Kansas Cyclist - Kansas Bicycle Guide and Reference

Just as Kansas City looks to embrace bikes, Iowa City, Iowa is also aiming to make its community more bicycle-friendly. But in Iowa City’s case, they’re hoping to get re-certified, and get back what they once had:

Iowa City, once designated a bicycle friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists, was denied the moniker last year after the group tightened its standards. As part of Bike to Work Week, about 25 people attended a forum at the Iowa City Public Library to talk about reclaiming the title.

College towns are represented liberally on last year’s list of bike friendly communities, but the league gave Iowa City an honorable mention. The group lauded the city’s percentage of bike commuters, installation of way-finding signage and other efforts but said more could be done to expand bike use.

A recent survey showed almost 900 people here commute by bike, Iowa City Assistant Transportation Planner Kris Ackerson told the group. That number doesn’t include people who ride to school.

“I think a lot of people were surprised the city got an honorable mention instead of a level higher,” Ackerson said. He said the city will start to develop a bike master plan this fall and will work with nearby cities on a regional plan.

Ackerson said city staffers are looking into painted pavement markings, informally called “sharrows”, that would help motorists know where to look for bikes, and show bikers where they should ride on the road.

In removing Iowa City’s Bicycle Friendly Community designation, the league said that the city needed to “implement a comprehensive bike plan, increase the number of main routes with wide shoulders or bike lanes and educate people about bicycling,” in order to make the city more bike-friendly.

Read more: Ways explored for making Iowa City safer for bicyclists.

Crime shows such as Law and Order and the CSI franchise have painted a very inaccurate picture of the modern-day cop, officers in Emporia, Kansas say:

Not all patrolling in Emporia is done from the inside of a patrol car. Officer Jeff Eubank is a member of the bike patrol, which started in 1993. Officers have to apply for the patrol, and it takes a unique individual who is assertive and can speak publicly as well, Eubank said.

“I feel lucky and privileged to be able to go out and do what I enjoy doing,” he said. “My big passion down here is the bike patrol.”

The department has three full-time bike officers. The duties vary by shift. The day shift includes school talks, community talks and general patrolling. The night shift officers see a wide variety of duties as well. Duties on either shift can be anything from bad check issues to parking issues and making arrests. The only thing they can’t do is transport someone other than themselves.

Bike officers have a strong presence at events such as the Farmers Market and Live in the Lot. They also make it a habit to check up on businesses.

Eubank said bike officers are more approachable.

“There’s a lot more interaction with the public,” he said. “You don’t have the car between you. We try to do as much as we can with talking to people. We give a lot of safety talks.”

On an average day, a bike officer can put 20 miles on his bikes.

“It kind of varies,” Eubank said. “If you’ve got a lot of miles you’ve probably haven’t had a busy day.”

When buying a bike for a patrol officer, Eubank said departments need to decide how visible they want the bikes to be. The Emporia Police Department has chosen the stealth side, with lower-profile bikes.

Emporia has had a bicycle patrol since 1993, and each year its officers teach a “bicycle cop” course to new bike officers from around the state. For this sort of training, Emporia is the place to be — Kansas only has three instructors and two of them are there.

“Most officers are not avid cyclists,” Lt. John Koelsch, one of the bike patrol instructors said, and it can take a while to get used to bike patrol, and it’s not as simple as mounting the bike and zooming off. At the week-long course, officers learn how to ride up stairs, how to use the bike for cover, even how to shoot with bicycle gloves on.

Read more: Today’s Police Force and Emporia is place to go for Bike cops in training from The Emporia Gazette.

Lincoln, Nebraska’s modest efforts to improve the bicycling environment in their city are beginning to pay off, cyclists and city officials say.

Dave Cary, transportation planner for Lincoln, reports that bicycle lanes the city installed in August 2006 have made it easier for bicyclists to navigate their way through downtown traffic, and have increased the number of people doing so.

