sheet by Jason English and Gary Nelson, Nelson & Associates - http://tinyurl.com/yfdecfm. Other fact sheets available at http://tinyurl.com/yhstdpb
Planning By Design: A Healthy Communities Handbook
A citywide campaign my Sommerville, MA to increase daily physical activity and healthy eating through programming, physical infrastructure improvements, and policy work. The campaign targets all segments of our community, including schools, city government, civic organizations, community groups, businesses, and other people who live, work, and play in Somerville - http://nutrition.tufts.edu/1174562918285/Nutrition-Page-nl2w_1179115086248.html
Next WBWC Newsletter deadline – February 10th, 2010 (for the March/April edition). Submissions can be sent to Bob Krzewinski at wolv...@yahoo.com.