Bike Delaware growing, taking on social media outlets

Bike Delaware continues to expand, now with social media outlets Facebook and Twitter. Our pages here will be automatically updated via direct feed to Bike Delaware News. For those who use these services, this will add more tools for staying abreast of the latest news and events.

A subscription to our listserver is still required to maintain your free Bike Delaware membership. There are a couple of options for how you choose to subscribe, including individual emails or receiving one "daily digest" email per day that merges up to 25 email messages into a single message. With the latter, you can quickly scan down through the titles or messages themselves and select what's of interest to read. To make any changes, either visit our yahoo groups page yourself, or email us at: advo_info@bikede.org.

Bike Delaware News is now upgraded with the addition of labels in the right-hand column, featured below the "Blog Archive". Over 5 great years of bicycle advocacy in Delaware is now just a click away, readily available by category! Everything from the very first Bike Delaware meeting in June 2005 with Chairman Mario Nappa, to the 2010 Delaware Bike Summit coming up in May 2010. Among others, relive the battle for Route 1 bike lanes at the beach, and how DelDOT moved on the completion of the Junction and Breakwater Trail thanks to the efforts of John Boyle and the Sussex Cyclists.

Members are encouraged to bookmark and check in regularly with Bike Delaware News, your place for feedback and comments.

Indian River Inlet Bridge Replacement Project

The Delaware Department of Transportation and Skanska USA Civil Southeast, Inc. (Skanska) invites the public to attend an outdoor "open house" style public workshop and participate in a construction site tour at the Indian River Inlet Bridge on Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The workshop will consist of 12 information stations where the public can receive specific details about various aspects of the bridge construction. Information will be available about the design-build process, pile drivings and use of concrete with visual examples, the pylon forms including reinforced steel, the falsework structure, the stay cable erection system, the traveler, the approach spans of the bridge, and the final features of the bridge and their functionality. Many of these information stations will include visual highlights of the different elements of bridge construction. In the event of inclement weather, any decision to cancel the event will be posted at http://www.irib.deldot.gov 24 hours prior to the event. More . . .

Urban Bike Project seeking volunteers, board members

Urban Bike Project of Wilmington (UBP), a non-profit community bike shop geared towards education and self-sufficiency in transportation, is seeking new volunteers and potential board members. Currently operating on a completely volunteer basis, they are a growing organization that could use more helping hands to repair bikes and individuals that can provide leadership, time, energy, and resources to achieve their mission. If you can't volunteer a tax-deductible donation is welcomed. Learn more about UBP through information sessions held on two upcoming Saturdays, March 27th and April 10th from 1-4pm at 1908 Market St., Wilmington, DE 19802. For more information go online to http://www.urbanbikeproject.org/ or email info@urbanbikeproject.org.

Bike Delaware Meeting Tuesday April 6th

Mark your Calendar for the next Bike Delaware Meeting on Tuesday April 6 at 6PM at WILMAPCO Offices 850 Library Ave, Suite 100, Newark, DE.

An agenda will be posted before the meeting. The 2010 Delaware Bike Summit on May 21st in Wilmington is sure to be near the top of the Agenda.

Sierra Club Presents "Painting Newark Green"

Monday, April 19th, 2010 at 7 p.m. at the Newark Municipal Building, City Council Chambers, 220 Elkton Rd. Newark. Join Bike Delaware as we celebrate the City of Newark's commitment to energy sustainability, complete streets, environmental stewardship and climate protection by endorsing the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. Festivities include a green ribbon cutting and special recognition of the honorable Mayor Vance A. Funk, III. Light refreshments will be served. Sponsored by the Sierra Club of Delaware and Ezra Temko - Newark City Councilman from District Five.

Event brochure in pdf HERE.

Update: 2010 Delaware Bike Summit

Registration for the 2010 Delaware Bike Summit, to be held Friday, May 21, is now open. If you'd like to participate, be sure to complete the registration form promptly. Seating is limited. The registration form and additional information about the Summit can be found at the DE Bike Summit website, on the WILMAPCO site HERE.

This year's Summit will focus on Delaware - what's been done, what’s planned in the near future, and how you can become more involved in bicycle friendly initiatives. There will be speakers, panel discussions, brainstorming sessions, and vendor and non-profit displays. The full agenda can be found at the website listed above.

Immediately following the Summit you will have the opportunity to do a bike ride through Wilmington (and beyond) with Governor Markell and some of the pro racers in town for the Wilmington Grand Prix bike race. Summit participants will also receive tickets to the pre-race party Friday evening and the post-race party Saturday afternoon. The Planning Committee is also seeking nominations for three awards to be given at the 2010 Bike Summit:

* Bike Commuter of the Year
* Bike Friendly Business of the Year
* Bike Friendly Developer of the Year

Criteria for these awards and nomination forms can also be found HERE. If you know of a bike commuter (you can self-nominate), a bike friendly business, or a bike friendly developer deserving of recognition, please complete a nomination form. Provide specific examples of how the commuter, business or developer fits the criteria. You can fill out the form on-line or you can download the form and email the completed form to Randi Novakoff at rnovakoff@wilmapco.org.

