Charlotte Area Bicycle Alliance (CABA)

TONIGHT ! CIVIC BY DESIGN FORUM

April 2, 2012

Bike Sharing-A Global View: Tues. April 10

CABA’s Martin Zimmerman as Guest Speaker

Why is bike sharing the rage and where does Charlotte fit into the bigger picture ? With 236,000 bikes in 33 countries and still accelerating, bike sharing is on the move! Martin has just returned from a study tour of Buenos Aires, Argentina where he experienced the bike share system and interviewed bike system managers, experts and local advocates. Prior tours of Paris, Lyon, and Strasbourg in France and Washington D.C. in the USA have rounded out his views of bike share’s merits and challenges. His article pending publication for Urban Land magazine highlights his findings. Martin has published over 80 articles and reviews on current issues of urban design, smart growth and mobility in the USA and abroad.

DATE: Tuesday, April 10.

LOCATION: Levine Museum of the New South, 200 East Seventh Street. Bike racks next door at Uptown Farmers Market. Half block from CATS light rail stop. Free gas guzzler parking in 7th St. parking deck.

TIME: 5:30-6:30.

RSVP: info@civicdesign.com

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PAMELA MURRAY – PLAZA MIDWOOD ACTIVIST

March 27, 2012

CABA Member of the Month

In Pamela’s own words: “I bike commute to work every day. I have found that bicycling is fun, effective, and really good exercise. I believe bicycling builds community as well. I am organizing Charlotte’s 2nd BikeFest in Plaza Midwood – May 12 on Thomas Avenue. It’s in the spirit of “ciclovias” where streets are closed to auto traffic. These days I am retired from BofA, and I ride regularly with convenient basket panniers.

My small group of casual neighborhood cyclists meet onTuesdays at 7:30 in Plaza Midwood. Contact me at: pjoe@carolina.rr.com to be added to the rider/Plaza Midwood e-mail list. We have a great time and hope to share our love of cycling with you.”

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MORE ON BIKE SHARE FOR CHARLOTTE

March 27, 2012

Josh McCann’s article

New website for UNC Charlotte’s Urban Institute – “Plan Charlotte”

Check out this summary of current progress. Quotes from Allison Billings, transportation consultant to Charlotte Center City Partners, Dan Gallagher, planner with CDOT and Martin Zimmerman from CABA. According to Allison, the goal is to launch a fleet of 200 cycles at 20 stations in and around Uptown. See also past CABA posts by entering the words “bike share” in the search box on this page.

CLICK: Plan Charlotte to read the entire story.

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CABA IS IN ARGENTINA

March 22, 2012

Meetings taking place

Executive Director, Martin Zimmerman met last week in Buenos Aires with Andres Fingeret and Clara Rasore of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and Matias Kalwill, founder and director of the CABA’s sister organization, La Vida en Bici (“Life on Bicycle”). Martin is checking out the local bike scene in the context of overall sustainable transportation solutions. Lots of new on-road paths just built in a city infamous for its past aversion to the power of two wheels. Photo above shows the popularity of the ”Bicing” yellow bike share cycles in the Ricoleta district. Martin returns to Charlotte in time for the Urban Assault Ride this Sunday.

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URBAN ASSAULT RIDE IS TODAY !

March 21, 2012

There were 350 goofy and gaudy riders the first year... and 598 last year. But we can do much better this year ! So flutter your wings. It's all about the buzz.

Stop by the Trips for Kids / CABA booth !

CABA will be a recipient of event day proceeds again this year compliments of New Belgium Brewery

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NEWS FLASH ! – VICTORY IN D.C.

March 10, 2012

Federal trans. bill amendment has won !

FROM JEFF MILLER/CEO Alliance for Bicycling and Walking >

“We’ve just won a big battle for biking and walking in the federal transportation bill. After several long weeks of intense work from advocates around the country and our partners at America Bikes, we are extremely pleased to report that the Cardin-Cochran amendment has been accepted as part of the base Senate transportation bill, MAP-21. This amendment will ensure that local governments, school systems, and metropolitan planning organizations are able to access much-needed funds for making bicycling and walking safe and accessible.We are one step closer to a federal transportation law that makes streets safer for all users. Please consider calling your Senators to thank them for including the Cardin-Cochran amendment in MAP-21.While this is a big victory and a significant step forward, we still have a ways to go before it can become law.

Your help will be critical in coming weeks to ensure passage of the Senate bill, to restore bicycle and pedestrian funding in the House, and to make sure any extension of current transportation law retains Safe Routes to School, Transportation Enhancements and Recreational Trails.”

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CABA GOES TO CAPITOL HILL

March 7, 2012

LAB Annual Summit 2012

League of American Bicyclists Summit

It’s coming again in late March and CABA will be there. Board Member Keith Sorensen, Advisory Board member Harry Johnson and Richard South, UNCC graduate architect and CABA member will be attending from Charlotte along with delegates from mountain biking and other clubs, shops, bike industry folks and bike planners from all over North Carolina. A full day of meetings at each NC Congressperson’s offices will complement plenary sessions at the Ronald Reagan International Center, just a few blocks from the White House.

This year’s goal will be daunting: defending critical bike-ped funding programs that benefit the American taxpayer, and preventing Congress from turning back the clock on 40 years of hard-fought progress.

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NE CORRIDOR BIKE ROUTE DESIGN

February 27, 2012

Unveiled at CABA Annual Meeting

From Uptown to UNCC in the vicinity of the proposed Blue Line light rail

Otherwise know as the “NECI Vision Plan” presented by Maya Agarwal of Alta Design. A combination of off-road, on-road, and urban cycletracks or sidepaths like those commonplace in Holland and elsewhere in Europe. This project, originally a CABA initiative, truly represents “out of the box” creativity. Thanks to Andrew Street and many volunteers who served on the stakeholder committee throughout the process. Enter “NECI” in the search box of this page to see previous posts.

To see a map of the NE Light Rail Corridor, CLICK: Map

To read the NECI Vision Study by Alta Design, CLICK: The Vision

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