The eMessenger – Volume 5, Issue 8 – August 18, 2006

Volume 5, Issue 8 – August 18, 2006

Our mission is to establish Pittsburgh as a city that is increasingly safe, accessible, and friendly to bicycle transportation. Our efforts make commuting, shopping, and exercising by bike safe and fun for everyone in the Burgh.

If your business is interested in sponsoring this newsletter, which reaches an estimated 2,000 bicyclists in and around Pittsburgh, please contact info@bike-pgh.org

In this issue:

* Action Alert: Liberty Ave. Bike Lane and Shared Lane Marking Public Meeting
* The Ditty Bops Roll Into Town Saturday
* You’re Good To Go On Port Authority’s Bike-Friendly Vehicles
* Allegheny County Mountain Bike Fest
* Carnegie Mellon Promotes Alternative Transportation Options
* Last Opportunity to Write County Chief Executive Onorato Regarding His Transportation Plan
* Bike Events (August September)
* Spare Parts (News Links)
* Become a Member and Order a T-shirt!

ACTION ALERT: LIBERTY AVE. BIKE LANE AND SHARED LANE MARKING PUBLIC MEETING

When: August 19th at 2PM
Where: West Penn Hospital, Wintergarden Auditorium (entrance off of Friendship Ave.)

Please attend this meeting and show support for our efforts to get bike lanes, signs, and shared lane markings on Liberty Ave. We are hoping these lanes and markings help encourage more people to bicycle while making conditions safer for all of us by drawing more attention to our rights to use the streets.

This meeting is meant to notify the Bloomfield neighborhood of City Planning’s plans for making Liberty Ave. more bike-friendly including a discussion of a bike lane on Liberty Ave. from Heron Bridge to the Bloomfield Bridge in both directions, and a series of Shared Lane Markings (not bike lanes) from the Bloomfield Bridge to Baum Blvd. also in both directions.

This meeting has been organized by Pittsburgh Department of City Planning

If you cannot make it to the event, please send a letter or email of support to Director of City Planning, Patrick Ford (patrick.ford@city.pittsburgh.pa.us) and cc: the part-time bike coordinator who helped make this all happen, Richard Meritzer (richard.meritzer@city.pittsburgh.pa.us).

Pittsburgh Department of City Planning
200 Ross Street
Pittsburgh PA 15219

THE DITTY BOPS ROLL INTO TOWN SATURDAY

The Ditty Bops are pedaling and playing shows across the US, and will stop in Pittsburgh to play a show tomorrow night at Garfield Artworks. The LA duo perform a harmonious mix of western swing, vocal jazz, folk, and pop with a vaudeville flair – complete with set pieces and costumes. Asked why they were riding bikes across country for their tour, singer and mandolin player, Amada Barrett, repsonded in the Tribune Review as saying “We wanted to promote cycling – and wanted to get in the habit – and experience the country in a different way.”

Opening for the Ditty Bops are Chris Cannon and Pairdown

Where: Garfield Artworks [map]
When: 8PM, August 19th
Cost: $7

Click to listen to their interview on NPR as well as some of their songs!

YOU’RE GOOD TO GO ON PORT AUTHORITY BIKE-FRIENDLY VEHICLES

Port Authority is enhancing and expanding its Rack ‘n Roll Program, making it easier for bicyclists to also use public transportation for their daily commute or during recreational activities.

Eight bus routes already operate to or near local colleges and universities and in close proximity to popular biking routes and destinations:
11D Perrysville
21A Coraopolis
54C North Side-Strip District-Oakland-South Side
71A Negley
77D Highland-Friendship
77F Morningside-Friendship
77G Stanton Heights-Friendship
500 Highland Park-Bellevue.

Port Authority will soon add four new bus routes to the program:
26A Ingram-Sheridan
26D Chartiers City
56C McKeesport-Lincoln Place
59U South Side Works-Oakland-Waterfront.

Bikes are also permitted on all light rail vehicles and the Monongahela Incline during off-peak service hours. There is no additional cost for your bike when you use Port Authority.

Pamphlets describing the simple procedure for loading and unloading bikes and offering safety tips are available at all major Port Authority schedule rack locations, on buses, and by contacting Bike Pittsburgh. This pamphlet, along with additional Rack ‘n Roll information, is also available on Port Authority’s website, www.portauthority,org.

Port Authority anticipates expanding the program to more routes in the future. To see this program grow, we must use it and communicate to Port Authority the benefits of the program for thousands of bicyclists in the Pittsburgh region.

