[*BCM*] Boston Bicycling: E-bulletin #5

[Jeffrey Rosenblum]

View this ebulletin in your web browser:
http://www.bikethehub.org/ebulletin5.htm <http://www.bikethehub.org/ebulletin5.htm> 

Or as a printable PDF:
http://www.bikethehub.org/ebulletin5.pdf <http://www.bikethehub.org/ebulletin5.pdf> 


e-bulletin #5
July 8, 2005

Greetings!

Bicyclists are everywhere! We certainly hope you are able to take
advantage of being out and about on your bicycle and enjoying every
minute of it. And for those few minutes that you are frustrated at road
conditions or wishing there were more paths that connected, remember
that the Boston Bicycle Planning Initiative is working to improve
conditions in Boston.

Volunteers Needed: We can't do it all without you. Consider lending a
hand. No previous knowledge or skills required! There are a wide variety
of tasks and projects to suit even the fussiest of volunteers: big and
small, one-time and continuous, technical and artsy, field observations
and computer work, solo and group projects, activist stuff with an edge
and research/ office tasks. Contribute a little something, learn a
little something, and have fun in the process. You will work with
committed, knowledgeable, and creative bicycle advocates who will help
set you up with a volunteer activity that suits your interests and time
availbility. Send Email to Jeff Rosenblum at jeff at bikethehub.org for more
information.


View this ebulletin in your web browser:
http://www.bikethehub.org/ebulletin5.htm <http://www.bikethehub.org/ebulletin5.htm> 

Or as a a printable PDF:
http://www.bikethehub.org/ebulletin5.pdf <http://www.bikethehub.org/ebulletin5.pdf> 

Please help spread the word! Forward this e-bulletin to anyone you think
would be interested (use the link at the bottom of this message), or
direct them to our website  www.bikethehub.org


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
IN THIS ISSUE

* Feature article:
STREET-CORNER REVOLUTION


* ADVOCACY ALERT: PROMISED PED/BIKE BRIDGES AT RISK
* VOLUNTEER: HELP PREPARE BIKES FOR GHANA
* REDBONES TOUR de FRANCE EARLY RIDE & BREAKFAST (JULY 12 & 19)
* MASSBIKE CYCLING SKILLS COURSES (AUGUST)
* FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION BILL NEEDS YOUR HELP
* MASSHIGHWAY DRAGS FEET ON BLACKSTONE RIVER BIKEWAY
* RAPPAPORT'S LUBEROFF SLAMMED FOR HIS CRITICISM OF TRANSIT
* NEWS FROM AROUND
* CALENDAR

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ADVOCACY ALERT: PROMISED PED/BIKE BRIDGES AT RISK

"Failure to build the bridges would not only violate a 1993 agreement,
it would also kill the long-held vision of a continuous walkway linking
the Esplanade to the Boston Harborwalk and Rose Kennedy Greenway,
several officials said."

Read the entire July 6, 2005 Boston Herald article:
http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=92759 <http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=92759> 

Wed., July 13 noon-1:00pm: "Charles River Connections" Lunchtime Walk!
WalkBoston, MassBike, the Charles River Conservancy, and the Charles
River Watershed Association invite you to walk with us to see the
connections that are needed to complete the pathway network of the new
Charles River Basin. Join us to help make sure that these critical
pedestrian/bike connections get built. Meet on Causeway Street in front
of the North Station T. Contact: Wendy Landman, WalkBoston,
617.367.9255, wendy_landman at walkboston.org.

THE ISSUE:
The long-planned and agreed upon vision for the area centers on
pedestrian/bicycle paths on both sides of the Charles River, and a path
bridging the river to connect the Cambridge and Esplanade path systems
to the Boston Harborwalk and the Rose Kennedy Greenway. These bridges
are part of the CA/T mitigation agreements for the basin. Advocates have
long supported the path plans as critical elements in the emerging
regional path network.  To create these connections, the plans specify
three bridges along and over the MBTA commuter rail lines.

The first bridge (now being designed) will cross the rail tracks to link
Charlestown and Cambridge. The second bridge would cross over the rails
on the Boston side behind North Station to connect the Esplanade to the
Greenway and the Harborwalk. The third bridge would cross the river
parallel to the rail lines, on the upstream side of the existing
railroad bridge.

