December 2006
LOCAL SPONSORED RIDES
CLOSED FOR THE SEASON
First FOUR Reasons to Bike:
1) Increase Property Values
2) Correlation with overall wealth
3) Less Public Money Is Needed To
Create a High Quality Transportation System
4)High-Tech Business Is Attracted by
a Perceived Better Quality of Life
from 28 REASONS TO BIKE
LOCAL GROUP RIDES
Every Saturday morning a group of us leaves Hendersonville between 8AM to 9AM and ride various routes in Sumner County. Yes, EVEN IN THE COLD. I asked Dave Shumaker what do you wear when it is so cold. He said, "Everything you own."
It's not that bad. With the proper clothing riding in 30 degree temperatures, typical of our winters, is quite enjoyable (and exhilarating, of course).
Doug Depew is our ride leader. For more information, please contact us at
I HEARD IT IN THE WIND
Hendersonville Green Day Tour
David Hardin and Frank Bowyer have sketched some ideas for the "Hendersonville Green Day Town Tour."
- Date: May 12'th
- Purpose: Promote safety and awareness for bike and pedestrian use in Hendersonville.
- Participation Goal: 500 people.
- Events: Adult - 8, 16, 32, mile bike tours; 5k fun run/walk, Bike Ed 101, Walk/Run Ed 101
Children - 1/2 mile run, Riding with training wheels, 3 mile bike tour, Bike Ed 101, Walk Ed 101
An event of this magnitude requires an organization larger than the Greenways Committee. In order to proceed, we need
volunteer leaders from other community groups, such as churches, YMCA, Scouts, Chamber of Commerce, etc.
Please contact David at The Biker's Choice Bicycle Shop if your organization would like to help. We will meet in January
to decide if we have sufficient leadership to go forward.
GRITS 2007
In the year 2000 Bike South was a 2000 mile ride that began in the Florida panhandle and did cross-state rides in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia. In 2007 Bob Schofield (from Australia) and Bruce Day plan a repeat start-ing this time in Charleston, SC on May 18'th and ending in Hendersonville three weeks later.
The level of planning that these guys put into these International events is impressive. Visit their blog at
Hendersonville Town Center
Visit the new town developments along Rt 30A in Florida panhandle, such a Seaside, Water Color, Sea Crest, etc. Visit new town center developments that sell on the new urbanism concept. Visit towns in Europe that are so attractive to tourism and you will see developers promoting quality of life through community and WITHOUT cars. Here biking and walking is the only mode of transportation. How bicycle/pedestrian friendly is our planned Town Center?
Lower Station Camp Greenway
The firm, Wiser Company, has been contracted by the Sumner County Greenway Committee to develop a Master Plan for the Lower Station Creek Road Streetscape and Pavement Rehabilitation Project (a.k.a. greenway). The project begins at Long Hollow Pike, follows the present road corridor southward, and ends in the area of the new SR 386 with a trail on the west bank of the creek in some sections. Wiser met with Sumner County Greenway Committee on Dec 5. They have been asked to talk also to the Hendersonville Greenways Committee in order to assure connectivity to other planned or constructed pedestrian/bike ways. Our plan is to share the Hardin/Whitten Master Plan with them and to discuss options for the extension of the Halo Properties Greenway.
HENDERSONVILLE TOMORROW
On October 24'th Tom Evans met with the Board of Alderman and Mayor to present the goals of the Bike and Pedestrian Sub-committee, now known as the Hendersonville Greenways Committee. He listed them as follows:
Safe Routes to Schools
COMMITTEE ACTIVITIES
November Committee Meeting
In the November meeting of Greenways Committee the primary topic was Bike/Pedestrian Master Plan , specifically in the new Indian Lake Village as being developed by Halo Properties. The latest development plan
.
Your Participation is Important
Please write a short note to your Alderman and tell them you support the efforts of the Hendersonville Greenways Committee. Find list at www.hvilletn.org/aldermen.aspx.
