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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly?
By Kevin Eigelbach Post staff reporter Riding a bicycle costs nothing in gasoline, produces zero emissions and makes the rider a healthier, happier person. So why don't more people do it? It could be all those darn hills to climb. Or it might have to do with the fact that America is in love with its automobiles. With few dedicated bicycle paths and sometimes-narrow roads, tri-state bicycle riding for fun, for exercise or as part of a work commute can be an adventure. Some bicyclists say the combination of persistently high gas prices and a growing number of people interested in bicycling mean businesses and governments should pay more attention to their needs. "As the population continues to grow, more people will be returning to bicycles as an alternative form of transportation," said Union resident Ralph Mitchell, the leader of the Northern Kentucky cluster of the Cincinnati Cycle Club. "As gasoline goes up in price, you'll begin to see more people interested." Nationally, about 57 million people will ride bicycles this year, said Mike Mackin of the League of American Bicyclists. That number is growing because of better awareness of healthy lifestyles and the coverage of the Tour de France bike race. At the same time, there are about 20 million more cars on the nation's roads than there were 10 years ago, according to the American Automobile Association. Mitchell, who said he rides 200 to 250 miles a week, would like to see more accessibility for bicyclists. So would Edgewood resident Mike Sullivan, who would like to see more bike racks at businesses. He says if a merchant doesn't want his business when he's on his bicycle, he'll avoid that merchant when he's driving. "If you went up and down Dixie Highway, you'd find very few if any (bike racks)," he said. "You pretty much have to chain it to a post or a street sign." He has to chain his bike to the shopping-cart rack when he rides to the Kroger store in Erlanger. Then there's the safety issue. In mid-July, two bicyclists were killed when they were hit by a car in Crosby Township on the west side of Hamilton County. Bicyclist Eugene Spiegel said it would be nice to have more bike racks, but what bicycle riders really need is an education program for drivers that informs motorists of the rights of cyclists. Unless it's less than 15 degrees outside, Spiegel, 56, bicycles the six miles from his Winton Place home to his shop at Vine and Court streets downtown, Reliable Jewelry and Loan. He has a bicycle with studded tires for riding in snow and ice, and one with fenders for riding in the rain. As he rides, he makes mental notes on the number of bad motorists he encounters. The most common problem - they pass too closely. He always rides with a rear-view mirror. "There's a constant problem with getting yelled at, and vehicles not giving you your proper space," downtown resident Chris Pohler agreed. Pohler said more bicyclists would make bicycling better. That way, motorists would get used to them and act accordingly. Larry Parker has been an avid cyclist since 1983, but never commutes to work on his bicycle because the area in general is not biker-friendly, he said. One exception, he said, is Hyde Park, where he lives. Roads without shoulders to ride on, limited bike lanes that don't connect in any way and a lack of cross-town bicycle routes are big problems, he said. "There are just congested areas that are traffic bottlenecks," he said, listing the Oakley intersections of Paxton at Wasson and Edwards at Madison, plus the University Hospital area in Corryville. He agreed that motorists are a problem, but said cyclists share the blame. They are "notorious for slowing traffic and failing to leave gaps in large groups to allow motorists to pass." The city could also make its streets friendlier for riders by removing broken bottles. Spiegel collects bottles as he rides, about 800 of them a year, one-third of them Budweiser beer bottles. He knows that if he doesn't pick them up, they'll likely get broken and threaten his bicycle tires. Local merchants remain more geared to making their businesses accessible to automobiles than to bicycles. Crestview Hills Mall, newly renovated into an upscale "lifestyle center," has plenty of parking spaces for autos, but no bicycle racks. The developer of the mall, Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, doesn't have bicycle racks at any of its lifestyle centers, including Rookwood Commons in Norwood, Marketing Director Tracy Nemenz said. The issue has never come up, she said. "We truly rely on the municipalities in which we do business to really clue us in to what's important to the communities," she said. The city of Crestview Hills doesn't require stores to install bicycle racks - to do so would be up to the developer, City Administrator Dan Groth said. He often sees bicycle riders in subdivisions, but rarely on Dixie Highway or Turkeyfoot Road, two major roads inside the city. The city has no dedicated paths for bicycles. "There are just too many highways going through the city," Groth said. Some businesses still extend the welcome mat to bicyclists. Newport on the Levee has several well-used bicycle racks and even offers a bicycle valet, General Manager Ellen Prows said. For $2, the valet will secure your bicycle until you return from shopping. It's never been an especially