Tennessean Reports on Sumner County Bike/Ped Meeting Tonight

SUMNER COUNTY
Sumner County bicyclists, joggers and walkers will have the opportunity this evening to weigh in on a long-term plan geared toward mapping potential bike lanes and greenways through 2035.

The Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization is holding several meetings in the Nashville area as part of its efforts to create a bicycle and pedestrian plan. Today's is at the Hendersonville Public Library, 140 Saundersville Road, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

A focus of the plan will be to examine how to expand bike lanes, greenways and sidewalks, connecting them together and with mass transit stops, according to a Planning Organization news release. The overall effort will be folded into the 2035 regional transportation plan, which estimates funding for projects and determines priorities.

The city of Hendersonville recently held a weeklong planning event, called a charrette, which addressed bicycle and pedestrian concerns among other issues.

That was a good first step toward "addressing bicycling needs in the community," said David Hardin, owner of Biker's Choice in Hendersonville.

Link to the Tennessean article here.

News Channel 5 Interviews Team for Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Study

Leslie Meehan from the Nashville Area MPO and Bob Murphy from RPM Transportation were guests on News Channel 5 Morningline on Tuesday, February 24, 2009. Discussion included an overview of the Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Study, and callers were able to ask questions related to bicycling and walking in the Greater Nashville Region.

View a 10-minute portion of the show here.

First Night of Public Meetings a Huge Success

On Monday, February 23, 2009 the Nashville Area MPO staff and consultant team headed by RPM Transportation met with residents of Williamson and Rutherford Counties to discuss the MPO's Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.

Participants were given an overview of the planning process and provided input about how walking and bicycling impacts their lives, and how those modes could be enhanced.

Channel 4 covered the Williamson County meeting. View the video report here. (Once on the video page, click the local tab and the Video titled: Meetings Center On Bike, Walking Safety).

Franklin Health Fair - Bicycle and Pedestrian Booth

On Saturday, February 21, 2009 the Nashville Area MPO and RPM Transportation staff set up a booth at the Franklin Special School District Health Fair. Over 400 students, parents, teachers and community members came to fair to learn about healthy lifestyles.

Maps of the regional bicycle and pedestrian plan helped residents see where existing and planned facilities for walking and bicycling are located in local communities. Parents talked about challenges with going places like the park or a grocery store on a bicycle or walking, especially with small children.

Participants filled out the Bicycle and Pedestrian Survey and were given tire gauges to make sure that bicycle tires are inflated to the proper pressure. Bicycle Safety books, one for students and one for parents, were handed out as well.

Click here to take the Bicycle and Pedestrian Survey.

Public Meetings on Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan

The Nashville Area MPO is hosting five public meetings next week for the development of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Regional Long-Range Transportation Plan. Attendees will have an opportunity to learn about the planning effort and will be able to provide input about bicycle/pedestrian projects, strategies and educational efforts needed in the region.

Please share this information with others. We look forward to seeing you there!

Public Meeting Schedule
February 23rd, Rutherford County, Smyrna Town Centre, 5:30-7:30 pm
February 23rd, Williamson County, Franklin First United Methodist Church, 5:30-7:30 pm
February 24th, Davidson County, East Park Community Center, 5:30-7:30 pm
February 26th, Sumner County, Hendersonville Public Library, 5:30-7:30 pm
February 26th, Wilson County, Lebanon City Hall, 5:30-7:30 pm

More details about the Regional Bicycle/Pedestrian plan are available at www.nashvillempo.org/bikeped.html.

Tennessean Reports On MPO Bike/Ped Study

The Tennessean ran an article on Saturday, February 7, 2009 on the bicycle/pedestrian study being conducted by the Nashville Area MPO.

Click to read the article.

Daily Commuter Takes Train and Rides Bicycle

Rails & Trails: One Commuter Shares Her Multi-Modal Experience

Monday through Friday Sally Robertson rises at dawn to begin her daily commute into downtown Nashville. Sally’s commute is a multi-modal experience, a story set on rails and trails.

She rides her bike one and a half miles to the station in Mount Juliet where she boards the Music City Star. When the commuter train arrives at the Downtown Station, Sally straps her helmet back on, takes her bike off the train, rolls up her pant leg, and starts peddling down Demonbreun towards Music Row. From there, Sally bikes another seven miles to Nashville State Tech Community College where she is a librarian.

With gas prices at all time highs, Sally Robertson is one of many Nashville-area residents looking to alternative modes of transportation. In fact, the Music City Star has seen a 27 percent increase in ridership since May 2007; 700 to 800 passengers are now aboard each day. For Sally, the combination of commuter rail and bicycling makes the ride into work not only more affordable, but much more enjoyable.

“I do it for more than just the savings,” Robertson states. “I ride because it is fun, and is good for my health and the environment. The money I save is an added bonus. ”

Sally, age 52, has been getting to work through different means of public transportation since she moved here from Chicago. She and her bike have been riding the Music City Star since it first began service in 2006. Before using the train, she and her bike rode MTA buses. Her favorite mode of transportation, however, is her bicycle.

“Riding my bike to work gives me the opportunity to really experience Nashville,” Robertson claims. “Instead of staring at the car’s bumper in front of me, I’m seeing, smelling and breathing Nashville. I’m interacting with my city.”

“The last two miles of my ride are my favorite part,” Robertson explains. “Riding on the Richland Creek Greenway is very relaxing.”

Multi-modal commuting is working well for Sally and for many other people whose daily travel combines the Music City Star, bus, walking and bikes, of course. Sally is convinced that she will soon have more company on the rails and trails as more commuters recognize the convenience, savings and fun of traveling the multi-modal way.

From Star Tracks Newsletter, Courtesy of Varallo Public Relations

Bicycle Safety - 8 Minute Video

The full-length bicycle safety video is now available. Click below to view the video.