News-Record.com

Bike riders of all ages and persuasions are encouraged to pedal in downtown Greensboro on May 1 from 6-9 p.m. in support of Shop by Bike, an initiative by Bicycling in Greensboro (BIG) and Ped Power geared to promote camaraderie and healthy living through cycling.

The organizers have partnered with Downtown Greensboro Inc.’s First Friday showcases of the art community for this event. First Friday attendees who travel by bike and show their helmet can receive discounts on purchases, according to a press release. Posters will be displayed on storefront windows or inside stores to denote participating merchants.

This event could be a good way to fulfill your Triad Commute Challenge pledge.

Bike riders are also encouraged to artistically decorate their bikes and helmets in celebration of First Friday. First Friday attendees traveling by car are encouraged to be mindful of bike traffic as there may be an influx of evening bike riders; cyclists should also remember to adhere to the same traffic laws as motor vehicles. Find a map of bike racks here.

For more information about Shop by Bike call 215-1890.

The Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Institute has recruited Raleigh and the Triangle to participate in its Project Get Ready initiative. Participants announced the partnership by teleconference today.

The official Web site describes Project Get Ready as...

" a non-profit initiative led by Rocky Mountain Institute, in conjunction with a wide array of partners and technical advisers. Project Get Ready will:
* Create a dynamic “menu” of strategic plug-in readiness actions including the “business case” for each action.
* Provide a web database of American and international plug-in readiness activities.
* Convene at least 20 cities as well as technical players regularly to discuss their lessons learned and best practices, and report these conversations on our website and materials."

The Rocky Mountain Institute hopes this initiative will help President Obama surpass a goal of one million plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles on the road by 2015. That number represents less than 1 percent of the American vehicle fleet.

Raleigh officials said they hope to expand from one plug-in hybrid to six to 12 vehicles over the next year or so, with hundreds or thousands being purchased in the private sector. The city also plans to install eight to 10 charging stations over the next three months, with local universities and private developers installing up to 12 more. Read more here.

Laura Schewel with the Rocky Mountain Institute identified the following challenges to expanding the plug-in vehicle fleet:
* Current low consumer demand;
* expensive batteries;
* figuring out who will pay to install the needed infrastructure and then doing it.

Another speaker on the teleconference mentioned another challenge: establishing the regulations needed to encourage smart grid investments.

The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) hopes to get 2,500 people to ditch the car at least once over a three month period. PART and partner Triad Air Awareness will kick off its third annual Triad Commute Challenge in High Point next month. Details here.

I plan to sign up. Anyone participate last year?

The Thomasville City Council plans to vote Monday on a grant-funded draft bicycle transportation plan that was completed in December, said Ken Hepler, the city's planning and zoning administrator.

Hepler said he expects the council to approve the plan, which stretches out 20 years.

"We're not doing anything to get in the taxpayers' pockets real deep," Hepler said, noting the current economic recession.

2009 goals:

• Have the bicycle plan adopted by Council, build a project and promote a
signature project for citizens to rally around;

• Stripe wider streets for bicycle lanes;

• Establish ongoing education programs on bicycle safety and benefits;

• Start acquiring easements on key existing sewer easements, railways and stream
corridors;

• Establish bicycle riding classes and outings for youths;

• Install bicycle racks in key areas;

• Encourage ridership through campaigns, rides and education; and

• Amend the development ordinance to encourage implementation of trail
development as part of the development process.

The international Roundtable for Sustainable Biofuels will hold a public meeting in Durham this month to gather input for a set of guidelines for the worldwide production of biofuels.

The meeting will take place 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 28 at the Southern Growth Policies Board, 100 Capitola Dr, Suite 100, Durham. Details and the agenda.

From the draft guidelines:

According to the triple bottom line approach of sustainability, biofuels shall be environmentally sound, socially fair, and economically viable. While some aspects of the economic sustainability of biofuel projects can be assessed at the production unit level, others depend on national macro-economic policies. To ensure a level playing field for global biofuel production, domestic use and trade, macro-economic policies such as trade barriers and distortive subsidies that disrupt global food and biofuel markets should also be addressed by the appropriate authorities. If produced sustainably, biofuels can create opportunities for developing countries with a comparative advantage in their production to, in some cases, even export biofuels to countries that need them.

Interior architecture students at UNCG unveiled today a prototype bus shelter they created this past semester. The project, called "seeds for change," is intended to raise awareness about the city's lack of adequate bus shelters for its bus system. Students talked with Greensboro Transit Authority employees and bus riders and found that the city has only 64 shelters among 1,100 bus stops.

I was told the shelter, made mostly of pine wood, will stay on display for a couple weeks. Learn more about the project here.

The UNCG Sapphires sing after the ribbon cutting of the bus shelter.

Students Ben Adams, Meg McMillan and Megan Schwarz sit on a smaller prototype on Tate Street.

Update (Dec. 17): The report is now available.
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I posted last month about a vehicle mile tax being floated by the state's 21st Century Transportation Committee, which officially released its final report of recommendations to lawmakers today (I'm trying to locate an online copy). The recommendation's don't seem to impress many people.

