Lansing area logistics to ‘Go Green’

facebook.com/GoGreenTrikesLLC

Scheduled to launch in Greater Lansing on Earth Day, 2014 (Tuesday, April 22nd), Go Green Trikes, LLC            (here’s the Facebook weblink) is the brainchild of local green business entrepreneur, Yvonne LeFave. Utilizing heavy-duty electric-assisted cargo trikes capable of carrying loads of up to 600 pounds, Go Green Trikes will provide prompt and sustainable delivery services throughout the urban heart of Greater Lansing – essentially an area bounded by I-96 on the south and west, I-69 on the north and Van Atta Road to the east. Here’s a maplink of the service area.

These are not your childhood tricycles folks, but industrial-grade cargo trikes designed to efficiently serve businesses while avoiding the tangles associated with trucks and street traffic. They also allow for door-to-door delivery of goods without the hassle of blocking lanes and/or customers in the process.

Source: gogreentrikellc

According to Yvonne, Greater Lansing will be at the very forefront of this cutting-edge form of “last mile” delivery/logistics service. Within North America, cargo trike delivery services such as Go Green Trikes only operate currently in Portland, Oregon (B-line); Vancouver, British Columbia (Shift Urban Cargo Delivery); Boston (Metro Pedal Power); and New York City (Revolution Rickshaws). Needless to say, Greater Lansing will be in good company, while also being the smallest urban center to support such an exciting and sustainable business venture.

If early indications are a guide, it appears Go Green Trikes, LLC will be pedaling off to a successful start, as they already have three clients lined up to date. So, starting April 22nd, keep an eye out for Yvonne LeFave as she plies her way about area streets and bike trails. Kudos to her for setting a sustainble standard for all of us to strive for!

The flaws of vehicular cycling (VC) theory

One of the first comments often heard from fellow cyclists when starting to bicycle commute was not to ride on the community’s bike pathway system because it is less safe than riding in street traffic. A whole litany of perceived dangers were cited, most commonly conflicts with vehicles entering/exiting driveways. Instead, riding amid street traffic was touted as the better and safer way to go. For those hardy souls with the skill level and nerves of steel, please feel free to ride all the busy collector roads and arterial streets that you would like to. As for the rest of us, forget about it!

mitpress.mit.edu/books/city-cycling-0

This week, while reading the book entitled City Cycling, the name of the theory that appears to have fostered the pent-up angst against bikeways was discovered. First espoused in 1992, vehicular cycling (VC) theory essentially adheres to the philosophy that:

“Cyclists fare best when they act as, and are treated as, operators of vehicles.” (page 114)

While it is agreed that cyclists are operators of vehicles and should rightly be treated as so when riding on streets, the contention that they “fare best” when doing so is unsupportable. Furthermore, there is no way that everyone falls into this theory’s mold. It is simply a theory of convenience for those who prefer street cycling over other forms of bicycle riding. The frustrating part is vehicular cycling (VC) theory has largely overshadowed the utilitarian “European-style” cycling modes which promote inclusive, less stressful, and more logical non-motorized transportation network designs that most of us would prefer using as opposed to competing with motorists.

Here is a paraphrased summary of the inherent flaws of VC theory articulated in pages 114-17 of City Cycling:

“It ignores the massive evidence of the European experience.

It ignores the engineering solutions developed to improve intersection safety for cyclists.

It is preoccupied with a collision type called the ‘right hook,’ which occurs when a through-going cyclist conflicts with a right-turning motorist approaching from behind.

When first postulated it had no empirical support.

Until now [2012], only one credible American study at first glance appears to support the [VC] theory…However, this study considers only crashes at intersections (including driveway junctions) and therefore gives a distorted view of overall safety.

A 2011 study by Lusk, et al. showed that when between-junction crashes are accounted for along with crashes at intersections, the sidewalk bikeway’s crash risk was not statistically different from the risk of riding in the street.

When the risk of riding the same direction as traffic flow was considered, the risk of riding along bikeways/cycle tracks is half that of riding in the streets.”

Thank heaven, not everyone is still buying into the VC theory. A number of American cities, such as Portland, New York City, Indianapolis, Cambridge, Davis, Minneapolis, and Washington, DC have seen the light from the European results. May many more do so and soon – hopefully bringing along county and state road agencies, perhaps even the ever-present foot-draggers at AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials). Cycling in general and utilitarian cyclists in particular, will be very thankful when they do.

Sharing the roads is NOT enough!

A year or so ago I wrote about how cyclists are sometimes our own worst enemies. One gist of that post was until the cycling community can come together and agree on ONE course of action regarding advocacy, it will be mired in division which weakens its overall argument. I still believe this is our greatest dilemma, as we have the competing interests between hardened and more-daring riders demanding equal access to the streets versus the rest of us who just want to be and feel safe and thus prefer clearly marked or protected bike lanes (see first photo below) and/or wholly separated bike routes (see second photo below). Sure, there is safety in numbers, but we first have to develop sufficient numbers to actually achieve the safety benefits.

