Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation

USBR 76 Realignment Proposal

2010-02-11T12:22:00.006-05:00

Thanks to everyone who sent in comments over the past week and came to the meeting on Tuesday afternoon (with snow coming down!) to look at shoring up USBR 76 in Charlottesville.

At the meeting we looked at the route turn-by-turn and tried to decide on a proposal for the best single route. Major considerations included 1) avoiding high speed/volume auto traffic, 2) maximizing exposure to local points of interest, 3) keeping a generally direct course, and 4) minimizing left turns on major roads. Below is the route we came up with.

Please take a look and let us know what you think over the next week by posting to this blog or emailing vince@transportationchoice.org.

We spent alot of time discussing the section between Avon/Garret and W. Main/Ridge, and also the proposed alternate route through UVa. Stephen Bach has written up a wonderful background to justify the alternate route through UVa. Your feedback on these sections would be very helpful.

Our goal is to get signs up on the improved route in time for the VBF's Cross-State Ride in May!

What's the best cross-town cycling route in Charlottesville?

2010-02-03T21:36:00.025-05:00

The current US Bicycle Route 76 and TransAmerica routes as they pass through Charlottesville are shown in the map below. Everyone would love to see "Bike 76" signs (right) put up along US Bicycle Route 76, just as they mark the route in Albemarle and the rest of VA, but having the two different routes here is confusing. The two routes are identical through most of the rest of Virginia. The ideal outcome for Charlottesville is for the two routes to merge into the single best (and possibly different) route, and to get that signed.

As local cyclists who know these roads best, ACCT and Charlottesville Parks and Rec would like to compile your route suggestions into a recommendation to VDOT and the national agencies who oversee these routes. They too are interested in seeing the two routes reconciled into one. There are several layers of process to go through, but we may be able to get changes approved and the signs up in time for summer cycling season. What do you think is the best bicycle route to cross Charlottesville east-west (it can be one of the existing routes or an entirely new one)?

Post your comments here or send them to me at vince@transportationchoice.org. We'll have a public meeting to discuss them next Tuesday, February 10th at 430PM at the City Hall Annex, Parks & Rec Conference Room.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions (295-6554).

Let's make Charlottesville a great place for cross-country cycling tourists!

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For more information on the history and future of US Bicycle Route 76, the TransAmerica, and US Bicycle Routes in general, visit the Adventure Cycling Association. A whole system of US Bicycle Routes is emerging! A recent post by the US Bicycle Routes Coordinator is especially helpful. Also, the Virginia Bicycling Federation is a great resource and steward of Virginia's bicycling routes. Check out the Cross-State Ride coming up in May!

Do you love bicycles?

2010-02-03T12:02:00.007-05:00

"Kickstand is a zine written about bicycles by the people who love them. It's not a repair zine, or a how-to, but one-page stories of adoration for bikes." - Microcosm Publishing, Bloomington, IN

The Kickstand crew of Community Bikes, ACCT and friends is kickin' together some fabulous plans for their new bike zine, Kickstand No. 2. Would you like to be a part of it?

we need:
bike stories
commuter thoughts
poems
pictures
sketches
inspirational bike projects, etc

Please send all submissions to Patrick C:
ptack.costello (@) gmail (dot) com
By Feb. 15th

Join ACCT today!

VTrans 2035 available for review and comment

2009-12-02T13:42:00.003-05:00

For those of you who enjoy reading state-level planning documents (or need help falling asleep), the Commonwealth of Virginia's statewide long-range multimodal transportation plan, known as VTrans2035, is in draft form. You can download it at http://www.vtrans.org/; the official comment period ends Monday. Possibly because it's a statewide plan, there's not much on walking or bicycling, but there's quite a bit on transit as well as compact development.

Seriously, it has some interesting sections. Chapter 5 is the meat.

Audio/Video of Albemarle BOS Candidates Forum Now on Cvilletomorrow.org

2009-10-26T17:11:00.002-04:00

Courtesy of our friends at Cvilletomorrow.org, the Albemarle Board of Supervisors Candidates Forum we hosted on Thursday night at the Westminster Presbyterian Church (along with ASAP, PEC, and RCS) is now available in full audio and video - http://cvilletomorrow.typepad.com/charlottesville_tomorrow_/2009/10/county-final-forum.html. All six candidates came out and defended their views on growth, transportation, and the environment in front of a good-sized audience. Cvilletomorrow's coverage is excellent, so you can read the questions that were asked, and see exactly how the candidates in your district responded. This coverage allows you to use the forum as we intended it - to inform your decision on election day and to hold the winners accountable to their campaign!

Traffic lights in the City not detecting your bike?

2009-10-23T16:55:00.002-04:00

Because I am a good law-abiding bicyclist, I stop at red lights. (Also, I dislike getting run over.) However, lots of Charlottesville traffic lights use magnetic detectors that aren't sensitive enough to detect my bike, even though it has a steel frame, making it tough to get a green light.

HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED TO YOU?

I've been in touch with the City's traffic engineer, who has made some tweaks but says they've done all they can with the existing system. Here's where you can help: the next step is to create a list of every City intersection where this happens. Then local government can spring into action, prepare priorities, look at budgets, etc.

So make a comment here with your nominees for traffic signals that don't detect bikes. Not if it just takes a long time. Only include it if you sit there and watch as other traffic gets a green light, but you never get one. Don't know if it's in the City? Include it anyway, although I'm not promising to do anything with VDOT-controlled signals right now.

PS - If you didn't notice, Google is looking for nominations for bike trails, pedestrian malls, campus paths, etc. to StreetView-ify with this trike they've built. Submit yours by 10/28.

Suggestions Needed for New Bicycle Rack Locations

2009-10-14T09:05:00.004-04:00

Charlottesville Transit Service is ready to move ahead with new bicycle racks at bus stations! They want to try and locate them in places where they would also be useful to other bicyclists, so they came to ACCT looking for specific suggestions. This is a great opportunity to put our local knowledge to work! Their focus is on the city, but they also want to know about needs in the County. Below are my initial thoughts on the topic - please add your suggestions or discuss mine before I send them all in on Wednesday, October 21!

Transit station - The west side of the transit station would be a great place for new bike racks. Alot of people approach the station from the mall or coming east down Water St, and the current bicycle racks are a little out of the way for them. I just went down there to take a look at the whole scene around the station, and low-and-behold, there were two bikes locked up to a trash can and a tree on the west side of the transit station (and none at the existing bike racks)! Specifically, I think locating the new racks closer to the road, on the grassy patch or next to the building, would be a good place because they would be visible and convenient for people coming either from the mall or from Water St., and close to both entrances.

The Corner - If there is any way you could upgrade the clunky yellow rack in front of Bodos/Starbucks, that has been an issue for years, and is also a very high-use area for bike parking. It is right next to bus stop at BofA and across the street from another one.

Tonsler Park - racks somewhere close to the entrance would serve the popular picnicking spot down by the sidewalk and the grills, and also the basketball courts there. Since this area is very popular with locals in the warm months, I would try to be sensitive to how people use the space when choosing an exact location so as not to encroach. And, if there aren't racks near the entrance of the community center there, there should be!

The Hospital - the racks in front of Jordan Hall (across the street from a bus stop) usually seem quite full.

Bicycle inflation

2009-08-18T12:15:00.002-04:00

Time to export bikes to Portland:

http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/17/bicycle-inflation-in-paradise/#more-16649

Perspective from Africa on the work we do with bikes

2009-06-13T09:35:00.002-04:00

Check it out!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/video/2009/may/22/dennis-ewalu-boda-boda

Police in Denmark Hug Cyclists and Give Them Helmets

2009-04-28T22:01:00.001-04:00

Check it out!

http://www.boingboing.net/2009/04/28/police-in-denmark-hu.html

From the new WhiteHouse.gov:

2009-01-21T15:23:00.001-05:00

Livability of Cities

* Build More Livable and Sustainable Communities: Our communities will better serve all of their residents if we are able to leave our cars to walk, bicycle and access other transportation alternatives. President Obama will re-evaluate the transportation funding process to ensure that smart growth considerations are taken into account.

"My Dad is lightning"

2009-01-16T16:43:00.001-05:00

NYT: A Bicycle Evangelist With the Wind Now at His Back

2009-01-13T10:14:00.002-05:00

For years, Earl Blumenauer has been on a mission, and now his work is paying off. He can tell by the way some things are deteriorating around here.
“People are flying through stop signs on bikes,” Mr. Blumenauer said. “We are seeing in Portland bike congestion. You’ll see people bikingacross the river on a pedestrian bridge. They are just chock-a-block.”

