News – Page 65 – CentreBike

South Sparks to get Bike Lane

South Sparks gets Bike Lane :: South Sparks northbound from Westerly to West Campus is getting a bike lane and, apparently, street pollution.

From the Centre Daily Times today comes news that the State College Borough Council has approved a South Sparks bike lane.

Borough Council voted last night to implement a bike lane along South Sparks Street that won’t impact parking.

In a 4-3 decision, council decided to put a northbound Share-the-Road lane along South Sparks Street from West Campus to Westerly Parkway.

Between Westerly Parkway and Prospect Avenue — already a no-parking zone — the borough will designate a northbound bike climbing lane.

A hearing was held on April 6 about the proposal, where several community members voiced concern over elimination of parking spots.

The new proposal won’t eliminate parking spots, said borough Manager Tom Fountaine.

Councilwoman Silvi Lawrence said she thinks the signs and street markings will “pollute the street.”

Bike Parking Lot on Allen Street

San Francisco :: This bike parking plaza is designed for permanent year-round use

On July 21, the State College Borough Council approved conversion of one parking space in the 100 block of Allen Street to bicycle parking. This type of conversion is in use in other urban areas. For the conversion to succeed, the bike parking must be in a location where demand for parking is high. It must be convenient for cyclists to access and use, and must include structural elements to protect the cyclist and the parked bikes from passing motor vehicle traffic. Simply placing a bike rack in an empty parking space is not adequate for bike parking needs. Demand for bike parking is high on South Allen Street.

Initially, the conversion will be seasonal, running only from April 1 to November 15.

Below are examples of successful conversions of parking spaces to bicycle parking.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Responds

U. S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters has responded to a complaint by CRBC about her statement on the PBS Newshour that bike paths and trails are not transportation facilities.

Here is her reply:

THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590
October 4, 2007

Thank you for your e-mail about the importance of bicycling and walking as a form of
transportation. I share your interest in a safe, efficient mullimodal transportation system.

Your e-mail discussed comments I made during a recent interview regarding the importance
of effectively prioritizing major transportation spending decisions. These comments were in
no way intended as an indictment of bicycle and pedestrian investments broadly. Rather, they
were part of a much larger critique of the processes by which investment decisions are
increasingly being made at the Federal level. Too often, political influence and power arc
guiding transportation spending priorities, instead of merit, competition, data, and analysis.

The U.S. Department of Transportation believes that bicyclists and pedestrians are legitimate
and welcome users of our Nation’s transportation system. They are a healthy part of the
solution to congestion in our urban areas. We also believe that States, metropolitan planning
organizations, and transit agencies are in the best position to understand the unique needs of
their own communities, which is why we have continued to strongly support broad eligibility
under the Federal-aid program for a diverse mix of transportation investments, including
bicycle and pedestrian transportation facilities.

Programs that improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians arc also eligible for Federal safety
dollars. Although the number of bicyclist and pedestrian injuries and fatalities has dropped by
10 percent since 1994, fatalities have increased in the last 2 years, and this is not acceptable.

Thank you again for voicing your opinion. I hope to continue to work with bicycling and
pedestrian advocates as we face the challenges of meeting our country’s changing
transportation needs.