Bikes can save us, so contact Senator DeMint now

This blog has been quiet lately, as I have been very busy with work and personal projects. I don't get the chance to post updates here as often as I would like, so I want to remind you all to also follow some of the excellent (and more frequently updated) local bike blogs that I have linked in the sidebar like the PCC blog, Rusty Rides, and Biking the Upstate. 

This morning on Design Taxi, I noticed an excellent infographic titled "How Bikes can Save Us" (click the image at the link to see the full graphic).  The graphic points out that, although inactivity related diseases are the biggest killer in the US after tobacco, "90 % of Americans drive to work, and 0.6% ride their bikes—despite the fact that 70% of the car trips are shorter than two miles." I know that I am preaching to the choir here, but the graphic is full of other interesting facts presented in a visually appealing format. I encourage you to check it out and share it with others. 

If you support bike transportation, now is the time to voice your opinion to Senator Jim DeMint. He is a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and will be voting tomorrow morning at 10 am on an amendment to S. 1950 by Alaska Senator Mark Begich to provide safe and adequate accommodations for all users in all federally-funded street projects. You can reach Senator DeMint's office to leave a message of support by calling the Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Read more about this proposed amendment at the LAB blog, but don't forget to call before the end of the day.  

Ride with George Hincapie this weekend

This blog has been a bit quiet lately, but I want to break the silence and briefly mention a great event that is taking place in Greenville this weekend.  The Ride with Big George Hincapie will take place this Sunday, November 20^th at 10 am to raise money for a mountain bike park and pump track in downtown Greenville. The park will include a memorial for Jeff Papenfus, a local cyclist and community leader who passed away suddenly in July. 

As the registration site points out, “a $25 donation gets you a ride with George, lunch, beverages (BEER!) and post-ride activities.  If you can't make the ride, your donation still gets you lunch and fun times.”

The ride starts at Hincapie Sportwear, and will include 30 and 56 mile options.  Check out the Facebook page for more information, or contact info@pacelinepromotions.com with any specific questions.

 It sounds like a good time, and it’s definitely a great cause for the local community. I’ll be there and I hope to see some of you there as well.

Lights for Life

I briefly mentioned the 'Lights for Life' program in a post a few years ago. At that time, the initiative to provide bike lights to riders in need of them was just getting started in Greenville (with the first few batches of lights generously donated by Charleston attorney Peter Wilborn). Since that time, Bikeville.org volunteers have continued to stage 'Lights for Life' events on a regular basis at churches, rescue missions, and shelters around Greenville. The program has expanded beyond rear flashing LED lights to include front lights and helmets for those bicyclists who need them the most. Volunteers also pump up tires, lube chains, and provide basic maintenance to those often overlooked riders who rely on their bikes for transportation everyday.

Yesterday, along with a few other Bikeville volunteers, I participated in my first "Lights for Life" event at the downtown Greenlink Transit Station (hard to believe that after 5 years as a Bikeville member this was my first one). We provided free lights and helmets to 15 to 20 riders and covered a few basic points of bike safety with each of them (ride with traffic, use the lights at night, wear a helmet, etc.). Most of the people who we met last night were very appreciative of the lights and the help. Some of them had been through a rough day, but it was great to see the smiles as their lights were installed or helmets were fitted. That good feeling was mutual too...it really is great to make someone's day while also making them safer out there on the road. 'Lights for Life' is just one of the many programs that make me proud to be a Bikeville member and volunteer.  Find out more about Bikeville on the website… and look for the contact link if you want to get involved.

Let’s all be courteous road users

As you probably know by now, the proposed Greenville County resolution requesting a change to the State's two abreast law was tabled last night after many local cyclists wrote letters, called their Councilmembers, and spoke in favor of the current law at the County Council meeting. Instead of voting on the resolution, the Council wants to form a committee, consisting of both cyclists and motorists, to study the issue further (similar to the road relations group, I assume?). 

I wasn't able to make it to the meeting last night (due to a conflict with my kids' schedules), but I was glad to see that the local cycling community respond so quickly to prevent this proposed resolution from passing.  As I mentioned in a post yesterday though, it is worth remembering when an issue like this arises that sharing the road goes both ways. Personally, I have witnessed some pretty bad behavior from a few cyclists on group rides, and while I definitely do not think that inconsiderate, lawbreaking cyclists represent the majority of us, I do think that we ALL need to be conscious that we are ambassadors for cycling while we are out on the roads.  It is my hope that this recent proposed resolution will serve as a wake-up call for some of the group riding cyclists out there who refuse to ride two abreast or wave cars around at intersections (and speaking of group rides, any of you who participate should read this).

On that note, I want to pass along the email that Brian Graham sent to the Spinners list last night (for any of you who didn't already see it). I thought he made some great points, and the Spinners Cycling Code of Conduct, which he included in his message, is worth reviewing as well.

Many folks e-mailed me yesterday about the proposed County resolution-- some thinking it was a joke, some being disgusted and some agreeing with the resolution.  While we've learned it was amended, I think it highlights a very real issue.  Each and every time we get on our bicycles we engage motorists and have an opportunity to make a positive or a negative impression.  The law and the Spinners Cycling Code of Conduct (which we must agree to when renewing membership, though I couldn't find it posted on the Spinners website) sets expectations of us as bicyclists.  When we fail to stop at red lights and wait for the green, ride more than 2 abreast, or even ride single file in stretches that prohibit a motorist from passing a group ride-- we create enemies of cycling.  Some may be thinking that it is the actions of a few that are creating this problem for the rest of us, and that may be, but I think the number of folks (many of which may or may not be Spinners) who are sullying the reputation of bicyclists in general are larger in number than we'd care to admit.  There will always be people who are 'against' cyclists and we will never change every one's minds, but that fact shouldn't soften our resolve to make good impressions as a cyclist.  It is our personal responsibility to follow the rules of the road and the code of conduct -AND- to hold our fellow cyclists accountable to those same standards.  As someone who works in the bicycle planning profession I often have to preface some of my recommendations by saying, "yes, I know, cyclists can be their own worst enemy."  It is hard to implement a bicycle master plan or to advocate for change in our community to make it more bicycle friendly when we're creating bicycle enemies.  So, from one bicyclist to another, please join me in setting a positive example and hoping to earn the respect of at least one more motorist the next time we're out riding. --Brian Graham

