. A student at the University of Colorado sent us a request to solicit help in finding survey participants for a bicycle transportation and infrastructure survey. Most of the survey is structured as a survey of the types of roads and facilities currently ridden for transportation and then a longer piece focused on choosing between… read more
Advocacy
U.S. DOT Paving Its Own Path for Bike/Ped Standards
According to an article on the DC StreetsBlog, In FHWA’s new round of rule-making, DOT will set its own bicycle and pedestrian safety standards for the first time. The agency will “highlight bicycle and pedestrian safety as a priority,” LaHood said. For years, U.S. DOT has leaned heavily upon AASHTO guidelines for setting it’s bicycle… read more
vulnerable road user bill hearing Tues March 5
So on Tuesday, March 5 at the “rise” – which means when the session that starts at 4pm ends – the House Judiciary Committee has a hearing on a slew of bills that relate to highway safety. This will be in the House Lounge on the 2nd floor. One of the bills is H5777, the “vulnerable road user” bill that… read more
highway safety bills at RI Assembly
Bicyclists, understandably concerned about highway safety, should be aware that about 30 bills related to that subject have been filed at the General Assembly. One is a reintroduction of our “vulnerable road user” bill, H5777, sponsored again by Representative Teresa Tanzi of Narragansett. That bill ups the (currently negligible) penalties if a careless motorist, not taking due care, kills or injures a… read more
Not Enough Cyclists Killed to Count?
The League of American Bicyclists is mounting an email campaign in an attempt to help persuade the US Department of Transportation to add a requirement to their pending legislation which will require the collection of bicycle and pedestrian statistics. In particular: The US Department of Transportation is required by the new transportation law to establish… read more
Help Us Create the East Coast Greenway
The East Coast Greenway Alliance (ECGA) has received some comments over the last few years about part of the ECG route through Providence. Issues include tough intersections, steep-angle railroad track crossings, and more. We aim to improve that routing by mid-March, and thanks to bikemap.com, ECGA now has a great online “wiki-mapping” tool allowing anyone… read more
Sec. LaHood Stepping Down
Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced he would be stepping down from the Obama Administration. If you haven’t heard Sec. LaHood speak on the topic of active transportation, you’ve missed out. Rails-to-Trails is mounting a campaign to encourage people to speak up and let the Obama Administration know that they need to find… read more
AASHTO Bike Guide Webinar
If you are involved in bicycle advocacy, then you likely know that AASHTO released the fourth edition of their guide for developing bicycle facilities last year. Many groups around the country, including here in RI, are advocating to have their local DOT groups adopt these recommendations as their guiding principle over the more traditional DOT… read more
US Bike Commuter Map
A recent post on governing.com provided an interactive map of US bike commuting activity. It’s worth a few minutes of your time to take a quick look. A few things to note: Date is based on the 2011 census numbers Bike commuting numbers do not necessarily reflect everyone who uses a bike for at least… read more
Advancing an Interim Bikeway Plan
News from AIPC:
Advancing an Interim Bikeway Plan
While support is gathering for the planning, funding and building of a Shoreline Bikeway on Aquidneck Island, the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC) is advancing an interim plan that addresses roads and routes to carry cyclists more safely the full length of the Island – as an immediate step in advance of the Bikeway.
Based on recommendations made in the 2011 Aquidneck Island Transportation Study, the interim Island bike route is a combination of bike lanes and off-road bike paths comprising 18 miles of safer cycling from Portsmouth to Easton’s Beach in Newport.
Read the AIPC announcement HERE. See the map and read about the proposed plan in this weekend’s Newport Daily News, or click HERE.
The benefits of the proposed Shoreline Bikeway are numerous and convincing – bringing more people to enjoy the magnificent coastline and all that Aquidneck Island has to offer along a safe and beautiful bike route that connects with the rest of the state’s miles of bike paths. The interim plan is a first step toward the ultimate goal of a “Rail with Trail” Bikeway along the existing rail corridor.
Working to improve conditions for cycling on roads island-wide and creating safer routes for both transportation and recreation are priorities for Bike Newport. We celebrate the steps that AIPC is taking to advance this interim plan. We’re excited and motivated to work with AIPC to make it happen. We also see this Interim Bikeway route as an added incentive to improve a network of marked roads and routes island-wide that will contribute to the ability for more of our residents and visitors to confidently traverse and explore the island on bicycle.
THANK YOU to AIPC Executive Director Tina Dolen and the AIPC for advancing our shared goals: more and better cycling in the best interest of our residents, visitors, environment and economy.
And on that note – Wishing you health, happiness and safe and frequent cycling in the new year! Thanks to all for making 2012 a banner year for bicycling in Newport!
From your friends at Bike Newport
What to do with bad drivers?
This video has been circling the internet for the past week… if you haven’t already seen it, take a minute and watch it before reading the rest of this post. httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqyHv-niL5I As I watch this, I can’t help but wonder what this person could possibly be thinking! Obviously, this is not the first time this… read more
Providence Bike & Ped Advisory Commission meeting
The next meeting of the Providence Bike & Ped Advisory Commission meeting is this afternoon (Monday Oct 22) from 4 pm to 5:30, at the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, 30 Exchange Terrace). You can download an agenda from the Secretary of State’s website.