The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) issued an updated edition of its publication, Bicycle Parking Guidelines. Bicycle parking is a critical strategy for promoting bicycling for both Transportation and recreation. Convenient, easily used, and secure bicycle parking encourages people to replace some of their car trips with bicycle trips and helps advertise and legitimize cycling as a Transportation mode. The growing popularity of bicycling, particularly in urban areas, has spurred many innovations in the field of bicycle parking. This new guide addresses the varied parking needs of both commuter and recreational cyclists with expanded guidance on long-term and sheltered parking, as well as event parking, in-street bicycle parking, and bicycle transit centers.  Read the executive summary here.

The guide is available for purchase on the APBP website.  The price is $20 for APBP members and $45 for non-members

The Chicago Department of Transportation and the Chicago Police Department announced that, for the third year in a row, they are carrying out a crosswalk enforcement initiative aimed at protecting pedestrians' safety.  The initiative consists of “sting operations” in which off-duty, undercover police officers pose as pedestrians crossing the street within a marked crosswalk.  If oncoming drivers fail to stop -- as required by law -- the vehicle will be pulled over by a police officer waiting further down the street.  Motorists can incur fines from $50 to $500.

In addition to daytime enforcement operations, this year’s initiative will focus on nighttime pedestrian safety in three neighborhoods -- areas with high numbers of nighttime pedestrian crashes, according to CDOT. Nighttime enforcements began in April in the Lake View neighborhood.

Earlier this month, the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity published its report, Solving the Problem of Childhood Obesity within a Generation.  The report, part of Michelle Obama’s Let's Move! campaign, details a coordinated strategy, identifies key benchmarks, and outlines an action plan to end the problem of childhood obesity within a generation. The action plan defines the goal of ending childhood obesity in a generation as returning to a childhood obesity rate of just 5 percent by 2030 -- the rate before childhood obesity first began to rise in the late 1970s. The report presents 70 specific recommendations, many of which can be implemented immediately.  Chapter 5, Increasing Physical Activity, calls for a federal surface Transportation act that enhances livability and physical activity.  It identifies the need for “a complete network of safe bicycle and pedestrian facilities,” federal aid for Complete Streets projects, “routine accommodation of walkers and bicyclists,” and “support for public Transportation.” 

To coincide with Bike to Work Week, the League of American Bicyclists announced their third annual Bicycle Friendly State (BFS) rankings. You can view the state rankings as well as a breakdown of how the states fared in each evaluation category.  Illinois ranked 21^st in 2010, down from 12^th in 2009 and 8^th in 2008.  What is a bicycle friendly state?  A state that promotes cycling through legislation, policies, and programs, and that creates new places to ride, educates motorists and cyclists, and encourages people to bike for Transportation and recreation. 

Earlier this month, the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) passed a regional Complete Streets policy.  The policy was adopted by the NIRPC Board unanimously.  The Active Transportation Alliance features links both to NIRPC’s Complete Streets guidelines and to the NIRPC Complete Streets resolution.

Last month, city engineers from Madison, Wisconsin began installing a red “bike box” at a busy intersection in the city’s downtown.  Madison plans to install between 10 and 20 similar boxes at other intersections throughout the year.  The bike boxes are intended to minimize conflicts between motorists and bicyclists by giving the bicyclists a marked, visible, and safe place to wait for the traffic signal green phase.  The design, formed with a thermoplastic material affixed to the pavement with a blowtorch, includes glass beads reflective to headlights, according to Madison city traffic engineer Dave Dryer.  The bike boxes are the first project from a fact-finding tour of bicycle-friendly cities in Germany and the Netherlands made in April by the Mayor of Madison, city and county Transportation planning staff, and civic and business leaders.

AASHTO LRFD Guide Specifications for Design of Pedestrian Bridges

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) released the 2^nd edition of its LRFD Guide Specifications for Design of Pedestrian Bridges.  These design specifications address the load and resistance factor design (LRFD) and construction of typical pedestrian bridges – defined as bridges designed for and intended to carry primarily pedestrians, bicyclists, equestrian riders, and light maintenance vehicles, but not designed and intended to carry typical highway traffic. Pedestrian bridges with cable supports or atypical structural systems are not specifically addressed in these design specifications.

