Roundabouts

I stumbled across these informative videos explaining how pedestrians and bicyclists should negotiate a roundabout.  From my experience as a bicyclist, I've found that it is important to take control of the lane early when approaching a roundabout to prevent a motorist from attempting to overtake you, keep control of the lane as you negotiate the roundabout, and travel through at a moderate speed.

Man playing real-life "Frogger" hit by SUV

From the Idaho Press Tribune:

CLEMSON, S.C. - A man has been hospitalized and is in stable condition after police in South Carolina say he was hit by an SUV while playing a real-life version of the video game "Frogger."

Authorities said the 23-year old man was taken to a hospital in Anderson after he was struck at around 9 p.m. Monday.

In the "Frogger" arcade game, players move frogs through traffic on a busy road and through a hazard-filled river. Before he was hit, police say the man had been discussing the game with his friends.

Chief Jimmy Dixon says the man yelled "go" and darted into oncoming traffic in the four-lane highway.

Really?  Come on people...

This is how I feel today...

After spending a week in Florida where I saw very few cyclists and pedestrians, I was pleasantly surprised to see several people out riding bikes, walking, and running in the snow during my commute this morning. 

Biking to School Makes Girls Smarter

Girls who walked or biked to school in a recent Spanish study performed better at school in verbal and math skills then their cohorts who rode the bus or rode a car, according to this story from Reuters News.

And the longer the girls in the study commuted, the better they performed - regardless of how much other exercise and sports activity they reported.

Interestingly, the Spanish study indicates that it didn't have the same effect for boys.  But don't get discouraged, boys, it will still make you healthier.

Photo courtesy Sabine Bungert.

Walkable Communities Have Happier People

While we are awaiting the results on our application to be recognized as a Walking Friendly Community, a new study illustrates why it is so important for us to continue our push to make our community even more pedestrian friendly.  The new study reveals that residents of walkable communities are more likely to be socially engaged and trusting than people in less walkable areas. They also reported being in good health and happy more often than their counterparts.

The full report can be found here: http://www.springerlink.com/content/xtq06270p27r1v0h/

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from the Coeur d'Alene Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Committee!

Trail of the Coeur d'Alene's Guide

The new updated guidebook for the Trail of the CdA is now available online through the link at southlakecda.com. Public transportation options to and along the trail inched forward in 2010. Two new restaurants are open in Wallace -- the historic Jameson Inn and A Taste of Aloha. The McKinley Inn is reopening in Kellogg as a hotel/hostel for cyclists and skiers. There is now a shuttle up the North Fork near Enaville Trailhead, for folks who want to float the river. Look for the freebies and discounts for guide holders.

Centennial Trail Snow Plowing

For those of you who depend on or just appreciate the wonderful job our Parks Department does in clearing the Centennial Trail of snow within the Coeur d'Alene city limits, you will be pleased to know that the City of Post Falls plans to join the effort in keeping the trail clear through their city as well.  The trail is used, not only as a recreational facility, but as an important transportation facility year-round.

ITD Bicycle and Pedestrian Website

In addition to the new Facebook page, ITD has a new and improved bicycle and pedestrian resource page.

http://itd.idaho.gov/bike_ped/index_new2.htm

It is filled with tons of information on state-level pedestrian and bicycle related issues in Idaho.

ITD's new pedestrian and bicycle coordinator, Maureen Gresham, has done a great job of increasing ITD's efforts to improve pedestrian and bicycle transportation in Idaho.

ITD Bicycle and Pedestrian Facebook

The ITD Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Facebook page is up and running.  Check it out here:

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=150769524965598&topic=299#!/pages/ITD-Bicycle-and-Pedestrian-Program/150769524965598?v=wall

Test your knowledge on the weekly question while you're there.

Livable Streets

This video highlights some of the main points in Don Appleyard's book "Livable Streets" and why they are so important to a community.


Revisiting Donald Appleyard's Livable Streets from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Helmet Ordinance Poll

The Huckleberry's Blog from the Spokesman Review held a poll on whether an oridinance requiring helmet use by children is a good idea.  The results show support for it.

•Tuesday’s Poll: 75 of 137 respondents (54.74%) voted that children under 16 years old should be required to wear helmets when riding bikes. 57 of 137 (41.61%) said they shouldn’t be required to do so. 5 were undecided.

Light vs Heavy bikes

For an unscientific review of commuting on a light bike vs a "heavy" bike, check out this article about the study published in the British Medical Journal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11958903

Personally, I don't think it was much of a comparison considering they were both road bikes that are pretty similar except for a few pounds.  Change it up with a fat tired mountain bike and the results are likely to be quite different.

But, it just goes to show, ride what you've got...it beats driving any day.

Twin Falls Helmet Ordinance Rejected

The Twin Falls City council rejected adding an ordinance that would require children riding bicycles to wear a helmet, stating concerns over cost.

More here: http://www.magicvalley.com/news/local/twin-falls/article_aeaaca30-aa73-553d-8461-981322b6325e.html

Are we making progress?

Opinion: The Oregonian


PORTLAND - Academic studies so often promise new insights, even revelations, about the commonplace. A report this month about Portland bicyclists seemed to be one: It shows everyday bicycle commuters are at significant risk of being injured a bleak, one-in-five chance in any given year for anyone pedaling off and braving the rain.

But the picture quickly complicates.

The rate of injury among Portland bicyclists 20 percent of those studied reported an injury from crashing, with 5 percent crashing badly enough to seek medical help corresponds roughly to bike-active places such as Toronto and Phoenix. So Portland, increasingly branding itself as the nations bike mecca, hardly leads a road race to calamity.

Yet the researchers, from Oregon Health & Science University, also found that bicycling skill level didnt matter a whit when it came to pitching over the handlebars or losing the front tire in a rail track.

For the 962 commuters followed over the course of a year roughly half men and half women with an average age of 37 skinning knees and cracking teeth were equal-opportunity perils. (Other factors you might guess would count age, gender, body mass index, even ones history of crashing held no sway in the probability of colliding or taking a dive.)

