Catching Air on the Keystone

Earlier this week I was able to catch some big air while riding on the Keystone Trail just north of Blondo. It reminded me of the good old days building bike ramps when I was young. Of course I also wanted to be Evel Knievel when I was a kid. Boy those were good times, until I face planted on the street... making it less good.

Now I realize not everyone wants to catch big air while commuting to work on a bike, especially while pulling a youngster behind them in a trailer or hauling a load of groceries (including eggs). So for those folks we have prepared the information below.

Over the weekend, a section of the Keystone trail buckled and created a one foot heave in the cement (forming a perfect ramp that is a blast if you hit it at speed...). This is a fairly drastic buckle and it's steeper on the South side of the heave. If you use the Keystone and travel North of Blondo, please use caution. Also note that the North side of this buckle has a large hole on the West side that did not buckle upwards with the rest of the cement.

Here is a picture that doesn't do the height of this buckle justice:

Status of repair:

The City of Omaha's Park & Recreation Department (they handle trail repairs/maintenance) has been contacted. The buckle should be marked and blocked off today. Cement repairs should be made next week.

You may need to use the surface street East of the trail if it is not possible to get around the barricade. If you're going north, you can exit the trail just South of Blondo, take the sidewalk to Keystone Drive and follow Keystone Drive North to Maple Street where you can get back on the trail via the trail access just South of Maple. Reverse those instructions if you are heading south.

For future reference, you can report other Omaha trail issues to Denis Bryers at 402-444-3798 or email him at "DBryers {AT} ci.omaha.ne.us". Please provide the exact location of the trail issue and provide a picture if you can. Denis is a great guy and he will do the best job he can with the resources he has available. You can also find some other trail projects on the Parks & Recreation Trails page. They update this page from time to time with upcoming or current trail repairs.

UPDATE: This has still NOT been repaired.  It has been marked with a barricade but not repaired.  Denis is checking with the crew assigned to fix it to see when they will complete the task they are currently on and make this repair.

Riverside trails status

One of our local cyclists (Scott Redd) took some time this weekend to document the flooding along the Missouri River.  Head on over to his blog to see all the pictures and details.  Thanks Scott.

Cycling for a Cause - Ride of Silence

The cycling community received some positive press, thanks to livewell Nebraska. See the article and the featured video about the Ride of Silence that took place on Wednesday, May 18th.

We are the voice of citizen cyclists, working for improved bicycling infrastructure, opportunities and experiences for bicyclists in the Omaha metro area.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110518/LIVEWELL02/110519615#cycling-for-a-cause

Will A Bike Ride a Day Keep the Doctor Away?

Researcher Says Portland’s Bike Paths Will Cut Its Health Costs

Swiss epidemiologist Thomas Gotschi, who, incidentally, has never visited Portland, decided to put together the first-ever cost/benefit analysis on biking in a U.S. city. He chose Portland to analyze because of its highest-in-the-nation bike commuter status among big cities. On the cost side, Gotschi added up the city’s past and planned expenditures on biking. On the benefits side, he looked at health care cost savings – how many fewer health care dollars will be spent on Portland’s citizens as a result of their getting more regular exercise from biking, and thus incurring fewer chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.

2010 Bike De'Lights

Tis the season to don your smart wool, breathable layers, and balaclava and join OmahaBikes on a ride to view the holiday lights. Turn your "ho hum" into "ho ho ho" as we wind around downtown and the surrounding area to take in the spirit of the season after dark. After dark, you ask? Of course! That's the only way to see the spectacular light show. Make sure to bring lights of your own for safety's sake. The more festive, the better. A special prize will be awarded to the "Greatest Holiday Visibility"and "Best Cycling Santa" individuals. It will be too cold, you say? Who knows what weather Omaha will throw our way, but we have planned warming stations along the way. Warm up your fingers and toes with a hot chocolate or (spiked) apple cider at the cafes we will stop at along the way. Please meet us at Delice Bakery in Midtown Crossing on December 10th. We will meet around 6:00pm for a pre-warming get together as traffic and the sun go down with plans to embark at 7:00pm.

Check out the route here.

For those who will arrival by car, parking is available behind Marcus Theatre. The first three hours are free!

If bad weather comes our way the day of the ride, it will be rescheduled for the following Friday, December 17th.

