Bike Michiana

Fulton County Habitat Half-Century Bike Ride: Sat., April 28

Henry Scott — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:30:45 +0000

NAME: Habitat Half Century Bike Ride

SPONSOR: Fulton County Habitat for Humanity
DATE: April 28, 2012
TIME: 9:00 AM
LOCATION: Rochester City Park on Park Rd
LENGTH: 10, 20 & 50 mile rides.

See below for a map to the starting location and additional details, including contact information.

COST: $20 for the 50 mile ride, $15 for the 20 mile ride and $5 for the 10 mile family ride, max of $20/family.

DESCRIPTION:

50 mile ride includes Lake Manitou, small section of the Nickel Plate Trail and country roads.
20 mile ride includes Lake Manitou and a section of the Nickel Plate Trail.

CONTACT:
Don Christenson
574-223-2760
donaldchristenson@comcast@.net

SPONSOR WEBSITE: fultoncountyhabitat.org

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New bicycle friendly map published

Paul Taylor — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:33:41 +0000

The Southwest Michigan Plan Commission has just published a map that can help cyclists find the best places to ride. The map shows the low volume roads that cyclists prefer in green. It also highlights roads with a wide shoulder or bike lane. There’s even a listing of state and area parks with a listing of biking and other facilities and you can download it all from www.michigan.gov/mdot-biking. At that site, you can also download maps and listings from other parts of Michigan and get loads of information on biking in the thumb state.

Because of their size, the maps are pretty cumbersome to look at on line, so you may want to get a hard copy. By this time next month, the maps should also be in the hands of Michigan bike shops, or you can order them from MDOT for $5.00 each, from the web site mentioned above.

SB 0101 – Three Feet Please advocates toolkit

Paul Taylor — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:57:20 +0000

I’ve been asked by a number of people how they can help get this bill passed. I’ve put together an advocates toolkit that will make citizen involvement easier. Click TOOLKIT to get started. If you have a problem with the links not working as expected, you can download the toolkit by clicking the “Download original” button at the top of the screen. That will make the toolkit more friendly.

Senate Bill 101 – Three feet please

Paul Taylor — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:02:53 +0000

Senator Broden has sponsored a 3 foot passing bill in the Indiana General Assembly. It is slated to be assigned to the Committee on Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters.

Here’s the legal synopsis of the bill: “Provides that it is a Class C infraction for a person driving a vehicle overtaking a bicycle to not allow at least three feet of clearance between the vehicle and the bicycle and not return to the original lane until the vehicle is safely clear of the bicycle.”

If you want details, or want to follow the political wrangles of the bill, you can do so at http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2012&session=1&request=getBill&doctype=SB&docno=0101.

This is the third year that Senator Broden has sponsored a bicycle safety bill. Two years ago there was an ombudsmen bill with many minor provisions. It nearly passed but died in the reconciliation process between the two chambers of the legislature. Last years bill never got to the assembly floor, probably because it included a mandatory helmet provision and received little or no support from the bicycling community.

This year’s effort is a single issue bill: 3 feet please. Tim Maher said “Hopefully this is our year.” Tim has been among the strong supporters of Sen. Broden’s bike safety efforts.

As a follower of biking issues, I am reminded of the state of Maine. They introduced bicycle safety bills for seven (count ‘em 7) consecutive years before a bill was passed. Maine is now one of the most bicycle friendly states in the U.S.

Granger Paths meets opposition

Paul Taylor — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:20:30 +0000

Another biking and walking issue is brewing. The NIMBYs (Not in My Back Yard) and BANANAs (Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything) are flexing their muscle in Granger, Indiana: even considering legal action.

Since 2005, plans have been underway to build multiuse paths in Granger. In recent years, most residents were happy to see their area get new schools and new libraries, but they realized that kids couldn’t get to these places unless Mom or Dad drove them. What a downer! So the push for a walking and biking infrastructure was on.

Now, according to a WSBT news report, some Granger residents are pushing back against safer biking and walking. WSBT lists their objections:

it’s going to wreck a lot of front yards
where does this fall in the luxury vs. needs …
a small group of homeowners weren’t able to get their questions answered, so they are pursuing another alternative course of action. Legal actions? Maybe.

The WSBT report didn’t mention the obesity epidemic, the air quality, global warming, traffic congestion, or danger to people who walk or bike along the narrow Granger roads. It did itemize the efforts of a group of Granger residents and St. Joseph County to keep homeowners and the public informed.

“…regular public meetings and publicized their [Friends of Granger Paths] fundraisers”
notified homeowners three times
‘legal notice went out to the affected homeowners in September [2011] and stresses that the vast majority of changes will be within the county-owned “right-of-way.”’
It’s being funded in part by a federal grant with an additional $150,000 coming from local donations. Disclaimer: The Bike Michiana Coalition (manager of this web site) has donated $2,500 to the project.