popular service, she said, but it's there. Florence Mall has two bicycle racks at the mall entrances off Mall Road, said spokesperson Stephanie Wood. You'll find a variety of bicycle racks at businesses up and down Houston Road in Florence because, since 2002, the Boone County Planning Commission has required them in all new developments, Executive Director Kevin Costello said. Erpenbeck Elementary School puts out a new bicycle rack every year and now has about five, Costello said, because of all the kids who ride there from nearby Plantation Pointe subdivision. But even some bicyclists don't think bikes belong everywhere in this age of the automobile. Edgewood resident Paul Listerman said bicycles just didn't belong in some places, including shopping malls. "I don't think they have any particular obligation to put up bike racks and invite us in," he said. "The only thing we're going to do is go in and get a cup of coffee." When he rides his bicycle to the Starbucks at the Crestview Hills Mall, he simply leans it against the window outside, where he can keep an eye on it. "Before anyone can grab it, I can be out the door," he said. "I've done the same at Panera Bread for years." Downtown Cincinnati has bicycle racks only at the main branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County at 800 Vine St., Speigel said. Listerman is among bicyclists who don't want to see designated bicycle trails on city streets. "If we had more bike paths, I would be expected by cars and perhaps the law to stay on the bike path," he said. "That would really limit where and how far you could go." Many bicyclists use dedicated bike paths such as the Little Miami Scenic Trail on Hamilton County's east side or the eight-mile loop at Miami Whitewater park on the county's west side. But for serious cyclists, those routes can be dangerous because there are too many parents pushing strollers on them, Listerman said. "Multiple-use trails are great, but I don't want to be restricted to them," he said. The Little Miami trail runs from the Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown to Buck Creek State Park in Clark County, more than 70 miles. It's popular with bicyclists, runners, roller bladers and more. The Hamilton County Park District hopes to eventually extend the trail to Clear Creek Park in Anderson Township, spokeswoman Joy Landry said. Sometimes, bike paths are dedicated that aren't really practical. Houston Road in Florence has a dedicated bicycle lane that no one ever uses, Mitchell said, because it goes nowhere. But a new section of U.S. 42 through Union, with sidewalks and bicycle lanes, has attracted riders, he said. When it comes to accommodating bicycles, Boone County may be the most progressive Northern Kentucky county. The planning commission requires new developments to build sidewalks and plan for bicycle routes, Costello said. Also, when roads are upgraded, "we're trying to include bike paths as part of that," he said. That includes a new road the county plans to build to link Ky. 18 with Donaldson and Houston roads. It could form the first link of a bicycle path around Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport similar to the one around Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Costello said. Boone County would also like to create a safe path for bicyclists that would connect its mountain bike trails in England-Idlewild Park with its bicycle paths in Central Park, he said. The planning commissions in Kenton and Campbell counties don't require developers to create bicycle trails. "I'd be happy with a sign that says, 'Share the road,' so motorists would know I have the right to be there too," said Keith Logsdon, a bicycle rider and the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission's deputy director for long-range planning. Less experienced riders would need bicycle lanes, he said, but the commission has had more success getting developers to agree to build sidewalks for pedestrians. Things are improving for bicycle riders, Mitchell said, albeit slowly. Local riders were glad to learn that in May, the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky finished putting bicycle racks on all of its buses. TANK used a $70,000 grant from the state to fund 80 percent of the project, spokeswoman Gina Douthit said. The system had 562 bike boardings in June, she said, and "that's just huge for the first month of a project like this. There are systems who have had racks for years that are not right in line with where we are." All 390 buses in the Metro bus system, which serves Cincinnati, have bicycle racks, spokesman Sallie Hilvers said. Metro doesn't keep track of how many bicycle riders use the bus, but Hilvers said she has seen more bicycles on the racks in the past few months. Publication date: 08-05-2006 http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs....WS02/608050327 |
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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 21:09:36 GMT, Bonehenge
wrote: Which "Tri-State"? Apparently, it never occurred to you that there are many "Tri-State" areas in the USA? I think "cincy" in the url is the give away. Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana. |
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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
"Garrison Hilliard" wrote in message
... Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? By Kevin Eigelbach Post staff reporter Riding a bicycle costs nothing in gasoline, produces zero emissions and makes the rider a healthier, happier person. So why don't more people do it? It could be all those darn hills to climb. Or it might have to do with the fact that America is in love with its automobiles. With few dedicated bicycle paths and sometimes-narrow roads, tri-state bicycle riding for fun, for exercise or as part of a work commute can be an adventure. Some bicyclists say the combination of persistently high gas prices and a growing number of people interested in bicycling mean businesses and governments should pay more attention to their needs. "As the population continues to grow, more people will be returning to bicycles as an alternative form of transportation," said Union resident Ralph Mitchell, the leader of the Northern Kentucky cluster of the Cincinnati Cycle Club. "As gasoline goes up in price, you'll begin to see more people interested." Nationally, about 57 million people will ride bicycles this year, said Mike Mackin of the League of American Bicyclists. That number is growing because of better awareness of healthy lifestyles and the coverage of the Tour de France bike race. At the same time, there are about 20 million more cars on the nation's roads than there were 10 years ago, according to the American Automobile Association. Mitchell, who said he rides 200 to 250 miles a week, would like to see more accessibility for bicyclists. So would Edgewood resident Mike Sullivan, who would like to see more bike racks at businesses. He says if a merchant doesn't want his business when he's on his bicycle, he'll avoid that merchant when he's driving. "If you went up and down Dixie Highway, you'd find very few if any (bike racks)," he said. "You pretty much have to chain it to a post or a street sign." He has to chain his bike to the shopping-cart rack when he rides to the Kroger store in Erlanger. Then there's the safety issue. In mid-July, two bicyclists were killed when they were hit by a car in Crosby Township on the west side of Hamilton County. Bicyclist Eugene Spiegel said it would be nice to have more bike racks, but what bicycle riders really need is an education program for drivers that informs motorists of the rights of cyclists. Unless it's less than 15 degrees outside, Spiegel, 56, bicycles the six miles from his Winton Place home to his shop at Vine and Court streets downtown, Reliable Jewelry and Loan. He has a bicycle with studded tires for riding in snow and ice, and one with fenders for riding in the rain. As he rides, he makes mental notes on the number of bad motorists he encounters. The most common problem - they pass too closely. He always rides with a rear-view mirror. "There's a constant problem with getting yelled at, and vehicles not giving you your proper space," downtown resident Chris Pohler agreed. Pohler said more bicyclists would make bicycling better. That way, motorists would get used to them and act accordingly. Larry Parker has been an avid cyclist since 1983, but never commutes to work on his bicycle because the area in general is not biker-friendly, he said. One exception, he said, is Hyde Park, where he lives. Roads without shoulders to ride on, limited bike lanes that don't connect in any way and a lack of cross-town bicycle routes are big problems, he said. "There are just congested areas that are traffic bottlenecks," he said, listing the Oakley intersections of Paxton at Wasson and Edwards at Madison, plus the University Hospital area in Corryville. He agreed that motorists are a problem, but said cyclists share the blame. They are "notorious for slowing traffic and failing to leave gaps in large groups to allow motorists to pass." The city could also make its streets friendlier for riders by removing broken bottles. Spiegel collects bottles as he rides, about 800 of them a year, one-third of them Budweiser beer bottles. He knows that if he doesn't pick them up, they'll likely get broken and threaten his bicycle tires. Local merchants remain more geared to making their businesses accessible to automobiles than to bicycles. Crestview Hills Mall, newly renovated into an upscale "lifestyle center," has plenty of parking spaces for autos, but no bicycle racks. The developer of the mall, Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, doesn't have bicycle racks at any of its lifestyle centers, including Rookwood Commons in Norwood, Marketing Director Tracy Nemenz said. The issue has never come up, she said. "We truly rely on the municipalities in which we do business to really clue us in to what's important to the communities," she said. The city of Crestview Hills doesn't require stores to install bicycle racks - to do so would be up to the developer, City Administrator Dan Groth said. He often sees bicycle riders in subdivisions, but rarely on Dixie Highway or Turkeyfoot Road, two major roads inside the city. The city has no dedicated paths for bicycles. "There are just too many highways going through the city," Groth said. Some businesses still extend the welcome mat to bicyclists. Newport on the Levee has several well-used bicycle racks and even offers a bicycle valet, General Manager Ellen Prows said. For $2, the valet will secure your bicycle until you return from shopping. It's never been an especially popular service, she said, but it's there. Florence Mall has two bicycle racks at the mall entrances off Mall Road, said