Setting Our Focus for the Coming Year

Our September BikeCNY meeting is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, September 15th, at 5:45 in the upstairs meeting room at Beauchamp Library.  Beauchamp is on E. Colvin Street at the corner of S. Salina.

As a group whose purpose is to advocate for improvements in cycling infrastructure, we see much work to do. The focus of this meeting is to prioritize our activities and set goals for the coming months and, possibly, years. Some of the issues before us are–

• more bicycle infrastructure, including bike lanes for Euclid, connecting existing bike infrastructure, Creek Walk phase 2, Canal Trails
• increased safety through better infrastructure, such as adding bike boxes, bike traffic lights
• education of bicyclists and other road users, including news editorials, bike rodeos, bicycle commuter training
• Bike Month 2016 events
• be an advisory committee to the new city transportation planner and DPW/traffic planning
• assist the city in applying for Bike Friendly City status
• collaborate with other groups who are promoting bike safety, bike infrastructure, etc.

You may have other ideas. Please join us to share your thoughts and concerns.

New App Tracks Bike Use for Advocacy

Bikes vs Cars is a new movie that is now premiering at events around the world.  I participated in funding its production through kickstarter and was excited to see it in a pre-release period a few months ago.

As part of Bikes vs Cars’ overall objective of increasing ridership and safer conditions for doing so, they have set up a way to collect data from riders using several existing apps as well as their own.

The data can be used to demonstrate location and frequency of trips by bike to planners and politicians.

If you would like to use this or pass it along, please read through the information on this page and pass it on!

http://bikedataproject.com/

Ride for Euclid Bike Lanes

Just found this posted to our Facebook page:

The rumor is that there will be a mass ride on Saturday, March 28th to demonstrate support for installing real bike lanes on Euclid Ave. If you are interested in showing your support, ride over to the corner of Euclid and Westcott at 10AM. The route is supposed to be short, and the cyclists are supposed to be obey all traffic laws. Please pass it on, post on all your lists, share, like, and so on.

What a great idea!  Please share widely.  And please join in!

Sustainability and the Interstate 81 Challenge

Green Bag Lunch

Date & Time: March 6; Noon – 1:30 pm

Location: Syracuse Center of Excellence
727 East Washington Street, Room 203

Confirmed Panelists to date:
Robert Haley, AIA, Architect, Urban Design Center
Peter Sarver, Moving People Transportation Coalition

This Event is Free.
Attendees are welcome to bring their Green Bag Lunch!
Seating is limited. Registration Required

GreeningUSA and the Syracuse Center of Excellence Center for Sustainable Community Solutions invite community members and experts to participate and be recognized for their contributions to any of the 12 Traits of Sustainability!

You will help our community move toward sustainability, while helping to create a model for communities across the country to use!

Tomorrow: Advocates Ask Albany to Guarantee Bike/Ped Funds | Streetsblog New York City

Two BikeCNY members are hoping to make it to this event. May the snow and wind stop.

Tomorrow: Advocates Ask Albany to Guarantee Bike/Ped Funds | Streetsblog New York City.

Bike Boxes in Rochester – YouTube

Advocacy Day

Active Transportation Advocacy Day

Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Concourse – Empire State Plaza

Registration Ends Today!!

Join the New Yorkers for Active Transportation (NY4AT) coalition in meetings with our state senators and assembly members to tell them all New Yorkers, regardless of age or ability, need access to trails and community infrastructure that supports safe and healthy biking and walking.

Just REGISTER and then show up at the Concourse at the Empire State Plaza in Albany on Tuesday, February 3 at 9:00 a.m. for bagels and coffee. (We’ll send a more detailed agenda and a room location as we approach February 3.)

Begin with a morning briefing with experienced active transportation advocates, legislators, and staff from State transportation agencies. Following the morning program, you’ll join a team of fellow active transportation supporters in meetings with legislators throughout the day.

There is no cost to participate, but registration is required. Prior to Advocacy Day, we will email you your legislative appointments, team assignments, background information and talking points.

Stand Up for Biking and Walking in New York!
Register Today!

New Yorkers for Active Transportation (NY4AT) is a coalition dedicated to achieving equitable funding and policy for non-motorized transportation, including complete streets, community multi-use trails, and safer and increased levels of bicycling and walking in New York’s cities, villages, and towns. The coalition is coordinated by New York Bicycling Coalition, Tri State Transportation Campaign and Parks and Trails New York.

If you have questions about this campaign, please contact NYBC by phone at 518-436-0889 or email at nybc@nybc.net.

Hearing on University Hill Bike Lanes Project

Many of us already know that there is a hearing scheduled by the Syracuse Common Council Public Works Committee for Wednesday, January 28 at 5:30pm in the Common Council Chambers to hear comments from the public. We have the following additional information about the current funding in question and the full scope of the project. Here it is:

Authorize – Consultant Agreement with C&S Companies for Scoping and Preliminary Design Services for University Hill Bike Network Implementation Project, PIN 3755.26, in an amount not to exceed $141,000 from Account #107.01043.0.000. To be paid on a time and expense basis for all services required. City is to incur all initial costs with subsequent 80% reimbursement from the Federal government.

PIN 3755.26 – The University Hill Bike Network Implementation Project will reduce the number of vehicles lanes and incorporate a cycle track or road diets along South Crouse Ave, Waverly Ave and Comstock Ave from East Genesee St to Euclid Ave. It is currently scheduled for a February 2016 Contract Award and Construction is set to be completed by June of 2016. The programmed construction cost is nearly $1 million. Most of its cost will come from Federal and State Funds.

Biking in Syracuse in the Winter

An article just appeared in the Syracuse New Times about cycling in the winter in Syracuse. Here it is: http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/two-wheeling-tundra/

Wow! Pittsburgh’s Bike/Ped/Transit-friendly Mayor

From the description by the creators of this video:

Pittsburgh’s Mayor Peduto Wants to “Leapfrog” Your City in Bicycling & Livability

from STREETFILMS on Vimeo.

Mayor Bill Peduto is putting the rest of the United States on notice. His city is on the rise and he fully intends on implementing bicycling, walking and complete streets policies that enhance and make his city more attractive to young talent and business. For the first time in over half a century, Pittsburgh is expecting an increase in residents as the trend in the number of people moving back to cities grows.

In September, the ProWalk ProBike ProPlace conference took place in Pittsburgh and the energy of the city was on display as was Mayor Peduto, who was very active at the event. The hope local advocates have for the mayor is apparent as Pittsburgh has implemented its first true protected bike lanes downtown and is looking to create a more multi-modal city that more fairly balances transportation modes.

When talking with the Mayor it's immediately obvious how well-versed in urbanism and the history of cities he is. Even so, he went on a study tour with The Green Lane Project to experience some of the best bicycling in Denmark this past summer.

Our interview with Mayor Peduto touches on quite a few topics of Streetfilms' audience will love. There is a real momentum: cities across the country have been electing mayors who understand one of the keys to growing a city is having equitable transportation policies that work for all people.