The last two bridges may fall prey to current CA/T budget priorities. If
this happens, the path network will be incomplete. Without the second
bridge, existing paths will dead-end at each side of the railroad tracks
at the Spaulding Hospital on the west, and the Charles River Dam on the
east. Without the third bridge, river crossings for pedestrians and
bicycles will be largely diverted to busy roadway bridges.

http://www.walkboston.org
http://www.massbike.org <http://www.massbike.org> 
http://www.charlesriverconservancy.org <http://www.charlesriverconservancy.org> 
http://www.crwa.org

Click here for more information:
http://www.walkboston.org/documents/summer2005.pdf <http://www.walkboston.org/documents/summer2005.pdf> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VOLUNTEER: HELP PREPARE BIKES FOR GHANA

SAT JULY 9 from 11am-2pm; SUN JULY 10th from 10:30am-4:30pm
BikesNotBombs, 59 Amory Street, Roxbury, 5 minute walk from Jackson
Square stop on the Orange Line

Come help us ship a container of about 480 donated bikes to the Village
Bicycle Project in Ghana.  Come for whatever time suits you and help
flatten bikes, sort parts, and load the container.  You may wish to
bring work gloves, but you don't need to know mechanics - we'll show you
what to do!  On Sunday breakfast & lunch are provided, and there will be
a short talk about the project.

The Village Bicycle Project and its vast network of small businesses are
doing really well, and bringing thousands of bikes into Ghana each year
from Bikes Not Bombs and other groups.  This effort is transforming
Ghana by adding the bicycle (affordable and environmentally-clean) to
people's tranportation options, while helping train mechanics and bring
in the specialty tools they need to maintain all the newly-arrived bikes
that people are starting to use.

For more information:
http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/special.htm#ghana-cont/ <http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/special.htm#ghana-cont/> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
REDBONES TOUR de FRANCE EARLY RIDE & BREAKFAST (JULY 12 & 19)

TUE JULY 12 & TUE JULY 19: Join fellow cyclists for a morning ride,
breakfast at Redbones and live TV coverage of the Tour de France on the
Outdoor Life Network.

3 rides geared for 3 levels of ability - all riders must wear helmets to
participate. Easy: a 15 - 20 mile ride at 11 - 12 mph beginning in Davis
Square at the terminus of the Minuteman Bikeway and continuing through
Arlington and Lexington toward Bedford. Intermediate: a 25 - 30 mile
ride at 17+/ - mph to the western towns including Concord. Fast: a 40
plus mile ride at 19 - 21 mph to the western towns of Concord and beyond
to Carlyle. The rides are being lead by volunteers from the New England
Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA), MassBike and the Boston Bicycle
Festival's "Hub on Wheels" citywide ride.

Redbones, 55 Chester Street, Davis Square, Somerville.

Click for more information:
http://www.redbones.com/tourdefrance05.html <http://www.redbones.com/tourdefrance05.html> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MASSBIKE CYCLING SKILLS COURSES (AUGUST)

Know someone who would like to improve their urban biking skills and
learn how to ride more confidently in traffic? Register for MassBike
Bicycling Skills Courses!


MassBike has scheduled several Bicycling Skills Courses this summer,
including classes in Newburyport (August 3 and 6) and Waltham (August 11
and 13). Our courses will build confidence and teach important safety
skills and tips for commuting, charity rides, and recreational riding.
The regular cost of the course is $50, and there is a special $40
discounted rate for members of MassBike, Charles River Wheelmen, and
participants in the Mass Red Ribbon Ride and the MS rides.

Click for more information:
http://www.massbike.org/skills/classes.htm <http://www.massbike.org/skills/classes.htm> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION BILL NEEDS YOUR HELP

The U.S. House and Senate have both passed the long-awaited
Transportation Bill, and they are working out differences between their
versions of the bill. We want "the best of both bills" for bicycling
advocacy. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy has put together a one-page
summary of the issues:
http://www.railtrails.org/whatwedo/policy/both_bills.pdf <http://www.railtrails.org/whatwedo/policy/both_bills.pdf> 

Please call or email Senators Kerry and Kennedy, plus your Congressman,
and urge them to support one or more of the programs highlighted in the
info sheet. You can find contact information for your legislators here:
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php <http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php> 

Click here for more information:
http://www.railtrails.org/whatwedo/policy/both_bills.pdf <http://www.railtrails.org/whatwedo/policy/both_bills.pdf> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MASSHIGHWAY DRAGS FEET ON BLACKSTONE RIVER BIKEWAY

"The persistent foot-dragging on the part of MassHighway with respect to
building the Blackstone River Bikeway has reached epic proportions. The
money has been identified; the political will is there; the public
support is there; and now there's even a bill filed in the state
Legislature specifically to compel the department to do what is
essentially its job. It ought to be easy, but it's not. . . . ."

