Bikeville

[GSP Tiger]

Bike lanes on roads is a nice idea; however, it never bodes well when considering major arterials with limited space and high volume traffic with no room for bike lanes.

East North Street is the only major road through the Overbrook district, and is a primary route for people in the North Hills area to downtown. I doubt you will ever see bike lanes on this road, but perhaps on Lowndes Hill Road.

We are an automobile society, and use these vehicles as our primary transportation. Cyclists are welcome to use our roads, but must gibe priority to bigger faster vehicles.

[JCT]

Bike lanes on roads is a nice idea; however, it never bodes well when considering major arterials with limited space and high volume traffic with no room for bike lanes.

East North Street is the only major road through the Overbrook district, and is a primary route for people in the North Hills area to downtown. I doubt you will ever see bike lanes on this road, but perhaps on Lowndes Hill Road.

We are an automobile society, and use these vehicles as our primary transportation. Cyclists are welcome to use our roads, but must gibe priority to bigger faster vehicles.

While it is true that we live in an "automobile society", it is worth remembering that streets are for people, not cars. Early on in this country, it was the League of American Bicyclists (Wheelmen at the time) who lobbied for paved roads. Prior to that, in societies around the world, roads were created for whatever form of transportation was available or popular at the time. In all cases, moving people was the common denominator.

It is unfortunate that so many people take the attitude that roads are for cars and anyone not driving a car should get the hell out of the way or pay the consequences. I guess that is why we have a traffic fatality rate of well over 40K a year in the US (the highest per capita in the industrialized world). The idea of "complete streets" is not to take away from motorists, but to make streets usable and safe for all modes of transportation, including cyclists and pedestrians. We have a long way to go toward the goal of making our roads safe for everyone, but it is something worth working toward.

[sc smitty]

I have thought this would be a good idea for a while. Hope it actually happens. As the road exists now with 4 lanes and no center turn lane, the two left hand lanes are used for left turns, stopping traffic behind. People end up weaving back and forth a lot between the two lanes. Studies have shown that the three lanes with bike lanes are just as effecient as the current setup, depending on the existing traffic counts, not to mention safer. See this document for a more in depth study:

Road Diets: Fixing the Big Roads

I think this same idea would work well on Augusta St

[JCT]

It is official now. Greenville was designated as a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

See the LAB

[gs3]

It is official now. Greenville was designated as a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists.

See the LAB

[Galley]

Here's the city's press release:

GREENVILLE NAMED BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY

Prestigious award honors City

[gs3]

Good little article about recumbent bicycles. Never tried one out, but they look fun.

http://www.examiner.com/x-29415-Greenville-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m11d9-Recumbent-bicycles-come-to-South-Carolina

[JCT]

May is National Bike Month, so I want to post a reminder about planned activities in Greenville.

This Wednesday, the city will be showing Breaking Away for the Moonlight Movie (starting around 8). Bikeville volunteers will be on hand to provide free bike valet for anyone who rides down to the event. Even you you don't ride down, plan to stop by the Bikeville tent to say hi and pick up a little info.

Friday is National Bike to Work Day and Greenville will have an event that morning at the Caine Halter Family YMCA. Breakfast will be provided for bike commuters who stop by. There will be a short ride with the Mayor before we all disband to get to work.

For more info about these events and others, check out:

http://www.greenvillesc.gov/ParksRec/Trails/BikeMonth.aspx

[JCT]

Considering the threat of thunderstorms today, we had a decent sized crowd for the Bike to Work Day breakfast and ride with the Mayor.

Here is a picture of the group that rode from the Caine Halter YMCA to City Hall before dispersing to ride to work. I'm hoping that it stays dry for my ride home.

[Galley]

On a bike ride this past Saturday from downtown Greenville at Linky Stone Park, to Sunrift Adventures in Travelers Rest, I countered more than 140 people using the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

[GvilleSC]

On a bike ride this past Saturday from downtown Greenville at Linky Stone Park, to Sunrift Adventures in Travelers Rest, I countered more than 140 people using the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

The Swamp Rabbit trail has had a very wide positive impact on the community. Hopefully as the trail system continues to expand and provide more links, we'll see a greater commuting population use the trails in addition to those who use it for exercise...

[JCT]

A great photoset (via Brado) of the "Critical Cruise" ride that took place downtown on Friday afternoon.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brado1/sets/72157624042570253/

[HomerJay]

A great photoset (via Brado) of the "Critical Cruise" ride that took place downtown on Friday afternoon.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brado1/sets/72157624042570253/

Is there a regular Critical Mass ride here in Greenville? I've only been able to find info for Greenville, NC. If there is, where and when?

[JCT]

Is there a regular Critical Mass ride here in Greenville? I've only been able to find info for Greenville, NC. If there is, where and when?

SouthernYankee, that was really the first one, but the plan is to make it a monthly event. I am not sure when the next one will take place, but I will post here when I find out.

[RiverWalker]

The city wants to encourage cycling to downtown by adding a couple of "BikeLid" bike lockers outside the bus station on West McBee. I'd like to see a few more around the city, but this is a good start. http://www.greenvillesc.gov/PlanningZoning/PlanningApplications/Applications/2011/AUGUST/DesignReviewBoard/08-04-2011/CA-11-141-100WestMcBee.pdf

[Galley]

Some downtown residents have requested bike lockers. These may be a better alternative.

Also, expect to see more bike racks downtown in the near future.