The Hendersonville Greenway Committee, which was re-established as a sub-committee of the Hendersonville Tomorrow Committee, has been in existence for a year. However, many of the members of the Steering Committee and Advisory Committee have been active since 1999 when the initial Master Plan for Hendersonville was compiled. Our mission is to promote, advocate, and assist City Leaders in the development for safe corridors for walking and biking for citizens of all ages. In pursuit of that objective Greenways are the best alternative, assuring the tranquility and recreational benefits of environmentally responsible green space for the greatest number of people.
In cooperation with the National Center for Safe Routes programs Tennessee Depart-ment of Transportation is offering grants focused on increasing levels of walking and bicycling to school among elementary and middle school students. While the program is designed to reduce traffic and air pollution in the vicinity of schools, it aims at safety and health. The Hendersonville Greenways Committee would like to use this opportunities to encourage and enable more children to walk and bike safely to school. These Grants are 100% federal funds and do not require a local match.
1) Obtain City commitment to Greenways by establishing a Greenways Planner on City Staff (a part-time task) similar to what other cities with a successful program have done. (Note: we can get some competent outside expertise to help when the City makes this specific commitment)
2) Work with the Greenways Planner to obtain city commitment to the Master Plan (revised in 2006 by David Hardin and Timothy Whitten)
3) Establish our Greenways Committee as a formal advisory committee to support the Greenways Planner (with a scope revised and expanded to match what other successful cities have, such as Missoula, MT; Auburn, AL; etc.)
For more information and to sign up to receive this newsletter, contact Doug Depew at BikeNwalk@comcast.net
Visit our Web Site at http://bikinhville.homestead.com. You can find past newsletters there.
BikeNwalk Newsletter is edited and distributed by Tom Evans (tom@evanscenter.com)
BUILD-A-BIKE TRAIL the TDOT WAY
In our Demcember meeting the Hendersonville Greenways Committee unanimously agreed the The Bicycle and Pedestrian Element of the Long-Range Transportation Plan of the Transportation Department of Tennessee (TDOT) would be the baseline of its re-write of the City's Master Plan commentary. In it TDOT aims to position Tennessee as one of the most pro-gressive states for bicycling and walking for the next 25 years. The Committee agreed to use this plan in its promotion with City leaders and Staff. The 221 page plan is at www.tdot.state.tn.us/plango/pdfs/plan/BicyclePed.pdf.
The plan includes eight components:
- Guiding Principles, Goals, and Objectives This component outlines a vision for bicycling and walking in Tennessee.
It notes the benefits of bicycling and walking and how investing in bicycle and pedestrian facilities can improve
the entire transportation system, community livability, the environment, and public health.
- Existing Policies and Plans: This chapter provides a summary of existing state policies, plans, and programs and discusses
local plans and programs and advocacy organizations with reference to the adoption of the Bicycle and Pedestrian
Policy (TCA 4-3-2303) in 2003.
- Existing Conditions: This component discusses existing bicycling and walking rates in Tennessee and select urban areas,
existing bicycle facilities on state highways, major gaps in the bicycle and pedestrian network, and an analysis of
collected data on motor vehicle crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians.
- Needs Analysis: This chapter discusses the needs of various non-motorized users, including commuter and recrea-
tional bicyclists, pedestrians, the disabled, and children. It provides guiding principles for planning and building
facilities that are appropriate for the users.
- Proposed State Bicycle System: This component proposes eight new state bicycle routes considering issues of connectivity
and major attractors in adjoining states, parks, cities and scenic areas. It also makes recommendations for signing,
maintenance, and jurisdictional responsibility of the bicycle routes.
- Recommended Policies,Practices and Procedures: This component establishes bicycle and pedestrian planning, design, and
implementation guidelines and recommends
- accommodating actions
- enhancements of existing TDOT bicycle and pedestrian- related policies.
- local bicycle plans and other modal plans, public/private initiatives, strategies for increasing walking and bicycling
rates in Tennessee, education and safety programs, and training and resource delivery programs.
- Policy Guidance By Environment: This component contains policy guidance on the applications of bicycle and pedestrian
facilities based on different highway environments and conditions.
