Rhode Island Feeds

The next general advocacy meeting will be held on February 13th @ 6:30pm at the Narragansett Library, Narragansett, RI.  In addition to our our usual round of topics, we’ll be talking about projects and issues specific to Washington County and Southern Rhode Island and learn more about organizations working to improve bicycling conditions.  Anyone interested in discussing bicycle advocacy or other issues facing cyclists in Rhode Island is welcome and encouraged to attend.  Thanks to Karen Votava for working with us to bring the RIBIKE monthly meeting to Washington County.

On the agenda for this month’s meeting:

• Officer Reports (Pres, VP, Treasurer, Secretary)
  • Pres – Membership appeal update
  • VP – 2013 TIP status
  • Treasurer – Current Financial picture
  • Secretary -
• Committee Reports
  • Legislative — Vulnerable Roadway User Legislation Update
  • Membership/Technology update
• Project Reports/Activity
  • BikeToWorkDay Providence Status
  • Road Project involvement (Elmwood Ave-Providence)
  • PVD Biking group activity
  • Pawtucket
  • Commuter Guide
• Washington County and Southern Rhode Island
  •  Projects, Issues and Organizations

The meeting location for this months meeting is:

Maury Loontjens Memorial Library
35 Kingstown Rd.
Narragansett, RI 02882 (map)

Thanks to the generosity of the producers of the film, the Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition is hosting a second showing after a sellout at the premiere of the movie Bicycle Dreams. The showing will be Wednesday Feb. 22, 2012, 6:30PM at the Cable Car Cinema.

Bicycle Dreams documents the extreme hardship endured by teams of cyclists competing in the annual non-stop Race Across America bicycle race.

To purchase advance tickets, order online (make sure you select the Providence showing).

The Cable Car Cinema & Café is located at 204 South Main St. in Providence.

From the press release:

Bicycle Dreams, the award-winning feature-length documentary about the Race Across America(RAAM), after a sell out at its premiere on Feb 2 in Providence will be shown again at the Cable Car Cinema & Cafe on Wednesday, February 22 at 6:30 p.m. as part of the film’s ongoing nationwide winter tour. The screening is presented as a benefit for the Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition.

The film, which has won numerous awards at film festivals all over the world, “is an up-close look at what RAAM riders go through,” says Stephen Auerbach, the director and producer of Bicycle Dreams. “They deal with searing desert heat, agonizing mountain climbs, and endless stretches of open road. And they do it all while battling extreme exhaustion and sleep deprivation. It’s a great subject for a film.”

You can read the full Press Release.

Newport This Week editor Tom Shevlin reports on the Bike Newport / Old Colony ride to envision an Aquidneck Island Bike Path. Read about it HERE.

Word has come down from Rails-to-Trails that:

Unfortunately, by a vote of 27 to 29, the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee just moments ago voted down the bipartisan Petri/Johnson/Lipinski amendment that would have fixed many of the deficiencies in the House transportation bill, particularly as they relate to the Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School programs.

Rhode Island doesn’t have a representative on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, but you can see how other state legislators voted.  There is still work to be done.  If you have yet to contact our representatives, please do so and let them know that alternative transportation matters!  We need to keep the pressure on.

Word is coming down from the League of American Bicycles in Washington that the House transportation bill, the American Energy and Infrastructure Act, has

cut every reference to bicycling and walking out of the federal transportation policy!

Clearly this shows how important some of our current legislators feel alternative modes of transportation are.  If this bill is allowed to pass in its current form, it would mean:

• Destroys Transportation Enhancements by making the program optional
• Repeals the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school
• Allows states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles
• Eliminates bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs
• Eliminates language that insures that rumble strips “do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled”

There is a shimmer of hope though

Representative Petri (R-WI) will stand up for bicycling and walking by offering an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Mr. Petri can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their Representative on the Transportation Committee again today to urge them to vote YES on the Petri amendment!

Please voice your opinion.  It only takes a few moments to fill out the online form.

