Bike committee opportunity

The TPO Bicycle Advisory Committee has an opening. The BAC’s duties include overseeing implementation of the Bicycle Plan, as well as updating the Plan, and promoting bicycling as a means of transportation. Several subcommittees work on issues such as special events, media and marketing, and enforcement.

At www.knoxtrans.org you can view the minutes from past meetings, and find the application. And remember, you're always invited to come to the meetings!

We need your help!

OK, so it's not the best time of year, but I've heard higher temps are on their way. The Bicycle Advisory Committee would like bicyclists to review our five bike routes in Knoxville: http://www.knoxtrans.org/plans/bikeprog/resource.htm#routes

When you ride a route, think about these questions:
--is this the best route, or are there other roads that would be better?
--are there problems that could be easily fixed along the way (e.g., drain grate higher or lower than pavement, pothole)
--what sections do you feel uncomfortable on, but know that it's better than the alternatives?

We are hoping to get signage on these routes, but wanted to make sure they are the best they can be first! Once you've ridden a route and have input, send it to me at kelley.segars@knoxtrans.org Please include the day of the week and time of day that you rode. We'd like to get this information by Feb 28th.

Thank you!

Tell the President

According to the Jan. 15th issue of AASHTO's Transportation Marketing E-News, "More than 1,000 people have already posted comments at [the IToldThePresident] website, part of the new AASHTO project, 'What the New President and Congress Should Know About Transportation.' Interestingly, many comments focus on improving bicycle and pedestrian access, with improved transit also garnering much support..."

To join the conversation, watch the videos and read the comments, go to:
http://www.itoldthepresident.org/

Cumberland Ave survey

A short survey has been developed in an effort gather information from the community regarding transportation circulation opportunities and challenges within the Cumberland Avenue District. A link to the survey, and more info, can be found on our website at: http://www.knoxtrans.org/index.htm.

Or, you can link directly to the survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Mo_2fq0xLjA7ZC41AVgtXj_2fQ_3d_3d

The survey will remain open until Monday, February 15th.
Contact: Amy Brooks, Transportation Planner, 215-4001

No Child Left Behind race

From Scott Smith at TN ValleyBicycles:

You know its cold out and that means its January. January also means that its time to race things called bicycles. Bicycle racing this time of year means extra measures to be taken by YOU to ensure your warmth and comfort during the best time of your life, the 3rd Annual No Child Left Behind super fun Alley Cat Race. The action starts @market square at 2pm on Sunday January 25th. Feel free to stop by TN Valley Bicycles for your race card.

540-9979
204 W. Magnolia Ave

Your own private bike lane

A close brush with a distracted driver is enough to intimidate the most avid bikers from riding at night. The problem isn’t just about visibility, as safety lights are effective at capturing the attention of a driver. However, these lights are typically constrained to the bike frame, which highlights only a fraction of the bike’s envelope. Bike lanes have proven to be an effective method of protecting cyclists on congested roads. One key is that the lane establishes a well defined boundary beyond the envelope of the bicycle, providing a greater margin of safety between the car and the cyclist. Yet, only a small fraction of streets have dedicated bike lanes, and with an installation cost of $5,000 to $50,000 per mile, we shouldn’t expect to find them everywhere anytime soon. Instead of adapting cycling to established bike lanes, the bike lane should adapt to the cyclists. This is the idea behind the LightLane. Our system projects a crisply defined virtual bike lane onto pavement, using a laser, providing the driver with a familiar boundary to avoid. With a wider margin of safety, bikers will regain their confidence to ride at night, making the bike a more viable commuting alternative.

http://dustbowl.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/light-lane-concept-from-altitudes-alex-tee-and-evan-gant/

Video about riding in the rain

Fairly good video from San Fran. Seems like we are having more and more of this weather!

http://www.sfbike.org/?wet_weather

Draft Bike Plan for review

Who can believe that it's been 6 years since the last Bicycle Plan was adopted? We started working on an update in 2007, but...well...time flies when you're updating a bicycle plan (and when I'm out on maternity leave!). So, drumroll please, the draft 2009 Regional Bicycle Plan is out for review and comment on the TPO website:

www.knoxtrans.org

This is a much different plan than the last one. It's much shorter (succinct) and we hope it's easier to digest. The idea is that once this is adopted by the TPO Executive Board, we will develop action plans for each city and county, and take those before the city councils and county commissions. We've done a LOT since 2002 (see the list in the appendix) but there is so much more to do.

If you want to help with any of the action steps, please let me know.

Thanks!

Local bicyclist riding to DC to highlight coal mining issues

Biker gives Appalachian towns a voice
By Brittney Moore
Friday, January 2, 2009

Sam Evans wants the voices of Appalachian families near coal mining sites to be heard, so he's cycling to Washington, D.C., to hand-deliver protest letters written by mining communities.

"The bike ride for me is just a way to take the voices of the people who aren't being heard right now and take them to Washington, D.C.," said Evans, a third-year law student at the University of Tennessee. He plans on leaving Tennessee Jan. 9 and arriving in Washington, D.C., Jan. 20.
Evans won't be alone for the 750-mile trip. Missy Petty of Conservation Fisheries Inc., a nonprofit organization that rescues endangered fish species, will join him for the first half of the trip.

Evans and Petty plan to stay in homes close to coal mining sites to see for themselves the impact mining has on nearby communities, then gather letters protesting mountaintop removal mining. Evans will hand-deliver the letters to the Natural Resources Defense Council, which will give the letters to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"We just want people to be aware of what's going on in their own backyards and want them to care," Petty said.

Full story at http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jan/02/biker-gives-appalachian-towns-a-voice/

Lots of photos from old rides

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23266213@N02/

This is a site where we have posted photos from past rides. Enjoy!