Bike &Walk Ithaca

This year’s Earth Hour Night Ride will take place on March 27.

Meet at about 7:45 pm near the Cass Park Turtle.

After getting acquainted, adjusting our lights, blinkies, and reflectors, and checking in on why we’re doing it, we will take a leisurely ride around the Waterfront Trail. When we get back to the Turtle, those who want to extend the evening (and who have lights and skills for riding at night through the city) will take the path over to State/Martin Luther King Street, and ride to the Commons. There, we’ll assemble for some more schmoozing and beverages — the precise location TBA.

Last Year’s Ride

Well, it was a year ago that we did our first Earth Hour Night Ride. Steve Powell shot a bit of video of us all riding out of the parking area, but I never figured out how to post it. So, here goes. By the way, as far as I can tell, everybody has a light. Let’s get a lot more people out there this year!

earth-hour-ride

A reply from the British Columbia Minister of Transportation

Last summer (2009) I had some unpleasant experiences with rumble strips in British Columbia while doing a bike tour around the Glacier and Waterton national parks. For an interminable part of the route in BC, we were caught in a narrow, hazard-ridden path between a ferocious rumble strip on the left and some even worse hazard on the right. It was possible to ride, but it made me nervous and on occasion demanded that I face the bucking of the rumbler. When we got to Fernie, we got into a conversation with some local folks who turned out to be cyclists and, on the topic of rumble strips, they begged us to write to their authorities to register our complaints. They were particularly despondent because their main annual ride had been canceled because too many of the participants felt the roads were too hazardous. (The photo shows a rumble-stripped stretch at its very best.) Well, I wrote various government agencies and officials — including, impudently, the premier of the province. Yesterday, I got a response from the BC Minister of Transportation, Shirley Bond.  Read the rest of this entry »

This news comes from the New York Bicycling Coalition newsletter. Jimminy Peak is located just across the eastern border of New York State. Traditionally, bike racers make an early season weekend of it by racing at Jimminy Peak on Saturday and then coming to do the Hollenbeck Classic on Sunday here in Virgil. About 50% of the mileage of the Virgil race is on state highways that would probably be designated for the rumble treatment.

Jiminy Peak Road Race Cancelled Due to Added Rumble Strips

The highly popular Jiminy Peak Road Race, regarded as a spring classic in New England and regularly drawing racers from all over the Northeast–including professionals and amateurs from some of America’s top teams–has been cancelled due to State DOT installation rumble strips on SR 7. Divots and deflectors added to the center line were also cited: “The feeling is that the safety additions for cars make it unsafe for bikes.” Read the rest of this entry »

Sunday, December 20, 1:00 pm
Cass Park to the Commons

Meet in the parking area near the Turtle in Cass Park.
If there is precipitation, we can gather under the pavilion.

It’s time once again for the Shortest Ride on the Shortest Day, a celebration of cycling and friendship, an affirmation that every day is a good day for a ride. Sponsored by both Bike Ithaca and Bike It, we’re looking to surpass last year’s distance by riding a full two miles this time.

Last year, we were riding in the aftermath of a pretty good snowstorm (see photos), but it only made the day more fun. Everyone is invited to join us. No special bikes, skills, or  clothes are required. We’ll stay together safely as a group (or several small groups) and ride from Cass Park to Gimme Coffee on State St., using the Waterfront Trail and the public streets; then, looping past Gimme on Cayuga St, we will arrive at our destination at the Commons via Tioga St. It will be great to sit around for a while in CTB, warm up, hear more about the ride to Detroit in June as welll as other rides coming up.

One of the themes of the Tour de Solstice is to demonstrate ways of adapting to cold weather cycling. If you’ve thought about using your bike more — commuting, shopping, doing errands or just riding for exercise and fun — you’ll meet people who have done all those things and can offer sound advice. All of us can share tips and experiences along the ride.

This year’s event is jointly sponsored by “Bike Ithaca” and “BIKE It,” a project aimed at getting people from all over the country to bike to Detroit next June for the US Social Forum. Visit bikeit.org to see what’s up. BikeIT’s organizer, Claire Stoschek will give us an update on plans and opportunities.

All our cycling must at all times follow the rules of the road — stop for traffic signals, stay off sidewalks, signal turns, etc. In addition, participants in these activities must wear an approved cycling helmet.

Recently there was a “leaked” report that the New York State DOT is about to revise its policy regarding the installation of rumble strips along state roads — whereas previously rumblestrips were an option to be considered, henceforth rumble strips will be default, to be added to every road project unless otherwise specified.

I found it a really disturbing prospect and expected cyclists around me to rise in protest. But no such protest seems to be materializing; most people I’ve talked to have said it’s not a big deal; if there is sufficient space left Read the rest of this entry »

In October, Andy Goodell prepared a short survey for Ithaca cyclists to gather information about their use of the newly installed bike lanes and their views regarding further development of cycling facilities. The results:

Survey questions sent to the Finger Lakes Cycling Club October 16, 2009
14 responses

1. Have you used this bike lane? If so, how much?
The average was a few times per week, split between a occasional riders and frequent commuters. Read the rest of this entry »

This is Andy Goodell’s summary of discussion regarding the “Cheese Grater Bridge” at the BPAC meeting on 11/19/09.

We spent a looong time discussing the bridge on Clinton St last night. Several options were discussed, and there was no straightforward action that can be taken to fix the problem, but there are some things that can be done. Essentially, this bridge has been in place for at least a few decades with very few issues reported (reported being the key word here) so there had been some reluctance to put a lot of money into it for the last 2 years of its life. Obviously, the two known incidents this year are tragic enough that many are concerned about this bridge. Read the rest of this entry »

Dave Nutter, a very-long-term cycling advocate and member of Ithaca’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council, has introduced a resolution to be passed by BPAC. It fulfills the committee’s mandate to advocate on behalf of cyclists and pedestrians. The text of the resolution is below Dave’s remarks.

Riders don’t just fall on the East Clinton Street bridge.  They are maimed. It has happened repeatedly, but because no tickets are issued there is seldom a record.  As IPD has indicated, and as we now see, there is a real and ongoing hazard.  Read the rest of this entry »

At its October meeting Ithaca’s BPAC passsed four resolutions:

• BPAC Request for Curb to Curb Plowing of Streets With Bicycle Lanes
• BPAC Statement Regarding the Bike Lanes in the City of Ithaca
• BPAC Request for Enforcement of Parking Regulations Proximate to Bike Lanes
• BPAC Request for Pedestrian Protection at Intersections in Ithaca’s West End

A PDF file of these resolutions can be downloaded: October 2009 Resolutions

As a plain text document: BPAC resolutions 2009_10

Read the rest of this entry »

Steve Powell (pictured) and I spent a couple pleasant hours on the sunny Ithaca Commons today, telling people about our bikes and bike tours and answering questions. There were other tables set up with info about Tompkins Share, Cornell’s high-efficiency car program, and several other organizations with relevance to a more sustainable way of life on a small planet. It was really fun talking to the many people who came to affirm their commitment to sensible and sustainable living. Surprising, though, was how many reported that they had biked a lot until their bike was stolen — what’s with that? Read the rest of this entry »