Source: bostinno.streetwise.co

Source: bicycling.com

Being more inclusive helps grow participation in bicycling and therefore raw numbers. What seasoned riders need to realize is that many women, youngsters, seniors, the disadvantaged, and those of us like me who are uncomfortable amid automobile traffic are not suited to nor capable of riding with traffic on city streets. Authors John Pucher and Ralph Buehler put it this way in the introduction to their excellent book, entitled City Cycling:

“Cycling should be made feasible, convenient, and safe for everyone; for women, as well as men, for all age groups, and for a wide range of physical abilities. The authors of this book take the view that cycling should not be limited to cyclists who are highly trained, fit, and daring enough to do battle with motor vehicles on busy roads. As demonstrated in many chapters, getting children, seniors, and women on bikes requires provision of safer and more comfortable cycling conditions than currently exist in most American, Australian, and British cities.” (page xii)

Source: mitpress.mit.edu/books/

Hallelujah to Mr. Pucher and Mr. Buehler as you have hit proverbial the nail squarely on the head. Numbers (and subsequently safety) will not appreciably increase without more participation from those who are not currently part of the non-motorized community. To advocate for road sharing (or sharrowing) is simply not enough. If the greater bicycling community wants true safety in numbers…numbers that will be noticed by motor vehicle drivers, it must advocate and promote the development of a bicycling infrastructure that accommodates all, especially those with less riding ability. Otherwise, only the hardiest, the bravest, or the most daring will venture onto city streets and roadways, rarely producing the quantity of riders that is necessary to change public perceptions or to build a dynamic and diverse cycling culture.

Images of Quiet Waters so grand

Source: hrwc.org

Yesterday, I had the honor of volunteering once again at the 19th Annual Quiet Waters Symposium (QWS) held at the Michigan State University Pavilion. This year I helped staff the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance booth for several hours. Even several feet of snow on the ground could not keep the attendees away from the symposium.

What I particularly enjoy is the way the QWS has grown from solely water-oriented recreation such as kayaking, canoeing, flatwater surfing, and sailing, to other non-motorized outdoor activities, including snowshoeing, bicycling, hiking, camping, cross-country skiing, bird watching, environmental education, and woodworking. Below are a several  photos of this fabulous environmental event that is always a top priority to attend.  Congratulations to all those who organized the 2014 QWS.

 

2013 event banner

More beneficial use of highway money

Source: livingstonpost.com

Late in 2013 a brand new interstate highway interchange opened along I-96 at Latson Road near Howell, Michigan. The cost of this single, basic  “diamond-shaped” interchange was $32 million dollars. While many people in suburban Livingston County are probably thrilled with a new exit on I-96, let’s think about the cost for a minute. Thirty-two million dollars? Hummm?

Having passed by that location innumerable times in the past 20 years I don’t ever recall a traffic jam along that six-lane wide stretch of interstate unless there was an accident or bad weather. More likely, paralleling Grand River Avenue is the problem, as a myriad of big boxes have blossomed along it over the years. Shame on all of us planners and the decision makes for allowing that to happen when we know better.

So, how is it decided to address sprawl and congestion on Grand River Avenue? The powers that be decided to read from the same old tired script of building more highway capacity. The problem with this scenario is it will only perpetuate more sprawl and congestion as the “mirage” of more capacity invites more usage and ultimately more sprawl and congestion. In other words, society keeps making the same damn mistake over and over again.

I am not trying to pick on the Latson Road interchange, as it just happens to be the newest addition to the region’s highway network. But the “so-called” experts at MDOT and elsewhere need a wake-up call and it pointed out that they are creating a self-fulfilling prophecy by not pursuing more sustainable transportation options to address congestion issues. Perhaps, that’s the point – it is in the best interest of those organizations that are primarily road agencies to create the need for more roads. It’s creates long-term job security.

On the other hand, with $32 million, many medium-sized cities could construct their entire bicycle infrastructure network. My guess is that an impressive start-of-the-art network of paved off-road bike trails, added bike lanes, erected a bike bridge or two, plus added a bunch of pedestrian-friendly infrastructure serving most, if not all of the Howell area could have been built for that tidy sum. Given that more jobs per dollar are created from building new bicycle infrastructure than highway projects, there was a lost opportunity to put more money per capita back into the local economy. Lastly, add in the health and fitness benefits derived from an active transportation network and the Howell area could have also seen health insurance rates/costs decline for area businesses.