1.  I will obey all vehicular traffic laws.  I will stop at all stop signs and red lights.  I will signal all my turns.  I will make lane changes correctly.  I will use front and rear lights when riding at night.   I will not ride on sidewalks.
2.  When cycling with others, I will proactively ride single-file if necessary to accommodate motorists.  I will endeavor to create sub-groups and/or to dynamically create gaps in cycling groups when needed to provide motorists a way to pass safely.
3.  I will ride as far to the right of the road as can be safely practiced.
4.  I will not advance my position in a line of motorists stopped in a lane unless a bicycle lane is available to me for doing so.
5.  I will be alert to opportunities to provide courteous communications with motorists that promote safety in sharing the road, such as the "wave-around" gesture.  Conversely, I will never make discourteous communications with motorists.
6.  I will be attentive to all vehicular traffic around me.  I will not use headphones or a cell phone while cycling.
7.  I will wear a helmet at all times when cycling.
8.  I will ride defensively for my own safety, but I will also ride with the expectation that motorists, too, will operate their vehicles in accordance with the law.
9.  I will encourage others to follow this Code.

Proposed resolution to ban 2 abreast cycling in Greenville County

County Councilman Joe Dill is planning to introduce a resolution tonight requiring cyclists to ride single file (state law allows cyclists to ride two abreast). You can see the proposed resolution here or in the text below:

A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE GREENVILLE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION TO INTRODUCE AND SUPPORT LEGISLATION TO AMEND THE BICYCLE SAFETY LAW SO AS TO MAKE THE ROADWAYS OF SOUTH CAROLINA SAFER FOR BICYCLISTS AND MOTORISTS.
WHEREAS, the South Carolina General Assembly in June of 2008 enacted the South Carolina Bicycle Safety Law so as to grant bicyclists the same rights as motorists to ride the roadways of South Carolina; and
WHEREAS, members of Greenville County Council have received complaints from motorists that bicyclists are riding three and four abreast making it impossible for motorists to safely pass bicyclists; and
WHEREAS, S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3430(D) provides that bicyclists riding upon a roadway shared by motorists "shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles"; and
WHEREAS, Greenville County Council finds that it is unsafe for bicyclists to ride two or more abreast upon any roadway shared by motorists; and
WHEREAS, Greenville County Council finds that the Bicycle Safety Law as it now exists does not provide any penalties for bicyclists that are in violation of the provisions of S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3430(D); and
WHEREAS, Greenville County Council further finds that it would be beneficial for all law enforcement agencies to be authorized to enforce the provisions of the Bicycle Safety law.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that Greenville County Council, for safety reasons, requests the members of the Greenville County Legislative Delegation to introduce and support legislation to (1) amend S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3430(D) of the Bicycle Safety Law so as to require bicyclists to ride single file upon the roadways shared with motorists except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, (2) provide penalties for bicyclists riding in violation of S.C. Code Ann. § 56-5-3430(D), and (3) authorize all law enforcement agencies to enforce the provisions of the South Carolina Bicycle Safety Law.

ADOPTED IN REGULAR MEETING THIS ___ DAY OF ____________, 2011.

This will be proposed at the public Council meeting tonight, October 18^th, at 6:00 pm in Council Chambers- County Square. That means there is not much time and we all need to call and email the Council members today. Ask them to vote against Mr. Dill's anti-bicyclist resolution. You can point out that two bikes riding side by side are more visible to motorists and therefore safer for everyone.

If the issue that prompted this is, as Mr. Dill points out in the resolution, "that (some) bicyclists are riding three and four abreast", perhaps the existing two abreast law should be enforced rather than amended. I certainly support enforcement of the traffic laws that pertain to motorists and cyclists, but those cyclists who chose to break the law do not represent us all (just as dangerous lawbreaking drivers don't represent all drivers). On that subject, if any of you see cyclists on a group ride who are not following the law, please remind them to ride two abreast and to allow cars to pass. A little courtesy goes a long way in road relations, so we all need to be conscious that sharing the road goes both ways.  

Good news, bad news, and an opportunity

I have been traveling for work in China the past couple weeks, so I am a bit behind on bicycle advocacy news. Most of you know by now that the Bicycle Master Plan ordinance passed with a unanimous City Council vote last Monday.  As Scott McCrary pointed out on the Spinners advocacy page, it was a resolution not an ordinance and it alone doesn't address all the issues, but this really is a great step toward the goal of making Greenville a more bike friendly town.  We now have a great plan in place to guide future development here, but it is worth remembering that the Bicycle Master Plan resolution is only the beginning.  Implementation will take time… and a lot of effort from everyone who wants to see safer streets in Greenville.

The subject of safer streets brings up the bad news.  I only heard a few days ago about the death of Pastor Bobby Scott Spencer, who was killed while riding on a road in Spartanburg a couple weeks ago.  That recent tragedy in the upstate, along with a couple others in the lowcountry earlier this year, reminds us that South Carolina remains one of the worst states in the nation for bicycle and pedestrian fatalities per capita. In addition to better infrastructure for bicyclists in the state, we need to address the issues of education and enforcement in order to make our roads safe for everyone.  Reducing the fatality rate should not be the goal. As the website for the Sweden based Vision Zero Initiative points out, "no loss of life is acceptable." Zero fatalities on South Carolina roads should be the goal…and it should be one that everyone in the state works hard to achieve.