If there's no getting better at bike commuting, then, where do we go from here? What stands in the way of reducing an injury rate that hits everyone with the same force particularly in a city that intends to spend $613 million over the next two decades on new, yet safer, bikeways?

There are no easy answers.

Yes, the researchers found roughly 20 percent of injuries occurred where challenging road conditions prevailed loose gravel, wet leaves, slick steel plates covering construction, streetcar tracks. Those things are easy enough to stay after.

But against expectation, bicycle commuters were found to be more likely to experience serious traumatic events in places the researchers had considered among the safest: on residential streets and on bicycle boulevards, those low-traffic streets designed to give priority to bikes over cars.

It just doesnt seem quite enough to wear a helmet (95 percent of study subjects did) or use lights in the dark (96 percent did) or, for that matter, assume that segregating bicycles and cars solves everything (48 percent of serious traumatic injuries did, however, involve a motor vehicle, and bicyclists are 12 times more likely to suffer injury in a crash than occupants of cars).

But taking into account the study's results, however counter-intuitive some of them are, will help planners challenge orthodoxy every step of the way as Portland proceeds with installing the right kinds of things for safe bicycle passage.

A curious thing happens, it turns out, when greater numbers of bicyclists show up: Injury rates decline. The bicycle-dense Netherlands boasts a low injury rate among bicyclists, and researchers here link better, expanded bicycle infrastructure, which invites more riders of all skill levels, with greater overall safety.

Dr. Melissa Hoffman, one of the Portland study's authors, concurs. The more people who are riding their bicycles, the safer we all are.

Well, there's no telling how far away that day is. What is clear is weve got a way to go. It will take not only money, and lots of it from a willing public, but even more of the right questions along the way.

Bikes for the Rest of Us

I've been a follower of Bikes for the Rest of Us for a while now.   Not that I'm in the market for a new commuter bike, but it's nice to keep an eye out for what's available.  Forget high-performance.  Forget feather-weight.  Forget unobtanium.  Bikes for the Rest of Us features bikes for practical cycling...utilitarian cycling...commuter cycling...you know, bikes for the rest of us...

Trails and Bikeways Master Plan

The City of Coeur d'Alene Trails and Bikeways Master Plan has been added to this website.  (It is located under "Coeur d'Alene Trails and Bikeways Maps" on the right.)  The Master Plan details our existing trail network, proposed additions to the network, standards, policies, and other information regarding our trails.  It is a comprehensive document that sets out an overall strategy for the management of the Coeur d’Alene trail system over the next ten years.

As the Master Plan Visions Statement reads: “We will actively strive to provide a quality trail system that offers uses for both recreational purposes and as a means for commuters to safely use alternative modes of transportation, provide connectivity throughout the city, and promote healthy life styles through physical activity.”

Quote of the Day

"Let's have a moment of silence for all those Americans who are stuck in traffic on their way to the gym to ride the stationary bicycle."


-- U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D, OR)

Hey, Shovel Your Sidewalks

There is a discussion on shoveling sidewalks over at the Huckleberries Blog. 

The comments are great, putting into perspective the trouble that some have in dealing with snow on the sidewalks.  It really is a barrier to many people's mobility.

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/hbo/2010/dec/07/hey-shovel-your-sidewalks/

Snow Emergency for Pedestrians

Spokane declared another snow emergency with crews focusing on removing snow from the major streets.

But if you think travel in a car is difficult these days, try getting around by foot, bike, or wheelchair.

This video from KXLY illustrates why it is so important to keep those sidewalks clear of snow.

Why plow bike paths?

Found over at the Huckleberries blog...

http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/hbo/2010/nov/30/tweet-why-plow-bike-paths/

I, for one, think that plowed bike paths are a benefit to the community.

More Commuters Biking to Work

An NPR report highlights the increase that cities are seeing in their bicycle commuting.

Read the story here:  http://www.npr.org/2010/11/23/131539669/switching-gears-more-commuters-bike-to-work

I know, it's had to think about that with a couple feet of snow on the ground...

Good Equipment

On my bike ride in to work this morning I was reminded of a meaningful quote I've heard numerous times.

"There is no such thing as bad weather...just bad equipment."

From my experience, getting caught in a lightning storm is an exception to that rule.

Bicycle Education in the Netherlands

We need this here.  Taught at an early age, we would have much safer bike riders and more courteous drivers.

America Walks Releases Strategic Plan

America Walks, a nonprofit organization that leads a national coalition of local advocacy groups dedicated to promoting walkable communities, has recently released a draft strategic plan for 2011-2013. The plan includes three focus areas; creating a national unified voice for pedestrians, advancing and defending walking policies, and advancing Community-based campaigns that restore walkability in America.

The plan is available for review and comment.  Email comments here by the deadline of December 3.

Atlas Trail Dedication Cancelled...

Due to weather – the dedication scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled.


We’ll keep you posted on an early spring re-schedule.

Atlas Trail Dedication

Come join us for the dedication of the newly completed extension of the Atlas Trail.  This important connection under the I-90 bridges completes connectivity to the Centennial Trail and improves safety for pedestrians and bicycles on Atlas Road. 

Neighborhood Greenways

This video illustrates Bicycle Boulevards in Portland, or as they are calling them, Neighborhood Greenways.  Bicycle Boulevards are one of our longer-term priorities for our committee to make some streets in Coeur d'Alene more bicycle (and pedestrian) friendly.



Portland's Bike Boulevards Become Neighborhood Greenways from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

Michigan passes bill requiring drivers education to include bicycle laws

From the Examiner:

Michigan drivers education courses do not currently include instruction on laws regarding bicycles. The League of Michigan Bicyclists is working to change that by promoting a bill that will require classroom instruction of bicycle laws and "awareness of the operation of bicycles on the streets, roads, and highways of this state."


The final reading of House Bill 4960, which was originally introduced in May 2009 to both the House and Senate, was voted on and passed by the Michigan House of Representatives on November 9, 2010. The bill was introduced in the Senate as Senate Bill 0531. The Senate has yet to vote on the bill.