Today was an important day for a future Aquidneck Island Bike Path. Huge thanks to Rep Peter Martin and the volunteers of the Old Colony & Newport Railway (OCNRR) for taking us on a 4-hour “long ride” of the island’s rail corridor. An incredible group of knowledgeable and interested representatives from all three towns, considering the landscape, the challenges and all the studies conducted over the last decade. Can we get this project rolling? We certainly hope so. For our health, economy, environment and quality of life of residents and visitors alike.

Pictured l-r: Allison McNally (Bike Newport), Stephen Miller (formerly Rail Trail Conservancy), Chuck Flippo (OCNRR), Christina Erwin (Bike Newport / Newport Bicycle), Don Elbert (OCNRR Exec Dir), Eric Weis (Trail Program Coordinator, East Coast Greenway Alliance), Art Weber (Middletown Town Council President), Bart Grimes (Administrator, Newport Hospital), Dick Adams (AIPC Chair), Bari George (President, Bike Newport), Sam Jernigan (Bike Newport), Steve Heath (Vice President, Bike Newport), Gary Crosby (Portsmouth Town Planner), Evan Smith (Exec Dir Newport and Bristol Visitors Bureau), Rep Peter Martin (RI House of Representatives)  Not pictured, photographer Tom Shevlin (Editor, Newport This Week) and Chris Tompsett (Bike Newport)

Thanks to the generosity of the producers of the film, the Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition is hosting a screening of the movie Bicycle Dreams. The showing will be Thursday Feb. 2, 2012, 6:30PM at the Cable Car Cinema.

Bicycle Dreams documents the extreme hardship endured by teams of cyclists competing in the annual non-stop Race Across America bicycle race.

To purchase advance tickets, order online (make sure you select the Providence showing).

The Cable Car Cinema & Café is located at 204 South Main St. in Providence.

From the press release:

Bicycle Dreams, the award-winning feature-length documentary about the Race Across America(RAAM), will premiere in Providence at the Cable Car Cinema & Cafe on Thursday, February 2 at 6:30 p.m. as part of the film’s ongoing nationwide winter tour. The screening is presented as a benefit for the Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition.

The film, which has won numerous awards at film festivals all over the world, “is an up-close look at what RAAM riders go through,” says Stephen Auerbach, the director and producer of Bicycle Dreams. “They deal with searing desert heat, agonizing mountain climbs, and endless stretches of open road. And they do it all while battling extreme exhaustion and sleep deprivation. It’s a great subject for a film.”

You can read the full Press Release.

 

The next general advocacy meeting will be held on January  9th @ 6pm in the Community Meeting Room inside the Brown University Bookstore, 1st Floor. (244  Thayer Street) Anyone interested in discussing bicycle advocacy or other issues facing cyclists in Rhode Island is welcome and encouraged to attend.

On the agenda for this month’s meeting:

• Bike Month/BikeToWork Day Planning Kick Off (volunteers needed)
• Bicycle Dreams Movie Event (volunteers needed)
• Commuter Guide Project Update
• Membership Update
• State Legislation Update

We will have time at the end of the meeting for other topics of interest to those present.

 

Some preliminary results from a Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) subcommittee meeting on bike/ped projects submitted for the next 4 year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that RIDOT tentatively allocated about $3.4 million/year.  Projects that scored well enough to possibly continue, though the subcommittee will be meeting again to review this, and results must be approved by the entire TAC, the State Planning Council etc, and all of them need design work:

• Coventry connection from bike path to Middle School
• East Bay Bike path extension in Warren (though route between County Rd and Metacom unresolved)
• East Greenwich – Warwick bike/ped bridge connection near Forge Rd
• South County Bikeway, phase 4 – though final route in Narragansett still uncertain
• Jamestown “Ice Road” path connecting North Rd, East Shore Rd
• Tiverton bikeway
• Possible bike path along Bay Commission route along river near Gano
• URI connection from south county path to campus
• Woonsocket extension of the Blackstone bikeway

Likely to be left out of the TIP:

• Middletown proposals to add bike paths alongside West Main Rd, East Main Rd, Burma Rd
• “Hope Spur” in W Warwick-Coventry
• signage projects in Burrillville, Coventry, Woonsocket
• a bike path alongside Corn Neck Rd on Block Island
• funding the extension of Blackstone Bikeway in Cumberland/Central Falls
• proposed Truman Drive bikeway in Woonsocket
• Popasquash Rd bikeway in Bristol
• bike access to Jamestown bridge
• development of Pontiac Secondary bikeway in Cranston.

