WBWC - April 2001 E-News

Dedicated to increasing the quality and quantity of bicycling and walking opportunities in Washtenaw County through advocacy and education

Welcome
This is the second edition of the monthly Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition E-News. This publication will be published around the middle of every month and will only be sent to those individuals who are WBWC members or have specifically requested to receive this publication. E-mail addresses will be protected and never disclosed to third parties. Submissions to the WBWC E-News are welcome and should be sent to wolverbob@cs.com, mailed to 706 Dwight Street, Ypsilanti, MI 48198 or faxed to 487-9058.


"Biking and Walking Into The 21st Century"

- Thursday, May 18th The Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition will be present "Biking and Walking Into The New Century" on Thursday, May 17th, 7pm, at the main Ann Arbor Public Library (343 S. Fifth) Multi-Purpose room. The program is being held in conjunction with National Bike Month as well as Bike-To-Work-Week (May 13-19).

The program will concentrate on bicycle and walking path construction throughout the County, and include representatives from the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Ann Arbor, and Ypsilanti Township. A major portion of the program will cover the upcoming non-motorized pathway construction as authorized by County residents in a 1998 millage vote.

A special thanks goes to the AABTS Board who voted to contribute the room rental fee for the program. The event is free and open to the public. For more information visit the WBWC website at www.wbwc.org, e-mail wolverbob@cs.com or call 734/487-9058.

WBWC May Meeting
The next meeting of the WBWC will be held on Thursday, May 3rd, 7pm at the Ecology Center, 117 N. Division in Ann Arbor (just north of Huron). Meetings last for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Limited parking is available at the Ecology Center as well as next to Tios restaurant. Agenda items will include WBWC formalization, projects and May Bike Month activities. Everyone is welcome to attend. WBWC meetings are normally scheduled for the first Thursday of every month.

Bike To Work Week: May 13-19

The AABTS, along with the City of Ann Arbor, the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition and local bike shops will again be promoting Bike To Work Week by holding a number of activities to encourage people to try cycling for traveling to work, school or for errands. Brochures with the full schedule of Bike To Work Week activities will be available through the City of Ann Arbor Bicycle Program office, local bike shops, Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Offices or on-line at http://www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us/framed/parks/bicycle.htm. Additional updates are expected to be published in the Ann Arbor News and Ann Arbor Observer.

Highlights of Bike To Work Week include:

Pre Bike-To-Work Week maintenance clinics will be held on May 1st, 3rd, 8th and 10th at Great Lakes Cyclery (564 South Main in Ann Arbor) from 6:30-8:30pm. The cost is $5/session with reservations required (call 668-6484).

On May 20th and again on June 3rd, a bike maintenance clinic will be held at the Gallup Park Canoe Livery from 1-3pm. There is a $5 fee with pre-registration required (call 662-9319).

On May 6th (Sunday) and May 12th (Saturday), the AABTS will hold "Bike To Work Week Tune-Up Rides". Both rides are intended for new or seasoned riders, starting both days from Wheeler Park at 9am. The rides will check out downtown bike parking facilities and then head out Huron River Drive to Delhi and back. The ride leader for May 6th is Rebecca Kanner (994-5717) and for May 12th Drew Burton (994-3001)

On Saturday, May 12th and again on Saturday, May 19th, a bicycling information table will be staffed with volunteers from the AABTS and WBWC from 9am-3pm at the Ann Arbor Farmer Market near the east Kerrytown building entrance. The table will offer information about bicycle commuting, safety and cycling events.

On the evening of May 17th, the Washtenaw Bicycling and Walking Coalition will be holding a program titled "Biking and Walking Into The New Century" (see item above).

Friday, May 18th is Bike To Work Day and during the day the City of Ann Arbor Bicycle Program will be conducting special incentives for cyclists using their bikes for transportation. More details are available on the City of Ann Arbor Bicycle Program web page (http://www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us/framed/parks/bicycle.htm) or by calling 971-5471.

Local bike shops, including Ann Arbor Cyclery, Washtenaw Cycle, Jerry's Bicycles (Plymouth), Town and Country (Saline and Northville), Great Lakes Cycling and the Student Bike Shop will offer a 20% discount on helmets and selected commuting equipment during the week of May 13-19.

Local Bike To Work Week activities are all part of May National Bike Month, a national effort to encourage bicycling as a form of transportation and recreation. For further information on National Bike Month, contact the League of American Bicyclists at 202/822-1333, 1612 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006 or visit www.bikeleague.org.


Bicycling on Community Television
Members of the WBWC, Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society and other activists will be taping a local bicycling show on Ann Arbor Community Television in early May. The show is expected to run during Bike To Work Week with a firm time noted in the Ann Arbor News television schedule.


WBWC Membership Applications Now Available
WBWC membership applications are available through the WBWC website (www.wbwc.org) and very soon (April) in the literature racks of most Washtenaw County bike shops. Basic membership is $10 a year.


WBWC Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are currently needed for the following WBWC Committees...


Ypsilanti Street Improvements
On April 3rd, Ypsilanti voters approved a street improvement proposal that would effectively rebuild all streets in the city. The WBWC endorsed the proposal as road improvements would directly affect bicyclists. The WBWC has been in contact with the City of Ypsilanti to insure that road improvements include "bicycle-friendly" sewer grates and magnetic, in-road, traffic light triggering devices. The WBWC is also encouraging the City to include bike lanes on as many streets as possible.

County/City Bicycle Map
Work is continuing by the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Department and the City of Ann Arbor Bicycle Coordinator's office on a new local area bicycle map which will have a Washtenaw County map on one side and an Ann Arbor map on the reverse side. The map is expected to be completed and available to cyclists by this summer.

Mark Your Calendar....
May 3 WBWC Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor
May 12 "Lets Go Biking" Display, 9am-3pm, Ann Arbor Farmers Market
May 13-19 Bike To Work Week
May 17 Biking and Walking Into The 21st Century, 7pm, Ann Arbor Public
Library
May 18 Bike To Work Day
May 19 "Lets Go Biking" Display, 9am-3pm, Ann Arbor Farmers Market
June 3 Ecology Center Eco-Ride
June 7 WBWC Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor