Aug/Sep 2007
LOCAL SPONSORED RIDES
9/15, BRAT 2007
9/29, BRASS #19
10/6-7, Jack and Back
10/06, Leaves of Lincoln
10/13, SMW Fall Century
LOCAL GROUP RIDES
Our area is blessed with many Road-Bike Riding Clubs. Since our goal is to promote biking as a sport and leisure activity, many of the clubs send us their schedules, which we share on our Web Site.
If your club would like to share its schedule, please forward it to Doug Depew at
BikeNwalk@comcast.net
.
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 Tomor-row 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.
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, often written, and distributed by Tom Evans (tom@evanscenter.com)
RIDE SAFELY - It's the Law
PLANNING FOR PUBLIC SAFETY
It is my intent to regain the 6’ to 8’ shoulder along Gallatin Road. As with most issues involving multiple players, new store openings, and TDOT traffic signals it may take 60 to 90 days, so please be patient.
Thanks, Scott Foster
TOWN CENTER GREENWAY
Bike Routes in and around Hendersonville
The B.R.A.S.S.
This year's Bike Ride Across Scenic Sumner has some significant changes. The most important is -- the ride is THREE WEEKS earlier than its normal date on the third weekend in October. It is now on September 29'th. You can pre-register at the Bikers' Choice. Please support our local programs.
The other change is the weather. With the extreme drought conditions riders won't be treated to the usually great fall colors. Tree leaves are already turning brown. Regardless, we seldom miss a chance to tour Sumner County. The scenery is always outstanding and the roads are in exceptionally good shape. Maybe the early date for this event will provide a better opportunity to experience the best colors we may be likely to see this year.
Red Boiling Springs Fall Tour
In the Spring of 2007 David Buckman and Bruce Day lured Tom Evans on a 3 day cycle tour with stops in Springfield and Montgomery Bell State Park. Despite rain, unexpected killer hills, five mile detours advertised as short cuts, and a warning from the Ashland City Chief of Police to not let the sun set on our cycles in his town, Tom enjoyed the experience enough to request a Fall reprise. To that end we have put together a two day, 120-mile overnight excursion to Red Boiling Springs, TN with an open invitation to anyone wanting to join us. Non-cycling significant others are encouraged to meet us in Red Boiling Springs. As of September 5 we have five couples committed. If you are interested please email Tom Evans or Bruce Day so we can develop a contact list for any change in plans. Click here for more details.
... Bruce Day
The number one reason my non-cycling friends give for not riding their bikes is the lack of a safe place to ride. With a few exceptions Hendersonville is a cycle friendly city. Over the next few newsletters we plan to give readers some suggested cycleable routes right in our area. There will be traffic but all safety studies indicate that cycling is still very safe and cars seldom strike cyclists. Click here to download excellent safe cycling guidelines.
Getting to most of the rides will involve cycling along Main Street, variously known as US 31E, Gallatin Road, Johnny Cash Parkway and that *!%$# busy road. Don't be put off by the heavy traffic because except for the section from New Shackle to Sanders Ferry, Main has very good shoulders. I have cycled along Main for fifteen years and have never had a near miss while I was on the shoulder proceeding in the proper direction. Crossing Main can require some patience, but can also be done safely. So don't let Main Street keep you pinned in your neighborhood. This month I'll feature the Stop 30/Saundersville Road loop, my first route out of my neighborhood. It is ten miles, easy to follow, and has just enough hills and traffic to train you for your assault on the world.
1) Stop 30-Saundersville Road Loop (10 Miles)
... Bruce Day
Mayor Foster is responding to a problem that Frank Bowyer identified, Bruce Day documented, and David Hardin forwarded to the Mayor's office. We appreciate Mayor Foster's quick and timely response. However, the Greenways Committee is being criticized for not having caught this problem before "it got cast into concrete."
