Tag Archives: cycling

Our Urban Challenge: First in a Series

“What is striking about biking is not that it solves any particular problem but, instead, that is it part of the solution to several.” —  J. Harry Wray
We have several problems in Springfield.
You can begin to survey our problems — or challenges — by reading Springfield’s Competitive Assessment. Another snapshot of our community is available [...]

CIP Powerpoint

Click here to see a PowerPoint presentation about the Capital Improvement Sales Tax that will come up for renewal in June. This money will be funding bicycle and pedestrian projects, including sidewalk repair, sharrows, and a new bicycle route numbering system.
I believe it is important to Springfield’s progress that voters re-approve this tax.

Technorati Tags: bicycle [...]

Free ChipSeal!

On the Carbon Trace blogroll you’ll find a link to ChipSeal (also mentioned in this post). The author, Reed Bates, is a bicycle blogger in Texas, and he’s recently had run-ins with the “law.” Those quotes indicate irony. Commute Orlando has a round-up of the events so far. And you can follow the story is [...]

CIP at the Council Meeting

The City Council last night heard public comment on Council Bill 2010-073 — calling for a special election in June to renew the 1/4-cent Capital Improvements Sales Tax. STAR Team Chairman Bruce Adib-Yazdi was one of three citizens who spoke in favor of the tax. No one spoke against it.
Bruce’s remarks were confined to supporting [...]

CIP And Bicycle Infrastructure

Not doing anything at 6:30 this evening? Then drop by the city council meeting to show your support for the $400,000 line item in the Capital Improvements sales tax renewal to pay for a new bicycle route numbering system (complete with wayfinding) and sharrows. This is a numbering system developed by the STAR Team and [...]

Stuff

Ya gotta carry stuff to be a utility bicyclist.
Now that I have a Burley Nomad, I can carry a lot more stuff — like groceries and such. And when the farmer’s market opens, well, just look out. I’ll be buyin’ some food.

It’s attached to my Marin Pioneer Trails here. And I’ll soon be able to [...]

Media Centers

Planetizen (one of my new favorite blogs) points to an interesting article about using library media centers to revitalize cities. While it isn’t housed in a fancy new building, we do have one of these media centers right in the heart of downtown Springfield on the Square — the Park Central Branch Library. Here’s a [...]

A Metaphor to Ride By

Here are some lessons about riding in traffic from Keri Caffrey of Commute Orlando. It’s a dance!

Bicycling in traffic is a dance you lead from Keri Caffrey on Vimeo.
Note the commanding and confident lane positioning.

Technorati Tags: bicycle advocacy, bicycle culture, bicycle safety, bicycle video, cycling

Big Wheel Keep On Turnin’

So, I looked at the temperature this morning — 29. I said to my daughter: “Walk or ride?” She chose ride! Excellent. That’s progress.

Technorati Tags: bicycle culture, cycling

HB 1250 Hearing Is Today

The transportation committee hearing for HB 1250 is today in Jefferson City. I was unable to change my schedule, so I won’t be testifying. I did, however, send Rep. Sara Lampe my thoughts on the bill, including links to everything I’ve written so far on Carbon Trace.
Click here for my reasons for opposing this bill.
I [...]

HB 1250 Must Be Stopped

HB1250 — the bill that would require cars to pass bicyclists by no less than 3 feet — is scheduled for a hearing in Jefferson City on Tuesday. I am not sure I can make it to testify, but I’m going to try. I will, however, be contacting my Senator and Representative to make sure [...]

LAB and the Future of Bicycling

Mighk Wilson, of Bicycling Is Better, has decided not to renew his membership to the League of American Bicyclists. He’s a guy with a lot of serious bicycling cred. So when he says the following, I’m inclined to listen:
I don’t want this to be seen as a League-bashing exercise.  I’ve been wondering if I should [...]

CIP Tax Up for Renewal in June

The News-Leader reports today on the renewal of the capital improvement projects tax — a 1/4-cent sales tax that will expire in September. The vote is set for June.
This is the money that has paid, and will continue to pay, for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in Springfield — a small portion of the $26 million [...]

What MO Citizens Want

The Missouri Transportation Alliance has been studying what sorts of MoDOT policies citizens will support. Click here for a report on the findings by Brent Hugh of the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation:
The good points from our point of view:

MoTA is recognizing that people want to be able to have the choice to bicycle, walk, and [...]

Walking in the Cold

Jason Peters continues to meditate on the virtues of walking at Front Porch Republic (re: Walk, Damn It!). This week he writes about what it means to walk in the cold.
And by now this walking has become habitual enough that, if for pressing reasons I do not or cannot walk, I feel that an important [...]