One more picture
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Turning Point Park
Does everyone know about this?
We took an extraordinary ride on an exquisite bike trail at the Northern End of the Rochester Riverway Trail (Charlotte, north of the Greenway) on the West Side of the River.
How did this gem of a trail and boardwalk come to be built? And why isn't it celebrated? It is a world-class marriage of natural beauty and low impact civil engineering.
Who did this?
We took an extraordinary ride on an exquisite bike trail at the Northern End of the Rochester Riverway Trail (Charlotte, north of the Greenway) on the West Side of the River.
How did this gem of a trail and boardwalk come to be built? And why isn't it celebrated? It is a world-class marriage of natural beauty and low impact civil engineering.
Who did this?
More pictures
* here http://www.pbase.com/joldfield/image/79518178
* here http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=rochester%20turning%20point%20park&w=all
and still more by using the embedded google earth tour at http://RochesterGreenway.org
* here http://www.pbase.com/joldfield/image/79518178
* here http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=rochester%20turning%20point%20park&w=all
and still more by using the embedded google earth tour at http://RochesterGreenway.org
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Behold the Bike!
Few inventions have the efficiency, health benefits, affordability, urban design potential, safety features and environmental friendliness of the modern bike. It’s not your grandmother’s bicycle; it’s a revolutionary component in our future transportation portfolio. There have been bikes. There will be bikes.
Bikes started as glorified hobby horses (the walking machine), then got pedals (the velocipede or boneshaker), then rose up and sped up (the high wheel bicycle), then began settling down for speed and safety (the hard-tired safety), and now they are fast, sleek and efficient. It was a long (and sometime dangerous) haul; and, if you are quick about it, you can see the entire history of bicycles at the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum in Orchard Park, NY before it closes. (If enough visitors go, maybe it won’t close.) [http://www.pedalinghistory.com/]
Now, in many modern urban communities the bicycle is more than an old contraption made new and glorified by bike clubs and enthusiasts. Bicycles are not simply hangers-on, like horse-riding or Model T driving on Sunday. Bicycles are becoming an integral part of planned transportation systems throughout the country. Note how cities like Portland, Oregon and Boulder, Colorado are retrofitting their vehicle-dominated streets into bike boulevards (BTA: Bicycle Boulevards Campaign) where commuters and even kids off to school can get to their destinations year-round and safely.
Year-round and safely? In New York State? In the rain, the snow, heavy traffic, though the mud, across busy bridges, to grandmother’s house and still be presentable?
Become a believer. When more people bike more drivers accept them on our streets—which, of course, they have every right to be. In official studies: under 6.5 miles, the public prefers bicycling over mass transit. Bicycling produces zero greenhouse gas emissions, has relatively inexpensive repair bills, and because of the soaring cost of road and bridge maintenance our regional planners consider bicycles a serious component of our future transportation.
If we make our streets more bike accessible, protect bicyclists from fast-moving traffic, create innovative all-weather bike corridors, [http://rochestergreenway.org/]and provide convenient and comprehensive bike parking, the public will bike. Already, many cities have found a way to bicycle-friendly their streets, not because it is trendy, but because there is no faster, more efficient, environmentally and urban-friendlier way to get around than the bike. [http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/communities/]
Too expensive, too radical, too dangerous, too slow, and just too much darn trouble? As opposed to what? Billions of dollars on maintaining our existing vehicular dominated streets? An obese society that spends zillions of bucks for insurance, parking, fuel, repairs, and the vehicles’ price (the ‘Clunkers for Cash’ program is drying up)?
The real impediment to creating a Rochester, New York that moves around in massive numbers on bicycles and renews our sense of community from our too expensive isolation tanks is Attitude. Everything else is there, the technology, the know-how, and the vivid examples of bike/transportation modes across the spectrum of world cities. Behold a healthier lifestyle.
Frank J. Regan [RochesterEnvironment.com]
Bikes started as glorified hobby horses (the walking machine), then got pedals (the velocipede or boneshaker), then rose up and sped up (the high wheel bicycle), then began settling down for speed and safety (the hard-tired safety), and now they are fast, sleek and efficient. It was a long (and sometime dangerous) haul; and, if you are quick about it, you can see the entire history of bicycles at the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum in Orchard Park, NY before it closes. (If enough visitors go, maybe it won’t close.) [http://www.pedalinghistory.com/]
Now, in many modern urban communities the bicycle is more than an old contraption made new and glorified by bike clubs and enthusiasts. Bicycles are not simply hangers-on, like horse-riding or Model T driving on Sunday. Bicycles are becoming an integral part of planned transportation systems throughout the country. Note how cities like Portland, Oregon and Boulder, Colorado are retrofitting their vehicle-dominated streets into bike boulevards (BTA: Bicycle Boulevards Campaign) where commuters and even kids off to school can get to their destinations year-round and safely.
