December 2009 - Bikeboard - lists.cheatlakeclear.org

Re: [Bikeboard] Motorist Ed
by director 29 Dec '09

29 Dec '09

Frank, You probably don't want to lengthen your list, but there are 2 lessons I like to stress that might eliminate some of the other problems. These are DO's rather than DON'Ts 1) Drive at or below the posted speed limit. This gives everyone more time to predict, prevent and react to unpredicted incidents. 2) Keep off the cellphone (or have a passenger handle the call) while you are driving. Focus on driving and do everything else before you start or after you're stopped (makeup, putting on seatbelt, etc...) If an unpredicted emergency comes up, stop at the nearest safe place and deal with it out of traffic. Now for the stuff you asked for... > 1. Leave at least 3 feet of passing space between the right side of > your vehicle and a bicyclist. On Fayette St last week a car passed me in the 50ft before the light at Spruce St, forcing me into the door zone. As near as I could tell he was rushing to get through the light before it turned red, which was silly since you can turn left on red there. > 2. Pass only when you can see that it's clear far enough ahead to be > able to complete the pass before traffic comes. This happened to me approaching the intersection in Suncrest where Laurel St. comes to University Ave (across from Pocohontas). I was forced into the ditch, fortunately at low speed. > 3. Don't pass a cyclist and then cut them off. This happened to me on Mon Blvd at the intersection with 8th St. A driver in a big pickup truck passed me and then turned right in front of me, forcing me to brake evasively. I noticed he was on his cellphone. > 4. Look both ways for cyclists before pulling out of an intersection, driveway or alley. Cyclists are hard to see. Cyclists riding far to the right can be obscured by vegetation or parked cars. Look for cyclists on sidewalks, too. This has happened too many times for me remember. I think the intersection of Fayette St with Spruce St is probably a good example since building corners obscure the view of street and sidewalk. ========================================================= at this point it's late and I'm tired. I'll try for the rest tomorrow. Thanks for your diligence on this and other issues. ========================================================= > 5. When turning left, yield to oncoming cyclists just as you would > yield to an oncoming motorist. Look for oncoming cyclists. > Cyclists are hard to see. Cyclists riding far to the right can be obscured by passing cars. > 6. Watch for cyclist hand signals and lane position that indicate > that they are going to stop, turn right, go straight or turn left. > 7. Before opening your car door, look behind you for cyclists. > >Perhaps one way to think about this is to recall when and where you >almost crashed (or did crash :-( ) because a motorist didn't practice >one of these lessons. (For example, cars always seems to pass me really >close on Pleasant St. between So. Univ. and High St. even when I'm in >the middle of the right lane. So, that stretch might be a good example >of where they should leave 3 feet.) > >Thanks to Marilyn for leading the effort to get bicycling in the >Driver's Ed curriculum! > >Frank >/Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/ > > > > -- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 2567 Univ Ave Ste 6000L Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --

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Motorist Ed
by Frank Gmeindl 28 Dec '09

28 Dec '09

Bicycle Board Members, On February 15, Bicycle Board Education Committee members will be teaching the 4 Mon County Schools Driver's Ed Teachers how to teach their students how to drive around bicycles. To give them memorable mental images, we would like to cite specific locations around Morgantown at which each lesson could be applied. For example, Spruce St. would be an example of a place where a motorist could avoid colliding with a cyclist riding on the sidewalk if the motorist looked both ways before exiting a parking lot. Below, I've listed some of the lessons. If any of them remind you of a location at which proper practice of the lesson would be especially easy to visualize, I'd appreciate your telling me the location. 1. Leave at least 3 feet of passing space between the right side of your vehicle and a bicyclist. 2. Pass only when you can see that it's clear far enough ahead to be able to complete the pass before traffic comes. 3. Don't pass a cyclist and then cut them off. 4. Look both ways for cyclists before pulling out of an intersection, driveway or alley. Cyclists are hard to see. Cyclists riding far to the right can be obscured by vegetation or parked cars. Look for cyclists on sidewalks, too. 5. When turning left, yield to oncoming cyclists just as you would yield to an oncoming motorist. Look for oncoming cyclists. Cyclists are hard to see. Cyclists riding far to the right can be obscured by passing cars. 6. Watch for cyclist hand signals and lane position that indicate that they are going to stop, turn right, go straight or turn left. 7. Before opening your car door, look behind you for cyclists. Perhaps one way to think about this is to recall when and where you almost crashed (or did crash :-( ) because a motorist didn't practice one of these lessons. (For example, cars always seems to pass me really close on Pleasant St. between So. Univ. and High St. even when I'm in the middle of the right lane. So, that stretch might be a good example of where they should leave 3 feet.) Thanks to Marilyn for leading the effort to get bicycling in the Driver's Ed curriculum! Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/

