Rhode Island Feeds

According to a Streetsblog entry:

On Friday evening, New York Governor David Paterson signed two bills intended to make streets safer by giving law enforcement greater leeway to bring charges against reckless drivers.

As we’ve found in Rhode Island, law enforcement officials and prosecuters are often hesitant to bring forward charges against drivers who strike pedestrians or cyclists, because criminal intent or negligence is often tough to prove.  There new law:

creates an intermediate charge — a traffic violation called careless driving — which prosecutors can use in cases where criminal convictions seem unlikely. Motorists found guilty of careless driving will have to complete a driver education course and face fines up to $750, jail time up to 15 days, and license suspensions up to six months — or a year for repeat offenders.

This is very similar to the vulnerable roadway act we’ve been trying to get passed in Rhode Island for the last two legislative sessions.  Now that more states are jumping on the vulnerable roadway user bandwagon and we have more legal precident for such legislation, perhaps this will be the year we finally get some legislation passed in Rhode Island.  Our intent is to once again find sponsors for this legislation.  We will keep readers informed of our progress as we move forward.  If anyone is interested in assisting us with this effort, please contact us.

As you may recall, RIDOT closed the Union Avenue Bridge on June 23, 2010.  Paul Martens recently corresponded with RIDOT to find out what the bridge replacment will mean for cyclists.  Here is their response:

The new Union Ave bridge will have the same design configuration as the old Union Ave bridge.  There will be a 2 foot median, 2- 11 foot travel lanes, a one foot shoulder, and a 6 foot sidewalk, in each direction (Eastbound & Westbound).  There is no special accomodation for bicycles on this bridge.  Bicyclists will have to follow the standard traffic laws.

Naturally, we followed up to find out whether it was too late in the process for RIDOT to submit design changes.  Assuming so, we also asked RIDOT to ensure there were curb cuts on all sides of the bridge so cyclists, who aren’t comfortable with being potentially squeezed, to opt for taking the sidewalk instead.  Here is the answer we received:

It is too late to modify the bridge to include a lane for bicycles, this would be a major design change which would be very costly and time consuming. As for the sidewalks, I am not fimilar with the laws regarding bicycles on sidewalks, but there are wheelchair accessible ramps at each end of the bridge both Eastbound and Westbound.

Of course this begs the question, why when bicycle use and alternative forms of transporation are all the rage, isn’t every new bridge designed to allow for dedicated bicycle lanes?  We’ve posed this question to RIDOT and will update everyone when we get an answer.

If you have corresponded with the Westerly Mayor on behalf of Russ Harkay, I would encourage you to send us a summary of the discussion.  I received the following update from Paul Martens, who contacted the town manager on cyclists behalf:

Mr. Martens: FYI, here is a copy of the police report narrative from the date of the accident. The Chief tells me that the full report is available to Mr. Harkay both on line (go to our dept. website) or in person at the Westerly Police Station, and has been since August 17th when the report was approved. The investigation has been complete as of that time and no charges were brought. I am satisfied with the professional and thorough nature with which the investigation was conducted by Officer Kyhos and I support its conclusions. I am sorry for the unfortunate injuries your friend has suffered and I would assume it is a civil matter at this point.

I’ve uploaded a copy of the police report narrative referenced in the letter.  I find it hard to believe some sort of vehicular violation does not occur when you hit someone!  Sure accidents do happen, but I think it’s crucial that there be some sort of permanent record that this person struck another individual with his automobile.  Without a record of driving offenses, the courts or department of motor vehicles have little evidence to act on should future accidents occur.

I would encourage more cyclists to reach out to the town manager and let him know the entire community is watching this incident play out.

September 18, 20109:00 amto2:00 pm

Are you looking for something to do on September 18th and want to give a little back to a good cause?  Then join the Give Thanks ride in Bristol.  Unlike most cycling fundraisers, they have no minimum, how can you say no?  Here is a press release from the organizers:

Ride your bike on the road to hope.

Help cure childhood cancer by participating in the Give thanks. Ride., a new and exciting cycling event benefiting the lifesaving work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This fun-filled event will feature routes for everyone, from families and kids to the most serious cycling enthusiasts.

The Rhode Island Give thanks. Ride., presented by Coastline Ambulance and Nicholas Barrett & Associates, will take place on Saturday, September 18, 2010. This 50- and 25-mile charity ride will start at Colt State Park in Bristol, Rhode Island, and follow a path through the scenic communities of Narragansett Bay and Southeast Massachusetts. Parents and children are encouraged to participate in the 2-mile family fun ride inside Colt State Park.  The event schedule is as follows:

Saturday, September 18, 2010
9am:      50-mile bike ride
10am:    25-mile bike ride
12pm:    Post-event festival
1pm:      2-mile family fun ride

For more information, please visit www.stjude.org/givethanksride.