It cost the city about $20,000 to stripe the lanes and put up the bike lane signs on 11th Street south from Q to K and 14th Street north from L to R.

Officials say it was worth the cost.

User counts conducted twice in 2007 and once so far this year have shown a “significant” increase in bicycle traffic along those streets from before those lanes were installed. And though more bicyclists are taking to those streets, the number of bicycle-related crashes on those streets has not increased, Cary said.

While there are no immediate plans to put in more bicycle lanes, the Downtown Master Plan does suggest adding more bicycle lanes, and bicycle facilities will likely be incorporated into future development downtown.

“There’s a whole lot of activity about to happen,” Cary said. “Lincoln is moving in the right direction as far as becoming more bicycle-friendly.”

Beth Thacker, chairwoman of the Mayor’s Pedestrian/Bicycle Advisory Committee, says that the reshaping of downtown Lincoln offers “a unique opportunity for our city officials to create a space that is sustainable, healthy and welcoming to alternative transportation modes. This opportunity would move Lincoln closer to becoming a greener and healthier community.”

“Historically, downtown Lincoln has not been a bike-friendly environment,” Thacker says, but “heightened awareness can and will make all downtown traffic lanes less stressful for bicyclists. The advantages to creating a downtown that is welcoming and safe to cyclists are just too numerous to be ignored.”

Being known as a bike-friendly city will only enhance the appeal of Lincoln to individuals and corporations, Thacker said. The city needs to implement more bicycle facilities downtown, “so that more university students want to bicycle to class rather than congest downtown with another car. Design it to encourage those families that enjoy the facilities of the new Union Plaza to ride their bicycles instead of driving, and maybe even ride through downtown to the Haymarket area (old and new). Design it to better accommodate those cyclists who already commute to their work downtown and encourage those who currently drive to consider hopping on a bicycle instead.”

Read more: Consider bicyclists in grand scheme, Bike lanes help cyclists get out on the street.

Bicyclists in Manhattan, Kansas recently went before the City Commission to encourage commissioners to implement the city’s Bicycle Master Plan.

Manhattan first drafted the Bicycle Master Plan in 1996, but has done little to actually put the plan into action. The plan calls for “a clear, cohesive guideplan to structure the future implementation of bicycle transportation facilities at Kansas State University and in Manhattan.” The goals of the plan include doubling the percentage of total trips made by bicycling and reducing by 10 percent the number of cyclists who are killed or injured in traffic crashes.

Cyclist speaking at the meeting included David Colburn, owner of The Pathfinder bike shop, who said “I believe the time has come to give more support to bicycles and pedestrians than we have been giving in the past.”

Another speaker was WAM-SAG-MAN Trail committee chair Diane Novak. “We are really looking forward to pieces, if not all, of the Bicycle Master Plan being implemented,” she said. “I hope you realize the importance that this has to help people out there trying to stay alive on bicycles.”

“We will put a priority on this,” Commissioner Bob Strawn said after hearing from those at the meeting, a statement that was met with nods of approval from the commissioners around him.

“I’d say overall we haven’t done a good job of implementing” the Bicycle Master Plan, city manager Ron Fehr said, agreeing that the city should work on that.

Read more: Public speaks on biking plan at the Manhattan Mercury.

According to KFAB in Omaha, Nebraska:

Pam Fusselman tells 1110 KFAB that her husband was riding his bike on the West Papio Trail near 162nd and Blondo last week when he collided with a band of clear tape that stretched from one side of the bike trail to the other.

The impact of the collision gave Pam’s husband a concussion, broken collarbone, broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Fusselman believes it was a prank gone wrong, but says she doesn’t want what happened to her husband to happen to anyone else. On Wednesday Fusselman handed out flyers to area residents to try and educate them about what happened and hopefully prevent future incidents.

WOWT has an interview with Doug Fusselman, who said that “he didn’t know what hit him when he ran into a piece of plastic wrap that had been strung from one end of the trail to the other.”

Pam Fusselman says she is “on a mission both to alert other bikers of this potential danger as well as to try to find those who may be responsible for this crime.”