We do realize that many residents are upset due to the proposed changes to Saundersville Rd and trust nothing that they are being told, but we would like to review what the Greenways Committee has attempted to do to avoid issues similar to the Thornton Market Bike Lane encroachment.
In the same context of this problem an attorney, who is also recreational biker, asked us what Hendersonville is doing to address safety issues with the growing interest in bicycling in our community. He is seeing a growth in court cases involving injury with bikes and autos. He said virtually every major city he visits have road safety programs for biking. He sees nothing happening in Hendersonville.
Below is a picture of Thornton's. As I came South on Saundersville there was a traffic jam at this intersection. A standard issue 18-wheeler semi was trying to make a right turn west onto East Main. He had to swing all the way into the opposing left turn lane to negotiate the corner. The pictures do show how much shoulder was taken and how most cars cheat past the white line, then swing wide into the left lane. Bruce
The Hendersonville Greenways Committee was formed from the members of the Bike/Pedestrian Sub-Committee of Hen-dersonville Tomorrow Committee (HTC) and the 2003 Bike/Pedestrian Review Committee (BPRC). Although the Board of Aldermen and Mayor (BOMA) no longer recognize HTC and BPRC, the Greenways Committee continues as a volunteer citizen action committee organized to promote biking, pedestrian activities, and Greenways in Hendersonville.
Our Committee consists of a Steering Organization and Advisory Group. Our Steering Committee provides a broad range of volunteers, from the High Speed Biker Types to the Stroller Mom Types. As advisors we have State and Federal Senators and Congressmen, past State Parks Directors, County Commission, and Regional Metropolitan Planners offer assistance to the City. In most cities Greenways are receiving a lot of attention. Our goal is to provide a public forum for all residents as it relates to this activity.
It is common practice for communities with active pedestrian and biking interests to jointly develop opportunities in the community via a Citizens Advisory Committee (such as our Greenways Committee) meeting on a regular basis with Public Works or the Parks Department. In such meetings issues like the Thorton Market would have been avoided.
In this mission members of our Committee have offered our assistance to the Planning Commission, Planning Department, and Public Works Department. Initially in 2006, the Planning Department forwarded plats for our review before presenting to the Planning Commission, but that courtesy has ceased. Our offers of assistance to the other city organizations were met with "thanks, but no thanks," and no further consideration.
The Greenway Committee provides recommendations to the City Staff (generally unsolicited) based on guidelines established by the American Association of State Traffic Officials (AASHTO) and the Tennessee's Long Range Transportation Plan by TDOT. In selecting greenway and bike routes the Committee criterion is to propose routes that are safe for unsupervised use by middle-school children.
The Greenways Committee is pleased to see recent greenway proposals from the City, but we are also aware that in the same time since Hendersonville completed its first Bike/Pedestrian Master Plan in 2000 under the guidance of Regional Metropolitan Planning Office, Nashville has added thirty miles of greenways and bicycle paths (click here to visit Nashville Greenways), Bart Gordon has obtained greenway funding for Gallatin, Portland, Smyrna, and Murfreesboro in excess of $8 Million, and Bob Clement helped White House obtain $3.5 Million for its greenway.
NOTICE
During the past several issues of the Greenways Newsletter we have had trouble with the Mail Software (DADA Mail) sending out notices to all our subscribers We apologize. However, you haven't missed anything. All our Newsletters are electronic and Archived on our Web Site, you can retrieve a past copy by clicking on this link.
HAPPENINGS WITH WALK/BIKE NASHVILLE
Walk/Bike Nashville has been busy over the past year developing a strategic plan, which was finalized and adopted by the board in July, 2007. Our goals set forth a clear vision to increase advocacy and public education efforts, including enforcement of laws and awareness of new laws.
For example, we've begun an internal campaign to stop parking in bike lanes, as it is illegal and unsafe for cyclists. We chose to pilot this attempt in East Nashville along Eastland Avenue and while it is slow to take hold, it is a good learning experience and we anticipate cars soon moving out of the bike lane.
