Providence Bicycle Coalition (PBC)
| December 2, 2007 | ||
| 10:00 am | to | 3:00 pm |
Providence Bicycle will be having its first ever Bike Swap on Sunday December 2nd from 10am until 3pm. If you have some excess gear to sell (table space is free) or are looking for some great deals then you shouldn’t miss this event.
About a month ago, we posted a copy of our letter to Director Williams. We scanned a copy of his response letter, so everyone could take a read. Unfortunately, it seemed to be a pretty boiler plate response. A large portion of the letter focused on bike trails
… we have nearly 50 miles of bikeway completed across the state and another 40 miles under planning/design
As many transportation cyclists know, bikepaths are often not a practical option for transportation cyclists. Don’t get me wrong, they are an absolutely great place to take a weekend ride with my family. If you are trying to get somewhere fast, they are not the place to be. Director Williams also mentioned RIDOTs efforts to accommodate bicycles on roads
Our road projects accommodate bicycles where possible. Whenever we resurface a roadway, we always consider providing a wider, more bicycle tolerant shoulder. We have bike lanes on Allens Avenue and Promenade Street in Providence.
I think this statement shows RIDOT’s default position on bicycles; they are not full fledged vehicles and should be pushed off to the shoulder. Unfortunately, there is not even a mention of making an effort to better maintain the shoulders (cleaning, cracks, etc.) nor does it state the fact that storm drains and other obstacles are frequently placed in these “lanes”. I think it’s also telling that throughout the entire state of RI, there are only two streets with bicycle lanes.
Hardly a day goes by in the news now that you don’t hear something about global warming, obesity, or traffic congestion. When is RI going to wake up and realize that public transportation is important and that there are other users of the roadways than just automobiles?
I just heard a piece on NPR that discussed a new report out by a coalition of New England States and Canada. The bottom line is that RI scored a C+ ranking:
Over the past year Rhode Island made improvements in reducing global warming pollution from the electricity sector by joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and implementing for the first time an efficiency program for the state’s natural gas users.
However, the report card made clear that much more can be done. In particular, Rhode Island needs a comprehensive and enforceable plan to achieve pollution reductions on the order of 20% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. To achieve those kinds of reductions Rhode Island must get serious about reducing emissions from the transportation sector– the largest contributor to warming pollution in the state.
“While we have made some progress, Rhode Island needs solutions as big as the problem global warming presents,” said Denise Parrillo, Campaign Organizer from Clean Water Action. “It’s time we legislate 80% reductions in global warming pollution by the year 2050. These are the reductions scientists say are necessary.”
The Report Card not only gauges how well the states and provinces are implementing global warming policies but also whether or not they are on track to meet the 2010 pollution reduction target. Rhode Island is failing, according to emissions data. If Rhode Island is to stabilize and then decrease its amount of carbon dioxide pollution, stronger and more comprehensive legislation must be passed.
Rhode Island’s score reflects real steps to reduce global warming pollution but also the need for broader action across the board, especially in the transportation sector, if we are to achieve the goals set by the Governors and avert the devastating impacts climate change will have on the state’s coast and inland environment,” said Cynthia Giles, Director of the Conservation Law Foundation Rhode Island Advocacy Center.
There is growing public support for legislation calling for more action. On November 5, 2007, hundreds of Rhode Islanders flocked to Roger William Park Zoo for the kick off of the GO BIG little rhody campaign, which calls for 80% reductions in warming pollution by 2050.
Rhode Island needs a comprehensive plan to fight global warming that matches what climate scientists say we must do avoid the worst impacts of global warming,” said Matt Auten, Advocate with Environment Rhode Island. “That’s why more than 25 organizations and hundreds of Rhode Island>ers have joined the GO BIG little rhody campaign to mandate 80% reductions by 2050.”
Rhode Island’s policy grade of a C+ ties it with Newfoundland and Labrador. Quebec received a B+, the region’s highest grade. New Hampshire received the lowest, a C-.
The state received a C+ last year and a B- in 2005.
In June of this year, all of the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers recommitted to the 2001 regional climate agreement The agreement outlines global warming policies the states and provinces should be implementing and commits the region to the following goals:
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2010
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10% below 1990 levels by 2020.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75-85% in the long-term.
The NPR story in particular mentioned a need for better public transit and an increase for bicycle infrastructure. I’ll see if I can hunt down a link to the NPR story as well.
