Tuesday, March 30 by silvia
The WWBPA is once again accepting applications from high school seniors in the West Windsor-Plainsboro school district or who live in West Windsor. Up to $1,000 in scholarship money (no more than $500 to one student) is available. Applicants are required to write a short essay on a topic relating to bicycle and pedestrian safety.
This year’s scholarships will be awarded in memory of Edward C. Boye, an East Windsor resident who relied on his bicycle for transportation and who was killed by a motorist in February.
Click here for 2010 WWBPA Student Scholarship.
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Posted in Scholarships |
Sunday, March 28 by silvia
Paul Kiczek, a Morristown resident, is among those organizing The Big Walk, a 50-mile trek from the Metropark Station in Iselin to Penn Station in New York on Sunday, May 23. It is expected to take 17 hours beginning at 5 a.m. and concluding at 10 p.m. The route will go near Liberty State Park and use PATH to get from Exchange Place to World Trade Center, but the final seven miles to Penn Station will again be on foot.
Walkers are invited to join in, even for just part of the route, which will use part of the East Coast Greenway. The event is free. Register at NJ2NY50. Sponsor a walker here.
Why 50 miles? The idea of 50-mile walks dates back in the 1963 when President Kennedy challenged people to actively pursue a better, healthier lifestyle. Mr. Kiczek, for one, has tried twice–back in 1963 and last year. He didn’t make it either time but is determined to succeed this time.
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Posted in East Coast Greenway, Walkability |
Thursday, March 25 by silvia
Please join us for the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance’s annual meeting on April 8. We will be discussing ways we can make our community safer for bicyclists and pedestrians in 2010 and beyond. Tell us your concerns and ideas!
We also will vote on trustees. There is an opening on the board; if you are interested, please email wwbikeped@gmail.com. Include a bit about yourself and what you’d like to see accomplished.
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the West Windsor Municipal Center, 271 Clarksville Road. Feel free to bring friends/non-members.
Please note: This meeting had been scheduled for Feb. 25 but was postponed due to inclement weather. At that time, Andy Clarke, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists, was to be our guest speaker, but he can’t make it on April 8. We are working with Andy to find another date.
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Posted in Advocacy |
Wednesday, March 24 by sandy
What keeps women and girls from bicycling more? Take part take in a survey about bicycle use (or non-use) and barriers to getting on bikes.
In addition to this survey, the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) is presenting a FREE Webinar March 31: “Writing Women Back into Bicycling: Changing Transportation Culture to Encourage More Women to Cycle More Places More Often.”
This free webinar is open to the public. March 31, 2010 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Register at www.apbp.org.
Women, a recent article in Scientific American said, are considered an indicator for bicycle-friendly cities because they, more than men, tend to want safe bike infrastructure and routes that go to practical places.
And that cycling survey for women? Interim results will be reported during the webinar, and final results will released after May 15 as part of National Bike Month.
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Posted in Bikeability |
Monday, March 22 by sandy
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is conducting a quick online survey of bicyclists and non-bicyclists in our region.
Shifting Gears is an outreach program run by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) to help determine bicycle issues and priorities for our region. Shifting Gears seeks input from bicyclists and non-bicyclists through an online survey at www.dvrpc.org/shiftinggears.
The online survey only takes about 5-10 minutes and asks questions about bicycle use, facilities, policy, and information on what would best enhance the cycling environment.
Please go to www.dvrpc.org/shiftinggears and tell them what is on your mind. If you’ve already taken the survey, then tell your friends– don’t keep it to yourself. Bicyclists of any level, as well as non-bicyclists are invited to participate.
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Posted in Advocacy, Bicycle routes, Bicycling Trip, Bike Racks, Bikeability |
Sunday, March 21 by sandy
Kudos to BikeFest, which paid for badly needed bike racks at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, and West Windsor Division of Recreation and Parks for handling the installation earlier this month. Funding came from proceeds from the 2009 BikeFest (and registration is open for BikeFest 2010 on May 29).
The two new racks, in Pirate green and located to protect bikes from the elements, can hold up to 22 bikes at a time. Read more about the racks in the WW-P News.
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Posted in Bike Racks |
Saturday, March 20 by sandy
Great news for making our communities friendlier for bicyclists and pedestrians!
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood unveiled the Department of Transportation’s Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation, with Regulations and Recommendations that he said marks “the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.”
DOT Policy Statement:
“The DOT policy is to incorporate safe and convenient walking and bicycling facilities into transportation projects. Every transportation agency, including DOT, has the responsibility to improve conditions and opportunities for walking and bicycling and to integrate walking and bicycling into their transportation systems. Because of the numerous individual and community benefits that walking and bicycling provide — including health, safety, environmental, transportation, and quality of life — transportation agencies are encouraged to go beyond minimum standards to provide safe and convenient facilities for these modes.”
The Statement concludes:
“Increased commitment to and investment in bicycle facilities and walking networks can help meet goals for cleaner, healthier air; less congested roadways; and more livable, safe, cost-efficient communities. Walking and bicycling provide low-cost mobility options that place fewer demands on local roads and highways. DOT recognizes that safe and convenient walking and bicycling facilities may look different depending on the context — appropriate facilities in a rural community may be different from a dense, urban area. However, regardless of regional, climate, and population density differences, it is important that pedestrian and bicycle facilities be integrated into transportation systems. While DOT leads the effort to provide safe and convenient accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists, success will ultimately depend on transportation agencies across the country embracing and implementing this policy.”
One sign of DOT’s new thinking came as it awarded $1.5 billion to projects using stimulus funding. Read more.
Read previous posts about Complete Streets:
Are Your Streets Complete?
New Jersey Adopts Complete Streets Policy
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Posted in Advocacy, Bicycle routes, Bikeability, Walkability |
Tuesday, March 16 by silvia
The crosswalk-free intersection of Meadow Road and Canal Pointe Boulevard
A resident of Canal Pointe has written to the mayor requesting that traffic lights be added to Canal Pointe Boulevard to counter the heavy traffic and speed of motorists so pedestrians can get to MarketFair and to and from the bus stop. In her letter, Sherri Bobish also noted that it can even be difficult for motorists to exit the development at times because of the traffic.
The WWBPA, which received a copy of her letter, couldn’t agree more and followed up with a letter of its own, calling on the mayor to publicize a study of Canal Pointe Boulevard last year to look at ways to calm traffic that was commissioned by the township government and to implement the recommendations.
WWBPA's Canal Pointe Walk, April 2007
Unfortunately, the problems are not new. The WWBPA in its letter cited a study done six years ago that recommended a “road diet” for Canal Pointe, which could calm traffic without sacrificing road capacity. This solution was endorsed by the WWBPA during a walk with area residents in 2007 to highlight safety problems for bicyclists and pedestrians in the neighborhood. Read the original blog post.
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Posted in Advocacy, Bikeability, Canal Pointe, Walkability |
Sunday, March 14 by sandy
As planning continues for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in the Route 1 corridor, interest (both pro and con) grows in the fate of the Dinky, the unique connector train from Princeton to Princeton Junction that has been around for 145 years.
If a BRT replaced the Dinky, current plans include a bicycle and pedestrian lane as well. This would create a good bike/ped route from Princeton Junction to Princeton. Read more about the debate here: Princeton Packet Dinky/BRT Article
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Posted in Bicycle routes, Bikeability, Pedestrian, Walkability |
