FLCC> Commuting and Climate Change

Mon Apr 21 16:47:09 EDT 2008

Hello -

Thanks for the comments regarding bicycling issues! Feedback such as
this helps to identify problem areas and issues, and helps to show that
there is broad community interest in reducing those problems. 

I look forward to continuing this discussion and have signed-up to
participate on the FLCC email list. Often, however, these issues defy
brief email replies - so a phone call may be better (I can be reached at
274-6528 - you can leave a message outside of work hours). (and, did you
know that the City of Ithaca has a "Potholes" listing in the phonebook?
- 272-1718 - just tell them where the pothole is and they will patch it
relatively soon, really). 

At this point, I am trying to brainstorm about the best way to move
forward to improve conditions for bicyclists (and pedestrians, transit
users, motorists, etc.) and I invite your input. 

Thanks,
Kent

PS - I work in the City's Engineering Office, Transportation Division
addressing all types of transportation-related issues. In particular, I
have been trying to focus extra attention on bicycling issues since this
is a topic that is seldom specifically addressed and bicycling in Ithaca
seems to be greatly undeveloped as compared to other travel modes. 

Kent Johnson
Transportation Engineering Technician
Office of the City Engineer
City of Ithaca
108 E. Green St.
Ithaca, New York 14850
(607) 274-6528, (607) 327-0316 (cell)
kjohnson at cityofithaca.org

>>> jim eagen <jeplus3 at yahoo.com> 4/20/2008 10:29 AM >>>
Thought this was an interesting blurb, maybe some of you saw it, from
the NY Times Magazine this weekend:

"BIKETOWN MELLOW: Johnny, a play on maillot jaune, French for “yellow
jersey,” was Lance Armstrong’s nickname during his Tour de France
days. Next month, Mellow Johnny’s will be the name of a multiuse
facility Armstrong is backing in Austin, Tex., that features bicycle
sales and repairs, a cafe, bicycle parking for downtown residents and
commuters, spin classes and showers. The old 18,000-square-foot,
yellow-and-red-brick building was, in previous incarnations, a Pearl
beer distributorship and a homeless center. Armstrong and his general
partner, Bart Knaggs, say they wanted to use as much of the existing
infrastructure as possible. The showers from the shelter days seemed
like an ideal incentive for bike commuters in a city that experiences
spring and summer temperatures for much of the year. “If you want
people to ride an hour to work, and their workplace doesn’t have a gym
and it’s 100 in summer,” Armstrong says, “you can’t go to
 work that way.” While Mellow Johnny’s is a for-profit endeavor,
Knaggs says he hopes that offering “one bazillion” bicycle-parking
spaces at a nominal fee will have a positive environmental impact.
“It’s more about shifting a local mind-set about alternative
transportation,” he says, a nod to the fact that Texans — even those
in this, the most liberal, eco-conscious city in the state — often
feel dutybound to drive even to the corner store. And how does Mellow
Johnny’s propose to meet its own energy needs? With conventional
sources, though pedal power may put a little energy into the grid.
“We’re looking for ways to use pedal power so that we can charge
up the building a little bit,” says Armstrong, who, while he has no
immediate plans to work the register, might be the one whose r.p.m. runs
the espresso machine."

Jim Eagen

----- Original Message ----
From: Daniel Kidney <daniel.kidney at gmail.com>
To: Peter Ozolins <peter at peterozolins.com>; flcc at icycle.org 
Cc: kjohnson at cityofithaca.org 
Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 11:02:41 PM
Subject: Re: FLCC> Commuting and Climate Change

Kent, maybe you could read the below messages, also part of our
conversation among the FLCC.

Peter, I absolutely agree. A few times I've had my lack of a car
clearly looked down upon when applying for jobs, and several times I've
just refrained from 
applying as it was clearly stated in the job
description that car ownership was a necessity. I understand the motives
of employers in seeking people with reliable transportation, but it sure
would be nice if employers actually looked positively on bike commuters
(or other non-personal-car commuting). Perhaps city businesses could be
offered incentives to encourage their employees to get to work on bikes!
(And help them out with some of the down sides Peter mentioned).

That's my final plug for the moment as I'm off for a little interstate
bike commuting to go check out a college I might go to this fall in
Pennsylvania. See you all next week!

Daniel

On Fri, Apr 18, 2008 at 5:07 PM, Peter Ozolins <peter at peterozolins.com>
wrote:

What about approaching it from the employer end? For me at least, the
biggest headache is dealing with bringing stuff, what to do with stuff
when  I get there, and of course dealing with being dirty and wet.
Promote employers promoting bike commuting.

In CA, there's a law that you're entitled to the cash value OR a
parking
spot if ine is offered at your job.

At Qualty  Bicycle Products in MN,employees win sone hefty prizes for
most miles comuted, etc.

These kinds of thugs could add up to a hefty pr coup in thus day and
age. it just needs to be promoted or sold.

 Peter Ozolins
 peter[at]peterozolins[dot]com
 607.592.1997
 Sent via mimi
_____________________________

Wayne Gottlieb wrote:
> Daniel, this has been an ongoing discussion among FLCC
> people, sometime on-line, sometimes on the bike.
> There are many of us who bike commute and would like
> to see bigger numbers.  It seems that higher gas
> prices and the whole global warming thing makes this a
> good time to promote bicycle commuting. It seems that
> Ithaca has particular difficulties, despite our image
> of being a progressive town.  We have those darn
> hills, those 6 month winters and our roads just aren't
> very bike friendly.  There's this catch 22 that nobody
> wants to ride because the roads are too dangerous, and
> the city won't consider bicycles in their plans
> because not enough people ride.  How do we help people
> overcome their aversion to riding and how do we
> convince the city that many more will ride if roads
> are planned accordingly.  If we are made aware of a
> specific action that we can take to promote this
> issue, I think you will get many people in the club
> helping out.  Perhaps some of us should be writing
> letters to the editor for a start.  I would love to
> have more people to ride to work with and I would love
> for there to be less cars on that ride.  By the way,
> don't hold your breath about the parking lots. Wayne

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