If you experience any issues with the bus racks – if one happens to be broken or a bus on a rack-designated route doesn’t arrive with a rack – please contact Port Authority Customer Service at 412-442-2000. When you call, offer the bus route and time and location of when you intended to board the bus (e.g. “the rack on the 54C route at 1:12 p.m. on South 18th Street at Carson Street…”). Also, if you were able to obtain the four digit vehicle number, found on the back exterior or front interior of the bus, give that number to customer service as well. Also, if you have a positive experience using a bus rack, call and tell your story!

ALLEGHENY COUNTY PARKS MOUNTAIN BIKE FEST

An Event to Highlight Allegheny County’s wonderful parks and singletrack trails, and to meet other Mountain Bikers. All Events are FREE. For these rides, we are asking that you have a knobby tired mountain bike in good working order, a helmet, water and can handle 2 hours of hills, roots, and rocks. We should cover 12-15 miles of singletrack per park. To check out the calendar go to www.bike-pgh.org and scroll down to the announcement. We hope you can join us!

You may want to bring some refreshments and snacks to share after the rides.
– For general questions about the Festival: mtbmike@bike-pgh.org
– For specific ride questions, contact the ride leader
– For directions to the general area: www.pittsburghmountainbiking.com
– For park maps: www.county.allegheny.pa.us/parks

Sponsors: PTAG, IMBA, Allegeny County Parks

CARNEGIE MELLON PROMOTES ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

Carnegie Mellon Parking and Transportation Services has a web page devoted to encouraging people to bicycle, walk, carpool, vanpool, and take public transit to work and school. For bicycling they offer lockers to rent and racks throughout campus. For more information call 412.268.2052

For more info on bikepooling, carpooling, and vanpooling check out www.commuteinfo.org.

LAST OPPORTUNITY TO TELL COUNTY EXECUTIVE ONORATO TO INCLUDE BIKES IN HIS TRANSPORTATION PLAN

We informed you in July’s eMessenger that County Chief Executive, Dan Onorato’s transportation committee is planning on coming out with their transportation plan recommendations at the end of August. Well the end of August is nigh, so to speak, so we are asking one last time that you write Mr. Onorato and kindly suggest that his transportation plan include facilities for bicycles.

To give a bit of history for new subscribers to our newsletter, on Thursday, July 13th, Mr. Onorato presented his impressive, county-wide, transportation plan to a packed room at the Union Project. He talked about ambitious plans for a Downtown to Oakland spine-line light rail project, as well as light rail from Downtown to the airport. He also addressed access to work issues, and how important it is to get dedicated public funding for public transit this fall – all great initiatives that would positively impact the county. However, when asked about bicycle-transportation, Mr. Onorato didn’t have much to say on the topic, instead he acknowledged former Mayor Murphy for the great trail system that everyone would like to see completed, and promising to talk to Mayor O’Connor about bicycling in Pittsburgh. Definitely a positive step, but…

We need Mr. Onorato to recognize the importance of bicycles as a viable mode of transportation and to make sure bicycles and pedestrians are thought about in every transportation infrastructure project. Please join Bike Pittsburgh in requesting bike-transportation be included in his transportation plan. Here are a handful of points you might choose to address: 1) Although the trail system should be prioritized and completed, decisionmakers must realize that the trails – being unlit, seldom maintained in the fall and winter months, and closed at dusk, are not viable commuting routes. 2) Bicycle facilities such as striping lanes, shared lane markings, bike racks, and bike signs are relatively cheap and make big impacts in encouraging more people to take trips by bicycle. 3) Bicycle and pedestrian facilities help calm traffic and thus make our streets and neighborhoods safer for everyone. 4) Bicycles are a pollution-free mode of transportation that also helps alleviate congestion, a major theme throughout Mr. Onorato’s presentation.

Please call, write email, letters, or send faxes ASAP to:

County Chief Executive Dan Onorato
Courthouse
436 Grant Street, Room 101
Pittsburgh PA 15219
Phone: (412) 350-6500
Fax: (412) 350-6512
executive@county.allegheny.pa.us
Email to
BIKE EVENTS (AUGUST SEPTEMBER)

Here is a listing of upcoming cycling events in the Pittsburgh Region. For complete details and updates, visit Bike Pittsburgh often and click on the “Events & Activities” section.

