Monday, July 14, 2008

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge's financial struggle

Funding cutbacks for the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge have Madison Mayor John Hamm concerned, the Granite City Press-Record reports. Trailnet officials recently had told the mayor that it didn't have enough money to pay the Madison Police Department to open and close the bridge. He said it had threatened to close the bridge except on special occasions.

On June 23, Trailnet curtailed the bridge's hours: "Due to funding limitations, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge will be open between 9 a.m. and dusk until further notice. When the bridge is closed, please use the McKinley Bridge to cross the Mississippi River."

Last week, Trailnet Executive Director Ann Mack addressed the Madison City Council about the financial concerns. Here's an excerpt from the Press-Record story:

In an interview later, she that the shortfall occurred after funding from Great Rivers Greenway, a publicly funded park district which services St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County, dried up.

Mack said Trailnet receives less than 12 percent of its funding from public sources and that the organization has received money from federal earmarks in the past.

Mack said Trailnet would be talking with local shareholders about the importance of keeping the bridge open within four to six weeks.

Hamm said it's important the bridge stay open because grants that the city received to improve the Illinois parking lot were tied to the bridge staying open.

The city of Madison owns the bridge, and Trailnet leases the bridge from the city. The bridge was constructed in 1929 and once carried Route 66 across the Mississippi River. Madison had operated the bridge as a toll bridge from 1939 to 1968, when the nearby Interstate 270 bridge took away too much traffic for the bridge to remain profitable.

Trailnet has had other problems with the bridge in recent years, most notably with car break-ins at the Missouri parking lot. Because of that, the Missouri parking lot now is open only for special events. Otherwise, people who drive cars to the bridge have to park either at North Riverfront Park, about 1.4 miles south of the bridge, or at the Illinois parking lot on Chouteau Island. Much of the Riverfront Trail on the Missouri side of the river remains closed because of cleanup from the recent flooding.

The Missouri Bicycle Federation also has reported on this issue, also citing the Press-Record story.

Labels: Illinois, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, St. Louis, Trailnet

Roger 1 comments links to this post 12:31 PM

Doing the Land of Lincoln proud!

Yes, indeed, Christian Vande Velde is the pride of the Land of Lincoln, as far as the cycling world is concerned!

Vande Velde, a native of the Chicago suburb of Lemont, is just 38 seconds behind new Tour de France leader Cadel Evans after today's Stage 10, which featured the difficult climbs of the Col de Tourmalet and Hautacam. Evans and Vande Velde finished in the same group that finished 2:17 behind stage winner Leonardo Piepoli. The only rider between Vande Velde and Evans is Frank Schleck, who is a mere second behind Evans in the overall standings.

Vande Velde, 32, rides for Garmin-Chipotle and is the son of U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame member John Vande Velde. Until this year, he was best known for playing a supporting role in two of Lance Armstrong's seven Tour de France victories. He has come into his own this year. He wore the maglia rosa one day in this year's Giro d'Italia, took third in the Tour of California and seventh in the Tour of Georgia.

Now that Vande Velde is among the leaders, I guess we need to figure out how to spell his last name. Even though the official Tour de France site and Versus are spelling it Vandevelde, I'm going with Vande Velde because that's the way the Garmin-Chipotle team, The Associated Press, VeloNews and his byline on his Tour de France Journal in the Chicago Tribune (I'm linking to the account that appeared in today's edition) spell it. That's good enough for me!

Labels: Illinois, racing, Tour de France

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:42 AM

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

On the Donut Trail ... Part II

Anyone who's visited this Web site for any length of time knows that I think donuts and cycling are a sweet combination!

The 20th anniversary of the original Tour de Donut is coming up July 12 in beautiful Staunton, Ill., and I couldn't think of a better way of getting ready for the event by taking part Sunday in the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society's Donut Trail ride through South St. Louis, then participating in Staunton's Fourth of July celebration parade.

I wrote about the test run of the Donut Trail ride back in November, and about a dozen -- an appropriate number for a donut ride -- cyclists showed up for our first official version of the ride.

Yes, that's me in the photo taken by ride leader Thomas Carter leading the peloton from World's Fair Donuts to Eddie's Southtown Donuts in South St. Louis!

The route was sightly altered from the first version of the event, but the idea was still the same. The plan was to hit five donut shops, although only four were open. Unlike the Tour de Donut, there were no time bonuses to be had by eating lots of donuts, so most of us were content with eating one donut per shop. I did splurge and ate two at my favorite of the shops, the Donut Drive-In.

After spending five days pushing along my heavy mountain bike on the Katy Trail, it was amazingly easy to ride my road bike on the somewhat hilly course.

After the Donut Trail ride was done, it was off to Staunton where I had a new cycling challenge. I rode a trike for the first time. With the help of another trike rider, we hauled several signs promoting Tour de Donut, the upcoming Tour de Coal in Benld, Ill., and the proposed ITS Trail between Staunton and Benld.

At first, I wonder whether I was going to able to pull such a big load, but I soon figured out how to position my feet on the pedals and get the thing roling. I think paradegoers were facinated by the contraption, designed by John Fritsche.

I love the way Staunton has embraced the Tour de Donut. The city once again will have a Rib Festival to coinside with Tour de Donut and take advantage of the numerous out-of-town visitors, and Tour de Donut participants will be happy to know that Main Street in downtown Staunton has been repaved, giving cyclists a much smoother ride!

Speaking of Tour de Donut, I was delighted to find out that my nephew, Julius Parod, will be bringing his mom's (and my sister's) tandem with him to Tour de Donut this year. Yes, my nephew and I will be teamming up on the tandem, and we believe we have a solid shot of winning the tandem division this year!

Julius just finished the mountainous Bike Virginia ride last week, so he'll be ready for the considerably smaller hills near Staunton. I have total confidence he will eat more than his share of donuts!

I still find it hard to believe 20 years after I helped fellow officers of the Mid-America Bicycle Club create the ride that it's still around. The 20th anniversary of the Tour de Donut should be a special event, and you have until July 10 to sign up online. No day-of-ride registrations will be accepted.

Labels: bicycle rides, Illinois, St. Louis, Tour de Donut

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:07 PM

Friday, June 13, 2008

Campaigning by bicycle

Scott Hays is running for a District 1 seat on the Champaign County (Ill.) Board, and he's campaigning by bicycle -- and kayak and foot.

"In an effort to really get to know all of District 1, I have set a goal to cross District 1 by many different routes and in many different ways," Hays says on his Web site. "This includes by bicycle, by kayak, on foot and any other means. .... If you see me, say hi! I'll be the guy in the yellow hat (or black bike helmet) and purple Hays for 1 t-shirt. Better yet, anyone is welcome to join me for any of my treks."