spokesperson Stephanie Wood. You'll find a variety of bicycle racks at businesses up and down Houston Road in Florence because, since 2002, the Boone County Planning Commission has required them in all new developments, Executive Director Kevin Costello said. Erpenbeck Elementary School puts out a new bicycle rack every year and now has about five, Costello said, because of all the kids who ride there from nearby Plantation Pointe subdivision. But even some bicyclists don't think bikes belong everywhere in this age of the automobile. Edgewood resident Paul Listerman said bicycles just didn't belong in some places, including shopping malls. "I don't think they have any particular obligation to put up bike racks and invite us in," he said. "The only thing we're going to do is go in and get a cup of coffee." When he rides his bicycle to the Starbucks at the Crestview Hills Mall, he simply leans it against the window outside, where he can keep an eye on it. "Before anyone can grab it, I can be out the door," he said. "I've done the same at Panera Bread for years." Downtown Cincinnati has bicycle racks only at the main branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County at 800 Vine St., Speigel said. Listerman is among bicyclists who don't want to see designated bicycle trails on city streets. "If we had more bike paths, I would be expected by cars and perhaps the law to stay on the bike path," he said. "That would really limit where and how far you could go." Many bicyclists use dedicated bike paths such as the Little Miami Scenic Trail on Hamilton County's east side or the eight-mile loop at Miami Whitewater park on the county's west side. But for serious cyclists, those routes can be dangerous because there are too many parents pushing strollers on them, Listerman said. "Multiple-use trails are great, but I don't want to be restricted to them," he said. The Little Miami trail runs from the Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown to Buck Creek State Park in Clark County, more than 70 miles. It's popular with bicyclists, runners, roller bladers and more. The Hamilton County Park District hopes to eventually extend the trail to Clear Creek Park in Anderson Township, spokeswoman Joy Landry said. Sometimes, bike paths are dedicated that aren't really practical. Houston Road in Florence has a dedicated bicycle lane that no one ever uses, Mitchell said, because it goes nowhere. But a new section of U.S. 42 through Union, with sidewalks and bicycle lanes, has attracted riders, he said. When it comes to accommodating bicycles, Boone County may be the most progressive Northern Kentucky county. The planning commission requires new developments to build sidewalks and plan for bicycle routes, Costello said. Also, when roads are upgraded, "we're trying to include bike paths as part of that," he said. That includes a new road the county plans to build to link Ky. 18 with Donaldson and Houston roads. It could form the first link of a bicycle path around Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport similar to the one around Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Costello said. Boone County would also like to create a safe path for bicyclists that would connect its mountain bike trails in England-Idlewild Park with its bicycle paths in Central Park, he said. The planning commissions in Kenton and Campbell counties don't require developers to create bicycle trails. "I'd be happy with a sign that says, 'Share the road,' so motorists would know I have the right to be there too," said Keith Logsdon, a bicycle rider and the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission's deputy director for long-range planning. Less experienced riders would need bicycle lanes, he said, but the commission has had more success getting developers to agree to build sidewalks for pedestrians. Things are improving for bicycle riders, Mitchell said, albeit slowly. Local riders were glad to learn that in May, the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky finished putting bicycle racks on all of its buses. TANK used a $70,000 grant from the state to fund 80 percent of the project, spokeswoman Gina Douthit said. The system had 562 bike boardings in June, she said, and "that's just huge for the first month of a project like this. There are systems who have had racks for years that are not right in line with where we are." All 390 buses in the Metro bus system, which serves Cincinnati, have bicycle racks, spokesman Sallie Hilvers said. Metro doesn't keep track of how many bicycle riders use the bus, but Hilvers said she has seen more bicycles on the racks in the past few months. Publication date: 08-05-2006 http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs....WS02/608050327 Amaeicans are pretty much tied to the automobile as the primary mode of transportation. even if gasoline went over $5.00 US a gallon it would have little effect on this. What would have to happen is gasoline shortages and high prices. At that point the populace would scream for other forms of transporation and mass transit and bicycling would become much more popular then. Unfortuanately, except for some limited mass transportation features in a few cities, most cities have none at all. It would take at the minimum about five years to even get a bus system running in most localities with all the red tape involved. Ten years to get a train system going. So that means people had better get used to using bicycles, walking, or working from home (telecommuting for example). But it would have the benefit of getting a lot of multi-billion dollar road and highway projects shelved so the money could be used to build mass transporation alternatives in some areas.One major issue is most all the cities have little or no money for mass transportation, so it would mean taxes would go up to support it. |
