Email Newsletter October 8, 2003
Issue 48

UPCOMING MEETINGS:
* Next MB/PV meeting Wed. 10/08
* LAB Board meeting 10/17-18
* New Haven to Northampton RT mtg., Simsbury CT, Sat 11/15

NEWS:
* Congress restores Transportation Enhancements funding
* N'ton launches Safe Routes To School initiative

OTHER EVENTS:
* Upcoming elections -- help survey candidates!
* Kiwanis Bike Rodeo, Sat. 10/18, Springfield
* Kevin Pecor memorial walkathon, Sun. 10/19, West Springfield
* N'ton RT Fall Clean-up, Saturday, 11/8
* Jesse's House bike program volunteers needed

====================================================================

Dear Pioneer Valley Bicyclist,

I know some people reading this newsletter are already packing their panniers for their ride to Boston and/or New York to see yet another epic Red Sox-Yankees showdown. While you're pumping up your tires and selecting PowerBar flavors, though, make sure your MassBike membership is up-to-date so that your right to the road will remain protected. Renew online at www.massbike.org.

UPCOMING MEETINGS:
==================

* Next MB/PV meeting Wed. 10/08
--------------------------------

Date: Wed. October 8 (next meetings: Nov. 12, Dec. 10...)
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm

Agenda:
-- Introductions/visions
-- Upcoming meetings
-- Kevin Pecor walkathon and bike safety program
-- PV Joint Transportation Commission
-- N'ton Safe Routes to School
-- Election 2003
-- RailTrail updates (Leeds; Northampton;...)

Additional agenda items? Email to pvweb$NO$SPAM$@massbike.org

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

* LAB Board meeting 10/17-18
----------------------------

From John Allen:

From jsallen@bikexprt.com Wed Oct 1 11:51:49 2003
Date: Wed, 01 Oct 2003 11:26:05 -0400
From: John S. Allen <jsallen@bikexprt.com>
To: NY and New England cyclists <jsallen@bikexprt.com>
Subject: League of American Bicyclists Regional Director calls for
input

New York and New England cyclists and cyclists' organizations:

The Board of Directors of the League of American Bicyclists will meet at the League's National Rally on October 17 and 18. At that meeting, I will be taking my seat as Regional Director for New York and New England, replacing the present director, Jon Orcutt.

Jon is a leading bicycling activist in the New York City area, and I live in Boston. I am especially interested in hearing from constituents in New York, and elsewhere outside Massachusetts, so I can be familiar with your concerns.

On my Web site, at http://www.bikexprt.com/LAB/index.htm#info, I have posted information about the issues that I already intend to bring up at the meetings. In particular, I am going to present a detailed proposal for expansion of the League's use of the Internet for communication with and between members. I welcome comments and additional suggestions. Please inform me of any issues which you wish me to bring to the attention of the Board.

The next major meeting I will attend is a strategy session of the League's Board and staff in mid-January. This will offer a major opportunity for review of the League's policies and programs.

Please distribute this message via your club e-mail lists and newsletters. I apologize for being late to get information about the October meeting into newsletters. Like many of you, I am up to my ears in commitments. In any case, the January meeting will be soon, and it will be a better forum to air policy issues..

Anyone who wishes to be either removed from this e-mail list or added to it, please contact me. Thank you!

If you or your organization is not a League member, please consider joining. Membership information is available on the League's Web site, http://www.bikeleague.org.

John S. Allen
7 University Park
Waltham, MA 02453-1523 USA
781 891-930
jsallen@bikexprt.com
http://www.bikexprt.com

* New Haven to Northampton RT mtg., Simsbury CT, Sat 11/15
----------------------------------------------------------

From Craig Della Penna:

The last major bike-ped conference of the year will take not far away in Simsbury and will be about the trail project that will terminate in Northampton.

I hope there is a good contingent from MassBike PV to learn about what is going on. Can someone set up a car pool?