Hays and fellow candidate Eric Thorsland are leading a 32-mile trek through northwestern Champaign County on Saturday to highlight cycling issues in the county.

"Rural Champaign County, particularly District 1, is increasingly recognized by cycling enthusiasts as a beautiful and exciting place to ride," Hays says. "But with rising fuel prices, many people will also want to consider cycling as a regular alternative to driving. Many current county roads are inadequate if not dangerous when shared by cyclists, cars, trucks and farm equipment. I support the creation of increased cycling trails and designated cycling routes to meet this need. Where possible, I support the conversation of rail corridors to cycling trails."

In addition to biking, Hays also frequently kayaks the Sangamon River in that part of the county.

Barack Obama's much-ballyhooed helmeted bicycle ride this past Sunday has me wondering whether cycling and other "green" issues will have an impact on this year's political races. I guess we'll find out in November.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, politics

Roger 3 comments links to this post 2:16 PM

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Bicyclist killed in downtown Alton

A bicyclist either fell under or rode into a passing tractor-trailer Wednesday afternoon on busy Piasa Street in Alton, Ill., dying instantly of massive head injuries, The (Alton) Telegraph reports.

The victim, Calvin E. Waters, 46, of the first block of East 12th Street in Alton, had been riding a woman's-style, blue bicycle north on the east sidewalk along Piasa Street, just north of West Broadway, at 2:46 p.m. Waters then either rode his bicycle out of the parking lot ingress-egress or "tipped off his bicycle into the street," Alton Police Chief Chris Sullivan told The Telegraph.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch also reported on the story, but as of this hour, The Telegraph's story is more complete.

Alton police questioned the driver, James D. Thomas, 47, of Washington, Mo., at the Alton Law Enforcement Center, and he underwent tests for presence of drugs or alcohol, the preliminary results of which Sullivan said were negative.

"There was no indication of intoxication or use of a controlled substance," Sullivan said. "There was no apparent fault on the part of the driver."

Thomas was not cited with any offenses as of Wednesday evening.

"It was a straightforward, tragic accident," Sullivan told The Telegraph, based on preliminary findings. "It was clear (Waters) just ran under the truck."

One employee of a downtown Alton business says there's been a lot more bicycle traffic near that intersection. For people unfamiliar with Alton. The Broadway-Piasa intersection is the intersection of U.S. 67 and Illinois Route 100, better known as the Great River Road. The same employee also has noticed more and more motorists are speeding up to beat the red light at that intersection.

Labels: fatal accidents, Illinois

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:00 PM

Thursday, June 05, 2008

McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle grand opening

The Great Rivers Greenway District and the Metro East Park and Recreation District will jointly celebrate the grand opening of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle at Branch Street on Saturday, June 7, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The McKinley Bridge Bikeway is a 2,600-ft. long by 14-ft. wide cantilevered lane separated from vehicular traffic lanes on the McKinley Bridge. Offering dramatic views of the Mississippi River and downtown St. Louis, the bikeway is a unique and distinctive feature of the reconstructed bridge that was reopened for vehicular traffic last November.

Also new on the Missouri side is the Trestle at Branch Street, a 2,400-ft. long by 24-ft. wide paved path that rises from street level at Branch Street to the height of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway. The trestle provides a direct connection to the popular 11-mile Riverfront Trail.

Eventually, an additional extension on the Missouri side will connect the Trestle at Branch Street, an adjacent historic elevated steel trestle that continues to downtown St. Louis. The trestle, which was a former rail corridor, will distinguish St. Louis as only the third city in the world, after the High Line in New York City and the Promenade Plantée in Paris, to convert an historic elevated railroad viaduct into a linear urban recreation area.

In a press release for the event, Madison County Board Chairman Alan Dunstan highlighted another important aspect of the project. “Thanks to the vision and hard work of the Madison County Transit District (MCT), we have a world-class bikeway system featuring over 100 miles of interconnected trails in Madison County. The opening of this landmark project by MEPRD and Great Rivers Greenway brings us another step closer to providing Missouri residents with enhanced access to those trails.”

While there are existing on-road connections to both the Confluence Trail and Schoolhouse Trail, MEPRD and MCT are in the planning stages for a trail connection that will link the McKinley Bridge Bikeway directly into the one of those existing MCT trails.

No bicycle riding will be allowed on the McKinley Bridge during the event, but participants will be able to walk or take a shuttle bus to take advantage of bands, food and other activities in St. Louis and across the Mississippi River in Venice, Ill. There's an early bird ride from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. from North Riverfront Park in St. Louis down to the bridge. The bikeway will be officially dedicated at noon.

Columbia, Ill.-based Helmets First will giving away bicycle helmets to the first 100 children.

Labels: bicycling, Illinois, McKinley Bridge, Missouri, St. Louis, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:39 PM

Thursday, May 29, 2008

O'Fallon Grand Prix

The Metro-East Cycling club will be putting on its first-ever O'Fallon Grand Prix this Saturday, May 31.

The start-finish line for the races will be in front of Fulton Junior High School, which is located at 307 Kyle Road in O'Fallon, Ill. Racing will begin at 11 a.m., and participants can sign up for the event starting at 8 a.m. and continuing until 30 minutes before the start of each scheduled event.

The event is the biggest cycling race in St. Clair County since the mid-1990s, when a leg of the Gateway Cup series of bicycle races was run in the Signal Hill neighborhood of Belleville.

The Elite Pro/Cat 1/Cat 2 race will begin at 11 a.m. and will cover 90 miles. Races also will be available in other men's categories, masters' categories, women's categories and junior categories. In addition, kids races from tricyclists to bicyclists ages 11-14 will begin at 10 a.m.

"It'll be really fun for people who enjoy bike racing," race director Steven Schmidt, secretary of Metro East Cycling, told the Belleville News-Democrat. "Our course is exciting. It's all on country roads. It's fast, hilly and twisty."

That's true. The map of the course shows all the twists and turns, and I can tell you from personal experience, there are hills on the course!

Racers should be aware of one major hazard on the course. There's a bridge on Simmons Road between Bethel School Road and Kyle Road that has cracks parallel to the length of the bridge. The cracks are wide and deep enough to grab a road wheel and can cause a serious spill. Racers need to be careful to position themselves between the cracks while going across the bridge.