Mr. Blumenauer, a passionate advocate of cycling as a remedy for everything from climate change to obesity, represents most of Portland in Congress, where he is the founder and proprietor of the 180 (plus or minus)-member Congressional Bicycle Caucus. Long regarded in some quarters as quixotic, the caucus has come into its own as hard times, climate concerns, gyrating gas prices and worries about fitness turn people away from their cars and toward their bikes.

“We have been flogging this bicycle thing for 20 years,” said Mr. Blumenauer, a Democrat. “All of a sudden it’s hot.”

But Mr. Blumenauer’s goals are larger than putting Americans on two wheels. He seeks to create what he calls a more sustainable society, including wiser use of energy, farming that improves the land rather than degrades it, an end to taxpayer subsidies for unwise development — and a transportation infrastructure that looks beyond the car.

For him, the global financial collapse is “perhaps the best opportunity we will ever see” to build environmental sustainability into the nation’s infrastructure, with urban streetcar systems, bike and pedestrian paths, more efficient energy transmission and conversion of the federal government’s 600,000-vehicle fleet to use alternate fuels.

“These are things that three years ago were unimaginable,” he said. “And if they were imaginable, we could not afford them. Well, now when all the experts agree that we will be lucky if we stabilize the economy in a couple of years, when there is great concern about the consequences of the collapse of the domestic auto producers, gee, these are things that are actually reasonable and affordable.”

All this might still be pie-in-the-sky were it not for one of Mr. Blumenauer’s fellow biking enthusiasts, Representative James L. Oberstar, a Minnesota Democrat, avid cyclist and chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which has jurisdiction over surface transportation.

“He’s been wonderful,” Mr. Oberstar said of his Oregon colleague. And as support for cycling grows, he said, builders, the highway construction lobby and others have stopped regarding biking as a “nuisance” and started thinking about how they can do business.

With an eye on the potential stimulus package, cycling advocates “have compiled a list of $2 billion of projects that can be under construction in 90 days,” Mr. Oberstar said, adding that prospects are “bright.”

In addition, after many attempts, this fall Mr. Blumenauer saw Congress approve his proposal to extend the tax breaks offered for employee parking to employers who encourage biking. The measure, which Mr. Blumenauer called a matter of “bicycle parity,” was part of a bailout bill.

Mr. Blumenauer has spent a lot of time on another issue that ordinarily draws little attention: the federally subsidized flood insurance program. The program serves people who own property along coasts and rivers who otherwise would pay enormous premiums for private flood insurance, if they could obtain it at all.

The insurance “subsidized people to live in places where nature repeatedly showed they weren’t wanted,” he said. They might be better off if they did not live there, he said, but “it’s un-American to say, ‘Get out.’ ” Politicians who should confront the problem “are betting Nimto, not in my term of office,” he said. They hope that disasters will spare their districts or, if they strike, that the government will come to the rescue, Mr. Blumenauer said.

A Portland native, Mr. Blumenauer, 60, has spent his adult life in elective office. He graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 1970 (after organizing an unsuccessful 1969 campaign to lower the state’s voting age to 18) and worked until 1977 as assistant to the president of Portland State University. In 1972, he won a seat in the Oregon House of Representatives. He moved to the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners in 1978, and from there, in 1986, he won election to the Portland City Council. Though he lost a mayoral election in 1992, he easily won election to the United States House in 1996 and has not faced serious opposition since.

Mr. Blumenauer entered Congress just after Newt Gingrich, the Republican speaker, killed a stopgap spending measure, shutting down much of the government, out of pique over his treatment on Air Force One. “Partisan tensions were very raw,” Mr. Blumenauer said. The bicycle caucus was “a way to bring people together.”

Sherwood Boehlert, a Republican and fellow bicyclist who represented upstate New York in Congress until 2007, agreed. When “partisanship was at an all-time high and tolerance of another point of view was at a longtime low,” he wore the bike caucus’s plastic bicycle lapel pin. “Bicycling unites people regardless of party affiliation,” he said.

In addition to bicycles, Mr. Blumenauer is particularly interested in public broadcasting and the plight of pollinators like honeybees. He is a founder of a “livable communities task force” whose goal, he said, is to educate members of Congress and their staffs on the benefits of transportation alternatives, open space, sustainability, vibrant downtowns, affordable housing and transparency in government.

Initially, he said, these interests marked him as “kind of left coast.” Not anymore. “They are becoming very mainstream,” said Adam B. Schiff, a Democrat who represents in Congress the area around Pasadena, Calif., and who, with Mr. Blumenauer’s bicycle advice, now regularly rides to work from his home in Maryland. “He has been way out in front of the Congress,” Mr. Schiff said. “Now the rest of us are trying to catch up.”

When Mr. Blumenauer is in his Portland district, he usually gets around by bike, cycling about 20 miles in a typical day. He has three bikes in Washington and five here, and he cycles in all weather, even in the unusual snow Portland has had recently. “In falling snow you can get some traction,” he said.

But the surge of bicycling in Portland has not been free of incident. The Oregonian newspaper and bloggers have reported on “bike rage,” drunken biking, hit-and-run bicycle accidents and other problems. Drivers complain about bikers who ignore traffic rules or hog narrow roads, phenomena some irritated motorists attribute to feelings of entitlement or moral superiority.

Mr. Blumenauer brushes off this criticism. “They are burning calories, not fossil fuel, they are taking up much less space, they are seeing the world at 10 miles per hour instead of 20 or 30,” he said. “And even though there are occasionally cranky or rude cyclists, they are no greater a percentage than cranky or rude motorists.”

Plus, he added, “they have really fought for their place on the asphalt.”

By CORNELIA DEAN

Daily Progress: A 2-wheeled variety of fun and celebration

2009-01-12T11:04:00.001-05:00

By Bryan McKenzie

Published: January 10, 2009

They’re organized, militant and recruiting: Members of the Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation are tossing down a bicycler party Friday evening on the backside of the Market Street parking garage and they’re inviting everyone who pedals.

“It’s designed for regular commuters, those who came out to ride with us in neighborhood rides, weekend bikers and those who are bicycle-curious,” said Shelly Stern of ACCT. “There’ll be a lot of information, a bit of entertainment and fun.”

Like motorcycle riders, bicyclists have their own subculture. They dress oddly. They dodge cars. They like to toss parties and talk of two wheels. For instance, Friday’s Bike Extravaganza! includes an “interactive, multi-media celebration of biking,” smoothies made in a bicycle-powered blender, mechanic’s advice, customizing and decorating bikes, raffles, snacks and more.

Bike to the other side

The idea is to not focus on cyclists’ wants like trails and lanes, but to invite others into the lifestyle.

“It’s a culture. There are a lot of fun people who love their bicycles and they are fun to be around,” Ms. Stern said. “There are different aspects of bicycling, different subgroups and, with the extravaganza, we’re sending out a long arm to try and circle everyone into the fold.”

Ms. Stern knows the culture well. Last year she sold her 1987 Subaru wagon for a ticket to Belize (about $500). Now she pedals a tandem bike with her 8-year-old son to get to school and work and shop for groceries.

“There are times I miss the car, but it really hasn’t been that hard to go without it. Sometimes lousy weather is a deterrent to riding, but you get used to it,” Ms. Stern said. “It does take a lot of advance scheduling and sometimes I have no choice but to borrow a friend’s car or ask for a ride.”

Naturally, there are advantages. She gets plenty of exercise. Her family eats less because she can carry less on the bicycle. She and her son get plenty of one-to-one time to and from school. Maintenance costs are cheap and much of it she can do herself.

“I learned a lot of the maintenance from the bike docs when I volunteered with Community Bikes,” Ms. Stern said, referring to a local organization that helps area residents keep their wheels in good condition.

Friday’s extravaganza also is designed for those who rode with ACCT members last summer as part of the alliance’s Discover Transportation Freedom project. The grant-funded effort put cyclists into neighborhoods promoting bikes as a better way to get there, wherever there is.

Pedaling fun

More than 220 people joined ACCT volunteers on the neighborhood rides.

“We wanted to show people how easy it can be to commute by bicycle and safe ways to get to where they wanted to go,” Stern recalled. “A lot of people came out, got to know their neighborhood and neighbors a little better and had a lot of fun.”

Fun, she said, is exactly why Bike Extravaganza! is being thrown.

“It’s not just about information, although there’ll be plenty of that,” she said. “It’s about fun and people.”

The Bright Bike Project

2009-01-08T09:50:00.001-05:00

The Bright Bike Project uses pre-cut ultra reflective tape to safe-up your ride.

CTS now on Google Transit Maps!