Another item on our agenda is teaming up with the Harpeth Bicycle Club and TriStar to put together a public education campaign on the recently passed Jeff Roth and Brian Brown Safe Cycling Act, giving cyclists a 3-foot designated passing zone from motor vehicles with a violation of Class C Misdemeanor.
And of course, we continue to plan the next Tour de Nash (May 17, 2008) and the soon to come Walk Nashville Week, scheduled for September 30-October 6.
... Shannon Hornsby, Executive Director
The “Jeff Roth and Brian Brown Bicycle Protection Act of 2007” was signed into law on May 3, 2007, by Governor Phil Bredesen. Passed without opposition in both the House and Senate, this act provides that
The operator of a motor vehicle when overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet (3’) and shall maintain such clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle.
A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
31 mile Tour 8:25am 62 mile Tour 8:15am
All routes will start and finish at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church (Stop Thirty Road) . The 31 mile ride will consist of scenic views along back country farm roads starting at 8:25am. The 62 mile ride, consisting of hills, hollows, and big country views will entertain and challenge even the most avid cyclist starting at 8:15am. All are great ways to see Sumner County.
Hosted by the Knights of Columbus at Our Lady of the Lake in Hendersonville, with proceeds Benefiting
Child Welfare League of America, Food for Families, Homeless Outreach, Jason Foundation,
Meals for Homebound, Mentally Retarded Foundation.
Fee is $25 day of. Registration opens at 7:00am. Questions: Call David @615-822-2512
In the September 5, 2007 issue of the Hendersonville Star News, Public Works Director Jerry Horton announced the planned construction of a Greenway that will link the Town Center to Memorial Park. Highlights of the project consist of:
- A boardwalk that links Mallard Point and a bridge to Gallatin Road sidewalk.
- A seawall along Drake's Creek with tie-offs for boats
- Greenway near Imperial Boulevard by Vastland, developer of Waterford Crossing
However, the project at this time is not funded and past attempts to secure federal grants have been unsuccessful. Jerry Horton said private developers could build much of the project as the Town Center area is developed.
Tony Gottlieb, land owner in the area of Town Center, and member of the Hendersonville Greenways Committee has been working with real estate owners to examine ways to finance a Greenway along Drake's Creek. Tony along with the Committee feels obtaining federal grants for this project is a long shot and the City's experience is not very promising. We are all anxious to see Greenways progress beyond the "planning stage."
CREEKSIDE DEVELOPMENT
From: Frank Bowyers, July 21, 2007
Hey David Hardin, I noticed on a training ride today that the shoulder in front of Creekside is completely gone. Now, it looks like they are going to construct a lane there, perhaps a very long deceleration lane. This is outside Hville city limits, but would they (Hville Planning Commission) have reviewed the master plan for Creekside? Or would that be considered Gallatin? I'm wondering what is going to go there. The shoulder along the whole front of the property bordering 174/Long Hollow Pike is gone and the land has been cleared from the edge of the road, back about 30-40 feet. It definitely looks like they are going to put a lane or something; I just want to make sure the Bike Route along LHP doesn't meet the same fate as in front of Thornton's. They could very easily make that a grassy area with a sidewalk and no shoulder.
From: Frank Bowyer, July 26, 2007
Hi all, just heard from Kenneth Massey at TDOT and he confirms per the Master Plan that a 4-8' shoulder will be maintained along the front of the Creekside development on Long Hollow Pike at Station Camp Creek. Currently, the area is excavated and being prepped for widening to accommodate turn lanes both in the middle of LHP and along the frontage of Creekside. This is good news!