Metro-East Cycling has worked hard on this event. One of the biggest challenges the club faced was getting approval from the O'Fallon City Council. The council did unanimously approve the event at its April 7 meeting, but with the caveat that the police chief has authority to close down the event if the insurance is not provided, communications concerns are not met or not enough volunteers are present.

From what I understand, it sounds like Metro-East Cycling has all its ducks in a row, so let the racing begin Saturday morning!

Labels: cycling, Illinois, racing

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:49 AM

Saturday, May 17, 2008

O'Fallon, Ill., alderwoman hit with can while bicycling

O’Fallon, Ill., Alderwoman Mary Schmidt was cycling with her husband and a friend May 8 on Witte Road north of the city, when someone in a passing truck threw an unopened beer can at Schmidt, striking her in the arm, the O'Fallon Progress newspaper reported.

“A truck came up along side of us going about 60 mph, we figure, and maybe a foot away from us, and I think they underhanded a beer can at us,” Schmidt told the Progress.

Schmidt told the Progress after the can hit her the cyclists flagged down a passing motorist who caught up to the truck and got the license plate number. Schmidt also called the police. She said she got another look at the white Dodge “king cab” when it drove by a second time as Schmidt was on the phone with police.

The St. Clair County Sheriff's Department is investigating the case.

Mary Schmidt is the wife of Steve Schmidt, one of the key members of the Metro East Cycling club. MEC will be holding its first-ever O'Fallon Grand Prix on May 31. Let's hope the driver of the white truck is nowhere to be found that day -- and preferably behind bars.

Labels: bicycles, Illinois, safety

Roger 3 comments links to this post 1:14 PM

Friday, May 09, 2008

Trailnet changes starting point for ride

Trailnet's Bicycle Fun Club has changed the starting location for its Lewis and Clark Departure Days Ride planned for Saturday, May 11. The ride will now start at the Missouri entrance to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge due to flooding. Registration for the bike ride is 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. SAG support is offered until 3 p.m., and secure parking is provided until 5 p.m. Vehicles must be removed from the Missouri bridge entrance parking lot by 5 p.m.

The reason for the change is flooded grass parking lots at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site near Hartford, Ill. Days of rain have saturated the grassy areas of the historic site. Most of the ride is on roads and Madison County Transit trails in Illinois, and those have not been affected by flooding.

Labels: Illinois, St. Louis, Trailnet

Roger 0 comments links to this post 6:55 PM

Friday, April 18, 2008

A bit of shakin' going on

Yes, we in the Midwest have earthquakes.

A 5.2-magnitude earthquake occurred at 4:37 a.m. CDT, and was centered about 115 miles east of Belleville, and six miles from West Salem in Edwards County, Ill. It was felt in Chicago, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis.

I managed to sleep through that earthquake, but I most definitely felt an aftershock from this morning's earthquake. It hit the region at 10:15 a.m., almost six hours after a magnitude 5.2 quake struck the Midwest at 4:37 a.m. That registered at 4.5 magnitude. Another hit two hours after the initial quake, at 6:55 a.m., registering 2.6.

So far, there aren't many reports of major damage. Here are some stories:

• Belleville News-Democrat
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch

While my part of the world isn't as notorious for earthquakes as California, we have our share here. The most famous is the New Madrid, Mo., earthquake on Feb. 7, 1812. That quake caused shifted the course of the Mississippi River and create numerous lakes. More than 4,00o reports of quakes since 1974 have been made in the region shown below:

Labels: Illinois, nature, St. Louis

Roger 2 comments links to this post 10:58 AM

Saturday, April 12, 2008

On the legislative front

Advocacy groups in Missouri and Illinois have been busy trying to push bicycle-friendly bills through their respective legislatures. Here's a rundown of the activity:

Missouri

The Missouri Bicycle Federation has been pushing a Complete Streets bill. The Missouri House passed the bill overwhelmingly, but it hit a snag in the Senate.

MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh reports that Missouri Department of Transportation Pete Rahn has voiced his opposition to the bill. Here's an excerpt from the group's blog:

"Although MoDOT's research group had returned a fiscal note indicating the impact of the bill on MoDOT's budget would be $0, Rahn apparently became concerned that the bill would require MoDOT to pay more attention to the needs and safety of bicyclists and pedestrians than it wishes to. The agency could face real consequences for failure to safely accommodate for pedestrians, bicyclists, and people with disabilities, where now it faces none."

Rahn told the bill's sponsor, Rep. Mike Sutherland, that MoDOT would implement what's needed so that the bill isn't needed. MoBikeFed is skeptical. "In great degree thanks to MoDOT policy, Missourians bicycle at less than half the national average," the organization contends.

Here's some other initiatives MoBikeFed is pushing:

DEAD RED FOR BICYCLES AND SAFE PASSING OF BICYCLES PROVISIONS PASS MISSOURI SENATE: SB 761, sponsored by Senator Bill Stouffer, was debated and passed the Missouri Senate on March 26.

The bill includes two important provisions for bicyclists: safe passing (allows cars to pass bicyclists safely even in solid yellow lined "no passing zones") and dead red (allows bicyclists to proceed through a red traffic signal when it is malfunctioning and will not change).

http://mobikefed.org/2008/03/dead-red-for-bicycles-and-safe-passing.php

SAFE STREETS BILL HAS HEARING IN MISSOURI HOUSE; FAMILIES TESTIFY: The "Safe Streets" bill with enhanced penalties for those who injure or kill while driving, had a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on March 26.

Brad Gaunt, son of Larry Gaunt and uncle of Sierra Gaunt, who were killed last summer while bicycling in the Kansas City area, testified about the family's response to that tragedy and the difficulties they have faced in working with the prosecutor's office to get appropriate prosecution in that case.

http://mobikefed.org/2008/03/safe-streets-bill-has-hearing-in.php

BILL INTRODUCED TO ALLOW MISSOURI COUNTIES TO FUND BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES: A bill to allow certain counties to create a county sales tax to fund bicycle and pedestrian facilities has been introduced in the Missouri legislature.

A group of parks officials has worked hard to create and advance this bill. Since it is in MoBikeFed's current Legislative Platform it allows us to come in strongly in support of the bill.

http://mobikefed.org/2008/04/bill-introduced-to-allow-missouri.php

Illinois

The League of Illinois Bicyclists and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation are pushing legislation that would create the offense of infliction of serious physical injury or death to a vulnerable user of a public way. Vulnerable users include bicyclists, pedestrians and highway workers.

Under the bill, a person convicted of operating a vehicle upon a highway in a careless or reckless manner and causing serious physical injury or death to a vulnerable user of a public way would face a minimum $12,500 fine and possible suspension of driving privileges. The offense would be a Class A misdemeanor.

The House and Senate versions of the bill are awaiting action by the full chambers. An amendment also has been proposed in the Senate bill that would add motorcyclists to the list of vulnerable members.

Meanwhile, a task force is continuing its look into creating a negligent vehicular homicide law. The task force is required to issue its report to the General Assembly by July 1. That task force was prompted by the 2006 death of Matt Wilhelm, who was killed by a car driven by a woman downloading a cell phone ring tone in Urbana.

TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENTS AND SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL: Both LIB and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation say problematic funding practices at the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have hindered the creation of safe places for adults and children to walk and bicycle in Illinois. IDOT distributes funds to two key efforts that promote safety and active transportation: bicycle trails and Safe Routes to School, a movement to encourage and enable children to safely walk and bike to school.

The legislation would hold the state more accountable for these funds by requiring that the selection committee’s project criteria and rankings are publicly reported, funding decisions are based solely on project ranking, funding decisions are promptly announced, and public and local government representatives are added to existing selection committees. It would ensure a more predictable and more public funding process, which will encourage more communities and municipalities to take advantage of the funds available to them.

Both the House and Senate unanimously passed their versions of the legislation, and the bills await votes in the opposite chambers.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, Missouri, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:36 AM

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Come visit my part of the world!

Organizers for the Illinois Great Rivers Ride have announced the tentative route for the 2008 edition of the ride, and it's in an area that I know and love: Southwestern and Southern Illinois!

Here's a breakdown of the ride:

September 6:
Cyclists will gather at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site near Hartford. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark began their expedition near the site on May 14, 1804. The visitors center has a museum that does a nice job of telling the story of the expedition. I'll be honest, some of the scenery close to the site isn't the best, but if you have some extra time to ride, you may want to hop on the Madison County Transit trail system for a trip to Alton and the Great River Road or to Edwardsville.

September 7:
The ride begins with a 38-mile trek from Hartford to Columbia, a Monroe County community that has seen lots of growth in recent years. Along the route is Cahokia, which was originally settled by the French in 1699. Cahokia has three significant historic attractions: the Holy Family Log Church, which was dedicated in 1799; the Cahokia Courthouse, which was built in 1740 and is the only courthouse surviving from Illinois' territorial days; and the Jarrot Mansion, the oldest surviving brick building in Illinois.

Ride organizers haven't posted exact details about the route, but I would be somewhat concerned if they took the ride on Illinois Route 3 through Venice, Brooklyn and East St. Louis. There are considerable cycling and personal safety issues with that road. Instead, I would recommend they cross the Mississippi River on the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, take the Riverfront Trail to downtown St. Louis, then cross the Eads Bridge back into Illinois.

September 8:
This is another short day, from Columbia to the Fort de Chartes State Historic Site near Prairie du Rocher. The French used Fort de Chartes from the 1750s until 1771 to protect the Illinois territory, and the fort has been partly rebuilt. The route between Columbia and fort will take cyclists past scenic bluffs that tower over the Mississippi River valley.

The one downside this day is riding through Monroe County, which is not known as being bicycle friendly. Cyclists who don't follow the rules of the road are partly to blame for some of the problems, but so are local residents who overreacted to the situation. My experience has been that if you follow the rules of the road and practice some common courtesy, you should be fine. Hopefully, ride organizers are aware of Monroe County's group ride ordinance, which requires a permit for group rides of more than 50 people.

September 9:
The ride continues 61 miles from Fort de Chartes to Grand Tower, which gets its name from an unusual rock ridge that runs along the Mississippi River. Along the route is the Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site, which preserves the remains of Fort Kaskaskia, and the Pierre Menard home, the home of Illinois' first lieutenant governor. Kaskaskia was the first state capital of Illinois, and the Menard home is the only remaining building from the original community. Flooding caused the Mississippi River to change its course and destroyed the original town, including the first state capitol.

The route also goes through Chester, which is noted for having a statue of Popeye overlooking the Mississippi River. Why would Chester have a statue of Popeye? It's the hometown of Popeye creator Elzie C. Segar.

September 10:
The 60-mile route goes from Grand Tower to Vienna. The first thing to know about Vienna: It's pronounced VYE-en-na in Southern Illinois. The route will go through a piece of scenic Shawnee National Forest, Illinois' only national forest. If you think Illinois is flat, Shawnee National Forest will prove you wrong.

September 11:
Organizers say the 30-mile route from Vienna to Giant City State Park promises to be the hilliest day of the ride, and I think they're right. The Bicycle Across the Magnificent Miles of Illinois ride I did back in 1985 used a lot of the roads that likely will be used on this ride, but the scenery is worth the work you'll be doing on the hills. You'll be seeing more of Shawnee National Forest.

September 12:
The ride begins to level out again with a 67-mile trek from Giant City State Park to the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta. The complex is the home of several sharpshooting events.

September 13:
The 67-mile route takes you from Sparta and back through the metro-east into Hartford. Without knowing the exact route, I can't fill you on more details, but much of the route should be fairly flat, yet scenic. If you ride fast enough, you should be able to hop in your car and watch the end of Stage 6 of the Tour of Missouri bicycle race in St. Charles, Mo. If you can stick around another day, you can see the final stage in St. Louis on Sunday, Sept. 14.

The cost of the ride is $600 and includes breakfast and dinner each day, evening receptions and entertainment and camping fees.

I won't be able to do the entire ride because I can't get the full week off, but I most certainly invite you to see some of the most historic and scenic parts of the Land of Lincoln.

Labels: bicycle rides, Illinois

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:20 PM

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Bike commuter in Southern Illinois

Over the weekend, The Associated Press sent out a feature about a Southern Illinois bike commuter to its member papers in Illinois. The Carbondale-based Southern Illinoisan originally published the story back in January.

Bobby Joe Wayne Cantrell -- a student at Rend Lake College, a community college in Ina -- regularly bikes the the 21-mile round trip from his home in West City to Ina on a red Mongoose mountain bike.

Why does he ride? Unlike most of his peers, Cantrell does not have a driver's license.

"I had a (learner's) permit but I was never taken out enough to get any real practice," he said. "And now it's the cost of it. I don't have the funding to get a car and pay for the upkeep of it, so I ride my bike everywhere."

Labels: commuting, Illinois

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:47 AM

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Watch out for armadillos!

Remember the tale of St. Louis-area native Dan Schmatz and his encounter with an armadillo during the 2007 Tour of Missouri? Schmatz broke his collarbone when he struck an armadillo during the second stage of the race.