Please help spread the word to your cycling friends and families.  You can register online if you plan to attend.

Almost everyone has somehow had their life affected by or knows someone who has their life affected by a serious childhood illness.  St. Judes works tirelessly to fight for children and support their families through the process.

I received another email update from Russ.  It’s now eleven days after his bicycle accident and he has yet to be interviewed by the police to get his side of the story, what could they possibly be waiting for?  I’d like to believe that police take every accident seriously and all are treated with the same diligence, but I’m struggling with why the facts seem to disagree with my utopic view of justice.  Russ has now placed two calls to the Westerly police department asking to be interviewed, both times he was told that that they would call him back and arrange to come out for an interview, but he has yet to hear anything.

Russ relates what a huge impact this has had on his life

my level of activity not just as someone who trains regularly but that as a competitive athlete. It is that
which has been taken away from me, at least for some time at best. I race bikes and skis. Cycling started as cross-training but has become a passion. residents here usually see me riding 25-50 miles on a daily basis. When the
accident occurred, I was following my usual warm-up route of 15 miles. I’ve been a USAC member and raced in that capacity, raced a 53-miler in the mountains of VT this summer, and ski race with USSA, including the national
level. I was a competitor as a Nordic racer in the 70’s-90’s. Nationally ranked and some Olympic aspirations.

The injury is unfortunate in that I am not just hurt, but at my age, one’s level of training goes fast when disabled. Further, I am not some couch potato who doesn’t know the rules of the road! I was riding exactly as
I should be, put on three strobe lights when the sun started to set, and my helmet in all likelihood saved my life (as has my ski helmet when I crashed racing a downhill once)

In the blink of an eye Russ’ life was forever changed, yet the driver of the automobile is still without any sort of citation.  The official police report states that Russ

received a concussion and “a few bumps and bruises”

However, since our last update, Russ has now visited with multiple doctors who believe that the injuries

are clearly due to being struck by a car and not falling to the ground, as the witness for the driver contends.

he now has

a Siamese twin about the size of a watermelon on my hip, cannot walk, and an abdomen and groin full of pooled blood

I’m working on getting a copy of the police report to post and any other news articles.

The first-ever New England Bike-Walk Summit will be in Providence on Thursday, October 7. A full day of sessions (and at least one field trip) will address issues important to the full range of bike and walk stakeholders – grassroots advocates, agency employees, professionals in private practice, etc.

Volunteers are needed to do things like manage a/v, staff the registration table, take photos & video, etc. All registered volunteers will have the Summit fee waived and can attend whichever sessions they like, as well as attend the evening reception.

More information can be found at the Summit website and the Summit facebook group. Contact me (eric@greenway.org) if you’d like to help.

Thanks!

August 26, 20106:30 pmto8:30 pm

The College Hill Neighborhood Association (CHNA) is presenting a Providence mayoral Q&A session on Thursday, August 26th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm at the Wheeler School.  They are soliciting questions you would like to see answered by the candidates.  Submissions can be sent to chna@collegehillneighborhoodassociation.org
. Questions must be received by Wednesday, August 25th at 12noon.  This is a perfect opportunity for the candidates to hear what’s on the mind of Providence cyclists.

We are sorry to report that it’s happened again.  Another cyclist has been struck on Rhode Island roads and currently, it looks like the motorist will just get away with it.  According to the cyclist, Russ Harkay, he was riding along route 1A in Westerly when

[the motorist] turned right at [the] Langworthy Inn onto Shore road… in doing so , he crossed a lane and plowed into me and my bike. He told the police that the reason he never applied his brakes is that he never saw me until it was too late. I am listed on the same form as a pedestrian and as having been struck by his car.

If you follow bicycle accidents around the country, there seems to be a common thread.  Most police departments focus sorely on automobiles and either don’t care to or don’t have the ability to differentiate between reporting accidents involving cyclists and pedestrians.  While some can argue there is little difference, it makes it almost impossible to track statistics on such accidents.  Russ continues by saying

today I saw my [principle care physician], he ordered a battery of tests and cannot believe no one was charged. According to the police report, I was riding in the bike lane on the side of the road as I should, had flashing strobe lights on my Marin Stelvio carbon fiber bike, and , of course, was wearing the helmet that saved my life. There is damage to my hip where I was hit and I will suffer arthritic changes.  I continue to suffer from the concussion that caused me to lose consciousness for 30 minutes.is doing his best to see that the driver is cited. I still have not been interviewed by the police and called the station today requesting that they do so to complete the report.

