Chicago Plans Its First Cycle Track

Just a few days ago I wrote about the Chicago's results of their bike count, and the success of their investments in infrastructure has proven to provide higher rates of ridership. With these successes, a new type of bike lane is being designed for Chicago to boost the confidence of cyclists that is safe to ride on streets without fear of being struck by vehicles.

The special lane is called a cycle track, and it's unlike the regular marked bicycle lanes that run next to vehicle traffic lanes and are separated only by paint on pavement. The key to a cycle track is a physical barricade, such as a construction Jersey barrier or a raised concrete planter box located to the left of the bikes-only lane. The curb or a sidewalk would exist to the right of the cycle track, and all motorized vehicles — whether moving or parked — would be on the left of the cycle track barricade.

The Chicago Department of Transportation received a $3.2 million federal grant to build and test a cycle track. A section of Stony Island Avenue, between 69th and 77th streets, was selected for the experiment.
The cycle track will be wider than a traditional 5-foot bike lane to provide space for whatever type of concrete barrier is chosen, officials said. The Stony Island cycle track would be the first in Chicago. Cycle tracks are becoming increasingly common in other bicycle-friendly cities as a tool to encourage more travel by bike and less car use, especially on shorter trips.

Studies have shown that the vast majority of people who bicycle restrict themselves to off-street bike trails because of fears about riding in traffic. Cycle tracks will open up the streets to more than die-hard urban bicyclists. The perception of traffic danger is the No. 1 reason people cite for not biking on streets. Cycle tracks have become popular among motorists too. Drivers say they don't have to worry about passing up bicyclists or getting tangled up with cyclists who weave from lane to lane and ignore traffic laws.

Stony Island was chosen for the test because it is four lanes in each direction on the roughly mile long stretch between 69th and 77th, providing ample right-of-way to build the bikeway without restricting traffic flow. The cycle count study showed that there is already a lot of bicycling on the route, and they envision the cycle track as being a good connection to Jackson Park, the lakefront and the larger bike network in the city.

Malicious Crash at Brazilian Critical Mass

Cyclists around the world have been gathering on the last Friday night of the month for years, in an event that is called Critical Mass. On Friday night an angry motorist mowed down a group of about 150 people on bicycles riding for Critical Mass in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The motorist accelerated his vehicle directly through the group of riders, injuring about 20 riders and sending 8 victims to the hospital ER with at least one victim still remaining hospitalized in serious condition.

This callous cold blooded attempted murder hasn’t seemed to make the news outside of Brazil, so here are some quotes translated from Brazil news agencies:
From the YouTube video:

"I am here at the Critical Mass ride. A car just ran over with the entire critical mass ride. At full speed! A black VW Golf. He hit everybody!! Are you seeing this?!
What a horrible thing... oh my GOD. Someone call the police, call the ambulance
Police! Call the Police!! The Ambulance!
Everyone is scared, son.
A car hit the whole, entire Critical Mass ride!! At full speed.
Voice: What's going on?
This is the most horrible thing I've ever seen! I cannot believe"

Here is a first-hand video showing the Volkswagen Golf ploughing through the group of bicyclists (scroll to 0:52). WARNING: This is an extremely graphic and up-close video of this terrible incident:

According to the latest reports, they are still looking for the driver of the Volkswagen who went into hiding after abandoning his car shortly after the incident.

“The Civil Police expect the driver who ran over at least 20 riders in the Lower City district late on Friday to submit voluntarily next week. The owner of the vehicle involved has been identified.”

Here is a photo of the Volkswagen that was found after the incident:

Upon reaching the corner of Rua Luiz Afonso, the driver of a black Golf, who was driving behind the group since the beginning of the track, would have accelerated, hitting cyclists.

“The car passed by my side, it was a horrible scene.There were people being thrown all sides” - tells the rider.

Here are some videos of the deliberate callous murder attempt by the driver of the Volkswagen (thanks to Tino from Bike Lane Diary):

Here are some other news articles about the incident translated to English:
Sul21 – Group of cyclists is hit in the central region of Porto Alegre
Radio Guaiba – Driver flees after running over cyclists in the Lower City
Verbicide Magazine blog – Tragedy at Critical Mass Bike Ride in Porto Alegre, Brazil

Chicago's Bike Improvements are Paying Off with Higher Ridership

Thousands of bicyclists travel along Chicago streets each weekday, according to the results of a first-ever bike-count study conducted by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT).