Well, cyclists should be aware there are armadillos in Southwestern Illinois. Belleville News-Democrat outdoors reporter Rod Kloeckner tells the story of a New Athens man, Bob Rutkowski, who had an encounter with a live armadillo while hiking at the Kaskaskia River Fish and Wildlife Area. Rutkowski took the photo at left, which appeared in today's News-Democrat.

Dr. Joyce Hofmann, a senior research scientist and mammalogist with the Illinois Natural History Survey, told the News-Democrat that since 1999, there have been 130 recorded sightings of armadillos in Illinois. The bulk have come from 22 counties in Southwestern Illinois, bracketed by Interstate 70 to the north and Interstate 57 to the east. More than 70 percent of the sightings have been road kill.

Given my track record of hitting a female cyclist and a block of wood on the road, I know I'll being watching out for dead armadillos on the road!

Labels: accidents, Illinois

Roger 1 comments links to this post 2:05 PM

Sunday, March 02, 2008

Take the pledge

The Matt's Law Coalition is still at work attempting to create the stiffer penalties for distracted drivers involved in fatal accidents in Illinois.

The Coalition fell short last year in getting the Illinois General Assembly into creating the offense of Negligent Vehicular Homicide, which would provide stronger penalties than what are not available under Illinois traffic law.

The image above is of a billboard the Coalition put up near Gibson City, Ill., and more are expected to be put up in the Champaign-Urbana area.

The Coalition is named for Matt Wilhelm, who died in September 2006 of injuries suffered when a woman downloading a cell phone ringtone struck his bicycle.

Because Illinois does not have a Negligent Vehicular Homicide law similar to 35 other states, the driver was only charged with improper lane usage, a petty offense with a maximum fine of $1,000. Champaign County prosecutors determined that it would have been difficult to charge the driver with Reckless Homicide because the circumstances did not fit the legal definition of that offense under current Illinois law.

The Coalition is calling on drivers to take a pledge that reads:

I pledge that . . .

• I will not talk on my cell phone while driving.
• I will not converse with someone who calls me on a cell phone while driving.
• By my actions and influence, I will encourage others to drive safely.

My individual choices, when multiplied by those of others, will make the roads safer for all. By honoring this pledge, we will save lives together.

The Coalition has posted a PDF version of the pledge on its Web site, and its encouraging people to sign it and post it where others can see it.

It also has a petition for people living in the Champaign-Urbana area calling for a ban on cell phone usage. The Urbana City Council Study Committee is expected to consider the ban March 24, with action by the full council expected April 7.

Labels: fatal accidents, Illinois

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:04 AM

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Trailblazing in Southwestern Illinois

The other day while I driving up to Gillespie, Ill., for an organizational meeting for the 2008 Tour de Coal, I noticed an encouraging sign.

Madison County Transit has started work on a 5.5-mile trail between Staunton and Worden. Work still is in the very early stages, but barricades have been placed on where the trail will intersect roads between Staunton and Worden.

MCT has received state grants for that trail as a well as a trail between Hamel and Staunton. When those are completed, cyclists will be able to ride on a trail or bike lane from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to the Macoupin County line.

Once in Staunton, the home of the original Tour de Donut bicycle "race," the ITS Trail Committee is still working on plans to build a trail that will link Staunton with an existing trail between Benld and Gillespie. As mentioned here before, the long-term goal is to build bicycle trails that will link St. Louis and Springfield.

Below is a video shot for the public access cable TV channel in Staunton. It's an interview with Dr. Poonam Jain, president of the ITS Trail Committee's board, and Jarid Ott, the committee's executive director:



It appears the movement to build more bicycle trails in Southwestern Illinois is gaining momentum.

My friends at GEARS, also known as the Greenville Eating and Riding Club, and the Kingsbury Park District, which covers much of Bond County, are looking into the possibility of building bicycle trails in that rural county.

For those of you unfamiliar with Southwestern Illinois geography, Bond County is the county immediately east of Madison County roughly bisected by Interstate 70. Many Bond County residents are familiar with the MCT trail system.

Dr. Tracy Hall, who created the GEARS group and is a longtime member of the Belleville Area Bicycling and Eating Society, reports many members of her group attended a park district meeting Monday night to express their support of trails in the Greenville area.

GEARS and the park district have a lot of homework to do before trails become reality in that county, but at least they have good resources nearby to get information on how to get money for trails.

Labels: Illinois, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:05 PM

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

TeresaParod.com

My older sister, Teresa Parod, unveiled her new Web site tonight, with a URL of -- appropriately enough -- TeresaParod.com.

Teresa, an Evanston, Ill.-based artist and art instructor, has posted many examples of her oil paintings and drawings on her site.

Teresa has visited 31 countries on 5 continents, far outdoing her younger brother, who has only visited 3 countries on 1 continent. But I least I can say I've bicycled in more states and Canadian provinces than she has!

Her vast travels have influenced her work, as indicated by the painting shown at left, "Burmese Temples." But she also draws from influences closer to home, such as the Howard Street EL Station in Chicago and the Amtrak trains that pass the farms of central Illinois as they cruise between Chicago and St. Louis.

Teresa's travels to Indonesia influenced her to join the Indonesian Performing Arts Group in Chicago, and she has danced in many of the group's shows.

Some of Teresa's bicycling adventures are chronicled on this site, her 1985 trek on the Bicycling the Magnificent Miles of Illinois -- the first weeklong trip Teresa and I ever did -- and her 2004 trek with her two children, Julius and Sereana, on the West Shoreline Tour in Michigan. Teresa and Julius are planning to ride Bike Virginia this year, but I won't be able to join them this year.

I feel blessed to have had two gifted artists in my family -- Teresa and my late brother, Wes Kramer, shown in Teresa's drawing at left. My younger sister, Karen Brooks, also can draw rather well, although she didn't pursue a career in the arts. While I cannot draw or paint as well as Teresa does or Wes did, I feel fortunate that God gave me enough of an artistic eye to take photos, design newspaper pages and create Web sites.

At least one of my friends have marveled how artistically influenced we were for being the children of a steelworker. Well, my late father, Henry "Gene" Kramer may have toiled for years as a blue-collar worker and on the family farm near Brighton, Ill., but he frequently drew and occasionally painted. My grandmother, Bertha Kramer, also was quite a prolific artist. They, however, did not have the opportunities that Teresa, Wes and I had. Even my mother, Jean Kramer, who often complained about not being able to draw, has an artistic eye. I remember a photo she took of a tree during the fall and how well-composed it was, even though she had never received formal education in the Rule of Thirds or other aspects of formal composition.