The accident occurred on August 13th and as of August 17th he had still not been interviewed by the police.  Russ has gone so far as contacting the police, requesting that he be interviewed.  I have not yet heard an update as to whether this interview has been granted.  As of yet, the driver has not been cited for any sort of moving violation.  I’ve said it before and, unfortunately, I’ll likely say it again, accidents do happen, but people need to take responsibility for the result of their actions.  Russ appears to have been doing everything he could, yet he will likely live with physical handicaps for the rest of his life and, aside from the moral implications, will have nothing to remind him of the life long changes he has inflicted upon someone else.

I’ve been unable to find any mention of this accident in any papers.  Also, the online police reports posted to the Westerly police department website only go through August 8th, so there is no mention of the accident yet.

It’s time for Rhode Island to have the laws on the books, ensuring that the police have the ability to charge drivers with something when they are involved in an accident and for a court of law to uphold those charges.  Once again, RIBike will be work to get Vulnerable Roadway User legislation passed during the next session, this is another sad reminder of how desperately such legislation is needed.

We will update everyone as more details are made available.

RI VeloSprints is back in action!

Thursday Happy Hours at McFadden’s (52 Pine St. in Providence)

Come in after a hard day in the office to cool down in the air-conditioned bliss of McFaddens.  Enjoy a cold one and race against your friends…or your foes.

These are 250 metre sprints to keep it easy and fun for everyone.  $5 for your first ride. $5 more for multiple shots at the best time!

Prizes galore from: Whole Foods Markets, Coffee Exchange, Crossfit Providence, Providence Bruins and Marc Allen Fine Clothiers.

All proceeds support U.S. Open Cycling’s mission to reduce obesity by helping kids – of all ages – ride bikes for fitness, fun and transportation.

See you Thursday!

4:30 until 7:30~ish!

The Zeta II class of Leadership Rhode Island choose to use the RI bike paths as their community service project.  They have organized the Rhode Bike Path Passport to

increase residents’ appreciation of our state by encouraging people to explore Rhode Island’s natural beauty, to stay fit, and to support local businesses.

Participants are asked to visit participating businesses to get a stamp on their passport.

If you collect stamps from three different paths by October 15, 2010, you will be eligible for a prize drawing including a grand prize worth at least $250 – check this website later for prize details!

Looking for a little extra encouragement to get out on the state’s bike paths, perhaps this is just what you’ve been waiting for!

A rural Colorado town has kicked cyclists off the streets, dealing a blow to advocates who felt the wind at their back amid a national livability push. There just wasn’t enough room on the roads for both bikers and two lanes of cars in Black Hawk, City Manager Mike Copp said, especially when state law requires 3 feet of space for bikers.

So a ban has been in effect since January. “We saw not only problems with biker safety but cars pulling away, and that was causing conflict,” Copp said. “When the state enhanced gambling and instituted 24-hour betting, that generated more traffic … these are big roads that are heavily traveled.” The ban applies only to commercial streets — residential roads are still OK for bikes — and bikers are free to dismount and walk along the roads, Copp said.

The ban is more than an inconvenience, says Dan Grunig, executive director of Bicycle Colorado, an advocacy group promoting biking in the state. It cuts off a stretch of the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway and could force bikers to go miles out of their way through mountain roads to reconnect. It is a “black eye” to Colorado’s bike tourism industry and nothing short of a rights violation, Grunig added. “Bikes are legal vehicles, and people have a constitutional right to travel. Restricting that is outside the boundaries of the law,” Grunig said.

The ban is also seen as a worst-case scenario as the country looks to expand biking as part of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood’s “livability” push. A similar ban on biking on state highways was proposed, but tabled, in St. Charles County, Mo., and Copp said other municipalities have contacted him about instituting their own bike bans. A proposal from two Colorado counties that would give municipalities more authority to restrict biking was proposed but has not moved in the state Legislature.

Meghan Cahill, a spokeswoman for the League of American Bicyclists, said the group is committed to fighting bicycle bans, though it prefers not to publicize them because they often spur copycats. Bicycle Colorado has lobbied state lawmakers to overturn the ban and is helping two bikers challenge their tickets in court.