 “This study confirms what we already knew: That bicycles are a popular and convenient way to travel in Chicago,” said CDOT Commissioner Bobby L. Ware.

The study, conducted in summer and fall of 2009, counted bicyclists at 26 locations throughout the city.  CDOT’s Bicycle Program staff used automated pneumatic tube counters designed to count bicycles, but not motorized vehicles.

Counts were taken for 24 hours on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in warmer-weather conditions.  Nineteen of the 26 locations have dedicated bike lanes; four have marked shared lanes; one location has a shared bus/bike lane; and two locations have no bike-related pavement markings.

CDOT compared the bike counts to existing vehicle counts at the same locations.  In many instances, the mode share—the percent of vehicles that are bicycles—was less than 2 percent.  But in a few cases the mode share was significantly higher:

640 N. Milwaukee Avenue—21.9 percent in September, 15.8 percent in November1325 N. Wells Street—7.8 percent in September, 5.25 percent in November1616 N. Milwaukee Avenue—7.7 percent on October

Additionally, 17 of the 26 locations saw more than 200 bicyclists daily, with the highest count of more than 3,000 bicyclists recorded at 640 North Milwaukee Avenue.

The bike counts not only document the use of existing bike facilities, they will be used to plan future facilities, said Ben Gomberg, the CDOT Bicycle Program Coordinator.  The Bike 2015 Plan (www.bike2015plan.org), the master plan for bicycling in Chicago, lists gathering bike counts as a goal, noting that the counts will help the CDOT Bicycle Program gauge the effectiveness of Plan strategies.

CDOT Bicycle Count Study 2009

Rolling Stops for Cyclists May Be Coming to Utah

Oregon tried unsuccessfully to implement a rolling stop for bicycles during its last legislative session in 2009. Now it looks as if Oregonians are likely to be upstaged by that biking mecca of the western U.S. known as Utah. In case you weren't aware, Utah has approximately 13,000 commuting cyclists (according to the last American Community Survey), and soon all of them may be able to yield, but not stop, at stop signs.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, this week a state House committee endorsed a bill (HB 155) that would allow cyclists to proceed through an intersection after yielding and checking for oncoming traffic.

According to the paper, the chief sponsor of the bill, Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, said the bill would "reflect what cyclists already do."

While Spackman thought the bill would make cyclists safer by leading them to use smaller arterial roads in the knowledge that they would be able to keep a steady speed, insurance companies AAA and State Farm opposed the bill. A spokesperson said that the new law might lead to tragedies as motorists expect cyclists to stop at stop signs.

Here's the language of the bill, which is surprisingly simple:

This bill:
. provides that a person operating a bicycle approaching a stop sign shall stop before entering the intersection; and
. provides an exception for a person operating a bicycle approaching a stop sign to
cautiously make a turn or proceed through the intersection without stopping if the person:
. slows to a reasonable speed;
. yields the right-of-way to any vehicle in the intersection or approaching on another highway so closely as to constitute an immediate hazard;
. has reasonably determined the movement can be made safely and without interfering with the movement of any vehicle or pedestrian; and
. is 18 years of age or older.

The law would allow cyclists to make the move as long as it can be made safely and without interfering with pedestrians.

Moving Beyond the Automobile: Biking

Moving Beyond the Automobile: Biking from Streetfilms on Vimeo.

This is a great video that captures much of what we I been saying for years; that bikes take up less space, use less energy, build healthier citizens and that the key is to give them their space, their place in the City. It's now a national movement, where people are voting with their pedals.

For this video we spent some time with leading thinkers in New York, San Francisco and Portland to discuss the direct relationship between providing safe cycling infrastructure and the number of people biking. The benefits of cycling are simple. Biking helps reduce congestion, air pollution, meet climate action goals and makes for healthier communities.

New Bike Stats from Netherlands in Video

This video was posted a few days ago, and it is a great illustration of the latest (2011) figures of the Dutch Cyclist's Union in one video. These figures show that the scale of cycling in the Netherlands is quite phenomenal.

