Bikeboard November 2008

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9 participants
22 discussions

High Street Bike Racks in Sketchup
by director 28 Nov '08

28 Nov '08

Good evening, I talked to Frank and Chip today, they liked the drawing I sent out showing all the bike rack spots on High Street, but both agreed that it would be better if they could get the 3d file. I figured out a way to do it - the file is now available fromt he Sketchup 3d warehouse. You can find it using the search string "High Street Morgantown". Interestingly most of the major WVU buildings are also in the warehouse and are available to us. You can download the model once you download Sketchup. Give me a call if you need help with it. (276-0213). Nick -- Nick Hein Director, Positive Spin Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --

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High Street Bike Racks in Sketchup
by director 28 Nov '08

28 Nov '08

Good Morning, I've plunked down the bike racks in 3D in Sketchup as promised. I'm attaching the .jpg for everyone to look at. Although it doesn't show as much detail as I like it's already 1MB which is about the largest sensible size for an email file. The 3D file is 6mb (4mb zipped) but would be a lot more fun to look at. If you want it let me know and I'll arrange to get it to you. The Sketchup editing and viewing programs are free to download from: http://sketchup.google.com/gsu6/download.html (version 6 viewer) http://sketchup.google.com/download/ (version 7 editor) The v6 viewer works with v7 files (I checked) Anyway the .jpg file shows the whole street at once and lets you get an idea of overall placement. Let me know if you have any questions or would like changes. Happy Thanksgiving! Nick -- Nick Hein Director, Positive Spin Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --

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Re: [Bikeboard] 11/25 Parking meeting
by director 26 Nov '08

26 Nov '08

Frank, et al, Last nite at the meeting I was trying to remember one of the shell-style bike shelters I'd seen during earlier studies. This is it. http://huntco.com/bikepod/ I remember the cost being under $1000, it might make sense for a place like the parking garage that already offers pretty good weather protection. Their other models are shown here... http://www.huntco.com/mercantool/mtool.pl?command=productpage_list&category… Nick ---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)verizon.net> Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:32:39 -0500 >Bicycle Board Members, > >Last night, we defined parking recommendations for the PSC garage. >Please see attached minutes. > >Frank >/Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/ > > > -- Nick Hein Director, Positive Spin Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --

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11/25 Parking meeting
by Frank Gmeindl 26 Nov '08

26 Nov '08

Bicycle Board Members, Last night, we defined parking recommendations for the PSC garage. Please see attached minutes. Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/

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Meeting Tonight
by gunn4r Shogren 25 Nov '08

25 Nov '08

Right? 7:30pm, PSB. Anything else?

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3D Rendering of High Street
by director 24 Nov '08

24 Nov '08

Good evening, I received the image files of 3 blocks of High St (Pleasant to Willey) and put them into Sketchup to give a 3D rendering. My Mom just arrived so I haven't done a complete job of showing the bike rack locations that have been proposed, however the attached file shows the corner at Fayette St. with a couple of 3d racks, bikes, cars and a person for scale. I can do more with more time. The image I'm sending is a static 2d file, but I have the 3d version and I'd be happy to send it to anyone who knows how to use Sketchup. I could also bring my computer to the next meeting. There's some other cool stuff that can be done with this too. Nick -- Nick Hein Director, Positive Spin Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --

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Meeting Minutes
by Elizabeth Shogren 22 Nov '08

22 Nov '08

Attached are the minutes for the regular November BB meeting, as well as the extra parking meeting. If you have any comments or corrections, please email me. Thank you, BETSY SHOGREN

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Parking, SLMs, Ed Grant
by Frank Gmeindl 21 Nov '08