And there are still earmarks remaining for the West Bay path in Coventry, 10-Mile River extension, and the Woonasquatucket.

All of this is still subject to public review. RIBikers can also communicate their thoughts about this on this site or by contacting Sue Barker or Barry Schiller who are on the TAC

UPDATE: Please note that the date has changed to January 11, 2012, 6PM.

The Elmwood Neighborhood Association has sent out a notice of an upcoming public planning meeting to discuss the remainder of the Elmwood repaving project.  For more information about the recent activities and some commentary on the current status, be sure to click the “more” link.

Planning meeting for Elmwood Ave

with RIDOT Director Lewis and Senator Pichardo
Tuesday, December 20, 6:00 to 8:00 pm Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
St Paul’s Church Auditorium
445 Elmwood Ave
Enter the Auditorium on Carter St. (Parking is across the street.)

This is your opportunity to discuss the development of Elmwood Ave with RIDOT Director Lewis before contract bids this winter and Elmwood Ave development as early as spring. Please come. Invite your neighbors and colleagues.Please RSVP to Karen Hlynsky, Elmwood Neighborhood Association: (401) 941-8249 or karen_ena@earthlink.net History

RIBIKE representatives have been participating and monitoring the Elmwood Avenue repaving project since early 2010 when CommunityWorksRI first held a public meeting to gather neighborhood input into what was important for residents to have changed, improved or kept the same when RIDOT executed the project to repave.  Out of those meetings, it was concluded that improved pedestrian safety for crossing the street, especially in the area of Knight Memorial Library, Gilbert Stuart Middle School, Alfred Lima Elementary School, West End Community Center and Bucklin Park.  The community also expressed interest in including bicycle accommodations in or along the street to provide more comfortable, safe and convenient access to Roger Williams Park and other destinations.

Over the past year RIDOT has executed contracts for preliminary work along the street, extending from Cadillac Drive to Service Road 7, a distance of 2.12 miles.  So far, new traffic control lights with pedestrian crossing signals have been installed, temporary ADA compliant ramps have been constructed, the pedestrian activated HAWK signal has replaced a trafffic light at Daboll Street.  Also already completed is a restriping of the roadway to change the travel lanes north of Congress Ave from two each direction, to one each direction with a center turning lane.

The next phase of the project will see the entire street milled and repaved, new sidewalks installed, permanent ADA compliant crossings installed, new street trees, signage, and rebuilding the median on the section of roadway that is still 4 lanes (south of Congress Ave).

RIDOT published these “90%” plans to interested parties in late summer, which created some concern among residents, as very few changes seemed to have been made to address the goal of increasing the ease and safety of crossing Elmwood.  A formal request to study the possibility of including bike lanes within the roadway was made, as well as a request for a study of pedestrian crossing activity near the aforementioned community resources, all principally on the west side of Elmwood with a large residential area served on the east by these amenities.

RIDOT responded that after study, bicycle lanes could not be included within the footprint of the roadway along its length without removing parking.  RIDOT instead intends to use shared lane arrows along the length of the street.

In November, in response to RIDOT’s statements on current project status and design plans, the Elmwood Neighborhood Association conducted a walk-through and examination of the 90% plans available at that time.  Senator Pichardo attended, and was asked to speak with Director Lewis to address the neighborhoods desire for a street that supports the community’s needs.   During the walk-through, attention was paid to the area around Knight Library, with suggestions that additional signalized crossings be installed to assist with access to community resources, as well as an examination of the areas of Elmwood that had underutilized on-street parking areas due to a lack of businesses, or abundance of off-street parking.

Other items noted were the widening and addition of lanes at some major intersections, that immediately reduced to single lanes that compromised the ability to have through bike lanes, the seemingly excessive width of the travel and center turning lanes along that segment, and the possibility of removing the median, allowing for eliminating a possibly unnecessary northbound lane in section south of Congress Ave, allowing the remaining lanes to be re-positioned and the eliminated lane split to provide a 5′ bike lane on either side of the roadway.