"In the daytime on a normal working day in the Netherlands, more than a million journeys are made by bike every hour."

Remember that the population of the Netherlands is just 16 million. That's only twice the population of New York or London. However, the number of journeys, spread across a whole country is much higher.

New figures from the Fietsberaad throw light on the astonishing number of journeys per day made by bike in the Netherlands. The table below gives a picture of what's going on, but there's also some more detailed text accompanying it:

Dutch people cycle a lot. Of course there is more cycling in the summer than in the autumn and winter. But cycling rates also vary between days of the week. On an average working day, 5 million people make an average of 14 million cycle journeys. Monday and Thursday are the top days with a million more journeys than on the other days of the week. On Saturday, 11.5 million cycle journeys are made, and on Sunday 6.5 million.

Through the week, between 8 in the morning and 6 in the evening, more than a million cycle journeys are made each hour. The high point is between 8 and 9 in the morning with 1.75 million cycle journeys during the hour. In that hour, many journeys to work and school are made, and more bicycles are in use than cars. Cycling on a typical week-day:

Time	Description	Total
8:00	By 8 in the morning, 750000 cycle journeys have already been made. Most of them are to work.	0.75 M
8:30	Most children are now at school. Another 450000 cycle journeys pass in half an hour.	1.2 M
9:00	Most adults are now at work, and college students are now on the way.	2.5 M
12:00	Another 2.5 million cycle journeys during the morning for a variety of reasons.	5 M
13:00	1.5 million more rides. Primary school children (5 - 11 years old) cycle home for lunch.	6.5 M
14:00	Another 1.2 million cycle trips pass in the early afternoon.	7.7 M
16:00	Most children have left school, and they cycle to friends, sports clubs etc. In the last two hours, 2.5 million cycle journeys were made.	10 M
17:00	Another 1.2 million cycle journeys pass in the late afternoon. Many people make shopping trips and school children head home from sports clubs. The evening rush hour is about to start	11.2 M
18:00	Most people are now home. Another 1.2 million cycle journeys have passed.	12.4 M
24:00	Another 1.75 million cycle journeys are made in the evening. Many club (sport) cyclists go for rides, night school students ride, club members meet, and people go out on the town by bike.	Over 14 M

In the day, 5 million cyclists have made around 14 million cycle journeys.

Streetfilms: Moving Beyond the Automobile-Transit Oriented Development

Streetfilms.org is launching a ten part series called Moving Beyond the Automobile. It's first installment was released today. Great stuff, as always.

"For the first chapter in our Moving Beyond the Automobile series we'll take a look at Transit-Oriented Development, more commonly known by its "TOD" acronym in transportation industry circles. TOD is a high-density, mixed-use residential area with access to ample amounts of transportation. There are usually many transportation nodes within its core and contains a walkable and bike-able environment.

We decided to take a look across the Hudson River at New Jersey's east coast where over the last two decades the amount of development has been booming. Transportation options are as diverse as you can get: the Hudson-Bergen light-rail, multiple ferry lines, PATH station, NJ Transit commuter trains, and buses are all plentiful, while in some areas car ownership is as low as 40% to 45%."

Mexico's National University Highlighted by Copenhagenize

Just yesterday I was reading and writing about the McGill University's action, to ban bicycles riding through their campus. Today on Copenhagenize, he highlights the video above. It's about the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and how bicycle friendly the university is. Typically Mexico isn't thought of as a leader in progressive bicycle infrastructure and culture, but this video definitely highlights their great work.



The main campus, is stunningly beautiful and is a World Heritage Site. The campus is largely car-free and as far back as 2004 they started a bike share program called BiciPuma. It has since grown and the university has wonderful bicycle infrastructure all over the campus.

The university's bicycle friendly policy and resulting infrastructure and facilities are the yardstick by which all other universities should measure themselves. Bicycles mix easily with pedestrians and the bike lanes have priority when running through car parking areas. It's all calm and relaxed.

McGill's anti-bicycle policy is an embarrassment. It's another example of rules being written by people who don't ride bicycles and who haven't bothered to do their research into the subject. Instead choosing to ban bicycles based on personal perception of danger and risk assessment. We're used to that in cities, but this is a university...