From the local to the federal level, transportation agencies are doing more to add bike lanes, parking and education campaigns in an effort to promote two-wheeled transportation. But transportation experts say promotion without better infrastructure could create more problems like in Black Hawk, where increased bike and auto traffic created problems on narrow mountain roads. “What’s challenging is that we have people who learned how to drive when Americans had lost this legacy and tradition of cycling. There wasn’t anything in driver’s ed that informed people what to do,” said Lynnea Atlas-Ingebretson, manager of the Minneapolis Bike-Walk Ambassadors Program. “And now we’ve got people riding with new types of infrastructure who have had their licenses for years.”

Cahill said that in cities like Copenhagen, Denmark, where about 40 percent of trips are made by bike, there are few safety problems because cycling is ingrained in the culture. But that kind of comfort takes years to develop and requires early education. As biking becomes more prevalent, transportation officials think education will spread. Right now, the bulk of bike safety education comes from advocacy groups or government agencies spreading a share-the-road message. For example, Minneapolis has been distributing postcards and posters with bike rights and regulations. The League of American Bicyclists offers courses for local groups and help to employers that want to train their own workers on riding safely. To make it really effective, Cahill said, the education has to be institutionalized. That could mean anything from incorporating it into a physical education curriculum to putting bike laws onto driving tests.

Bike licenses? Copp says a better solution would go even further. “When I go hunting and fishing, I need a license. But a bicyclist doesn’t,” Copp said. “We need to register bicyclists.” Copp said that program would allow an easy opportunity for education through a licensing course akin to driver’s education and a written test but would have the added benefit of raising funds for more bike infrastructure. By charging bicyclists for their licenses, the cash-strapped city of Black Hawk could expand its roads or pave a gravel path running around the city.

Licensing programs have not been successful in the past, though. Most governments that had or enforced them eventually backed off, including Minneapolis. Just the administration of the licenses was costing more than the fees could realistically bring in. “Eighty percent of bikes are sold at average of $80,” Grunig said. “To generate revenue, you have to charge somewhere around $40 or $50. That’s a higher tax [rate] than cigarettes, and bicycles are healthy.” Though Grunig said the licensing program would be a good way to promote education, the revenue end just does not make sense. Instead, he wants to see transportation dollars distributed more evenly so that road projects could include bike lanes and new paths. Without a clear solution in place, an end to the Black Hawk ban is not likely to happen anytime soon. But bike advocates are not taking that to heart. “It’s a minority,” Cahill said. “It’s not a step back. We’re seeing biking increase across the board nationwide. It’s becoming more accepted in all age groups and communities. Unfortunately, this will happen, but it’s not a national problem.”

Image via flickr: Travis S.

In response to recent concerns about hazards on the Coventry Greenway, Steve Church at RIDOT and  Guy LeFebvre from Coventry Parks and Recreation department have asked us to remind users of the Coventry Greenway that the trail section between Whitford Street and Station Street.  This section had not previously been paved or landscaped, though the bridges have been in place for a number of years.

Below is the announcement regarding the ongoing trail work:

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has closed a portion of the Coventry Greenway in the eastern part of Coventry from Whitford Street, close to the West Warwick line, to Station Street in Coventry. The path is under construction and the Department expects to re-open it in Summer 2010. RIDOT recently awarded a $1.6 million contract to J.H. Lynch, Inc. of Cumberland to pave this portion of the Coventry Greenway, which has a gravel surface with paved bike path segments at either end. RIDOT asks that cyclists and pedestrians refrain from accessing the path until construction is complete. Three bridge crossings along this segment of the Coventry Greenway will be blocked off. When completed, this new segment will join the rest of the Coventry Greenway and three other paths – the West Warwick Greenway, Warwick Bike Path and the Cranston Bike Path – to form a 14.2-mile continuous bike path from Cranston to Central Coventry. Collectively the paths are known as the Washington Secondary Bike Path, and will become the second-longest bike path in Rhode Island behind the 14.5-mile East Bay Bike Path. See press release for more details

Here is the latest correspondence I’ve received from RIDOT concerning keeping the Washington Bridge open during construction.  While RIDOT is certainly due credit for completing the projects that they highlighted, I think it’s hard for them to argue that a fair share of State transportation dollars are being spent on non-automobile projects.  I was very interested to see that they completed a traffic count on the bridge.  This is something we spoke about doing internally in the next month or so and I’ll see what I can do to get my hands on the raw data.

In the mean time, I plan to reply to this letter, but would like to hear your thoughts.  So let’s have them, where did RIDOT score points with you and where did they miss the point?