Finally, I want to mention the San Souci community's effort to support a road diet on Old Buncombe Road, which is on SCDOT's resurfacing list. As Brian pointed out in an email to the Spinners list:

"The reconfiguration (from 2 narrow lanes in either direction) would help slow traffic and may include bicycle facilities (sharrows) in a wide-outside lane. These changes would support the neighborhood and area businesses while making the street safer for all users."

There was much support in the cycling community for 'share the road' signs on Old Buncombe several years ago, so I hope that many of the same people will support this larger effort now. There's a website with an online petition, where you can get more information and express your support for this project.  Spread the word to your friends as well. As with any advocacy issue, every bit helps.

Update: Read more about the Old Buncombe project at the PCC blog.

Go Magazine, Joyride, and the Master Plan

Greenville City Council’s first vote on the Bicycle Master Plan is less than a week away, so please email a letter of support if you haven’t already.

Speaking of the Master Plan, I encourage you to pick of a copy of the September issue of Go Magazine (and not just because the back of my leg is featured on the cover). The issue features a good article by Gary Hyndman about the Bicycle Master Plan, which I think does a good job of expressing the community support for better bike infrastructure, and safer streets, in Greenville. As City Councilmember Amy Ryberg-Doyle says in the article, “the people have spoken. This is not a top down initiative.”

The recent SCDOT Pelham/ Roper Mountain resurfacing projects are also mentioned in the article. Neither of those roads will get bike lanes…a fact that still frustrates me quite a bit (more on that later). Hopefully once the BMP resolution is passed though, SCDOT will pay more attention to their own “Bicycle Accommodation Policy” and include provisions for bikes as part of resurfacing projects in the Greenville area. With both of those recent paving projects, we missed a great (cost effective) opportunity to include bike lanes on roads that are included in the plan, but there will be future opportunities as well.

While I am posting, I want to mention the Joyride reception with Mia Birk, which occurred just over a week ago. Overall, I think it was a big success. Around 200 cyclists attended (the bike racks in front of the Greenville Little Theater were packed), and Mia’s presentation was very encouraging. Personally, it was good for me to hear her perspective, and to step back a bit and look at our accomplishments in Greenville over the years. I have been somewhat involved in bicycle advocacy efforts here for the past seven years, and though it is easy to be discouraged by setbacks (like the one I mentioned in the above paragraph), we have come a long way and the small successes along the way are worth celebrating. Mia took notice of the good things happening in Greenville, saying this via this twitter after her day here:

"Greenville SC rocks! Love the Swamp Rabbit Trail, bike lanes & beautiful downtown."

Great to hear! Now let’s just build on that and make Greenville an even better place to live and ride a bike.

…and check out Mia’s book if you haven’t already. It is encouraging to hear stories the stories about Portland in the 90s and realize that the opposition we sometimes face here is not unique.

For more about Mia’s tour of South Carolina, check out this post at the PCC blog.

Time to let City Council know that you support the BMP

City Council’s first vote on the Greenville Bicycle Master Plan is two weeks away, so if you haven’t written a letter of support yet, now is the time to do so. I encourage you to address your letters (or emails) to Mayor White and the members of the Council, and also copy City Manager John Castile. In addition to writing, please plan to attend the meeting on Monday, September 26^th at 5:30pm in person if you can. The public meeting will take place in Council Chambers on the 10^th floor of City Hall (206 South Main Street). If you wish to briefly speak in favor of the plan that evening, show up a few minutes early and sign in with the City Clerk.

For more detailed information about the plan, check out the Executive Summary on the Greenville BMP website and the fact sheet that I posted a couple weeks ago. In this post though, I want to cover a few points that might be worth mentioning in those letters of support.

• The Bicycle Master Plan is the result of over a year’s worth of work by many people including traffic engineers, urban planners, and concerned citizens. About 400 people participated in the two public community workshops and around 700 offered input through the online survey.

• The Plan is a blueprint for future development of a safe bicycle network that will give people more transportation options, as well as a greater opportunity to ride for fun and fitness. In a survey during the plan’s development, 60% of respondents were “interested but concerned” about cycling on the City streets. Those are the people who will benefit the most from this plan, not just the smaller percentage who already ride a bicycle on the roads.

• Currently, South Carolina ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for cyclist and pedestrian deaths per capita. Focusing on making our roads safer for all users should be a major priority.

• Bicycle infrastructure is a good investment and allows Greenville to compete with bigger cities when it comes to attracting businesses and talented people. Executives and professional people are increasingly choosing where to live based on quality of life issues, and bicycle friendliness is a top priority for many of them.

 

Again, those are just a few points to mention, but I encourage you to read through the Fact Sheet for more. Whatever you write, please send a letter this week. It is important that we let our elected officials know that this plan is something we support. 

Palmetto Joyride with Mia Birk is tonight

I mentioned it before, but I want to remind you that the ride and reception with Mia Birk is tonight. See the invitation below (click to see it larger), and check the Palmetto Conservation Foundation website for more details. I hope to see you there!

Bikeville E-Newsletter

There is some great information in the Bikeville E-Newsletter that was sent out today. Check it out here, and subscribe now if you don't already receive it.

In particular, I want to point out the Traffic Skills 101 courses, to be taught in three, three-hour sessions on September 17, October 1, and October 15th at the Nicholtown Community Center. Click here to register.

Needless to say, the upcoming Bicycle Master Plan vote is mentioned in the newsletter as well, and you are encouraged to contact your City Council members. I have mentioned the BMP vote a couple times here lately, but look for a new post with more information soon.