Universities should be the first bastions of bicycle culture, not just because they are places of learning that often (not always) set examples, but also because they tend to be unique, autonomous zones in the position to dictate traffic rules and policies.

Golf carts could be traded in for three-wheeler cargo bikes for maintenance people to get around, bicycles could be made available for staff use and students who choose to ride a bicycle should be encouraged, embraced, thanked profusely and welcomed at their place of study.

McGill University in Montreal Bans Bikes to Protect Peds

McGill University in Montreal went car-free last May, which is a wonderful thing; not so wonderfully, they also went bike-free shortly thereafter. James at the Urban Country, who is fascinated by the North American fear of cyclists, quotes the supposed reason for the no-bike policy:

Q: Why can't pedestrians and mounted cyclists safely co-exist on campus? A: McGill has had a number of pedestrian injuries reported in recent years due to collisions with cyclists. Once pedestrians become accustomed to the reduced amount of vehicular traffic on campus, we believe the risk of such injuries would increase, should cyclists be permitted to circulate as in the past. McGill's primary concern is safety for all.

James contacted an associate in the Netherlands to see if there was bike-on-pedestrian carnage in the streets.

Here it doesn't happen at all. Everyone is familiar with bikes, there's nothing odd about them, and no-one gets unduly upset. A cyclist is always expected not to collide with a pedestrian. However, having said that, pedestrians are expected to look before stepping onto a cycle path.

James concludes:

Making bicycling illegal is not the solution, and it's quite sad that we are discouraging students from using bicycle. This is our future generation and we are telling them riding a bicycle is bad.

Just another stupid rule that nobody will pay any attention to. More at the Urban Country

DC's Bike Facilities Tour

Participants of the recent Transportation Research Board's Annual Meeting got a comprehensive tour of the District's bike lanes and other facilities. You can see for yourself all the progress that they've made. Take a look and tell me which type of bike facility you would want to ride on in your city/community.

Grist article: Cyclists shouldn’t ‘share the road,’ they should have their own

I was reading the article below in Grist, by Elly Blue, an advocate from Portland Oregon, and it is interesting how the traffic data from last year has finally been studied and analyzed and the results are in; the better the bike infrastructure=higher ridership and lower crash percentages.

It's long been the most controversial issue in bicycling:
Should people on bikes ride in traffic with cars, using the same infrastructure and following the same procedures (a style of riding known as "Vehicular Cycling")? Should we ride on the sidewalks and off-road paths, with pedestrians? Or should we have our own place to ride that's designed specifically for bicycling?

We've tried all these options. Riding with faster, heavier cars is hard on us, is sometimes a nuisance on them, and even though it may be an option for some, it isn't for all users. Riding with slower, roaming pedestrians is hard on them and sometimes takes just as much skill to dodge pedestrians as it does cars. I think it is safe to say that only when we have our own place in traffic are things right for everyone.

And so says a study released last week in Montreal, which shows that not only does dedicated bicycle infrastructure work in North America, it borders on negligence for cities not to build such infrastructure. (You can download the entire study here [PDF].)

I'm not talking about the old, familiar bike lane, marked by a line of white paint -- which so often functions more as a symbol and reminder of our right to be in the road than as actual bicycle infrastructure. Car doors, intersections, potholes, and misinterpretations by law enforcement are among the many pitfalls of the old-school bike lane. But on any road where car traffic is traveling significantly faster than a person can pedal, a bike lane, flawed compromise that it is, is better than nothing at all.

Cities across North America have in the last two years been discovering a better way to build a bike lane -- separating it entirely from motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic alike. It's called the cycle track. Though North America recently discovered it, we didn't invent it: It's been the backbone of the world's most attractive, comfortable, safe bicycling environments for decades in European cities like Utrecht and Groningen (see the system in action below).

Cycle tracks, also called segregated bike lanes or separated bike paths, are basically bike lanes that use the same right of way as a major street but are set off from car traffic by a barrier more substantial than a single painted white line. They may be separated by bollards, a concrete barrier, or a curb. On many streets, parked cars provide the barrier. Some cycle tracks are one-way and others carry two directions of bike traffic.
Unlike their more dangerous cousins, the off-road bike paths, cycle tracks are for bikes only and are not intended to be shared with people walking or running and more than with cars.

