Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Portland takes Platinum
Indeed today Portland, Oregon will receive the highest Bicycle Friendly Community award from the League of American Bicyclists. We should all plan a trip to the City of Roses to see how they did it!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Fort Collins Bike Share Program
The Fort Collins Bike Library is based in the information kiosk in Old Town Square. Open 10 - 6 Friday, Saturday and Sunday, bikes can be checked out free of charge for up to 3 days. During the week other options exist. Just consult the links posted in this blog to arrange to pick up a bike! We may be one of the first in the US - without the help of Clear Channel Outdoor!
Bike Share Programs in US
The NYTimes reports today (April 27, 2008) that Clear Channel Outdoor will launch a Paris—style bike sharing program in cooperation with the District of Columbia beginning in May. The program is modeled after the project in
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Iowa City Bike Library offers Beginning Bicycle Commuter Class for Women
Bike Fort Collins began a conversation about bicycling for women in November 2007. Iowa City's Bike Library is offering a commuter class directed toward women"
"Beginning Bicycle Commuter Class workshop will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Iowa City Bike Library, 408 E. College St.
This class is specifically geared toward women, yet it is open to the public.
It will focus on the basics of bike commuting, including how to get started. The goal is to demystify bicycles and help remove barriers to cycling. The class is free and limited to 15."
See the Iowa City announcement here: http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080424/NEWS01/804240331/1079
Read about the Iowa City bike library: http://bikelibrary.org/
A Platinum level Bicycle Friendly City would offer such things on a regular basis.
Contact www.BikeFortCollins.org if you'd like to see something like this offered in Fort Collins.
"Beginning Bicycle Commuter Class workshop will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Iowa City Bike Library, 408 E. College St.
This class is specifically geared toward women, yet it is open to the public.
It will focus on the basics of bike commuting, including how to get started. The goal is to demystify bicycles and help remove barriers to cycling. The class is free and limited to 15."
See the Iowa City announcement here: http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080424/NEWS01/804240331/1079
Read about the Iowa City bike library: http://bikelibrary.org/
A Platinum level Bicycle Friendly City would offer such things on a regular basis.
Contact www.BikeFortCollins.org if you'd like to see something like this offered in Fort Collins.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Davis, CA is Nation's Only Platinum Level Bicycle Friendly Community
Interested in knowing why Davis is the only League of American Bicyclists' Platinum level Bicycle Friendly Community? Here are a few links to tell you about Davis as Bike Town USA:
A "platinum level" bike ride through Davis, California
by Gene Bisbee at 10:42AM (PST) on February 6, 2008
http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/6/3500191.html
League of American Bicyclists Description of Davis, CA
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/communities/bfc_davis.php
Davis, CA community wiki
http://daviswiki.org/Front_Page?action=search&inline_string=bicycling
A "platinum level" bike ride through Davis, California
by Gene Bisbee at 10:42AM (PST) on February 6, 2008
http://www.bikingbis.com/blog/_archives/2008/2/6/3500191.html
League of American Bicyclists Description of Davis, CA
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/communities/bfc_davis.php
Davis, CA community wiki
http://daviswiki.org/Front_Page?action=search&inline_string=bicycling
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Austin, TX City Council Considers Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community Resolutions
This just in from the folks at Austin's yellow bike project ( http://www.austinyellowbike.org/ )
Two recommendations for City Council:
RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Subject: Approve a resolution supporting efforts to upgrade the City of Austin?s bicycle network by establishing the city?s intent to become the first Texas city to attain Gold level bike-friendly status from the League of American Bicyclists; supporting the work of the Street Smarts Task Force January 2008; and directing the City Manager to study and report back to Council with recommendations for inclusion of the Street Smarts Task Force findings into the Austin Bicycle Master Plan.
Sponsor: Mayor Will WynnCo-Sponsor1: Council Member Brewster McCracken Co-Sponsor2: Council Member Sheryl Cole
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council_meetings/item_attachments.cfm?meetingid=121&itemid=7212&item=63----
ITEM No. 64 - RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Subject: Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to direct the City Public Works Department and Parks and Recreation Department, and other departments as necessary, to collaborate to adopt a comprehensive and unified interdepartmental vision and coordinated plan to optimize City efforts to promote an enhanced and interconnected bicycling, pedestrian and trails network; and to provide a report to Council on the completion of the plan and the advisability of staff reorganization to support implementation of the plan.
Sponsor: Council Member Sheryl ColeCo-Sponsor1: Mayor Will Wynn Co-Sponsor2:http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council_meetings/item_attachments.cfm?meetingid=121&itemid=7193&item=64
Maybe (maybe?) our Council could commit to a Platinum level award for Fort Collins
Two recommendations for City Council:
RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Subject: Approve a resolution supporting efforts to upgrade the City of Austin?s bicycle network by establishing the city?s intent to become the first Texas city to attain Gold level bike-friendly status from the League of American Bicyclists; supporting the work of the Street Smarts Task Force January 2008; and directing the City Manager to study and report back to Council with recommendations for inclusion of the Street Smarts Task Force findings into the Austin Bicycle Master Plan.