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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
"Earl Bollinger" wrote in message ... "Garrison Hilliard" wrote in message ... Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? By Kevin Eigelbach Post staff reporter Riding a bicycle costs nothing in gasoline, produces zero emissions and makes the rider a healthier, happier person. So why don't more people do it? It could be all those darn hills to climb. Or it might have to do with the fact that America is in love with its automobiles. With few dedicated bicycle paths and sometimes-narrow roads, tri-state bicycle riding for fun, for exercise or as part of a work commute can be an adventure. Some bicyclists say the combination of persistently high gas prices and a growing number of people interested in bicycling mean businesses and governments should pay more attention to their needs. "As the population continues to grow, more people will be returning to bicycles as an alternative form of transportation," said Union resident Ralph Mitchell, the leader of the Northern Kentucky cluster of the Cincinnati Cycle Club. "As gasoline goes up in price, you'll begin to see more people interested." Nationally, about 57 million people will ride bicycles this year, said Mike Mackin of the League of American Bicyclists. That number is growing because of better awareness of healthy lifestyles and the coverage of the Tour de France bike race. At the same time, there are about 20 million more cars on the nation's roads than there were 10 years ago, according to the American Automobile Association. Mitchell, who said he rides 200 to 250 miles a week, would like to see more accessibility for bicyclists. So would Edgewood resident Mike Sullivan, who would like to see more bike racks at businesses. He says if a merchant doesn't want his business when he's on his bicycle, he'll avoid that merchant when he's driving. "If you went up and down Dixie Highway, you'd find very few if any (bike racks)," he said. "You pretty much have to chain it to a post or a street sign." He has to chain his bike to the shopping-cart rack when he rides to the Kroger store in Erlanger. Then there's the safety issue. In mid-July, two bicyclists were killed when they were hit by a car in Crosby Township on the west side of Hamilton County. Bicyclist Eugene Spiegel said it would be nice to have more bike racks, but what bicycle riders really need is an education program for drivers that informs motorists of the rights of cyclists. Unless it's less than 15 degrees outside, Spiegel, 56, bicycles the six miles from his Winton Place home to his shop at Vine and Court streets downtown, Reliable Jewelry and Loan. He has a bicycle with studded tires for riding in snow and ice, and one with fenders for riding in the rain. As he rides, he makes mental notes on the number of bad motorists he encounters. The most common problem - they pass too closely. He always rides with a rear-view mirror. "There's a constant problem with getting yelled at, and vehicles not giving you your proper space," downtown resident Chris Pohler agreed. Pohler said more bicyclists would make bicycling better. That way, motorists would get used to them and act accordingly. Larry Parker has been an avid cyclist since 1983, but never commutes to work on his bicycle because the area in general is not biker-friendly, he said. One exception, he said, is Hyde Park, where he lives. Roads without shoulders to ride on, limited bike lanes that don't connect in any way and a lack of cross-town bicycle routes are big problems, he said. "There are just congested areas that are traffic bottlenecks," he said, listing the Oakley intersections of Paxton at Wasson and Edwards at Madison, plus the University Hospital area in Corryville. He agreed that motorists are a problem, but said cyclists share the blame. They are "notorious for slowing traffic and failing to leave gaps in large groups to allow motorists to pass." The city could also make its streets friendlier for riders by removing broken bottles. Spiegel collects bottles as he rides, about 800 of them a year, one-third of them Budweiser beer bottles. He knows that if he doesn't pick them up, they'll likely get broken and threaten his bicycle tires. Local merchants remain more geared to making their businesses accessible to automobiles than to bicycles. Crestview Hills Mall, newly renovated into an upscale "lifestyle center," has plenty of parking spaces for autos, but no bicycle racks. The developer of the mall, Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate, doesn't have bicycle racks at any of its lifestyle centers, including Rookwood Commons in Norwood, Marketing Director Tracy Nemenz said. The issue has never come up, she said. "We truly rely on the municipalities in which we do business to really clue us in to what's important to the communities," she said. The city of Crestview Hills doesn't require stores to install bicycle racks - to do so would be up to the developer, City Administrator