Amazing what a little paint can do. The Army Corps of Engineers has recently finished repairs on the St. Georges Bridge. A new buffered shoulder has been delineated and bike lane paint markings are now in place. This is a huge milestone for bicycling in the state of Delaware, and a formal press release and ribbon cutting ceremony is planned.
Comcast, one of Delaware's premier media service providers, has this advice for those trying to save gas. Just forget walking and biking.
A federal complete streets policy will result in better roads around the country and better use of the billions of dollars invested every year in building and maintaining the transportation system. With this convenient form, write and tell our representatives to support federal complete streets legislation: S. 584 introduced by Senator Harkin (IA) and H.R. 1443 introduced by Representative Matsui (CA). If your Senators and Representative have already signed on as cosponsors, you'll be given the opportunity to thank them for their leadership.
Bike Delaware's June 1 meeting will NOT be at Wilmapco, as usual. It will take place at the home of Frank Warnock, Bike Delaware's Public Relations Chair. If the weather permits, we will fire up the BBQ and should have plenty of food on hand.
Delaware cyclists are encouraged to join Bike Delaware, the Newark Bicycle Committee, and the City of Newark on Saturday, June 5, in a dedication ceremony designating the James F. Hall Trail as a National Recreation Trail. This amazing facility, built in 2003, will be officially marked as such at 2:30 p.m. at Kells Park.
Bike lanes on roads like Glasgow Ave, with its multiple right turn-only lanes and retail driveway entrances, are a huge safety enhancement. They help define road space, decrease the stress level of bicyclists riding in traffic, encourage bicyclists to ride in the correct direction of travel, and signal motorists that cyclists have a right to the road. Bike lanes also help to better organize the flow of traffic and reduce the chance that motorists will stray into cyclists’ path of travel.
We can look forward to many more like Glasgow Ave as Complete Streets becomes official in June.
Quite possibly the greatest 2 days of cycling - on and off the bike - in First State history. 50 Photos from both days (May 21-22) tell the story. The Wilmington Grand Prix was much better attended than last year, and included a number of other activities in addition to the bike race. This included sprint running, a parade, games, and numerous sidewalk displays and vendors around the criterium loop.
DelDOT signal technicians met with Bike Delaware VP Caroline Honse on May 20, out at the Brownleaf Road/Rt.273 intersection where a pedestrian was killed a few weeks ago trying to cross between neighborhoods. At issue for bicyclists is the loop detector, adjusted as such that only motor vehicles can actuate a green light when stopped over it. With adjustments as seen in these photos, it is now possible for a cyclist to do the same, if they align their bicycle over the lines in the blacktop. For the most part, intersections around Delaware are already upgraded or adjusted in this manner, or will be. But too many still exist giving cyclists (and pedestrians) no chance at all to cross safely. 
At yesterday's Delaware Bike Summit the City of Wilmington highlighted its progress towards making Market St a bicycle friendly street from the Christina to the Brandywine Rivers. The city has put up "Bike Route" signs and will soon install post/ring bike racks along the sidewalk (in sight of the city's security camera network) and mark the roadway with Sharrows, the first in the state. 
Bike Delaware President Drew Knox checks his bike in at the Bike Boutique.
Excellent weather greeted Delaware cyclists near and far as they entered New Castle County's Ride of Silence, held on on May 19th. Some participants included friends and relatives of those killed while riding in accordance with the law, or in the presumed safety of a wide shoulder, including Andrew Mein and Mark Schaumann.
To coincide with Bike to Work Week, the League of American Bicyclists has announced their 3rd Annual Bicycle Friendly States (BFS) rankings. The program is modeled after the hugely successful Bicycle Friendly Community Program (BFC), of which Newark was recently awarded a Bronze. "Change at the state level is harder to see than in a community or business, but is no less important - and we are seeing real progress", according to Andy Clarke, League President.
The Delaware House of Representatives is making serious progress on the side of bicycle (and motorist) safety. Passage of House Bill 229, outlawing the use of cell phones when driving, by the overwhelming margin of 33-5, is a proud moment for all road users. We hope the Senate is prepared to keep Delaware on the right track to safer highways with similar passage of the bill. Governor Jack Markell has said he intends to sign it to law if it gets to his desk.
Rehoboth Beach - The Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is pleased to announce that it has received $1.79 million to support the bike and pedestrian paths on the new Indian River Inlet Bridge and Roadway Approach contracts. U.S. Congressman Michael N. Castle, a long-time supporter of alternative and active transportation infrastructure in Delaware worked on DelDOT's behalf to secure the funding.
The climate and clean energy legislation unveiled in the Senate on May 18 puts a strong emphasis on planning for and investing in clean transportation options. We applaud the authors of The American Power Act, John Kerry and Joe Lieberman, along with CLEAN-TEA co-sponsors lead by Tom Carper. Together they advanced this critical piece of legislation that invests in our transportation infrastructure while delivering a win both for energy independence and climate protection. 
Organizers are hoping that many participants ride their bikes to the 2010 DE Bike Summit on Friday, May 21. To encourage you to do so, we have arranged for ride leaders to lead groups from four locations:
After a recent pedestrian fatality, DelDOT is well aware that there are many problems on Brownleaf Road where it crosses Rt.273. One immediate safety improvement is an adjustment to the in-ground loop detection sensor, to ensure bicycles can be "seen" by the traffic signal. This intersection connects two active communities, and is found on Bike Route 1.
Contact VP Honse with any questions: advo_info@bikede.org
The Cape May–Lewes Ferry encourages bicyclists to use the ferry service to take a break and cross Delaware Bay for fun and recreational purposes. The fare for bicycles and riders is $10.00 one way or $18.00 round trip, the same as a foot passenger. The ferry service does not charge a separate fee for bicycles.
Karen Kukulka, Event Marketing Coordinator for the Delaware Chapter of the National MS Society, has taken the role of liaison for Bike Delaware's latest constituent. As a community of individuals who are committed to achieving a world free of MS, her chapter helps over 1,500 Delawareans living with MS and their loved ones. They fund cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services that help people with MS and their families. MS stops people from moving. They exist to make sure it doesn't. 
Ride of Silence participants on May 19th are encouraged to attend Newark's Transportation Planning Workshop just prior to the event, located nearby at the Municipal Building on the corner of Elkton and Apple road. The city is seeking community feedback about issues and opportunities for all modes, including the non-motorized. Attend at your convenience between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to share your ideas about what future transportation improvements are most needed, including bicycle-friendly infrastructure and complete streets implementation. The workshop will provide an opportunity to learn about the current status of the 1998 plan and provide ideas for its update. A Newark Synchro model will be on display, showing a graphic simulation of how the transportation network functions today.
The intersection at 273 and Brownleaf Road in Newark, Delaware is a dangerous intersection for pedestrians and bicyclists. A bicycle is not able to trip the traffic sensor, nor is there a pedestrian crosswalk and signal to allow safe passage across this major Newark arterial road. This is particularly troubling to many cyclists since Brownleaf Road is part of the official Delaware bike route. 
Everyone from Sarah Palin to Barack Obama favors developing more domestic sources of oil. This policy stance is usually presented as a matter of energy independence, especially from "Middle East Oil". But just because everyone says something is a good idea...doesn't mean that it actually is.