Greenville Joyride with Mia Birk

Mark your calendars now, if you haven’t already. Just less than two weeks away, on Friday September 9^th, Portland-based bicycle transportation expert and author Mia Birk will be here in Greenville for the final stop on her Palmetto Joyride tour across South Carolina. After stops in Charleston and Columbia on Wednesday and Thursday, Mia will start her day in Greenville at 10:00am with an appearance on Your Carolina with Jack and Kimberly. Following the show, Mia will be busy meeting with local leaders to discuss how Greenville can benefit from investing in bicycling and pedestrian facilities. See the full agenda for the day on the Palmetto Conservation Foundation website for more information.

At 5:00pm, plan to join Mia for a community bike ride starting from the Zoo entrance in Cleveland Park. The roughly 2.5 mile ride will be open to the public and accessible for bicyclists of all ages and skill levels. The route will cover parts of the Swamp Rabbit trail as well as some of the downtown on-street bicycle facilities, and will end at the Greenville Little Theater at 5:30.

The Greenville Little Theater will be the site of Mia’s Key Note presentation, which will be open to the public. According to the Palmetto Conservation Foundation:

“Mia will share her observations of Greenville and discuss her experience working in Portland as well as in communities throughout the country. Attendees will have an opportunity to submit questions to Mia ahead of the presentation. Participants will also have the chance to win a Custom Fat Tire bicycle donated by New Belgium Beer. Participants will enjoy food and drink (served in biodegradable cups), as well as the opportunity to purchase a copy of Mia’s book Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet and have it signed by the author herself. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. with Mia’s presentation at 6:15 p.m.”

This will be a fun and informative evening in Greenville that you won’t want to miss. Make sure to tell your friends about it too. We want a packed house at the Greenville Little Theater that evening, so I hope to see you there on the 9th!

Finally, I want to mention the great sponsors who are making this happen- the Palmetto Conservation Foundation, the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, SynTerra, Duke Energy, Piedmont Health Care Foundation, South Carolina Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, Livewell Greenville, the YMCA of Greenville, and TTR Bikes of Greenville.

Bicycle Master Plan Fact Sheet

As I mentioned in a recent post, Greenville’s City Council will soon vote on a resolution to adopt the Bicycle Master Plan. The first vote will occur on Monday, September 26^th at a Council meeting that I encourage you all to attend (5:30pm in Council Chambers,  10^th floor of City Hall, 206 South Main Street). You can show up a few minutes early and sign up with the City Clerk if you wish to speak in favor of the plan at the meeting.

Before the meeting, I encourage you all to write your City Council representatives and let them know that you support this resolution. I will post a few of the key points that I think are worth mentioning in those  letters soon, but today I want to quickly share a “fact sheet’ about the master plan. If you have not been involved with the development of the Bicycle Master Plan, these points may help you understand what has led up to it, why it makes sense for Greenville, and how the plan fits with other initiatives that the city  has underway.

City of Greenville - Bicycle Master Plan FACT SHEET

1.       City Council is scheduled to vote on adoption of the Bicycle Master Plan on Monday, September 26 and Monday, October 10.  

2.       Anyone wishing to address City Council regarding the plan must sign-up to speak prior to 5:30pm the day of the meeting at the City Clerk’s desk on the 10^th floor of City Hall.  

3.       In 2006, Greenville City Council passed Resolution 2006-32 endorsing the League of American Bicyclists “Action Plan for Bicycle Friendly Community Designation”, which committed the City of Greenville to improve conditions for bicyclists by addressing the 5 E’s: Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation.  

4.       In 2008, Greenville City Council adopted a Complete Streets Resolution "to endorse and suport a complete streets policy to provide safe and convenient access for all users of streets”.

5.       The creation of a Bicycle Infrastructure Plan was a specific task of the City’s 2009 Comprehensive Plan’s Implementation Strategy Matrix that identified the need to “Increase Transportation Options”. 

6.       The Plan is consistent with the City of Greenville Comprehensive Plan’s Environmental Theme to improve air quality; the Healthy Living and Pedestrian Friendly Environment Theme by creating safe, walkable spaces and accessible destinations; the Transportation Theme by providing a variety of options and linkages between all transportation options; the Neighborhood and Corridor Identity and Stability Theme by encouraging a wide variety of transportation modes.

7.       During the Comprehensive Plan resident survey, residents were asked to rank Quality of Life issues in Greenville.   Respondents indicated that “being able to get places without using your car” as the worst attribute to Greenville’s Quality of Life.  

8.       The Plan was funded by the Greenville Pickens Area Transportation Study (GPATS), the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) responsible for transportation planning.  Funding was also provided by the City of Greenville.   

9.       In 2009, the City of Greenville was designation by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community.  

10.   In 2010, the City of Greenville contracted with Alta Planning + Design to develop a city-wide Bicycle Master Plan to provide recommendations to guide the expansion of a network of bike facilities and infrastructure improvements and to promote bicycle safety and education to increase ridership.

11.   The Plan’s development was guided by a multi-disiplinary committee which served as planning advisors throughout the project.  It received input from neighborhood associations, businesses, residents, transportation officials, and the general public.  This allowed stakeholders the opportunity to participate in two community workshops, an interactive website, and a public survey where input and comments were received.

12.   The Plan is the result of more than a year’s worth of research, field work, data analysis, and public input. 

  

13.   The Plan provides a blueprint for the short-term and long-term development of a safe and practical bicycling network. 

14.   The Plan intends to assist in the reversal of South Carolina’s designation as one of the most dangerous states for bicyclists.  Annually SC ranks above the national average in bicycle fatalities.   

15.   By developing a connected and safe bikeway network, Greenville can better meet the current and future demand for physical activity and for transportation choices.

16.   The Plan includes specific recommendations for educational programs that raise awareness of the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists and teach kids, adults, and seniors how to bike safely.