Greenway sketch from the
Sharing the Road: Cyclists
On the Road:
> The same laws that apply to motorists apply to cyclists
> Obey all traffic control devices
> Use hand signals to indicate stops and turns other users
Always Wear a Properly Fitting Helmet:
> Wear a helmet, no matter how short the trip
Ride on the Right:
> Always ride in the same direction as traffic
> Use the furthest right lane that heads to your destination
> Slower moving cyclists and motorists stay to the right
Ride Predictably:
> Ride in a straight line
> Don't swerve in the road or between parked cars
> Check for traffic before entering street or intersection
> Anticipate hazards and adjust your position accordingly
Be Visible:
> Wear brightly colored clothing that provides contrast
> Use a white front light in low light conditions
> Use a red rear light in low light conditions
> Use a reflector or reflective tape or clothing anytime
> Announce yourself by making eye contact with motorists
Sharing the Road: Motorists
Drive Cautiously:
> Reduce speed when encountering cyclists
> Don't tailgate, especially in bad weather
> Recognize hazards cyclists may face and give them space
Yield to Cyclists:
> Bicycles are considered vehicles
> Cyclists should be given the appropriate right of way
> Allow extra time for cyclists to traverse intersections
Be Considerate:
> Scan for cyclists in traffic and at intersections
> Do not blast your horn in close proximity to cyclists
> Look for cyclists when opening doors
Pass with Care:
> When passing, leave four feet between you and a cyclist
> Wait for safe road and traffic conditions before you pass
> Check over your shoulder before moving back
Watch for Children:
> Children on bicycles are often unpredictable
> Expect the unexpected and slow down
> Don't expect children to know traffic laws
> Because of their size children can be harder to see
The best way to educate motorists on bicyclists' rights to the road is to ride respectfully and have facts on your side. Here are some resources for cyclists and drivers on sharing the road. (From League of American Bicyclists)
ROAD CYCLING
Bicycling is used for recreation among all age groups. In recent years, bicycling has once again become a popular mode of transportation for commuting to work and school. In urban areas, the benefits of bicycle commuting are obvious — exercise, less traffic congestion and parking headaches, and no automobile emissions. The Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21) defines a bicycle transportation facility as a new or improved lane, path or shoulder for use by bicyclists and a traffic control device, shelter or parking facility for bicycles.
For many people, road bicycling is a passion. Being able to ride 25, 50, or even 100 miles in a day on a bicycle is not inconceivable for true cycling enthusiasts. Bicycle tours such as the B.R.A.T. (Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee) steadily attract hundreds of riders each year to enjoy the scenery of Tennessee and the challenge of competition.
Road cyclists are challenged with finding safe places to ride. In Tennessee, bicycles are designated a mode of transportation, yet bicycles and automobiles (and trucks) don't mix well within the standard road width. Special provisions must be made to keep cyclists safe and motorists educated about how to share the road with bicycles.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is currently designating bicycle routes throughout the state when wide shoulders and other criteria are met along roads. Currently, there are 680 miles of designated Bike Routes throughout Tennessee. When new state roadways are developed or existing roadways improved, the TDOT reviews the project design and incorporates bicycle rights-of-way where possible.
FYI: Gallatin Road is a State Road. with marked Bike lanes. Maintenance of those lanes needs attention.
In general, road cyclists prefer to share the road with automobiles where wide road shoulders (minimum 3 feet), bike lane striping and special signage is provided. In some areas such as high-volume major roadways or highways where bicyclists are prohibited, separated bike paths may be more appropriate to accommodate bicycle use.
Nashville Takes First Steps to Become a Bicycle Friendly Community
During the Summer of 1999, Metropolitan Nashville initiated a pilot bikeway project that calls for establishing a network of bike-friendly streets that will connect downtown Nashville with neighborhoods and popular destinations on the west side of
town. Design plans are currently underway with construction anticipated for 2000-2001. Numerous studies indicate that when you provide on-street bike facilities, it increases the number of people who use bikes as transpor-tation, and it decreases the conflicts between bikes and cars, says Tim Netsch, Assistant Greenways Director for Nashville.
... Tennessee Trails and Greenways Plan
Please read these two articles from Montgomery, AL: Motorists a hazard to cyclists,Violent incidents prompt education campaign; Laws of the Road Govern Bikers Also.