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TS 101 on-line
by Frank Gmeindl 22 Dec '09

22 Dec '09

Bicycle Board Members, Now, you can take the classroom parts of the LAB course, Traffic Skills 101 on-line at your convenience. Finding 9 hours to take the Traffic Skills 101 class has always been the biggest obstacle to making the class happen. A couple weeks ago, we pilot tested a new arrangement that lets you complete about half the course on-line at your convenience and then the other half on your bike with a group. Recently, gunnar suggested that now would be a good time for Bicycle Board members to renew their understanding of traffic bicycling best practices. He even suggested that he'd like to take the course again since it was 2007 when we took it. Also, 5 of the current Bicycle Board members have not had the course so, when it comes to Bicycle Board road-oriented business, we risk spinning our wheels. So, I'm inviting you to complete the on-line course at your convenience between now and January 9 and then to bring your bike to WVU Coliseum Room 252 at 9 am on Saturday, January 9 where we will do parking lot drills and then go out on the road to test what you learned from the on-line course. We'll wrap up with lunch at Qdoba where we can review the day's fun. (If the roads are slick or the temp is below freezing, we'll reschedule.) I also encourage those of you that have completed Road I or Traffic Skills 101 to take the on-line course and tell me what you think of it compared to your face-to-face classroom experience in the course. Participating in the parking lot and road drills would be fun, too. The on-line course is at http://www.bikeed.org . If you complete the course and plan on taking the "hands-on" part, print your on-line test score results and bring them with you to the Coliseum. Passing the 4 on-line tests with a minimum score of 70 is a pre-requisite for the road work. To get a certificate of completion from the League of American Bicyclists, you have to complete and return to me the attached registration form. I will need it before January 2. Alternatively, if you want to register on-line, go to http://www.morgantown.com/Confident-cycling.htm . As you go through the registration process there, I'd appreciate your comments on the process since it's a work in progress. Happy Holidays! Frank LCI #1703 /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/

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Lane positioning
by Frank Gmeindl 22 Dec '09

22 Dec '09

Bicycle Board Members, The video at http://vimeo.com/7949969 produced by the Chicago Transit Authority is supposed to teach cyclists how to ride around buses and to teach bus drivers how to drive around cyclists but I found it most interesting to see how proper cyclist lane positioning can avoid so many hazards. Enjoy! Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/

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Re: [Bikeboard] Main Street Granville
by Frank Gmeindl 21 Dec '09

