Email Newsletter 01/09/01

Contents:

UPCOMING MEETINGS:
* Next MB/PV meeting Wed. 1/10 -- MOVED to Springfield for HDRT!
* Bike Week 2001 volunteer org. meeting: Mon. 2/12

NEWS:
* Cyclists killed on Route 5, hurt on King St.
* Funds for Manhan RT promised
* Racks on buses -- not!
* Jami Fisher nominated for MassBike Board

OTHER EVENTS:
* Benefit concert for Manhan RT Friday 1/19
* Critical Mass ride Friday 1/26

Dear Pioneer Valley MassBikers,

Happy New Year to all of you. Keeping warm out there on the road? Check out www.enteract.com/~icebike, or www.massbike.org/info/winter.htm for cold weather riding tips.

Cheers,

James Lowenthal

UPCOMING MEETINGS:

* Next MB/PV meeting Wed. 12/10 -- MOVED to Springfield for HDRT!

The Highland Division Rail Trail, currently being planned in Springfield, is experiencing a strong and very organized opposition, including help from the anti-rail-trail folks in Williamsburg, still smarting from their defeat in court. An important public meeting to discuss the HDRT plans is taking place at the same time as our normal MassBike/Pioneer Valley meeting, and we have been invited to attend the Springfield meeting to show our support for the project.

Accordingly, this month's meeting will be replaced by a public hearing in Springfield at:

Place: Holy Cross School, Eddywood St. at Plumtree Rd., Springfield
Date: Wed. Jan. 10
Time: 7:00 pm

Let's make a strong showing and demonstrate how important development of the Rail-Trail network is to livable communities in our region, and how popular, useful, and environmentally friendly the trails are once they're finally built.

People interested in car-pooling from the Northampton/Amherst area can contact James Lowenthal directly (pvweb$NO$SPAM$@massbike.org).

The February 14 meeting will be back at Seelye Hall, Smith College -- if you can tear yourself away from your sweetie.

From Craig Della Penna:

Hi all,

On January 10th, at 7:00 PM, the East Forest Park Civic Association is holding a meeting about the Highland Division Rail-Trail project in Springfield. This will be held at the Holy Cross School on Eddywood Street which is on the corner of Plumtree Road and Eddywood St.

This meeting will have a short presentation about the project by Dave Chappell of Greenman-Pederson, one of the region's top RT design consultants and the company hired by the City to plan/design the trail. It will be a moderated meeting that will be run with dignity and respect, so please come and learn about this great urban neighborhood trail. This trail has the capability of being not only the region's most premier trail for utilitarian purposes, providing a great route through an urban center, but it also has the potential of being a great neighborhood resource for recreaton in a place without a park very close by.

It is very important for all bike and ped advocates from around the area to come to this meeting to show support and to show that bike and ped folks are regular people and not criminals ready to turn the dead RR into a "corridor of crime."

This past summer the Friends of the Highland Division Rail-Trail canvassed all the homeowners directly abutting the trail and found that there is good support for the project from direct abutters. In fact there are over 50 families in the 1.7 mile stretch who are direct abutters who would love the trail.

But as always, [at least here in the valley], there are a vocal group of antis as well. In fact, the usual suspects from Williamsburg have come down from the hills to assist and otherwise help the Spfld antis. (The Wburg folks are angry that they've lost their court case and are now looking to help other antis.)

It would be great if the room had lots of PV MassBikers to show the colors so to speak. Ring the bell and sound the alarm folks, cuz this is the meeting that needs friends from all over the area and not just from Spfld.

Come out for a fun evening, meet the "Friends", make new friends, meet Dave Chappell, and see how a properly moderated meeting should run.

Call Susan Joel or Dan Fraizer at 413-827-0852 for more info about how you can help the Friends, and help Spfld. become more bike friendly.

Happy Rail-Trails,

Craig P. Della Penna
New England Representative
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
P.O. Box 656, Agawam, MA 01001
413-789-7154

* Bike Week 2001: Mon. 2/12

Planning for Bike Week 2001 is well underway, with the benefit of experience with last year's inaugural events. Events -- mostly breakfasts for bicycle commuters, but also fun rides, fairs, and parades -- will take place according to the following tentative schedule:

Mon May 14: Holyoke?
Tue May 15: Westfield?
Wed May 16: Northampton and Easthampton
Thu May 17: Amherst + UMass
Fri May 18: Springfield and Greenfield

Help is needed organizing the events. Most communities already have a coordinator lined up, but a core of 4-6 dedicated volunteers is needed to make sure Bike Week 2001 is a big success. Tasks include working with local schools and businesses, contacting the media, and arranging breakfast logistics.

To find out more and offer a hand, please come to the following volunteer organizing meeting:

Monday Feb. 12
6:30 - 8:00 pm
Northampton (exact location TBD -- check www.massbike.org/mbpv for updates)

NEWS:

* Cyclists killed on Route 5, hurt on King St.