Commentary

In a recent conversation with a city representative, when mentioning that eliminating parking along portions of Elmwood could allow for the inclusion of bike lanes, I was told that it was politically unlikely to be possible to do this because to the linking of parking to city revenues.  I’m not sure this is valid, since as I recall, Elmwood is generally not a metered street.  The other issue with this is that in some areas, a new parking lane has been created under the new striping plan, most notably along the cemetery.

In the same conversation, it was indicated that elimination of median had occurred in the Route 10 area under a previous project and the neighbors afterwards felt that the ease of crossing the street had been negatively impacted, so there was no desire to remove the median in this case.   It was the opinion of those performing the walk-through that the four-foot wide median was insufficient as a pedestrian refuge area, and did not adequately serve those with strollers and wheelchairs in crossing, since it isn’t designed as a sheltered refuge.

There are sections of Elmwood where on-street parking is absolutely critical to the success of the businesses nearby, especially in the several blocks north and south of Potters Ave with its high density of shops without off-street parking, however, with  most of the rest of the street having businesses with off-street parking provided, it would seem that one parking lane on one side of the street could be taken, combined with narrowing the travel lanes from 12-feet to 11, and the median from 15 to 14, to make up the space required to add a 5-foot wide bike lane in each direction either adjacent to the curb or the parking lane, where present.  Sharrows should only be used in areas of transition, or where conditions really do not permit dedicated lanes, and should connect these facilities, not be the facility.

As many have pointed out, if the parking lanes are under used, they will (and likely already are) being used be default as bike lanes, so why do anything.   My response is that Elmwood is on the city’s transportation plan as a bicycle route, and has signage indicating this.  The city, and state should be stepping up their commitment to their plans by taking this opportunity within money already allocated to design the street correctly now, for the next 50 years, as finding money to mill the stripes and repaint the lanes later will incur further expense and delays.

An article on Bloomberg Businessweek follows up on yesterday’s story about complete cellphone bans by suggesting that perhaps it’s time to treat distracted driving in the same way as the assault on DWI over the past decade.  I personally find it particularly interesting how they start their story:

Driving is an inherently dangerous activity. But in the U.S., we’ve generally accepted that the gains in convenience, freedom and productivity that motor vehicles provide outweigh their many hazards.

I believe you’ve heard this exact sentiment noted many times here before.  Somehow, this country as a whole has come to accept injuries and fatalities as a byproduct of motoring.  This doesn’t need to be the case.  They go on to say that the laws should reflect common sense:

The first rule should be common sense. For example, sending text messages while driving, an objectively dangerous pursuit, should be banned outright. (It already is in 35 states and Washington, D.C.)

But further restrictions — such as allowing the use of only hands-free devices, levying stiffer penalties for accidents involving mobile-phone use, or enacting a ban on drivers interacting with anything more complicated than the radio dial

But how do you actually get people to pay attention? You reward those that are doing the right thing:

one solution the NTSB cites is promising. It suggests that device makers develop technology that would disable phones within reach of the driver while a vehicle is in motion… Insurance companies can speed public adoption of this technology by offering discounts for drivers who use it.

and punish those that don’t:

The idea would be to attach a social stigma to DWD that’s the rough equivalent of DWI. Ad campaigns would help. Punitive insurance premiums would also concentrate drivers’ minds. And states could start requiring offending motorists to attend awareness classes.

An article on AP News states:

Texting, emailing or chatting on a cellphone while driving is simply too dangerous to be allowed, federal safety investigators declared Tuesday, urging all states to impose total bans except for emergencies.

The recommendation goes so far as to make it illegal even to use a hands free device.  I’m doubtful that such a federal law will ever come to be in the US, but this is the first I’ve ever read of federal investigators even making the suggestion.  I’ve experienced plenty of close calls while biking and truly believe a large percentage of them could have been avoided if drivers were more alert.  It’s WAY too easy to be distracted while driving these days: cell phones, mp3 players, DVD players, navigation devices… the list just goes on.