In their article, "Bicycle Safety in Drivers Ed," the League of Michigan Bicyclists warns of the lack of education. "This leads many motorists to insist incorrectly—and too often violently—that bicyclists belong on sidewalks. Angry motorists regularly threaten cyclists both verbally and physically. Hundreds of Michigan bicyclists are injured or killed each year in automobile/bicycle collisions."

Congratulations to Michigan for taking action!  This should be a Federal policy.

10 Rules of Cycling

From one of my favorite blogs, EcoVelo, comes the 10 Rules of Cycling.  As usual, there is some good advice there.

1.The rules of the road are there to foster predictability and communication between road users; do your best to adhere to them.


2.Chart a route that matches your comfort and skill level. If that means going out of your way to ride only on separated bike paths, bike lanes, and quiet back streets, that’s fine; you have nothing to prove.

3.Make eye contact with other road users and ride with an attitude of caution and cooperation. Bicycling is inherently a relatively safe activity, but a bicyclist will never win a physical altercation with a motorist.

4.Bike buses are a good way for commuters to make their presence known on the road. Work to organize group commutes in your neighborhood to increase safety while sharing the joys of bike commuting.

5.Personal motivation is key to long-term bike commuting. When it becomes all too easy to sleep in for an extra hour and take the car, consider changing up your route to add a little spice to your commute. Perhaps plan a stop along the way for a pastry and coffee at your favorite coffee shop.

6.Familiarize yourself with the hand signals commonly used in your area, and always strive to make your intentions known to other road users. Communication is an important component of safe riding.

7.Know the rules of the road and the laws that govern your local jurisdiction. Only by understanding our rights and responsibilities as bicyclists can we effectively exercise our right to be on the road.

8.Educate yourself regarding the important distinction between vehicular and infrastructure based safe-cycling. Each rider has a different comfort level; some will be comfortable taking a lane, while others will choose to ride in bike lanes or on alternate routes.

9.Educate yourself regarding lane placement and be aware of motorists’ blind spots. At intersections, place yourself in a position that prevents motorists from turning right into your path.

10.Make intelligent and informed choices regarding safety equipment. As statistics have shown, bicycling is relatively safe when looked at in comparison to other common activities. Educate yourself, and decide what type of safety equipment is appropriate and reasonable for where and how you ride.

Bike Anthem

Here is a little inspiration for you featuring some great (and not-so-great) clips of bikes in movies.

Winter Riding Tips

Here are some great resources for winter cycling tips.

http://www.toronto.ca/bug/pdf/cold_cycling_brochure.pdf

and

http://www.icebike.org/

With the right equipment and knowledge, you won't have to hang your bike up for the winter.

Bike Riders Guide

New cycling safety tips and other resources are available on the Coeur d'Alene Police Department website.  Print out a brochure, read it, and then make your children/parents/friends read it.

http://www.cdapolice.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=59:cycle-safety&catid=4:crime-prevention&Itemid=52

Volunteer for Canfield Mountain Trail Maintenance Day

This Saturday, November 6th, at 9:00 a.m., the City of Coeur d’Alene Parks Department is hosting a Trail Maintenance Day on Canfield Mountain. The Canfield Mountain trails were completed this past summer, creating a two-loop hiking and biking trail system on the 24-acre natural open space park donated to the city in 2007. Volunteers are needed to help us soften a few, key switchbacks and to widen a narrow section of the trail. Tools will be provided, but please be sure to bring gloves, rain gear, eye protection, and water.

Directions: From I-90 take 15th Street north, turn right on Shadduck Lane, left on Copper, and turn left again on Mt. Vista Drive. The Park Entrance is located a few hundred feet down Mt. Vista Drive on the right hand side of the road. Parking is on-street.

For more information, please contact Trails Coordinator Monte McCully at 292-5766.

Halloween Safety

Halloween is almost here! The Cœur d’Alene Police Department is promoting Halloween safety in our community. The following are basic safety tips provided by The Inland Automobile Association (AAA) and The National Confectioners Association. These tips show youngsters and parents how to practice safe trick-or-treating and enjoy the Halloween observance.

• Wear light colored clothing; even better, wear something that is retro-reflective. Keep the clothing short enough to prevent tripping.
• Make sure children can see well through face masks, Avoid wearing masks which can block vision, or use makeup.
• Trick-or-treat during the daylight. If you must trick-or-treat at night, carry a flashlight. Adults should always accompany young children.
• Stay within the neighborhood and only visit homes you know or attend community-sponsored events.
• Travel with a parent, older sibling, or a group of children.
• Watch for traffic. Cross streets carefully, at corners, never in the middle of the block, especially between parked vehicles.
• Only give and accept wrapped or packaged candy. Never eat candy before an adult has had a chance to inspect it.
• Keep costumed children away from pets. The pet may not recognize the child and become frightened.
• Avoid hard plastic or wood props such as daggers or swords. Substitute with foam rubber, which is soft and flexible.
• Motorists need to slow down. Try driving five miles–per-hour slower than the posted speed limit. Be extra alert to children crossing the street.
• Turn your headlights on. Even in daylight, headlights will make your vehicle more visible.

The community is reminded posted speed limits will be strictly enforced. Safety is a major concern during Halloween, as youngsters share streets with vehicles while trick-or-treating. Drivers are asked to be mindful of the many children out in the community during the evening. Parents can access the police department website at www.cdapolice.com and research the sex offender data base in order to make informed decisions about where your child will trick or treat.

From: Sergeant Christie Wood, Public Information Officer, Coeur d’Alene Police Department

No Rediculous Car Trips

This video highlights a great encouragement campaign. I really like their ideas for getting people to replace their car trips with bicycle trips.

No ridiculous car trips from Martin Lang on Vimeo.

Women's Liberation and the Bicycle

A while back I made reference to the bicycle being credited for its role in the women's liberation movement. Here is an excerpt from a documentary about just that, entitled Victorian Cycles Wheels of Change. I would like to see the entire film some day.

