Bikeboard May 2011

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15 participants
20 discussions

Fwd: Upcoming Meeting on the Mileground
by Frank Gmeindl 17 May '11

17 May '11

Bicycle Board Members, FYI, Mileground information meeting at Easton School, June 13, 4-7 pm. Issues to be discussed: 4 lane or 5 lane; median or center turn lane; lane width; perhaps sidewalk. Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles Begin forwarded message: > From: "Bill Austin" <baustin(a)labyrinth.net> > Date: May 17, 2011 12:10:29 PM EDT > To: "'Christiaan Abildso'" <cabildso(a)yahoo.com>, "'Frank Gmeindl'" <frank.gmeindl(a)comcast.net>, "'Edward Delaney'" <edyoucater58(a)yahoo.com>, "'Maria Smith'" <MariaSmith(a)busride.org>, "'Roy Nutter'" <Roy.Nutter(a)mail.wvu.edu>, "'John E. Sneckenberger'" <jsnecken(a)yahoo.com>, <rwsnyder301(a)comcast.net>, "'Russ Lorince'" <Russ.Lorince(a)mail.wvu.edu>, "'Donald Reinke'" <info(a)morgantown.org>, "'Peggy J. Myers-Smith'" <pmyerssmith(a)tourmorgantown.com>, <mcclymondsb(a)wvuh.com>, <infoadc(a)alleghenydevelopment.com>, "'Darryl Duncan'" <DuncanD(a)monhealthsys.org>, <tball(a)mub.org>, <exdirector(a)downtownmorgantown.com>, "'Ken Busz'" <ken(a)morgantownchamber.org>, <c.glen.kelly(a)wvdsl.net>, <bill(a)byrnehedges.com>, "'David Bruffy'" <Bruffy(a)busride.org>, <dspencer36(a)comcast.net>, <eldonc(a)msn.com>, <gvmayor(a)comcast.net>, <jambie1(a)comcast.net>, <jlgoodwi(a)access.k12.wv.us>, "'Joe Fisher'" <Joe.Fisher(a)mail.wvu.edu>, "'Keller, Perry J'" <Perry.J.Keller(a)wv.gov>, "Mike Kelly" <dulaneyoil(a)comcast.net>, <Moncom(a)aol.com>, <statler4board(a)hotmail.com>, "'Butch Renner'", <cfletcher(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, "Damien Davis" <ddavis(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, "Hugh Kierig" <Hugh.Kierig(a)mail.wvu.edu>, "Jim & Dottie Gaston" <jegdeg(a)westco.net>, "Radabaugh, Bryan L" <Bryan.L.Radabaugh(a)wv.gov>, "Shoukry, Fouad N" <Fouad.N.Shoukry(a)wv.gov>, "Terry Hough" <though(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, "Warner, Richard L" <Richard.L.Warner(a)wv.gov> > Cc: "'D. Williams'" <dwilliams(a)labyrinth.net> > Subject: Upcoming Meeting on the Mileground > > MPO Committee Members, > > This email is to confirm that the West Virginia Department of Transportation Division of Highways will be holding a public meeting to receive additional comments on more refined versions of the Mileground alternatives. Staff has not had a chance to review these alternatives. A copy of the meeting announcement run in Saturday’s Dominion Post is attached. > > The meeting will be June 13, from 4 until 7 at Easton School. There will be no presentation the meeting will be a walk through session. > > > > > Bill Austin, AICP > Executive Director > Morgantown Monongalia MPO > 82 Hart Field Road Ste. 105 > Morgantown, WVA 26505 > 304-291-9571 > 304-692-7225 Mobile > They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. > ANDY WARHOL, > > > > >

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May BB minutes
by Elizabeth Shogren 14 May '11

14 May '11

Please enjoy the attached BB minutes. Thank you, BETSY SHOGREN

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Ice's Ferry Bridge closure
by Frank Gmeindl 12 May '11

12 May '11

Gentlemen, What provision is being made for bicyclists to drive from Cheat Lake to Morgantown during the closure and replacement of Ice's Ferry Bridge? According to this morning's Dominion Post, the detour route is I-68 from which bicycles are prohibited. Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles

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Engineering
by Frank Gmeindl 05 May '11

05 May '11

Bicycle Board Members, Attached is the Engineering section of the Morgantown Bicycling Plan as we revised it at tonight's Bicycle Board meeting. Frank

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Re: [Bikeboard] NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide
by Frank Gmeindl 05 May '11

