PA Ranked 38th Most Bike-Friendly State

To see the League of American Bicyclists full list, visit: http://www.bikeleague.org/news/090508bfs.php

News From Pittsburgh:

By Karen Price
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, September 12, 2008

Scott Bricker knows that Pittsburgh has made great strides toward becoming a more bicycle-friendly community in his three years as executive director of advocacy group Bike Pittsburgh.
But he wasn't surprised to see that Pennsylvania was ranked the 38th-most bike-friendly state in the country by the League of American Bicyclists last week.
"That's not to say people aren't trying, but a much greater effort can be made," Bricker said. "I think that, especially on the part of our elected officials, it's one of those things that hasn't really been on the radar in Pennsylvania as a whole. It's time for Pennsylvania to look beyond bicycling as recreation and start investing money in making it a more reliable mode of transportation."

To Read the Full Article: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_587797.html

RiverWalk

The folks at RiverPlace have created a create new map. Take a look: http://www.riverplacepa.com/riverwalk.htm.

You'll be so impressed with all of the exciting new things that are happening in the city for walking and biking. I know I am.

An Example to Follow

The city of Seattle's DOT is collecting information from -- get this -- local residents (yep) to determine how they will modify their Pedestrian Master Plan. (Get that, they have a Pedestrian Master Plan created with the input of all stakeholders. Mmm?) See here: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/ped_masterplan.htm

I am working to create a survey for Berks County -- and certainly think that individual local communities should also determine their own goals as they work to align with our Berks County Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan and our new (wonderful!) Greenway, Parks and Recreation Plan (see here: http://www.co.berks.pa.us/planning/cwp/view.asp?a=1635&Q=464110

The Berks County Planning Commission has created an excellent plan and also leads our county as a model for smaller, more local governments. They too sought public input to create a plan that was in the best interest of all parties. Attend local government meetings and ask for pedestrian and bicycle accommodations. Volunteer to create and serve on an advisory committee to help make the community where you live a place that promotes walkability and bicycling.

If you want to help in Exeter Township, we'd love to hear from you. If you need me in other parts of the county -- to attend meetings, give presentations, or to just answer questions on the phone, I'd love to help. But, remember, the most important thing is for you to speak up and out about what you need in your own neighborhood.

Traffic Safety Issues

Join township supervisors, planning commissioners,

school board/administrators, and guest speakers at

Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety

JOINT WORKSHOP

October 20, 2008

6:30 - 8:30 PM

Exeter Township

4975 DeMoss Road

Reading, PA 19606

Please send all of your concerns and wish lists to WalkBikeBerks@yahoo.com so that we can add them to the discussion and planning at the joint workshop. Let us know what is most important to you. We are organized and working to create better walking and biking for you.

The 2009 Transportation Bill

Transportation for America, Thunderhead Alliance, Complete Streets Coalition, and Smart Growth America, Safe Routes to School, and many other organizations who work for better biking and walking are collaborating to influence the new 2009 Transportation Bill. You can join them by visiting: http://www.walkscore.com/transportation-bill.shtml.

Of course, WalkBikeBerks is a proud member of Thunderhead Alliance, the Complete Streets Coalition and Smart Growth Online. Every 'grassroots' member of our local organization is also a member of the larger, national organizations mentioned previously. We would love to be able to help you have better walking and biking. Let us know what we can do for you.

Contacting Rite Aid for Complete Streets

I Googled Rite Aid this morning and found that the company -- like so many other successful businesses today -- supports 'sustainability.' They are promoting environmental building and design as well as working to improve access to riteaid.com for blind and visually-impaired.

When Rite Aid comes to Berks County at the intersection of 422 and 47th Street in Exeter Township, let's be sure they are fully aware of our request for Complete Streets -- to accommodate even the most vulnerable of all road users. Let's be sure to ask the company to build a store that promotes, encourages, and models walkability and bikability for all communities. Let's write letters and make phone calls directly to the Board of Directors to ask that the new store be built in such as way that customers can walk and bike to their store -- keeping our streets safer, less congested, and slowing cars that do come and go through our neighborhood to shop at Rite Aid.

Here is the official community relations position of Rite Aid:
Community Relations
"Rite Aid store associates are very involved in helping in their hometowns. They volunteer to speak at local schools on poison prevention and the dangers of drug abuse, visit nursing homes to review prescriptions with residents, help at local food banks and participate in walks for other charitable causes.
Nationally, Rite Aid supports Children's Miracle Network (CMN). By selling $1 CMN balloons in our stores and hosting special event fundraisers, we have raised more than $23 million for 110 different children's hospitals since 1994.
The Rite Aid Foundation, whose mission is to help improve the lives of those who live and work in the communities where Rite Aid does business was established in 2001. Visit our Foundation page for information on applying for a grant from the Foundation."

Visitors
http://www.riteaid.com/contact_us/contact_board.jsf

Rite Aid Corporation
c/o Corporate Secretary
P.O. Box 3165
Harrisburg, PA 17105

Communications may also be sent to the following e-mail address: contacttheboard@riteaid.com.

Walkability for Residents Behind Proposed Rite-Aid

Rite Aid is looking to move from their current location in Exeter to another location near the intersection of Rte 422 and 47th St. They showed their proposed plans at the Sept 2nd Planning Commission meeting in Exeter. Of major concern to those supportive of pedestrian safety was the proposed "back" entrance/exit onto Oak Circle. This would be the entrance and exit of choice for those driving from the south via Gibralter/47th St and those exiting who wish to continue west on 422 and even those going east on 422 who feel the current proposed exit onto 422 is too risky. This would bring more traffic to pedestrians and residents living there
and those who would like to walk along Oak Parkway and 47th St where no sidewalks currently exist! Further, 47th St is also a school bus stop where children must stand next to a road with no sidewalks!
The proposed owners seem receptive to meeting the needs of the residents and pedestrians and installing sidewalks along the driveway to the proposed business and crosswalks in the parking lot. Let's make sure of this by emailing your concerns to the Exeter Township Planners and to PennDot for them to enforce the Strike Off letter that mandates new construction consider the needs of pedestrians! This would also mean establishing sidewalks along Oak Parkway as more traffic along this road would necessitate more safety measures. This also means including in the design speed bumps and other traffic calming measures!
Voice your concerns NOW so plans do not progress without addressing the needs of pedestrians.