The picture included with this post depicts

a rescue worker at the scene of an accident involving two school buses, a tractor-trailer and another passenger vehicle, near Gray Summit, Mo. Federal safety investigators say a 19-year-old driver was texting at the time his pickup truck, two school buses and other vehicles collided in a deadly pileup on an interstate highway in Missouri last year.

While it is great to see attention paid to this issue at a federal level, it would be even better to see enforcement of existing laws and stricter penalties for people who cause accidents through distracted driving.  If you prefer to have your news read to you, I also found some ABC coverage on the same topic
video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player

Here at RIBike, we are working behind the scenes to introduce our vulnerable roadway user legislation for the third straight session.  Each attempt, it seems to be building support in the legislature, but we could use even more help.  If you have experience with legislation or have an interest in seeing what legislative work is all about, come to one of our monthly meetings and learn how you too can make a difference!

It’s not yet too cold for a Special Sunday Group Ride!  

Sunday, December 11. 9:45am Touro Park Bellevue/Pelham

Join Bike Newport for a leisurely Bike Tour of Newport.  25 miles over 2.5 hours, led by Newport cycling enthusiast Sam Jernigan.  Enjoy Newport’s many neighborhoods. Bring a snack for your refreshment.

See a map of the route at:  http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5211586

contact (401)324-9690 info@bikenewport.me

The City of Providence has finally completed the long awaited Broadway Bike Lanes.  Announced in 2008 as coming soon, and rumors of imminent milling and repaving, 2011 sees the city complete its current bike plan with the installation of this lane, adding 2 lane miles to the city’s inventory.

Below are photos taken during a ride down the lanes over the last couple of weeks with the final striping and stencils in place.  Other amenities along the street are signs at the intersections indicating that bicycles should be placed on a not yet present line in the line at intersections.  Presumably these will line up with the induction loop sensors that have been installed in the lane.

While the lane is short and not particularly connected to any other bicycle specific amenities at this time, I would expect that with the pending project to revise the city’s bike plan, the Broadway bike lane will become an integral part of that network.

From observation, east bound drivers on Broadway coming from Olneyville and Route 6 aren’t entirely comfortable with the new striping and the appropriate route/lane shift to get into the right turn only lane onto Barton Street. At this location, the bike lane beings and is striped at an angle from the curb to occupy a position between the straight and turn only lanes (see photo below).  On the 3 occassions I’ve traveled through, I’ve seen cars stay to the left of the bike lane and then change lanes across the bike lane to make the right turn as they near the light rather than changing lanes through the “dashed lines”.

The lanes aren’t perfect, appearing to be approximately 4 feet wide, located adjacent to a parking lane.  This leaves it possible for a person leaving a vehicle to endanger a rider by opening their door into the lane.  Given the narrowness of the street and other travel lanes, a wider bike lane or a striped buffer would not fit into the footprint of the street, however, so it’s difficult to see how the street design could have been much different.

There are one locations where the lane disappears on the East bound track, leaving the rider with a sharrow in the straight lane between Bainbridge Ave and Tobey St.  At this location a left-turn only lane is present, and straight traffic is shifted to the right, causing the auto and bike lane to merge for the block.  The lane resumes immediately after the Tobey Street intersection. The lane also ends without warning or accommodation at Ringgold Street with no lane markings or sharrows for the last block to Dean St, where the new paving ends.  The street configuration doesn’t appear to have changed for this block, with no dedicated turn lanes add yet, making it not obvious why the lane ends at that location.

West bound the situation is similar, with the lane ending at Harkness St. to accommodate a right turn-only lane onto Tobey.  Sharrows are placed in the straight through travel lane.  The bike lane doesn’t resume until Bainbridge St., and finally ending at Barton St.  West bound also has one extra hazard, not present in the opposite direction, manhole covers that are frequently set an inch or so below the level of the paving.  There seems to be one in every intersection, and several extras.

Discussions and additional photos can be found on posts at Greater City:Providence and CarFreePVD.