05 May '11

Morgantown as well as the Morgantown Monongalia MPO adopted Complete Streets policies a couple years ago. I question the competence of NACTO. Certainly the cities they represent have installed attention-getting bicycle facilities but the safety and sustainability of those facilities remain to be assessed or proven. I'll stick with the AASHTO Guide for the Planning, Design and Operation of Bicycle Facilities, http://design.transportation.org/Documents/DraftBikeGuideFeb2010.pdf . It's not great but at least it's withstood some test of time being around since at least 1999 and now revised with input of real traffic engineers. Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles On May 4, 2011, at 2:16 PM, Kimberly Jo Coram wrote: > AND I cannot believe I forgot this: we are asking all communities we > are giving grant funds to to adopt complete streets policies! I think > we have 2 cities on board for sure! How cool is that! The CDC grant > covers 6 counties so the potential to get complete streets adopted > over the entire region very promising! > > On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 2:13 PM, Strawn, Dennis A > <dennis.strawn(a)highmark.com> wrote: >> You go girl. Great news. >> Thanks >> Dennis >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Kimberly Jo Coram [mailto:kimberlyjocoram@gmail.com] >> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 2:12 PM >> To: Strawn, Dennis A >> Cc: Frank Gmeindl; John C Francis >> Subject: Re: FW: NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide >> >> Thanks Dennis! >> Yes, they announced it at the bike summit and I sent it instantly to >> our transportation planners. Thanks for sharing this! Too much going >> on here to list. I am meeting with the CDC tomorrow to go over the >> progress of our alternative transportation system across 6 counties. >> Our grant for signage for our first cross town bikeway has been >> approved and we are forming the five E committees at the Mayor's bike >> board to focus on the roll out. Our first cyclovia is tentatively >> scheduled for September. Great stuff for sure! >> >> On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 1:51 PM, Strawn, Dennis A >> <dennis.strawn(a)highmark.com> wrote: >>> I have been talking to this guy a little about using the design guide for >>> our improvements in town and thought you guys might like to see it too. ( If >>> you haven't already seen it). Feel free to contact him directly, he's easy >>> to work with. I am putting this document in front of as many dept heads as >>> I can. >>> >>> >>> >>> Kim- I think you first heard about this at the national bike summit. >>> >>> >>> >>> Two updates from here - the city is on the Kanawha Trestle and a line item >>> has been created in the city budget titled "Rail Trail". South Charleston >>> starts their ped/bike study next week. >>> >>> >>> >>> Stay safe and keep up the good work. >>> >>> >>> >>> Thanks >>> >>> Dennis Strawn >>> >>> Application Developer II >>> >>> 304-347-7703 >>> >>> >>> >>> "New ideas pass through three periods: 1) It can't be done. 2) It probably >>> can be done, but it's not worth doing. 3) I knew it was a good idea all >>> along!" (Arthur C. Clarke's dictum on intellectual progress) >>> >>> >>> >>> _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ >>> >>> >>> >>> My name is David Vega-Barachowitz and I am a fellow at the National >>> Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). Last month, as part of >>> its Cities for Cycling campaign, NACTO officially released its Urban Bikeway >>> Design Guide (http://nacto.org/cities-for-cycling/design-guide/). The guide >>> is an interactive, online tool which provides technical guidance on the >>> most-up-to-date and innovative bicycle facilities in the United States. (A >>> print and PDF companion to the guide will be released late summer/early fall >>> 2011) >>> >>> Following the guide's initial release, I have been leading the promotional >>> effort for the guide and reaching out to advocacy groups that specialize in >>> bicycling and walking issues at both the state, city, and local level. NACTO >>> believes that the guide is an important tool that can help with the >>> implementation of Complete Streets policies, and, as a reference, builds on >>> the best practices in the USA and internationally. >>> >>> I am trying to get more information about how West Virginia might go about >>> adopting, using, and implementing this resource-whether the process is >>> partly legislative, administrative, an internal policy, or otherwise. >>> >>> You can reach me at (212) 839-6421. >>> >>> Thanks for your help! >>> >>> Best regards, >>> >>> David >>> >>> David Vega-Barachowitz >>> >>> National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) >>> >>> david(a)nacto.org >>> >>> (212) 839-6421 >>> >>> >>> >>> ________________________________ >>> This e-mail and any attachments to it are confidential and are intended >>> solely for use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If >>> you have received this e-mail in error, please notify the sender immediately >>> and then delete it. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not >>> keep, use, disclose, copy or distribute this e-mail without the author's >>> prior permission. The views expressed in this e-mail message do not >>> necessarily represent the views of Highmark Inc., its subsidiaries, or >>> affiliates. >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Kimberly Jo Coram >> > > > > -- > Kimberly Jo Coram

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On-going BB projects
by Frank Gmeindl 04 May '11