From the Wilmington Star-News (commenting on the draft recommendations):

A committee of designated thinkers has been pondering that very question and has a few suggestions, one of which should be quickly discarded: replacing the gas tax with a tax on the number of miles driven in North Carolina. Aside from a the Big Brother aspect, it would seem to pose a number of problems.

An odometer reading at the annual inspection presumably would determine the amount of the tax, but the 21st Century Transportation Committee has yet to explain how to distinguish between in-state and out-of-state miles. And what of the out-of-state vacationers, truckers and business travelers who cruise through North Carolina on the way somewhere else? Many of them currently pay the gas tax as they fill up, but it would be awfully difficult to track them down to pay by the mile.

The North Carolina Justice Center’s Budget & Tax Center says the committee presented a piecemeal approach that endorses pro-traffic congestion policies, glosses over critical issues, such as misallocation of resources, and doesn't flesh out how the vehicle miles tax would replace current revenue sources such as the gas tax.

“The report offers no consistent vision for how to move forward,” said Steve Jackson, a public policy analyst who focuses on transportation issues for the North Carolina Justice Center’s Budget & Tax Center. “Given how fundamental our transportation problems are in North Carolina, this is very disappointing. The policy solutions suggested are more 1955 than 2055.”

I'll post the report once I get a copy.

The state's 21st Century Transportation Committee has asked the General Assembly to consider charging motorists for how many miles they drive in their cars in the state to help raise transportation funds.

Would this fundraising effort work in a recession or just motivate people to drive less (which is in and of itself a good thing)?

In a statement by the N.C. Justice Center:

“North Carolina needs a solution that keeps pace with growing road use,” said (public policy analyst Steve) Jackson. “Taxing road use is equitable, since property owners whose lands motivate heavier travel pay a heavier burden. It's a fair policy that encourages smart development, discourages sprawl, and could be implemented right away.”

The (Budget & Tax Center) proposal, known as the Property Traffic Fee, is not a panacea. The funding mechanism works best in more densely settled urban areas, and would not be an appropriate way to fund the state's major highways.

“The gas and vehicle use tax can do the job there for a few years, at least,” said Jackson. “The PTF is well-suited as a transportation revenue option for local governments right now. Local governments are looking for more revenue options for transportation and this fits the bill.”

N&R reporter Taft Wireback published an excellent package today (not online for some reason) on his experience riding the mass transit systems that operate in Greensboro. His unsurprising conclusion: They have a long way to go toward making the proposition palatable for time-strapped motorists considering the switch from private automobile.

We all know that times are changing and that no longer will buses be filled mostly with people who cannot afford or are unable to drive a car. High gas prices and concerns about climate change/pollution/health are motivating more middle class people to ride the bus.

But let's be honest: The structures of the bus systems here reinforce the stereotype that public transportation is for the poor and marginalized who should just be happy they have an option for getting to work. Do you think middle and upper middle class people in business suits are going to stand in the rain without cover at a bus stop? I've frequently driven by old black women doing just that.

On the other hand, private cars have their downsides and you suck up a lot of time waiting in traffic jams, buying gasoline, updating registration, taxes and insurance, and performing regular maintenance. You can't get work done in your car while driving, although unfortunately I catch drivers reading magazines from time to time. And not everyone can afford to drive a lush SUV with a navigation system and DVD player in the back for the kids. I bet just as many if not more people are cursing under their breath for car-related reasons than bus-related reasons.

I rode GTA once in my two years living in Greensboro and that is because my car battery died and I wasn't able to catch a ride with a coworker. I found the bus convenient (and nearly empty at the time), but I caught it in Lindley Park, just a couple miles from my job downtown. I now live in Glenwood and plan to take the bus in the future. But I cannot rely on the system the way it is currently set up.

The question came up in Taft's article of whether Greensboro Transit Authority employees actually ride the bus. I wonder this myself. Since it's the weekend, I can't call to find out but I want to know what the policy is for employees taking the bus to work. Many newspapers, including this one, require reporters to live in the cities or counties they cover. Shouldn't public transportation employees be required to take the bus at least occasionally? What about government employees in general or elected officials? That alone might motivate quicker changes.

Taft brought up a good point at the end of his main article. Other options exist for saving fuel costs other than taking the bus, such as riding a bike. Carpooling and telecommuting also get the job done.

Friendly Center and The Shops at Friendly Center have increased the number of bicycle racks at the shopping complex in response to this summer’s record-high gas prices.

And to raise bicycling awareness, Friendly is partnering with the Greensboro Department of Transportation to hold a free bike safety event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 20 in the Pembroke Road parking lot (behind Signature Place, just off the Pembroke Road intersection with Northline Avenue).

GDOT will place special emphasis on the laws, rules and responsibilities associated with using pedal power. Activities will include a bike rodeo, helmet fitting, helmet giveaway for children under age 16, bike-on-bus demonstration, and a “Road 1” bicycle course overview.