I hope you'll take the time to visit my sister's Web site and enjoy her work. I'm also grateful she included a link to my site, and I will insert links to her site on the BAMMI and Shoreline pages.

Labels: art, family, Illinois

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:20 PM

Suspect in bike trail attack arrested

For the second time in a week, a suspect has been arrested in an attack on a bike trail in the metro-east, the Illinois counties of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.

Jimmy Joe Huston, 25, was charged in Madison County Circuit Court with unlawful restraint after he allegedly pushed a female jogger off the Madison County Transit Nature Trail near Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and down a ravine last May 20. She resisted and was able to break free with only minor injuries.

Last week, Edwardsville police learned that Huston was in Wakulla County, Fla. Police contacted U.S. marshals, who, on Feb. 7, arrested Jimmy Joe Huston where he had been staying. Huston, 26, was taken to the Wakulla County Jail. He did not resist arrest, according to a news release from Edwardsville police.

Metro-east law enforcement officials should be commended for the new arrest, along with the arrest last week of a suspect in a 2006 attack on the MetroLink Bicycle Trail in Belleville and the felony charges filed in the August 2007 accident that injured recumbent cyclist Gerry Frierdich.

It's encouraging for all residents of the metro-east, not just cyclists and joggers, that authorities are following through with these type of cases.

Labels: Illinois, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:40 PM

Friday, January 25, 2008

Bicyclist's death ruled an accident

Before sunrise the morning of Dec. 20, 2007, Gerald Bickel was riding his bicycle to work on Illinois Route 111 in Pontoon Beach, Ill. Bickel's ride ended in tragedy when a pickup truck struck him from behind, killing the cyclist.

On Wednesday, a Madison County coroner's jury ruled Bickel's death was accidental.

The accident took place at 5:15 a.m. on a unlit section of Route 111. While the highway is in the village of Pontoon Beach, the roadway is surrounded by trees and farmland.

"It's so dark you can stand on the side of the roadway and you can't see until somebody is right up on you," Pontoon Beach police Capt. Daniel McKinney is quoted as saying in the Edwardsville Intelligencer. "In some instances you can't see anything until they pass you. I myself have traveled the road and not noticed people until it was too late. They were right along side me, and it was totally dark. It's not lit in any way, shape or form except by the moon."

Bickel, a 63-year-old former carpenter, was wearing dark clothing, and his bicycle did not have any reflective material, McKinney told the coroner's jury. He also said the driver of the truck did not see anything until he hit Bickel. Police found no evidence that either man had been drinking or using drugs.

Labels: fatal accidents, Illinois, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:52 PM

Friday, January 11, 2008

Distracted Drivers Task Force

Illinois' Distracted Drivers Task Force began hearings this week to study the problem of distracted driving in Illinois, with particular attention to the impact of recent communications technology.

During a hearing in Springfield, the task force heard from the parents of Urbana cyclist Matt Wilhelm, who was died in 2006 after he was struck by a car driven by a woman who was downloading a cell phone ring.

State Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, and state Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, sponsored legislation creating the task force in response to the death of Gloria and Chuck Wilhelm's son.

"We can't legislate common sense, but we need a deterrent to selfish and reckless behavior," Gloria Wilhelm testified at the task force's first meeting on Wednesday, according to the News-Gazette.

The task force is required to give its final report to the General Assembly by July 1. The next public hearing by the task force headed by Secretary of State Jess White will be at 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at the James Thompson Center in Chicago.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that efforts will continue to create the offense of "negligent vehicular homicide." If the bill is passed, a motorist found guilty of the offense in a fatal accident could face up to a year in jail.

The legislation, prompted by Matt Wilhelm's death, stalled in the General Assembly last session, stalled despite having been passed by the House.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Illinois, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:11 PM

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Catching up

Just catching up on cycling headlines from the past few days. A couple of them reference the Tour of Missouri, so here goes:

TOUR OF AMERICA ORGANIZER SPEAKS OUT: British-based Cycling Weekly did an interview with Frank Arokiasamy, the Malaysian-born, U.S.-based businessman attempting to put together the ambitious Tour of America race. Arokiasamy still thinks he can get UCI approval for a 2008 ride, find sponsors and offer $1 million to the winner. Cycling Weekly asked him about the fact his proposed September race would conflict with the Tour of Missouri:

Q: Your proposed dates also clash with the new Tour of Missouri, which was very successful last year. In terms of goodwill and PR, it's not a great move is it?

A: Not at all. I don't think it's a good move, but in the big picture we don't have a choice. You can't put a race as big as this on the whole sporting calendar and not step on some toes. I regret that deeply. I'd like to talk to the people at the Tour of Missouri so that everyone can exist and complement each other and co-exist. When you want to do something big, you have no choice but to step on some toes. Tell me when there is a spot on the calendar when it doesn't clash. If someone can do that, please tell me.

The conflict not only involves overlapping dates, but the fact Tour of America would have stages in the Show-Me State at the same time as Tour of Missouri.

DAN SCHMATZ MOVES ON: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch did a story about Dan Schmatz, the St. Louis-area native who gained notoriety when he broke his arm after hitting an armadillo during the second stage of the 2007 Tour of Missouri.

Since then, Schmatz has left pro racing, but he returned to his second home in Colorado with a renewed sense of purpose, the Post-Dispatch reported. Schmatz has started a new career in real estate management and is passing on his racing expertise as director of the THF Realty Cycling Team, an amateur team that plans to participate in 10 to 15 U.S. races this year.

To mark the change in his life, Schmatz also has created a new version of his blog, Your Bike Sucks.

ILLINOIS 3-FEET LAW: In their roundups of new laws that took effect Jan. 1, most daily papers in Illinois only gave a sentence or two to the new law that requires motorists to give at least 3 feet of clearance when passing a bicyclists. But there were a couple of papers that took it a step further.

The Aurora Beacon News did a full story about the new law, and it cited startling statistics: According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, there were nearly nine cyclist-motorist accidents per day in the state of Illinois in 2006, with the vast majority of them taking place in Chicago. In 2006, 26 cyclists were killed in road accidents in Illinois.

The Kane County Chronicle, which serves some of Chicago's suburbs, also wrote about the law.

BIKE SEX CHANGE: My cycling friends Jody and Arlene may consider this sacrilege, but San Francisco Chronicle columnist David Curran recently wrote about how he turned his daughter's pink bicycle into a more masculine silver.

Here's how Curran described the original appearance of the bike, a $30 Magna purchased from Target:

This bike featured three shades of pink. And little pink flowers on top of the pink. You could safely accuse it of pink overkill. In big letters on the chain guard, it said "Starburst." No boy bikes are named Starburst.