21 Nov '08

Bicycle Board Members, Yesterday, I had a very positive meeting with Jeff Mikorski, Assistant City Manager about bike parking and shared lane markings after which we met with Jeff Harpold, WVDOH Transportation Ehancement Coordinator on the Effective Cycling Education Program grant. *Bike Parking* * The City considered bike parking on the High Street Streetscape but didn't develop any plans because they didn't have sufficient budget. * I reviewed with Mikorski the Streetscape map that we marked up showing recommended locations for 30 bike racks. It made sense to him. His specific comments: 1. Design: City had considered post-and-loop. I described Chip's recommended flair rack. Jeff's OK with it. 2. Location: Concern for bicycle orientation (i.e. parallel or perpendicular to walkway) to minimize interference with pedestrians and parking motor vehicles. 3. The curbs around the trees were recently installed to keep water from flooding the tree boxes. City doesn't consider them a tripping hazard. 4. Watch out for vaults under the rack locations because you can't drill down there. Jeff favored putting racks between tree and curb. (I indicated maintenance risk.) 5. The prevailing color for streetscape hardware is black. 6. Maintenance: If private property owners agree to have the City put bike racks on their property, maintenance responsibility will have to be defined. 7. Abandoned bikes: policy? Who gets rid of abandoned bikes and how. *Shared Lane Markings* * We reviewed Derek's maps and I asked Jeff if the City would pay for future printing. He said that the City has a new part-time engineer, Damian, who's GIS-savvy and using ESRI software. Jeff will check with Terry Hough to see if Damian can work with Derek to get future maps printed at City hall. * The City is building a geo database and having GPS points for things like SLMs, BMUFL signs and bike racks is the way they want to go. *Effective Cycling Education Program* Harpold came up to Morgantown to meet with Mikorski, me and Nick Hein to review our application. Nick didn't show. Highlights: 1. We have 2 years from authorization to proceed to complete the work. 2. Authorization may not come for 4-6 months. 3. We will produce monthly deliverables (for example, number of course deliveries, PSAs produced, ads run, effectiveness data collected) that show that we're accomplishing what we proposed and that will justify reimbursing our expenses. 4. The contract between the City and Positive Spin must have a not-to-exceed limit. 5. Harpold and Mikorski need to resolve whether we'll have to go out for bids for work to be done. 6. There are probably state and federal regulations that determine the allowable salary ranges that we will need to learn before we can pay people. 7. Harpold will make an agreement between the City and the State that specifies scope, funding, deliverables and schedule. 8. The agreement must be reviewed by WVDOH legal, historic preservation, Greater Morgantown Metropolitan Planning Organization (the MPO can kill the project), Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan. 9. The total grant is $54,417 state + $13,605 City = $68,022. *Action Items * 1. Bicycle Board reorganize the Education Committee. 2. Education Committee develop a project plan. 3. Positive Spin and the City make a contract. Frank

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Hero
by Frank Gmeindl 18 Nov '08

18 Nov '08

Did you see Jim Rye's picture on the front page of the Dominion Post today: taking the lane on Cheat Road in the snow... my hero! Frank /Same Roads Same Rights Same Rules /

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Re: [Bikeboard] [Fwd: Mid-Ohio Valley Bicycle Council]
by Frank Gmeindl 17 Nov '08