Our very own Jack Madden wrote the following letter to the editor of the Projo
The frustrating gridlock that has resulted from the recent opening of Phase 1 of the “Iway” project should be no surprise to those who plan our roads and spend our tax dollars. Large civil projects such as this are great for bringing federal money into the state and for making our skyline more impressive to gaze upon, but do nothing for the future of Rhode Island but guarantee future traffic jams and poor air quality.
The single-occupancy vehicle, which many of us rely on to get from our homes in the suburbs to our offices in the city, is a mode of transportation that cannot be sustained for the long term. When will the State House shed this 1950s mentality and promote a balanced transportation system, including light rail, bicycles and a RIPTA bus system with sufficient funds?
The hundreds of millions of dollars that we have spent on this one-mile section of roadway is a case of putting all of our eggs in the same old basket. From the failures of other such projects across the U.S. to alleviate the increase in congestion and fossil-fuel consumption, we should know better than to think this huge investment will have any lasting benefit to future generations of Rhode Islanders.
JACK MADDEN
Providence
The NYTimes had a recent article discussing the impact cycling has had on the economy of Portland, Or. While the article says that
Mia Birk, a former city employee who helped lead Portland’s efforts to expand cycling in the 1990s, said the original goals were rooted in environmental and public health, not the economy.
the results have had a significant, positive, economic impact as well.
In a report for the City of Portland last year, the firm estimated that 600 to 800 people worked in the cycling industry in some form. A decade earlier, Ms. Birk said in an interview, the number would have been more like 200 and made up almost entirely of employees at retail bike stores.
It does seem Providence has many of the same traits as Portland, a high density of artistic and eco-minded small business owners. Hopefully, we can help motivate the city to realize the benefits that can come from a great cycling infrastructure and culture. I’d love to see someone at the Providence government level come out and say something as forward thinking as Sam Adams, a city commissioner in charge of transportation:
“Our intentions are to be as sustainable a city as possible,” Mr. Adams said. “That means socially, that means environmentally and that means economically. The bike is great on all three of those factors. You just can’t get a better transportation return on your investment than you get with promoting bicycling.”
I’d encourage everyone to read the entire article, even though you do have to deal with the NYTimes login issues, it is an encouraging piece. As an aside, if you don’t know about BugMeNot, it’s a great service for dealing with those pesky websites that really shouldn’t require you to log in.
The Projo had a recent article about how the Bristol Town Council is considering building some bathrooms at the end of the East Bay Bike Path. For those of us who commute via the bike path, this would be a welcome addition. Hopefully, other towns along the path will follow suite, especially at the Northern end of the path.
Providence Bicycle is planning some winter clinics, including:
All clinics TBA. Check the Providence Bicycle website or our events section for future announcements.
The Seattle City Council unanimously approved a plan Monday to create 118 miles of new bike lanes and 19 miles of trails in the city. Census figures show about 2 percent of workers traveled to work via bike in 2000 and advocates say that number has risen to 2.5 percent since. But bike commuting is on the rise. A new city report said that on Sept. 19, at least 2,273 cyclists entered downtown Seattle — nearly one-third more than in 2000. Mayor Greg Nickels (D) said the 10-year Bicycle Master Plan will hopefully triple commuter cycling in the city. “It’s aggressive,” City Councilmember Jan Drago said. “The best thing about it is we’ve got money to implement it. It’s not just sitting on a shelf.”
The city has budgeted $27 million for cycling projects out of a $365 million transportation levy voters approved last fall (Mike Lindblom, Seattle Times, Nov. 6).
If you haven’t heard of the San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition you don’t know what you are missing!
The SLO County Bicycle Coalition is proud to announce a new phase of its Share the Road campaign with a set of TV spots to broadcast countywide. The new public service announcements hope to encourage civility among bicyclists and motorists and to better educate the public on safe and responsible behavior on our roadways.
You can read the entire announcement on their website or cut to the chase and view the videos I linked in below
| November 8, 2007 | ||
| 7:00 pm | to | 9:00 pm |
Smart Growth Workshop - On November 8 from 7:00-9:00 p.m., the Essex County Forum is holding the free workshop, Moving Toward Smart Growth, at Beverly Public Library. This workshop will explore tools to provide transportation options and encourage pedestrian and bicycle travel. Advanced registration is required. For details, see the workshop brochure.