Bike/Ped News you aught'a use - 10/26/11

Officials to consider safety measures for Wayne rail crossing where 2 teens were killed
The Star-Ledger ● Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Bicyclist charged with driving wrong way in Clinton Township
Hunterdon County Democrat ● Monday, October 24, 2011

High Hopes for the (Jersey City) Harsimus Embankment
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy ● Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Chatham Borough awarded 'Complete Street' grant
(Will use $7,500 grant to develop Complete Streets plan)   
Independent Press ● Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Poll - Debate Over New Roadway Markings on Bergen Street Set to Resume Tomorrow.
What's Your Opinion?
(NIMIBYism at it worst threatens Lawrence Complete Streets policy)
Lawrencville Patch ● Monday, October 17, 2011

Aftermath Of Hit-And-Run Tragedy: Town Must Get Tough On Safe Access
Lawrencville Patch ● Wednesday, October 12, 2011

NJDOT installing 5K feet of sidewalk along Atlantic County highway
New Jersey Newsroom ● Tuesday, October 18, 2011

All Aboard the Walking School Bus
The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Blog ● Thursday, October 20, 2011 


National

City Bike Plan Is Accused of a Neighborhood Bias
(Leaders in poorer neighborhoods upset that more bike lanes NOT coming to their parts of town) Chicago News Cooperative via The New York Times ● Saturday, October 15, 2011

Audio: Interview with League of American Bicyclists President, Andy Clarke
TheOutSpoken Cyclist ● Saturday, October 15, 2011

Important Bike Advocacy news from the Midwest

A couple interesting bits of bicycle advocacy news came out of two Midwestern States this week.

First in Kansas, their governor just signed into law and three-foot passing law that ALSO clarifies the legality of passing a bicyclist in marked no-passing zones.  Along with this, a different part of this new legislation now allows both bicyclist and motorcyclists to go through a "Dead Red" traffic signal when it is safe to do so.  Dead Reds are signals that do not change green because the sensors used to detect traffic are not calibrated properly to detect anything smaller than a car.  For comparison, New Jersey Title 39 DOES NOT address any of these three issues, leaving best on-road practices ambiguous at best and deadly at worst!  See the details of Kansas' new law from the Kansas Cyclists blog here.

In Illinois, Governor Pat Quinn ordered that the vehicle "crash" report form be modified to include a method of reporting "dooring" as a cause of a crash.  More details can be found in this Chicago Tribune article and even more in this article from WBEX 91.5 - Chicago Public Media.  It is unknown if the New Jersey vehicle crash report form (probably officially called a "motor vehicle accident form" here) has any standardized way to record this type of crash causation.

National Bike Summit News Rundown

Unfortunately once again, I was unable to make it down to the National Bicycle Summit in Washington, D.C. this week.  However, New Jersey was able to send a large contingent this year as usual.  Anyway, I figured the next best thing to being there would be a comprehensive news rundown, so here it goes.

National Bike Summit 2011 Program / Adgenda
League of American Bicyclist

LaHood Kicks Off National Bike Summit
Streetsblog Capitol Hill • Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Obama’s Transpo Secretary Is a Big Fan of Janette Sadik-Khan
Streetsblog Capitol Hill • Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Cyclists Gathered at Bike Summit Are Told Not to “Wait for Washington”
Streetsblog Capitol Hill • Wednesday, March 9, 2011

New York Transportation Chief Defends Bike Lanes
The New York Times • Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Eyes on the Street: Media Envy in DC
Streetsblog • Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Bicycle advocates lobby Congress with jobs pitch
The Washington Post • Thursday, March 10, 2011

Hill visit: LaTourette supports Complete Streets; receives League award from Ohio delegation
League of American Bicyclists Blog • Thursday, March 10, 2011

Transportation Icons Call Bike Advocates “Unstoppable”
Alliance for Biking and Walking Blog • Thursday, March 10, 2011

Watch Blumenauer's speech at Bike Summit congressional reception
BikePortland • Friday, March 11, 2011

The Power of the Bike Pin
Alliance for Biking and Walking Blog • Friday, March 11, 2011

Cyclists Descend on Capitol Hill, Ask Lawmakers to Preserve Bike Funding
Streetsblog Capitol Hill • Friday, March 11, 2011

New Yorkers ask Capitol Law Makers to Retain Bike Funding
Benepe's Bicycle Blog • Friday, March 11, 2011

Congressional Bike Ride in Support of Rep. Giffords
League of American Bicyclists Blog • Friday, March 11, 2011

News you can use - March 8th 2011

Sorry I've been away from the blog for a week.  The weather has warmed up and the lure of the roads traversing New Jersey's beautiful countryside has proven to be too strong for this cooped up cyclist to resist.  Plus, I finally got a job! (yeah!) I've been collecting these articles for nearly a month but they are all important, so pardon if there is a lot of them.  Keep on walkin' and rolin'!
- Andy B.