Montreal, the focus of the recent study, has an unusually large number of cycle tracks for a North American city. Still, unlike their European cousins, these are mainly two-directional and have what the study calls a "less than ideal design," particularly at intersections. Even so, the researchers found, these lanes enjoy 2.5 times more bicycle traffic than alternate bicycle routes without cycle tracks. On Montreal's cycle tracks, the risk of injury is 28 percent lower -- or to be exact, 10.5 crashes, but only 8.5 injuries -- per million kilometers bicycled.

Despite strong evidence from now two continents, the Montreal researchers point out, United States federal guidelines actively discourage cities from building cycle tracks.Everywhere cycle tracks are proposed and built there is some amount of local pushback. We're seeing an extreme degree of this in New York City, where a powerful group that includes the city's former transportation commissioner (who just happens to be married to Sen. Chuck Schumer [D-N.Y.]) have filed a lawsuit to remove a successful two-way cycle track recently built along Brooklyn's Prospect Park. The media has embraced the campaign, with a local politician contributing the most venomous and spirited rhetoric.

There is also a vociferous cadre of bicyclists who organize against bicycle infrastructure of all kinds, with the slogan: "bicyclists fare best when they act, and are treated in return, as drivers of vehicles." One such Vehicular Cycling organization in Ottawa, Ontario is rallying against a high-profile cycle track planned in Canada's capital city.

But as the research keeps rolling in, I suspect we'll continue to find that real bicycle infrastructure is going to be an amazing boon to bicycle transportation. For instance, we already knew that the air quality is better, whether you're riding on a cycle track or walking on the sidewalk next to one.

We know that, despite shopkeepers' fears, increased bicycling is good for business.

We know that people will ride in greater numbers on dedicated, separated bicycle infrastructure, and that with numbers comes safety.

As long as we continue to allow our streets to be dominated by cars, we need to go the extra mile -- or thousand miles -- to ensure that everyone who isn't in a motor vehicle at any given time is still able to move freely around the city. Separated infrastructure, like sidewalks and cycle tracks, are necessary if a car-oriented city is to be navigable by unarmored humans. Some day, I hope we don't need them. Until then, I hope we build them as well as possible.

Harvard Study: “Pedaling in traffic 28% more likely to hurt you than sticking to a bike lane"

The Daily posted an article on a recently announced study by the Harvard School of Public Health noting what we already see in Europe;  separated bike lanes increase ridership and reduce accidents. The full study can be found here. Since I know how much trouble it is to go to other links, I have attached the whole report below. Just click on the pages to enlarge them. Really good stuff.

Bikeways or Bike Sharing

I had an interesting question posed to me today, "What would you rather see in your city: a bike sharing program or quality bikeways/bike lanes?". I have always believed that you need a comprehensive bikeway system, and I’ve also become a believer in bike sharing systems like Vélib in Paris, Bixi in Montréal, Nice Ride in Minneapolis, and Capital BikeShare in Washington DC. The biggest problem is that transportation departments only have so much money, so which to prioritize?

Bikeways seem like the obvious choice for most. Communities have to create conditions where bicycling is comfortable and safe, or few will bike. I hear this over and over, no matter where we are working and via a wide variety of networking methods. It therefore seems obvious: start with bikeways.

Bikeways seem like the obvious choice for most. Communities have to create conditions where bicycling is comfortable and safe, or few will bike. I hear this over and over, no matter where we are working and via a wide variety of networking methods. It therefore seems obvious: start with bikeways.

But wait… successful bike share systems are highly visible and get lots of people out cycling, immediately, as evidenced by Paris, Dublin, Montreal, and Washington DC, and numerous others. And it can be really hard to convince leaders to support bikeways when current demand is low, because, of course, of the lack of good bikeways. So perhaps a public bike share system is a better starting point because a fleet of cool-looking, accessible, easy-to-use bikes is game changing, demand-inducing, and media-attracting. They provide an instant solution to getting people a bike and pedaling their way to a meeting or store. Suddenly hundreds or thousands of people start cycling for short trips.