The location of the 18 bike racks:
Ann Taylor Loft, 629 Friendly Center Road, Friendly Center

Custom Creations, 3352 W. Friendly Ave., Suite 142, The Shops at Friendly Center

Eddie Bauer, 801-A Friendly Center Road, Friendly Center

The Grande Cinemas, 3205 Northline Ave., Friendly Center

Great Outdoor Provision Co., 3104 Northline Ave., Friendly Center

Harris Teeter, 3330 W.t Friendly Ave., The Shops at Friendly Center

J. Crew, 3334 W. Friendly Ave., Suite 105, The Shops at Friendly Center

Jason's Deli, 3326 W. Friendly Ave., Suite 140, The Shops at Friendly Center

REI, 3334 W. Friendly Ave., Suite 140, The Shops at Friendly Center

United States Postal Service, 610 Pembroke Road, Friendly Center

The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation reports that this spring's Triad Commute Challenge was a success. More than 1,500 people pledged to use an alternative form of transportation in March, April and May. Let's hope the participants followed through on their promises.

NC Mobile CARE will hold a symposium on May 6 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro to recognize efforts of North Carolinians to reduce mobile emissions and promote fuel diversity. The symposium will also feature a tour of the green hotel and keynote speaker David Morris, co-founder and vice president of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. He will talk about "Driving our way toward energy independence." Tickets for symposium and luncheon are $20.

This following comes by way of an Environmental Stewardship Group of Greensboro listserv post this week from the N.C. Conservation Network:

"North Carolina is facing a major transportation problem. Since 1989, our state has focused heavily on creating new roads, expanding existing roads, and building sprawl-inducing highways. Now, the combination of increasing construction costs, greater awareness of climate change, and a growing maintenance backlog within the Department of Transportation shows that North Carolina’s over-the-top emphasis on building new roads can’t last.

"The NC Conservation Network has joined with a broad coalition of groups—North Carolinians for Transportation Reform and Modernization (NC TRAM)—to promote a better transportation future for North Carolina. This week the group released a set of five principles to help guide North Carolina in creating a new transportation future. The five principles are: (1) prioritize projects using objective standards, not political patronage; (2) build different kinds of projects, not just roads; (3) dedicate a larger share of spending to maintenance; (4) link transportation and land use planning; and (5) pay for our transportation system fairly, not by raiding education and health programs or by privatizing our public roads. Help protect North Carolina’s future by asking your state legislator to support investment in maintenance and public transit!"

The group also has a blog.

North Carolina's transportation practices are a big ship that is going to be hard to turn around, given the amount of financial and social investment North Carolinians have in seeing highways expand. I remember when I worked for the Gaston Gazette writing articles about the Garden Parkway and how an investment company (with a state legislator on staff) had bought up land around the proposed toll highway back in the 1990s with an anticipation that the land will become highly valuable for residential and commercial development. N.C. DOT can't exactly get religion about more sustainable transportation practices and renege on its road-building promises without creating a firestorm. But at some point the state will have to prioritize maintenance. Is a moratorium on building necessary?

By the way, I have heard a couple times that truckers are starting to drive slower on highways to conserve fuel with the $4 diesel prices they are facing (and apparently some want U.S. taxpayers helping to pick up the tab). I would argue they should be driving slow anyway for safety reasons, but there is an incentive to drive faster to get products to their destination on time. If fuel prices keep going up, truckers may have to do more than drive slow (park, perhaps?).

Are any of you participating in this?

Don't you just love the bicycle? The way you hunch your back and grip the handle bars in exhiliration as you speed down hills and around corners? The sense of pride you get as you advance from sweaty, struggling, out-of-shape peddler to fit and enraptured sightseer? Or how about the ability to stop and chat with a neighbor without hogging up the street or having to turn off and open anything? You don't have to curse under your breath at the high gas prices or sit in a line of traffic.

I was thinking about my bicycle sitting out on the patio and couldn't let the day pass without giving it some love.

I purchased my bike -- nothing too fancy -- early last year as part of my transition into a more sustainable, slower-paced lifestyle (not too slow now afer having a baby). I had not owned a bicycle before then since my early years of high school and at that time I viewed it as a way to kill some time outdoors and get a little exercise. I spent three of my years of high school in Mira Mesa, San Diego. There, I could walk or bike to school, to work, to the mall, to the movies and grocery store. In retrospect, I realize the city was very pedestrian-friendly. When I moved back to Jacksonville, N.C., I had to rely much more on the car. I took cabs to work and only rode my bike in the neighborhood (a lot of it being cul-de-sacs). Most of the time my bike stayed in the garage.

Now I live in western Greensboro and even when it warms up, my husband and I will find it difficult to ride our bikes from our apartment. We live off a bike-lane-less busy five-lane street and less than a half-mile from an I-40 interchange. I just don't want to get run over.

I won't be sneaking off to any afternoon rendezvous with my bike anytime soon, so my husband doesn't have to be jealous. But the next place we move definitely has to be bike-friendly. Bike lanes would be best and proximity to stores and such better.

What do you love about your bicycle?