17.   The Bicycle Master Plan provides a method for prioritizing bikeway projects that will guide implementation, development, and funding.

18.   Specific projects recommended in the Bicycle Master Plan will receive additional review by City Council, City staff, the general public, and SCDOT prior to construction.

19.   The two public meetings for the Plan drew close to 400 total attendees, and over 700 individuals participated in the survey.

20.   With adoption of the Plan, the City is not asked to fund and implement the Plan’s recommendations on its own.  Business, community partners, and transportation agencies are encouraged to support this effort with funding, resources, and leadership.  

21.   The Plan can be implemented by leveraging funding opportunities from a variety of local, regional, state, and federal programs.  Possible projects include routine road resurfacing, roadway widening, and linking transit networks.  An emphasis will be placed on cost effective solutions such as including proposed bicycle facilities during street repaving projects.   

   

22.   Now, more than ever, CEO’s, executives, businesses, and young professionals are choosing vibrant, active communities with downtowns and neighborhoods that are bike- and walk-friendly to locate.  Investing in bicycle-friendliness will help Greenville attract those searching for a healthy, inviting, and economically prosperous community. 

23.   In one generation, the percentage of U.S. children who walk or bike to school has dropped by 70%. Childhood obesity has tripled. 

24.   Just three hours of bicycling per week can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%.

25.   Bicycling reduces air pollution and improves public health, lowering costs to businesses and taxpayers.

26.   The Plan included a two-day field bike count in October 2010 at 36 locations throughout the City.  Volunteers counted over 1,000 bicyclists in just a four hour count period.  

27.   The Plan is based on a principle of 6 E’s; Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation, and Equity.  This approach will ensure the Plan’s implementation is comprehensive by balancing the priorities between physical facilities, education programs, policies, and neighborhoods.  

28.   One goal of the plan is that by 2015, every City resident be within ½ mile of the bikeway network. 

29.   Greenville is home to 4 nationally recognized bicycle friendly businesses by the League of American Bicyclist.

a.       TTR Bikes – Platinum Designation

b.      Fluor Corp – Bronze Designation

c.       Upstate Forever – Bronze Designation

d.      Caine Halter Family YMCA – Bronze Designation

30.   In 2005, the City installed it’s first mile of bicycle lane and had 4 miles of Greenways.  In 2011, the City has 15.4 miles of on-street bikeways and over 8 miles of Greenways.  

31.   The public’s investment in bicycling infrastructure over the past 6 years has resulted in a increase in private sector investment via bicycle oriented businesses resulting in local economic development.  Local bicycle retailers were surveyed during the Bicycle Master Plan and produced the following results.  Note that the first bicycle lane in the City was installed in 2005. 

a.       In 2005, Greenville was home to two bike shops, in 2011, there are 8 bicycle retailers.

b.      Over 60% of Greenville’s bike shops see over half a million in annual sales each – with 37.5% seeing $1.5-$2 million.

c.       Since 2005, all stores have increased sales by at least 6%, and 75% increased by more than 20%.

d.      100% of stores attribute the increase in sales to local investment in bicycling infrastructure.

32.   The Plan recommends increasing the bikeway network by 65 miles of bicycle lanes, 7 miles of Greenways, and 51 miles of signed bike routes.

33.   Since 2007, Greenville has hosted the USA Cycling Professional Championships which attracts cycling enthusiasts from around the world to Greenville.  

34.   Greenlink, Greenville’s regional transit authority, has reported that since 2010, passenger utilization of their bus bike racks has increased from a monthly average of 80 to 550.  

35.   Greenville’s bicycle friendliness has been mentioned in recent national publications such as Southern Living, the Washington Post, Men’s Journal, US Airways Magazine, and AARP Magazine. 

No bike lanes on Roper Mountain Road…apparently

I wrote a post in June about the possibility of bike lanes on Pelham and Roper Mountain as part of SCDOT resurfacing projects for sections of those two roads. Many of you responded in favor of bike lanes on those streets, and the support did not just come from individual citizens. Major local companies including Fluor, Hubbell Lighting, GE, and Greenville Hospital System sent the SCDOT letters of support for the inclusion of bike lanes in these projects. Ditto for local organizations like the Greenville Spinners, The Spinners Safety Foundation, GPATS, and LiveWell Greenville. 

In response to everyone who wrote a letter, Steve Gwinn in the Greenville SCDOT office responded:

“Thank you for your e-mail (or letter) concerning the striping of bike lanes on Pelham Road and Roper Mountain Road after the upcoming resurfacing project. We have met with the City of Greenville and reviewed the roadway geometry as it exists today to determine a possible solution that would accommodate bike lanes on both roads.

The exiting roadway width on Pelham Road is 61.5 feet of usable space. Our restriping typical required a minimum of 64 feet for exclusive bike lanes. We have existing 12 foot lanes with a 13.5 foot median. The proposed typical would have travel lanes and median less than 11 feet and 12 feet respectively. This is not meeting a minimum standard for an arterial with 22,400 vehicles per day. We are currently working on a restriping plan for Roper Mountain Road that will not only try to eliminate confusion with lane placement but also try to accommodate bike lanes.

We have been working diligently in trying to modify our existing facilities to accommodate bike lanes. We understand that the City of Greenville is submitting a design exception request with detailed information for Pelham Road for reconsideration. We will take this information into account for the restriping of Pelham Road. We will also determine what we can accommodate for Roper Mountain Road once resurfacing is complete.”

Based on that response, it sounded like they had issues to overcome with Pelham Road, but that a restiping plan for Roper Mountain was in the works. In addition to the design exception for Pelham, the City of Greenville had submitted to SCDOT a rough design for a layout of Roper Mountain that included bike lanes, so I was encouraged about the chances of seeing bike lanes in the final design.

From what I had heard, the resurfacing project on Roper Mountain was to be delayed a bit, so I was quite surprised to see the old asphalt being scraped away earlier this month. On August 9^th, I sent an email to Steve Gwinn in the Greenville SCDOT office to find out what was going on:

Dear Mr. Gwinn,

I want to follow up with you on the status of the Roper Mountain and Pelham resurfacing projects (http://bikegreenville.blogspot.com/2011/06/bike-lanes-on-pelham-and-roper-mountain.html). You mentioned in your response to the letter from the Greenville Spinners that there were some issues with existing widths on Pelham, but that SCDOT was working on a restriping plan to include bike lanes on Roper Mountain. Is that still the case? It appears that resurfacing is currently underway on Roper Mountain, so I hope that bike lanes will be included when the project is complete. I know that a design exception has been submitted for Pelham Road as well, so I would like to hear about the status of that project as well. 

As you know, there has been a lot of local support for bike lanes on both of these roads. Local companies and organizations including Fluor, GE, Hubbell Lighting, GE, Greenville Hospital System, Greenville Spinners, The Spinners Safety Foundation, GPATS, and LiveWell Greenville have all publicly expressed support for the addition of bike lanes to these roads. I know that it is not easy, and that there are some hurdles to overcome to make these roads into complete streets, but doing so would be a major step toward making the eastside of Greenville bicycle friendly.

Thanks for your attention…and best regards,

James Thomas

http://bikegreenville.blogspot.com

I didn’t receive a response, but a couple days later I followed up with this message (and I copied SCDOT’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator Tom Dodds):

Mr. Gwinn,

I just want to follow up on the email I sent you a couple days ago. It appears that the surfacing and striping is nearly complete on Roper Mountain Road, and bike lanes do not appear to be included in the project. Out of the two SCDOT resurfacing projects on the east side of Greenville (Roper Mountain and Pelham), it certainly sounded like Roper Mountain was the one that was more likely to include bike lanes.

Earlier, you said, "We are currently working on a restriping plan for Roper Mountain Road that will not only try to eliminate confusion with lane placement but also try to accommodate bike lanes. " Is that something that is still in the works? Also, can you provide an update on the design exception that was presented for Pelham Road.

Thanks and best regards,

James Thomas

http://bikegreenville.blogspot.com

It’s been over a week and I still haven’t received a response to either email. I’m still hoping to get answers, so I sent this message today to the main SCDOT office in Columbia:

I have sent a couple emails to Steve Gwinn about the Roper Mountain Rd resurfacing that recently completed here in Greenville. Many local companies and organizations, including Fluor, GE, Hubbell Lighting, GE, Greenville Hospital System, Greenville Spinners, The Spinners Safety Foundation, GPATS, and LiveWell Greenville, wrote letters of support for including bike lanes as part of the project (along with another scheduled resurfacing project on Pelham Road). In his response to everyone who wrote a letter, Mr. Gwinn said:


"We are currently working on a restriping plan for Roper Mountain Road that will not only try to eliminate confusion with lane placement but also try to accommodate bike lanes."


Unfortunately, the resurfacing occurred with what appears to be no changes to the striping at all. Can someone please let me know why a request with so much community support was completely ignored? Mr. Gwinn has not responded in the past week, but maybe someone else can...Deputy Secretary for Engineering John Walsh perhaps?


The companies and individuals who supported bike lanes on Roper Mountain would like to know what happened. SCDOT pointed out that bike lanes on Pelham Road might be difficult, but it seemed like Roper Mountain was feasible and that the SCDOT engineering department was working on it. When did that change and why? I am looking forward to hearing your reply so I can share it with others.


Thanks for your time and best regards,


James Thomas

I’m a little frustrated now, but when I do get a response with some answers from someone at SCDOT, I will share it here. The resurfacing on Pelham is still on the horizon, so it is important to continue letting SCDOT know that we want to see bike lanes as part of these projects. Set-backs are discouraging, but safer streets  for all users are worth fighting for. I encourage you all to keep it up.

City Council will soon vote on the Bicycle Master Plan

Over the course of the last year or so, many of you who read this blog have been involved in one way or another with the development of the Greenville Bicycle Master Plan. During the development cycle, there have been community workshops, a major bike count, online surveys, and many other ways for the community to get involved. All of that work has culminated in what I think is a great outline of the future of bicycling infrastructure in Greenville, and I encourage you to read the Executive Summary of the Master Plan website to learn more about it. Greenville City Council will be voting on the plan in August, so please contact the City Council member for your district  (as well as the Mayor and City Manager) to let them know what you think of it. If you support the bicycle master plan, now is the time to make sure that your voice is heard

Update 8/17: The City Council vote is now has been scheduled for September 26th. More information to follow soon in a new post.

An article published last week in the Greenville News point out that “some leaders are cautious on the city’s bike plan” (you can read the full article at the Asheville Citizen Times website if you don’t subscribe to the Greenville News).  When I first read the article, there were quite a few comments and points that I found troubling, so I will try and address a couple of those issues in this post.

According to the article, Mayor White states that the “city intends to act deliberatively and focus on off-road trails”. He says “he doesn’t foresee bike lanes on heavily traveled thoroughfares such as Stone Avenue.”  Based on the success of the Swamp Rabbit, I agree with the Mayor that we should build more greenway trails. Personally, I enjoy riding on the Swamp Rabbit with my kids, but I consider that type of trail to mainly be a recreational component. In order for bikes to be included as a part of the overall transportation plan, we need a comprehensive network that includes off street trails, on street bike lanes, sharrows, and other bicycle infrastructure components. To me, that is what the Master Plan offers…a guideline to create a REAL network that will allow more people in the community to safely travel by bicycle. Sure, there are people like me (and many of you) who are out riding no matter what, but to address the 60 percent of residents who are “interested but concerned” about cycling (according to recent city survey), a comprehensive network of routes needs to be established.

