President’s Message
We ring in the New Year well positioned to meet our goal: a bicycle and pedestrian friendly community. Like many of you, we faced countless challenges due to the current economic environment, but emerged stronger, more focused and determined to achieve our goals. As a result, many of our early investments are now coming to fruition. Your support is critical to keep the momentum.
Our enthusiastic officers and trustees continue to give generously of their time. Read on to learn about some of our successes in 2009.
The community joined us. Together, we worked on trails, commuted nearly 2500 miles during National Bike Month, and showed on our community bike ride that is it possible to pedal from Community Park to Grover Middle School. Neighbors in Hightstown and Plainsboro helped assess walkability in their communities. We helped train numerous people to become bicycle safety instructors. More than 50 new members joined, we made countless new friends, and advocacy groups looked to us for guidance.
Together, the Township and County installed a much needed mid-block crossing at Avalon Watch. The Township added numerous bike lanes. Most importantly, they both continue to listen to our recommendations, and more critical improvements are coming.
Looking forward to 2010 and beyond, our focus will be on promoting bicycle safety education to children and adults, partnering with schools to promote safe routes to school, highlighting existing bicycle and pedestrian routes, and advocating for connections to fill in missing links.
Some projects are longer term. We heard the need for safe connections to Plainsboro and want to start the conversation. We are determined to improve our main street (Route 571/Princeton-Hightstown Road between Cranbury/Wallace and Clarksville Roads) for bicyclists and pedestrians. This concern was confirmed when a pedestrian was struck at the corner with Wallace Road. These improvements take time, determination, and support from the community.
We will succeed only if we all do our part. Please bring your friends and neighbors to our annual meeting on February 25 and be inspired by our guest speaker, Andy Clarke, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. Share your ideas about how best to make our common goals a reality, while helping to promote involvement from local schools and businesses.
Please give a few hours of your time this year. Together we will make a difference, achieve these objectives, and get one step closer to our goal.??????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????? ~?Chris Scherer