Sponsor: Mayor Will WynnCo-Sponsor1: Council Member Brewster McCracken Co-Sponsor2: Council Member Sheryl Cole
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council_meetings/item_attachments.cfm?meetingid=121&itemid=7212&item=63----
ITEM No. 64 - RECOMMENDATION FOR COUNCIL ACTION
Subject: Approve a resolution directing the City Manager to direct the City Public Works Department and Parks and Recreation Department, and other departments as necessary, to collaborate to adopt a comprehensive and unified interdepartmental vision and coordinated plan to optimize City efforts to promote an enhanced and interconnected bicycling, pedestrian and trails network; and to provide a report to Council on the completion of the plan and the advisability of staff reorganization to support implementation of the plan.
Sponsor: Council Member Sheryl ColeCo-Sponsor1: Mayor Will Wynn Co-Sponsor2:http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council_meetings/item_attachments.cfm?meetingid=121&itemid=7193&item=64
Maybe (maybe?) our Council could commit to a Platinum level award for Fort Collins
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Why a Platinum Bike Plan Blog for Fort Collins and why now?
1. Our Bike Plan was written in 1995 and updated in 2008.
2. With the 2008 update City Council mandated that the City Manager create a Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) to advise Council and City Staff on bicycle matters in Fort Collins. The BAC is taking shape now.
3. Once created, the BAC needs to hear from YOU on how to implement the existing plan and how to engage cyclists and others in improving that plan.
Why a “Platinum” plan? What’s that?
1. Bicycle Friendly Community awards are given by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB). We had the Silver level award from 2003 until 2008 when we got th gold award. There is just one level left, Platinum. Boulder, Colorado, Portland, Oregon, andDavis, California all have the Platinum level award. Some of us think that Fort Collins should be next.
2. The LAB program gives us a metric and a goal. We need to start aiming towards that goal.
How do we get to Platinum?
1. There is no simple formula but the bottom line is this: “what percentage of trips to work are made by bicycle in our community?” If we could answer 16% (like Davis, CA) we’d get the Platinum. Or if we could answer 8% (like Portland and Boulder) we’d get the platinum. We’re at about 5.5% give or take.
So how do we do this?
1. Develop good metrics so we can really understand how many people pedal in Fort Collins.
2. Develop a real bicycle culture where motorists respect cyclists and cyclists respect motorists and follow the rules of the road.
3. Develop an educational outreach program to teach newcomers to town (like all those CSU students every August) that they are a vehicle. That they need to be predictable, visible, use lights at night, stop at stop signs, and not go the wrong way in a bike lane.
4. Make everyone including kids, seniors, students, commuters, racers, and recreational cyclists feel safe on the road.
How does the blog help?
1. By giving us a tool box, idea box, and shared resource to brainstorm how to build our bicycle culture. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
a. Expand the Fort Collins Bike Library check-out locations to every major hotel in town and to the two parking garages in Old Town.
b. Fix the asphalt trails in our City parks.
c. Finish the Downtown Strategic Plan to complete bike lanes east and west across College Avenue at all major intersections.
d. Implement the Canyon Avenue bicycle bouleveard from the west side of CSU campus to Old Town with access to College through the Oak Street Plaza.
e. Begin planning for an overpass/bridge/gateway to the City on Harmony Road where the Powerline Trail is now scheduled to cross Harmony.
2. The BAC which is just now being formed will have lots of public input to get started!
2. With the 2008 update City Council mandated that the City Manager create a Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) to advise Council and City Staff on bicycle matters in Fort Collins. The BAC is taking shape now.
3. Once created, the BAC needs to hear from YOU on how to implement the existing plan and how to engage cyclists and others in improving that plan.
Why a “Platinum” plan? What’s that?
1. Bicycle Friendly Community awards are given by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB). We had the Silver level award from 2003 until 2008 when we got th gold award. There is just one level left, Platinum. Boulder, Colorado, Portland, Oregon, andDavis, California all have the Platinum level award. Some of us think that Fort Collins should be next.
2. The LAB program gives us a metric and a goal. We need to start aiming towards that goal.
How do we get to Platinum?
1. There is no simple formula but the bottom line is this: “what percentage of trips to work are made by bicycle in our community?” If we could answer 16% (like Davis, CA) we’d get the Platinum. Or if we could answer 8% (like Portland and Boulder) we’d get the platinum. We’re at about 5.5% give or take.
So how do we do this?
1. Develop good metrics so we can really understand how many people pedal in Fort Collins.
2. Develop a real bicycle culture where motorists respect cyclists and cyclists respect motorists and follow the rules of the road.
3. Develop an educational outreach program to teach newcomers to town (like all those CSU students every August) that they are a vehicle. That they need to be predictable, visible, use lights at night, stop at stop signs, and not go the wrong way in a bike lane.
4. Make everyone including kids, seniors, students, commuters, racers, and recreational cyclists feel safe on the road.
How does the blog help?
1. By giving us a tool box, idea box, and shared resource to brainstorm how to build our bicycle culture. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
a. Expand the Fort Collins Bike Library check-out locations to every major hotel in town and to the two parking garages in Old Town.
b. Fix the asphalt trails in our City parks.
c. Finish the Downtown Strategic Plan to complete bike lanes east and west across College Avenue at all major intersections.
d. Implement the Canyon Avenue bicycle bouleveard from the west side of CSU campus to Old Town with access to College through the Oak Street Plaza.
e. Begin planning for an overpass/bridge/gateway to the City on Harmony Road where the Powerline Trail is now scheduled to cross Harmony.
2. The BAC which is just now being formed will have lots of public input to get started!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)