West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance

Support Conover Rd Bikeway Multi-Purpose Trail Project

Thursday, August 11 by joegorun

http://www.westwindsornj.org/conover-road.html.

Help make West Windsor more accessible and safe for walking, running and biking to Conover Fields, Mercer Lake, PNRA Rowing Center and Mercer Park by showing support for the Conover Rd multi-purpose paved trail project. It will connect the trail at S Post Rd, Conover Fields, and all of the neighborhoods until Galston Dr.

Submit your comments online by Friday, August 19 at:http://www.westwindsornj.org/conover-road.html and select ContactUs Form.

Posted in Advocacy, Bicycle routes, Bicycle-Friendly Community, Bike Commuting, Bikeability, Caspersen Rowing Center, commuter, Complete Streets, Conover Road, Health, Mercer County Park, Pedestrian, Safety, South Post Road, Sustainability, Trails |

Learn to Bike Event – June 4

Monday, May 30 by joegorun

Join us for our annual Learn to Bike Event on June 4th at 9am-12:30pm, for children 5+ yrs old, at the WW Farmers Market. Required: working bike, helmet, current member of WWBPA. (Can buy a helmet from WWBPA for $10 and join WWBPA at LtB). Contact wwbikeped@gmail.com with questions.  Pre-registration is suggested via email.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Bike Repair Clinic

Tuesday, May 17 by joegorun

Bring your bike to the West Windsor Farmers Market Saturday, 5/21, and stop by the WWBPA tent for our annual bike repair clinic. We’ll teach you how to do minor repairs on your bike so it is safe to ride for the summer season.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Canal Pte Blvd Hearing – ~7:30pm 3/21

Monday, March 21 by joegorun

Please join us tonight at the WW Twp Council’s work session to support bike lanes and safe crossings on Canal Pte Blvd, 7:30ish pm at the WW Municipal Center, after the regular business session. The proposed repaving and reconfiguration from the current 4 lanes to 3 plus bike lanes is far from a done deal – there is an active contingent who believe that roads are for cars and bikes do not belong on them. We need your help tonight, hope to see you there!

Posted in Uncategorized |

WWBPA Annual Meeting – Thurs 3/17

Tuesday, March 15 by joegorun

Please come celebrate WWBPA’s 10th anniversary on Thursday March 17, 7pm at the West Windsor Senior Center, 271 Clarksville Rd, West Windsor Township, NJ 08550. Raffle, cake, awards and hear the latest happening in West Windsor.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Student Applications Available

Friday, February 12 by joegorun

Applications for 2016-17 Student Advisors are available and due March 13, 2016.

Scholarship applications for High School Seniors are available and due April 15, 2016.

Posted in Scholarships, Students Advisors |

Bike Parking – PJ Train station

Wednesday, February 10 by joegorun

A big thank you to those who shovel the snow from the walks and bike parking at the Princeton Jct train station!

Posted in Uncategorized |

Is Cycling on the Shoulder Illegal?

Friday, October 2 by JerryFoster

Let’s re-visit the great war between the executive branch (NJDOT) and the legislative (NJ Title 39) and judiciary (NJ Supreme Court Polzo v Essex County ruling) branches with regard to bicycling on the shoulder. Everybody does it, but is it legal?

NJDOT’s excellent 2011 Bicycling Manual recommends “riding on the right side of the road or on the shoulder.” NJDOT’s circa-1996 Introduction to Bicycle Facilities notes, “Advanced bicyclists are best served by bicycle compatible streets and highways which have been designed to accommodate shared use by bicycles and motor vehicles.” Paved shoulders are considered one form of bicycle compatible roadway.

So NJDOT encourages it, but does that make it legal? NJ Title 39:4-14.1 states: “Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle.”

Wait a minute, isn’t a bicycle a vehicle? Not in NJ – human-powered devices are specifically excluded from the legal definition of vehicle in 39:1-1: “”Vehicle” means every device in, upon or by which a person or property is or may be transported upon a highway, excepting devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks or motorized bicycles.”

So what, it’s the same thing while riding in the shoulder, right? Not really, as the shoulder is specifically excluded from the “roadway” legal definition in 39:1-1: “”Roadway” means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder.” So a cyclist riding in the shoulder would not be granted all the rights and responsibilities as the driver of a vehicle.

Aren’t we nitpicking? Motorists can’t legally drive in the shoulder anyway – cyclists can’t very well have the same rights and responsibilities as the driver of a vehicle while riding in the shoulder, as it would also be illegal.