Dan Groth said. He often sees bicycle riders in subdivisions, but rarely on Dixie Highway or Turkeyfoot Road, two major roads inside the city. The city has no dedicated paths for bicycles. "There are just too many highways going through the city," Groth said. Some businesses still extend the welcome mat to bicyclists. Newport on the Levee has several well-used bicycle racks and even offers a bicycle valet, General Manager Ellen Prows said. For $2, the valet will secure your bicycle until you return from shopping. It's never been an especially popular service, she said, but it's there. Florence Mall has two bicycle racks at the mall entrances off Mall Road, said spokesperson Stephanie Wood. You'll find a variety of bicycle racks at businesses up and down Houston Road in Florence because, since 2002, the Boone County Planning Commission has required them in all new developments, Executive Director Kevin Costello said. Erpenbeck Elementary School puts out a new bicycle rack every year and now has about five, Costello said, because of all the kids who ride there from nearby Plantation Pointe subdivision. But even some bicyclists don't think bikes belong everywhere in this age of the automobile. Edgewood resident Paul Listerman said bicycles just didn't belong in some places, including shopping malls. "I don't think they have any particular obligation to put up bike racks and invite us in," he said. "The only thing we're going to do is go in and get a cup of coffee." When he rides his bicycle to the Starbucks at the Crestview Hills Mall, he simply leans it against the window outside, where he can keep an eye on it. "Before anyone can grab it, I can be out the door," he said. "I've done the same at Panera Bread for years." Downtown Cincinnati has bicycle racks only at the main branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County at 800 Vine St., Speigel said. Listerman is among bicyclists who don't want to see designated bicycle trails on city streets. "If we had more bike paths, I would be expected by cars and perhaps the law to stay on the bike path," he said. "That would really limit where and how far you could go." Many bicyclists use dedicated bike paths such as the Little Miami Scenic Trail on Hamilton County's east side or the eight-mile loop at Miami Whitewater park on the county's west side. But for serious cyclists, those routes can be dangerous because there are too many parents pushing strollers on them, Listerman said. "Multiple-use trails are great, but I don't want to be restricted to them," he said. The Little Miami trail runs from the Little Miami Golf Center in Newtown to Buck Creek State Park in Clark County, more than 70 miles. It's popular with bicyclists, runners, roller bladers and more. The Hamilton County Park District hopes to eventually extend the trail to Clear Creek Park in Anderson Township, spokeswoman Joy Landry said. Sometimes, bike paths are dedicated that aren't really practical. Houston Road in Florence has a dedicated bicycle lane that no one ever uses, Mitchell said, because it goes nowhere. But a new section of U.S. 42 through Union, with sidewalks and bicycle lanes, has attracted riders, he said. When it comes to accommodating bicycles, Boone County may be the most progressive Northern Kentucky county. The planning commission requires new developments to build sidewalks and plan for bicycle routes, Costello said. Also, when roads are upgraded, "we're trying to include bike paths as part of that," he said. That includes a new road the county plans to build to link Ky. 18 with Donaldson and Houston roads. It could form the first link of a bicycle path around Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport similar to the one around Lunken Airport in Cincinnati, Costello said. Boone County would also like to create a safe path for bicyclists that would connect its mountain bike trails in England-Idlewild Park with its bicycle paths in Central Park, he said. The planning commissions in Kenton and Campbell counties don't require developers to create bicycle trails. "I'd be happy with a sign that says, 'Share the road,' so motorists would know I have the right to be there too," said Keith Logsdon, a bicycle rider and the Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission's deputy director for long-range planning. Less experienced riders would need bicycle lanes, he said, but the commission has had more success getting developers to agree to build sidewalks for pedestrians. Things are improving for bicycle riders, Mitchell said, albeit slowly. Local riders were glad to learn that in May, the Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky finished putting bicycle racks on all of its buses. TANK used a $70,000 grant from the state to fund 80 percent of the project, spokeswoman Gina Douthit said. The system had 562 bike boardings in June, she said, and "that's just huge for the first month of a project like this. There are systems who have had racks for years that are not right in line with where we are." All 390 buses in the Metro bus system, which serves Cincinnati, have bicycle racks, spokesman Sallie Hilvers said. Metro doesn't keep track of how many bicycle riders use the bus, but Hilvers said she has seen more bicycles on the racks in the past few months. Publication date: 08-05-2006 http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs....WS02/608050327 Amaeicans are pretty much tied to the automobile as the