As Fusselman recuperates, and counts down the days until he can be back on his bike, at least he can be thankful that it wasn’t barbed wire across the path, as happened in England last April.

The 2008 edition of Trans Iowa took place on April 26th and 27th. This epic gravel grinder is an annual endurance race organized by Guitar Ted Productions, and is a non-stop, self-supported, solo competition along the gravel roads of rural Iowa.

Trans Iowa always seems to run into a lot of drama with unpredictable Iowa springtime weather, and this year was no exception:

Take T.I.V1 wind and chilly temps, amp that up a bit, throw in a mudslide, add in flooding of epic proportions, road damage that is unprecedented in my memories of living here in Iowa, and washed out, impassable roads and you will get T.I.V4 in a nutshell.

Due to an unprecedented ugly winter, topped off by torrential rainfalls over much of the course less than two days prior to the start, and howling ice-ridden winds, we were left with no choice but to cut the event short.

In the end, even with the abbreviated route (only 250 miles), just five riders were left on the road, after 55 started in Decorah. John Gorilla won the race, followed by Joe Kucharski, Charlie Farrow, Charlie Parsons, and Corey Godfrey.

Full ride report from Guitar Ted (an epic in itself): Trans Iowa V4 : It Blew Me Away!, Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Final Thoughts.

Other coverage: MTBR, EnduroSnob, Cornbread, SquidBuzz, Selma Lee Suiby, DirtBlog, Constantine Peters (pics), Scoletrain, CyclingUpdate, Flandria Velosport: part 1 and part 2

Bicycling news from Kansas and surrounding states:

Kansas:

• Federal funds may help start rail service - If Kansas decides to restore passenger rail service across much of the state, the federal government could pick up 80 percent of the startup costs, according to a grassroots organization pushing the plan. The group hopes to restore passenger service along a 606-mile corridor between Kansas City and Fort Worth. No word on whether or how the train service would support bicycles.
• In Pittsburg, Cyclists took part in ‘The Nature Reach Ride’ a 10-mile “fun ride” to raise awareness and funding for Pittsburg State University’s Nature Reach program.
• Hawk Bloc thinks that motorists yelling at cyclists is a remarkably sophomoric act of cowardice.
• Cookie Wiebe, health and wellness coordinator for the Harvey County Health Department in Newton, has begun to see cross-country bicyclists on the Trans-America trail.
• Leavenworth: Cyclist rides for Road 2 Recovery - Maj. Jason Bryan will join hundreds of other cyclists in a ride to promote a program that uses cycling activities to rehabilitate combat injured service members. The focus of the ride is to get spinning and outdoor cycling programs going at VA medical centers and eventually at Warrior Transition Units around the country. “Road 2 Recovery is giving back to the Soldiers who have sacrificed so much,” Bryan said.
• Warren reports that the Indian Creek Trail at Antioch is now open!
• Sara at Pittsburg State University rides her bike everywhere, has been harassed by motorists, and she doesn’t appreciate it one bit.
• Larry McGee is looking to buy a bike, but having trouble finding one he likes.
• Salina mayor John Vanier wants complete streets: “I think every street, any redoing of any street in this town, we need to look at that and add bike lanes,” he said.

Arkansas:

• The Joe Martin Stage Race took place in northwest Arkansas, with nearly 700 cyclists from 17 countries and more than 40 U. S. states. Coverage: Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4.
• In Benton County, a judge declined to accept a plea arrangement for a Siloam Springs woman who struck a 9-year-old girl on a bicycle in September 2006, then left the scene. After hitting the child, and watching the girl and bike fly over the roof of the car and land on the roadway, the woman didn’t slow or stop and drove home. After police tracked her down, she admitted hitting the child and said she was “too nervous to stop”.
• The Fossil Flats Trail at Devil’s Den State Park is still impassable due to damage from April flooding.