The price for AASHTO members is $35, and for non-members, $42.

Bike to Work Week is underway!  The annual, region-wide event runs this year from June 12 to June 18, 2010, and is the perfect time to bike and to promote two-wheeled commuting at your organization!  Individuals and groups are encouraged sign up and ride their bikes.  So far, 465 companies, non-profit organizations, and other groups have signed up to compete against each other to see who can get the highest percentage of bike riders.  Bike to Work Week culminates on Friday, June 18 with the Bike to Work Week Rally in Daley Plaza.  Stop by anytime from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday to enjoy snacks, entertainment, giveaways, and a major bike commuting celebration!

Chicagoland bicyclists now have the most up-to-date riding and route information, thanks to the release of the new, fifth edition of the Chicagoland Bike Map.  The map is the result of many volunteers around the region bicycling, surveying, and documenting new and old trails, existing road conditions, and the surrounding areas.  In addition, a series of public meetings gathered input from cyclists and residents to ensure the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the map.

The new edition, produced by the Active Transportation Alliance, features:

• Expanded coverage -- north to Lake Geneva, south to the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Will County, and southwest to Grundy County
• More connections, trails, and on-street bike facilities and routes
• Icons for all the bicycle and bike repair shops in the region
• Preserved open spaces, rail transit lines and stations, and historic sites

Copies of the map are available online for $10. 

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) issued a Bureau of Design and Environment (BDE) Procedure Memorandum (Number 68-10) on “Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation (Complete Streets).”  The memorandum modifies Chapters 5 and 17 (‘Local Agency Agreements’ and ‘Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations,’ respectively) of the Bureau of Design and Environment Manual.  The changes represent IDOT’s implementation of the Illinois Complete Streets Law.  The revisions will be incorporated into the next update of the BDE Manual.

The privatization of the Chicago’s parking meters and the subsequent switch to pay-and-display consoles has resulted in thousands of bike parking spaces – in the form of the meter posts – being removed.  This fact could turn out to be a boon for local artists.  Earlier this month, the City of Chicago’s Transportation Committee authorized an innovative public art program, which some believe may rival the popular “Cows on Parade” program.  The City of Chicago will ask local artists to design decorative bike racks that double as pieces of public art.  The idea of bike racks as sculpture is already being tried in a few cities around the country -- Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Louisville, and San Antonio.  Within our region, the Village of Algonquin in McHenry County also initiated a similar program.

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has announced the 2010 Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP).  The 2010 ITEP program makes approximately $80 million in federal funds available to eligible applicants and is expected to create or sustain approximately 870 future jobs in Illinois.  The ITEP program is designed to expand travel choices, enhance the experience of travel, and improve quality of life in Illinois by funding projects that promote bicycle and pedestrian travel, improve roadway and streetscape design, and preserve and improve the cultural, historic, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of our Transportation infrastructure.

ITEP funds are awarded competitively, and any local or state government with taxing authority is eligible to apply for and sponsor an enhancement project.  Local matching funds are required and work must begin on the projects within three years.  For more information about ITEP or to access the on-line application, please visit the IDOT website.

For the second year in a row, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is making funds available through competitive grant program designed to assist local and tribal governments in establishing and implementing climate change initiatives.  The overall goal of the Climate Showcase Communities grant program is to create replicable models of sustainable community action that generate cost-effective and persistent greenhouse gas reductions while improving the environmental, economic, public health, or social conditions in a community.  The U.S. EPA expects to award approximately 25 cooperative agreements ranging from approximately $100,000 to $500,000. Approximately 5 percent of the total available funds ($500,000) are set aside for tribal governments.

Proposals are due by July 26, 2010, 4:00 p.m. EDT.

The Federal Highway Administration released The National Bicycling and Walking Study: 15-year Status Report.  The report, by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC), discusses trends and outcomes in bicycling and walking since 1994.