primary mode of transportation. even if gasoline went over $5.00 US a gallon it would have little effect on this. What would have to happen is gasoline shortages and high prices. At that point the populace would scream for other forms of transporation and mass transit and bicycling would become much more popular then. Unfortuanately, except for some limited mass transportation features in a few cities, most cities have none at all. It would take at the minimum about five years to even get a bus system running in most localities with all the red tape involved. Ten years to get a train system going. So that means people had better get used to using bicycles, walking, or working from home (telecommuting for example). But it would have the benefit of getting a lot of multi-billion dollar road and highway projects shelved so the money could be used to build mass transporation alternatives in some areas.One major issue is most all the cities have little or no money for mass transportation, so it would mean taxes would go up to support it. This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes more sense. -JF ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
James Fitch wrote:
This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes more sense. You left 14 KB's worth of text to add THAT? God help us... |
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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes more sense. -JF Actually, 1/3 of the readers like bottom posting, another 1/3 of the readers like top posting, and the other 1/3 of the readers wants to see the whole thing, as their newsreader software tends to drop the original messages fast, so they miss out on much of the discussion going on. So obviously no matter what one does it offends someone somehow. |
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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
I left it there precisely to emphasize the point.
-JF "Bill Sornson" wrote in message ... James Fitch wrote: This is the problem with bottom posting, and why top posting makes more sense. You left 14 KB's worth of text to add THAT? God help us... ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 120,000+ Newsgroups ----= East and West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =---- |
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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
In rec.bicycles.misc Bonehenge wrote:
Which "Tri-State"? Apparently, it never occurred to you that there are many "Tri-State" areas in the USA? Garrison seems to be a trifle provincial. I'm not sure if he's figured out how to respond to people posts as he seems to think Usenet is a write-only medium. Also, ontopic to the thread. I lived in Cincinnati for seven years (mostly pre-cycling). A few obervations: First, the city has the worst drivers in the state - backed up by accident statistics unfortunately. I didn't feel particularly safe in a car in Cincinnati, it was worse when I was on a bike. Second, the city has a dramatic segregation in terms of race and income. The haves and have-nots do not mix and if you are riding a bike you are automatically classed as a have-not and noone cares if you live or die. Plus the terrain is crappy, the roads are poor and the weather is abysmal. Oh, and not many good bike stores. I can't imagine why cycling is unpopular there. -- Dane Buson - "Life is cheap. It's the accessories that kill you." |
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Why isn't the tri-state more bicycle friendly? - Cin., Ohio
Apparently, it never occurred to you that there are many "Tri-State"
areas in the USA? If he's writing for a local newspaper which just happens to be online, perhaps he doesn't realize the article will be 'lifted' from its proper place and taken out of context elsewhere. As far as bike friendly cities are concerned... I used to live in Minneapolis which has plenty of bike trails, but I also rode on the street because most of the time they were wide and there was plenty of room for cars and bikes. So one day I was riding down Central Avenue, a pretty busy road, apparently, and we were stopped at a stoplight. So some jerk behind me yells at me to get off the road...I can't remember his exact phrasing, but I turned and yelled back, "I have a right to the road also." And he yelled back the same thing he'd said before...and each time I told him I had a right to the road he just repeated himself also. I thought about pointing out to him that he was pretty stupid but since he was in a pickup truck and I was on a bike and he seemed kind of unstable..I didn't want to provoke him any more than he already was. Having said that, every time I was driving and passed a biker riding the wrong way on the road, or unable to keep to a straight line, or biking at night while wearing dark clothing, I could just shake my head, as it's these types who give bicyclists a bad rep. Now I'm vacationing in Germany for a month - the southeastern part near Kaiserslautern, and it is *great* for biking. The rules are very strict - drivers have to give bikers a 3 meter clearance when passing, and can't pass until it's safe to do so...and they don't mind doing it...there are plenty of car free days so that bikers can get out and use a section of the autobahn en masse, etc. Caroline The Thunder Child Science Fiction webzine http://thethunderchild.com |
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