21 Dec '09

Bill, Thank you for speaking on behalf of cyclists and for inviting our input. By copy of this message, I pass your invitation on to the Bicycle Board and ask them to provide their recommendations to me. I will roll them up, run the roll-up by the Board and send it to you. I personally am delighted with your response to them. Unfortunately, the scope being limited to the stretch between Dents Run and the Post Office doesn't address the worst problem bicyclists have coming into and leaving Granville. That is the railroad tracks heading north on Main St. and the huge potholes coming south into Granville. The transition from pavement to tracks is often riddled with huge holes and the elevation of the tracks above the pavement is often high enough to destroy a wheel and cause a crash. Water bottles popping out of their cages there is a common occurrence. The huge bone jarring wheel-damaging potholes coming south into Granville force cyclists to thread a swerving line between them. Of course, the root cause is that this roadway does not have sufficient strength and toughness for the trucks that travel it. The roadway within the scope of their project is just fine for cyclists. It's already wide and smooth enough. Putting money into striping a bike lane on it would be absurd when to get to it, cyclists must exercise all their skill, strength and toughness just to avoid destroying their machine, swerving in front of an overtaking motor vehicle or falling down. Since you need the input by next Tuesday night, I ask the Bicycle Board members to send me their input by next Monday. Thanks again for working on behalf of bicyclists! Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/ On 12/17/2009 3:26 PM, Bill Austin wrote: > > Frank, > > > > The Town of Granville has received an enhancement grant for > sidewalk/street lighting improvements on Main Street from the Dent's > Run Creek Bridge to the post office. The Town met with DOH today and > they seemed to be very receptive to the Town's desires. The Town > wishes to be sensitive to the needs of cyclists as well as pedestrians > and they had an interest in bike lanes. In discussing the issue with > them I have suggested that providing slightly wider lanes and Share > the Road signs may be of better service to cyclists. > > > > I told the Town I would contact your group for any feedback you may > have on this issue. The Town Council will be considering this matter > in more depth on Tuesday night. Thank you for your assistance in this > matter. > > > > > > > > Bill Austin, AICP > > Executive Director > > Morgantown Monongalia MPO > > 180 Hart Field Road > > Morgantown, WVA 26508 > > 304-291-9571 > > 304-692-7225 Mobile > > >

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Slideshow
by Frank Gmeindl 21 Dec '09

21 Dec '09

Bicycle Board Members, The attached slide show shows various treatments around the world for bike routes, paths and trails. I received this from the Maryland DOT Director of Bicycle and Pedestrian Access. I'm forwarding it to you because just flipping through the slides in about a minute has some interesting pics. Many of the slides also might trigger some ideas about things we're working on such as bike routes and education. Happy Holidays! Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/

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Secretary LaHood promotes Safe Routes to Schools
by director 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

Good morning, On Thursday the transportation secretary cited the Safe Routes to Schools partners and their accomplishments at improving the safety, health and independence of school-age children in his daily blog. http://fastlane.dot.gov/2009/12/new-report-points-the-way-to-safe-routes-to… Note that 20-30% of daily rush-hour car trips are school-related. I would expect that the number in Morgantown is much higher since all schools I know of (except WVU) actively discourage biking/walking. Naturally the way to improve our numbers would be education (driver and biker/walker) as well as infrastructure improvements. Positive Spin would be interested in working with anyone on the board (or in the community at-large) in developing proposals to do so. We're making our plans for 2010 at this time and we'd like this to be a big part of them. Thanks, Nick -- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 2567 Univ Ave Ste 6000L Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --

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Get Ready to Spend $800 Million on Biking & Walking NOW
by director 20 Dec '09

20 Dec '09

Good morning, I received notice of this pending federal legislation from the Alliance for Biking and Walking. (sorry for the long link) I think the campus connector (and other bike/ped amenities) might qualify and I'd be happy to work with anyone on the board to prepare a proposal. Nick http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001PxvKDHU1N4rpBZIxDDB6C9EeamT… -- Nick Hein LCI# 1705 Director, Positive Spin 2567 Univ Ave Ste 6000L Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --

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Re: [Bikeboard] Portland bicycle count drops
by Chip Wamsley 17 Dec '09

17 Dec '09

---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)verizon.net> Date: Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:55:34 -0500 All, Just reading the initial numbers which indicate a 6% drop I guessed the main causes to be unemployment increase and gas price decrease, which the the folks of Portland figured on as well. Considering their huge increases hitting a plateau is inevitable. What would really be interesting are the missing numbers, those relating to car counts at the same points and their yearly fluctuations. Chip >Bicycle Board Members, > >Some members cite something Portland's doing and then say we should do >that here because Portland has seen a huge increase in trips by bike. >The article in Willamette Week >http://wweek.com/editorial/3606/13475/#comments_add says this year, >Portland's bicycle trip numbers have dropped. Now everyone's wondering >why. > >The reason I send this article is to caution us to have valid data or at >least sound logic before we proceed to implement ideas. Some people >have credited Portland's bike lanes, bike boxes and bike routes for the >increased bike trip numbers but fail to recognize that at the same time, >the City ran an extensive education campaign. One problem with changing >many things at the same time is that it's difficult to relate the >results to the changes. Perhaps the number of trips by bike would have >climbed much more if they only did the bike routes and not the bike >lanes, bike boxes and education. Who knows? > >Frank >/Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/ > > > >

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Portland bicycle count drops
by Frank Gmeindl 17 Dec '09

17 Dec '09

Bicycle Board Members, Some members cite something Portland's doing and then say we should do that here because Portland has seen a huge increase in trips by bike. The article in Willamette Week http://wweek.com/editorial/3606/13475/#comments_add says this year, Portland's bicycle trip numbers have dropped. Now everyone's wondering why. The reason I send this article is to caution us to have valid data or at least sound logic before we proceed to implement ideas. Some people have credited Portland's bike lanes, bike boxes and bike routes for the increased bike trip numbers but fail to recognize that at the same time, the City ran an extensive education campaign. One problem with changing many things at the same time is that it's difficult to relate the results to the changes. Perhaps the number of trips by bike would have climbed much more if they only did the bike routes and not the bike lanes, bike boxes and education. Who knows? Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/

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New MUTCD approved by FHWA
by Frank Gmeindl 17 Dec '09

17 Dec '09

Bicycle Board Members, The Federal Highway Administration has approved and released the new MUTCD that legitimizes Shared Lane Markings (Sharrows, Chevrons) and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs. Recall that the WVDOH retracted their approval of our plan to install SLMs and BMUFL signs because these weren't in the currently used 2003 MUTCD. The WVDOH people told me that they can't use the new MUTCD until the WV legislature tells them to. Does anybody know how to expedite that? Any other ideas on how we can use the FHWA's issuance of the new MUTCD to get WVDOH to approve our plan? The FHWA web site, http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ says: "On December 16, 2009 a final rule adopting the 2009 Edition of the MUTCD was published in the Federal Register. States must adopt the 2009 National MUTCD as their legal State standard for traffic control devices within two years." The Federal Register notice, which provides detailed discussion of the FHWA's decisions on major changes from the 2003 edition, can be viewed at *http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-28322.pdf* <http://wwwcf.fhwa.dot.gov/exit.cfm?link=http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/…> (PDF, 716KB). To view the 2009 MUTCD and other related information, go to *http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/kno_2009.htm*. FYI, I copied and pasted the sections on SLMs and BMUFL signs below. Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles *Section 9C.07 Shared Lane Marking* Option: 01 The Shared Lane Marking shown in Figure 9C-9 may be used to: A. Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking in order to reduce the chance of a bicyclist's impacting the open door of a parked vehicle, B. Assist bicyclists with lateral positioning in lanes that are too narrow for a motor vehicle and a bicycle to travel side by side within the same traffic lane, C. Alert road users of the lateral location bicyclists are likely to occupy within the traveled way, D. Encourage safe passing of bicyclists by motorists, and E. Reduce the incidence of wrong-way bicycling. Guidance: 02 The Shared Lane Marking should not be placed on roadways that have a speed limit above 35 mph. Standard: 03 Shared Lane Markings shall not be used on shoulders or in designated bicycle lanes. Guidance: 04 If used in a shared lane with on-street parallel parking, Shared Lane Markings should be placed so that the centers of the markings are at least 11 feet from the face of the curb, or from the edge of the pavement where there is no curb. 05 If used on a street without on-street parking that has an outside travel lane that is less than 14 feet wide, the centers of the Shared Lane Markings should be at least 4 feet from the face of the curb, or from the edge of the pavement where there is no curb. 06 If used, the Shared Lane Marking should be placed immediately after an intersection and spaced at intervals not greater than 250 feet thereafter. Option: 07 Section 9B.06 describes a Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign that may be used in addition to or instead of the Shared Lane Marking to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane. *Section 9B.06 Bicycles May Use Full Lane Sign (R4-11)*Option: 01 The Bicycles May Use Full Lane (R4-11) sign (see Figure 9B-2) may be used on roadways where no bicycle lanes or adjacent shoulders usable by bicyclists are present and where travel lanes are too narrow for bicyclists and motor vehicles to operate side by side. 02 The Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign may be used in locations where it is important to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane. 03 Section 9C.07 describes a Shared Lane Marking that may be used in addition to or instead of the Bicycles May Use Full Lane sign to inform road users that bicyclists might occupy the travel lane. Support: 04 The Uniform Vehicle Code (UVC) defines a "substandard width lane" as a "lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the same lane." /