This presence of cyclists demonstrates a long-suppressed demand and creates inducement to put in the needed bikeways, even if they require trade-off with travel lanes or parking. Certainly many of the European cities have taken this approach, and the cities of Boston MA, Chattanooga TN, and San Antonio TX are about to explore this question as they launch bicycle share systems on their largely bikeway-free streets.

An even more obvious answer: invest in bikeways and bike sharing simultaneously because the provision of bikeways and the stimulation of demand must go hand-in-hand. This is truly a winning strategy, as evidenced by Paris and Washington, D.C.

But let’s face it, neither public bike sharing or bikeways are free (although both are a bargain relative to the cost of auto-oriented infrastructure), and many communities will need to choose a sequence. Most of the North American bike share systems in place today have some level of government investment, although this is not necessarily a foregone conclusion given its ability to attract private sponsors.

And thus, the sequence depends entirely on your community. No one right way to get there, as long as you’re rolling in the right direction.

New E-Bike for Elderly Riders

If you take it for granted that bicycles are a safe and green part of the transportation system for all ages, then this makes perfect sense. Panasonic has just introduced an electric bike with 20" wheels and a "low floor design" that makes it really easy to get on, start with a boost and stand with your feet flat. Anyone could ride this. It's designed so that older people can maintain their mobility and get themselves to market.

Richard at Cyclicious writes:

It features an ultra low step through frame so stiff-jointed elderly adults can continue biking to the market. The electric assist motor and lithium battery have a range of up to 13 km (about 8 miles), which is plenty for a typical compact Japanese city. The frame geometry also allows for a flat footed stance while stopped.

It also has some interesting power modes, including an automatic mode to help start moving, and a power mode for hills. But what is most fascinating is the fact that in North America, people would be appalled at putting "elderlies" on bikes so that they could go to market or have some mobility. Much safer to wrap them in steel and put them in cars.


More at Akihibara News

Minneapolis Data is Showing Increase in Riders =Decrease in Crashes

One of my main thesis points is that as bicycle use climbs, rate of crashes with vehicles falls. This point is what drives me to look for the best facilities, plans, policy, laws, etc, to increase cycling. Minneapolis's new data seem to bear out this idea, that seeing more bikers leads drivers to watch for them.

What's new? Recently crunched city data show the reported cyclist-motorist accident rate dropping as the number of bike commuters grows. For 2008, the most recent year for which complete data were available, the crash rate was one-quarter that of 10 years earlier. Moreover, a trend line shows a steady decrease in the crash rate even as the number of commuting cyclists more than doubled.

There are some limits to the Minneapolis data. The number of cyclists is taken from the number of people ages 16 or older who tell census takers that their main transportation to work the previous week was a bike. That figure grew from about 3,000 in the 1990s to about 8,000 in 2008. It excludes infrequent commuters and recreational bikers. Meanwhile, the number of crashes involved only those reported to the city between bikers and motorists, which remain at or below 1990s levels. That means the crash rate has fallen sharply while commuting bikers are on the rise.

Is this happening elsewhere? It squares with analysis on biking and walking in many US and international cities.

"A person is less likely to collide with a person walking or biking if more people walk or bicycle. Policies that increase the numbers of people walking and bicycling appear to be an effective route to improving the safety of people walking and bicycling." public health consultant Peter Jacobsen wrote in the journal Injury Prevention.

Why is this happening? Familiarity breeds safety. Once people are used to seeing bicyclists -- love or hate them-- they don't want to hit them. The map of hot spots for bike-car accidents doesn't show major issues around the University of Minnesota because drivers there are so used to watching for bikes.

Do bike lanes help? The city also credits more bike lanes. Bike lanes can benefit pedestrians as well. When bike lanes were striped on Riverside Avenue, for example, the number of bikers riding on sidewalks dropped by 87 percent.

How many bike crashes are there? The city records 200 to 300 bike-vehicle crashes annually. Preliminary statewide numbers show that nine bikers were killed in vehicle crashes in 2010, with 926 crashes reported. All but one of the fatalities and the preponderance of those injured last year were male, while close to half were between ages 10 and 24.