The Farmington Canal Heritage Greenway

What's New?
What's Next?

A BI-STATE SUMMIT
SATURDAY NOVEMEBER 15, 2003
9:00 A.M. TO 12:30 P.M.

Eno Memorial Hall
754 Hopmeadow St.
Simsbury, CT

The Farmington Canal Greenway is proposed to run from New Haven, CT to Northampton, MA-distance of over 80 miles.

Currently, several long stretches of the trail are open and are enjoyed by thousands of people each week. At the same time, however, gaps remain that prevent the completion of the pathway.

The Greenway not only contributes to recreational opportunities, but also to the health of users and to the economies of the surrounding communities. A completed trail has the potential to become a major tourist destination and a route for bicycle and pedestrian commuting.

Join town and state officials, local business interests, and trail enthusiasts to discuss the progress you have made, the obstacles in your path, and the ways we can work together to ensure success.

To see the full agenda, directions, keynote speaker, cost of event and lunch choices go to www.railtrails.org/newengland

Craig P. Della Penna
New England Field Representative
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
2 Washington Square, Union Station
Suite 200
Worcester, MA 01604
508-755-3300 phone
508-791-9999 fax
rtccraig@transact.org
www.railtrails.org/newengland

NEWS:
====

* Congress restores Transportation Enhancements funding
-------------------------------------------------------

Phew - sort of. Thanks to everyone who called/wrote/talked to US Congressional reps.

Also from Craig Della Penna:

House and Senate Act to Sustain Highway, Transit Programs for Five Months

Acting to stave off the shutdown of federal transportation programs and agencies, the House and Senate this week approved a bill to extend authorizations for federal highway, highway safety and transit programs until February 29.

The bill, H.R. 3087, would authorize $14.7 billion for highway programs through February 29, which includes $14.1 billion in obligation limitation and $633 in exempt obligations. The bill provides $3 billion for transit programs. The bill also includes funds for ISTEA demonstration projects not yet obligated. It also allows states to "reobligate" unused obligation authority that may become available at the completion of older projects. The bill was passed by the House under suspension of the rules
on Wednesday, and by the Senate on Friday morning.

The current authorizing legislation, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, expires at midnight on September 30. Unlike prior instances when a reauthorization lapsed, TEA-21 specifically prohibited
the Federal Highway Administration from approving any new projects, even using unobligated funds from
prior years. As a consequence of the drawdown of administrative funds, the expiration of TEA-21 also threatened a shutdown of the federal transportation agencies that are funded out of the Highway Trust Fund.

[abridged; for more info, go to http://www.transact.org/]

* N'ton launches Safe Routes To School initiative
-------------------------------------------------

Just 30 years ago, more than half of all schoolchildren walked or biked to school; now that figure is less than 10% (source: LAB). With speeding traffic and road rage increasingly common while sidewalks and
bike-friendly neighborhood streets are almost a rarity, many parents drive their kids to school by default -- thus contributing to traffic and asthma-producing pollution themselves while depriving their kids
of the health benefits of walking or biking.

Many communities worldwide have countered these disturbing trends by starting "Safe Routes To School" programs, which identify and remove the physical and psychological barriers to walking and bicycling to
school. In Massachusetts, a bill is now pending in the Legislature to fund SRTS state-wide. Meanwhile, Northampton is starting its own SRTS program. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee of Northampton's new Transportation and Parking Commission recently met with School and Police Department officials to identify problem areas and make a prioritized wish-list of improvements (new sidewalks and crosswalks, more bike/ped-friendly intersections, etc.); the next step is for the list to be sent to the Commission for approval and then to the city's Capital Improvements Committee. Stay tuned! And email pvweb$NO$SPAM$@massbike.org if you have any time to spare on this important project.

OTHER EVENTS:
============

* Upcoming elections -- help survey candidates!
-----------------------------------------------

Elections are upon us. Do you know where all the candidates stand on bicycling and other "alternative transportation" issues? Why not send the candidates in your city or town a bike transportation
questionnaire and then publicize the results? (And by the way -- has anyone ever seen either Arnold Schwarzenegger or Gray Davis on a bike?)