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Bike Route Meeting - Tuesday the 11th
by Derek Springston 15 Dec '09

15 Dec '09

Hello all, I reserved the Public Safety Center Conference Room for Tuesday, December 15th from 6pm-8pm for the Bike Route Map meeting. Please join us if you wish to contribute. Have a nice day, ~Derek “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” -H.G. Wells _________________________________________________________________ Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/

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December minutes
by Elizabeth Shogren 14 Dec '09

14 Dec '09

Attached, please find the December minutes of the Bicycle Board. Thank you, BETSY SHOGREN

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Campus Connector
by Frank Gmeindl 10 Dec '09

10 Dec '09

Bicycle Board Members, If you have any comments on the attached files, please reply-all. Unless your address is on Damien's To: or CC: list, please do not reply to him or other members of his lists. Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/ -------- Original Message -------- Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:15:34 -0500 From: Damien Davis <ddavis(a)cityofmorgantown.org> To: Dan Boroff <dboroff(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Don Spencer <dspencer36(a)comcast.net>, <rnutter(a)wvu.edu>, Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)verizon.net>, <psteel(a)access.k12.wv.us>, <thorny53(a)verizon.net>, <kmartis(a)wvu.edu> CC: Terry Hough <though(a)cityofmorgantown.org>, Barbara Shellito <bshellito(a)cityofmorgantown.org> Attached are a map and list of properties and owners that could potentially be affected by the proposed campus connector. If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact me at the number below. *J. Damien Davis, EIT, CFM, Assistant City Engineer* City of Morgantown Public Works Department - Engineering Division 389 Spruce Street Morgantown, WV 26505 Office: 304.284.7398 Fax: 304.284.7409 www.morgantown.com

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Re: [Bikeboard] misc
by Frank Gmeindl 09 Dec '09