2009-01-07T09:52:00.003-05:00

View Larger Map

Google Transit is now available for all Charlottesville Transit Service (CTS) routes. Directions for the shortest distance between two points by bus are fully integrated into the popular Google Maps feature. The user enters the starting and destination addresses, and chooses between walking, mass transit, or driving. Google Maps will calculate the shortest distance for multiple options, show the schedules of pick-up and arrival, estimate a total time for the trips, and give the fare prices. It will even tally the cost difference between busing and driving.

Google Transit was unveiled in Portland, Oregon about a year and a half ago, and it has been steadily spreading to metropolitan areas around the county. Currently, 21 other transit agencies in Virginia have opted to join Google Transit. This is the highest level of participation for any state in the country, surpassing California by almost 30%. This may be attributed to a strong push by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to join Google Transit.

Ridership for CTS is already at all-time high levels. According to a press release, “Over 1.7 million passengers boarded CTS buses from June 1, 2007 through July 31, 2008, a 12.5% upswing in service use compared to the previous fiscal year. Ridership in the first four months of the 2009 fiscal year is up almost 14%, to 658,040 passengers.” There is some evidence to suggest that the enhanced usability Google Transit offers may boost ridership even further. A local transit authority in Duluth, Minnesota saw a 12% jump after joining a year ago.

There is no cost to CTS for providing its schedule and route data to Google. Google Transit does not make use of the real-time CTS satellite global positioning system (GPS) equipment, though GPS data on the expected stop time of each bus is available through the City’s website. University of Virginia’s transit service is not currently available through Google Transit.

via Daniel Nairn at C-ville Tomorrow

Wall Street Journal says: Your Car is a CASH GUZZLER

2009-01-06T14:28:00.003-05:00

A Real Auto Bailout: Escape Your Car

by BRETT ARENDS

Last week, the auto industry finally got its bailout.

But is it time for Americans to rescue their own finances from their cars?

Families are now bracing for the mother of all recessions. They're looking for every chance to save a dollar.

Forget lattes and store-brand cereal. If you really want to see where your money is going, take a closer look at your car. Foreign or domestic, it doesn't matter. It's a cash guzzler, and it is probably costing you more than anything else except your home.

How much? First there's the actual capital cost of buying the vehicle. Obviously people can spend as little as a few thousand dollars buying an old clunker. But most spend a lot more. And that initial cost is just the start. Now add everything from gas and maintenance to insurance, registration, taxes, tolls, parking, tickets and so on.

You'll be lucky if you're spending less than about $4,000 a year. Most people will pay a lot more. If you buy the vehicle with a loan, you'll have to pay interest. If you pay cash, you have to factor in the interest you would have made on that money if you had saved it instead. That's a real cost too, and a substantial one, though most people forget about it.

In 2007, the most recent year that numbers are available, the American Automobile Association figured its members paid about $7,800 a year on average to own and maintain their cars. That figure dropped to about $6,200 for small-car owners.

The AAA's numbers were tabulated before the surge, and recent collapse, of gasoline prices. It's hard to imagine gas prices will to remain at today's panic-level $1.60 per gallon for long. But even if they do, that will only cut the AAA's figures by about $400 annually.

These are not trifling costs. Drivers are hemhorraging money. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics calculated that in 2006 vehicles sucked down nearly 17 cents of every family dollar.

Maybe it's time for smart families to consider some really tough choices.

Life without a car may seem inconceivable. They are useful and can be fun. In most parts of America, you really can't survive without one. And they've been hammered into the culture and the national psyche.

But a lot of things are happening these days that nobody expected. Rules are changing. People need to make every dollar count.

Trading down to the cheapest car possible is one move. Dumping one vehicle from a two-car household is tougher to do, but offers real savings. Moving into a city with a downtown, and getting rid of your cars completely, can save you even more. When you factor in the savings, city real estate might actually work out in your favor.

Residents of inner-ring and upscale suburbs, as well as everyone in car-dependent cities like Dallas and Atlanta, are in the worst of all possible worlds on this. They're paying plenty for real estate – and then paying even more on top of that to run a car for each adult in the home.

Surely they'd be better off moving out to the country, where they would still need their cars but at least real estate is cheap, or into a downtown where they could lose the cars.

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. We are going to see a lot of necessity. It may lead to some interesting developments.

Write to Brett Arends at brett.arends@wsj.com

U.S. News and World Report says: "Biking to Work will IMPROVE YOUR LIFE in 2009"

2008-12-31T11:33:00.004-05:00

Biking to work was one of 50 ways to improve your life in 2009, according to the well known magazine.

JAN. 16th, 6-9PM, BIKE EXTRAVAGANZA!

2008-12-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

Active Transportation for America

2008-12-10T10:41:00.002-05:00

Dr. Thomas Gotschi, Director of Research at Rails-to-Trails, breaks down the benefits of walking and biking and has written a commentary intended to get lawmaker's attention.

Write to Congress to Ensure Green Transportation is Included in Any Economic Recovery Bill

2008-12-05T12:08:00.003-05:00

Fill out this simple form to remind our representatives in congress that GREEN TRANSPORTATION is a way to help save this economy.

Discover Transportation Freedom Nov. 2nd Ride

2008-11-28T13:25:00.001-05:00

Let's Get Visible

2008-11-18T14:03:00.001-05:00

Hear what President Elect Obama has to say about bike lanes and alternative transportation

2008-11-05T09:51:00.002-05:00

Here's a short audio clip of President Obama speaking about the need for bike lanes and other forms of alternative transport in the United States of America.

Politico.com: If Obama wins, the guy who wrote the Bike Commuting paragraph in the Bail Out Bill could become Secretary of Transportation!

2008-11-03T16:07:00.003-05:00

Wouldn't it be epic if Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) became Secretary of Transportation!?

VOTE TOMORROW!

Ridge Street Community Ride on Channel 29 News

2008-10-27T10:43:00.001-04:00

Bike Commuting Explodes in London

2008-10-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

Drink Wine to Support Bike Mentoring in November

2008-10-20T09:55:00.003-04:00

Happy Rickshaw - A C'ville Alternative Transportation Institution.

2008-10-14T11:52:00.000-04:00

SEC. 211. TRANSPORTATION FRINGE BENEFIT TO BICYCLE COMMUTERS.

2008-10-07T09:35:00.000-04:00

Here's the exact text that was in the bailout bill!

(a) In General- Paragraph (1) of section 132(f) is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘(D) Any qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement.’.

(b) Limitation on Exclusion- Paragraph (2) of section 132(f) is amended by striking ‘and’ at the end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘, and’, and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ‘(C) the applicable annual limitation in the case of any qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement.’.

(c) Definitions- Paragraph (5) of section 132(f) is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘(F) DEFINITIONS RELATED TO BICYCLE COMMUTING REIMBURSEMENT-

‘(i) QUALIFIED BICYCLE COMMUTING REIMBURSEMENT- The term ‘qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement’ means, with respect to any calendar year, any employer reimbursement during the 15-month period beginning with the first day of such calendar year for reasonable expenses incurred by the employee during such calendar year for the purchase of a bicycle and bicycle improvements, repair, and storage, if such bicycle is regularly used for travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment.
‘(ii) APPLICABLE ANNUAL LIMITATION- The term ‘applicable annual limitation’ means, with respect to any employee for any calendar year, the product of $20 multiplied by the number of qualified bicycle commuting months during such year.
‘(iii) QUALIFIED BICYCLE COMMUTING MONTH- The term ‘qualified bicycle commuting month’ means, with respect to any employee, any month during which such employee--
‘(I) regularly uses the bicycle for a substantial portion of the travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment, and
‘(II) does not receive any benefit described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1).’.

(d) Constructive Receipt of Benefit- Paragraph (4) of section 132(f) is amended by inserting ‘(other than a qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement)’ after ‘qualified transportation fringe’.

(e) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008.

Congress Passes Commuter Act

2008-10-06T10:47:00.001-04:00

Employers of people who bike to work stand to gain a $20 per month tax credit per cycling employee, according to the final version of the Wall Street bailout bill, H.R. 1424, passed this afternoon...

What does bicycle commuting have to do with credit issues or covering the debt racked up on Wall Street? Bicycle commuting advocate Earl Blumenauer, a Democratic Representative from Oregon, was one of the 228 Representatives who voted against the House version of the bailout package on Monday. House members looking to pass a bailout bill needed to convince as least 12 of the dissenters to switch their position and vote for a bailout bill...

Congressman Blumenauer spearheaded a seven-year campaign to extend commuter tax benefits to those who bike to work. Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists, said the Bicycle Commuter Act has been held up getting through with previous bills. “It’s been attached to a variety of different bills or devices—climate change, energy, transportation,” Clarke said. “It’s ironic that it would wind up in a financial rescue package, but we’ll take it. I’m not going to quibble with the method; I’m glad to see it done.” (Read more.)

