Action Alert: Milltown Square Revised Plan

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Milltown Square is a proposed mixed-use, approximately 90,000-square-foot development for the southwest corner of Milltown and Limestone roads. The intersection is already dangerous for all but the most advanced bicyclists, with no bike lanes or facilities of any kind through multiple lanes of traffic. Milltown Road, in itself, a very popular commuter and recreational bicycle route, and will be negatively impacted if we fail to make our presence known at an upcoming meeting on Tuesday, January 4th at Reads Way. It will be focusing on Milltown Square’s revised plan since it was originally announced (article HERE). Please consider attending to voice your concerns and comments that bicycle safety must be accounted for not only in this project, but on the main connecting roads (i.e. Milltown Road) which will no doubt be effected by added traffic.

Also discussed during the meeting will be Councilman Sheldon’s proposed Redevelopment Ordinance basically eliminating approved but unbuilt plans from the redevelopment applicability of the land use code. This is BIG. It cannot be stressed enough the importance for Delaware bicyclists to participate in this process. Land use probably has the greatest impact on LOS (Level of Service) for all Delaware roads. It often leads to widening, added lanes, increased speeds, and other measures that negatively impact bicycle safety - many times making them simply unridable. We must let our legislators know that in all projects, bicycling as a mode of transportation must be included in all planning and implementation.

Tuesday, January 4th at 7:00 p.m.
Multi-Purpose Room, 77 Reads Way
New Castle, DE (MAP)


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A Little Bit of Vancouver in Newark?

Cyclists have long known that one of the biggest challenges to riding in Newark is going west through downtown. Main Street, despite its low travel speeds during peak times, is hardly comfortable for bicyclists. As a result, we see many people illegally riding on Main Street sidewalks or “swimming upstream” in the eastbound Delaware Avenue bike lane.

There may be an answer, inspired by our neighbors to the northwest. Vancouver, BC installed separated bike lanes last year on Dunsmuir Street and the Burrard Bridge, two major routes into downtown. I had the chance to experience both this past summer, and they are just as advertised.

The Burrard Bridge installation converted a motor vehicle travel lane into a one-way bike lane, separated from motorized traffic by a Jersey barrier. Even in bike-friendly, green Vancouver this was a challenge to implement, which becomes clear when you look at the city’s geography. Densely developed downtown Vancouver is separated from most of the city by False Creek, which is crossed by only three bridges. Removing a traffic lane from one of these congested bridges was not undertaken lightly. Before this work was done, bicycle traffic out of downtown had to share the sidewalk with a lot of pedestrians, creating serious conflicts. I understand that this trial installation has been so successful that the city is looking to implement it in the opposite direction as well.

The city’s next separated bike lane project was on Dunsmuir Street. This project offers a number of lessons Newark can use in putting in a similar facility on Delaware Avenue. Putting in a two-way bicycle facility along a one-way street poses a challenge: it requires all travelers to look both ways where they were used to looking only one way. Crossings of cross streets, driveways, and sidewalks need to be carefully considered to reduce the potential for conflicts. In Vancouver these conflict areas were well signed and marked, and the bike route was signalized in the direction opposing traffic. Because Dunsmuir Street is in a well-developed downtown grid, some motor vehicles turns across the bike route were restricted, an option that likely isn’t available in Newark.

Delaware Avenue also offers some benefits that Vancouver doesn’t have. Newark’s block lengths are longer, resulting in fewer crossing points for all modes of travel. Perhaps most importantly, this type of separated bicycle facility can be built on Delaware Avenue without removing a travel lane or moving curbs. Apparently Delaware Avenue is 33 feet wide, which could be reworked as two 10.5-foot lanes, a two-foot raised separation, and a ten-foot two-way bike route.

Dunsmuir Street has been so successful that the city is looking at more opportunities to create a network of separated bike lanes throughout downtown. The public workshop for the next project, Hornby Street, was held while I was there, so I stopped by to see how a city government that’s world-renowned for public involvement operates. I could have been at home – it was just like a DelDOT open-house style public workshop. It’s always good to confirm that our state is doing things so well!