Exactly! If a cyclist has the same rights/responsibilities to follow the rules of the road, s/he should only ride in the travel lane, not in the shoulder.

NJDOT’s lawyers, presuming to encourage only legal cycling behavior, may well point to the sentence structure of 39:4-14.1. It implies that every person riding a bicycle *outside* the roadway (e.g. on the shoulder) would not have the same rights/responsibilities as the driver of a vehicle, but that doesn’t make it illegal, since it’s not explicitly prohibited, like it is for drivers of a vehicle in 39:4-82.

Under this interpretation, it’s a cyclist’s choice whether to ride in the roadway, and be legally bound to follow all the rules of the road, or live free on the shoulder. Just think, no rules, no responsibilities – bike against traffic, blow the wrong way through stop signs, it’s all legal if you’re a cyclist on the shoulder. Under this interpretation, cyclists have an implicitly legal option to ride on the shoulder that isn’t offered to drivers of vehicles.

So which is it? Illegal or legally available w no rights/responsibilities? According to the NJ Supreme Court in Polzo v Essex County, “Bicyclists do not have special privileges on a roadway’s shoulder. Indeed, a bicycle rider is directed to ride on the furthest right hand side of the roadway, not on the roadway’s shoulder. The Motor Vehicle Code does not designate the roadway’s shoulder as a bicycle lane.”

So, as far as the law with regard to cyclists is concerned, the NJ Supremes ruled that a cyclist “is directed” to the roadway, “not on the roadway’s shoulder.”

The Polzo ruling was in 2012 – why is NJDOT still encouraging cyclists to ride on the shoulder? Shouldn’t shoulders with sufficient space be designated as bike lanes? What ever happened to the Complete Streets policy?

Tags: bike lanes, biking on the shoulder, NJ Supreme Court, NJDOT, Polzo v Essex County, title 39
Posted in Advocacy, Bicycle-Friendly Community, Complete Streets, Uncategorized |

2015 Downtown WW Cyclist/Walker Counts

Friday, September 18 by JerryFoster

In our 5th annual survey, WWBPA volunteers counted 360 bicyclists and pedestrians at 5 locations around the train station on Wednesday September 16, 2015 between 5-8pm. Last year the count was 343, but the numbers are not directly comparable, since we counted at only 3 locations last year. Comparing the same locations at the same time slots, biking and walking decreased 5% over last year. At least we had beautiful fall weather again this year.

Once again we participated in the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project, an effort to accurately and consistently measure usage and demand for bicycling and pedestrian infrastructure.

Our 2015 findings:

1. Cranbury/Wallace/571 (Rite Aid) – 25 bike, 112 walk
2. Scott/Alexander (Arts Center) – 26 bike, 90 walk
3. Vaughn/Alexander (bus stop) –  19 bike, 39 walk
4. Station/571 (Rep. Holt Headquarters) – 5 bike, 6 walk
5. Wallace/Alexander (WW lot) – 11 bike, 27 walk

Total: 360 people, 86 who bike, 274 who walk

Thanks to our volunteers!

Traffic along 571 in downtown West Windsor flowed freely throughout the observation time, except for 3 minutes at 5:30pm – this is consistent with last year, which congested for 4 minutes at 6:00pm. Honks were also consistent at 11 this and last year, while the number of semi trucks rose by 2 to 7 this year. One of the honks was to encourage a right turn on red from Wallace to 571, which both the honker and honkee proceeded to do, illegally – an additional sign at the corner would aid in getting the message out. I was honked at from behind a few weeks ago while waiting on my bike at Wallace, but just pointed up at the No Turn On Red sign overhead.

Other observations:

• midblock crossings of 571 at Rite Aid driveway – 10
• male – 261, female – 99
• walkers – 274, cyclists – 86
• walkers – 187 male, 87 female
• cyclists – 74 male, 10 female

Tags: alexander road, bike/walk count, counting bicyclists and pedestrians, cranbury road, national bicycle and pedestrian documentation project, station drive, vaughn drive, Wallace Road
Posted in Advocacy, Bicycle-Friendly Community, Bike Commuting, commuter, Main Street |

West Windsor Bike Fest 2015 – Saturday, Sept 12

Thursday, September 10 by joegorun

On Sept 12 the West Windsor Bike Fest 2015 will be held at Community Park. 7, 11, 20 and 40 mi ride options. Rain date Sunday, 9/13. See http://www.westwindsornj.org/recreation/ for more information.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Collecting Used Bicycles for Donation.

Thursday, July 16 by joegorun

Bring your used bicycles Sept 19 to the WW Farmers Market. WWBPA will be collecting used bicycles to donate and support the Trenton Boys and Girls Club. Tax deductible donations.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Ride of Silence – Wed May 20 @ 7pm

Monday, May 18 by joegorun

Posted in Uncategorized |

Adult Learn to Bike – Sun May 17 10am

Saturday, May 16 by joegorun

On Sunday, May 17, 2015, if you are an adult and have always wanted to learn how to ride your bike, this is your day.

Join the WWBPA for its annual Adult Learn to Bike Event. The event is for adults 18 or older who want help to learn how to ride a bicycle. Meet at the upper Vaughn Parking Lot (the newly created lot near the PJ train station) at 10:00 a.m-12pm. Pre-registration/RSVP via email is suggested; you must bring a bike in good working order and a helmet (or you can purchase a helmet if needed). Cost is $40 per family and free to current members of WWBPA as of June 1, 2014. Email wwbikeped@gmail.com and watch our Facebook page and website (wwbpa.org) for late changes.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Learn to Bike – Sat. May 16, 9:30am

Tuesday, May 12 by joegorun

Join the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance for its annual Learn to Bike Event on May 16, 2015. The event is for children who must be 5 years old or older and be able to ride a bike with training wheels. Meet at the West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.; the event ends promptly at 12:30 p.m. Pre-registration is suggested; you must bring a bike in good working order and a helmet. Cost is $40 per family and free to current members of WWBPA as of June 1, 2014. Email wwbikeped@gmail.com and watch our Facebook page and website (wwbpa.org) for late changes.

Posted in Bicycle-Friendly Community, Bike Skills, Farmers' Market |

Walk with us on May 2nd to the first Farmers’ Market of the Spring

Friday, May 1 by joegorun

The West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance is organizing its sixth annual Walk to the Farmers’ Market to mark the opening day of the market on May 2, at 9 a.m.

Tags: Community Walk, Farmers' Market, walking, West Windsor
Posted in Farmers' Market, Pedestrian, Princeton Junction train station, West Windsor Walks |

Community Bike Ride

Thursday, April 9 by joegorun

On Sunday, April 26, 2015, at 1pm the WWBPA Student Advisors will be leading a bike ride for anyone 12 years or older beginning at the East Parking Lot along Edinburg Rd in Mercer County Park. 13 or 19 mile roundtrip options. Check in at 12:45pm.  Bike Ride 1-3pm. Free event. No pre-registration required. Helmets and a functioning bicycle are mandatory. Organized by the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance. Please fill out and print the waiver. Anyone under 18 must have the waiver signed by a parent or guardian.

Community Bike Ride  4_26_2015 Flyer

Download and Print: Community Bike Waiver April 26, 2015

Posted in Bicycling Trip, Community Bike Ride, Uncategorized |

Bicyclists’ Arrogance Explored

Friday, February 27 by JerryFoster

Let’s face it – many people perceive bicyclists as arrogant. Let’s look at one too-typical letter to the editor, where  someone leads off with the arrogance charge, and see if we can determine the causes and underlying assumptions of this perception.

This letter to the editor of The Press of Atlantic City appeared in June 2012, and reads in full:

“Arrogant bicyclists endanger us all on roads.

So, let’s look at the NJ laws that apply to bicycling on the road. Riding two abreast is permissible under NJ law (39:40-14.2) – “Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may travel no more than two abreast when traffic is not impeded…”

Also, bicyclists are required to ride in what the writer calls the “auto lane” – (39:40-14.2) “Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable” where 39:1-1 defines “‘Roadway’ means that portion of a highway improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder.” The NJ Supreme Court ruled “a bicycle rider is directed to ride on the furthest right hand side of the roadway, not on the roadway’s shoulder.”

Perhaps in ignorance of the law, the writer believes that cars belong on the road and bicyclists don’t, e.g. “auto lane,” “infringe on our roadways.”

The writer complains that cyclists use the road even though “Our county, township and state have spent thousands of dollars to construct bike paths.” Implicit is the idea that cyclists don’t belong on the road because of the mistaken notion that only motorists pay taxes for bike paths and roads, e.g. “like they own the road.”

Also implicit is the idea that a motorist’s reason for being on the road is more important than the cyclists’ “morning cruise.”