A number of blogs have already commented on the inclusion of the Bicycle Commuter Act into the ridiculous $700 billion Federal pork barrel bailout of Wall Street, including great coverage by Cyclelicious, BikePortland.org, StreetsBlog, and a survey of bicycle commuting attitudes by Outside Online. The bicycle commuter provisions of the bailout have also aroused hostility in less supportive quarters, summarized by Philadelphia Bicycle News:

"Bicycles are in the headlines today, but not in a good way. (The) Bicycle Commuter Act is tied into the Tax Bailout Bill lumping bicycle commuters with Rum Makers and tax breaks for NASCAR. They are labeling the Bicycle Commuter Tax Break as Pork, does this mean that Transit Check and commuter parking benefits are also Pork?"

As I understand it, the Bicycle Commuter Act provides employers a tax break of up to $20 a month if they give some bicycle commuting benefits to their employees. It's a modest step forward. "It may not be a total game changer," the LAB's Clarke told Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. "It's still a relatively small break. But it gets us closer to the kind of treatment that cyclists in the U.K. and other parts of the world have had for years."

This measure may attract a few additional bicycle commuters. Personally, I would have preferred that $700 billion spent on beneficial economy stimulating public works projects, such as passenger rail, bicycle facilities, and transit. However, this bailout will likely have another more significant favorable effect. Essentially, the Fed policy seems to be dollar devaluation, reducing the debt crisis through inflation. This can only mean even higher prices for gas, increasing the relative appeal of bicycle commuting.

Via Bike Commute Tips

Veer: A Documentary on Portand's Bike Culture.

2008-10-05T17:00:00.000-04:00

Let's bring some of this spirit to C-ville!

Bicycle Commuter Act Passes House & Senate

2008-10-02T11:25:00.005-04:00

Last week the U.S. Senate, amended H.R. 6049, the Energy and Tax Extenders Act of 2008, by passing several amendments which provide for clean energy incentives and extend expiring tax cuts. One of the amendments, which wonSenate passage by an overwhelming vote of 93-2, was the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008, which contains the bicycle commuter tax benefit provision we have been seeking for years. As last week’s Senate vote replaced the text of H.R. 6049, energy tax legislation approved in the House of Representatives earlier this year, we are currently waiting to hear if the House of Representatives will agree to take up the Senate’s amended legislation.

Safety Khakis - specially made for bike commuters!

2008-09-30T13:57:00.004-04:00

here’s a cool new product from San Francisco that was unveiled at Interbike this week — the Bike to Work Pants by Cordarounds.

They’re just a regular pair of khakis, but with hidden, reflective powers.

From their website:

“Using fabrics like Illuminite Teflon and 3M Scotchlite we’ve bought reflectivity to regular trousers. They line the inner pantcuffs and rear pockets, allowing you to deploy added protection and reflection as you pedal off.”

I could see these being very popular in Portland. It’s neat to see non-bike-specific companies recognize and innovate for the growing market of urban bike commuters.

More at Cordarounds.com.

Bike 2 Work Pants from Cordarounds on Vimeo.

Wired Magazine: As America Implodes, The Bike Industry Booms

2008-09-30T10:45:00.002-04:00

LAS VEGAS--It's never been a better time to be in the bicycle business, what with global warming, childhood obesity and a failing economy.

The nation may be wracked by collapsing banks, foreclosed houses and a tanking economy, but there's no sign anything's amiss here at Interbike, the bike industry's annual trade show. In fact, it's party time as a perfect storm of eco-conscious consumerism, health-conscious lifestyles and wallet-sapping gas prices conspires to get people out of cars and onto bikes -- especially electric ones. "The gas prices are the best thing that ever happened to cycling," says Kevin Menard, whose year-old custom bike business, Traitor Cycles, is thriving. "I hope they go up even more."

The gargantuan trade show, and the crowd filling it, has never been bigger, organizers boast. A record 23,000 people and 750 exhibitors fill several acres of the Sands Convention Center, further proof that all is well in the bike biz..."You can feel the collective buzz," a smiling Tim Blumenthal, executive director of the bicycle advocacy group Bikes Belong, says from the middle of the bustling show floor. "It's a really, really heady time for us. This show feels very optimistic and that bucks the general economic trends. There doesn't seem to be many businesses that are thriving, but the bike business is doing very well."

Cycling enjoyed a "huge spike" in interest in June when gas topped four bucks a gallon, Blumenthal says. Much of the bike industry has enjoyed double digit growth since then. Some manufacturers have seen 50 percent growth in the last quarter, and dealers can’t keep up with demand. The service sector ("tubes and lube" in industry jargon) also is booming as old bikes are hauled out of sheds and garages and dragged into shops for tune-ups and tires. A growing number of people are ditching cars in favor of bikes for commuting to work or running to the supermarket, Blumenthal says. "Cycling for recreation in America has always been big," he says. "Now we're starting to see cycling for transport." (Read more.)

Become a Motivated Bike Commuter Again!

2008-09-25T14:02:00.002-04:00

If you have some other method of transportation, the occasional temptation is there to eschew the bike for a day, a week, or even for the entire winter. Bike commuting can seem old or boring if you’ve been doing it a while. Here are some tips for staying motivated.

1. Ride a different bike. Swap bikes with a friend or co-worker you trust or switch one of your other bikes out as your commuter bike.

2. Try multi-mode commuting. Over winter, I switch to a bike/transit commute which allows me to choose how far I want to ride depending on where I choose to get on and off. You can also drive part-way or drive in, then ride home. Ride back to work and drive home the next day.

3. If you have a geared bike, try a “one gear” commute. Over a few days, use trial and error to find the one gear combination that works best for your commute.

4. Pick up and throw away one road hazard per day: nails, screws, tacks, and big chunks of debris. Don’t neglect your traffic awareness, but try to make a point to get one piece of potentially harmful debris off the road.

5. Find some new routes. Talk to fellow cyclists or just go exploring on one of your recreational rides. Not seeing the same scenery every single day can keep things interesting.

6. Recruit some friends. It’s a lot easier to keep riding if you have a buddy to talk to and at least share the misery of a chilly morning or baleful headwind.

7. Take some pictures. You can use your camera phone, an inexpensive digital point-and-shoot or even a disposable camera! If you see something interesting, there’s no harm in taking a break to enjoy it and capture it to admire and share later.

8. Reward yourself. For every week of car-free commuting, do something as a small reward. You might need to get your significant other to sign-off on this. ;)

9. Greet anyone and everyone that you pass. One of the great things about riding a bike is that you’re out in the open. Say hi to joggers, dog-walkers, and even pedestrians hogging the multi-use path by walking three abreast… not that it ever happens…

10. Mix up your commute a bit with small errands that you can run on the way home or to work.

Getting out of the “boring commute” rut is often as simple as changing something small on occasion. What are you doing to keep yourself motivated? Tell us in the comments.

via commute by bike

Take Action Now to Support Safe Routes to School in the Federal Transportation Bill

2008-09-23T16:18:00.004-04:00

Congress will soon be taking up the new transportation bill, and this is a critical opportunity to sustain and expand funding for Safe Routes to School. Please sign your organization onto a letter to Congress that urges the inclusion of health performance outcomes in the next transportation bill. Currently, the U.S. federal government spends approximately $60 billion/year on transportation infrastructure. This outlay is dwarfed by the costs to our country resulting from the negative health impacts of transportation. Americans spend:

•$76 billion a year on health care costs related to physical inactivity, partly because many individuals cannot safely walk, bicycle, or access public transit;

• $164 billion a year on health care costs associated with traffic injuries and deaths; and

• Between $40 and $64 billion a year on health care costs associated with asthma and other health conditions related to high rates of air pollution.

If we work together, we can ask Congress to ensure that the next transportation bill recognizes these problems and sets a strong goal to reverse these negative outcomes of our current transportation system. This will provide a strong foundation for increased funding and supportive policies for safe routes to school, smart growth, safer communities for bicycling and walking, and complete streets. Please review the letter and follow the sign-on instructions at: www.saferoutespartnership.org/national/45755/45848. The deadline for organizational signatures is October 31, 2008.

Speed Vest!

2008-09-22T10:58:00.001-04:00

The Author of TRAFFIC

2008-09-19T17:14:00.005-04:00

Talks with NPR

London Bike Commuting Commercial

2008-09-19T17:14:00.002-04:00

School lets out in Japan

2008-09-19T17:14:00.001-04:00

$20 a Month if You Bike Commute! Senate Votes Thursday or Friday for this! Write Our Senators with this Easy To Fill Out Form!

2008-09-17T21:23:00.002-04:00

We understand that the United States Senate may vote on an energy legislation package this week, (The Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008), which will provide a number of incentives to promote clean energy sources.

The Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008, also includes the bicycle commuter tax benefit provision, previously introduced by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR). The provision provides for qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement for such reasonable expenses incurred by an employee for the purchase of a bicycle, bicycle improvements, repair, and storage.

The Senate is expected to vote on this legislation either tomorrow Thursday, September 18, or Friday, the 19th. Please take a moment to contact your Senator to urge them to vote yes on the Energy Improvement and Extension Act of 2008

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

SEPTEMBER 28, 1:30, TONSLER PARK - FIFEVILLE FREEDOM RIDE!

2008-09-17T17:47:00.003-04:00

SEPTEMBER 28, 1:30pm

TONSLER PARK

FIFEVILLE FREEDOM RIDE

BE THERE!

Eye Contact Decal Spotted

2008-09-17T17:47:00.001-04:00

Cycling Trash Talkers Outed!

2008-09-16T17:26:00.002-04:00

In their most recent email newsletter to members, the League of American Bicyclists shared a new educational campaign aimed at fighting back against statements that discriminate against bicycles.a

On their web page, Who’s Trash Talking Bikes?, the League has a list of recent anti-bike statements by politicians and pundits. For each one they include sections titled: “What he/she said”; “What’s the issue”; “What are the facts”; “What he/she could have said”; and “What you can do.”

Here’s how they deal with some recent trash talk from U.S. Senator Jim DeMint from South Carolina (I’ve included the links as they appear on the League’s site):

What he said:
“We must stop wasteful earmarks for bike paths and museums that divert critical funding away from priority roads and bridges,” DeMint said in a September 8 statement addressing a shortfall in highway funding.

U.S. Senator Jim DeMint,
trash talker.

What’s the issue:
The Highway Trust Fund, funded from gas taxes and “spent” by state Department’s of Transportation, is running out of money and needs an $8 billion infusion of cash, according to the US Department of Transportation. Senator DeMint is apparently blaming the shortfall on wasteful bike path projects.

What are the facts:
It’s true that the law approving the spending of the highway trust fund has a lot of Congressional earmarks for “high priority projects” – a total of $15 billion in the 2005 SAFETEA-LU legislation. However, bike paths account for less than five percent of those earmarks, and most of them haven’t even been started yet.

A much more immediate reason for the funding crisis is the dramatic fall in motor vehicle miles traveled (and thus gallons of gasoline bought) in recent months due to rising gas prices. Ironically, of course, bicycle use is soaring because of those same high gas prices, meaning that we actually need more bike facilities, not less.

In August 2007, after the Minneapolis bridge collapse, Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters made similarly unfortunate comments for which she has subsequently apologized. Bicycling and walking are critical components of our transportation system.

What he could have said:
We must stop wasteful earmarks and get transportation funding into the hands of local decision-makers to start solving some of our traffic, energy, environmental and health challenges by getting more people bicycling, walking and taking transit. We also need to change the funding process so that we reward ourselves for reducing the number of motor vehicle miles traveled.

What You Can Do
If you are from South Carolina, drop a line to your Senator and let him know that bicycling and bike paths are pretty important to you. Let him know that while earmarks are generally undesirable, the only reason most of the bike-related projects are even requested in the first place is because state Departments of Transportation still stubbornly refuse to implement them willingly.

If you aren’t from South Carolina, you can still drop him a note, or you can write your own members of Congress and let them know how much you disagree with Senator DeMint’s attack on bike paths – that way we might just discourage them from making this mistake in the first place.

2008-09-15T12:10:00.000-04:00

How to Ride, From a Bus Driver's Perspective

2008-09-12T11:04:00.000-04:00

Man Hits Bear During Bike Commute!

2008-09-11T17:16:00.004-04:00

A Montana man had a bike on bear collision today during his daily commute. He lived to tell all.

In related news, here's a bear riding a bike:

Bike Messenger Video from 1992

2008-09-10T11:00:00.001-04:00

Why not in America? A lack of infrastructure — not sprawl — hinders the adoption of bicycles.

2008-09-10T10:42:00.003-04:00

Enjoy this great article from TerraPass about America's Bike Deficit Disorder (BDD).

Keep Dry!

2008-09-10T10:37:00.003-04:00

In the wake of the tropical storms, we’ve had a lot of rain in the past week. My cycling shoes have gotten so wet that they don’t get a chance to dry out before it’s time to leave for work in the morning. Here are some tips for keeping your footwear dry in monsoon season.

It makes sense that the easiest way to keep your footwear dry is to not let it get sopping wet in the first place. On wet roads, fenders work wonders at reducing the amount of water that gets splashed onto your feet from the road. If it’s raining, however, you’re going to get your feet wet. Fenders will potentially lessen it a bit.

Once your shoes are wet, though, the most obvious choice is to use the clothes dryer. Cycling shoes with cleats can damage the inside of a dryer, though, and shoes bouncing around in the dryer not only make a lot of noise, but it can harm the shoes as well as making them “Kick” the door of the dryer open, stopping the cycle before they’re dry. One way to take care of this is to use a rack inside your dryer (some new dryers come with a shoe-drying rack that fits inside) or simply untie the laces, tie a knot in the very end of the laces, and allow them to hang with the knot keeping them suspended against the dryer door. This is how I do it at home. Alternatively, twine or a re-purposed metal clothes hanger can be used to hang your shoes on the inside of the dryer door. This way, your shoes don’t make a lot of noise. Be careful with racing shoes that are made of stiff plastic or carbon fiber. Excess heat can damage them.

Newsprint, wadded up and stuffed into the shoes is another suggestion I’ve seen “kicked around” lately. If you get the newspaper and never seem to come up with a good creative use for the newsprint after you’ve read it, now’s your chance to re-purpose it. If your shoes are quite damp, you may need to remove the old newspaper and repeat the process a few times. I don’t subscribe to a newspaper, so I haven’t been able to try this theory myself.

The last suggestion I got from several friends of mine was to use a good pair of cycling sandals. These clipless cleat-ready sandals, when worn with wool socks often remain comfy year round, even in the cold season. There isn’t a lot of material to get soaked. Sandals dry quickly. Wool socks do as well, but also retain much of their insulating value even when wet.

One trick I use occasionally at the office is to place my wet socks and/or shoes on top of my computer monitor after I’m sure they won’t drip water into the sensitive electronics within. The heat from my computer monitor isn’t too extreme, but over the course of my entire work day, it’s often warm enough to dry out a few articles of soggy clothing.

Got more cool ways to keep your toes dry? Drop us a line in the comments!

Via Commute by Bike

C-ville Weekly's Video on the State of C-ville's Bike Lanes

2008-09-09T12:45:00.001-04:00

Read the excellent cover article, Pedal vs. Metal, here.

VA 23rd in USA Bicycle Ranking

2008-09-07T18:30:00.002-04:00

The League of American Bicyclists has recently expanded its efforts in building a Bicycle Friendly America with its Bicycle Friendly State Program. The two part program recognizes states that promote cycling through legislation, policies, programs, and by creating new places to ride, educating motorists and cyclists, and encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation.

The first part of the program has been to create an annual ranking of all 50 states. The ranking was based on 74 questions across 6 categories, and looks at all Virginia is doing for bicycling and bicyclists. Virginia has finished 23 overall. In each of the 6 categories your state ranked:

8-tied in Legislation
19-tied in Policies & Programs
25-tied in Infrastructure
29 in Education & Encouragement
14-tied in Evaluation & Planning
34-tied in Enforcement

For a full listing of all 50 states visit bikeleague.org

Less Sunlight, More Bike Lights

2008-09-05T09:34:00.002-04:00

September’s officially here, and many recreational cyclists are hanging their bikes up for the season as the evening daylight gets shorter and shorter. Those who commute by bike, however, still have quite a bit of good riding weather ahead. You just need to be seen, and be safe.

Year-round, one of the most fatal flaws of a cyclist is to ride in the various “no zones” and blind spots of automobile traffic. As ours are among the smallest vehicles on the road, it’s easy for a small blind spot to encumber us entirely. These blind spots include the 3-4 feet next to parked cars (the “Door Prize Zone”), next to the rear passenger-side fender, and almost anywhere along the driver’s side of the car unless you’re near the front fender. Additionally, the A-Pillar (the metal between the front windshield and the side front window) can block you from the view of the driver as well, particularly when you’re approaching cross-traffic.

Reflective material on your bicycle and clothing adds a key visual stimulus in low-light conditions. The more reflective material that’s facing the motorist, the further away you’ll be when you catch their eye. This applies mostly to the rear and sides of your bicycle and body, but having plenty of reflective material visible from the front is a great idea as well. You never know when someone will turn across your path. It goes without saying that a full set of DOT-Approved reflectors fore, aft, and on the wheels is highly recommended.