Road funding advocates will argue that they are the ones who pay for new highways and interchanges with their taxes. WRONG! Gas taxes and fees only cover 51 percent of the cost of road construction and maintenance. So you are starting off in a giant funding hole that will only get worse with time. Furthermore, since cyclists create less wear and tear on the road infrastructure (less usages and lighter vehicles), the average bicyclist actually contributes approximately $500 more per year to road care and maintenance in the taxes/fees they pay than the average automobile driver.

Instead, Howell has a brand-spanking new highway interchange that given 5 to 10 years tops will be drowning in cars  and a sea of fast food joints, motels, big box retail, and parking lots…lots of parking lots – and we only have ourselves to blame for the mess that we created.

My coldest bicycle commute ever

Source: abcactionnews.com

Sometimes you have to do something outside of your comfort zone, just to prove you can. After being subjected to a continuously brutal winter of snow, ice, wind, frigid temps, and drab skies while commuting by car, I decided that at least once I need to commute during one extremely cold days during a polar vortex.  I have already bike commuted four times in 2014, but each day thus far was comparatively mild (20s and low 30s) to most of this winter. Today (February 25^th), we are amid the grip of our third foray into the vortex. On the positive side, at least it was a sunny early morning.

So, off I went on my trusty dark-gray steel steed in 8 F temps. Several years ago I had bicycle commuted in temps as low as 14 F, so single digits were uncharted territory. Aside from the unwelcome smooth ice patches hidden under a very light dusting of snow and one small downed tree across the paved bike trail, the 1.5 mile ride to work was largely uneventful. Was  it cold? Of course. Was it bearable? Yes. The only real problem was my glasses kept wanting to fog/ice up from my breath. Otherwise, I was largely dressed appropriately.

On the return trip home, it actually felt colder because the winds had picked up and the skies largely had become overcast.

Would I bike commute in such temperatures again? Probably, but I will admit the conditions would need to be appropriate – any noticeable wind speed intensifies the cold, let alone added chill you get from the faster pace you are moving compared to walking.   All in all, I was proud of myself for accomplishing the commute. Whether I will attempt a below zero commute someday remains to be seen, but I do like to test myself in difficult conditions every now and then.

A bicyclist’s wildest dream come true

Source: huffingtonpost.ca/2013/10/28/the-hovenring-netherlands_n_4170857.html

“Oh my goodness,” is the best term I can come up with for describing this marvelous feat of sustainable engineering and design. Located in metropolitan Eindhoven, Netherlands –  this 237 foot diameter cable-stayed bicycle roundabout is literally suspended in mid-air from a 230 foot tall central pylon over a busy intersection. Here is a weblink to a map of its location on the west side of the city between downtown and the airport. Below is a schematic of the elevated roundabout.

Source: yourenvironmentoftheweek.blogspot.com

Aptly nicknamed “the Hovenring,” this amazing monument to Dutch ingenuity and cycling leaves this author nearly speechless. Even car lovers would have to admit that this engineering marvel is seriously cool. All I can say, is well done, Holland. Very well done indeed!

p.s. I am definitely visiting this iconic bicycling structure the first chance I get.

Source: bicycledutch.wordpress.com

Why not a midwinter Smart Commute?

Source: crystalmountain.com

I cannot think of a better way to demonstrate the powerful benefits of Smart Commute, than to highlight its potential during the winter months as well as during fair weather. Most, if not all Smart Commute events seem to be scheduled during times of reasonably nice weather. The problem with an unfailing practice of scheduling of events only during fair weather is that it reinforces the idea that winter is a bad time to partake in active transportation, when in fact it is a great time to do so. Leave the slippery, icy, slushy, and snowy roads to the public transit driver while you sit back, be warm, and relax. Or better yet, stay home and telecommute.

Other options that may be realistic in the winter for those living within a couple of miles of their place of employment or education, include:

• Fat tire bicycling commutes
• X-country skiing commutes
• Snowshoeing commutes
• Skating commutes – very common along the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (see photo below)

Source: ncc-ccn.gc.ca

With less daylight and colder weather, the importance of being physically active greatly increases. Otherwise, our sedentary ways, holiday feasting, and cabin fever can quickly catch up with us. Granted, if its -20F outside,  some modes of Smart Commuting should be postponed temporarily, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t ride the train or bus to and from work or school.

Let’s think outside the box, folks, and look for ways to promote Smart Commute year round, and not have it just become a fair weather effort.

“Bikenomics” – a landmark planning book!

Source: takingthelane.com

Certain books become a classic in their field of study because of their comprehensive nature (i.e. The City in History). Others do from their advocacy and groundbreaking nature (i.e. Silent Spring).  In the case of Bikenomics: How Bicycling Can Save the Economy, both of these reasons apply. Author Elly Blue has written “the” definitive book on bicycle planning that clearly identifies the societal, physical, environmental, and economic benefits of bicycling, while also completely debunking the myths, fables, urban legends, half-truths, and outright lies spread by naysayers and automotive apologists.

