Email Newsletter 06/14/01

Contents:

UPCOMING MEETINGS:
* Next MB/PV meeting Wed. 6/13 -- Smith College, Northampton

NEWS:
* Bicyclist's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities
* Pioneer Valley Bike Week 2001: Big Success!
* Route 9/Northampton: Huge improvement for cyclists
* Norwottuck Rail-Trail completion: still in jeopardy
* UMass Rail-Trail extension under construction

OTHER EVENTS:
* World-wide "Rolling Blackout" Thu. 6/21
* Critical Mass ride Fri. 6/29
* MassBike Tour Sat. 8/18 -- Northampton-based!

Dear Pioneer Valley Bicyclist,

UPCOMING MEETINGS:

* Next MB/PV meeting Wed. 6/13 -- Smith College, Northampton

MassBike/Pioneer Valley meets on the 2nd Wednesday of every month at 7:00 pm. (Next meetings: July 11, August 8, ...)

Place: Room 304, Seelye Hall, Smith College, Northampton
Date: Wed. June 13
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm

Agenda:
-- Northampton extension of Norwottuck RT
-- MassBike Tour planning
-- Self-congratulations for BikeWeek

As usual, pot-luck refreshments provided and consumed by you and us.

NEWS:

* Bicyclist's Bill of Rights and Responsibilities

MassBike was a crucial co-author of and consultant on this important bill, which would make rules of the road for Massachusetts bicyclists both more explicit and more consistent with those in the rest of the country. Read all about the bill's status and prospects -- and see how to contact your legislator to ask for her/his support -- at
http://www.massbike.org/lawlegis/leg2001/h2101l.htm
...and read an AP article in the Daily Hampshire Gazette at
dead://www.gazettenet.com/06062001/news/2805.htm

* Pioneer Valley Bike Week 2001: Big Success!

The Second Annual Pioneer Valley Bike Week was even bigger and better than last year's inaugural. Hundreds of commuter cyclists -- many riding to work for the first time ever -- were fed yummy breakfasts, entertained with bike movies and festivals, and introduced to the health, financial, and environmental benefits of bicycle transportation in communities from Greenfield to Springfield.

Thanks to all the great volunteers who made the events so successful, to the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission for securing the state and federal funds to support the effort, and to all the local merchants who donated food and services for the breakfasts.

Read articles in the Daily Hampshire Gazette at
dead://www.gazettenet.com/05152001/news/2011.htm
dead://www.gazettenet.com/05162001/news/2055.htm
dead://www.gazettenet.com/05162001/opinion/2051.htm (editorial)

* Route 9/Northampton: Huge improvement for cyclists

>From Robert Shycon:

> Following letters from Pioneer Valley chapter members to the Executive > Office of Transportation and Construction, Mass Highway made very > significant safety improvements to the state-owned section of Route 9 in > Northampton. This section of road is the main access to the popular > Norwottuck Rail Trail. It had four narrow car lanes and no shoulder. In > early May, Mass Highway restriped the road into two 12' car lanes and two > 7'-6" shoulders, much more comfortable for both bicyclists and drivers. >

> While Mass Highway has never directly stated that this change occured in > response to our letters, the fact is that they honored our request to drop > two car lanes in favor of shoulders in time for Northampton's Bike Commute > Day, May 16. Unfortunately, Mass Highway denied our request to make the > shoulder a designated bike lane. Chief Engineer Broderick wrote that a > state bike lane must terminate at another bike lane. The City of > Northampton does not have a designated bike lane on its adjacent portion of > Rt. 9. Clearly, we have much more work to do.

See articles in the Gazette at

dead://www.gazettenet.com/05042001/news/1631.htm
dead://www.gazettenet.com/05082001/opinion/1766.htm
(an editorial that prompted many MassBike letters!)

* Norwottuck Rail Trail completion: still in jeopardy

After nearly 10 years of delay, endless meetings and phone calls with MassHighway, the Department of Environmental Management, and the City of Northampton (mayors, planners, Public Works...), the much-needed Northampton extension of the Norwottuck Rail-Trail is *still* not secured. Despite our recent meeting with the City and over 100 postcards of support written to Mayor Higgins by BikeWeek participants, the City continues to worry that an at-grade (no bridge or tunnel) crossing of Damon Rd. will tie up motor vehicle traffic. (We think motor vehicles tie up traffic perfectly well all by themselves, whereas bicyclists generally relieve traffic by removing cars from the road.) There is some evidence that MassHighway is ready to drop the project for now, meaning the nearly 3/4 of a million dollars in federal funds targeted for the project would be reallocated to a different project elsewhere. But there is also some evidence that the City and MassHighway have agreed to move ahead in the near future. Check out the MB/PV website for up-to-date info -- and attend our monthly meetings to help strategize and guarantee that the Rail-Trail comes to downtown!

http://www.massbike.org/mbpv/involve/norwottuck.html

Here's a great opinion piece written by Paul Voss that appeared in the Gazette: http://www.gazettenet.com/05112001/news/1900.htm

* UMass Rail-Trail extension under construction

Major construction is underway along University Drive and Snell Street in Amherst to connect the UMass campus directly to the Norwottuck Rail-Trail by off-road trail. The ramp to the Rail-Trail is graded and awaiting surfacing, the terminus near the Southwest dorms is excavated, and construction equipment is at work daily near the former Victory supermarket parking lot. Completion is expected by the end of the summer!

OTHER EVENTS:

* World-wide "Rolling Blackout" Thu. 6/21

Here's a nice idea to protest the Bush energy "policy". Of course, it should also be a car-free day, since more than half of our energy consumption goes to producing, driving, and accommodating automobiles.

From various e-mail listserves:

>ROLL YOUR OWN BLACK OUT THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER
>JUNE 21, 2001 THURS EVE,
>7-10pm worldwide, all time zones >In protest of George W. Bush's energy policies and lack of emphasis on >efficiency, conservation and alternative fuels, there will be a >voluntary rolling blackout on the first day of summer, June 21 at 7pm - >10pm in any time zone (this will roll it across the planet). >

>Its a simple protest and a symbolic act. Turn out your lights from >7pm-10pm on June 21. Unplug whatever you can unplug in your house. Light >a candle, kiss and tell, tell ghost stories, do something >instead of watching television, have fun in the dark. >

>Forward this email as widely as possible, to your government >representatives and environmental contacts. Let them know we want global >education, participation and funding in conservation, efficiency and >alternative fuel efforts -- and an end to over exploitation and misuse of >the earth's resources. >

Anybody want to organize a bike ride to celebrate?

* Critical Mass ride Fri. 6/29

Date: Friday, 6/29 (next ride Friday 7/27)
Place: Amherst Common
Time: 5:15 (meet)/5:30 (ride)
Route: Route 9 over the Coolidge Bridge to Northampton

* MassBike Tour Sat. 8/18 -- Northampton-based!

Thanks to our righteous pals in the Northampton Cycling Club, the Annual MassBike Tour has been revived in a new, 1-day form -- this time based in Northampton! The ride features 62 and 100 mile routes through the hilltowns. Read more about it at

http://www.massbike.org/events/mbt2001/#tour

...and contact John Frey (johndfrey@mediaone.net) of NCC to volunteer.