- Implementation: The final plan component discusses gaps in the bicycle/pedestrian network, the costs to bridge these gaps,
as well as the costs to implement recommended programs and policies. Funding sources are described for transporta-
tion projects as well as trail and greenway projects. This plan recommends about $200 million worth of improvements
for bicycle/pedestrian facilities over the next 25 years
County-Wide Greenways Meeting
Anthony Holt, Sumner County Greenways Chairman; Mike Goff, Quality Control, Engineering Division, City of Gallatin, and the Hendersonville Greenways Committee are scheduling a county-wide Greenways meeting in late January or early February to share planning, land development activities, and mutual grant application opportunities. Originally, scheduled for early December Mayor Hank Thompson requested we move the date because Jo Ann Graves (Gallatin Mayor-Elect) wants to participate in an offical status.
shows the construction of a greenway with multi-use path in Hale Park along the CSX railroad from Stop 30 to Indian Lake Blvd, then running north near the boulevard to Mir Parkway. From here it runs along the parkway, on the proposed new bridge over Drakes Creek and connects to Scotch St. Near Stop 30 the greenway would have a connector to the new library. The Halo Properties Greenway follows the route recommended on the Master Plan with an additional section running to and along the parkway.
In the Master Plan the greenway continues along the railroad, under the Indian Lake Blvd overpass, and to Drake's Creek where it connects to the greenway in Phase II of City's Trans-
portation Enhancement Project. At the eastern end of the Halo Properties Greenway we have the opportunity in longer term development by Halo Properties to connect with the Sumner County Lower Station Camp Greenway. Timothy Whitten said that because the extension is shown on the Hendersonville Bike/Ped Master Plan, we would expect any future development plans to comply with the plan. The City of Gallatin also has greenway proposals to connect to the Lower Station Camp Greenway. These plans achieve the goals of County and City planners to have alternate transportation routes that are safe for travelers of ALL ages, whether they be on foot, on skates, on bicycles, or pushing strollers.
The Committee did voice concern about the additional causeway section of greenway added by Halo Properties. Whereas the section gives greenway users easy access to Veterans Park, it requires them to cross Indian Lake Blvd. The issue is safety of the youngsters and oldsters that try to make that crossing. With the great development that Halo Properties plans for this area, this route is likely to see high levels of traffic. Making this crossing is like trying to walk across Gallatin Road at Indian Lake Rd. Try it! Then ask, "Is that something we want our kids to do?" That safety concern is why the Master Plan has the greenway running under Indian Lake Blvd at the CSX overpass. Frank Bowyers has been trying to meet with the Halo people to discuss this concern, but has not yet been able to make contact.
Please see our Web Site for a copy of the meeting agenda and minutes. All meetings are open to the public and we invite anyone with an interest in walking, jogging, biking, and greenways activities to participate. For further information please contact Doug Depew at BikeNwalk@comcast.net
The description of the program at the TDOT Web Site www.tdot.state.tn.us/bikeped/saferoutes.htm follows:
Building on local initiatives, the SRTS program will fund the planning, development and implementation of infra-structure projects, as well as education and outreach activities. Examples of eligible infrastructure projects include sidewalk improvements, crosswalks, traffic control signs and signals, and bicycle lanes. Importantly, the program will also provide money for activities that encourage safe walking and bicycling to school, including public awareness campaigns, outreach to press and community leaders, traffic education and enforcement around schools, and student sessions on bicycle and pedestrian safety
Unfortunately, Bruce Day our Project Leader for this activity didn't hear about the training meeting in Nashville until it was too late for any of us to re-arrange our schedules to attend. We are looking for help from the County and Mayor Hank Thompson, which has grant writing capability; Senator Diane Black, who brought this opportunity to our attention, and Leslie Thompson of the Metropolitan Planning Office to provide guidance. Diane and Leslie are advisory members of the Hendersonville Greenways Committee. We are also interested in advice from the citizens of Hendersonville as to the content of our application. PLEASE contact us at BikeNwalk@comcast.net or Tom Evans at tom@evanscenter.com. We will forward everything to Bruce.