Have any questions, please let us know!

Interesting Article from NY Times

 Thanks to our friend Chris Seitzer for forwarding this New York Times article titled "Expansion of Bike Lanes Brings Backlash."  It is an interesting look at what is going on right now in NYC and the political pressure that has come to bear on some of the bike infrastructure projects they have been implementing. 

I think NYC's bike/ped coordinator is going to be one of the featured speakers at the National Bike Summit in March; it will be interesting to hear her perspective on this what what advice she has for others that are "fighting the good fight."

Bicycle Friendly Destinations

Omaha Bikes is excited to present a new project that will give you yet another fabulous reason to ride your bike: the "Bicycle Friendly Destination" Network.  The concept is simple: ride your bike and be rewarded.  So, we've been harassing local businesses and encouraging them to support the cycling community in Omaha and the response has been an overwhelming "Yes!"  There really are no hard and fast rules to how they support cycling; the only issue we're really pushing for is bike parking, and the rest is up to them.  Slowly but surely our "Bicycle Friendly Destination" decals are popping up around town on the doors of businesses that want to show their support for people getting around on bikes.  Whether they have outdoor seating, free air (for your tires silly), discounts, or have just agreed not to laugh at helmet hair and Lycra, these businesses are partnering with Omaha Bikes to get more folks out riding and we love them for it.

Check out the "Bicycle Friendly Destinations" tab above for all the details and a map of all the current destinations.

We would also like to give a special thank you to the destinations that helped us get the program started.

• Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture
• Barley's
• Blue Line Coffee
• Blue Line Coffee
• Blue Planet Natural Grill
• Caffeine Dreams
• Crane Coffee
• Daily Grub
• Greenstreet Cycles
• Jane's Health Market
• Jones Bros Cupcakes
• Patrick's Market
• Slowdown
• Wohlner's Grocery

Bike Boulevards & Greenways

Streetfilms posted this video today. Bicycle Boulavards and Greenways would fit nicely into a well rounded Omaha transportation network.

Can you think of other ways Omaha could change to be a more healthy city and support all modes of transportation more effectively?

Don't forget the Transportation Master Plan Public Meeting is only 8 days away. If you are interested on how the Omaha transportation network will function in the years to come, please plan to attend.

News worthy and plain old fun: Sharrow alert!

Our new Bike/Ped Coordinator (Carlos Morales) forwarded this information to us today.

Good day all. This is the Bike/Ped Coordinator for the City of Omaha with some post worthy news. Coming back from lunch today I bumped into Omaha City Crews installing the initial paint markings for the sharrows along Jackson Street. This is part of the pilot 20 mile bike loop. As a bike geek I get really excited when I see fresh paint on the street! Take a look:

The work crews were placing the bicycle stencils down first to avoid having the paint smudge. They will then come back to paint the chevrons which will ultimately complete these sharrows. This section will be part of the Aksarben Route. On a little side note, I would like to thank our wonderful crews out there braving the fierce wind while they try to get the markings down on the ground. They even told me that the wind was blowing so hard earlier that the stencil almost became an impromptu kite! Here is an inside look at the stencils they use!

For those of you unfamiliar with Sharrows here is a good article on sharrows (I know this is a shameless plug but that was the blog I started in LA!) Hopefully, in the near future I will be able to post more information regarding sharrows that is more specific to Omaha. Ride safe!

Allergic to spandex?

Let's face it, not everyone wants to put on some tight fitting spandex, hop on a skinny bike seat, and ride down the trail leaving very little of your anatomy to the imagination. If spandex isn't your thing, but riding your bike in "Classy" attire sounds like fun, then have we got just the thing for you.

This weekend is the inaugural ride of the L&G Cycling Club (L&G stands for Ladies and Gentleman). You can find all the details on the facebook page or on tritter.

The ride starts at 1:00pm this coming Sunday at Greenstreet Cycles. Check the map for route information.

Fifteen Local Cyclists Become League Certified

(Thursday, October 21, 2010) Last Sunday 14 Omaha and one Lincoln bicycling advocates successfully completed the League of American Cyclists "League Cycling Instructor" (LCI) training program. Master Instructor (and aptly named) John Rider traveled to Omaha to conduct the course, which was hosted by RDG Planning & Design in the Old Market.