Thinking of building a fence AND need to get rid of some excess bike parts? Here's the perfect solution...

What will they think of next?

An airbag for your head.

I think the video explains it best.



Pre-order here http://www.hovding.se/how.php for only $375.

Feeling the Love

Doesn't it make you feel good to see letters like this?

From today's Coeur 'd Alene Press:

BIKE PATH: A sign of progress

Thanks to whoever was responsible for
extending the Atlas Road Bike Path from the unbuilt subdivision to the south
side of I-90. Doing so removed a very dangerous section of travel on Atlas Road
when heading to the Centennial Trail.

The marked cross walk from the
west side of Atlas over to the east side is also a plus.

This was a much
needed improvement to our fantastic trail system we have in Coeur d'Alene.

RON ORCUTT

Coeur d'Alene

A Lot More People Bike to Work

The recent census shows an increase in biking to work.

Read the full story at Wired.

Another Saddle, Soup-Skedaddle

Saddle, Soup-Skedaddle
Saturday, October 16th, 2010-11:00 am – 2:30pm

Bicycle Sales and Service and Fort Ground Grill are joining together AGAIN for a fun bike ride on the Prairie Trail AND finish with soup, sandwich, and a beverage.

One last bike ride before the snow comes and we get the skis and snowboards out, and get a great meal all at the same time helping our Centennial Trail System and Lakes Magnet Middle School.

Here’s the deal: Start riding your bicycle between 11:00am and 11:30am from the Fort Ground Grill (705 River Ave. Coeur d’Alene, ID) and go north up the Prairie Trail portion of the Centennial Trail and then return to the Fort Ground Grill and enjoy a soup and sandwich and beverage. Or you can ride your bike from anywhere you like and still join them at the Fort Ground Grill between 12noon and 2:30pm for a great lunch for $15.00.

This is a non-race event sponsored by 4th Street Cycling Club, along with Ft. Ground Grill, Bicycle Sales and Service and Panhandle Bank to encourage healthy life styles for families. Proceeds from this fall event will go to the Centennial Trail Foundation and the Lakes Magnet Middle School. The Fort Ground Grill’s location where the trail turns north from the Fort Ground area along the river to the Prairie Trail is the perfect launch and landing area for the Fall Trail “fund” Ride. $15.00 covers soup, sandwich and one non-alcohol drink. Families will pay no more than $45.00 for all to participate. Your $15.00($45.00 families) makes you eligible for door prizes. They’ll start calling names at noon and stop at 2:30pm. (All names will be nice ones).

More info: Contact Bicycle Sales and Service (208) 667-8969 or check on line at www.bicycleservice.com or stop in at the Fort Ground Grill and pick up a flier.

Rails to Trails Conservancy Honors Two Local Trails

Article and photo from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

Two popular biking trails in North Idaho have been named to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes and the Route of the Hiawatha were both honored recently.
"We've had some rigorous debates here in the national office to narrow down our choices to the first 25 Hall of Fame inductees," said Karl Wirsing, director of Communications with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. "It's no easy task because there are countless deserving trails around the country."

The 15-mile Hiawatha and the 72-mile Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes were the only Idaho trails to be selected by the Washington, D.C.-based organization.

"We are lucky to have two really great bike trails in such close proximity to Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Spokane and Missoula," said Ric Clarke, Route of the Hiawatha trail supervisor. "What's even more unique is the fact that the two trails are so close to each other. More and more people are figuring out that they can connect the two for a single, sensational riding experience."
The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is managed by The Tribe and the state of Idaho.

"It is one of the best kept secrets in northern Idaho," said Coeur d'Alene Tribe Chairman Chief Allan. "It showcases our homeland."

Recent trail developments are making it possible to ride between and beyond these two pathways, setting up the potential for an unprecedented trail loop across North Idaho and parts of Montana.

The paved Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes begins in Plummer at the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's Veterans Memorial Park, a few miles shy of the Washington border, and heads northeast along Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Coeur d'Alene River until Mullan, scratching at the Montana state line. Mullan used to be the end of the road, so to speak.

But the nonprofit Friends of the Coeur d'Alene Trails has helped extend the pathway from Mullan roughly 11 miles to Lookout Pass on the Idaho-Montana border, said Leo Hennessy, non-motorized trails coordinator for the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

The extension is known as the NorPac Trail and it uses a Northern Pacific right of way that has become an open Forest Service road. It is marked and signed as a trail, with a packed-gravel surface. People can still drive on it, often to access other nearby hiking trails in the Bitterroots.
To reach the NorPac Trail from the eastern end of the Coeur d'Alenes, users can follow signs to take a paved, low-traffic road for about three miles to detour around the Lucky Friday mine, which still operates in Mullan along the rail corridor.

At the three-mile mark, there is railroad grade, which begins with a climb of nearly 1,500 feet up to Lookout Pass, elevation 4,680 feet, at the Montana state line.

"It's a major grade," said Hennessy. "You'll be crankin' in low gear at times."

The Hiawatha was also named the No. 1 Rail to Trail in the nation earlier this year by USA Today.

IPBA Hires Executive Director

Idaho Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance (IPBA) is pleased to announce the hiring of its first Executive Director, Whitney Rearick. Rearick has worked for many years as a policy analyst and advocacy director for nonprofits in Idaho and Utah and brings to IPBA years of experience in fundraising, community organizing and planning. She holds degrees from Lehigh and Tufts Universities and is a long-time pedestrian and bike commuter whose favorite bike, a Motobecane, originally belonged to Rearick’s mother, who commuted to work on the bike during the 1970s.

IPBA was formed after a Statewide Conference on Active Transportation held at Boise State University in 2009. Conference participants agreed that Idaho needs a unified voice to educate, connect and engage around active transportation statewide. A top priority is adopting "Complete Streets"
policies that promote streets designed to safely provide for all users.

Idaho Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance connects and informs proponents of active transportation in communities large and small, in every part of Idaho. IPBA has received a major challenge grant from the Alliance for Biking and Walking (ABW).
It will match all funds raised by IPBA through grants, memberships and donations. Groups, organization and individuals are invited to join IPBA by signing up at www.idahopedbike.org.

