RIDOT announced during the most recent Environmental Council meeting that, due to bugetary shortfalls, they are re-evaluating the George Redman Linear Park project. How or what will happen to this project is still up in the air, but it’s clear from what we have learned that the project will not go forward in it’s entirity.… read more
Advocacy
Frank’s Law – City of Warwick Resolution
The Warwick City Council met back on October 20th to vote on whether or not to pass a resolution requiring motorists to give cyclists a reasonable amount of room when passing. The resolution passed unanimously! I managed to get my hands on a copy of the resolution, the most important portion of which reads: NOW,… read more
city planning charrettes, continued…
On Wednesday Nov 12, the city planning department will present a summary of the charrettes held for the Fox Point, College Hill, and Wayland Square neighborhoods. The meeting will be from 6-8 pm in the dining room of the Lincoln School (where the north end of Butler Ave meets the south end of Blackstone Boulevard).… read more
Opening the waterfront to bikes and pedestrians — in Boston
Work on South Bay Harbor Trail is launched Bike, pedestrian path intended to open waterfront By Christina Pazzanese, Globe Correspondent | November 8, 2008 City and state officials marked the formal launch of work on a new bicycle and pedestrian pathway yesterday designed to open Boston’s waterfront to formerly landlocked neighborhoods. Organizers say the 3.5-mile… read more
Obama and bicycles? An early clue
Bush is an avid mountain biker, but that hasn’t helped US bike culture. What about Obama? Will we finally see truly progressive transportation policies? And if his heart and brain are in the right place (I believe they are), what can be accomplished while our country is suffering economically? Or is this economic downturn actually… read more
U.S. Approves Plan for Interstate Bike Routes
U.S. Approves Plan for Interstate Bike Routes SportsOneSource Media Posted: 11/4/2008 The United States is on a path to creating what could become the largest official bicycle route network in the world, thanks to the approval of a new plan by America’s leading authority on national route designations. The American Association of State Highway and… read more
Models for Green Future
CITIES: New York’s future is green, city’s planners say (11/04/2008) Saqib Rahim, ClimateWire reporter While Washington pundits haggle over cap-and-trade policy, effects on industry and energy costs for regular Americans, New York City is taking its climate policy in a different direction: making its green city as alluring as possible. New York is projected to… read more
If I was President…
I happened upon the above image on the Streetsblog site. This sign, and others like it, were created by students at the American Academy of Arts and Letters in Washington Heights, K-5 students from Hamilton Heights Academy and P.S. 28 (along with at least one parent or guardian) added a livable streets flavor to the… read more
Blackstone Boulevard Meeting Comments
The meeting went quite well, I thought. The upshot is that the lanes will not be removed. A few complainers were there to vent, but the overwhelming opinion was that the new scheme is a change for the better. Present from the city were Cliff Wood, Lt. Schiavulli, Lt. Ryan, John Nickelson (DPW), and Linda… read more
Bicycle Commuter Act
From the LAB website: Bicycle Commuter Tax Provision Passes House and Senate (10.03.08) After seven long years, the bicycle commuter tax provision has finally passed both the House and Senate as part of the financial bailout package. President Bush said that he would quickly sign the $700 billion bailout bill. Thanks to all of you… read more
TRANSIT: Urban bike programs hitting many bumps in the road
U.S. cities hoping to lessen air pollution and traffic congestion through bike programs are facing unexpected questions over funding, accident liability and even “anti-bike” activists. The first enthusiastic wave of bike-sharing programs worked on an honor system — bikes donated or left over from police auctions were left on racks throughout cities, trusting that users… read more
Proposed Changes to Rhode Island Driver’s Manual
About three months ago, I hand an opportunity to read over parts of the Rhode Island Driver’s Manual. At the time, I was shocked by how little information the manual contained about bicycles and, even more surprised by how much of the information contained actually tried to address cyclists rather than motorists. I posted these… read more