The new LCIs are:

• Diana Behrends
• Bob Brindamour
• Rod  Caldwell
• Jean Duffy
• Kurt Goetzinger
• Kay Grant
• Michael Grube
• Julie Harris
• Sarah Johnson
• Butch Johnson
• Matt Martin
• Karen Morris
• Bill Newmann
• Scott Redd
• Stuart Shell

League Cycling Instructors offer courses to suit the needs of any cyclist. Certified, insured and equipped to teach anything from basic skills to college level courses, LCIs are the experts in bicycle education and safety. As LCIs, they are certified to teach the League’s bicycle education (Smart Cycling) curriculum including:

• Traffic Skills 101 (the basic introductory/intermediate course for adult cyclists)
• Traffic Skills 201 (an advanced adult course)
• Kids I (designed for parents of children under 10 years of age)
• Kids II (designed for children 10-14 [4th & 5th graders] including on-road practice).

LCIs can also offer modified versions of these courses and design bike rodeos and provide general safety consulting.

Planes, Trains, and Bicycles

So, Julie and I rode our bikes out Eppley Aiport not too long ago to find out what I'm sure legions of silently suffering travelers have found out before us: our Omaha airport has been woefully lacking in bike racks. But never fear!

Two bicycle racks will soon be installed in the main parking garage, in the southeast corner. Now, one more excuse for not pedaling your way out of town is wiped away!

Who will be the first one to have an actual sighting of the airport racks in situ? Post it here!

Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator Press Release

The press release from yesterday's press conference announcing Omaha's first Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator can be found by clicking on this link!

Very exciting for the city of Omaha, the health of Omaha, and the quality of life in Omaha!

In the photo are community partners that made this happen: Kerri Peterson, Live Well Omaha; Rick Cunningham, City of Omaha Planning Department; Carlos Morales, new Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator; Paul Mullen, MAPA; Mikki Frost, Alegent Health Systems; Jim Suttle, Omaha Mayor.

If they can do it...

One of our readers just forwarded this article to us (thanks Derek). 

Inside Minnesota's Booming Bike Economy

Surely you've noticed them. The urban hipsters on their retro steel frames. Commuters lugging backpacks and pannier bags. Racers in spandex. They’re bicyclists, and by all measures, they’re multiplying on Twin Cities streets. This spring Bicycling Magazine named Minneapolis “America’s Best Biking City,” edging out perennial powerhouse Portland, to the chagrin of Oregonians, and to the surprise of the rest of the country. Despite our tough winters, we have the second-most bike commuters per capita, more than 120 miles of bike lanes and paths, and the nation’s newest and largest bike-share program.

MAPA Transportation Improvement Program - Your input needed!

Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) Seeking Public Comments and Input on Transportation Improvement Program

OMAHA – Nearly $640 million in federally funded roadway, trail, transit and aviation have been programmed in the draft Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for the metropolitan area in the next four years. MAPA is requesting public comment and participation for the proposed TIP document.

MAPA, per federal transportation legislation, must create and maintain a fiscally-constrained TIP that lists all federally-funded and “regionally significant” transportation projects programmed for at least the next four fiscal years. MAPA updates the TIP on an annual basis.

An important part of the transportation planning process is public engagement and involvement. As a draft of the TIP is now available, MAPA is asking for public review and input on the document.  Comments regarding particular projects, project timelines, or any other areas of interest are welcome.

A 30-day public review period of the draft TIP begins Friday, August 27.  Citizens may view the TIP and provide feedback at MAPA’s website, www.mapacog.org or by contacting the MAPA offices (below).

MAPA’s TIP process prioritizes federal transportation investments for the metro area. Some significant projects identified for the next four year period include:

·         Widening 144^th Street from two to four lanes between W. Dodge Road to Eagle Run Drive

·         Construction of the Missouri River Bridge at US-34 south of Bellevue

·         Widening Washington (84^th) Street from Hwy 370 to Capehart Road in Papillion

·         Realigning Saddle Creek Road from Leavenworth Street to Dodge Street with funding through UNMC and a federal earmark

·         Reconstruction of 24^th Street from 25^th Avenue to 27^th Avenue in Council Bluffs from a four-lane to a 5-lane roadway

·         Reconstruction of I-80/I-29 in Council Bluffs

·         Investments in traffic operations and signal coordination technology though a traffic control center in Omaha

·         Development of a one-call center for specialized transit services 

The TIP is developed in conjunction with local and state jurisdictions as well as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The TIP is approved by the MAPA Board of Directors, which is made up of elected officials from the five-county MAPA region.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) is a voluntary association of local governments in the greater Omaha region chartered in 1967. MAPA performs planning and development work, especially to address problems that are regional in scope and cross jurisdictional boundaries.  

