Unless you live in a bubble, you’ve no doubt observed significant flooding somewhere in the last few weeks. News sources are busy talking about how dangerous this is, how much damage it might cause, etc. But I have yet to hear any one of them mention this might just be a weather pattern we will… read more
Advocacy
Elmwood Ave Bike/Pedestrian Improvements
Over the course of the next two years, RIDOT is scheduled to completely repave Elmwood Avenue. I will be meeting with some people this Thursday @ 11am to discuss potential bicycle and pedestrian improvements that might be done in conjunction with the repaving work. If you frequent this area or just have a vested interest… read more
Move Over Law – Not Working
According to to a report posted on the Target 12 website, the recently passed Move Over law, requiring motorists to change lanes or at least slow down when passing an emergency vehicle, simply isn’t working. Target 12 wired up a state police cruiser and went undercover to put the law to the test. We also… read more
Office of Livability within DOT’s Federal Highway Administration
TRANSPORTATION: Lawmakers to examine Obama’s ‘livability’ efforts Josh Voorhees, E&E reporter President Obama’s “livability” initiative will be under the microscope this week as two congressional panels hear from federal and state officials about transportation planning and land use. The House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee will meet Wednesday to take a closer look… read more
Affected by a Recall, Try a Bike!
Are you one of the many people plagued by the recent automobile recalls? Plagued by stories about sudden acceleration and failing brakes, the press is reminding us how danger it can be to drive an automobile. A recent segment on NPR discusses the current Toyota recalls and the fact that, while the mechanical and electrical… read more
Commuter’s Conundrum #1
OK! Now that we have the helmet issue settled (not), let’s move on to something increasingly germane as this part of the globe warms and more folks begin to ride. Here’s a situation you may face as a cyclist… Uphill light. Right lane turns right only. Left lane for going straight on or turning left. … read more
“Cities, Bicycles, and the Future of Getting Around”
Exciting! From the City of Providence’s “Art Culture & Tourism Newsletter”: The 2nd Annual Claiborne Pell Lecture on Arts and Humanities March 9 @ Trinity Rep Hosted by Mayor David Cicilline City of Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline invites you to a panel conversation with musician, artist and author David Byrne; urban historian Samuel Zipp,… read more
Recycle-A-Bike seeks board members
From John Powning: RECYCLE-A-BIKE is a volunteer-based community bike education and maintenance collective that promotes bicycling as a safe, fun, sustainable, and empowering mode of transportation. We provide the greater Providence community access to the skills and resources to maintain, repair, and build bikes in a workspace where all are welcome. We are currently located… read more
Pleasant Valley Parkway: post-hearing report
Last night’s (Feb 8th) hearing was… interesting. The City’s proposal was quite good, I thought, addressing only that section of PVP between Rosebank Ave and Justice St. Currently, the roads on both sides of the median/stream have 2-way traffic, leading to tight squeezes and high confusion at intersections. Where the road meets Rosebank (at the… read more
Attitudes toward the Cyclist
Everyone that I work with knows that I ride my bicycle to work. By now they don’t even give a second look when I walk in the building in spandex (for the most part). A recent comment made me stop and consider what folks must be thinking. For the second time in a month someone… read more
Eight New RIDOT Projects
An article in today’s Projo lists eight new projects RIDOT announced will be funded with Federal stimulus money. From an advocacy point of view, I think it’s important for our group to stay on top of lists like these, review areas RIDOT is working in, and see if there are any infrastructure improvements that can… read more
Good news from USDOT!
Thanks to our friends at Greater City Providence for alerting us to this… USDOT Secretary Ray LaHood is making his mark, and the result will be better opportunities for active transportation projects. Check out this press release. In a nutshell, the criteria used to evaluate projects for funding are expanding. Instead of simply looking at… read more