More specifically, the report measures the progress made toward goals of lowering the number of fatalities while increasing the percentage of trips made by bicycling and walking.  Injury and fatality statistics are presented to measure this progress, as well as results from surveys related to travel habits.  This 15-year report, unlike two earlier reports, examines a range of efforts to increase bicycling and walking in the U.S.  Programs at the federal, state, and local levels are included, as well as case studies on best practices.  In addition, the report makes recommendations for research, policy, and other measures that can help achieve goals proposed in the original study.

Bike lanes now run down the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue -- America’s “Main Street.”  As the Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood wrote on his blog, “for too long, walking and biking have been overlooked as important forms of Transportation. Now we see local governments answering that call by creating new opportunities for people to take advantage of streetcars, transit, walking, and bike lanes. They’re taking the needs of pedestrians and cyclists into account like never before.”

Localities and states have increasingly turned to land planning and urban design for help in reducing automobile use and related social and environmental costs.  However, the effects of such strategies on travel demand have not been generalized in recent years from the multitude of available studies. The authors of the article “: a meta-analysis,” published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Planning Association reviews and generalizes literature on the built environment and its affect on Transportation options and travel behavior.  Consistent with prior studies, the authors find that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) is most strongly related to measures of accessibility to destinations and secondarily to street network design variables.  According to the article, “walking is most strongly related to measures of land use diversity, intersection density, and the number of destinations within walking distance.”

The full article is available for free online.

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) launched a web-based library collection of pedestrian and bicycle-related safety videos on its website.  Submitted from pedestrian and bicycle organizations from across the country, the videos can either be viewed online or downloaded from the site. Visitors to the PBIC Video Library can use the videos for any noncommercial projects including on websites, presentations, and for events. Users of the site can either browse available videos or search by topic area.

PBIC will continually seek and compile videos to be included in this Library.  If you have publicly available videos that you have developed and would like to be included in the Video Library, contact Katy Jones at jones@hsrc.unc.edu or 919-843-7007. All videos must be either in digital or DVD format, be educational and non-commercial, and be relevant to pedestrian and bicycle safety issues.

Learn about the evolving best practices in the creation of bicycle boulevards.  This Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) webinar will draw from lessons learned in Portland, OR, and other cities across the nation.  Presenters Mia Birk of Alta Planning+Design and Greg Raisman of Portland Bureau of Transportation will describe the current state of the practice and the “next big thing” -- neighborhood greenways -- which incorporate the idea of bicycle boulevards with green streets, neighborhood enhancements, and community building.  This broader concept of sustainable, bike-friendly streets appeals to diverse groups and can help communities obtain funding.

The webinar is designed to help practitioners fully optimize existing bicycle boulevards. Attendees will learn about:

• route selection
• levels of intervention
• examples of challenges and solutions for a range of design issues
• neighborhood greenway strategies, and
• processes for getting project buy-in and approval

The webinar takes place Wednesday, July 21 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. CDT.  Cost is $50 per site for APBP members, $75 per site for non-APBP members.  Online registration is available.  For more information, contact Debra Goeks at 262-228-7025 or deb@apbp.org.

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) hosts the Livable Communities Webinar Series in order to encourage safe walking and bicycling as a viable means of Transportation and physical activity.  The free webinars are offered every other month. Afterwards, the webinars are archived for free download.

Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ), along with other area media, have picked up on the growing popularity in our region of bikable communities.   More and more suburban towns are acknowledging the desire of residents to live in places where you can comfortably and safely ride a bike or walk.  These communities are actively seeking ways to make that happen. WBEZ recently ran a piece on the Village of Homewood’s innovative approach to house-hunting.  The Village, with the help of Steve Buchtel of the Active Transportation Alliance, has promoted house-hunting trips by bike so that potential buyers can see just how bike-friendly the Village is.  CMAP’s draft GO TO 2040 plan, recommends the development of walkable and bikeable communities to increase livability.  Comments are currently being accepted on the draft GO TO 2040 plan until August 6, 2010.