Safe Routes to School

Vicky Nelson, Coeur d'Alene's Safe Route to School Coordinator, will be conducting the next SR2S meeting this Thursday, the 25th, at 4:00pm at the School District 271 Admin building (located next to Sorenson Elementary). All parents, teachers and concerned citizens are encourage to attend.

The goal of SR2S is to identify and provide safe routes for children to walk or bike to school in order to encourage more physical activity.

There is federal money available for all aspects of this program: infrastructure, incentives, encouragement, education...etcetera.

Click here to visit learn about the SR2S program

Idaho Ped/Bike Alliance

Last year at the Idaho Bicycle Congress, at Boise State, citizens from across the state formed an alliance to promote pedestrian and bicycle use on a state level. The name of the group is the Idaho Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance. Check out their website at http://idahopedbike.org/

Art/Bike Racks

Have you noticed the new public art pieces in Midtown and by City Park? Resulting from a successful Call to Artists from the Arts Commission, six bike racks have been installed so far (with 3 more planned) that function as public art. The first four are in Midtown; there are two of the mountain bike tires at City Park. Yes, it is okay to lock your bike to them...that's what they are for.

How to cross railroad tracks

This video from Streetfilms shows how Seattle is using Sharrows to instruct cyclists how to cross tracks at a 90 degree angle. Though we don't have Sharrows in use in Coeur d'Alene (yet), the concept for crossing them is the same.

http://www.streetfilms.org/how-to-properly-cross-rail-tracks-on-your-bike/

Winter bike commuting in Chicago

There are a few of us around Coeur d'Alene that commute by bike in the winter. The fresh air and excercise is great. The challenge can be fun in adverse conditions and on fair weather days, it can be quite peaceful. I look forward to fresh snow on the ground in the morning. This year, I'm somewhat disappointed by the weather.

This video highlights winter bike commuting in Chicago. I really like the 2 mile rule mentioned by the couple in the video.

http://video.wttw.com/video/1414545458/

Drunken Driver Kills Two Pedestrians in Missoula

Click here to read the article

Special license plates win support

The House Transportation Committee has approved the proposed new mountain biking special license plate, which will help raise funds to maintain and expand public trails open to mountain biking around the state. “Idaho has more trails than any other state in the lower 48,” said Leo Hennessey, supervisor of the non-motorized trails program for the state Department of Parks and Recreation. But he and other supporters said mountain bike trails need continuing maintenance to stay usable. Steve Stuebner, author of “Mountain Biking in Idaho,” told the committee that Idaho is just becoming known for its mountain biking, and the buzz about the new special plate is helping with that. “I can tell you from personal experience, Idaho has world-class trails in every corner of the state - every corner,” he said.

Rep. Brian Cronin, D-Boise, the bill’s sponsor, noted that then-President George W. Bush went mountain biking in Idaho with then-Gov. Dirk Kempthorne during his 2005 visit to the state. The committee voted near-unanimously to send the bill, HB 486, to the full House, with just Rep. Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, who said he supports mountain bike trails but opposes all new special license plates, objecting.

The same committee today also voted to introduce another proposal from Rep. Shirley Ringo, D-Moscow, for a special wilderness license plate, with proceeds to go to the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Foundation for stewardship projects in Idaho wilderness areas.

New bike bills introduced

From The Associated Press:


BOISE -- An Idaho legislator wants to make roads safer for bicyclists.

Boise Democrat Sen. Elliot Werk presented four bills Thursday that would penalize rash bicyclists and drivers with a $75 fine.

The Senate Transportation Committee voted to introduce the bills and will likely hold full hearings on them.

The bills penalize drivers who harass bikers or who drive within three feet of a person on a bicycle. They also punish bicyclists who hold up cars behind them or who speed through crosswalks. One bill bans bikes without stopping brakes.

Werk, who often bikes to work himself, says the bills were prompted by three bicyclist deaths in Boise last year and another in Twin Falls.

Let's Move!

On Tuesday, First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off the Let's Move! program to combat childhood obesity.

From the Let's Move! literature:

Children need 60 minutes of active and vigorous play every day to grow up to a healthy weight. If this sounds like a lot, consider that 8-18 year-olds devote an average of 7 ½ hours to using entertainment media including TV, computers, video games, cell phones and movies in a typical day, and only a third of high school students get the recommended levels of physical activity. To increase physical activity, today’s children need safe routes to walk and ride to school, parks, playgrounds and community centers where they can play and be active after school, and sports, dance or fitness programs that are exciting and challenging to keep them engaged.

For more information: http://www.letsmove.gov/index.html

Every Corner is a Croswalk

This video by the Animated Traffic Law Center for the Portland Bureau of Transportation is a clever educational tool.



If only pedestrians were treated this way...

Idaho could get license plates supporting mountain biking

From the Idaho Reporter:

"Boise Democrat Brian Cronin wants the Legislature to approve a measure that would create a new license plate that would bring in mountain bike trail maintenance funds to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

Cronin pitched the plan to the House Transportation and Defense Committee Tuesday, saying that Idaho’s more than 12,000 miles in trails are in continuous need of repair and upkeep and the money generated from the sale of the plates would help the state provide materials and labor for trail maintenance. In an interview with IdahoReporter.com following the hearing, Cronin said the new plates could generate as much as $10,000 annually for the state.

According to Cronin, drivers who choose the biking plates would be charged $35 for a first time registration, with $13 of that going to the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and the other $22 going to Parks and Rec for trail upkeep. For annual renewal, drivers would pay $25, with the standard $13 going to ITD and $12 going for trails."

Will Share the Road plates be next?

Investing in bicycling and walking could save lives

The Alliance for Biking and Walking has released it's 2010 benchmarking report. The report is described as:

"Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: 2010 Benchmarking Report is an essential resource and tool for government officials, advocates, and those working to promote bicycling and walking. The Benchmarking Project is an on-going effort to collect and analyze data on bicycling and walking in all 50 states and the 51 largest U.S. cities."

It concludes that where bicycling and walking levels are higher, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes levels are lower.

To download the full report for free or purchase a hard copy, visit: http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/site/memberservices/C529

Bikes on Buses

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Did you know that Citylink buses are equipped with bike racks and you can ride for free? You can use the bus for part of your commute and your bike for the rest, making mass transit more convenient and accessible for everyone.

You can even ride the bus (and bring your bike) to Plummer to ride the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.

To learn more about bringing your bike on the bus visit: http://idahocitylink.com/bicycle.php