August 18th
Friday Nights at the Track
25-Mile Time Trial (50 Laps) – One minute intervals. No drafting. 15 second penalty per infraction. Must have brakes and working cyclocomputer. Hand-counted times will not be allowed for records.
Location: Washington Blvd. Track
Registration Time: 6PM
Start: 6:30PM
Cost: $10

August 19th
Liberty Ave Bike Lane/SLM Public Meeting
Location: West Penn Hospital (entrance off of Friendship Ave.)
Time: 2PM

The Ditty Bops
Location: Garfield Artworks
Time: 8PM
Cost: $7

August 23-27th
Allegheny County Parks Mountain Bike Fest

August 25th
Friday Nights at the Track, Track Race (Last of the Season!)
Track bikes mandatory. Fixed Gear. Lock ring. No brakes. Drop bars. No bullhorn bars.
A variety of fun events and an expanded prize list.
Registration Time: 6PM
Start Time: 6:30PM
Cost: $10

August 25th
Critical Mass
Location: meet by the dinosaur at Carnegie Library in Oakland
Time: 5:30pm

September 3rd
Mountain Bike Touring Festival
For more information visit our Events & Activities section online www.bike-pgh.org, or contact jim.edwin.weaver@verizon.net
Location: , Rowlesburg, WV

September 10th
PTAG Trail Maintenance
For more info go to www.bike-pgh.org and click on “Pittsburgh Trails Advocacy Group” or email Dave Biber
Location: Bradys Run (Beaver County)

*If you’re looking for some fun and easy rides in the city, be sure to check out Team Decaf (every Tuesday evening) or Team Caffeine for some more intense riding (every Thursday evening). Both rides leave from Enrico’s Tazza D’Oro Cafe at 1125 N. Highland Avenue in Highland Park at 6:15pm sharp. For more information please contact John Strait.

More biking events and rides can be found at WPW, P.O.R.C., and Venture Outdoors

SPARE PARTS: NEWS LINKS

Bike Theft: Blue & White 1999 Giant Hybrid with Black Rear Rack
Please keep and eye out for a 21.5″ blue & white 1999 Giant (brand) hybrid with black rear rack. The serial number is C78B3520. Stolen in Oakland from a UPMC Parking Garage.

Any Leads, Please Call Mike at 646.256.1150 or Ashley at 412.370.4174

If you have had a bike stolen please notify us and we will try our best to get the word out and help you find it. Just email us at info@bike-pgh.org

Bike Pittsburgh, Free Ride, and PTAG in the news:
Post Gazette: Mountain bikers showing off region’s trails
City Paper: Wheels turning for new bike lanes

Racing Links:
Velonews: End of the road for Phonak

Links:
Bike Pittsburgh’s Blog: http://bikepittsburgh.blogspot.com
MapHub: www.maphub.org
ByCycle: www.bycycle.org
Sign up to BikePool: www.commuteinfo.org
Free Ride: www.bike-pgh.org
Western Pennsylvania Wheelmen: www.wpwbikeclub.org
P.O.R.C.: www.porcmtbclub.org
Friends of the Riverfront: www.friendsoftheriverfront.org
Sustainable Pittsburgh: www.sustainablepittsburgh.org

BECOME A MEMBER!

Join Bike Pittsburgh and make a difference! Membership directly helps us transform Pittsburgh into a more bike-friendly city. Every great biking city such as Portland, Madison, San Francisco and Chicago has bike advocacy organizations working to make their cities more bike-friendly just like Bike Pittsburgh is doing here. We can’t do this without your support. Some of the projects we are working on include a commuter-oriented bike map of Pittsburgh, a new and improved website to better communicate with the public, educational brochures on commuting and shopping by bike, expanding the public bike rack project, BikeFest, Bike to Work Week, working with the city to stripe bike lanes, and more!

With your tax-deductible donation you will receive a Membership Card good for discounts with participating businesses, invitations and discounts to special Bike Pittsburgh-sponsored parties and events, and the satisfaction that you are making a difference for all of us who ride in Pittsburgh. For details, go to www.bike-pgh.org and click on BECOME A MEMBER. Join us today!
ORDER A BIKE FEST T-SHIRT WHILE THEY LAST

Only sizes Medium and Large left! All proceeds go to Bike Pittsburgh which means buying a T-shirt directly helps us make Pittsburgh better for biking. Please visit our website to order.

Bike Pittsburgh gratefully acknowledges the Richard King Mellon Foundation for their generous support

The eMessenger is an electronic newsletter published once a month. Previous issues of the eMessenger can be found in the Newsletters section of our website. Bike Pittsburgh, Inc. does not rent, sell, or make available any personal information, including email addresses. If you would like to be removed from the distribution list, simply email remove@bike-pgh.org afraid acceptance mp3 notblaunpakt mp3 acvmp3 levels adjust onmp3 information 64kbps16down subtle mp3evening acidjazzed mp3berkasih mp3 adatmp3 11 silver Mapcredits 23 musicbeuro 3 creditcredit 750 inccorporation adp creditcredits 2008 energycasino diamonds 55 casino diamondscredit aba establishing Map

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