There’s selective perception that cyclists disobey the law, e.g. “They run red lights, do not stop for walkers in the crossing lane,” implying that no motorist would ever do those same things.

The effect on the writer is “when I and other drivers have to slow down and cross the median strip.”

The writer imputes negative intentions to cyclists’ actions, e.g. “showing no respect for anyone’s vehicle except their own,” “They actually taunt us to hit them,” and “get obnoxious when questioned about their actions.”

The writer notes “something has to be done before someone is seriously injured by these cyclists’ callous actions,” perhaps not realizing that it is almost certainly the cyclists themselves who will be hurt in the event of a crash, not a motorist.

Unfortunately, the sentiments expressed by the writer are all too common, and build from ignorance to at least implicitly justify violence, all for the inconvenience of having to slow down and move over to pass. In the event of “serious injury” the writer will blame the victims, since the cause is “these cyclists’ callous actions.”

Perhaps you’re thinking to yourself – “this blogger is one of those arrogant cyclists.” Since we’re looking at calling other people arrogant, for a working definition let’s use “behaving in a way that makes me think you believe you are superior.”  I’ll respectfully suggest that others’ “arrogant behavior” is highly dependent on your own social and cultural values and expectations, and that sometimes just acting equal is enough to be called arrogant – like riding a bike in the roadway. Thoughts?

Tags: arrogant bicyclists, arrogant cyclists, bicyclists hogging the road, biking on the road, cyclists blocking the road
Posted in Advocacy |

2015 Student Scholarship Application Available

Tuesday, February 17 by joegorun

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 or create a short video on a topic relating to bicycle and pedestrian safety.

Click Here to download the new application, which is due April 15, 2015.

Tags: scholarship, student scholarship
Posted in Community Service |

Bike Commuter Journal – Cost of Bike vs Car Commuting

Friday, February 13 by JerryFoster

So, how much money do you save by bike commuting? Probably a lot, but let’s run the numbers.

First, the car expense – according to the AAA’s Your Driving Costs 2014 report, operating a small sedan costs $7930/year, while a SUV runs $12,446/year, including gas, maintenance, depreciation, insurance, loan interest, etc.

What about biking expenses? Elly Blue, author of Bikenomics, refers us to transportation economist Todd Littman’s 2011 research, which gives a range of $100-$300 per year for operating costs, which is comparable to AAA’s numbers, since it includes depreciated cost of the bike, etc.

Startup cost varies a lot, like the variation in the cost for driving a small sedan and a SUV. Here’s hypothetical cases for a high quality and an economical setup, based on online prices from the same national outdoor recreation equipment company:

High Quality – $2153

1. New commuter bike, including fenders, rack, front/rear lights – $1400
2. Commuter Helmet, including attachment for front/rear lights – $65
3. Front/rear helmet lights – $100
4. U-lock plus cable – $100
5. Multitool ($50), spare tube ($10) , flat repair kit ($3), frame pump ($45), lube ($10) – $118
6. Rainwear – jacket ($100), pants ($75), gloves ($45), helmet cover ($30) – $250
7. Pannier, handlebar bag or backpack – $120

Economical – $543

1. New hybrid bike – $400
2. Rack ($25), front/rear lights (to be seen, not to light the road, $20) – $45
3. Helmet – $25
4. U-lock – $20
5. Multitool ($10), flat repair kit ($3), frame pump ($10), lube ($5) – $28
6. Rain poncho w hood – $5
7. Backpack – $20

Typical bike maintenance is easy enough to learn that many people do it themselves – fixing a flat tire, lubing a chain, adjusting brakes – a web search shows numerous how-to videos that are very instructive. Blogger James Schwartz assumed $50 per year for maintaining a $1500 commuter bike.

Clearly, bike commuting saves a lot of money if you can actually reduce the number of cars you own, since you can buy multiple high quality new bikes and gear every year for much less than the operating costs of even a small sedan. But it is very difficult in the suburbs to go car free, so what if you only have one car? Then the savings will only be based on reduced miles driven, which saves on gas, maintenance, tires and depreciation.

According to the AAA report, the operating costs (gas, maintenance, tires) for a small sedan is 16.3 cents/mile, and 23.8 cents/mile for a SUV. If your commute is 2 miles each way, like mine, then 4 miles roundtrip x  240 working days/year equals 960 miles biked each year.