Photo: Christina Myers | WPRO News (click for WPRO article)

George Redman was honored on Nov. 29, 2011 by Governor Chafee, Chairman Melo, family, friends and recreational path users for his selfless quest to have the East Bay Bike Path built.  According to son Paul, the 87-year old would be out on the path more frequently if his health and family allowed.  As it is now, several times a year, he can be found at Your Bike Shop in Warren, providing water and snacks to path users.

Speaking to honor George were Bob Votava, Representative Melo, Governor Chafee, RIDOT Director Lewis and RIDEM Director Coit.  As Master of Ceremony, trail advocate Bob Votava  shared details of George’s long history of community involvement and sacrifice, from serving in World War 2 and as a Boy Scout leader, as a leader of bay shore cleanups, to bike path advocate and husband of 60 years.  Chairman Melo and the Governor thanked George for his persistence in the face of community opposition, including letters written to the Chief-of-Staff of President Reagan.

RIDOT director Michael Lewis spoke not just about thanking and recognizing him, but also informed the assembled crowd out that efforts like this are what it takes to get changes started, quipping that if RIDOT was perceived to be inflexible now, imagine its demeanor and response in 1975 to the idea of pedestrian and bicycle recreation trails.

Four generations of George’s family were on hand for the ceremony, including his son Paul, who delivered the thank you and acceptance.  George’s health did not allow him to deliver his own thanks and acceptance of the honor, it was clear from his expression and discernible attention and focus that he appreciated the kind words being spoken of and for him by those gathered.

WIth the assistance of the NBW, Greenways Alliance of Rhode Island and the Ocean State Pathways, signatures were collected in support of the unanimous 2006 legislation to name the yet-to-be-built linear park in honor of a visionary.  From the seed of an idea in one persons mind, the gathering of likeminded persons to the cause, the allocation of 1.2 million dollars to begin construction of what is now considered to be one of the top ten most used paths in the nation, it is truly fitting that the connection between Providence and East Providence be named the George Redman Linear Park.  The park is currently expected to be completed in 2015 after a 2 year construction project to begin in 2013.

The Transportation Advisory Committee has received submissions of projects from RIDOT  from cities and towns, and some agencies for the 2013-2016 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP).  The news for bicycle users is that it could have been a lot worse.  The 2013-2016 TIP will determine priorities for projects to potentially be funded via USDOT programs, though there is a project budgetting component, TIP projects are not guaranteed to be funded or delivered on the schedule indicated.  Full details are on page 3 and 4 of the Guide to the TIP Development Process.

Earlier, anticipating a 30% cut in Federal support, RIDOT zeroed out using any discretionary funds for bike projects.  However, now expecting at most a 5% cut (the US Senate reauthorizing committee level funded the program) RIDOT does recommend a program of about $3.4 million/year for bike and pedestrian projects as well as $1 million for “safe routes to school.”   Which projects?  That is to be prioritized by a subcommittee of the Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) using agreed on criteria, and reported back to the TAC and later to the State Planning Council.   RIBIKE board officers Barry Schiller and Sue Barker are on this committee.

In addition there are about $26 million in remaining earmarked funds for bike projects.  This includes approximately $10 million for the West Bay bike path, $5.7 million for the Woonasquatucket, almost $1.7 million for the 10-mile River Greenway, almost $1.6 million for Colt Park bikeways, almost $1.3 million for the South County Bike Path, and $640,000 for the Blackstone River Bikeway.

City/town submissions were often supportive of bike and pedestrian projects.  Here are some highlights:

•   Barrington: Replacement of the East Bay path bridges (priority #6 of 6)
•   Block Island: New proposal for bike signage (#4 of 4)
•   Bristol:  Poppasquash Rd bike/ped path (#4 of 5)
•   Burrillville:  Northwest Bike Trail, (#7 of 7)
•   Central Falls:  Blackstone Bikeway (#2 of 2)
•   Charlestown:  Shoreline Bikeway (#6 of 6)
•   Coventry: a new Bike Route signage program (#4 of 7)
•   Cumberland:  Blackstone Bikeway (#3 and 4 of 10 for the 2 remaining sections)
•   East Greenwich: Town bike plan including a Warwick Connection bridge (#1 of 6)
•   Jamestown:  Bike access to Jamestown Bridge (#2 of 6) and new Bike/Ped path from North Rd to East Shore Rd (#3 of 6)
•   Middletown:  Shared use path along East Main Rd (#10 of 14, West Main (#11) and Burma Rd (#12)
•   Narragansett:   Phase 4 of the South County path (#4 of 5)
•   North Kingstown:  Wickford to Quonset bike study (#3 of 12) and Jamestown Bridge access (#12 of 12)
•   Pawtucket:  Blackstone Bikeway (#2 of 14)
•   Providence:  Bike/Ped bridge on old I-195 piers (#1 of 10)
•   Tiverton:  Bike path along rail line (#5 of 5)
•   URI: Connection from the South County path to URI (not mentioned by South Kingstown)
•   Warren:  East Bay path extension to Kickemuit River (#3 of 7) and East Bay path bridge replacement (#7 of 7)
•   Warwick:  Warwick/Ea Greenwich bike network and bridge connection (#6, 8, 9 for different sections, of 17)
•   Westerly:  New bike path along Atlantic Avenue  (#4 of 10)
•   West Warwick:  Hope Spur from the West Bay path (#3 of 3) (not mentioned by Coventry)
•   Woonsocket:  New bikeway signage (#13 of 13)

No bicycling related projects were submitted from Cranston, East Providence, Newport, Smithfield, or the RI Economic Development Corporation.  For full information on towns and state agency requested projects, see the TIP 2013 website.

Note at the “roundtable” meeting with RIDOT Director, a representative of the RI Association of RR Passengers urged the bikeway in Tiverton in order to preserve the corridor for future rail use.

A public hearing on the draft TIP can be expected in April 2012.

RIBike Advocacy Meeting 14Nov2011 Brown Library Call to order 6:03pm Adjourn at 7pm
Present: Matt, Betty, Dick Leo, Eric, Barry, Absent: Mark, Sue Guest: Cameron Moquin

General Meeting
Brief Officer and Committee heads report
President: Matt Moritz Report: Attended Elmwood Neighborhood Association Meeting on Saturday 12Nov11. They are looking for Improved Road crossing safety around the Knight Library, the community center and the Buckland Park area issue with RIDOT Report from RIDOT addresses this area, road safety assessments done. Question: could there be bike lanes? Requested feasibility of bike lanes: would have to eliminate parking lanes, no bike lanes…will add sharrows. City of Pro planning not engaged.
Very little bike traffic on Elmwood Avenue. Just local bike riders. Letter of support to Elmwood neighborhood to develop Elmwood Avenue to become more bike friendly, perhaps a city bike route.

Legislative: Barry: TIP development, 3.5 million/year for bike program: need priorities: Barry and Sue are on priority setting Committee. Concern about Tiverton project. Barry will send out more information
Frank’s law: before the legislature, increases penalty for vulnerable user violators,
Treasurer report: no report
Secretary: will post October and November minutes

Membership/Technology update: Mark/Matt
The web site can generate the letter and fill in a membership card
Let’s turn it on as soon as possible. Mark et al, need to talk to the rest of the bike shops to see if they are going to grant discounts.
Volunteers for contacting shops: Blackstone: Leo, EMS: Leo, REI: Matt will talk to Rita at REI
Read the letter and send Mark any suggestions, edits, changes.
Launch on Friday 18Nov2011 if possible
PayPal integration needs to be completed

Commuter Guide Update: Leo
The guide is coming together. Leo has looked at a lot of examples of guides from other states and organizations.
Bikes Belong have a very good edition: Bruno Meyer is the Bike Belongs contact. Leo will contact him
Rough draft for beginning of January
How distributed? Bike to work day, shops, PDF at our site

Light Up The Night wrap up Matt, Betty
Distributed about 85-90 lights. 10-15 lights left over. Very successful event.
RAB would love to do an event in Olneyville square.
Bike Newport will be getting ~ $500.00 worth of lights. Newport is targeting restaurant workers in their Light Up the Night campaign.

Event
Ceremony honoring George Redman Tuesday, November 29, 2011 2pm state house. Be there if you can! Encourage others to attend.