Of course there will be challenges in implementing a new type of bicycle treatment in Newark. But Vancouver has shown us that it can be done.

Public Meeting - Transportation Trust Fund Task Force

Please consider attending a public meeting to discuss various ways Delaware can restore funding for transportation projects, including those for biking and walking. Even with serious cutbacks to maintenance and rehabilitation projects, our transportation budget faces serious challenges in the not too distant future.

Comments will be received during the workshop or can be mailed to DelDOT Public Relations, P.O. Box 778, Dover, DE 19903. When applicable, DelDOT will offer the opportunity to fill out a questionnaire online which will automatically get emailed to Public Relations.

DelDOT Administration Building
800 South Bay Road
Dover

Tuesday January 4, 2011
3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

DelDOT assessing Limestone Rd/SR7 for Bike Lane potential

Pave & rehab activities on Limestone Road in Hockessin include the possibility of bike lanes on the graded section between Lantana Square and Sheringham Drive. The shoulder on the northbound side (downhill) must contain a certain level of integrity to sustain regular traffic. If it does, it's possible the lanes can be shifted to create room on both sides of the road. It is particularly important on the southbound (uphill) side where there is currently no shoulder space along the guardrail. Currently, construction has stopped just north of this section. Core samples must be drilled in order to find out.

Few possibilities exist for bicyclists riding from Hockessin to points south toward Newark. Among those is Valley Road to North Star, involving a climb on a busy, narrow lane that is steeply banked on both sides. In one case, a member of the White Clay Bicycle Club was sideswiped by an SUV as she attempted to climb up to Little Baltimore Road. So the importance of a safe route between these areas is key for Delaware cyclists.

The view facing down the hill toward Hockessin. Riders often climb up this way en-route from Hockessin to points south, including Newark. There is a possibility shoulder space can be created if the shoulder on the opposite side can take the weight of steady traffic.

Bike Delaware thanks Anthony Aglio, our Bicycle Coordinator, for making this request to DelDOT Traffic on our behalf.

WCBC's Annual Santa Ride Revisited

By Carol Ireland, Bike Delaware Treasurer (photos by Dave Vispi)

We really did hit the December weather lottery for this year's Newark Santa Ride (hosted by the White Clay Bicycle Club) on Saturday, Dec. 11. Fifteen riders met at Paper Mill Park in Pike Creek and rode into Newark with above freezing temperatures that reached into the 40's. We had two Santas, an elf and several reindeer. We rode through various neighborhoods in Newark, enjoying the friendly waves and car horns honking before stopping at Starbucks for a hot drink.

A few folks opted to split and go home on their own. The rest of us decided to do the optional loop around the Newark reservoir. I'd never done that before, so enjoyed the experience. It was a fair climb up to the rim, but then a flat path all the way around the reservoir. The group was kind enough to let me lead most of the ride. But once we started up the hill on Paper Mill, I was left behind. That was fine with me -- I certainly didn't want to try and rush to keep up with all the stronger riders!

Best wishes for the holiday season! ~Carol

DelDOT: 2010 Transit Riders Have Monthly Savings of $938

Same, or more for walking, bicycle commuting?

Press Release - The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released their monthly Transit Savings Report noting that riding public transportation saves individuals, on average $9,581 annually, a savings of more than $400 compared to the same time last year, and up to $798 per month based on the December 7, 2010 average national gas price ($2.96 per gallon-reported by AAA) and the national unreserved monthly parking rate. Philadelphia area transit riders had annual savings of $11,253, saving $938 each month.

APTA calculates the average cost of taking public transit by determining the average monthly transit pass of local public transit agencies across the country. This information is based on the annual APTA fare collection survey and is weighted based on ridership (unlinked passenger trips). The assumption is that a person making a switch to public transportation would likely purchase an unlimited pass for their local transit agency, typically available on a monthly basis.