Active lighting is a must when it comes to riding before sunrise or after sundown. Lately, LED technology has gotten relatively inexpensive and the performance is getting to be quite good. While flashing light is an attention-getter, it can also be distracting and make it difficult to judge how far away you are. By the same token, commodity halogen bicycle headlights are easy for a motorist to glance over. It’s up to each individual cyclist to determine what they need, but in general, you’re either buying a headlight to see with, or buying a headlight to be seen. LED Vs. HID Vs. Halogen is practically a Holy War among cyclists who ride at night. All have benefits. Tail lights most commonly come in one form: The “Blinky”. This can be an array from one to more than a dozen LEDs with several flashing modes and a steady mode. They either mount with belt clips or under the seat. There are only a few exceptions to the rear tail light rule. Again, flashing lights can make it difficult for the motorist to tell how close you really are.

My current setup is a low-power (and long-lasting) halogen flood light, a more focused and bright halogen spot headlight, and two tail lights: one in flashing mode and one in steady mode. My bicycle has some reflective tape on it and DOT reflectors all around except on the clipless pedals, but many of my accessories also have reflective piping. I finish it off with an inexpensive construction worker reflective vest.

What are you doing to cope with the lack of sunlight as the days get shorter?

via Commute by Bike

New Cargo Bike Cooperateive in British Columbia

2008-09-04T11:27:00.006-04:00

In Vancouver, BC, a group of individuals have purchased a cargo bike, store it at a netural location, and take turns using it when they need it. GENIUS - Let's start a cargo bike coop in C-ville!
Read all about it.

Tokyo's High Tech Bike Storage Solution

2008-09-03T18:04:00.000-04:00

Bike Sharing Program at the DNC a HUGE Success

2008-09-03T17:55:00.001-04:00

Prepare Breakfast Whilst Commuting to Work: Waffle Bike

2008-09-03T09:56:00.000-04:00

Richmond's Buses Get an Overhaul - Now Wi-Fi Equipped!

2008-08-30T12:09:00.003-04:00

New express routes, comfier seats, and wireless Internet lures new bus ridership in Richmond.

Nationwide, bus ridership has increased by 3% in 2008.

Manitoba Man Bike Commutes 111 Miles a Day

2008-08-30T11:57:00.004-04:00

The ride takes Mike Caslor, a social worker, about 2.5 hours in each direction — as much as three hours when there's a strong Prairie headwind, he said.

Baltimore Orioles Players are Bike Commuters!

2008-08-28T11:15:00.003-04:00

The Baltimore Sun reports on how their ball players get to the park on two wheels!

Discover Transportation Freedom! Don't miss out!

2008-08-27T11:50:00.005-04:00

If you've missed the Discover Transportation Freedom events in your neighborhood, or if you are outside of the city boundaries and you want to participate (and want to have a chance to win $1700!), don't fret!

You can join us at any of our upcoming events, and we have two opportunities in the next two weeks.

Tenth transportation social and bike or bus ride -- Barracks Road Neighborhood
Date/Time: Friday, August 29, 6:00pm-8:00pm starting at Barracks Road Shopping Center

Talk about transportation a bit at Barnes & Noble at Barracks Road Shopping Center
Ride your bicycle or the bus from Barnes & Noble to UVA
And you may win $1700!!!

Eleventh transportation social and bike ride -- Johnson Village Neighborhood
Date/Time: Thursday, September 4, 6:00pm-7:00pm starting at Johnson Elementary School

Ride your bicycle from Johnson Elementary School to Forest Hills Park
Eat & talk about transportation a bit at a picnic at Forest Hills Park
And you may win $1700!!!

Please join us for one of these fun events and take your chances at winning $1700!! We will have similar events through the end of November -- keep updated by checking out our events calendar (on the sidebar and on the bottom of this webpage).

Thank you!!!

Zachary

Bike Move: Who Needs a Moving Truck?

2008-08-27T10:34:00.000-04:00

Electric Bicycle Sales up 6,000%

2008-08-26T11:56:00.002-04:00

According to the Associated Press

Summer Streets a success in New York

2008-08-25T21:48:00.002-04:00

Summer Streets a success in New York

For the last two weeks, NYC has experimented with an idea of making a major avenue in Manhattan car-free for no particular reason than for the enjoyment of residents and visitors. There were no streetfair vendors hawking $3 tube socks or blended drinks from noisy & polluting generators. Nor was there any excuse like the Marathon or a parade where only invited guests are allowed to run or walk down the middle of the streets.

http://local.theoildrum.com/node/4429

David Byrne Designs Bike Racks in NYC

2008-08-24T11:53:00.000-04:00

Gas Prices Up, Bike Sales Up

2008-08-24T09:30:00.002-04:00

The majority of retailers who responded to a Bikes Belong survey said their sales of transportation-related bicycles, accessories, and service have increased in 2008 compared to 2007:

* 73% said they are selling more bikes.
* 84% said they are selling more accessories.
* 88% said they are selling more service.

Is this increase in sales because of high gas prices? Most retailers who we surveyed think so:

* 95% of shops said customers cited high gas prices as a reason for their transportation-related purchases.
* 80% of retailers said gas prices were helping them sell more bikes for transportation.
* 86% thought accessory sales were getting a boost.
* 89% said they were selling more service because of high gas prices.

ACCT Bike Mentoring Program on the News!

2008-08-21T10:37:00.001-04:00

Activist seeks pedestrian bridge for Rivanna River by 2012

2008-08-21T10:23:00.004-04:00

Sean Tubbs outlines the potential for a pedestrian/cycling bridge crossing the Rivanna south of Free Bridge.

Cure Biker Block!

2008-08-21T10:19:00.000-04:00

If You Have Biker's Block:

by LHT Rider

It is a sad commentary on the culture we live in that so many of us are afraid to exercise our right to use the public roads in a non-polluting manner. Believe me, I know how you feel. I went from not riding my bicycle for many, many years and have since become a 4-season rider in the northern midwest. Here are some things that have helped me make the transition.

1. Set small, achievable, progressive challenges for yourself. Baby steps are important. See for yourself what you’re truly capable of and question your assumptions. If you are willing to test your preconceived notions, you might be surprised at the results.

2. Allow yourself to do what you need to in order to feel more comfortable. For example if the road immediately adjacent to your house is too scary, allow yourself to ride on the sidewalk for a short distance until you can get somewhere safer. This is legal in many communities. Just remember to: be nice - yield to pedestrians, be careful crossing driveways especially if you do not have a clear line of sight, and do not under any circumstances shoot out into intersections from the sidewalk as car drivers do not expect you to be there.

2. Get a mirror & learn how to use it. It’s much less scary if you know what’s coming up behind you. While some people have no problem just turning around to see what’s behind them while still maintaining a razor sharp straight line, a mirror allows you to check things out more quickly and without the risk of weaving (into traffic, the curb, a pothole etc.)

3. Plan your route. On a bicycle you would almost never take the exact same route as you would in a car (because that’s where all the cars are!). Your city may have a map of official bicycle routes (maybe even online!). This can be extremely helpful and make for a much more pleasant ride.

4. Educate yourself. Read up on how to ride in traffic or refresh your memory on the rules of the road. Learn how to use your gears. A bicycle should give you a mechanical advantage over walking. It doesn’t have to be hard (or racing fast). In addition, as Heather @ SGF says, think about what you’re afraid of happening & figure out what you would do if it actually happened. There’s lots of good advice out there on everything from gear to how to change a tire. (By the way, riding a bicycle really does not require spandex or lycra).

5. Be sure your bicycle fits you. (This is getting easier, but can be difficult for many women.) Also make sure it works properly. There may be adjustments or changes in equipment that can make your ride much more comfortable and enjoyable. I have only recently come to appreciate what an amazing difference tires can make in the of your ride. Think about getting a basket or pannier so that your bicycle can haul more than just you!

6. Demand cycling (and pedestrian) improvements and safety in your community. The only way it will get easier/better for cyclists is if we stand up and say that this is something we care about and should be a priority for where we live.

Will the U.S. Ever Bicycle Like the Rest of the World?

2008-08-21T09:59:00.004-04:00

Melinda Briana Epler asks the question at EnergyBulletin.net

Bike Commuting featured on NPR's Marketplace

2008-08-19T09:50:00.002-04:00

Week One with a Sport Utility Bike (S.U.B.)

2008-08-18T12:05:00.001-04:00

Fashion Helmets

2008-08-18T12:03:00.002-04:00

Coming soon to the USA!

ACCT is hiring!