Data sited from Minneapolis Star Tribune

What Kind of Bike is Your Neighborhood?

I saw this art poster and think it is a very interesting way to graphically describe a city or community. What defines a neighborhood? Its plan, its people, its coffee shops? How about its residents' choice mode of transportation?

In the above poster, "Bikes of San Francisco," designer Tor Weeks makes compelling case for the bike as the marker of neighborhood identity, and does so with uncanny accuracy. It's hard to disagree that the fixed gear bike solidly stands in for Mission hipsterism while a unicycle conveys the circus of eccentricities on display in the Haight. Noe Valley, routinely mocked for its sidewalks overrun with "stroller brigades," is of course symbolized by a tricycle.

In addition to serving as sharp sociological commentary, "Bikes of San Francisco" is just a great piece of graphic design. The posters are sold out but check back here to find out when more become available. (A Field Guide to Typestaches is also worth a look.)

Long Beach CA has Joined the Separated Bikeway Bandwagon!

We all know biking is a healthier way of getting around than sitting in a car. And in a sunny place like Long Beach, California (or Orlando Florida), it should be more pleasant than driving, too. Unfortunately, without safe bike lanes, cyclists often have to share the road with cars, and that can be a harrowing experience.

But today, the City of Long Beach began construction on its Broadway and Third Street Separated Bikeways Project. Along two stretches of road, Broadway Avenue and Third Street between Alamitos and Golden avenues, one car lane will be eliminated to create a dedicated bike lane that's separated from traffic by planters and pylons. Cyclists will be able to get around (on these two streets, at least) without dodging cars.

This pilot project will cost $639,594 and is scheduled for completion by March 11. If these bike lanes prove effective, the city will make them permanent with landscaped medians (and, presumably, expand the network of separated bike paths). It's part of Long Beach's plan to become "the most bicycle-friendly city in America." And while that may be an ambitious goal—has the City Council heard of Portland or Davis?—it's one more cities should adopt.

Rahm's Bike Plan for Chicago

Yes We Can... Do Better for Cyclists
Now that Rahm Emanuel is back on the ticket in Chicago, let's look at what the potential next Mayor has revealed so far about his plan for cycling in the windy city. Chicago blogger Steven Vance has a good post about it. In general, Mr. Emanuel's plan to improve biking seems pretty promising.


Electoral Promises
Electoral promises aren't the safest bet around, but let's have a look anyway. What has been promised so far?

• He will build 25 miles of new bike lanes each year and prioritize protected bike lanes.
• "...initiate a review of [the Bike 2015 Plan's] goals and timelines to identify opportunities to expand the plan and accelerate the pace of implementation."
• Rahm will have the Bloomingdale Trail open and functional by the end of his term.
• Make an ordinance that says buildings with over 200 workers must install indoor bike parking.
• Double the number of on-street bike parking, including in neighborhoods.

So far Emanuel is the only candidate to have released a bike plan with this level of details. Let's hope it'll make bike infrastructure an election issue. Of course, the real question is "will it be implemented if he's elected?". The best way to ensure that is to have activists who hold his feet to the fire after the election...

Via Steven Vance, Streetsblog

How to Use Decobike in Miami

How To Use DECOBIKE (Instructional Video) from DECOBIKE on Vimeo.

OK people of Miami, you asked for bike sharing and you are getting it. Decobike is the City of Miami public bike sharing and rental program. You have probably noticed some bike station kiosks popping up, but don't know how to use them. This is a short video demonstrating the basic steps to check out and return a Decobike to or from any station inside Miami Beach and South Beach. There are no more excuses of "I don't have a bike", or "I don't know how to get a Decobike". Try it out and get riding!

 

Don't Leave Home Without Your Pants/Lights!

Strategies for Getting Around Without Bike Lights (or Pants) from BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE on Vimeo.


Would you leave home without pulling on some pants? That's the question being asked by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and the Portland Mercury (Oregon) in this video. Their simple argument is, if wouldn't leave without your pants, then maybe you should extend the same thinking to your bicycle lights. Using this premise the video draws some clever and quietly amusing analogies. Worth a few minutes of your time.