APTA then compares the average monthly transit fare to the average cost of driving. The cost of driving is calculated using the 2010 AAA average cost of driving formula. AAA cost of driving formula is based on variable costs and fixed costs. The variable costs include the cost of gas, maintenance and tires. The fixed costs include insurance, license registration, depreciation and finance charges. The comparison also uses the average mileage of a mid-size auto at 23.4 miles per gallon and the price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline as recorded by AAA on December 7, 2010 at $2.96 per gallon. The analysis also assumes that a person will drive an average of 15,000 miles per year. The savings assume a person in two-person household lives with one less car.

To calculate your individual savings with or without car ownership, go HERE.

Read the press release in its entirety HERE.

Vision Zero in Oregon

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) in Oregon, one of the largest and most effective bike advocacy groups in the country, wants "Vision Zero" for Oregon. What is "Vision Zero"?

"Zero deaths, zero injuries, zero fear of traffic."

In addition to the basic motivation of reducing the carnage on our roads, "Vision Zero" has a special relevance for bike advocates, as BTA notes:

"We know that to truly increase the number of people bicycling every day, we need to reduce the fear of traffic crashes."

Read more>>

Is Urban Cycling an Extreme Sport?

Click on image to expand (+):

From our friends down in Baltimore:

"If getting to work involved climbing bare-handed up a cliff (and coming back down the same way at the end of the day), I’m pretty sure most people would opt for welfare."

Read more>>

Create Bike Routes and Cyclists Follow

Editorial, by Ed Weirauch

"If you build it, they will come."

That statement, made famous in the movie Field of Dreams, apparently applies to bicyclists in New York City (NYC), whose numbers have dramatically increased over the last ten years as bike lanes and other bike-friendly accommodations have been introduced.

In "Cycling in New York: Innovative Policies at the Urban Frontier," transportation researcher John Pucher reports that the "number of bike trips in New York has almost doubled since 2000 thanks to a vastly expanded cycling infrastructure, including innovative treatments such as cycle tracks, buffered bike lanes, special bike signals, bike boxes at intersections and bright green lane markings." The study was published this summer in World Transport Policy and Practice.

Pucher, a professor of urban planning at Rutgers University, conducted the study with a grant from the US Department of Transportation. "If bicycling can thrive even under the challenging conditions of New York City," that city’s policies and results "might provide momentum for cycling growth elsewhere," Pucher concludes.

Among his findings:

1. NYC began rapid expansion of its bike network in the year 2000.

2. Increase in the number of NYC daily bike commuters, according to US Census data:

   1. 1990 9,643 bike commuters

   2. 2000 14,660 bike commuters

   3. 2007 24,428 bike commuters

Pucher reports that part of this 150 percent increase in cycling can be traced to the development of bike accommodations on the bridges that cross the East River and connect Brooklyn and Queens to Manhattan and in particular, the city’s central business district. Furthermore, Brooklyn communities that are within a 20-minute bike ride of the Brooklyn Bridge have experienced rebirth or gentrification over the last decade. Geographically, these neighborhoods are now considered reasonably close by bike to a major employment center.

Of New York’s five boroughs, Brooklyn has experienced a 315 percent increase in cycling, one of the most dramatic increases in the US.

Pucher then points to the dramatic increase in NYC bike routes. In 1997, bike routes covered 119 miles and most of these were on-street bike lanes without any physical separation from cars. By 2009, that increased to 562 miles of bike lines of three forms:

1. 134 miles of physically separated facilities

2. 282 miles of on-street bike lanes

3. 146 miles of suggested bike routes without provisions

Perhaps the best example of a NYC bike route is the Hudson Greenway, a separate, paved bike path running the entire length of Manhattan. Every weekday, the Greenway sees approximately 4,200 bike trips.

Bike parking accommodations are still rather limited according to Pucher’s findings although the number of bike racks in NYC has increased from just 600 in 1997 to 6,100 in 2009. Racks tend to be jammed with bikes and cyclists must use polls and any other resource they can find for secure bike parking.