2008-08-17T15:32:00.003-04:00

Click here for more information on a Project Manager position that begins September 8.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: AUGUST 30th

US Olympic Cyclist Takes on Chinese Bike Commuting

2008-08-15T15:11:00.002-04:00

There's a nice audio slide show of his adventures linked here.

Goofy is: Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Walker

2008-08-15T14:31:00.003-04:00

Goofy stars as a Jekyll and Hyde character, Mr. Walker/Mr. Wheeler. When he’s a pedestrian he’s mild-mannered and rational; when he’s a driver he’s mad and bad.

14 Cities Nationwide Considering Street Cars

2008-08-15T14:24:00.002-04:00

Another great NYT article about the need for alternative transportation nationwide.

Honor The Stop

2008-08-12T16:17:00.002-04:00

If you think that honoring all traffic laws while riding your bike can bridge the gap between driver and rider, you may enjoy HonorTheStop.org.

Tremendous New York Times Article on Bike Commuting

2008-08-12T16:01:00.001-04:00

Titled: "Moving Targets"

Write Senate to Encourage Alternative Transportation

2008-08-05T13:18:00.004-04:00

In June, the House passed H.R. 6052, the "Saving Energy Through Public Transportation Act," by a vote of 322 to 98. This bill would authorize emergency grants to mass transit authorities to expand services. While Americans are riding transit in record numbers, many transit agencies are cutting services due to rising fuel costs and declining funding.

When it returns from its August recess, the Senate needs to take action on comparable funding measures to ensure urgent improvement in public transportation, ridesharing, walking, cycling, and other travel options so Americans have travel choices at a time of $4 per gallon gas.

New Law in Small Illinois Town Approves Golf Cart Use on Roadways

2008-08-01T13:03:00.004-04:00

Click Here to watch the video on CNN Money.

RideCivil is Born

2008-08-01T11:17:00.002-04:00

In response to the recent Critical Mass bicycle ride violence in NYC and Seattle, BikeHugger has started "RideCivil."

RideCivil promots civility between motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. We signal and stop, smile and wave, ride 2 abreast and yeild to pedestrians. We won't be corking or blocking traffic, just safely cycling our city.

Virginia Wal-Mart Bans Bike Toting Cyclist

2008-07-30T13:11:00.001-04:00

So I generally choose not to patronize walmart for several moral reasons...but today I was in desperate need of some CD-Rs so I could mail a file to my university and the only place anywhere near me that sells them is Wally world. So I grudgingly got on my bike and made the 4 mile ride on some pretty dangerous roads only to find that they have no form of bike rack whatsoever. That's typical for this area so I've become used to just taking my bike into stores...in fact I usually use the basket on the back as a shopping cart.

So I walk into the walmart and the most evil grandmother I've ever met grabs my arm with her claws and says I can't bring it into the store. I explained to here there was nowhere outside to lock it up and that I had brought it into that particular store with no problem. She insisted that I had to leave it in the foyer and I calmly said that I wasn't going to leave a 600 dollar bike just sitting in the foyer and that I'd like to speak to her manager.

So the manager comes out and says I can't bring the bike into the store, so I explain to her that there are safe places for people who drive to lock their cars but there is no safe place for me to lock my mode of transportation. She says that I should have driven there I told her that I didn't own a car and that my bike was my only form of transportation and I couldn't risk having it stolen. She said I couldn't bring it in because they sell bikes in the store. So I said but those bikes don't look anything like this and this is clearly not a brand new bike, so why is that a problem. She insisted that for the safety of the other customers I couldn't bring it inside, so I asked her why she thought a bike controlled by an adult was more dangerous than a shopping cart being pushed around by someone's bratty kids. So she switched back to the excuse that they sell bikes in the store so I couldn't bring another bicycle in. I was starting to get really frustrated since I had ridden all the way there seemingly for no reason, so I asked her if they also sold shirts in the store. She said yes so I took off my jersey and said well then I'd better not bring this in either. She got kind of flustered and said that it was a different situation but couldn't explain why. So I said that if they also sold shorts in the store that I'd better not wear those in either and I took off my shorts. Same goes for the shoes and sunglasses. Now I'm standing there in my spandex and a sports bra and I ask here if I can leave my things behind the customer service counter where they will be safe until I finish making my purchases and she said that I couldn't come into the store without shoes on, to which i responded "but I certainly can't wear shoes into the store because you sell those here and someone might think I've stolen them." She threatened to call security if I didn't leave so I told her that I would never be coming back to that store again and that I was glad I hadn't driven there since the gas to go four miles was probably more expensive than what her underpaid employees make in an hour.

Her expression when the shirt came off was absolutely priceless...I was pretty tempted to take off the spandex too but I wasn't sure what constitutes indecent exposure in Virginia so I figured I'd err on the side of caution. Still I had a decent sized crowd gathered before the end of the discussion. Anybody else have issues with Satan's superstore?

Via BikeForums.net

7 Things Bike Commuting Can Teach You

2008-07-30T11:54:00.004-04:00

The Metric Century site shares 7 bike commuting revelations.

NYC Cop Plows Cyclist to the Ground

2008-07-29T13:52:00.003-04:00

See the slow-mo video at CNN.com

Cyclists and Drivers Make Eye Contact for Safety

2008-07-29T10:22:00.003-04:00

CommuteByBike.com has a good discussion going about when and how cyclists should try to make eye contact with drivers

Robert Novak Hits Pedestrian; Chased Down by Bike Commuter!

2008-07-28T15:16:00.004-04:00

Robert Novak tried to pull off a hit and run, good thing a bike commuting hero was there to perform a citizen's arrest!

A Simple Improvement to Bike Lane Safety

2008-07-25T13:08:00.003-04:00

As a biker in Charlottesville I am always interested in the many ways the city can improve bike infrastructure, increasing safety and convenience for both motorists and cyclists. While many improvements may be slow to arrive due to time, expense or feasibility, I was recently made aware of one such improvement that may require relatively little time and expense, and is certainly feasible.

Bike friendly cities such as Amsterdam and Portland have already implemented painted bicycle lanes and even cities not known to be particularly bike-friendly, such as New York City, have started to paint bicycle lanes (see the street in Brooklyn pictured above). Incidentally, New York City has even begun to add bicycle lanes physically separated from the street (9th Avenue being one of the first), a step that Charlottesville may eventually look to employ, though not necessarily using the same style or method. Though physical separation requires investment that the city might not be prepared to make at this time, painting the bike lanes might be an easy step to make the lanes more visible to drivers. A study from Portland (see here) shows that prior to painting bicycle lanes 71.7% of motorists properly yielded to bicyclists whereas post-painting the percentage increased to 92%. It certainly seems that this relatively inexpensive step might return real benefits in improved safety and awareness.

Finally, small improvements such as these are the first steps to drawing more citizens to cycling. While Charlottesville already boasts a bronze award for being a "Bicycle Friendly Community," safety is still an issue on my mind as well as, I'm sure, other cyclists. I would wager that the more community members see the city taking small but serious steps towards improving bike infrastructure, the more willing they would be to venture out and experience the benefits of cycling. Painting bicycle lanes is one easy step the city can implement to show our community it is serious about safe, alternative transportation.

More Passenger Trains to Stop in Cville (hopefully)

2008-07-23T14:57:00.007-04:00

By Rachana Dixit, Daily Progress

Published: July 22, 2008

A draft of Virginia’s Statewide Rail Plan recommends implementing a new passenger line with stops in Charlottesville as the first phase of the statewide TransDominion Express, with initial operations that would begin as early as 2010.

The plan was released last week by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, which examines all state transportation corridors to determine where improvements are needed. Public comment on the draft will be received until Aug. 25.

The passenger line — listed in the plan as a potential rail investment location — would add up to two roundtrip trains per day from Lynchburg to Washington, D.C., with stops in Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas and Alexandria. The TransDominion Express, a four-phase venture for which the General Assembly has already earmarked $9.3 million, is a $206 million project that includes expanded service to Richmond, Roanoke and Bristol.

“What’s in the plan is completely consistent with what we had hoped for,” said Meredith Richards, chairwoman of the Piedmont Rail Coalition and a former city councilor. Richards and the coalition have been longtime advocates for increasing train stops in Charlottesville, and 21 area governmental bodies and other organizations recently signed a resolution declaring support for the Lynchburg to Washington line.

“I think the public pressure is going to result in major public investments in rail,” Richards said. Currently, 20 passenger trains run through Charlottesville per week, compared to Lynchburg’s 14 and Richmond’s 126.

Growing ridership demand is one of the reasons the plan cites for adding the new service. According to a 2007 Virginia Amtrak ridership report, last year there were about 48,000 boardings — riders getting on and off a train — from Charlottesville’s West Main Street station.