August 16, 20106:00 pmto8:00 pm

Our next general advocacy meeting will be held on August 16th @ 6pm in the Brown Bookstore (244 Thayer Street, Providence) in the faculty author section (2nd floor).  We are delaying the general meeting by a week, so as to avoid a holiday at Brown.  All cyclists interest in advocacy are encouraged to attend, learn about what’s happening around Providence, and bring items of interest to the group.

On the agenda, so far, for this meeting:

• Update from the RIBike board
• Update on the Washington Bridge Linear Park Project
• Upcoming events (volunteers needed!)

(c) Aaron Goselin

A bicycling user of the Coventry Greenway notified me that there is a dangerous bump on one of the trestle bridges on the newly completed trail segment.  In the middle of one of the bridges, affecting traffic both directions is a very difficult to see and very severe bump in the decking that has caused at least 1 crash and a near crash as reported below:

… The surface is very nice and the landscaping is tasteful. I was on it for the first time after work today and discovered a structural hazard to cyclists.  There is one trestle bridge overpass that has an unmarked speed bump running across the center!  I hit that thing full on at slightly over 20 mph tonight and I dont’ know how I managed to stay upright….

RIDOT Customer Service has been notified and I’ve contacted Steve Church at RIDOT to see if anything can be done to repair or better warn riders of what I believe is an unintentional and dangerous warping in the bridge deck.

[UPDATE]

Steve Church responded that this issue was raised by another path user in March and passed along to the Project Manager, and that the temporary step of putting marking paint on the bump was taken in early April.   The paint has faded at this point, but the Town of Coventry’s Directory of Parks and Recreation, Guy LeFebvre indicates that new marking paint will be applied to the bump, the railings around the bump, and signs placed on the bridge.

Guy also pointed out that the segment path is still under construction and closed to all users:

We are aware of the bump in the bridge decking, likely caused by expansion of the deck boards themselves.

We have repainted it again and will continue to repaint it as it fades.  We have painted the rails beside it as well and are placing signs at each end of the bridge to forewarn patrons who are still using our CLOSED bike path.

There are many details yet to be completed and then there will be a punch list of items as well.  Please advise all that you can that the path is still under construction and remains closed.

We received the following announcement from RIDOT:

Westerly: Rte. 91 (Oak St./Westerly-Bradford Rd.) from Rte. 3 (High St.) to State Highway Garage, and from State Highway Garage to Bradford Railroad Bridge, various lane closures for construction, Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A one-way alternating traffic pattern may be in place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pedestrians and bicyclists are restricted on Route 91 (Westerly Bradford Road) in the area of Newton Swamp during construction.

The construction is expected to last two weeks.  You can can check the RIDOT travel advisory page for ongoing updates.  Not knowing the area at all, I corresponded with RIDOT engineers about the need for a bicycle restriction.  Apparently this particular section will be reduced to a single lane for a significant distance, will have no viable extra width to accommodate bicycles and automobiles concurrently, and experiences a significant elevation change.  The elevation change would slow cyclists significantly.  Does anyone have live or ride in this area and can actually attest to the road conditions along this stretch?

From RIDOT:

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) has announced that the William C. O’Neill (South County) Bike Path will be expanded.   Starting Monday, August 2, 2010 crews will begin work on the next segment of the path which currently covers 5.6 miles between the Kingston Railroad Station and Route 108. The new segment, at just under one mile, will continue from Route 108 in South Kingstown, along MacArthur Boulevard and branch off and follow the old Pier Railroad to Mumford Road in Narragansett.

“We are pleased to provide a vital connection to both sides of Route 1 as we expand this path from South Kingstown to Narragansett,” said RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis.  “Not only will the path highlight the scenic beauty of the area, but it will also enhance the quality of life for its users while demonstrating the State’s commitment to providing alternate transportation options.”

Crews from J.H. Lynch & Sons are scheduled to work weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Their preliminary activities, which should have minimal impact to traffic, will include off-road surveying, clearing, excavation, drainage work and grading.  A base course of pavement is scheduled to be placed this Fall, with a surface course to be applied next Spring.  Through a $760,000 investment, the path is currently slated for completion in June 2011.

From the League of American Cyclists, particularly pertinent for those of us in RI, because Senator Reed sits on the Senate Banking Committee which is hearing the bill:

Congress is considering a measure that could unleash funding for bicycle and pedestrian facilities and make important strides towards building “active transportation networks.”

Tomorrow is a critical vote.