How did he perform the sex-change operation? Duct tape. There's a lot more to this story, but I won't spoil the ending here.

Labels: advocacy, bicycles, cycling, Illinois, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:27 PM

Monday, December 31, 2007

Gimme 3 feet, gimme 3 feet mister

With apologies to Lynard Skynyrd and the band's classic rock song "Gimme Three Steps," here's a reminder for all motorists in Illinois:

Won't you give me three feet,
gimme three feet mister,
gimme three feet from my bike!
Gimme three feet,
gimme three feet mister,
and you'll safely pass me by!

The new Illinois law that requires motorists to give at least three feet of clearance when they pass a cyclist goes in effect New Year's Day. Motorists must maintain that clearance until they safely pass the bicycle.

The new law also allows cyclists to extend their right arms to signal a right turn and allows cyclists to "take the lane" where right turns are authorized.

In addition, it also requires bicyclists -- in most cases -- to ride as far to the right as practicable and safe. The law previously only said as far to the right as practicable. The League of Illinois Bicyclists contended that the law as previously written was misinterpreted as being as far to the right as possible; it says the new phrasing re-enforces exceptions while providing some flexibility.

The image above clicks to a larger version of LIB's explanation of the law. You also may download a PDF version of the explanation at LIB's Web site.

Also starting New Year's Day, all Illinois residents -- including cyclists -- will be able to breathe a little easier. The Smoke-Free Illinois Act goes in effect tomorrow, meaning smoking will be banned in nearly all Illinois restaurants, bars, workplaces and public buildings. Smoking also is banned within 15 feet of a public business entrance, open windows and ventilation intakes.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Illinois, safety

Roger 3 comments links to this post 10:33 AM

Friday, December 07, 2007

Chicago's new city sticker

In 2008, Chicago's car owners will get a visual reminder to share the road with cyclists.

Patsy Diaz, a 17-year-old senior at Jones College Prep, won the city’s 2008-09 vehicle sticker art design contest, City Clerk Miguel del Valle announced Wednesday. Diaz’s design fusing the Chicago skyline with images of a car, a bicycle and the words “share the road,” received the most of the 21,238 votes cast online and at City Hall during the final week of November.

“I thought it would be a cool idea just to show the bicycle through the mirror, showing to the people how it makes them aware that bicycles are right there to share the road,” Diaz told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Her winning design will adorn nearly 1.3 million car windshields beginning in June.

More than 400 students from 60 Chicago high schools participated in the annual contest by submitting artwork that incorporated the theme "Share the Road" into their designs, according to a press release from the City Clerk's office. They were invited to submit artwork highlighting the City of Chicago's efforts to make Chicago's roads safe and friendly to all, including bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists. A panel of independent professionals, including artists, civic leaders, bicycle and transportation groups reviewed all entries and voted for the top ten.

You can see the second- and third-place finishers designs at the City Clerk's Web site.

Labels: advocacy, Chicago, cycling, Illinois

Roger 1 comments links to this post 12:19 PM

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Educating and enforcing

The League of Illinois Bicyclists recently sent resources to Illinois police and sheriff's departments in an effort to educate and enforce the sharing of roads between cyclists and motorists.

The poster shown at left is part of that effort. It encourages officers and deputies to know the most frequent offenses by motorists and bicyclists. You can see a larger version of it by clicking on the image or by downloading the full-size version (19 x 27 inches, PDF format).

I think the poster, along with the PowerPoint presentation called "Safe Roads for Bicycling" (also available in a PDF format) and other materials posted at LIB's site, fairly presents the problems that cyclists and motorists create for each other. Among the materials is the new Illinois bike law card (PDF file) that includes the law that goes in effect Jan. 1 that requires motorists to give at least 3 feet of space when passing a cyclist.

The accidents that are caused by inattentive or impaired motorists that kill or seriously injure cyclists get the most attention by the bicycle advocacy community, and deservedly so. But the reality of the situation is that cyclists themselves sometimes are at fault. Hopefully, LIB's effort will educate cyclists, motorists and police officers about the rights -- and responsibilities -- for people who use Illinois' streets and highways.

The PowerPoint presentation makes some interesting points. For instance, it points out the worst offenses by cyclists:

• Riding against traffic.
• Traffic light violations.
• Failure to yield right-of-way.
• No lights at night.

As for motorists, the worst offenses are:

• Speed, Speed, Speed.
• Failure to yield.
• Disregard signs and signals.
• Turning and backing.
• Alcohol.

Another interesting section discusses teens and the poor and where they ride:

• Less-skilled, ride sidewalks.
• Prefer direct routes, need access to all destinations.
• Bike out of necessity.
• Ride at night.
• No lights or reflective clothing.
• Ride against the traffic.

My anecdotal experiences riding in the Belleville, Ill., area back up LIB's contentions. All too often, I see children and the poor -- sometimes those who are forced on bicycles because of DUI convictions -- ride against traffic, and they often ride without lights or reflective clothing at night.

I would recommend you review LIB's materials and spread the word.

Labels: accidents, advocacy, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:28 PM

Friday, November 16, 2007

Metro-east gets bike trail grants

Nearly $1.5 million has been awarded to communities in Southern Illinois to make improvements and expand bike trails.The grants were administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Bicycle Path Grant Program.

Here are the grants:

• Alhambra: $200,000 to build a 4.5-mile trail as an extension to the Nickel Plate Trail. The trail will begin at Hoxey Drive in rural Madison County to Main Street in Alhambra.

• Granite City: $199,800 to build 1.9 miles of trail as phase two of the Six Mile Prairie Trail System in Granite City. The trail runs along a sanitary canal between Pontoon Road and Maryville Road.

• Madison County Transit District: $600,000 total in three separate $200,000 grants. The grants will be used to: Build four miles as an extension to the Confluence Bikeway. The section begins at 20th Street in Granite City and runs to the McKinley Bridge which crosses at the Mississippi River. The trail will be built on top of the Chain of Rocks Canal levee; build 2.8 miles of limestone screening trail as an extension to the 14-mile Nickel Plate Trail. The section starts at Fruit Road in rural Madison County and extends east to Hoxey Drive; build a 0.4-mile addition to the Watershed Trail in Edwardsville. This segment start at West Union Street and ends at West High Street.

• Metro East Park and Recreation District: $200,000 to build a 6-mile trail on Chouteau Island along the levee. The trail will run from Chain of Rocks Road south to the southernmost tip of Chouteau Island. This is phase one of the new Eagle Points Trail System.