The 960 mile reduction in driving would save $156.48 (operating costs) plus $33.60 (reduced depreciation), totaling $190.08 for a small sedan, and $228.48 (operating costs) plus $48.96 for (reduced depreciation), totaling $277.44 for an SUV. This is in the range for paying for the annual bike costs, but hardly a killer incentive by itself. It will help if your employer offers you the IRS Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit – you can be reimbursed up to $240 each year for bike commuting expenses.

Of course you might choose to use the commuter bike for other errands, such as small grocery runs, to the bank, post office, etc. Since only 15% of our trips are for commuting, that leaves a lot of other trips that could be done by bike – e.g. 40% of all trips are 2 miles or less, and if you take the bike/walk trips out of the denominator, 69% of car trips are 2 miles or less.

Of course, you’ll save more in indirect costs, for example if you substitute biking for a gym membership, that could save about $1000/year. And the potential for saving money on health care is huge, since you may be much healthier with regular activity.

Perhaps most important, it’s fun! Of course, you’ll also be saving the world by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, since car exhaust is the single largest contributor in our area to CO2 emissions.

Last, longtime WWBPA readers might notice a strong resemblance between the bike commuter pictured above and the bike lane fairy,  who hasn’t made a public appearance recently. Could this be why? Please join us at the New Jersey Bike and Walk Summit next Saturday, February 21 – we’ll keep an eye out, you never know when you might see her next.

Tags: bike commuter journal, bike commuter tax benefit, bike commuting equipment, bike commuting gear list, bikenomics, cost of bike commuting, cost of bike ownership, cost of car ownership, elly blue, todd littman
Posted in Bicycle-Friendly Community, Bike Commuting, Uncategorized |

Bike Commuter Journal – the Commuter Bike a Year Later

Tuesday, February 10 by JerryFoster

Made a few changes to the commuter bike in the year it’s been flogged every day 2 miles to the office and back – for reference, see last year’s post Accessorizing the Commuter Bike. You may notice a little extra reflective tape on the trunk box, for example.

There were two main issues – pain in the shoulder, caused by the straight handlebar, and pain in the neck, caused by dealing with the hydraulic disc brakes (mental pain, not physical).

Swapping the straight handlebar for a mustache bar provided the hand position that prevented shoulder pain (yep, even on a ten minute ride). Tried new grips, which didn’t help, then swapped the grips from my mountain bike to this bike – when that didn’t help it had to be the bar, because those grips are very comfortable on the mountain bike’s straight handlebar.

The next, more obviously self-inflicted issue, was that some idiot overloaded the light duty rack on grocery runs. The rack uses the fender as support, and the rivet-nut holding it to the frame pulled out (not just once, either), so the guys at the shop drilled and through bolted it to the frame – problem solved. (Also, bought a cargo bike so don’t need to overload the commuter bike anymore – an expensive fix, you might say, and my spouse would certainly agree – more in another post.)

The less obviously self-inflicted issue was dealing with the hydraulic disc brakes. One time, some idiot took off the wheel to put on the winter tires and closed the brake lever. You probably know that if you don’t have something for the brake to grab (disc, credit card, cardboard, etc.) it will not open back up, and the wheel will not go back on. Anyway, back to the shop to have the brake lines bled, and not for the 1st time.

The first time back to the shop was after a few months of winter riding and the lever went all the way to the handle without stopping much. Another time was to get the brakes to stop screeching, and to put some silicone around the fender rivets so they stopped rattling. The last straw was when some road gook got into the front brake on a ride to Hopewell, and I fought and listened to the tick from the brake all the way back to West Windsor, because there’s no way to loosen the calipers on hydraulic brakes in the field. I’d had enough – they were simply not idiot-proof enough for this idiot. The new mechanical disc brakes not only have ways to loosen them, they have dials for making adjustments and a fancy way to automatically align the calipers.  It sure sounds good.

On the sound advice from the good folks at the shop, let’s talk about bike maintenance and keeping your bike clean. If (like a certain someone) you just ride it and occasionally lube the chain (sometimes after wiping the main gook off), you will have a much harder time pedaling by the end of the year – maybe because the derailleur pulleys rust into place. Really, it’s a wonder I could pedal at all.  You might think this would encourage better bike cleaning, but instead it has me thinking about belt drives – anyone have experience to share?

Tags: bike commuter handlebars, bike commuter journal, Bike Commuting, bike commuting brakes, bike commuting maintenance, hydraulic disc brakes, mechanical disc brakes, winter bike commuting, year around bike commuting
Posted in Bike Commuting |