To combat this BANANA reaction, another informational meeting is being conducted by the Friends of Granger Paths:

Wednesday, December 14, 2011, 6:30pm at the Northpoint Elementary School Cafeteria, 50800 Cherry Road, Granger.
There will not be a public comment session, but bike and walk advocates are encouraged to attend.

Thanks to WSBT for the above photo.

RPM: Latest Issue Now Available

Henry Scott — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:39:50 +0000

The December 2011 – January 2012 issue of Race Play Michiana (RPM) is now available for download. Here’s a direct link to a downloadable PDF from the RPM website: LINK.

Issue highlights from RPM Editor Jan Spalding: This issue includes a Fit for the Fit gift guide featuring stories from RPM retail advertisers and gift ideas from local stores, gyms and services. Also, Ann Amico Moran contributed a great story on Michiana’s Dynamic Duos — five area couples who workout and work for the community. Winter runs, cross-country skiing, a report from the PanAm Games, water intake and plenty more fill the issue.

Check it out!

Can I ride my bike on the sidewalk?

Paul Taylor — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:27:29 +0000

Yes and no. State laws make no distinction, but many cities and towns add restrictions, usually to protect pedestrians. I compared the laws of four area communities: Chicago, Elkhart, Mishawaka, and South Bend.

South Bend has the most straight forward ordinance: “No person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within any business district.” Interestingly, it fails to define a ‘business district’. At least I couldn’t find a definition.

Chicago has the same ‘business district’ restriction as South Bend, but adds some complexity. Adults (and children 12 years and older) can’t ride on any sidewalk anywhere. There are a few exceptions, and they will be so indicated with bicycle route signage.

Elkhart is pretty straight forward. Bikes are permitted on sidewalks except in a clearly defined area of downtown. See the above map. Interestingly, Elkhart just redefined the area: until last month, the restricted area was about three times the size of the current district.

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The old Elkhart district is above in blue. The new district is below in red.

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Mishawaka has the most restrictive ordinance: “No person shall ride a bicycle on the sidewalk or on any public right-of-way within the downtown business district, except in such places as are marked as bicycle paths.” The ordinance goes on to define the downtown business district. The definition is 403 words long and reads like a legal description. The district is shown below in green.

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In the opinion of most experienced cyclists, children belong on the sidewalk, but adults are better off in the roadway in most cases. The League of American Bicyclists points out that riding on the sidewalk is a significant cause of crashes: at every driveway and intersection bikers can surprise motorists who are simply not looking out for them. For sidewalk riders, the LAB recommends riding at walking speed and stopping or yielding at every intersection.

Bicycle Friendly Stickers

Phil G-E — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:22:32 +0000

I just saw this posted over at Bike Commuters and thought it was worth sharing.

The Fenders Will Stay!

Henry Scott — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:12:26 +0000

Despite being a fan of fenders, I’ve recently contemplated removing them from my Dahon Boardwalk S1 folding bicycle. Normally I don’t worry about weight for utility bikes, but to take the “monkey bike” on the South Shore not only must I fold it up, but usually I have to place it in the overhead luggage racks as well. At 31.5 pounds, however, this can be an unpleasant task on a moving train. Accordingly, I’ve been motivated to lighten the monkey bike, and I’ve been thinking about ditching the fenders.

Yesterday, however, convinced me to seek other solutions.

I had plans to join a geological field trip of the IN Dunes National Lakeshore area, and I was glad to realize that, rather than drive, I could bike to the airport, take the South Shore to Beverly Shores, and then (for the first time!) ride along the Calumet Trail most of the way to the field-trip-starting-point at the Dunes Learning Center.

Everything worked out well, but as you can see in the photo, the crushed-limestone surface of the Calumet Trail is quite flooded in some sections. The expansive puddles weren’t deep, but without fenders I would have arrived at my destination a muddy mess. The fenders, however, did their job, and I stayed clean and dry. It was a beautiful day, and the ride was a lot of fun.

Although I don’t often ride on flooded trails, this ride convinced me that fenders are indeed essential for my utility cycling and, accordingly, I’ll need to seek other options to put the monkey bike on a diet. Much to my wife’s chagrin, however, I’m starting to lean toward a wholesale upgrade to a new folder!

South Bend: Riverside & Angela Ribbon Cutting

Paul Taylor — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:28:27 +0000

What: News Conference and special ribbon cutting

When: Thursday, November 10, 2011 10:30 am

Where: Corner of Riverside and Angela

Purpose: Environment, Transportation, Bicycling, and Recreation are the winners. The event will mark the completion of Phase 1 of the Diamond Avenue Storm Sewer project and the official opening of the city’s newest and greenest roundabout. Those arriving by car will be able to park in the new off-street parking area at Brownfield Park which also received a number of upgrades during this project. Please enter the area from the west – Portage/Angela or Woodward/Angela.

Cyclists can simply arrive via either Riverside Trail, Angela, or the North Shore bike lanes. Bicycling advocates are hoping there will be a large contingent of cyclists on hand, which will increase cycling awareness.