09 Dec '09

Aira, I'm copying the Bicycle Board members on this and asking them to reply-all to this message with: 1. Any text they think should be on the logo 2. Any iconic local buildings that they think would appropriate for a background skyline 3. Their thoughts about changing the name of the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board. Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/ On 12/4/2009 11:25 AM, Aira Loren Burkhart wrote: > Frank, > > I just sent you that article because I thought it was neat, not as an > action item, just something aspire to in the future. > > I didn't receive the newsletter. Maybe they are getting sent to spam? > I did not see it in my spam folder, though. Please attach it and resend. > > Can you have the bike board email me about the text to appear on the > logo? If everyone is copied on the correspondence, I think an email > discussion will probably be reflective of everyone's ideas, at least > enough to get a start. Are there any iconic local buildings that the > board thinks would appropriate for a background skyline? (In a concept > with such a skyline. I'm not married to any particular concept.) > > Do you have an feeling about the name, aside from the procedural hoops > of suggesting such a change? Does it strike you as a good idea, or not > worth the hassle? > > thanks, > aira > > On Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 11:14 AM, Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)verizon.net > <mailto:fgmeindl@verizon.net>> wrote: > > We'd need at least 14 feet of lane width to add a bike lane, green > or otherwise. I am not aware of any lanes that wide in Morgantown > or WV. The reason we advocated for sharrows (Shared Lane > Markings) is that they can be installed on lanes that are less > than 14 feet wide (at least 4 feet from the curb with no car > pakring or 11 feet the curb with on-street parking (MUTCD > standard) and when accompanied by Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs > can be effective. That's what we succeeded in getting through the > City and the State until there was a personnel change in the WVDOH > that resulted in their retracting their approval. Now, Janel is > leading a project intended to get that approval again. > > The BB will have to decide by consensus what the logo will > represent, i.e. whether or not it has the BB name. To change the > name of the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board we will have to get > concurrence from the Traffic Commission that formed and governs > us. Attached are the Procedural Guidelines that define us. > Please also be aware that the BB's vision states: "All Morgantown > residents can enjoy bicycling safely and fearlessly anywhere, > anytime, for any reason. " > > Aira, last night, I sent you the Bicycle Board's November report > to the Traffic Commission. The report is organized by the E's. > You might also look at our application for a LAB Bicycle Friendly > Community award at > http://www.morgantown.com/bike-board-documents/BFC%20Application.zip > . The criteria for the award are the E's and reading through the > criteria provides a clear idea of what each E means. FYI, since we > applied for the award in 2008, the LAB added a 6th E: Equality. > The BB November report to the TC explains it. > > Frank > /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of > vehicles/ > > > > On 12/4/2009 10:41 AM, Aira Loren Burkhart wrote: >> Here is the Austin article I was talking about. I think the large >> painted road areas look very understandable to drivers and >> cyclists alike. >> http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/fitcity/entr… >> >> Also, will the logo depict the name as "Morgantown Bicycle >> Board"? My husband suggested that "Morgantown Bicycle Authority" >> (MBA) has more teeth to it. "Morgantown Bicycle Commission" also >> sounds somewhat more official than "Board" though less so than >> "Authority". >> >> Please send the newsletter with the "E" statements and also >> specify if you would like any kind of slogan incorporated into >> the "seal/logo" itself. >> >> Thanks! >> aira >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Bikeboard mailing list >> Bikeboard(a)cheat.org <mailto:Bikeboard@cheat.org> >> http://cheat.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard > >

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Bike Route Map meeting....
by Derek Springston 07 Dec '09

07 Dec '09

Hey guys, Let's try hard to meet within the next week or two. Please reply to this ASAP, so we can determine the date, time, and place. The folks who were selected for this committee last night were: Gunnar Shogren, Chet Parsons, Ralph LaRue, Derek Springston, maybe Duncan Oliver, and maybe Ryan Post. Any other Bike Board members are welcome to attend. I am available on these days: Monday Dec. 7th - after 5pm Thurs. Dec. 10th - after 5pm Monday Dec. 14th - after 5pm Tues. Dec. 15th - after 5pm Please place your name next to any of these evenings that will work for you. If anyone else needs added to this email, please let me know. Thanks, ~Derek “Every time I see an adult on a bicycle I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” -H.G. Wells _________________________________________________________________ Windows Live Hotmail gives you a free,exclusive gift. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/hotmail_bl1/hotmail_bl1.aspx?o…

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misc
by Aira Loren Burkhart 04 Dec '09

04 Dec '09

Here is the Austin article I was talking about. I think the large painted road areas look very understandable to drivers and cyclists alike. http://www.austin360.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/fitcity/entr… Also, will the logo depict the name as "Morgantown Bicycle Board"? My husband suggested that "Morgantown Bicycle Authority" (MBA) has more teeth to it. "Morgantown Bicycle Commission" also sounds somewhat more official than "Board" though less so than "Authority". Please send the newsletter with the "E" statements and also specify if you would like any kind of slogan incorporated into the "seal/logo" itself. Thanks! aira

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Campus Connector
by Frank Gmeindl 03 Dec '09