Facts are funny things. They tend to get in the way of spurious and superfluous arguments. In Bikenomics, Ms. Blue lays down the gauntlet with factual truths about bicycling and how a vibrant cycling culture can go a long way to curing many of our nation’s ills. If one could quote the entire book in a blogpost, I would.  There are so many quotable gems contained within this publication, that I could fill gigabytes of pages with them. But alas, you should read the book, so I have only provided a few of them at the end of this post.

Believe me when I say this is a book that every planning professional must read and own. It will single-handedly serve as your go-to resource on the benefits of bicycle planning in your community. Kudos to Ms. Blue providing all of us with a fantastic source of information. Enjoy!

Here are a sampling of quotes from the book:

“People who ride bicycles also pay taxes, which means they often pay more into the road system than they cost it. By one estimate, a carfree cyclist would overpay by an average of $250 a year — a few dollars more than the amount that the average driver underpays.” (page 13)

“As it turns out, gas taxes have paid for about 70% of the construction and maintenance costs of the Interstate system to date, with that percentage going down with each passing year. Local roads fare worse when it comes user funding. If you take the nation’s road system as a whole, only 51% of its cost over the years has come from direct user fees.” (page 39)

“When you brush away the rhetoric, though, even the fanciest bikeways are a screaming bargain. For the cost of one freeway interchange, you can completely transform your city and immeasurably improve the wealth, health, and happiness of its citizens.”  (page 49)

“Large road projects are often funded in a down economy because they create jobs. But roads are actually the least job-intensive of any transportation investment. Bikeways are the most, creating more jobs per million dollars spent than roads-this is because there are so few materials involved and most of the budget goes to workers.” (page 51)

“Bikes may not be able to solve our health care crisis singlehanded…But bicycling is one of the rare areas where people can directly and concretely address our own health and the health of our community, and quickly see big results. In this light, bicycling for transportation isn’t so much a lifestyle choice as it’s a form of civic action.” (page 61)

“Minimum parking requirements act like a fertility drug for cars’ – Donald Shoup.” (page 89)

“In the US, 99% of trips by car end up in a free spot [parking spot]. The value of that land—and to a lesser extent, the costs of paving, sweeping, policing, and maintaining it—makes [parking one of the largest subsides going.” (page 90)

“In a car-oriented world, old age becomes a disability for many, long before it might in a more walkable neighborhood. The more car-reliant your daily life, the lower the threshold becomes for frailness, injury, or failing eyesight to be experienced as outright disabling.” (page 104)

“Portlanders drive 20% fewer miles every day than the average resident of a comparable metro area. The total money that we save on those miles we don’t drive is $1.1 billion dollars a year.” (page 113)

Passing of the family torch

Today would have been my mother’s 88^th birthday. She passed away last September after a long and difficult bout with Alzheimer’s.  While I miss her, my father, and my stepfather very much, probably the hardest reality to contend with since her passing has been the stark realization that I am now the patriarch of the family.  Really? Me? I kind of feel like I am still in my late 20s or my 30s, not the family patriarch. Why did everyone ahead of me have to pass away so soon? Where did the time go? What does one do as the family patriarch?

It doesn’t feel like all that long ago when I was a kid playing games like kick the can in the back yard with my friends; or a teen playing middle school football; or a student skipping college classes; or a parent helping raise my boys. There was always some kind of mental safety net set in place against the certainty of time and having to face my own mortality, by knowing there were parents and/or grandparents who were still alive. That is no longer the case. Of all my cousins, my brother and I are the only ones unfortunate enough who have lost both of our parents, plus a step-parent.

Now, I am standing at the top of the ancestral food chain looking down at the lives my offspring as they are forging their future and wondering about what kind of legacy will I leave behind for them. That is a rather daunting thought given the amazing legacies left by my forbearers. Can I begin to show the bravery that my mother showed in her fight with Alzheimer’s?   Can I pass down the sage advice and counsel that my father and stepfather did? Can I possibly live up to the legacy of my grandparents? Can I even begin to know what to do as the family patriarch when the time comes for me to pass the torch?

All these questions, and many more have occupied a portion of my thoughts since mom died last September. But, the more I think about it, the more I realize that none of us really has a clear roadmap to the future. We all basically plod through life doing the best that we can. Sometimes we find our way without difficulty, while at other times we have to take detours and face challenges.  All I can hope for is that with both God’s blessed guidance and Kathy’s enduring love, I can be as wonderful of a patriarch as my ancestors (both patriarchs and matriarchs) were before me. And in that faith, I will find inner peace as time continues its march ever onward.