Now is a great time to join or donate! Follow us on Twitter (@idahopedbike) and Facebook.

Riding in the Rain

It's the rainy season again. That doesn't mean you have to drive your car on rainy days. You just need to know how to gear up. Over at EcoVelo.com, they have some great information for bike commuters who want to ride regardless of a little water on the roads and in the sky.


http://www.ecovelo.info/2008/10/31/wet-weather-riding-tips-from-the-pnw/

You are invited to....A Ped/Bike Workshop

The Pedestrian / Bicycle Advisory Committee to the Coeur d'Alene City Counsel has designated the October meeting as a workshop for setting priorities for the up and coming year.  The Ped/Bike Committee is soliciting input from the community in creating these agenda items.  If you have any ideas that you feel would impact and improve the Pedestrian / Bicycle community in Coeur d'Alene, please feel free to come to this workshop on October 13th (2nd Wednesday) or e-mail your suggestions to Monte McCully at mmccully@cdaid.org If you would like to attend this workshop, it will be held at 5:30 pm in the old City Counsel Chambers at Coeur d'Alene City Hall (710 E Mullan Ave.)  Hope to see you there!

Speak up for transportation funding

The Governor’s Transportation Task Force meets Oct. 8 – Tell them how you think we should fund local transportation needs.

For the first time in years, Idaho communities have an opportunity to chart their own future and start solving transportation problems like mobility, traffic and safety at the local level. The Governor’s Transportation Task Force is recommending several options to the Governor, including a local option sales tax. A local option sales tax could help fund Idaho communities’ ability to keep roads and bridges safe, create reliable bus service and provide safe places to walk and bike.

They meet next on October 8, and it’s important that they hear from you now.
Take 30 seconds to let the Task Force know what you think. Go to their comment form here at http://apps.itd.idaho.gov/apps/WebCommentsTaskForce/

If I Ride

If this doesn't inspire you to get out there and ride your bike I'm going to hide your car keys.

We need more signs like this

Great commercial

Inspiration for the aspiring woman cyclist

The bicycle has been credited with being one of the greatest tools to women's liberation in history because it allowed women greater mobility. But in more recent history, women are an under-represented population of cyclists. But recently there is a renewed interest in cycling by women. This short film illustrates the revival as these women share their stories of why they started riding and why they will continue to ride.

Women In Motion: New Lady Riders Reflect on NYC Cycling from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

"Thank You" Ride

Recently, 15^th street in Coeur d'Alene, from the Centennial Trail on Mullan Ave to North of Cherry Hill Park, has been striped for bike lanes! Come join us for a ride to thank the city for adding new Safe Routes to our city. The ride is Saturday the 18^th at noon. We will be meeting in the Library parking lot and riding our bikes from there.

The Globe and Mail reports:

Motorists travelling on 22nd Street in West Vancouver will be confronted with a 3D image of a little girl chasing a ball in the street starting next Tuesday. The girl will be an optical illusion, but the scenario is very real, according to David Dunne of the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation.

I'm not sure it's such a good idea due to the fact that a driver could swerve or stop suddenly, causing a crash, but it should make a point and hit home with some.

Atlas Bike Path Extension Under Construction

Article from the CdA Press:

By TOM HASSLINGER
Staff writer

COEUR d’ALENE — The key word is “connectivity.”
That’s been the motto for the city of Coeur d’Alene as it works on connecting bicycle and walking trails from one end of town to the other and beyond.
Its latest project, extending 1,200 feet on the Atlas Bike Trail, will loop together three popular riding routes along Atlas Road near Interstate 90.
“Anywhere we can find connections to make cycling easier and safer, we’ll do it,” said Monte McCully, city trails coordinator.
Work began on the project last week, and motorists can expect brief delays on Atlas Road during daytime hours.
The Atlas extension will connect that trail under I-90 to the Centennial Trail, which parallels the highway at that point. Farther north along the Atlas Trail is a connection to the Prairie Trail, meaning once the project is finished in a month, three trails will loop together.
“It’s like a big circle now,” McCully said.
And the addition, funded by a $300,000 grant from the Idaho Transportation Department, will push Coeur d’Alene’s amount of class one pedestrian and bicycle trails to 40 miles inside city limits.
Class one lanes are separate trails specifically built for foot and bike travel, as opposed to bicycle lanes marked on the side of a vehicle road.

The Door Prize

Yield to Pedestrians

20's Plenty for Us

Speed is greed when it prevents people from walking and biking on our streets.

20's Penty For Us from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

10 Tips for Cycling in Traffic

Biking Toronto has some great tips for riding safely in traffic.

See them all here.

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Candidate Meets Voters Using His Bike

Robo calls would be great for political campaigns if voters were just robots. Most of us are not. Real people want to say something back, or at least ask a question. That’s why Mike Bullard is using his bicycle to meet voters face-to-face, as many as he can.

A lot of campaigning is drudgery. Raising money, making ads, studying for debates . According to Mike, though, meeting the people face to face is absolutely fun. “It’s crazy. Everyone is different. The old cookie-cutter party affiliations have given way to every household having a different arrangement of issues, and every individual is different. That’s why it is important to meet real people in person.” Mike says that with very few exceptions, the vast majority of people, though upset with politics in general, are extremely cordial and welcoming of his efforts.”

Mike started out walking, but that wasn’t fast enough, so he reached down into his roots for a better way. As a youth he did not have a car through high school or college. Mike traveled by bike, even dating by riding girls on his handlebars. (Not many agreed to that, but they were the best ones). Now, with a little outfitting from one of our great local bike shops, he is rolling through the precincts. So far he has knocked on doors of 2500 voters. Five precincts down, sixteen to go by November. He doesn’t stop at every house, but if you see him, flag him down and ask him why he’s running, or give him a piece of your mind. You can’t do that with a robo call! Or check out mikebullard.org.

Can't we all just get along?