17 Nov '08

Kim, Like everyone, my time is limited. I try to use it where it will have the most impact on my agenda. My primary mission is to teach cyclists to act as drivers of vehicles. That includes teaching them how to drive their bicycles on roadways and not on sidewalks. I'd like to see the shared lane markings and Bicycles May Use Full Lane signs on the roadways before I get involved in public arguments with ignorant individuals especially if they are not in a position to do anything but blow smoke. It took the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board over a year of continuous effort to get resistant public officials aligned with its plans to install the SLMs and BMUFL signs. Our biggest problem is that almost all of us only have a few hours a month that we can devote to advancing bicycling. Gary Warhoftig, the key public official with the WVDOH in Charleston who several months ago after a personal visit from the Deputy Mayor and a City Councilor finally gave Morgantown the approval to install these has since retired. We have been slow in getting the markings and signs installed because our volunteers do not have enough time to respond fast enough to the various demands that the lay on us. Now, we may lose the whole thing because Warhoftig's replacement has reversed the approval. Now, a contingent of us must waste a day going to Charleston to try to persuade Warhoftig's replacement to reconsider his reversal. After all, the law still says that cyclists must ride as far to the right as practicable and it is going to be a continuous uphill struggle to persuade people such as the WVDOH that it says "practicable" and not "possible" and that often practicable means to take the lane. I think it might be more effective to work with WV legislators to remove the far to the right restriction and establish a 3-foot passing rule than to argue with Mr. Dye. When you sent me the picture of the Parkersburg Critical Mass Ride, I was glad to see cyclists wearing helmets and riding not more than two abreast. My previous experience with Critical Mass Rides over a period of more than 10 years is that they generally create and intensify motorist animosity toward bicycling and certainly don't promote cyclists acting or being treated as drivers of vehicles. Dye's letter seems to be yet another confirmation of that. I'd rather keep Morgantown's SLMs and BMUFLs out of Parkersburg's and more importantly, Charleston's newspapers until they are installed and we have a preponderance of evidence that they are effective at improving both cyclists' and motorists' behaviors. Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles /- John Forester Kimberly Jo Broughton wrote: > Hey guys, > Thought I would forward this. I would appreciate any information you > could provide for a response. Frank, I plan to use information about > what Morgantown is doing for lane markings if you don't mind. I want > to respond and show work is being done all over the state towards more > biking and appreciate a quote from each of you if you don't mind. No > problem if you do. I want to respond by educating. It is a perfect > opportunity! > Thanks so much, > Kim > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Subject: > Mid-Ohio Valley Bicycle Council > From: > Adventure Pursuit <adventurepursuit(a)hotmail.com> > Date: > Mon, 17 Nov 2008 07:42:32 -0500 > To: > kimbroughton(a)verizon.net > > To: > kimbroughton(a)verizon.net > > > > > *November 16, 2008 * > * * > * > *Volunteers are needed to ride bikes with individuals, assist in the > helmet safety campaign and coordinate bike repairs with visiting > mechanics.* > * > * * > *You can sign up to be a volunteer by going to Adventure Pursuit's > volunteer application. It takes about 60 seconds. Click here > <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10666840&msgid=224419&act=ZRF5&c=…>to > sign up. > * > * * > * * > *Adventure Pursuit* > *PO Box 431 * > *Parkersburg WV 26102 304-485-0911 * > * * > > > > > > * * > * > *Letter to the editor about cyclists in Parkersburg paper > * > ** > ** > *** > * ** Hey all,* > *There is letter to the editor on Parkersburg's website about > cyclists. You can see the link here* > * * > http://newsandsentinel.com/page/content.detail/id/511433.html > I'd like to provide a response to the paper from the Mid-Ohio Bicycle > Council if anyone is interested in participating. If so, please send > your thoughts. This is a perfect opportunity to educate Steve and the > rest of the public. It would be nice to show a group of people > responding. > > Looks like our awareness ride worked :). > Thanks! > Kim > > > ** > * * > > > Drivers not only problem > > /POSTED: November 16, 2008/ > Save > <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10666840&msgid=224419&act=ZRF5&c=…> > | Print > <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10666840&msgid=224419&act=ZRF5&c=…> > | Email > <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10666840&msgid=224419&act=ZRF5&c=…> > | Read comments > <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10666840&msgid=224419&act=ZRF5&c=…> > | Post a comment > <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10666840&msgid=224419&act=ZRF5&c=…> > > Email: "Drivers not only problem" > > *To: > > > > <--TO Email REQUIRED! > > *From: > > > > <--FROM Email REQUIRED! > > > > Being of the country persuasion, I've long been disgusted by city bike > riders coming onto our narrow country roads and making nuisances of > themselves. Yes, they have a legal right to be there. However, in the > days before cute little spandex outfits for aging athletes, most > people on bicycles realized that they were a safety hazard in their > own right and made at least some effort to cooperate with automobile > drivers. Many would move near the edge to allow drivers to pass more > easily, or slow down slightly and motion those behind them around. > > Today, too many seem to prefer to ride on the center-line and dare > anyone to hit them. Rarely do you see one deliberately yield part of > their lane to let a car around, and the only place that most slow down > is where they know auto drivers can't pass anyway. As soon as you get > to a safe place to pass, they take off like the proverbial bat out of > Hades. Few women bicyclists seem to behave that way, so I guess it > must to be a testosterone thing. > > In town, some of them dart between lanes of stopped traffic to crowd > ahead in line, run stop signs and switch on and off the sidewalk at > will. During the publicized ride for awareness the other day, my wife > and I stepped out the door of the bookstore by the mall and were > nearly run down by what appeared to be a bicycle club member who was > riding on the sidewalk to avoid the speed-bumps in the street. While I > realize that there are plenty of rude and careless drivers out there, > it seems to me that rude auto drivers aren't the only problem on the > highways (and sidewalks). > > Steve Dye > > Parkersburg > > > * > * > * > * > * > ** > * > > > > > > > > This message was sent from Adventure Pursuit to > kimbroughton(a)verizon.net. It was sent from: Adventure Pursuit, PO Box > 431, Parkersburg, WV 26102. You can modify/update your subscription > via the link below. Email Marketing Software > <http://www.icontact.com/a.pl/144186> > > > Manage your subscription > <http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=10666840&l=21227&s=ZRF5&m=2…> > > View this message in the iContact Community: View message > <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10666840&msgid=224419&act=ZRF5&c=…> > Comment on this message > <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=10666840&msgid=224419&act=ZRF5&c=…> > Receive as RSS > <http://community.icontact.com/p/testtest8/newsletters/mid-ohio-valley-bicyc…> > >

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Bikeboard November 2008