The challenges that still face cyclists in NYC include a lack of traffic safety enforcement by police despite the dramatic increase in the number of cyclists, and the small but growing number of education and training in safe driving and cycling programs. Pucher mentions that practices in European countries are far ahead of those in the US.

Even with these deficiencies, Pucher’s study clearly makes the case for communities expanding bike accommodations as perhaps the most effective way to encourage more cycling and in particular commuter cycling.

The full study including extensive pictures and graphs is available in pdf HERE.

Elderberry Bicycle Photography Ride to be held in Historic New Castle

Join us for a leisurely day pedaling around New Castle Delaware for their Spirit of Christmas events. Scheduled events sponsored by New Castle City includes: House tour, musical groups, special museum events, plus items for sale in the church fellowship hall at 25 E. 2nd St. Santa's Workshop at The Velocipede.

Dust off your camera and lenses, pack them in your panniers with an extra layer of clothing and take your time discovering all the hidden photogenic treasures on New Castle's cobblestone streets.

Walk the same steps that our forefathers walked. Packet boats from Philadelphia met stage coaches and railroad for Frenchtown, Maryland, chief line of communication from north to Baltimore and South. Andrew Jackson, David Crockett, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, Lord Ashburton, Sam Houston, Louis Napoleon, Stonewall Jackson, Indians (led by Osceola and Black Hawk) en route to visit “Great Father” in Washington all passed this way.

Ride begins at Battery Park parking lot (corner of W. 3rd St. & South St.)
Saturday, December 11, 2010
1:00 PM to 5:30 PM

Full details HERE.

Bike Delaware to Introduce On-line Interactive Road & Trail Map

The most commonly asked question faced by Bike Delaware members is, "Where can I ride safely in Delaware?" Most non-cyclists avoid taking up cycling because they simply assume all roads in Delaware are not safe enough. Well, we want to correct this misconception by providing a thoroughly researched rating system for roads and trails that will help people decide where to ride for leisure or commuting to work or shopping.

Every road in Delaware will be rated by cyclists for bicycling, and will be designed to match riding ability with roads and trails that suit their needs and abilities. The map is created through Google Map "My Maps" and can be viewed in multiple formats such as satellite version, map version, or terrain version. A printed version will also be produced annually for distribution by Bike Delaware. Additional information will be provided for families looking for places to take children of all ages for safe, off-road bicycle riding. Delaware can boast of many such family-friendly places to ride. Areas that may have safety issues or other causes for concern will be noted as well.

So far, over 130 roads and trails in New Castle County have been rated. Bike Delaware plans to have all New Castle County roads and trails rated by the end of January 2011 and Kent and Sussex counties completed by April 2011. A link will be provided to the map for general public use by February 1st and posted on both the Elderberry Bike Rides blog and Bike Delaware website.

If you would like to assist with rating the roads and trails, please contact Caroline Honse, VP of Bike Delaware at: delawarebikerides@gmail.com

Rest assured, anyone who helps with the project will be surprised with finding new and exciting places to ride!

DelDOT: Gen Y Puts Brakes on Car Ownership - Looks to Public Transit

Press Release - The American youth-driven obsession with cars goes way back to well before rebels were without causes. And it has transmogrified over the years from muscle cars to vans to the import-craze that has fueled franchises like Hot Import Nights and the rise of drifting in the U.S. But a new survey suggests the engine could be stalling out.

A study by Washington, D.C.-based KRC Research -- commissioned by car-rental company Zipcar -- says half of all 18- to-34-year-old drivers are driving less, and nearly two-thirds would drive less if alternative transportation options were available.

KRC Research, which conducted the survey of licensed drivers last month, found that 45% of Millennials said they had "consciously made an effort to reduce how much they drive," and 64% said they would drive less if alternative options including public transportation, car sharing or carpooling were available in their area [sadly, there is no mention of complete streets or land use considerations, which in itself would have a substantial impact]

Read on...