Your Senator can play a key role in passing this important legislation.

On Tuesday, August 3, the Senate Banking Committee will be voting on the Livable Communities Act (S. 1619)— and your Senator is on this Committee.

This important bill would help communities:

• Develop comprehensive regional plans to incorporate transportation, housing, community and economic development, and environmental needs.
• Enact their plans by funding Transit Oriented Development (TOD), public transportation, and pedestrian and bicycle thoroughfares that foster economic development and build livable communities.

To clarify and enhance the language for biking and walking, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) offered an amendment that defines “active transportation” projects and ensures they are prominently listed — on par with transit — as eligible activities. , Make sure your Senator knows that you, and the members of Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition, consider passage of this vital bill a high priority.

At a time when our nation is searching for ways to address some of our major transportation, climate and health challenges, this measure would create more affordable places to live, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and revitalize existing urban centers.

Please contact your Senator TODAY and ask him/her to vote for the Merkely amendment AND for S. 1619.

Alert the members of Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition to do the same!

To find your Senator, visit the League of American Bicyclists Advocacy Center.

If you believe in liveable communites and have feelings one way or another about this bill, please take a few moments today and at least fill out the online comment form.

UPDATE

The Sierra Club reports

Just wanted to fill you in on our victory in the Banking Committee yesterday! The Banking Committee approved the Livable Communities act by a voice vote along party lines (12-10). Thanks to all of you who made calls to Senate offices.

After the Senate returns from August recess, Senator Dodd hopes to advance his bill to the floor of the Senate (possibly attached to another bill) and pass it before he retires. So we’ll have more work to do convincing other Senators to support this good legislation and get it passed.

We will let everyone know when it’s time to start making calls and sending emails again. Thanks to everyone who took the time to do so for this vote.

Bruce, via the NBW list, pointed to a Projo article about another cyclist, with ties to RI, being killed.

A 21-year-old Brown University student riding across the country to raise money for affordable housing was killed Tuesday in South Dakota after she was struck by a semi-trailer truck’s wide load as she checked phone messages on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 18.

I’ve read a number of accounts of this accident now and they all seem to tell the same story, the cyclist was doing everything right.  She was on the side of the road and was struck by a passing truck.   I’m sure this was an accident, the driver said he saw the cyclists and even tried to swerve to avoid them.  However, the fact remains that he killed someone and I don’t believe it is right that he should be able to walk away from this accident without any sort of repercussion.  He destroyed a young persons life, just starting to sprout wings and fly free.  What do you believe is a reasonable punishment?

We’ve tried for two legislative sessions now, and plan to continue this work, to get a vulnerable roadway user bill passed in Rhode Island.  This past legislative session, we were successful in getting a more traditional 3-foot bill passed, but it still doesn’t go far enough.  While we understand that accidents do happen, it is not right to let this person just walk away.  Our legislation proposed requiring mandatory driver re-education, community service, and for cases where there was negligence, license suspension.

In this case, this person involved in the accident is a truck driver, traveling across the US.  Wouldn’t it be something to require him to perform his community service by stopping across the US and lecturing to driver’s education classes about what he did and why it’s crucial that all drivers take responsibility and remain alert when they are behind the wheel.  No, this wouldn’t bring Paige back and there is likely nothing this truck driver could do to repair the damage he inflicted upon her family and friends, but at least this would be something.  Everyone knowing that he must attend mandatory re-education and tell others about his story and the dangers of driving, would seem to provide some benefit for society.

The current (Fall 2010) issue of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) magazine has several articles that may of interest. The cover story on the 22 mile Cape Cod rail trail gives its history, some photos, and touring tips. It also has a story and photos of the NY High-Line, an imaginative reuse of an abandoned railroad trestle on Manhattan’s west side that is helping to renew that neighborhood. We’ll never know f RI could have done something similar with the old Jmestown Bridge.
RTC also notes the East Bay Bike Path and recommends an event at the nearby Coggleshall Farm. Other features noted trails in Kansas, West Virginia, Michigan, one in Ireland, and regional cooperation between CT and MA on a trail from Yale to Northampton. If only RI and MA could make such news.

Also noted is RTC support for the Active Community Transportation Act (HR4722) pending in Congress and now with 60 co-sponsors, but none from RI. The bill would provide competitive grants to communites for projects to encourage biking and walking, and the RTC profiles Billings, Baltimore, and Fort Wayne that are doing some of that already.

Its inspiring to see the progress being made around the country. Pleas reply to bschiller@localnet.com for more info on any of this.