Meet in the Street

Visited the Keystone Café last night to attend a planning meeting for Meet in the Street, a Cyclovia/Sunday Parkways-style event designed to bring our community together face-to-face in an urban environment, sans voiture. The specific date isn't set, but folks are talking about late summer/early fall.

Part of the goal is to bridge Eugene's riverside, Fern Ridge and Amazon bike paths. The challenge is to find a route that the city will accommodate, as it will require cooperation with local residents, businesses, the fire department, police, Lane Transit District, and more.

The illustrious Shane Rhodes has created maps of propositions for the final route:

The original route. Connects all bike paths by closing about 6 miles on Monroe/Blair, 15th, High, and Alder. Totally awesome, as it would create miles and miles of bikeway and several parks. Would require a lot of the city's resources, as it crosses a score of lit intersections.

West-side route. Connects river and Fern Ridge paths by closing just 2.3 miles in Whiteaker Neighborhood. Crosses 6 traffic lights and hits 4 parks.

A moderate route. Connects all three paths as well as campus, closes 2.75 miles to cars, and hits 4-6 parks, depending on how you count. Blocks only 5 lights.

Campus/Southtowne route. Connects river and Amazon paths. Closes 2.3 miles on 15th, Kincaid, and High. Connects a few parks, but only blocks two lights.

Though a longer route looks good on paper, Eugene is less than a quarter the size of Portland. The bigger city's 8-mile Sunday Parkways cost roughly $150,000 and was attended by some 10,000 of its 575,930 residents. With a proportional attendance, we'll see about 2,500 locals out in the street.

Imagine stretching those people out over 6 miles, and it might look like a middle-school dance in a high-school gymnasium; yeah, there's people there, but they're all spread out, and it doesn't really feel like a party. Now, stick those middle-schoolers in a preschool nap room, and you've got a wicked shindig!

Besides, if things go really well and the event is over-attended, there will be more reason to do it all again on a larger scale.

What do you think? Post your feedback on the Google Group and check back here for updates. There will be more opportunities for community members to meet, so come share ideas and help create a strong presentation to bring to the city of Eugene's Special Events team on April 20.

Stopping by Campus on a Rainy Afternoon

Whose tent this is, I think I know.
A Bike Loan Program of UO;
I saw some students stopping here
for coffee, pastries—free, f'sho.

The bikey people came to hear
Commuters' questions, hopes and fears.
Mechanics yanked tire's tubes to take
them to a puddle that was near
and bubble-check for leaks that make
them difficult to air-inflate.
As rain did splash off hoods and seep
through denim, stopping students spake.
The tent was lovely, dry and free,
But they have bottom lines to meet.
So e-mail, call or write, toot sweet
To keep this program on its feet.

Seriously, though. The program is nearing the end of its pilot year, and the University can pick it up or cancel it.

Right now, the ASUO is forming a committee to allocate over $100,000 for sustainability programs. Though several thousand dollars have been promised to Campus Recycling, the student government may choose to withhold many monies for future projects.

Less than one fifth of the fund would sustain the Bike Loan Program for an entire year, during which it could be absorbed into other budgets. The program could die without financial support from the University, and this is the most direct, appropriate source of funding this year.

I asked Program Coordinator Briana Orr why they don't just charge more and fund themselves—all equipment is loaned on refundable deposits, and students use the shop space for free. She pointed out the program's purpose is to support students who can't afford to buy a cheap bike; that by making cycling accessible, they can better propagate active, healthy, sustainable transport.

So if you like the idea of students riding bikes or if you're a student who rides a bike, tell the students who decide where the money goes where you think they should put it.

Think: without this program, this fella would be walking:
With any luck, he won't bother to unsuspend his license.

OK. For enduring my poem, rant and unspectacular video interview, here's a clip of me falling off a little kid's bike:
"Get the detail on the ah, the chainstays there—the seatstays. See that?"

"NO BRAKES, BABY! IT'S FIXED!"

Now go write a letter.

Let's go ride bikes!

The banner art from kidicalmass.org

Got a kid? Like bikes? Want that kid to like bikes as much as you do?

The weather looks cool and mild for today's Kidical Mass in Eugene. Meet at Monroe Park at 3 p.m. and tool around with the tots! Click through for more info and art.

Bicycle Appreciation Day Photos

Just received this public link to Sreang Hok's photoset from the previous Bicycle Appreciaton Day. Click through and get a feel for what's up. See my earlier post for deets.

UO Bike Loan Program update

Just received an email from UO Bike Loan Program Coordinator Briana Orr:

Hey Alexander,

I just saw your blog! Thanks so much, it's a good piece. Just a couple corrections for you:

We only received $18,000 from ASUO over-realized funds, and $5,000 from Clif Bar & Co. last year for the pilot
And the barn is only open Saturdays during the Summer.

FYI - Bicycle Appreciation Day is happening again next Wednesday February 25th 10 - 2 pm in front of Lillis Business Center. We have volunteers, mechanics, food and live music lined up!

In my previous post, I erroneously reported the program got its start with $60,000, so I'm impressed and encouraged to report that the whole thing came about with just $23,000 in seed money! Now mark your calendar for Bicycle Appreciation Day!