Mayor's Ride May 2nd

Bring a Friend or Ten.

While cyclists and pedestrians plead for inclusion, motorists are accommodated automatically

From Sustainable Savannah
People who recognize the role of bicycles in sustainable transportation have been talking this week about comments by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. On his blog this week, he wrote:

As I said today in testimony before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, this includes fostering communities where bicyclists feel both safe and welcome on the roadways. Bike-friendly development also has the potential to contribute significantly to the revitalization of downtown districts and offer an alternative to sprawl and automobile-focused commuting.

This line of thinking marks a departure from LaHood’s predecessor, who didn’t see bicycles as having much to do with transportation.

LaHood issued a call to arms, of sorts, describing funding sources for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure and urging advocates to “get their cities and states to request funds for these projects.”

Here in Savannah, a group of advocates has already been following LaHood’s advice and there are two important opportunities for the public to show support in the near future.

While LaHood’s comments are encouraging, I can’t help but recognize the reality of the situation. As a bicyclist and pedestrian, I must lobby local and state officials and plead for inclusion in transportation funding requests. Yet as a motorist, no such action is required of me. Automobile infrastructure is automatic, even when it isn’t wanted, even when it excludes other users and even when it comes at such a high social cost.

High Speed Rail anyone?

Vintage Ride and Polo Sunday

Sunday March 29th
2pm
HSV Middle School on Adam Street (behind California Park on California Street-- nearest major intersection is Lowe).

All bikes welcome. This is a great time to pull out your vintage or cruiser bike and go for a fun, conversationally slow and short ride around the downtown area.

Bike Polo 4 ish.... Optimist Park

Critical Mass is Tonight!!!!! Not Sponsored By Boeing

New Bike PSA

Sideways Bike Amsterdam

From the Streets of Belfast

What is wrong with Huntsville Drivers

Fortunately no one died in this accident but it shows that none of us are safe.

A little girl was hospitalized Friday afternoon after witnesses say she was struck by a minivan.
The accident occurred at the intersection of Triana boulevard and village drive southwest just before three this afternoon. A witness told WAFF 48 News that a crossing guard had her hands in the air, instructing traffic to stop, but the minivan continued through the intersection.

The van was able to stop before seriously injuring the girl, who was attempting to cross Triana Boulevard.

Huntsville police officers directed traffic for a short while after the accident. A HEMSI crew transported the girl to the hospital as a precaution, but she is expected to be fine.

WAFF

Seattle Crosswalk: Tap foot, Lights blink, Cross street

Sunday Earth Day Ride 2pm

Meet @ Children's Advocacy Center on Pratt.

Southern Brutality!! DDG All-Stars vs. Naptown Rollergirls Saturday April 18th, 2009 7:30pm

City Council meeting tonight

"So tonight's council meeting is going to be a real shit storm. There will be everything from angry white people trying to keep projects out of their neighborhood and the displaced people who will have no access to jobs or practical public transportation. We need to show up and voice our concerns about the young girl who died on University and to voice that we are concerned for all pedestrians not just cyclists."

308 Fountain Circle
6pm tonight

ERICAILCANE -BACK TO SCHOOL

Curitiba’s BRT: Inspired Bus Rapid Transit Around the World

State of Alabama Federal Stimulus Initiative

Learn more about the Stimulus package for Alabama here
http://recovery.alabama.gov/

People Friendly Design in London

Recetas Urbanas / Urban Prescriptions

Recetas Urbanas exploits loopholes in the bureaucratic system of city planning to reclaim parts of the city by those who it really belongs to.

From hidden housing to reclaiming empty lots for use as a playground, Recetas Urbanas has engaged in artistic and architectural civil disobedience and semi-legal strategies since 1996. The collective’s strategies create autonomous and liminal spaces, which are frequently nomadic, so as to adjust to the city’s ever-changing environment. Other projects, including this collaboration with Democracia and Todo por la Praxis, are as appropriative, but more permanent, providing residents with infrastructure and facilities that governmental bureaucracy has deemed low priority.

From Groundswell

Deadly Accident Near Crosswalk Upsets Residents

Neighbors believe strongly that some type of overpass needs to be installed at University and Meadow Drives to prevent other accidents involving those crossing over to happen

Venton BlandinReporter
April 4, 2009
Huntsville - We are learning new details about a deadly accident in Huntsville. A car hits and kills a woman Friday night at the intersection of University and Meadow Drives.

Huntsville Police say a vehicle traveling west bound on University Drive hit the woman as she was crossing the street. The driver told police he did not see the woman. The ambulance rushed her to the hospital, but she died a short time later. We confirmed the victim's name is Lashun Lynch.

Those who live a few feet from the intersection say crossing the road is very dangerous at all times of the day.

Trayshell Bright and her family lives very close to where Lashun Lynch was hit by a car. She can see the spot along with heavy traffic from her house.

"The traffic is very bad as well along with crossing the highway," said Resident Trayshell Bright.

Bright says she see kids running across the highway as well as adults. Some of her neighbors who didn't want to go on camera say the same thing. Huntsville Police have worked several accidents involving cars hitting people in the road.

We watched several people cross over University Drive. Almost all of them failed to use the crosswalk. Some of them annoyed drivers. Some neighbors say jay walking is part of the reason for people getting hit.

Bright goes even further blaming the traffic lights.

"By the time you get halfway across University Drive, to the side where we live, it's already changed," added Bright.

We decided to see for ourselves. We hit the button at the pedestrian crosswalk to stop traffic at University and Meadow Drives. It took nearly two minutes to change.

WHNT NewsChannel 19 Reporter Venton Blandin crossed University Drive back and forth two times when signaled by the cross walk. One time, a car stopped allowing him to cross, but another time a car came very close to hitting him.

The video does seem to back up what Trayshell Bright says.

"Where you cross the street, it's not even safe to cross it, with mashing the button to cross it," added Bright.

Using the crosswalk button gives a little more than 20 seconds for someone to cross University Drive.

Neighbors believe strongly, some type of overpass needs to be installed at University and Meadow Drives to prevent other accidents involving those crossing over to happen.

A & M Bike Racks Action

To anyone interested in making A&M a cleaner, greener, healthier place to work and study - please contact Dr. Beverly Edmond and voice your support for bike racks on campus. Bike racks could encourage students, faculty, and staff to commute to campus by bicycle. Maybe you're not ready to bike to campus or it's too far for you to do so; well, you may still want bike racks so that you can bring your bike to campus and use it to get around while on campus(instead of driving to human resources which is now by the wellness center construction site for example). Maybe you'd like to encourage others by voicing your support, or maybe you're just sick of seeing my bike in the hallway. Something physical and visible like a bike rack could plant the seeds of change in someone's mind about how they get around (seriously).

The e-mail I sent to Dr. Edmond is below and she forwarded it along to some folks in Facilities and Transportation. She also informed me she has received similar requests lately, so maybe now is the time to act.

Please consider emailing Dr. Edmonds and kindly encourage her on this matter. She has been very receptive to our requests.
beverly.edmond@aamu.edu