New Jersey News

Judge throws out confession in hit-run death of 'Idol' hopeful
Asbury Park Press • Monday, March 7th 2011

State gives flat tire to Morristown bike plan
MorristownGreen • Monday, February 21st 2011

Feature: Rage Against Your Machine
Outside Magazine • March, 2011
An excellent, must read piece.

Bike Sharing Coming To Hoboken & Jersey City?
Planetizen • Saturday, February 19th 2011

George Street construction project to reopen in spring
The Daily Targum • Thursday, February 24th 2011I'
I'm planning an in-depth review of this project soon.

Op-Ed: On-Street Protected Bike Facilities Boost Mobility While Lessening Congestion
In Transition Magazine (NJTPA) • Winter, 2011
Being an LCI, can you find the sentence in this otherwise great piece that I have a real problem with? (hint - It's toward the end)


Crashes

Berkeley man, 70, critically injured when SUV strikes him on Route 9 in Lacey
Asbury Park Press • Monday, March 7th 2011
"He was not in the designated crosswalk, according to police."
Google aerial shows no marked crosswalks at intersection.


New York City
NYCDoT and its commssioner, Janette Sadik-Khan have been taking an irrational trashing in the press as of late for their innovative bicycle and pedestrian treatments.  I may not always like some particular things that they do over there but one cannot underestimate how important the innovations going on over in NYC are for the bike/ped movement here in New Jersey and for the nation as a whole.

There Is No War On Cars
Streetsblog • Tuesday, March 1st 2011

Lawsuit Seeks to Erase Bike Lane in New York City
The New York Times • Monday, March 7th 2011

Brad Lander and Park Slope Residents Rally For Prospect Park West Bike Lane
Streetsblog • Tuesday, March 8th 2011

The City's Misunderstood Cyclists
The Wall Street Journal • Friday, March 4th 2011

Feature: For City’s Transportation Chief, Kudos and Criticism
The New York Times • Friday, March 4th 2011
&
Letters: Improver of Street Safety
The New York Times • Monday, March 7th 2011

Eyes on the Street: Wrong Way
Streetsblog • Friday, February 25, 2011


Portland

PSU report: Cycle track, buffered bike lanes working well, but could be improved
Bike Portland • Thursday, February 24th 2011

Will a bike ride a day keep the doctor away?
Portland Tribune • Thursday, March 3rd 2011

That singing bike path idea ...
The Oregonian • Monday, February 21st 2011
Only in Portland


National
Dang! Look at all the cool stuff coming out of Utah!

Utah may become 2nd state to legalize rolling stops for bicycles
Bike Delaware Blog • Tuesday, February 22nd 2011
&
Press Release: Main Street & South Temple Green Shared Lane Pavement Markings
Salt Lake City

‘Dead Red’ Bill May Offer Relief for Kansas Cyclists Stuck at Malfunctioning Red Lights
Kansis Cyclist • Tuesday, February 22nd 2011

Virginia Cops Flag Injured Pedestrians for Interference (with video)
Streetsblog • Wednesday, March 2nd 2011

Op-Ed: How bicycling will save the economy (if we let it)
Grist • Monday, February 28th 2011

Column: Penalty for killing bicyclist is inadequate
St Petersberg Times • Friday, February 18th 2011

It’s hard to imagine… (A 3ft doorzone bikelane)
Commute Orlando Blog • Tuesday, February 22nd 2011


International

The latest City perk: secure bike parking
London Evening Standard • Friday, February 11th 2011

Welcome to the town of SpeedKills
Australian Broadcasting Corpoeration News • Friday, February 18th 2011

News you can use - Feb. 10, 2011

This was a bumper day and week in the news regarding bike and pedestrian issues around the state today so instead of try to rehash everything in my own words it's just easier for me to link you directly to the stories.

NJDOT announces grants of nearly $3 million for bikeway development around New Jersey
NJ Off-Road Biking

Butler's crosswalk to nowhere 
Suburban Trends

More Cyclists = Safer Cycling in Minneapolis
Streetsblog Network

NY Counties Oppose Complete Streets Bill Without Understanding It
Streetsblog

Chinese Mayors Encourage Car Owners to Use Public Transit Instead
Scientific American