To place comments please:

• Email: mapa@mapacog.org
• Call: (402) 444-6866
• Mail: 2222 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68102

The 15-year report, unlike its two predecessors, examines a range of efforts to increase bicycling and walking in the United States. Programs at the Federal, State, and local levels are included, as well as case studies on best practices. Finally, the report makes recommendations for research, policy, and other measures that can be taken to meet the goals of the original study.

Mayor Suttle is a Bike Commuter

This year, Mayor Suttle joined us for the Mayor's Ride.  If you couldn't make it to the ride, here is a helmet camera view of the ride.  Make sure you join us for this event next year if you didn't ride this year.  Hopefully, the 2011 Mayor's Ride will be a bit earlier so that more people can participate.

Register now for the Urban Omaha – The Ultimate Adventure Race on June 5^th!!

Click here to register today!!!

Thank you to all the people who attended the Governor’s Proclamation Signing for Bike Month and Bike to Work Week. There were 15 individuals representing Omaha, Lincoln and several local and state advocacy groups promoting biking in Nebraska. It was a tremendous turnout and we hope to continue to build momentum for multi-modal transportation in the state. To view who attended please click here.

Here is the proclamation that was signed:

Bike Month Proclamation

Nebraska Bicycle Month, May 2010

WHEREAS, for more than a century, the bicycle has been an important part of the lives of many Americans, and today residents of all ages throughout Nebraska engage in bicycling for transportation, recreation, physical activity, environmental preservation, and fun; and

WHEREAS, increased bicycle usage will promote health and wellness in Nebraska and is an important part of encouraging all citizens to develop habits of physical activity to become or stay fit, avoid overweight and obesity, and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and conditions; and

WHEREAS, increased bicycle usage will promote the development of livable communities and foster policy changes at all levels to incorporate Complete Streets that provide the opportunity for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers to share the road; and

WHEREAS, the education of cyclists and motorists about the proper and safe operation of bicycles is important to ensure the safety and comfort of all users; and

WHEREAS, bicycling offers a unique perspective from which residents and visitors may discover Nebraska’s natural beauty, history, and culture; and

WHEREAS, Nebraska’s vast network of scenic rural roads, multi-use and rail corridor trail systems, and pleasant weather conditions make the Cornhusker state a favorite destination for bicycling enthusiasts; and

WHEREAS, May is Bike Month and Bike to Work Week is May 17 through the 21 and provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the many benefits of bicycling, to promote bicycle safety, and to encourage bike riding through organized events such as Bike-to-Work events, club rides, family rides, and bike rodeos for children;

Thanks again for your efforts, passion, and energy!

Brian Coyle, Michelle Stryker, and Tim Montgomery

What does the CDC have to do with Transportation?

Well, everything, now that you mention it!

The CDC has just published its recommendations for transportation policy:

"Expanding the availability of, safety for, and access to a variety of transportation options and integrating health-enhancing choices into transportation policy has the potential to save lives by preventing chronic diseases, reducing and preventing motor-vehicle-related injury and deaths, improving environmental health, while stimulating economic development, and ensuring access for all people.

With this goal in mind, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified transportation policies that can have profound positive impact on health. CDC supports strategies that can provide a balanced portfolio of transportation choices that supports health and reduces health care costs. Transportation policy can:

•Reduce injuries associated with motor vehicle crashes
•Encourage healthy community design
•Promote safe and convenient opportunities for physical activity by supporting active transportation infrastructure
•Reduce human exposure to air pollution and adverse health impacts associated with these pollutants
•Ensure that all people have access to safe, healthy, convenient, and affordable transportation

If you drill down in the report a little more, you'll find specific references to Safe Routes to School, Complete Streets, and other things that are on the radar screen for Omaha if not already underway.

Just more "water cooler talking points" for us as we continue to advocate for active transportation in Omaha!