Editor's note: This is presented as a content partnership with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.
If you're friends with Frank Martin, you best be in good shape. Martin is the top Philadelphia-area rider and ranks 7th nationally in the
National Bike Challenge, a free program that runs through August with the goal of uniting 50,000 people to bike 10 million miles.
The local manifestation of the national effort, the I Bike PHL Challenge, includes nearly 900 riders. Nearly 600 of them logged 93,067 miles in May. Temple University ranks 15th among participating teams. While Philadelphia currently ranks 73rd among metro areas, Pennsylvania ranks 7th among states, behind Vermont, Wisconsin, Nebraska, District of Columbia, Iowa, and Colorado.
Two segments of The Circuit, the region's 250-mile plus network of trails that recently has been buoyed by a powerhouse coalition of supporters and funders, are opening this month. On Monday, the Gray's Ferry Crescent Trail was officilaly dedicated, including a transformation of the Schuylkill Riverfront and added green space for Gray's Ferry.
On June 21, the first TIGER-funded trail project -- the mile-long Schuylkill River Trail at Bartram's Garden, will also get an official ribbon cutting.
In the Netherlands, cycling accounts for 27 percent of all trips and 59 percent of all city trips, thanks to abundant cycle paths and segregated cycle facilities. Next week is an opportunity to learn from Dutch bicycle transportation experts. Sponsored by the Mayor's Office of Transportation, the Dutch Embassy, the Bicycle Coalition and Temple's School of Architecture, the ThinkBike Workshop will be held June 18-19 at the Temple University Architecture Building (2000 N. 13th St., Philadelphia).
The
opening session showcases innovative ideas used in the Netherlands that improve safety and support high cycling rates. The
closing session features two design teams led by Dutch experts that will present Dutch methods that can be applied to areas surrounding Temple's main campus and City Hall.
Limited openings are available for the design teams. Interested persons should call Aaron Ritz at 215-686-9000 or
email him here.
The Department of Parks and Recreation has begun the much-anticipated striping of 10 miles of path along Kelly Drive, MLK Drive and Schuylkill River Park Trail on Schuylkill Banks -- among the busiest bike paths in the region.
Parks and Rec's efforts will include traffic control signs in areas where the trail meets parking areas.
THE BICYCLE COALITION OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA has been making the region a better place to ride a bike through advocacy, education, and outreach since 1972. The nonprofit, membership organization's programs include Bike Philly, the Bicycle Ambassadors, Safe Routes Philly, the Complete the Schuylkill River Trail campaign, and Neighborhood Bike Works (now an independent organization). Follow the Bicycle Coalition on Facebook, Twitter, and on their blog.
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