Read the entire July editorial published in the Worcester Journal:
http://www.bikethehub.org/buildit.pdf <http://www.bikethehub.org/buildit.pdf> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RAPPAPORT'S LUBEROFF SLAMMED FOR HIS CRITICISM OF TRANSIT

David Luberoff, executive director of the Rappaport Institute for
Greater Boston at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, is slammed for
his "technocratic, cynical view of public transportation," by Phil
Warburg, president of Conservation Law Foundation, who argues that the
benefits go way beyond air quality. Expanded mass transit, he argues,
would result in a "revitalized Boston," which "will translate into
reduced urban flight. Reduced urban flight means lower car dependence.
Lower car dependence means reduced air pollution throughout the Boston
metropolitan area."

Read Luberoff's original article, and responses from organizations
including: Conservation Law Foundation, Metropolitan Area Planning
Council, Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership (STEP), MassBike.
 http://www.massinc.org/handler.cfm?type=1&target=2005-2/comment_index.htm <http://www.massinc.org/handler.cfm?type=1&target=2005-2/comment_index.htm> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEWS FROM AROUND

Romney unveils 20-year transportation plan. While the framework has been
received positively by advocates, serious concerns have been raised
regarding lack of implementation detail and no detail of the public
involvement process. Read a related Boston Globe article:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/03/10/romney_unveils_31_billion_transportation_plan/ <http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/03/10/romney_unveils_31_billion_transportation_plan/> 

The Somerville Journal reports that the Green Line shuttle bus will be
running from Lechmere for a "few months longer" due to delay in
completion of the relocation project at North Station (originally slated
for completion last month). Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership
(STEP) says this is no surprise-the MBTA has known that it would be
behind schedule since at least January. Click here for the article:
http://www2.townonline.com/somerville/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=282420 <http://www2.townonline.com/somerville/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=282420> 

Community Survey Lays Foundation for Bike Programming. In partnership
with the City of Boston's Public Health Commission STEPS program, Hub On
Wheels is conducting a survey of community organizations in several
Boston communities to identify ways that bicycling could be integrated
into their programs. This information will help STEPS, which already
runs walking clubs around the city, plan for ways to help more people
get involved in this healthy, efficient, and fun activity.  If your
organization has not yet been contacted, please get in touch with Lee
Archung at customvoice at yahoo.com.

Strafford (NH) Promotes "quality" area growth. According to a June 25th
Foster's Online article, "Representatives from the 18 communities within
the Strafford Regional Planning Commission's area are urging
municipalities to cooperate in targeting growth and development into
quality community areas...The plan calls for developing quality
community areas in conjunction with existing urban and village centers
to accommodate the 30,000 new residents projected to move into the
region. The areas would feature an urban or village center with a mix of
market rate and workforce housing along with compatible business and
office uses, all reflecting traditional New Hampshire architecture. The
areas would feature a central pedestrian area with a central square,
park or village green to enhance community life and tourism. Pedestrian
ways and bike routes would link the centers to their adjacent neighbors.
Click here to read the article:
 http://tinyurl.com/8v9s8

Lexington (MA) to start Safe Routes program. According to a June 30th
Boston Globe article, "Fed up with traffic and hoping to promote
walking, Lexington school officials and parents this fall will encourage
students to walk or bicycle to school as part of an offshoot of a larger
town initiative to improve the town's sidewalk system. A pilot of the
program, known as Safe Routes to Schools, is scheduled to begin in
September at Bridge Elementary School. School officials are hoping to
expand it to other schools in town later in the school year. Organizers
of the program plan to identify safe routes for pedestrians and
encourage parents to lead 'walking buses,' or groups of students walking
together accompanied by an adult, said Olga Guttag, a School Committee
member and member of the town's Sidewalk Committee. Click here to read
the article:
http://tinyurl.com/bmgnc

Worcester (MA) to bulldoze downtown mall. "The project will cover some
21 acres and bring a mix of retail, office, medical and residential
development to the center of downtown, removing a 30-year-old outlet
mall and reconnecting several streets in downtown to create a more
walkable and vibrant cityscape..." Click here to read the article:
http://tinyurl.com/awz5j

Obesity takes heavy toll on the military. "Weight issues plague all
branches of the military, from elite Marines to the Air Force, often
lampooned as the 'chair force' because of its many sedentary jobs..."
Click here to read the article:
http://tinyurl.com/8rjeg

Bush crashes bike into officer in Scotland. President Bush collided with
a local police officer and fell during a bike ride on the grounds of the
Gleneagles golf resort while attending a meeting of world leaders
Wednesday. Click here to read the article:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/06/bush.bike/index.html <http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/07/06/bush.bike/index.html> 