Make sure to tell all your friends - in state or out - about the 2010 Delaware Bike Summit. All are welcome!

Editorial: Bikepartisanship

By James Wilson
Rep. Mike Castle has been a friend of pedestrians and cyclists in Delaware. He

• championed the C&D Canal recreation project
• has participated in campaigns for greenways and open space
• spoke at last year's Delaware Bike Summit
• is a member in good standing of the Congressional Bike Caucus
  

Right now, the Active Community Transportation Act (ACT) - the most important piece of bicyclist/pedestrian federal legislation in at least 20 years - has been introduced in the House of Representatives. In a bitterly divided and partisan Congress, Mike Castle is nonetheless considering reaching across the partisan divide that paralyzes Congress to co-sponsor ACT even though it was introduced by a Democrat, Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon.

On March 11, a delegation from the Delaware Bicycle Council, Delaware Greenways, Bike Delaware, Delaware Trail Spinners, and the Rails to Trails Conservancy were greeted with enthusiasm by Mike, who then put us in the very capable hands of his Legislative Assistant Jenna VanSant.

We spoke at length and in great detail with Jenna about all the benefits that ACT will have for the nation and for Delaware. We noted how it will reduce dependence on foreign oil and increase the resilience of Delaware's economy. We presented evidence about how it will improve public health and reduce the incidence of diabetes, reducing government and Medicare and Medicaid costs in the process. We discussed an analysis that it will make some federal investment in new roads unnecessary, saving the federal government, by very conservative estimate, at least $6 billion. And, finally, we emphasized the congestion mitigation benefits of reducing vehicle miles traveled by replacing short trips by car with travel by bicycle and on foot.

We joked with Jenna that, if we could have claimed that ACT would cure male pattern baldness, we would have. But, joking aside, there is in fact absolutely solid evidence and analysis for all the benefits we claimed for ACT, which we provided to Jenna and Congressman Castle. There is an overwhelmingly strong case in favor of making the federal investment in non-motorized infrastructure authorized by ACT.

In an environment where even the smallest bipartisan gestures are greeted with suspicion or worse, we cannot emphasize enough the amount of political courage that will be required for Mike Castle to be the first Republican to co-sponsor the Active Community Transportation Act. In other states, "bikepartisanship" may be in as short supply as bipartisanship on anything else. But here in Delaware, we have Mike Castle, and bikepartisanship still has a fighting chance.

Comment on the Decommissioning of Route 82

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is holding a Virtual Public Workshop to present the proposed removal of the State Route designation for what is currently State Route 82. SR 82 continues from SR 52, Kennett Pike, to the Delaware and Pennsylvania State Line. This route is part of the Red Clay Valley Scenic Byway; for which a Corridor Management Plan was formally approved in 2008. An element of this Corridor Management Plan was to consider the removal of the State Route designation as means to conserve and enhance the Valley’s cultural, scenic, historic, and natural resources. The deadline for comments which can be submitted HERE are due by April 4th.

The Corridor Management does briefly address bicycle travel on these road. Popular with fast moving road cyclists, the narrow width and the narrowness of the road preclude usage by less experienced cyclists and the plan specifically notes that the historic qualities of the road will be preserved. "The intent here is to maintain the existing roadways in a manner that maximizes protection of the Valley’s intrinsic qualities – the historic narrow road widths, sharp curves and nearby roadway features".

But one issue that is not addressed in the plan is the idea of additional traffic calming to reduce speeds. One that seems like an easy solution is to remove the double yellow centerlines. On a narrow rural road with limited sight lines issues this may raise red flags at DELDOT but many adjacent roads with slightly lower traffic volumes don't have them. The decommissioning of SR 82 should result in lower traffic volumes.

Speed hump to slow drivers on Providence Rd in Montgomery County, PA, an on-road section of the Schuylkill River Trail.

2010 National Bike Summit a huge hit for Delaware!

On March 9-11, 7 delegates from multiple organizations represented Delaware at the 2010 National Bike Summit. The above photo, taken at Rep. Castle's office, L-R:

Drew Knox, President, Bike Delaware
Frank Warnock, PR Chair, Bike Delaware
Kevin Mills (Rails to Trails Conservancy)
Jenna VanSant, (Legislative Correspondent, Rep. Castle)
Jim Ireland, President, Delaware Trail Spinners
Amy Wilburn, Chair, Delaware Bicycle Council
James Wilson, Bike Delaware Member
Mark Chura, Executive Director, Delaware Greenways
Mark Loch, Treasurer, Delaware Trail Spinners

Highlights included:

* BCGP, Bike Delaware's parent organization, awarded advocacy organization of the year by the Alliance for Biking and Walking.
* A town hall meeting, including a speech by our own Governor Jack Markell.
* The introduction of a fully featured bicycle mapping tool by Google Maps.
* Highly useful, educational breakout sessions.
* Surprise visits by several Republicans, including Mass Sen. Scott Brown, pledging bipartisan support.
* Active Community Transportation Act prep meeting at the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
* Awards presented to Reps. Oberstar, Blumenauer, etc.