Two recent tragic bike/car crashes -- one of them fatal -- on Northampton streets underscore the need for improved safety and education for drivers and cyclists alike. Our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Paul Sullivan, 54, who apparently veered into the path of a passing car on Route 5 at 2:30 am the night of 13 December (ironically, just hours after a lengthy discussion at the monthly MB/PV meeting of the need for improved cyclist and driver education).

For limited further information, the Gazette articles are on-line:

City man dies while riding bike
http://www.gazettenet.com/12142000/news/32898.htm

Bicyclist hurt on King Street
http://www.gazettenet.com/11292000/news/32322.htm

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE!!!

* Funds for Manhan RT land acquisition promised

The long-awaited Manhan Rail-Trail moved a big step closer to realization with a promise of $150,000 for land acquisition from MassHighway. Eighty percent of the funds are of course from the federal Transportation Enhancements Program. Local fund matches are still needed; see "Other Events" below for upcoming fundraiser events Jan 19!

Rail Trail gets funding promise
http://www.gazettenet.com/01052001/news/33589.htm

* Racks on buses -- not!

PVTA has, as threatened, removed the bicycle racks from all their buses, including those serving the Five College area, for the duration of the winter. Even though other cities in snowy climes (Rochester NY, Ithaca NY, Bangor ME) manage to keep their bike racks on all winter, the Pioneer Valley has yet to iron out the kinks in their system. As related by Sandra Sheehan (732-6248) of PVTA, the main problems are: (1) the racks get corroded by road salt and replacement parts are either not on hand or not budgeted, and (2) the drivers are not officially trained to drive in winter with the extra length the racks cause.

Ms. Sheehan has indicated that by next winter, PVTA hopes to have figured out how to keep the racks on year-round. Let's hope so!

* Jami Fisher nominated for MassBike Board

Northampton's own JAMI FISHER has accepted a nomination to join the MassBike Board of Directors, and promises, if elected, to bring lots of on-the-ground bike advocacy ideas and experience from Western Mass to the Board. Ballots were mailed out to all MassBike members in late December. (Not up to date with your membership? Join on-line at www.massbike.org!).

There will be a full recount of the election if anyone wants it.

OTHER EVENTS:

* Benefit concert for Manhan RT Friday 1/19

From Sue Bartone, Easthampton:

Bikers:

[inserted from later email update]
We have the final line up for the Easthampton Rail Trail benefit concert. It's Friday, January 19, 2001 at the Easthampton Town Hall, Main St. Tickets are on sale now!

Rockin' the Rail Trail, featuring:
Ray Mason Band 10 PM (pop rock)
SuperKart 9 PM (pop rock)
the Maggies 8 PM (pop rock)
Cappuccino Jellybeans 7 PM (ska)

Coffeehouse: 5-7 PM, featuring:
Jess McDonough 6:30 PM (solo acoustic with gorgeous voice)
Pete Smolenski (solo-instrumentalist from Downtown Sounds)
Texas Allen (old time country/western)

Adults: $10 Kids: $3
all proceeds benefit Easthampton Mannhan Rail Trail (bike path),
to match Florence Savings Bank's $25K Challenge Grant.
Co-sponsored by Florence Savings Bank, Flywheel, Easthampton Greens & WRSI

BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW AT:
Downtown Sounds, Pleasant St. Northampton;
CMC Music, Union St., Easthampton;
Easthampton Town Hall, Main St.
Flywheel, 2 Holyoke St., Easthampton;

You can also buy tickets at the door, night of the show.

See you there!

Sue Bartone
Easthampton Greens
[end of insert]

We're hoping to get 300 to 500 people. This is going to be a huge show, and we especially want all the Mass Bikers to come. Easthampton needs to raise $50,000 to get a $500K construction grant for the Mannhan Rail Trail. Florence Savings Bank will match any amount we can raise up to $25,000. We're hoping to raise $3,000 to $5,000 with this event.

Here's where Mass Bike is so important. We were thinking of doing a Critical Mass Ride from Noho to E'ton the day of the show, Friday, Jan. 19, to show that we're serious about biking in Eashampton. SPECIAL OFFER FOR HARDCORE BIKERS: IF YOU RIDE WITH CRITICAL MASS ON JAN. 19, YOU GET HALF OFF YOUR TICKET PRICE! We could meet at Bart's in Noho, and ride down Rt. 10 South to the E'ton Town Hall. Rt. 10 has a nice wide lane to ride in. We could also arrange for police escort for safety. Let me know if this is not too crazy for you and we'll do it.

[Ed. note: Meet at 4:00 pm at Academy of Music in Northampton to ride to Easthampton]

Please tell all your friends and get your tickets early. We'll have them available in another week at WRSI in Northampton, at the Easthampton Town Hall, and at Flywheel. You can also buy tickets the day of the show.

Stay tuned for more info.

Sue Bartone
Easthampton

* Critical Mass Friday 1/26

Date: Friday, 1/26 (next ride Friday 2/23)
Place: Amherst Common
Time: 5:15 (meet)/5:30 (ride)
Route: Route 9 over the Coolidge Bridge to Northampton