I am a bit confused at the apparent distinction that is made in the article between the bicycle master plan and the City’s Complete Streets policy. The idea with both is to accommodate all types of traffic on our roadways, and to make those streets safer for ALL users. Knowing that South Carolina ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for cyclist and pedestrian fatalities per capita, I would hope that making our roads safe for everyone would be a priority. Councilwoman Amy Ryberg Doyle understands that. She points out in the article that “the city isn’t rearranging streets just for bikes,” and that a “complete streets policy is designed to make more roads that reduce car speed, improve the safety of pedestrians and offer alternate transportation.” The example of East North Street is mentioned. Based on the city’s traffic engineering department usage studies, that road was reduced from 4 lanes to 2 and bike lanes were added. According to city officials, that lane reduction “added 20 seconds to the drive time, which was part of the goal, while continuing to move roughly 10,000 cars per day.” Mayor White states in the article that the road diet has “made traffic more efficient”, so overall it sounds like the East North street project was a success. So why does Councilwomen Susan Reynolds not agree?  She is glad that traffic has improved, but says, “that wasn’t our intent. Our intent was to put bike lanes.” That statement really puzzles me. Personally, I don’t think the intent should ever be to JUST put in bike lanes. A holistic approach to traffic planning needs to be considered, and that was the case with the East North Street project. Furthermore, that is why the master plan has been carefully developed by urban planners, civil engineers, and with much input from concerned local citizens. No one is advocating painting bike lanes on every road without considering the factors that affect traffic. The goal is to improve safe traffic flow and benefit everyone. Mrs. Reynolds does say that she supports bike lanes, but that the city needs more information such as bike counts (during the development of the master plan, I participated with many others in the city’s first major bike count). She goes onto to say things like, “I just think it’s really short sighted to start picking streets…we on council are not engineers. We should be sticking with the original policy, which is complete streets”, and “We can’t make all our roads bike lanes…there’s got to be some roads that we leave intact for traffic.” Knowing the research and planning that has gone into the current proposal, I find those statements very puzzling. 

It is not my intent to pick on Mrs. Reynolds, who you may remember I supported in the recent election. She says that she is “all for bike lanes and believes in their economic value to the city” and I believe she is sincere in her support. What I don’t understand is why is she is unaware of the research and design work that went into the current bicycle master plan to make sure that any changes improve traffic and benefit cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists.  Perhaps we in the cycling community have done poor job of communicating that fact to our elected officials. In my opinion, the goal of the plan is to improve the safety of our streets and allow more people to choose alternative ways to get around. It is not just an amenity for the people who currently ride bicycles in Greenville, but an opportunity for those 60% of concerned but interested potential riders to safely and comfortably get out on bikes.

If it is ever going to happen though, now is the time to let our elected officials know that this is something we care about. Again, I urge you to voice your support and help to make this plan a reality in Greenville.

Federal bike and pedestrian funding in danger!

If you are an LAB member, PCC member, or People for Bikes subscriber, you have probably already heard that House Transportation Chairman John Mica (R-FL) announced yesterday that his transportation bill will eliminate dedicated funding for bicycling and walking, including Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and the Recreational Trails Program. He stated that these programs support activities that are “not in the federal interest”, and encouraged states not to fund them either. This proposed halt to funding for sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways comes at a time when, as the LAB points out, “two-thirds of all pedestrian deaths are on federally funded highways” and “one-third of children’s traffic deaths happen when children are walking or bicycling and are struck by cars.”

The LAB also provides some good talking points on this issue:

• Biking and walking are important forms of transportation, and funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvements is a very efficient use of federal transportation dollars.  Portland, OR built 300 miles of bike lanes and trails for the cost of one mile of highway. 
• These projects create jobs and build local economies.  Building bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure creates 46% more jobs than building road-only projects per million dollars spent.  Cities that invest in bicycle and pedestrian projects turn downtowns into destinations, and capitalize on increased business activity.
• Eliminating the 1.5% of transportation funding spent on bike/ped would have no meaningful impact on the federal budget, but instead, decreases transportation options for American families in a time of rising gas prices and an uncertain economy.  

Please take a few minutes today to write your Senators and Congressional representatives to express your support for continued bicycle and pedestrian funding. See the message below from Rachael at the Palmetto Cycling Coalition for more information and/or visit the page that People for Bikes has set up to send a message. This could be a major setback for bicycle and pedestrian transportation, so we all need to speak up now.

Good evening,

  

We just found out some very bad news, which we urge you to take action on immediately: dedicated funding for bicycling and walking is in jeopardy based upon House and Senate Transportation proposals released today. 

This funding has supported projects that we all know and love--like sections of the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, pathways in Hilton Head, mountain bike trails (FATS and others) in the Central Savannah River Area, and parts of the Swamp Rabbit in Greenville. Without this funding, these projects and similar ones in the future will be in jeopardy. 

Today, Congressman John Mica of Florida, Chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, outlined his plans for the new transportation bill and called for the elimination of dedicated funding for biking and walking programs, which he suggested are "not in the national interest."

In the Senate, James Inhofe of Oklahoma is leading a similar attack. Inhofe, a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said that one of his top-three priorities for the next multi-year federal transportation bill is to eliminate "frivolous spending for bike trails."

If Representative Mica and Senator Inhofe get their way, dedicated funding for three crucial programs -- Safe Routes to School, Transportation Enhancements, and Recreational Trails -- will be eliminated. The cost-effective federal investment in bicycling that is making our nation better will shrink dramatically.  

We can't allow this to happen.

Visit the League of American Bicyclists' action center to send the message to Sen. DeMint, Sen. Graham and your Representative in Congress. In a year when South Carolina is on track to break a new record for bicycle and pedestrians deaths, we must stand up to protect bicycle and pedestrian funding. 