Here are some sample questions you might consider:

# What steps would you take to encourage people to use alternatives to automobiles?
# Do you support bicycle lanes on arterial and downtown streets in [your town here]?
# What is your position on implementing "traffic calming" measures (such as speed humps -- not bumps -- and neck-downs, or sidewalk widening at dangerous intersections) on downtown and
residential streets?
# Do you endorse expansion of the PVTA bus system to include more routes and increased service? If so, what sources of funding would you use to pay for it?
# What is your position on [specific transp. project in your town]?
# Would you support a town ordinance requiring bicycle parking to be included in all construction projects as a percentage of car parking spaces provided?
# What steps do you propose to limit residential and commercial sprawl (dispersed, auto-dependent) development in [your town]?
# How would you encourage alternative transportation to and from neighboring towns and cities in the region?
# Would you support the removal of on-street parking in places where it interferes with safe pedestrian, bicycle, public transit or emergency vehicle use?
# Do you support using tax or other incentives to try to encourage auto-dependent development?

* Kiwanis Bike Rodeo 10/18, Springfield
---------------------------------------

From Kris Sornberger:

Ever experienced a Bike Rodeo.... (rope optional)

Upcoming:

Kiwanis Bike Rodeo
October 18th 10:30am-2pm
Boys Club
481 Carew Street
Springfield

contact: ksornberger@pipeline.une.edu for more details or to help out.
We'll put all hands to work!

* Kevin Pecor memorial walkathon, 10/19, West Springfield
---------------------------------------------------------

Kevin Pecor, a high school student at West Springfield High School, was tragically struck and killed by an automobile while bicycling home from work in January 2003. Now, his family has started a memorial
foundation in his name, and they plan to include a bicycle safety component. They've asked MassBike for help in two areas:

1) providing safety and education info, pamphlets, etc.

2) volunteering to help at a fundraising walkathon on Sun, 10/19, in West Springfield.

Of course, your contributions and/or participation in the walkathon would also be most appreciated by the Pecor family and would help prevent similar tragedies in the future.

See www.kevinjpecor.org for more info.

* N'ton RT Fall Clean-up, Saturday, 11/8
----------------------------------------

Again from Craig DP:

Fall Clean-up!

Saturday, November 8,
1:00 - 4:00 PM

Bring the kids and join your neighbors for some good clean fun!

We will meet on the City of Northampton trail at the intersection of the bike trail and Hatfield Street, near the cement plant.

We will then split into two groups, one bound for Stop & Shop and one bound for Bardwell St..

There will be another group at the corner of Bardwell St and the trail-and they will head to Bridge Road.

We will supply the bags, but B.Y.O.S. (Bring Your Own Stuff), if you can-brooms, rakes, carts, gloves

Questions/Want to help organize? Call Geoff at 586-9916.

* Jesse's House bike program volunteers needed
----------------------------------------------

Jesse's House, which helps homeless families in Northampton get back on their feet, has a great bike program started and run by Paige Bridgens. JH recently contacted the Northampton Cycling Club for
volunteer help, but MassBikers are also invited to donate time, expertise, helmets, equipment, or cold hard cash. Perhaps our best contribution could be helping instruct people how to bicycle safely
and confidently in traffic, a la League Cycling classes. Any volunteer experts?

Paige Bridgens' email: paigeleh@yahoo.com

From John Frey <johndfrey@hotmail.com> of the Northampton Cycling
Club:

If people have old helmets they can be donated via Alec Donahue. Please email him directly at alecdonahue@hotmail.com .

Bill and Meesha Crowther will be building a bike rack at Jesse's House. If you want to help please email Meesha at meeshac25@aol.com.

Finally, if you could help lead an instructional ride or two please call Paige at Jesse's House.