NJ Transit may reverse its restrictive policy

TRENTON — Cyclists could have access to more of NJ Transit's rail system, under a revised bike policy that could be acted on next month in an attempt to end confusion among riders and crews about when and where bikes are permitted on trains.

Currently, the policy closes off about half of NJ Transit's rail system to cyclists, who are prohibited from boarding or leaving trains at stations with low-level platforms because bikes would have to be carried through train cars past seated passengers, possibly causing injury.

Read the rest here.

City Cycling (Urban and Industrial Environments)

New book, shipping soon:

Bicycling in cities is booming, for many reasons: health and environmental benefits, time and cost savings, more and better bike lanes and paths, innovative bike sharing programs, and the sheer fun of riding. City Cycling offers a guide to this urban cycling renaissance, with the goal of promoting cycling as sustainable urban transportation available to everyone. It reports on cycling trends and policies in cities in North America, Europe, and Australia, and offers information on such topics as cycling safety, cycling infrastructure provisions including bikeways and bike parking, the wide range of bike designs and bike equipment, integration of cycling with public transportation, and promoting cycling for women and children. City Cycling emphasizes that bicycling should not be limited to those who are highly trained, extremely fit, and daring enough to battle traffic on busy roads. The chapters describe ways to make city cycling feasible, convenient, and safe for commutes to work and school, shopping trips, visits, and other daily transportation needs. The book also offers detailed examinations and illustrations of cycling conditions in different urban environments: small cities (including Davis, California, and Delft, the Netherlands), large cities (including Sydney, Chicago, Toronto and Berlin), and "megacities" (London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo). These chapters offer a closer look at how cities both with and without historical cycling cultures have developed cycling programs over time. The book makes clear that successful promotion of city cycling depends on coordinating infrastructure, programs, and government policies.


Order here.

How a Bicycle is Made

This film is from England in 1946. Great fun and interest.

See the film here.

South Orange River Day - Sunday, May 6 from 11-4

Come to the River!  

South Orange River Day is an annual community gathering to clean up the South Orange section of the Rahway River, celebrate South Orange as a great place to live, and promote environmental education and awareness.
This year’s event will include:

• SOPAC Ticket Giveaway
• Live Music
• Free Snacks from Eden Gourmet
• Volunteer River Clean Up
• Educational Walking Tour of our River at 11am
• Edible Plants Walk at 12 noon
• Bike Tour with The South Orange/Maplewood Bicycle Coalition (SOMbike) at 1pm
• Used Bike Donation to Newark Bike Exchange
• NJ Watershed Ambassador Exhibit
• River Greenway Project – Plans of Next Phase on Display
• SHU Ultimate Frisbee Clinic
• Visit Tony Smith’s monumental sculpture
• Model Boat FUN Float On The Pond w/ South Orange Seaport Society
• And More

Sunday May 6th from 11 am to 4 pm at the Skate House on the duck pond off of Mead Street in South Orange.

Maplewood Green Day, 4/28, Looks Like A Sunny One!

See you there. Free bike repairs, a bike tour of eco friendly local houses, & lots more.....

Support Complete Streets for Essex County on April 25!

Encouraged by the adoption of a Complete Streets policy in three Essex County towns: Maplewood, Montclair, and Bloomfield (with a fourth, South Orange, in the process), the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Essex County is now considering adopting a county-wide Complete Streets policy. This regional approach would be a strong complement to individual town efforts, as county roadways are so important to bicyclists and pedestrians when traveling within and between our local communities.

Thank you to everyone who participated in SOMbike's letter-writing campaign to the Freeholders to help Essex County become the first "Complete Streets County" with a county-wide policy and wall-to-wall municipal policies!

The Essex County Freeholders will be voting on the Complete Streets Resolution in Newark on 4/25/12 at 7PM - Room 506.

Location:

Board of Chosen Freeholders, County of Essex
465 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Room 506 Hall of Records, Newark, New Jersey 07102
Tel: (973) 621-4486 Fax: (973) 621-5695

Complete Streets Will Take Us Where We Need to Go

http://www.njslom.org/magazine/2012-03/pg-34.html