Delegates met with Sen. Carper, Kaufman, and Rep. Castle to encourage support for multi-modal transportation and enhancement bills, including ACT, Complete Streets, Safe Routes to School, Livable Communities, and the Land and Water Reauthorization and Funding Act.

This was an outstanding event and we are very encouraged by the results of meeting with our legislators. Read the ACT summery HERE.

The complete photo collection, in slide show format, can be viewed HERE.

Calling ALL Delawareans - the time to ACT is now!

After years of organizing supporters around the country, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is excited to announce that on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) introduced H.R. 4722, the "Active Community Transportation Act of 2010" (ACT Act), on the floor of the House of Representatives!

The ACT Act is the direct result of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s (RTC) Campaign for Active Transportation. The Act would create a $2 billion program to fund dozens of communities around the country to improve their trail, walking and biking networks. If this bill is enacted, communities around the country will receive the resources to better allow Americans to walk and bike to the places you live, work, play, shop and learn. New Castle County, Delaware is in a lead position with WILMAPCO's "Active Transportation in Northern Delaware" Case Statement (pdf).

HOW YOU CAN HELP: Contact Delaware's representatives via email, using this convenient, pre-written letter at the bottom of RTC's website, automatically configured when you add your contact information. Or, go to our Resources Page under "Contact Your Representatives" for a more direct approach. There is no further obligation!

Florida deadliest state for walkers, cyclists - Delaware 2nd

MIAMI, Florida - According to USA Today, Florida is the deadliest state in the U.S. for pedestrians - and bicyclists don't fare any better. In 2008, the most recent year for which federal statistics are available, 11.1% of pedestrians and 17.4% of bicyclists killed in the U.S. died in the Sunshine State, which has 6% of the nation's population. The top four of the 10 most dangerous metropolitan areas for walking are in Florida, according to a study last fall by two Washington, D.C.-based non-profit groups. The state has been in the top three in bicycle and pedestrian fatalities every year since 2001, federal data show.

The statistics perplex state officials. "There are so many factors involved and most of them are random," says Marianne Trussell, chief safety officer for Florida's Department of Transportation. "We're trying to figure out root causes and how we can fix it". More . . .

Blumenauer introduces Active Transportation, with or without Mike Castle

Washington, DC - Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore), Chair of the Livable Communities Task Force, introduced legislation on March 2 that will help communities improve active forms of transportation such as walking and biking. Through the Active Community Transportation (ACT) Act of 2010, communities can access funding for transportation options that improve community vitality, reduce global warming pollution, boost public health, and create jobs in the process.

"Too often we take for granted the value of being able to bike and walk to work", said Blumenauer. "It's unfortunate that many communities don't have the infrastructure in place to make active and healthy forms of transportation more accessible. The ACT transportation grants will make it easier for people to get out of their vehicles and onto sidewalks or bikes, boosting heart rates and community vitality". The ACT Act provides funding to communities that are prepared to provide healthier, cost-effective, more environmentally friendly transportation options by establishing a $2 billion competitive grant program within the Department of Transportation. The grants will provide funding for communities to create active transportation networks that provide safe and convenient access for pedestrians and bicyclists. More . . .

2010 Delaware Bike Summit Announced

Friday, May 21, 2010, 8:30 am until 2:00 pm at the Wilmington Baby Grand Opera House. This year's Bike Summit will focus on Delaware - what's been going on since the last Summit, examples of Delaware communities working towards Bicycle Friendliness, and how you can become more involved in bicycle friendly initiatives. Community leaders, local, county and state elected officials, members of non-profit organizations that promote bicycling, and bicyclists themselves are encouraged to attend. Space is limited so please register early!

Summit participants are encouraged to bicycle to the Summit. Secure bike parking will be available (check back soon for more information). The Planning Committee is exploring opportunities for shower facilities the morning of the Summit. Changing rooms are available at the Baby Grand. The formal Summit program will be followed by a bike ride with Governor Markell and the pros through Wilmington and beyond.

The timing of the Summit coincides with the kick-off of the Wilmington Grand Prix bike race. Bicycle Summit participants will receive tickets to the pre-race party Friday evening, the post-race party Saturday afternoon, and discount rates at local hotels. Enjoy a full biking weekend by taking advantage of a special hotel rate and spending a night or two in Wilmington! Complete information and registration HERE.