Year-round and safely? In New York State? In the rain, the snow, heavy traffic, though the mud, across busy bridges, to grandmother’s house and still be presentable?
Become a believer. When more people bike more drivers accept them on our streets—which, of course, they have every right to be. In official studies: under 6.5 miles, the public prefers bicycling over mass transit. Bicycling produces zero greenhouse gas emissions, has relatively inexpensive repair bills, and because of the soaring cost of road and bridge maintenance our regional planners consider bicycles a serious component of our future transportation.
If we make our streets more bike accessible, protect bicyclists from fast-moving traffic, create innovative all-weather bike corridors, [http://rochestergreenway.org/]and provide convenient and comprehensive bike parking, the public will bike. Already, many cities have found a way to bicycle-friendly their streets, not because it is trendy, but because there is no faster, more efficient, environmentally and urban-friendlier way to get around than the bike. [http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/communities/]
Too expensive, too radical, too dangerous, too slow, and just too much darn trouble? As opposed to what? Billions of dollars on maintaining our existing vehicular dominated streets? An obese society that spends zillions of bucks for insurance, parking, fuel, repairs, and the vehicles’ price (the ‘Clunkers for Cash’ program is drying up)?
The real impediment to creating a Rochester, New York that moves around in massive numbers on bicycles and renews our sense of community from our too expensive isolation tanks is Attitude. Everything else is there, the technology, the know-how, and the vivid examples of bike/transportation modes across the spectrum of world cities. Behold a healthier lifestyle.
Frank J. Regan [RochesterEnvironment.com]
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Montreal Exports Its Bike-Sharing Program - Green Inc. Blog - NYTimes.com
Montreal Exports Its Bike-Sharing Program
Montreal Exports Its Bike-Sharing Program
By IAN AUSTENIan Austen/The New York Times The bike-sharing system pioneered in Montreal will soon be used in Boston and London.
From the beginning, Montreal officials had ambitions for the new Bixi bicycle-sharing system that went beyond the borders of that Canadian city. On Wednesday, Gérald Tremblay, the Montreal’s mayor, announced that the Bixi system will be implemented in Boston and London.
It is not clear at this point if the roll-out in Boston — where local officials are mounting a push for more bike lanes as well — will be on the same scale as Montreal’s system, with hundreds of parking stations and thousands of bicycles. (An alternative model would be SmartBike D.C. in Washington, which uses a different docking technology and has only has 10 stations.)
Boston’s Metropolitan Area Planning Council confirmed that it has selected Bixi to put in place a bike-sharing program. But Amanda Linehan, a spokeswoman for the council, said that Boston and other municipalities must now negotiate contracts for the service.
In a statement, the Public Bike System Company, Montreal’s marketing operation for Bixi, indicated that the Boston system will initially offer 2,500 bikes at 290 stations in downtown Boston.
In England, Bixi’s partner, the Serco Group, said that it has a six-year contract to install 400 docking stations holding about 10,000 bicycles in central London.
Until now, the only other Bixi system was a modest, four-station demonstration project in Ottawa, which is about two hours by car from Montreal.
In selling Bixi, Montreal has emphasized that its solar-powered, WiFi-enabled docking stations are self-contained, eliminating the need for construction or utility work. The design also enables operators to remove the stations for winter, and to relocate them easily in accordance with demand.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
CBSM/forums/index.lasso
Fostering Sustainable Behavior
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Bicycle Fleets - Carbon-Free Transport Options for OrganisationsCategory:  Tools: |
Friday, August 14, 2009
Ponoko Blog
Ponoko Blog:
Ponoko to Distribute Making to Laser Cutters Worldwide!
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:36 am
This sounds to be an excellent project especially as this would expand your successful business model to support access to affordable 3D fabricating for many of us creatives.
Shain Says:
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
I think this is a brilliant Idea! Makers of the world uniting. Let everyone tap into the resources once only accessible to the elite. Manufacturing for the masses.
I can’t wait!