[GvilleSC]

I'm not sure where this should go, but here comes a rant:

The Journal recently ran a story about "Parkins Mill Residents say 'No'" to the Swamp Rabbit Trail coming through their front yards. They think their property values will go down. It seems that the route will probably be taken down Pleasantburg.

Here's my issues with this:

-it's a glorified sidewalk. Very few people are going to be taking it as a long distance trip "cutting through" the neighborhood. Due mainly to the extreme hills that they would have to traverse. So the transient argument that was mentioned in the article seems like crap.

-Secondly, the great aspect of the trail is that people can USE it. However, if it runs along Pleasantburg, VERY few people are going to be able to safely reach it from the Parkins Mill area. There is a large population cluster that could potentially tap into the trail for exercise and transit, but will be ostracized by the means by which they would be asked to use to reach the trail. Basically, NO one in their right mind is going to ride a bike on Cleveland Street to reach Pleasantburg. Much less on East Parkins Mill. They could use the sidewalks in stead of the streets, but that becomes dangerous for the many walkers who also share those routes.

-Additionally, if the trail ran alongside Parkins Mill Rd, it would pass by Sara Collins Elementary, providing access to hundreds of children safe access to school. Any doubts? Take a trip up to TR, and watch the number of children using that portion of the trail to reach their homes.

If we want people to use the trail, we need people to have easy access to it.

[Galley]

Well said, GvilleSC. My sister lives in a suburb of Minneapolis. They have a bike trail that runs through their back yard, and it is a joy to see so many folks use it (year-round). It also passes by an elementary school. No one there has had any complaints about it.

[GVLbikeNboard]

That sucks, here I am just wishing and hoping that someday I have part of the Swamp Rabbit or similar trail run right beside my home (or through the yard, I don't care) and there are folks out there who don't want it. Some of the trails around the Charlotte area run through backyards of pretty nice neighborhoods, I wonder if they had similar problems with residents not wanting it? Aren't snobby rich people typically the ones you see the most out exercising with their fancy gear and all? I'm kinda shocked they don't want this.

My favorite quote: “One of our main concerns is that it will change the very fabric of the neighborhood,” said Parkins Mill resident Tim Williams. “We like our neighborhood the way it is and we don’t want our neighborhood to change.”

[GvilleSC]

That sucks, here I am just wishing and hoping that someday I have part of the Swamp Rabbit or similar trail run right beside my home (or through the yard, I don't care) and there are folks out there who don't want it. Some of the trails around the Charlotte area run through backyards of pretty nice neighborhoods, I wonder if they had similar problems with residents not wanting it? Aren't snobby rich people typically the ones you see the most out exercising with their fancy gear and all? I'm kinda shocked they don't want this.

My favorite quote: “One of our main concerns is that it will change the very fabric of the neighborhood,” said Parkins Mill resident Tim Williams. “We like our neighborhood the way it is and we don’t want our neighborhood to change.”

Their arguments are VERY weak. Unfortunately, the Mayor is the neighbor of many of these residents and seems to not want to upset them.

[GVLbikeNboard]

I just stumbled-upon a really cool product from a company in Minneapolis/St. Paul that makes these bicycle self-service repair/tune-up stations and has them around their metro area. It would be awesome to see some of these installed around town and along the Swamp Rabbit! Bike Fixtation ( )

[gs3]

Palmetto Peloton Project seems to be operating illegally.........

http://www.wyff4.com/news/30679122/detail.html

[scgubers]

Palmetto Peloton Project seems to be operating illegally.........

http://www.wyff4.com...122/detail.html

Except not really, and I'm not too sure how this relevant anyways.

[gman430]

Bicycling Magazine has named Greenville one of the best small cities in the country for bicycling: http://www.bicycling.com/news/advocacy/best-small-cities-cycling

[Lib]

Unfortunate bike news from the Sans Souci area. Can anyone shed some more light on this situation? Any idea what the various reasons could be for Old Buncombe and Parker not being "good candidates for road diets at this time"? It sounds like funding was in place and repaving is already planned, so I'm hoping there's more to this story than it sounds like.

From a teacher at Cherrydale Elementary:

Want to do something for your community today? Write an e-mail.... PLEASE READ THIS... I ride Old Buncombe road daily and it is the worst/most dangerous part of my commute to work. Not to mention it is in an impoverished neighborhood where many people only have walking/cycling as transportation.... Sans Souci residents worked together to make Old Buncombe go on a "Road Diet" and there were going to be bike lanes put in place... The Old Buncombe Rd. re-striping and road diet project that was scheduled to begin this Fall (reduction to three lanes with bicycle infrastructure) will no longer be taking place. At the petitioned request of hundreds of Sans Souci residents, several employees of Greenville County and SCDOT worked very hard and found a way to fund and complete this project. However, in the end officials at both state and local levels decided that Old Buncombe and Parker were not good candidates for road diets at this time for various reasons. Old Buncombe will be resurfaced and will be in better shape soon, as SCDOT’s scheduling permits, however there will be no changes to the traffic pattern or lane widths and it will not be any safer for pedestrians, bicycles OR automobiles, which was our ultimate goal. I just found out that our County Council Rep Willis Meadows was the one behind getting the Old Buncombe Rd - Road Diet shut down. Why would he do that to his own constituents? He called Rep. Dwight Loftis who then called the SCDOT Commissioner to get the project called off - for no good reason other than they don't like bikes. This is a travesty. Let Mr. Meadows know that you're unhappy about how he is representing you. [email protected] . PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE write to Rep. Meadows, I have already been hit once on this road and many of my students use it daily.