With no service improvements, the annual Amtrak ridership between the Washington area and Lynchburg is estimated to be between 71,800 and 90,900 by 2030, according to the Statewide Rail Plan report.

If two daily roundtrip trains were added, annual ridership would increase to between 152,800 and 193,300 by 2030.

But for the new TransDominion project to come to fruition, the plan notes that a public-private partnership between the state, Norfolk Southern, Amtrak and federal partners is required. Three of Norfolk Southern’s corridors, including the Crescent that runs through Charlottesville, would be included in the project.

Obtaining funding is an obstacle for the project, since the Lynchburg to Washington line alone would cost the state an additional $1.9 million per year.

In a letter written to Richards, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said his administration “is committed to improving both passenger and freight rail service in the commonwealth,” but no funding sources exist to fund the project.

Richards said a clear funding source has not been defined and the schedule for when the service would start also remains uncertain. Kaine proposed transportation funding legislation during the General Assembly’s recent special session, but it was not passed.

“We don’t really know what they have in mind,” Richards said, referring to the General Assembly.

Zachary Shahan, executive director of the Charlottesville-based Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation, said getting communities to discuss rail options can be difficult.

“It’s hard to get a lot of people behind the initial investment of rail,” Shahan said. But he added that discussion is increasing for multiple reasons, including rising fuel costs and reducing the country’s carbon footprint.

“I think people are starting to come back to it a bit, but there are varied views on this,” Shahan said. “With the trajectory of things it’s only going to become more and more likely.”

To consistently fund and expand rail service, Richards said it would require a whole new paradigm from the state — recognizing the importance of passenger rail and how it contributes to long-term transportation goals.

“That is a big hurdle politically for us to climb,” she said.

Officials at the state rail and public transportation department did not return calls before deadline.

More Hard Surfaced Trails for C-ville (hopefully)

2008-07-23T11:52:00.004-04:00

The city has about 5 miles of soft-surface trails — made from dirt or stone dust — and 3.5 miles of hard-surface trails, excluding the Rivanna trail network.

The city’s goal is to build 10 more trail miles by 2015. Increasing the network is partly a result of recommendations from the city’s Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan, adopted by City Council in 2003.

“We’re not just grabbing at thin air in terms of trying to plan,” Svetz said.

Four of the 10 upcoming trails are planned to go near Moore’s Creek and others are planned on Emmet Street, the future Meadowcreek Parkway and near Pen Park, but the city does not own much of the land away from city streets.

Svetz said the city is looking into either purchasing the land or obtaining easements, but the situation has created some unwanted obstacles for trail development. Land purchases will ultimately be decided by City Council.

“If we were able to do it from scratch, that’s one thing,” Svetz said. “We’re dealing with a lot of private properties.”

Construction of all proposed trails is planned to begin by 2011, with many set for this year and 2009. But available funding could also become an obstacle.

Though the city is good to go for the next five years, the project will need to remain in the city’s Capital Improvement Program for two more years in order to complete the trail network by its 2015 target date. And Svetz said trail building is expensive due to material, labor and possible land costs — even the trail at Schenck’s Greenway, a quarter-mile path that runs along Schenck’s Branch Creek between Preston Avenue and the C’ville Coffee shopping center at Harris Street, cost $25,000 to build.

Some in the community think the area is begging for more trails, and having them may ultimately change residents’ transportation habits.

John Holden, vice president of the Rivanna Trails Foundation, said the 20-mile Rivanna network should be better connected with city trails.

“There’s an attempt to connect them all,” he said. “Everywhere needs more trails.”

Zachary Shahan, executive director of the Charlottesville-based Alliance for Community Choice in Transportation, thinks the city’s trail network is limited and is in need of more development. According to the 2000 census, nearly 2 percent of Charlottesville residents biked to work — about five times the national average — and 16 percent of employed people older than 18 walked to work.

“It’s decent compared to other places in the United States, but we would like to make it a much more common mode of transportation here,” Shahan said. But he added, “It’s hard to change habits. You sort of have to go beyond what’s needed.”

via Rachana Dixit, Daily Progress

Live Well Without Owning a Car

2008-07-23T09:50:00.003-04:00

The Today Show interviewed the author of this tremendous new book

ACCT Newsletter, Summer 2008

2008-07-23T01:19:00.010-04:00

ACCT's summer newsletter is fresh off the printers (or not yet to the printers, actually). You can have the first look by clicking this link!

There are articles about Charlottesville's new designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community (at the Bronze level), a new Bike Mentor program for the area, a major new grant from VDOT to create Safe Routes to School Plans for Charlottesville and Albemarle, middle of the year reflections on the Discover Transportation Freedom program, all the new and renewed ACCT members, and other things!

Click here to read now!

Hungarian Bike to Work Commercial

2008-07-22T17:04:00.001-04:00

I Love Driving

2008-07-22T15:01:00.002-04:00

Are We Changing? TIP Comments

2008-07-22T12:23:00.007-04:00

We are faced with critical issues in our world today that society and humankind has never had to deal with.

Are we making the changes to deal with them?!!!

The 2000 World Petroleum Assessment (by the US Geologic Survey) identified that the United States, with 4.5 percent of world population and 2.7 percent of its oil reserves (including ANWR), uses 26 percent of the world’s daily consumption of oil. As I repeat every chance I get, according to climate experts, we need to reduce greenhouse gases to 60 to 80% below the 1990 level by 2050 to somewhat adequately deal with the global climate change issue we are facing. The transportation sector accounts for approximately 27-33% of GHG emissions in the United States, 61% of which are from automobiles and light duty trucks. According to a US Department of Energy from 2005, the transportation sector is the largest and fastest growing contributor to GHGs in the country.

The recent Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the region brought to my attention, in a general sense, just how little we are changing our planning process to address these issues.

We are still planning for auto mobility, creating token changes to our infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists. We are still encouraging automobile transportation as if we were living in the 1950s.

Here is a link to our comments on the TIP.

And here is a link to Cville Tomorrow's coverage of the MPO Policy Board meeting where this was covered (including mention of our comments).

Thank you for reading!

Roads Closed, but Open!

2008-07-21T21:31:00.003-04:00

If you don't visit The Oil Drum, you may not have seen this great video report on roads closed off to motor vehicles for a day in Portland, Oregon, to allow people to bike, walk, rollerblade and jog without worrying about traffic.

http://local.theoildrum.com/node/4294

On the Climate Protection subcommittee of the city's Sustainability Task Force we are working up a plan to present to the City to do something similar.

Bike Commuting Media Blitz!

2008-07-21T13:36:00.005-04:00

Bikes Belong prepared a great collection of all the recent Bike Commuting News Stories

C-ville Gets $328k for Walking & Biking to School

2008-07-21T10:15:00.006-04:00

Charlottesville has received $328,280 from the state to make safer routes to school!

More coverage by CBS19 here as well.

Excuse me, Mr. Gore...

2008-07-19T16:28:00.003-04:00

Open Letter to Al Gore
July 20, 2008

Dear Mr. Gore:

Again, I find myself excited that you’re promoting dealing with Global Warming by merging thinking on foreign policy, pollution, human behavior and health but I wonder why you seem to insist upon not “walking your talk.”

Since the publication of “Earth in the Balance” in 1992, for example, why haven’t you insulated and otherwise “greened” your Tennessee home? That was, after all, 16 years ago. Even now, after “An Inconvenient Truth” and your Nobel Prize, you still insist upon appearing at your speeches in three gas-guzzling Lincoln Town Cars (as reported in the July 20, 2008 Washington Post).

If your entourage is so large – why? – that you need three cars, why not utilize one fuel cell or electric bus or, better yet, take mass transit?

You lost my vote in 2000, Mr. Gore, when you demanded President Clinton release the Strategic Oil Reserve – America’s sole success in our continual drive for energy independence – when gasoline prices spiked at $1.81 a gallon. I was again ready to support you if you’d have decided on a 2008 presidential run but then, sir, you didn’t mention personal automobiles in your Nobel acceptance speech. Certainly, you know, Mr. Gore, that America produces almost half of the world's automotive CO2 while having only 2.7 percent of the world's oil reserves and 4.5 percent of the planet's population. Certainly, you know that transportation emits the most greenhouse gas in the economy yet produces only 11 percent of GDP. Certainly, you know that industry and commerce have decreased their CO2 emissions relative to gross domestic product by 23 percent since 1990.

With your background, Mr. Gore, you must know that America's 250 million vehicles are our primary greenhouse problem.

Still with your alleged commitment to the environment, you drive a small convoy of gas guzzlers to get around? Why, Mr Gore, do you continue to give so much ammunition to those who don’t believe Global Warming and Peak Oil are real phenomena?

Salz