04 May '11

Bicycle Board Members, Attached is a list off the top of my head of Bicycle Board projects that are incomplete but on-going. I have been trying to manage many of these projects to completion with unsatisfactory success. If I overlooked any on-going projects, please let me know and I'll add them to the list. When you see one or more of the projects on the list, you might say, "Hey, I've been doing all the work on that!" If so, I'd like to put your name in the column labeled Project Leader and let you take the project to completion without interference from me. If there are any projects on the list that you'd like to lead, please reply so we can discuss your taking the lead on it/them. I anticipate that my involvement with your projects will be limited to putting them on the agenda for our regular monthly meetings and consulting with you as you require (as I'm required to do by our procedural guidelines). Any projects that don't have a leader will probably get dropped. Frank Lead, follow, or get out of the way

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Closure of 857 starting next Monday
by director 04 May '11

04 May '11

Good evening, A few months ago I posted information about the closures due to construction of the new Cheat River Bridge at Ices Ferry. This morning I found out that the plans have changed radically and catastrophically (for me at least). When bids were requested the DOH required that the contractor keep 857 and the old bridge open for as long as possible. After the bid was awarded the contractor stated that this isn't possible, the road must be closed immediately so construction of the West approach can begin. Currently the date for closure is next Monday, May 9. I am not aware of any alternate route for bikes and pedestrians. My only choice, because this is my daily commute, will be to take the freeway from Glenmark to Cheat Lake. But at the same time, due to opening of the new freeway the current exit will be closed, and the new one 1/2 mile East will open. When the freeway (I43 I believe) opens, it will draw MUCH more traffic. There will also be all of the traffic that was using 857 (primarily Greystone parents driving their kids to Cheat Middle School, but others as well). Add to that the fact that I often ride home in the dark after meetings (bike board for instance). This means there is no safe route for me to bike home. Taking the bus will work sometimes, but often my schedule doesn't fit with the buses. It only runs every 90 min and the last one leaves town at 5:30. Who would be the best person for me to contact about finding (or getting DOH to provide) a safe, bikeable (even walkable) alternative route. I'm thinking there may be room for a trail from the Old Cheat Rd overpass along the freeway to the road at the West end of the Ices Ferry Bridge. Note that the bridge won't be closed, just the section of 857 on the West side allowing access to it. Thanks for any suggestions or contacts. Nick Hein -- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 803 East Brockway Ave Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --

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Bumper Sticker
by Frank Gmeindl 03 May '11

03 May '11

Bicycle Board Members, Thanks yet again to Aira for responding to member comments and producing the attached revision of the bumper sticker that she produced for the last BB meeting. (Let's not forget to thank Aira for our previous bumper sticker as well!) Please reply with your concurrence with the attached or with comments for its improvement. If you promptly concur, we may be able to get this printed in time for the upcoming Appalachian Spring Spectacular April 30- May 1 and for the WVU Employee Fest May 9. Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles

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Calling all artists!
by Frank Gmeindl 03 May '11

03 May '11

All, We are slipping behind schedule at getting the Billboards up to meet our mid-April through May target for display. Electronic billboards with our messages will be located at 5 locations: 1) North end Star City Bridge heading out of town (In-Sight); 2) Mileground near 705 heading into town (Lamar); 3) Easton Hill heading out of town (Lamar); 4) Mileground heading out of town near Paw Prints (In-Sight); 5) 119 coming into town from I-68 exit 1 (Lamar). We have a quote from InSite their 2 billboards and we're still working with Lamar for a quote on their 3. So far we only have one display (attached). We had planned on having this and 5 other messages rotating through at short intervals. Problem is, we don't have any graphics to go with the messages. If you have any ideas, or better can design the billboard, please reply all. Here are the messages: 4 Wheels, 2 Wheels, 1 Road: Let’s Roll Together • Drive Nice, Bike Nice • A Bicycle Friendly Morgantown is a (changing adjective) Community Changing adjective: Healthier, Greener, Smarter · For Confident City Cycling CLICK (downward pointing arrow) BikeMorgantown.com The billboards will be repeated mid-August through September. Then, we're probably done with the education program! Frank

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Engineering
by Frank Gmeindl 03 May '11

03 May '11

Bicycle Board Members, One item on the agenda for this Thursday's meeting is to finalize the Engineering section of the Morgantown Bicycling Plan. For your convenience in preparing for the meeting, I've attached just the Engineering section. (All you need to do is click on the file name to be reading it! :) It's 5 pages long. Of course, you can read the whole plan at http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9979830/Morgantown%20Bicycle%20Plan%20v08.doc . I recommend you do read it as some of the initiatives that you might think should be in Engineering might be in one of the other sections., Also, here's a link: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11122/1143160-114-0.stm to an article in today's Pgh. Post Gazette about what Pgh., especially Bike Pittsburgh is doing for Bike Month. Considering the size of the city and all the people they have involved in promoting bicycling, I think we're doing a respectable job in comparison. To kick off Bike Month, we had a 105 mile ride on Saturday that had 21 participants and yesterday, the somewhat rainy Spring Spectacular had 53 riders. Frank

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Bikeboard May 2011