Thanks for your support and quick response. 

   

Rachael Kefalos

Palmetto Cycling Coalition 

City Council candidates on bike lane funding

An article in today’s Greenville News, Greenville City Council at-large candidates split on city goals, points out a few notable differences in opinion between candidates for an at-large City Council seat that is up for grabs in the election this coming Tuesday (June 14th). The city’s bike plan is mentioned in the article, and quotes from each of the two candidates clearly indicate their views on funding for bicycle transportation projects.

Susan Reynolds, the incumbent, states that she wants, “parking and business license improvements to help attract more companies and pedestrian-friendly work to improve neighborhoods for residents. She also wants to closely examine where the city is putting bike lanes to be sure they are useful.” Making sure that the bike lanes are placed where they are useful is the point of Greenville’s Bicycle Master Plan, so I hope that Mrs. Reynolds will, if re-elected, continue to support the progress toward complete streets in the city.

According to the Greenville News piece, her challenger, Jan Williams, “is skeptical of the need for city-funded bike lanes, saying he grew up on a bike and learned to look out for himself. Those who want them should donate to the cause, he said. The only tax money he would use is the hotel tax designed to fund tourism projects.” To me, his reference to tourism projects indicates that he considers bicycling to strictly be a recreational activity, not a component of the transportation plan. I would just like to remind Mr. Williams that bicyclists, like motorists, DO pay the income, sales, and property taxes that currently fund our road construction and maintenance projects. I seriously doubt he would ask drivers to ‘donate to the cause’ if they want improvements designed to make our roads safer, but the fact remains that vehicle registration fees and gas taxes do not even come close to paying for the transportation infrastructure that we all use. South Carolina ranks as one of the worst states in the nation for cyclist and pedestrian fatalities per capita, and I am afraid that 'learning to look out' is not going to be enough to turn that around. I wish it was that easy, but we do have a real safety issue on our roads that needs to be addressed.

To be fair, I am sending an email to both candidates to give them a chance to respond. If I hear back from Councilwoman Reynolds and/or Mr. Williams, I will update this post with their response.

…and regardless of which candidate you choose, I encourage you all to get out and vote next Tuesday. Ride your bike to the polls if you can.

Update 6/11: I received an email from Councilwoman Reynolds late last night expressing her support for bike lanes. I appreciate her quick response, so I want to share it with you in its entirety:

James. Ben asked many questions for the article. And I elaborated on all of them, including the one about bicycle lanes and I was very clear.   I support bike lanes, I am in favor of continuing them.  I do know that we have the bicycle master plan coming up.  I am not a cyclist at the moment. I have had 6 knee surgeries, which prevents me from riding right now.   So I am the first one who needs an education on sharing lanes, why some lanes are better than others- why some are used more than others.   So my comments in completion were about how I am looking forward to being educated on the whole thing.  I do think we need to do a better job of educating the public on how to share the road and I want to be the first to learn.  There is no doubt that bicycle lanes are important to this community.  Having the Pro cycling event here for the last 6 years has been a huge asset to our community. I am optimistic that we will do what it takes to keep it here.   I have no doubt that all of council wants to continue making Greenville a top notch cycling community.  I am eager to see where we have done a good job, and where we need to improve.  And for the record, I am a very visual person- I can read all the information in the world, but I am much clearer when I can actually 'see' the lanes and see how they look on the roads,etc.   I am well known to staff for having them ride me around to actually look at why something is working, how it can be improved, or when it doesn't work. I have no doubt I will be taking a tour around to become educated on the lanes.

I appreciate the opportunity to share my complete thoughts.  Ben and I  talked about many things and of course he could not print all of the things that I said, but it is frustrating when people read one comment on any subject and assume they have heard all that I said. So again, thank you for the opportunity to comment further.  And just FYI, I  look forward to riding a bike again soon, and I sincerely hope by the time I do, I will be much better educated about cycling- that is my intent!  

Susan Reynolds

Update 6/12: I also received an email response from Mr Williams clarifying his position on bike lanes, and I want to share that with you here:

Mr. Thomas,

Thanks for your inquiry. As you probably know, what is heard is not necessarily what was said or intended.

As a child we were taught to ride our bikes and assume all cars were going to hit you because they could not see you since you were so much smaller than a car. And to always allow the car to have lane priority and be sure to signal when slowing down or turning. And of course we did not have any bike lanes in the 1950’s. Courtesy by bike riders and car drivers is necessary for all safe riding.

Since most of our population does not ride bicycles, and we keep hearing how this is a draw for visitors to the city, it makes sense to use the hospitality tax as a source of funding.

Additionally, there are other resources of money, such as “Complete Streets” and the FTA. Some of these provide matching funding at 1% to 20%, which means a group can raise $1000.00 and get a grant for $9,000.00 at 10% rate. The GTA Board was able to provide some grant assistance to the city for bike lanes within 3 miles of public transportation at the rate of 1% and 10%. Placing bike racks on the Greenlink buses has increased ridership, and I am on the Board of Directors for the GTA.

If a group of local bicycle enthusiasts raised some money and helped the city of Greenville provide funding for bike lanes, more residents would appreciate and maybe understand their direction for local riding as a form of transportation instead of just for recreation. And Andrew Meeker, Landscape Architect, City of Greenville, who has participated in the bike lane design, would be a good connection since he knows about these grants.

I hope this helps clarify my position about bike lanes and bikes. Any questions, please feel free to call me at 299-6341.

Jan Williams

Note: As I mentioned to Mr Williams in response to this message, the Greenville Spinners have, in the past, donated significant amounts of money to the city for the design and implementation of bike lanes. The Spinners and local bicycle advocates have also been active in pursuing grants to improve cycling infrastructure in Greenville.