From the CDA PRESS:

When I heard about the vehicle vs. bicycle collision that occurred Wednesday on
Government Way, I cringed.

First, for the obvious reason - there's a lot of heartache that can come from such a thing. I was also troubled because that driver could have been me. It almost was, a few times this summer.

Like most people, I find the thought terrifying.

At least four times since last spring, I've had to hit the brakes to narrowly avoid a bicyclist suddenly in my vehicle's path.

Each time, the pedals were being pushed by a teen or very young adult. That's good, because if they were seasoned motor vehicle drivers, I'd have to question whether they should have driver's licenses at all.

I'm not sure why anyone would think it's OK to shoot off a sidewalk into
the roadway in front of a moving vehicle, or fly off a curb into a crosswalk in
front of a vehicle moving 35 mph.

The young riders do it with heads held high, without flinching or looking both ways.

They cruise quickly, mindlessly and lawlessly into the road in front of me, as if in a trance - until they sense my car stopping. Then, they stop and look at me.

In three out of four cases, they've yelled, gestured or said something indicating I had done something wrong.

I was so relieved to avoid colliding with one backpack-wearing boy, that I must have smiled a bit.

"Yeah, real funny. You almost hit me," he screamed into my open car window, before riding away on two wheels.

This, after he shot off the curb in front of me at an intersection. How was this near-crash my fault?

I spent years living back East, developing the kinds of defensive driving skills you need in a place far more congested than North Idaho. I know there are a lot of you out there just like me. Maybe that's why we haven't had more tragedies here.

I'm generally one of the slowest drivers you'll ever meet. Never got a speeding
ticket, was never stopped for speeding. I don't take risks on the road. Yes, I'm
that lady at the stop sign or red light in front of you who won't move or turn
left until everybody is past. Maybe you've honked at me in frustration.

I don't expect other drivers with the right-of-way to stop or slow down
for me. I'd like the same kind of respect from others on the road, or the
sidewalk, whether they're behind the wheel or pushing pedals.

For bicyclists and motor vehicle drivers, attitude is a matter of life and death.

Perhaps the young bike riders I've encountered don't realize there are
state laws that apply to them?

It's right there under Idaho Title 49,
the state's Motor Vehicle Code, in Chapter 7:

"Every person operating a vehicle propelled by human power or riding a bicycle shall have all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under the provisions of chapters 6 and 8 of this title."

Chapters 6 and 8 cover "Rules of the Road," and "Signs, Signals and Markings," and apply to motor vehicle drivers and cyclists.

The one big difference for bicyclists is what's often called the "Idaho Stop Law."

It's a cyclist-friendly part of the state's biking regulations that says it's legal for a bicyclist to cautiously roll through a stop sign without completely halting, and to proceed through a red light after stopping.

Simply put, if you're on a bicycle, you can treat a stop sign like a yield sign, and a red light like a stop sign.

Unfortunately, many people have the impression that bicyclists in Idaho
can legally sail through stop signs. Not so.

I like the bicycle "stop-as-yield" law. I haven't done much riding here in Idaho, but when I did, I often enjoyed cruising slowly through stop signs when no other traffic was present. I think I might have been breaking the law when I did that in other
states, which is silly.

I wouldn't want Idaho to change the bicycle stop law, but as the region and our roads keep becoming more heavily populated, we're going to have to work together to continue having such a friendly statute.

At this point, I'm so daunted by the possibility that a bicyclist will ride in front of me that I'm slowing down everywhere for everyone and everything.

I'm worried about our kids' safety, and I'm concerned for my emotional well-being. If I hit a bicyclist, even if it wasn't legally my fault, I don't know how I'd live with myself if the person were seriously injured or killed.

I hope the boy involved in Wednesday's crash is OK. The reports said it was a "low-speed collision," but the 14-year-old was taken to Kootenai Medical Center.

I don't know whose fault it was. A police investigation is taking place.

What I do know is, the crash caused anguish.

As school is getting ready to start up again, let's work together to avoid more of
that.

Let's share the road like we're supposed to, and all work on being less cranky or cocky whether we're behind the wheel or pedaling along.

Program encourages safe bicycling and walking to school

ITD Press Release:

One in three Idaho third-graders is overweight or likely to become obese so the Idaho Transportation Department's Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program helps communities support more children walking and bicycling to school to combat the problem.

"SR2S helps communities achieve new balance at a time when escalating transportation costs are forcing schools to reduce busing," said Jo O'Connor, ITD SR2S coordinator. "Choosing to walk or bike to school will benefit kids, parents and the community."

Childhood obesity has increased more than fourfold among children ages 6 to 11 since the 1970s, O'Connor explained. That's why Congress has declared September 2010 as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. (www.healthierkidsbrighterfutures.org)

"A growing number of leaders at both the national and local levels are recognizing that getting children active is one way to counteract a sedentary lifestyle, improve health and reduce traffic congestion," O'Connor said.

SR2S is designed for children from kindergarten through eighth grade, including those with disabilities, who live within walking and biking distance of school.

O'Connor advises people interested in the program to begin planning and organizing in close cooperation with schools and local leaders, parents, children, organizations and other individuals dedicated to improving their communities and promoting safe bicycling and walking.

ITD provides a website at www.itd.idaho.gov/sr2s that includes useful tools and guidance. People also are invited to connect with other Idaho communities interested in SR2S on Facebook.

Artistic signal cabinets

This idea from Boise could very well add some character to signal cabinets in the CdA area...

Photo and information from Downtown Boise Association Facebook page and KBOI.

The Downtown Boise Association received a grant from the Mayor’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Program to commission five Idaho artists to design five different murals for the cabinet controller boxes in Downtown Boise. Cabinet Controller boxes are located at intersections to control the traffic signals.

The program in association with Ada County Highway District and the City of Boise’s Art & History Department that brings public art to the street level is a pilot project to decrease graffiti and increase the unique character of downtown. This project is a model project and would pave the way for more Cabinet Controller boxes at prominent intersections to be made into artwork in the future.