Some of these news items were taken from: CenterLines, the bi-weekly
e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking
(http://tinyurl.com/2e77x) and American Bicyclist Update, from the
League of American Bicyclists
http://www.bikeleague.org/mediacenter/lab_newsletter070505.htm) <http://www.bikeleague.org/mediacenter/lab_newsletter070505.htm)> 



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CALENDAR

Please join the members of the Verizon Wireless Wheelworks cycling team
for a weekly one-and-a-half hour ride through the hills (and flats) of
Boston's western suburbs. This easy-paced ride is geared toward
beginners, returnees, and anyone interested in a leisurely Saturday
afternoon ride. We'll show you great loops through Belmont, Weston,
Wellesley and Concord, teach a few riding and safety tips, and generally
have a good time. No one will get left behind! Saturday afternoons at
2pm, June 25th - August 28th, (weather permitting). All rides depart
from Belmont Wheelworks, 480 Trapelo Road, Belmont MA, 617.489.3577.
Helmets required. Road bikes, cycling shorts, pump and repair kit
suggested. Contact Tamara Metz, tmetz at fas.harvard.edu

FOR A GREAT LIST OF RIDES, SEE:
http://www.landrys.com/Pages/events.html <http://www.landrys.com/Pages/events.html> 

BNB ADULT MECHANICS COURSES. Learn to repair your own bike!  These are
"basic" mechanics courses which give you the skills to do a full
tune-up, plus more advanced work overhauling rotational systems.
Classes cover bike fit, flats, brakes, gears, and adjustments and
overhauls of hubs and headsets. Each course meets at Bikes Not Bombs
(Jackson Square T stop, Roxbury) once a week for 5 weeks. Cost is $100
C: Thursdays, 7-9pm, July 14th -August 11th; D: Tuesdays, 7-9pm, July
19th-August 16th. http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/adult-prog.htm#ad-mech <http://www.bikesnotbombs.org/adult-prog.htm#ad-mech> 

August: BICYCLING SKILLS CLASSES. This 2-day course will teach you how
to operate your bicycle more smoothly (including shifting gears), ride
safely on roadways, increase your pedaling efficiency, climb hills more
easily, participate in group ride events, and more!
http://massbike.org%2fskills%2fclasses.htm/ <http://massbike.org%2fskills%2fclasses.htm/> 

July 10: HUB ON WHEELS (BOSTON BICYCLE FESTIVAL) MONTHLY RIDE. The
Cooling Sea - Along the beaches and through the docks Click here for
more information.
http://www.hubonwheels.org/default.asp?go=rides <http://www.hubonwheels.org/default.asp?go=rides> 

Tue July 12 & July 19: Redbones Tour de France Early Ride and Breakfast.
See article above.

Wed., July 13 noon-1:00pm: "Charles River Connections" Lunchtime Walk!
See article above.

July 20: MASSBIKE VOLUNTEER NIGHT. Pizza, friends, and envelope
stuffing! From 5:00-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 20. It's a great way to
have fun and help the cause. At MassBike offices, 20 Park Plaza, Ste.
528, Boston (Arlington T stop). Please RSVP to mike at massbike.org.

July 29: BOSTON CRITICAL MASS. Last Friday of every month, 5:30pm, Copley.
http://www.bostoncriticalmass.org/ <http://www.bostoncriticalmass.org/> 


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feature article:

STREET-CORNER REVOLUTION

by Stephen Silha,
yes! Magazine

With winged trucks, paint, and corner kiosks, Portlanders are
transforming their neighborhoods. Now, even city officials are applauding.

It's nine in the morning, and the tea water is hot at the southwest
corner of Ninth and Sherrett Street in the Sellwood neighborhood of
Portland, Oregon. An earthen goddess bench beckons mysteriously next to
the wooden hook-tree from which mugs hang at all hours. At this
crossroads, once a nondescript urban intersection, a new and ancient
approach to community building is flourishing. Yet in the 1970s this
neighborhood was so tough a U.S. Marine was beaten to death here the
same year a 57-year-old grandmother was raped and killed. . . . .

[MORE] Click for the entire article:
http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=998 <http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=998> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Other Links...
About Us - http://www.bikethehub.org/default.asp?content=aboutus <http://www.bikethehub.org/default.asp?content=aboutus> 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
E-bulletin #5 Sponsor: Hub On WHeels bicycle festival
"Discover Boston at Bike Level"

http://www.hubonwheels.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
email: jeff at bikethehub.org
phone: 617-939-3824
web: http://www.bikethehub.org