[SustainableTompkins] Cyclovia and beyond

[Margaret McCasland]

Hi Andy,

Did you mean bike lanes (sharing roads with motorized vehicles) or  
bike paths (separate from roads)?

Separate paths are definitely safest, but far too expensive to build  
everywhere.  So we need a mixture of both, with the lanes being as  
safe as possible.

There is no better TGIF than a Critical Mass ride around downtown  
Ithaca. I don't know the current status. We used to have laminated  
signs that said things like, "We aren't blocking traffic. We ARE  
traffic."

We (bike advocates in the city) also used to have silly "either/or"  
arguments about bike lanes VERSUS bike paths.  Once again, we need  
both. Fortunately, common sense seems to be prevailing these days and  
we are finally getting more and better lanes.

As the costs of driving get higher, I think--hope--there will also be  
a lot more financial support for building bike/skate/walk paths for  
transportation and not just for recreation.

We had a "Share the Road" bike safety campaign a decade or so ago.  
Perhaps we should make it permanent. However it emphasized vehicle  
drivers being aware of bike riders.  We also need to emphasize bike  
riders maximizing their visibility, following rules of the road, etc.

Margaret

On Jun 17, 2008, at 11:30 PM, Andy Goodell wrote:

> It seems like bike lanes are getting pushed for everywhere but  
> having luck
> in only a few places. I think requiring money to make them and the  
> lack of
> direct economic benefit is what holds those back.
>
> Had anyone tried to block off roads before for non-car use? I don't  
> want to
> step on anyones toes if this is already being worked on. I also  
> tried to
> find information on Critical Mass, but there's nothing near recent  
> online
> about it in Ithaca. Does that still happen?
>
> -Andy
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