Education Corridor Open House

An Open House for the Education Corridor Transportation Plan will be held at the Lake City Senior Center on Lakewood Drive, Wednesday, August 11th, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to familiarize the public with the selected alternatives for road alignments and widths, intersection locations and geometry, bike and pedestrian plans, and general infrastructure improvements. Comments will be solicited from the general public, as well as the broader stakeholders groups.

Who is subsidizing who?

From "Whose Roads? Defining Bicyclists' and Pedestrians' Right to Use Public Roadways" by the Vicoria Transport Policy Institute; 2004

"Pedestrians and cyclists pay more than their fair share of roadway costs. Although most highway expenses are funded through motor vehicle user fees, local roads and traffic services are funded primarily through general taxes that residents pay regardless of their travel habits. Motor vehicle use also imposes a variety of external costs, including parking subsidies, congestion, uncompensated crash damages, and environmental impacts. Pedestrians and cyclists impose much less external costs, due to lower costs per mile, and because they tend to travel fewer miles per year. In general, people who drive less than average overpay their true share of transportation costs, while those who drive more than average underpay. As a result, pedestrians and bicyclists tend to subsidize motorists."

Driving with Bikes

Cycling in Traffic

Cycling benefits outweigh risks

A new study completed by the Dutch company, Environmental Health Perspectives, finds that the health benefits of cycling outweigh the risks. The study goes in depth on air quality, obesity, etc. The study can be found at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20587380

Job Announcement

Idaho Pedestrian & Bicycle Alliance (IPBA) is looking for a dynamic leader based in Boise with exceptional fundraising and organizational skills to take us to the next level. We are committed to providing $1,460 per month for a ½ time Executive Director (initially as a contractor) and seek a professional to meet the challenge of raising the operating budget and advancing the priorities of this start up organization. This will grow into a full time position when budget permits. Skills in marketing, fundraising, membership development, organization, outreach and program and working with a board. Work initially from your home office with your computer, telephone, etc. Resume and cover letter to president@idahopedbike.org by August 23.

Please share the job description widely!

Thank you,
Molly

The IPBA is the first statewide pedestrian and bicycle advocacy group in Idaho.

Run Bike

This video is great, but just so you all know...the way the kid flys out of his driveway riding the wrong way against traffic is not good. Enjoy...

Ride Idaho

Ride Idaho will be taking off from Hayden City Hall at 8:00 am on Sunday, August 8th. The public is free to join them on their take off ride.
http://www.rideidaho.org/default.asp

Art bike racks in Moscow

PBS Report: Crossing the Line

Watch the full episode. See more Need To Know.

Bikers lend helping hands

From the Post Register:

IDAHO FALLS - For most college-age -- and sometimes, slightly older -- adults, summer is a time for relaxing, working on a tan or perhaps earning a few dollars to get them through the next semester. But for those who sign up for Bike and Build, summer is a time to get to know the United States from a bicycle seat, help build affordable homes for needy folks and, along the way, burn about 200,000 calories. A group of 31 Bike and Build members was in Idaho Falls on Thursday to help spruce up the area's new Habitat for Humanity headquarters on Northgate Mile. Armed with brushes, hammers and putty knives, the riders set to work repairing and painting the walls of the former Second Time Around Consignments store. Karen Lansing, executive director of the Idaho Falls-area Habitat for Humanity, said volunteers like the Bike and Build crew are used to doing any type of work that doesn't specifically require a license. "Basically, we'll do whatever they want us to do," said Jen Carboni, a 25-year-old graduate of New England College in New Hampshire, where she earned a degree in biology. "We've done everything from moving piles of dirt around to putting up drywall to roofing (and) flooring." Every summer, Bike and Build organizes several bike trips across the United States. Every few days, participants stop and help build a home for a nonprofit affordable housing group or, as in Idaho Falls, help the group restore its own buildings. On average, they ride about 70 miles per day, burning somewhere between 3,000 and 5,000 calories per day. The group of 19 women and 12 men that arrived in Idaho Falls rode from Jackson, Wyo., on Tuesday and will leave today for Arco. Their 3,827-mile trip, which started in Virginia, will end in Cannon Beach, Ore., in late July. Sarah Graham, a 20-year-old English major at Truman State University in Missouri, said her friends often ask why she would give up her summer to ride across the country, but Graham has a different perspective. "I haven't given anything up. I've gained a lot along the way," she said. "It's been the best experience I've ever had in my entire life." Thanks in part to Bike and Build, Habitat for Humanity's new building is within a few weeks of being ready to open, Lansing said. Since the first of the month, she said volunteers have dedicated more than 200 working hours to fixing up the building.

Safety on Trails

Break Downs

Bike-in Restaurant Proposed in Wisconsin

See the story here:

Proposed bike path restaurant would be inaccessible by automobile

Ciclovia in Spokane Last Weekend

In case you missed it (I did too), there was a Summer Parkways event in Spokane in this weekend.

Here's the story from the Spokesman.

Hopefully, we can do something like that in Coeur d'Alene in the near future...

Health Benefits of Cycling Outweigh Risks

According to a new study released by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the health benefits of switching from car driving to bicycling are substantially greater than the risks.

From the Abstract:

For the individuals who shift from car to bicycle, we estimated that beneficial effects of increased physical activity are substantially larger (3 – 14 months gained) than the potential mortality effect of increased inhaled air pollution doses (0.8 – 40 days lost) and the increase in traffic accidents (5 – 9 days lost). Societal benefits are even larger due to a modest reduction in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and traffic accidents.

Conclusions: On average, the estimated health benefits of cycling were substantially larger than the risks relative to car driving for individuals shifting mode of transport.

View the paper →

Cyclist declared brain dead two days after crash with Washoe Sheriff's SUV

The Nevada Highway Patrol reports that the cyclist involved in a crash with a Washoe County Sheriff's Office SUV Monday has been officially declared brain dead.

Kevin T. Albertson, 21, was officially declared brain dead at 9:25 am on Tuesday. He is currently on a ventilator at Renown Regional Medical Center awaiting a procedure for his organs to be harvested, at which time he will be pronounced clinically deceased.