Labels: Illinois, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:45 PM

McKinley Bridge dedication

Just a reminder: The dedication of the refurbished McKinley Bridge, which connects St. Louis with Venice, Ill., will take place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday on the Illinois side of the bridge.

After the dedication, the bridge won't be open to vehicles until later this month, when the two vehicular lanes will be open to the public. Illinois Department of Transportation construction engineer Ted Nemsky told the Belleville News-Democrat that "very minor" steel repairs remain, bridge and bike rails need to be installed, and some touch-up painting needs to be completed.

Once the bridge is open to cyclists, there will be no direct connections -- for now, anyway -- from the bridge to any existing trails, the Riverfront Trail in Missouri and the Madison County Transit's Confluence and Schoolhouse trails in Illinois, but you can use streets and highways to get to them.

A trail to connect the bridge with the bridge with the Confluence Trail is likely to be finished in 2008. Until then, you can use Illinois Route 3 to get to 20th Street in Granite City, the southern trailhead of the confluence trail. The trail is on the west side of Route 3. Between the bridge and 20th Street, Route 3 has a wide, paved shoulder.

There also will be a direct connection from the bridge to the Riverfront Trail. Until then, you can take the bridge to the North Broadway intersection in St. Louis. Turn right on North Broadway, turn right on East Grand Avenue, turn left on Hall Street, turn right on East Prairie Avenue, and that will take you to the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing stop on the Riverfront Trail.

Someday, MCT hopes to connect the Schoolhouse Trail to the bridge, but that's many years down the road. I suppose you can go from the bridge to the Route 3/Broadway intersection in Venice, turn right on Route 3/Broadway, stay on Broadway when Route 3 veers to the right, turn right on Second Street in the city of Madison, turn right on Illinois Route 203 (McCambridge Avenue), turn right on Harrison Street and hop on the trail there.

However, I would advise you not take to use option unless you're sure of where you're going and feel comfortable riding in urban areas. A wrong turn could put you in some dicey neighborhoods in the Venice-Madison area.

Labels: Illinois, McKinley Bridge, MCT Trails, Missouri, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:01 PM

Saturday, October 27, 2007

St. Louis-area bicycle projects

Two St. Louis-area bicycle project made the news this week.

First, the dedication of the rebuilt McKinley Bridge is slated for Nov. 17, the Belleville News-Democrat reported today. The 92-year-old bridge -- which links the city of St. Louis with Venice, Ill. -- was originally built for railroad traffic, and two lanes were automobiles were built on the outside of the original bridge in the 1930s. Railroad traffic stopped on the bridge in the 1980s, and the bridge was closed in 2001 because of unsafe conditions.

When the bridge reopens, the two inner lanes of the bridge will be used for automobile traffic, the 12-foot south outer lane will be used for a bicycle-pedestrian path, and the 12-foot north outer lane will be used for maintenance purposes.

In a related project, the Great Rivers Greenway District wants to turn a mile-long former Illinois Traction System trestle into a bicycle-pedestrian trail that would connect city streets near Cass and North Florissant avenues in St. Louis by an overhead ride to the Riverfront Bike Trail, near the McKinley Bridge. The Greenway District didn't have a price tag for the project but would like to begin construction within five years, the Post-Dispatch reported.

The Illinois Traction System, later known as the Illinois Terminal Railroad, once carried rail passengers from St. Louis into Illinois cites such as Granite City, Edwardsville, Alton, Grafton, Springfield, Peoria, Decatur, Champaign-Urbana and Danville. The McKinley Bridge was part of that system.

Much of the current Madison County Transit trail system is on former ITS rights of way, as is some of the Vadalabene Great River Road Bikeway between Alton and Grafton.

In Macoupin County, Ill., a short trail linking the communities of Benld and Gillespie is on a former ITS right of way, and the ITS Trail Committee is trying to obtain the right of way for a trail to link Staunton and Benld. The seven-mile Interurban Trail between Springfield and Chatham also is on a former ITS right of way.

The long-term goal is to develop a system of trails that will link St. Louis and Springfield.

Labels: Illinois, McKinley Bridge, MCT Trails, St. Louis

Roger 2 comments links to this post 11:29 AM

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Blagojevich's "Complete Streets" veto overriden

Illinois cyclists got a major victory today when the Illinois House voted 109-3 to override Gov. Rod Blagojevich's amendatory veto of the "Complete Streets" bill. That, along with the state Senate's vote last week to override the veto, means the bill as originally passed by both chambers becomes law.

What the law means, in short, is that the Illinois Department of Transportation shall include walkways and bicycle ways in their road designs in urban areas. IDOT also shall develop design and construction standards for bicycle and pedestrian ways.

Blagojevich's amendatory veto had changed the wording of the bill from "shall" to "may," effectively gutting the bill, according to the League of Illinois Bicyclists and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation.

The law goes in effect immediately.

Labels: advocacy, commuting, Illinois, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 1:56 PM

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Illinois Complete Streets bill

Last month, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich used his amendatory veto on a bill that would require bicycle and pedestrian ways to be given full consideration in the planning and development of transportation facilities, including the incorporation of such ways into state-funded transportation plans and programs in urban areas. Blagojevich said he would sign the "Complete Streets" bill if the wording is changed from "shall" to "may."

It looks like Blagojevich may not get his way. The Illinois Senate voted 53-0 today to override the amendatory veto. The Illinois House gets to vote on the override next. Given that the House voted 113-2 to approve the original bill, I would think the odds are rather good the House will vote to override as well.

Nevertheless, the League of Illinois Bicyclists isn't taking any chances. It has urged the cycling community to contact legislators:

Dear Illinois bicyclists,

Please leave a quick 30-second phone message for your state representative. Identify yourself as a bicyclist in his/her district. Thank them for voting Yes on Senate Bill 314 back in May, and ask for a Yes vote again to override the Governor’s amendatory veto.

Please do this ASAP, as a vote may occur very soon. Find your State Representative’s name and phone number at http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/AddressSearch.aspx (it’s easy). During business hours, call the Springfield office. Off-hours, leave a message with the district office.

SB314 directs IDOT to include walkways and bicycle ways with the expansion or reconstruction of any state road in urban areas. IDOT has done badly in this regard in the past, despite calls for reform. The governor’s veto stripped the bill of its effectiveness. A positive House vote is the last step needed for an override.

Further background from an earlier bill is at http://www.bikelib.org/completestreets/sb508mtg1005.pdf. LIB’s analysis of IDOT’s bike and ped policies is at http://www.bikelib.org/political_state/bdemanualreview.pdf.)

Thanks – your call could make a difference!!!

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:23 PM