RI Bike Coalition Meeting: Brown University bookstore 17October2011
Attendees: Matt, Betty, Barry, Mark. Absent: Sue, Dick, Eric, Leo
Call to order 6:10 Adjournment 7:55
Light up the Night Project Update/Planning
November 1 (or 2) 2011 Tuesday, Wednesday 6-8pm
Jack has the lights, Jack wants to keep the lights in Providence
Location: Market Street. Brook Street
Recycle A Bike will do Broadway
Planet Bike Binkies set: white front and red back
Get names and e-mails from people who get lights installed on site
Matt will solicit a few volunteers from the current e-mail list
Bari will get lights for Bike Newport from a shop in Newport

Core Study: Providence street car project
We are a member of the CTC. $126 million for a 2 mile street car. RIBike should send a message to the CTC about the impact of the rails for cyclists. Matt will e-mail these concerns to the chair of the committee

Commuter Guide Project Update
Leo Corrigan will be the editor; Sue and Dick still involved collecting information until Nov 30.

Online Membership Update
Mark draft of the letter. Mark gets comments from Betty, Barry, Matt $25 single, $40 family membership. Link to website is complete. Mark will monitor for a while.

Blackstone Valley Bikeway through Pawtucket update
Open meeting last Wednesday. RIDOT has the money to repave Blackstone BLVD to Town landing in Pawtucket. Major road project. Roads will be striped to accommodate bikes, sharrows and about 1 mile of bike lanes. Complaints about loss of parking on Pleasant Street. Alfred Stone people don’t want change; they want no paint on their road. Mayor is supported of the bike lanes,. Michael Lewis from RIDOT attended.
State Legislation Update
Towns are asked to update TIP priorities.
Providence TIP meeting Tuesday, 18Oct11 at 5:45pm.
Late November tribute to George Redman.

Reflective Bumper stickers
Have 2 or 3 designs only : “ I rode RI”, “ice cream” “handle bars”

Board Meeting
Matt will suggest several dates in the near future

Brian installs lights for a stylish rider

On Tuesday, November 1st, 2011, volunteers for RIBIKE, for the second year running, spread out to 3 locations across the City of Providence to equip bicycles with front and rear blinky lights.  By partnering with Legend Bicycles and Planet Bike, we were able to get 100 front and rear blinky safety lights to be installed at no charge.  Legend Bicycles covered the cost of  purchasing the lights from Planet Bike at wholesale prices.  As we’ve all seen, many riders are riding at night at night without this very important piece of safety equipment.

Starting around 5PM, volunteers on Broadway, Brook Street and North Main Street flagged down passing riders without lights and installed nearly 100 light sets in approximately, finishing at around 7:30.  Some passersby went home to retrieve their bikes for this once a year opportunity.  One volunteer at the North Main station received a text from a friend with a tip to head to Broadway and Ringgold to get a free set of bike lights.

RIBIKE thanks its partners for this event, Planet Bike, which donates 25% of its profits to bicycle advocacy, Legend Bicycle, and especially Jack Madden, for continue support and organization of this event, and Recycle-A-Bike volunteers for helping on the night of the event.

We also thank everyone who stopped and increased their night time riding safety by listening to crazy people shouting “free lights” on the side of a street for us to install the lights.

Below are some images taken during the event.

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We are getting reports that barrels are up blocking the East Bay Bike Path and cyclists are being told to turn around if they ride past them.  The sewer project has officially started on the bike path.

Unfortunately, it appears that East Providence is concurrently ripping up the portion of Veteran’s Parkway near where the end of the pipe will come out.  They have the road closed down to a single lane, just wide enough for cars to pass through, one side at a time.  If you are planning to ride through this section, it’s a perfect time to TAKE THE LANE.  As a cyclists, you have ever right to do so and this is the safest way to pass through a one lane section like this.  Ride in such a way that cars can not squeeze by you.  The section is short, assert yourself and most importantly ensure you keep yourself safe.

If you are nervous about riding through the detour, we have a few people who are willing to ride with you, at your pace.  If you contact us, we will put you in touch with someone to ride with and you can arrange a time and location to meet.