03 Dec '09

Ken, Damien, Attached is the Campus Connector map that I promised to give Damien at last night's Traffic Commission meeting. I hope you can read it. I scanned it from a paper copy. I will try to get the original electronic file for you. The map shows property boundaries and a potential Campus Connector route. Whose property the Campus Connector goes over will depend on a detailed design of the Connector. A detailed design has not been done. Concerning right of way, Greg Good says, "I'm pretty sure there is not a right-of-way the whole way through. The city has tried sporadically to list ROW'S and more importantly the official abandonment of ROWs. But I don't think the latter effort is totally up to date or systematically recorded." Jenny Selin says, " * Grant Street right-of-way goes (paper street) all the way to the WVU property line, except for a little corner right before the WVU property line. At the end of the day there is a little corner that the Saab's own that used to be part of the right of way for Grant Street. At some point this was conveyed to the Saabs. We would need permission to cross that piece of property, or purchase it, or arrange for a right of way (on the property downhill of Grant Street right-of-way) with the owners of Bent Tree Apartments. We could potentially follow Grant Street right of way, low on the hill, (remembering to resolve our little corner problem) continuing to the University line and then make switchbacks up the hill (on the university property) to the Water Tower and the WVU Greenhouse. * An additional concern is the washed-out part of the hillside at the beginning of the Grant paper street. It would be difficult but probably not impossible to build trail there. It would be an excellent first-step for an engineer to examine this section. The Grant paper street area we are talking about is below the WVU steam line. The steam line is the walking route being used currently. * Another possibility....We could check out whether the right of way rights for the steam line could be renegotiated to include walkers (we would need to change the routing near the top of the hill because it is so steep). Perhaps a long shot, but worth considering. * The Saabs own the upper hillside and at some point will want access to their upper acreage. At that point we may be able to negotiate the right to cross their "triangle" in exchange for rights to an access road for their property (adjacent to the lower portion of the trail). Right now the Saab's parents have both died within a year (the father very recently) so I am not inclined to ask them in the near future. However this could be a transition point and so we could ask them first and then ask the Bent Tree Folks. Or ask both. * Bent Tree: The recommendation from their representative is to have money and a plan, or at least a concrete idea, and then contact them. Jimmy Manilla and a few others have said that they know the Bent Tree Folks and would be glad to approach them once we have a clear idea of what we want." I hope this helps to investigate and identify property ownership within the general alignment of the Connector so that an earnest discussion with the area property owners and the City could commence. Frank Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board

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aira will be slightly late again
by Aira Loren Burkhart 03 Dec '09

03 Dec '09

it's my friend's birthday (this is a year of thursday birthdays), so I will be at the blackbear beforehand. however, I am too concerned about the proposed cyclists-must-ride-in-path-provided proposed wv law to skip today. aira

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Campus Connector
by Frank Gmeindl 03 Dec '09

03 Dec '09

Greg, Jonathan, Jenny, Jake, I need to provide Damien Davis a map or maps that show the Campus Connector and the property lines under and adjacent to it. Can someone provide those to me in a format that I can send to Damien? At tonight's Traffic Commission meeting, the TC accepted our letter and passed a motion to request the City Manager to investigate and identify property ownership within the general alignment of the Connector. After I read the letter, Ken Martis said that the county property maps show who owns what property under and adjacent to the Campus Connector. Have any of you checked the property maps? He also said that the Planning Commission is pursuing the Campus Connector. He said that he thinks there is a right of way that can be used that avoids the property of any resistant owners (Saab). Ken is the Planning Commission representative on the TC and is a renowned WVU geography professor so he should know. In anticipation that the City Manager will assign the task to the Engineering Department, I agreed to give Damien Davis whatever information we already have on the Campus Connector planned route and property ownership boundaries. Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/

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12/3 BB meeting agenda
by Frank Gmeindl 02 Dec '09

02 Dec '09

Bicycle Board Members, Attached, please find a zip folder that contains three documents: 1. Suggested agenda for tomorrow's, Thu 12/3 6:30 pm Bicycle Board meeting. 2. Minutes of our last meeting. 3. Procedural guidelines for working on the Bike Route Map. Please review these documents in preparation for the meeting, especially the Procedural Guidelines for working on the Bike Route Map so that we can make the best use of our time together. Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/

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Bikeboard December 2009