Colorado:

• Cyclists in Fort Collins are seeking a velodrome, which supporters contend “could make this a premier cycling destination in the country and maybe the world.”
• The Community Classic Bike Tour took place on Sunday, May 18th in Loveland.
• The Ride for the Pass rolled on May 17th in Independence Pass, east of Aspen. The route is is free of motorized traffic, as the event takes place on the Saturday before the pass opens to vehicles after its winter closure.
• The opening of the Rio Grande Trail in Carbondale is expected to boost cycling-related businesses in the are when it opens in June.
• The 10th annual Buena Vista Bike Fest was held Saturday, May 17th: Bike fest coming to Colorado Springs.
• Nick Nunns is excited because it’s his anniversary: I have not driven my car to work for exactly one year. His next step: get a carectomy.

Iowa:

• From the Sioux City Journal: Biking season is (finally) here. (Note to Journal: Every season is bicycle season!)
• In Think Outside The Car, members of the Quad City community write about their efforts to use bicycles for commute and errands.
• Keep pedaling across Iowa - “There’s much for bikers and walkers to look forward to in the coming years” with the “frenetic pace of trail building in Iowa.”
• Ways explored for making Iowa City safer for bicyclists - “To make the city more bike friendly, Iowa City should implement a comprehensive bike plan, increase the number of main routes with wide shoulders or bike lanes and educate people about bicycling.”
• Clive police trade cars for bikes more often as fuel prices soar.

Missouri:

• The Newburg Hellbender Road Race came to Rolla May 18th. Over 300 cyclists were expected to compete for the 2008 Missouri State Road Race Championship. The Hellbender course may be the most challenging in Missouri and is without a doubt the most scenic, according to organizers.
• Bicyclist Struck By Car In Critical Condition in St. Louis, and a woman, suspected of driving while intoxicated, was arrested for leaving the scene of the accident.
• In Cape Girardeau, a Section of Route K now designated as bike route through efforts of the Velo Girardeau bicycle club.
• In St. Louis, Dave Luecking urges cyclists to use caution when riding in the new bike lanes, which “can offer a false sense of security for cyclists and motorists.”
• Seventh- and eighth-grade members of the Compton-Drew Middle School Bike Club rode the Katy Trail from Sedalia to Jefferson City, covering about 76 miles over two days. The St. Louis schoolchildren took the train to Sedalia, then on their ride they encountered nature an historical sites along the trail and once in Jefferson City they toured the State Capitol, observed the Missouri House, and met with Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder before returning by train to St. Louis.
• Big-time BMX racing came to Blue Springs with the American Bicycle Association Mid-America Nationals, with more than 650 racers competng at the Blue Springs BMX track at Pink Hill Park.
• Kansas City’s Ride of Silence honored those who’ve been hurt or killed while riding their bikes.
• Race reports from St. Joseph’s Robidoux Roundup mountain bike race: Cameron Chambers, Joe Fox.

Nebraska:

• Omaha’s Biking community continues to grow.
• Man charged after hitting 5-year-old riding his bicycle in North Platte. The driver was charged with driving under the influence in an accident that involved serious bodily injury, a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

Oklahoma:

• Bicyclist hit by car in Enid, and the motorist was cited for “failure to devote attention to driving”. This follows the recent death of David Lee Harrison in Enid, who was hit when a motorist looked down to adjust his air conditioning controls. What’s with the drivers in Enid? Are they all that incompetent?

The Ride of Silence is an annual ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways. Join cyclists worldwide in a this silent slow-paced ride (max. 12 mph/20 kph). It is a moving event as bicyclists slowly ride two abreast in complete silence. Rides are taking place worldwide on May 21st.

Here are some of the events in and near Kansas:

• Kansas: Wichita
• Arkansas: Little Rock
• Colorado: Colorado Springs,
• Iowa: Ames, Atlantic, Des Moines, Mason City, Sioux City
• Missouri: Kansas City (May 14th), Sedalia, Springfield, St. Joseph, St. Louis
• Nebraska: Bellevue, Lincoln
• Oklahoma: Oklahoma City

Refer to the Ride of Silence web site for a complete list.