A Washoe County Sheriff’s Office SUV collided with Albertson along Lemmon Drive on Monday afternoon, critically injuring the 21-year-old Reno cyclist, the Nevada Highway Patrol reported.

Both were traveling east toward Lemmon Valley when the front-right bumper of the 2010 Chevrolet Tahoe struck the back tire of the cyclist’s red bike, NHP Trooper Chuck Allen said.

Link to original Article here Link to more detail about the accident here



A grim reminder of why it is so important that people share the road.

Rights and Resposibilities

Wear Your Helmet

The Right Hook

Respect Goes Both Ways

IPBA Memberships Needed!

What is IPBA?

The Idaho Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance, a statewide organization that gaining momentum to support bicyclists and pedestrians in Idaho. Friends of walking and biking are invited to join.

In January 2010, IPBA applied for a $20,000 matching grant from the Alliance for Biking and Walking (http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/), a national organization that supports state and local advocacy efforts to increase walking and biking. IPBA has been awarded the grant!

IPBA plans to use the grant funding to help hire its first executive director,
improve IPBA’s web site and media presence, and hold a workshop inSeptember for walking and bicycling advocates from throughout Idaho. The grant will help us build IPBA into a strong voice for walking and bicycling in Idaho. IPBA will work at changing statewide funding, policy and laws to protect your chosen form of transportation and/or recreation. By having a strong statewide bicycle and pedestrian organization, we hope to empower local advocates to
make progress in our area.

How can you help?

First, please join IPBA to show your support for better walking and biking in Idaho.

Second, we’re proud that IPBA was awarded a $20,000 matching grant from the
national Alliance for Biking and Walking, and now we need your help to raise
those matching funds. Please contribute what you can. Your contribution will be
matched dollar-for-dollar by the grant.You can join online at the IPBA website: http://idahopedbike.org/
Or you can mail a check and membership form (from the brochure or website) to
IPBA, P.O. Box 1594, Boise ID 83701
The mission of IPBA is to promote walking, bicycling, and other forms of human powered transportation as healthy, sustainable, reliable and viable options for all Idahoans. IPBA’s goals include:
• Advocating for funding for infrastructure projects that support active transportation;
• Advocating for development of a statewide plan for connecting communities via routes that support active transportation;
• Developing and implementing a plan for educating motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians about each others’ rights and responsibilities while using the street and sidewalk/pathway system;
• Supporting legislation that promotes bicyclists’ and pedestrians’ rights and safety;
• Advocating for Complete Streets policies and implementation at the state and local levels; and
• Enhancing the effectiveness of local pedestrian and bicycle advocates and groups statewide.

Ideas Wanted

Since two of our biggest agenda items at the Coeur d'Alene Ped/Bike Advisory Committee meetings have been cleared this last month, we are looking for new ideas. Please feel free to join us this Wednesday at 5:30 pm in the old council chambers at City Hall or send us an email through the "Report-a-problem" link on this page. Even if you don't have anything that you'd like to share, come along and see what we do each month to make Coeur d'Alene a little more pedestrian and bicycle friendly.

Family Honors Father with Bike Tour

After her father Jeffrey Dunn was diagnosed with cancer and passed away, Autumn Kristovich and husband, Caleb, decided to embark on a cross-country bike ride as a memorial to Dunn and to raise funds for other families experiencing terminal illness through the Jeffrey Dunn Memorial Fund. The Coeur d’Alene couple hopes to leave North Idaho again this week and continue on their journey through the Silver Valley, where Autumn grew up in Pinehurst, then through Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan and eventually, Annapolis, Md., where their ride will conclude.

Donations to the Jeffrey Dunn Memorial Fund are being accepted at www.jeffreydunnmemorialride.com. In addition, the website contains a blog, where those interested can follow the Kristovichs’ progress along the ride.

Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes featured in Momentum Magazine

Photo credit: Jim Sayer - Momentum Magazine

If you haven't read Momentum Magazine before, you owe it to yourself to check it out. It's one of my usual reads. If you haven't ridden the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes before, you owe it to yourself to get out there and experience it. The current issue of Momentum Magazine has a feature on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes: http://momentumplanet.com/articles/cycling-adventures-cruise-de-coeur-in-idaho.

One great way to enjoy the trail is to have someone drop you off in Mullan, ride the 72 mile trail to Plummer, and catch the Citylink bus back to Coeur d'Alene (it's free and has bike racks).

Watch for Children

Biking at night

Bike Commuting on USA Today

If the video doesn't play click on the "get link" button under the player and paste it in your web browser.

This is a video from 1906 San Francisco; horses, horse and buggy, trolley cars, automobiles, bicycles and pedestrians. No designated lanes for any of them, not even crosswalks. Looks like right of way is given to the largest vehicle. This is an example of what happens when you don’t plan for growth.

Ride Right Walk Left

Watch out for bikes

Two big wins for cyclists!

After years of discussions at the CdA Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory meetings, a handful of public meetings, a Parks and Recreation Commission meeting, a Public Works Comission meeting, and finally last nights lengthy City Council meeting, the City will be adding bike lanes to 15th Street. City Council voted 5-1 in favor of the bike lanes.

Parking will be removed along the one mile stretch from Sherman Avenue to I-90 and replaced with 5' bike lanes on each side of the road. 15th Street is a very popular route for bicycle commuters, children going to and from school, and recreational cyclists. The work of bike lane striping and moving the centerline (to the center of the road) could happen in conjunction with the traffic signal installation this summer at Harrison Avenue and 15th Street.

A big thanks goes out to everyone who provided written and verbal testimony to the City during this long process. We couldn't have done it without you! And a big thanks to Monte McCully, City Trails Coordinator, for compiling a great powerpoint presentation.

Another big win last night was the passing of the 2010 Trails and Bikeways Master Plan. Compiled by the Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Committee, this master plan lays the groundwork for future bikeway improvements within the City....which coincidentally included adding bike lanes to 15th Street.