Bicycle Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
June 23, 2010; noon
Attendees: Kelley Segars, Jennifer Robinson, Stephanie Welch, Gene Fitzhugh, Jim Hagerman, Caroline Cooley, Thomas Skibinski, Deb Haines, Mike and Paige Winck, Patrick Beeson, John Hunter
1. Announcements
New members
Kelley welcomed new members, Thomas Skibinksi and Patrick Beeson.
Bicycle Plan adoptions
Knoxville City Council and Knox County Commission in April. Thanks to Caroline Cooley and Jim Hagerman, and all who sent emails to their elected officials.
Oak Ridge bike/ped plan
Kelley and Ellen working; should have draft in July. Not sure when next public meeting will be—probably August.
UT Campus Master Plan
UT is updating its master plan and Kelley has been attending the transportation subcommittee meetings on behalf of bicycle issues. She passed around the recommendations for bike network that the committee will present for the plan. The plan won’t be completed until 2011.
UT Bike Share
UT will likely be starting two bike share programs in Spring 2011. One is a project of Chris Cherry, an engineering professor, involving self-serve kiosks with e-bikes available for short-term use (pilot project will have a limited number of participants to study how the program works). Another hasn’t been approved yet, but would have 20 – 30 bikes available for semester-long checkout/rental.
Bicycle Friendly Community application
Kelley is applying for BFC status for Knoxville. The application is due July 16. We’ve got letters of support from Mayor Haslam, SMW and Health Dept. Bike counts are helpful to show our progress.
Bike Walk Tennessee representative
Jesse O’Hatnick was serving as our representative, but he had to step down due to other obligations. They are looking for someone to represent Knoxville.
2. BAC roundtable
Jen has been working on finding locations to display the “And We Bike” lifesize cutouts (bike awareness campaign). So far both malls have said yes and she is working on Food City now. She got “no” from Walmart and Target. (Chris Eaker has been working on other locations and got a no from Carmike.)
Anne worked hard to get a discount on registration for Downtown Dash participants who biked or took transit to get to the race. About 29 out of 142 registrants took advantage of this great offer. She is hoping that event organizers, especially downtown events, will start making it a standard part of event planning to encourage alternative transportation. She has been talking to a neighbor who works for Regal Cinemas about having a Bike Commuting 101 presentation for his employees. Perhaps also a presentation at Halls Library for the public.
Stephanie talked about the efforts that the Health Department is making for bike issues, including the recent Active-8 program which included weekly bike rides. The Safe Routes to School coalition is working on walking and biking to school. The Healthy Kids, Healthy Community program is working on environment and policy changes to increase physical activity and healthy eating. Together Healthy Knox is a strategic planning process.
Gene has been working with a committee on alternative transportation. He had students do bikeability and walkability assessments of campus. 90% of roads were rated as poor for bicycling. He also has students conduct our bicycle and pedestrian counts each spring and fall.
Jim spoke to City Council on behalf of the BAC in support of the Bicycle Plan. He has been teaching a bike safety class through UT Continuing Education.
Caroline also spoke in support of the Bicycle Plan to City Council. She wrote a successful grant for a Kids Love Bikes earn-a-bike program where kids do community service and get bicycle safety education and get a Specialized bicycle, and a helmet and lock, at the end. Sponsored by Specialized bikes, SCO, Mast General, the Bike Zoo and the YMCA.
Deb assisted with the bike rodeo at EarthFest, and wants to coordinate with Town Hall East on bicycle issues and Health Dept efforts.
Mike and Paige developed a presentation including skits for Drivers Ed classes and presented to Hardin Valley Academy classes. They will be presenting it to all Drivers Ed instructors in August and are seeking help to present to all Knox County high schools in September (late August?). The presentation got a really good response from students and the instructors at Hardin Valley.
John got the bike route sign bid out and will be coordinating the installation in the fall.
Kelley reported on behalf of two members who couldn’t attend today:
Jay Nevans—added to Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation board; attended a Healthy Communities workshop at the Baker Center; did Bikes and Blooms bike ride; talking to Duane Grieve about bike issues.
Mike Smith—Organized a Bike commuting 101 presentation at his workplace (Fleet Feet Sports in Turkey Creek); had 6 attendees, which is great.
This evolved into a discussion of Cumberland Ave. Reiterated that motor vehicle traffic will be moving slowly because of congestion and traffic signal settings, so bicyclists should be able to keep up with traffic as on Gay St. Question of medians, which were not included in the final design decision. Timing for construction is up in the air, but probably within 3 – 5 years.
3. Outreach
Smart Trips Month recap
Bike to Work Day was rainy—still had 42 people downtown, and day before, 26 people at ORNL. Mast General bike ride series was popular. Discussion about what to do differently. Possibility of having another location, or starting earlier than 7:30 a.m. Anne said she liked the calendar format from last year better.
Tour de Lights planning
Date set for Thur, Dec 16. Panel of judges for decoration contest—photos taken before ride. Better signage and organization to handle the enormous crowds. How to get people to come earlier—perhaps door prizes to be given out before the ride, or refreshments.
“And We Bike” campaign
Will take photos and produce cutouts in July. Shoot for the displays in malls in late July/early August, then schedule booths at Farmers Markets. Looks like we may have permission for Regal movie theaters. Bliss offered to put it out front as well. UT? Concern over vandalism.
4. Education
Drivers Ed presentations—already heard about in BAC roundtable. Need assistance—Caroline volunteered and Stephanie said she would assign someone to help.
Kids Love Bikes program—already heard about in BAC roundtable
Recent idea for a youth program with City Parks and Rec, pilot program in Lonsdale, one of the target communities for Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities grant program; afterschool program taking kids and bikes to different greenways, and Safety City; then an Earn a Bike program for that same pool of kids. Bike rodeo in the neighborhood; festival day. Perhaps also have Neighborhood Bike Ride go through Lonsdale if the program is going to be this fall.
5. Enforcement
Kelley, with some assistance from Mike Winck, completed KPD inservice this spring for all KPD officers.
6. Projects
City of Knoxville bike routes
Signs are about to be ordered. Installation probably this fall. Includes some pavement markings.
Greenway projects
Phase I of Knox-Blount in fall; Papermill Bluff about same time frame; connection of Ten Mile/Gallaher and Jean Teague possibly this summer.
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Knoxville Regional Bicycle Program