Wow, lots of press coverage of bike week activities around the midwest:

Kansas:

• Atchison: Two teachers at Atchison High School commuted to school, along with many students, who earned extra credit for participation.
• Lenexa: Bike Week celebrates pedal power, featuring Noah Dunker of KC Bike Commuting.
• Kansas City: EPA Employees Take Bike Week’s Car-Free Challenge - By bicycling and carpooling, a group of employees from the Environmental Protection Agency took steps to reducing their carbon footprints by using alternatives to traveling alone by automobile.
• Topeka: Commuting by bike to save gas
• Wichita Man Shuns Pumps, Pedals to Work
• Noah at KC Bike Commuting blogged his bike week.
• Dave at Dave’s Good Stuff didn’t see as many bike commuters as he’d hoped.

Arkansas:

• Fayetteville: Bike to Work Day at the University of Arkansas.
• Fayetteville: University, city employees celebrate Bike to Work Day

Iowa:

• Cedar Rapids: Several riders kick off Bike to Work Week
• Davenport: Week of events focus on bike commuting, safety
• Des Moines: Biking to Work Grows in Popularity
• Des Moines: More than 2,000 ride bicycles to work
• Iowa City: Forum to focus on bicycle-friendliness
• Iowa City: Bike beats car and bus in annual race
• Johnston: 800 Johnston Students Bike To School
• Ottumwa: Biking to work the norm for several Ottumwans
• Muscatine: Bike commuter wouldn’t have it any other way

Missouri:

• Cape Girardeau: The Cape Central High School orchestra celebrated Bike to Work Day by biking to school.
• Kansas City: KCTV-5’s Amanda Graor is blogging about her bicycle commuting experiences.
• Kansas City: Pedal-type propulsion preferred
• Kansas City: Chris at Dirt Dobber blogged his week of bike commuting.
• St. Louis: 15 questions with a Bike to Work Day bicyclist
• St. Louis: Gear up and pedal to the office

Nebraska:

• Omaha: Omaha To Add Bike Lanes, Connect Trails
• Omaha: Rising Prices Has Some “Switching Gears”

Oklahoma:

• Edmond: 10 reasons why riding a bike may be way to go
• Edmond: Bicyclists can take ride to free food, produce
• Guthrie: Guthrie schedules bicycling day
• Norman: A day without gasoline - “Thousands of central Oklahoma bicyclists are heading off to work on their bicycles, with nary a drop of $3.60 per gallon unleaded gasoline.”
• Oklahoma City: Bicycling takes a healthier path to save gas on your ride to work
• NewsOK Business Writer Don Mecoy rode his bike to work and then rode home as well. His 20-mile round-trip commute gave him an energy boost and a sense of accomplishment, but he doesn’t expect to become a full-time commuter: “Not because of the inconvenience or effort, but because of the lack of bike lanes on any north-south routes between Edmond and Oklahoma City. I know how to ride in traffic, but I don’t enjoy it.”
• Central Oklahoma Bike to Work Day

On Saturday, May 17th, the Greater Kansas City Bicycle Federation is hosting the All Things Bicycle Jumble and Swapmeet, followed by Tour de Cowtown, described as “Kansas City’s longest running annual alleykat races”.

The swapmeet takes place in the parking lot of Acme Bicycle Company at 412 East 18th Street in Kansas City, Missouri (see map). The swapmeet is free for both buyers and sellers, though everyone is asked to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the food bank, as well as any bicycles or gear you’d like to donate to the Greater Kansas City Bicycle Federation’s free bike program and the 816 Bicycle Collective.

The “834th annual” Tour de Cowtown alleykat race takes place that evening at 7pm, again starting at Acme Bicycle. The entry fee is $12 the day of the race (or $10 if you pre-register). Food, drink, and music will be provided, and participants will be racing for fun, prizes, and prestige.

If you need more information, please call 816-221 2045.