Ponoko and the Fabrication Network Says:
July 15th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
[...] me this is pretty huge news (Fabbaloo found it for me): Ponoko is creating a fabber network. This to me is an absolute thrill.� This will monetize fabricator ownership.� This will [...]"
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:36 am
This sounds to be an excellent project especially as this would expand your successful business model to support access to affordable 3D fabricating for many of us creatives.
Shain Says:
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
I think this is a brilliant Idea! Makers of the world uniting. Let everyone tap into the resources once only accessible to the elite. Manufacturing for the masses.
I can’t wait!
Ponoko and the Fabrication Network Says:
July 15th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
[...] me this is pretty huge news (Fabbaloo found it for me): Ponoko is creating a fabber network. This to me is an absolute thrill.� This will monetize fabricator ownership.� This will [...]"
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Rochester Bicycle Ecology
I've created a conceptual map of the Rochester Bicycle Ecology in order to explore the idea that we need a Rochester Bicycle Alliance.
(You can view the map as a full-sized PDF file for full screen viewing by clicking here)
The map is loaded with hyperlinks and background on local organizations and initiatives, thus if you mouse around, you'll read things like...
"Rochester could be home to a number of potentially transformative bike-related initiatives. Even a few of them, implemented and marketed strategically, could turn the region into a world capital of cycling. Individually they are long-shots.
The Rochester Cyclng Alliance could help unify a healthy but non-organizd community and create a constituency for innovative land use, energy independence, transportation policy, healthy living, and urban renewal.
The RCA's first venture could be to bring the Bicycle Film Festival to town (and use it to build a constituency for other initiatives on this map).
I think I'm convinced. How about you?
Add comments or more information, and I'll update the map!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Biking Rochester
Let the Huffington Post know about biking in Rochester. If the RochesterGreenway were a reality, I think we'd be number one in this poll. Check it out.
-The Top 10 U.S. Cities For Biking Americans overwhelmingly continue to drive alone to work. With more than nine out of 10 workers favoring driving. But these 10 cities are definitely taking the initiative to change that. Here are the top 10 U.S. cities for bicycling commuters. And remember to send us a photograph of your favorite biking city. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/05/the-top-10-us-cities-for_n_252092.html
-The Top 10 U.S. Cities For Biking Americans overwhelmingly continue to drive alone to work. With more than nine out of 10 workers favoring driving. But these 10 cities are definitely taking the initiative to change that. Here are the top 10 U.S. cities for bicycling commuters. And remember to send us a photograph of your favorite biking city. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/05/the-top-10-us-cities-for_n_252092.html
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Another Affiliation
People are talking. Excitement builds. The Rochester Greenway is entering a new phase: a steering group (maybe, the “The Rochester Greenway Steering Group”) who will be focusing on moving the project from conceptual stage to something more concrete—or macadam, or plastic, or a new composite altogether. At this point, interested groups are offering their time to see this unique concept get funding through grants, get endorsements from various groups, and provide presentations of this all-weather, carbon-free transportation system.
“I just want to point out to you that this isn’t just about biking. This is truly about a grander purpose happening here. I would just urge you to think about what you want to do. I think it’s important to consider options for the future.”
“There is an opportunity for capitalizing on new materials and ideas and how this will relate to communities. We want to have a plan for some type of sustainable plan in the longer term sense. I think that we should also get students from other regions interested from other campuses. There are many things, which could be woven into the goals. There
is great potential here.”
“This could be a steering group for a future Charrette meeting. There is a reality about a certain threshold for numbers of people working together. I think you bring up
a good point that we should all be in contact with each-other. We should also think about people in the working group. I think it’s very important that there would be a shared vision going in multiple directions. I think we should think of ourselves as being a Greenway Steering group.”
People are talking.
More to come:
“I just want to point out to you that this isn’t just about biking. This is truly about a grander purpose happening here. I would just urge you to think about what you want to do. I think it’s important to consider options for the future.”
“There is an opportunity for capitalizing on new materials and ideas and how this will relate to communities. We want to have a plan for some type of sustainable plan in the longer term sense. I think that we should also get students from other regions interested from other campuses. There are many things, which could be woven into the goals. There
is great potential here.”
“This could be a steering group for a future Charrette meeting. There is a reality about a certain threshold for numbers of people working together. I think you bring up
a good point that we should all be in contact with each-other. We should also think about people in the working group. I think it’s very important that there would be a shared vision going in multiple directions. I think we should think of ourselves as being a Greenway Steering group.”
People are talking.
More to come:
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