Bicycle Goings on Around Town
 

On February 20th Charlotte Sports Cycling hosted a round table meeting of interested cycling activities to give industry businesses, advocacy groups and enthusiasts for presentations on and discussions about bicycling related events taking place during the upcoming year. Jay Brosnan attended as the representative of the Tailwind Tandem Club. The featured presenters were Ken Tippette, Charlotte DOT Bicycle Planner; Tom Mathews, President of the Tarheel Trailblazers; and Neal Boyd, President of Charlotte Sports Cycling. The significant items of information presented are briefly summarized here.

The most important information for most attendees was Ken Tippette's update on CDOT projects for 2006. There are presently 26 projects underway, most of which have been conceived to help lessen Charlotte's reputation as a cycling unfriendly city. Tippette listed the numerous problems that confront most cycling unfriendly cities, all of which fall into the "Well, duh!" category. Among the most pressing problems are poor street maintenance programs and unfavorable roadway features (killer storm drain grates), followed closely by lack of connectivity amongst neighborhood cul de sacs, the streets that made Charlotte an automobile kingdom; and lack of end-of-trip facilities, a pc term for no bike racks/lockers. Good news is more roadways with bike lanes which will be at least minimum ASHTO width of four feet and some that will be five feet wide are on the way. Also coming are bike racks at each stop on the light rail line. Tippette also highlighted some of the inexpensive, easily constructed paved connector paths between adjacent streets that don't have through access. One of the common complaints voiced by one attendee and seconded by numerous others was the uselessness of bike lanes that were littered with the detritus of the motor vehicle world. The bottom line of Tippette's presentation was that Charlotte didn't become bicycling unfriendly overnight and we can't expect the situation to change in a year or two. He cited Seattle as an example where it took about 20 years to become the true cycling friendly city that it now is.

Tom Mathews of Tarheel Trailblazers gave a good update on off-road trail development programs. A number of new projects are underway and, in the interest of space, you can learn more about them at www.tarheeltrailblazers.com

John Williams and Neal Boyd gave updates on the status of Bike! Charlotte 2006 and Cycle Charlotte. Bike! Charlotte is scheduled for May 5-14 with Cycle Charlotte May 13th. The latter will have 10 and 25-mile options – great events to show the TailWind colors. Although the final permit for Cycle Charlotte is not in-hand, Williams is positive about its approval prospects. The Charlotte Observer plans a special insert on Bike! Charlotte 2006 in the May 3 issue.

Faris of B.I.K.E.S., Bicyclists Initiating Kinder Environments and Safety, encouraged attendees to make their individual and company voices known as advocates for bicycling as transportation and recreation. According to Faris, elected officials and city staff know who B.I.K.E.S. and its key officers are and the activity has been effective in lobbying for cycling amenities such as bike racks at new uptown buildings. What's need now he said is for the bureaucracy to hear from more individual cyclists and businesses. B.I.K.E.S. is a 501c3 non-profit organization that will gladly accept contributions.

Harry Johnson, brother of notorious TailWinder, Cannonballer, and consumer of copious quantities of Vietnamese cuisine, Dr. Ed Johnson, made a pitch for support of the Trips for Kids Charlotte – Recycling/Own a Bike Program. The activity will be open for business in a new facility in the basement of a building at the corner of N. Davidson and 15th Streets. The activity is completing a three-bench repair/rehab facility where they recondition donated bicycles. An inventory of about 50 bicycles is on hand and needing work, and mechanically inclined volunteers who can spare a few hours are needed. Trips for Kids accepts donated bicycles, not the K-Mart starter types, and is also a 501c3 organization. So, you may not want to let go of that Masi Criterium steed but your old Schwinn Le Tour or Raleigh beater could probably use a new home.

Submitted by: TailWind Member
and VP, Jay Brosnan
jbrosnan@earthlink.net
Posted: Feb. 22, 2006