The Silly Cyclist

From the heart of London comes the Silly Cyclist, out to highlight potential issues that cyclists may have and how to avoid them. They are uploaded regularly by commuting cyclists using full time video cameras.

Of course, as an advocate, I find many of the "mistakes" deliberate, and troubling, considering that the Department of Transport makes every effort to account for bicycle traffic on most roads. Back in 2010, I ran a survey of bicyclists in Delaware, in an effort to find out what percentage might become more law abiding if DelDOT did the same, especially at intersections with right turn-only lanes. The results were very positive, and all the more reason to advocate the 5 Es of a bicycle friendly America. Most roads in Delaware - including Wilmington, our largest city - lack any kind of bicycle accommodation.

These videos, as presented in a top 10 countdown, will have you laughing - yet they are very educational. Below enjoy episode 38, which I found to have an excellent mix of classic boners as seen in most major cities. Visit the Silly Cyclist or perform a YouTube search for more!

Cyclist Sandwich - Watch a clip from Episode 28, as a cyclist gets pinched between a bus and a pickup truck, yet escapes with little more than a bent front wheel.

Newark Bike Project Grand Opening photos and recap

Chairman Pat Correale cuts the ribbon - made up of scrap inner tubes - officially introducing NBP to the public. The grand opening comes almost 2 years after their inception. Photo by Jamie Magee.

By Jamie Magee -- On Friday, Oct 11, the Newark Bike Project held its Grand Opening/Open House Event.

Everything that we hoped and planned for came together REALLY nicely! Catering, live music, new signage, new original art, benefactor poster, printed programs, sign-in sheets, lots of table swag, a stage, and a great lineup of guest speakers (and magically they all were able to fit into the schedule at the 11th hour!). It was a rough week, as we planned carefully to make the event happen, but we had a perfect outcome, and the officials there were thrilled to be a part of it. It really raised government and community awareness and was a very fitting celebration for everyone involved in NBP.

Discounted/donated catering was supplied by Caffé Gelato, Down to Earth Food Co-op, and Brewed Awakenings. All past board members were in attendance, including Katya Samoteskul visiting from DC again. Five of the nine Founders attended, including Tyler Jacobson and Amy Roe.

DelDOT Bicycle Coordinator Anthony Aglio came up from Dover to hang out and brought 10 nice bikes. He was also happy to see the 1949 Schwinn displayed in the window and hear that the Humber 3-speed had sold (both were donated by his team). City Councilman (and bike hobbyist) Mark Morehead spent several hours talking with us, and is eager to work toward getting us whatever we need to stay in business.

Former Mayor Funk dropped by and wants to help us find our next shop space. Remarks were voiced by State Rep Paul Baumbach, Newark Natural Foods chair Matt Talley, City Manager Carol Houck, NBP Founder Niki Suto, and Mayor Jerry Clifton. All are huge NBP fans! There were *five* Mayoral candidates in attendance, which shows how much weight NBP carries in the City!

Niki got a live presentation of her Bicycle Friendly Community Leader award (right) from the same city titles who had signed it five months ago when she was in Denmark.

Poster's note: Congratulations, Newark Bike Project! If you haven't yet visited NBP, consider doing so today. Full photo album HERE. Visit their website, and stay up to date on all their events and activities via facebook.

Robocars - pipe dream or possibility?

The loose nut behind the steering wheel could soon be eradicated. How this impacts bicycling and the need infrastructure is a huge unknown.

Quickrelease.tv -- The day is near when we’ll wonder how we ever let humans pilot heavy and fast machines on the public highway next to unprotected humans. (In fact, I wonder that now). When all cars are self-driving, equipped with Light Detecting and Ranging LIDAR and 360-degree cameras, there will be no more ’sorry, mate I didn’t see you’, or SMIDSYs. And the autonomous car will also know when it’s unsafe for the ‘driver’ to exit: dooring of cyclists will be history.

With cars that don’t kill, taxis without cabbies, and HGVs driven by computers not blindspot-afflicted drivers, there will less need for hard infrastructure. Many bicycle advocates believe we’ve started on a Dutch-style 40-year trajectory to getting segregated cycle paths almost everywhere but driverless cars will be here long before the end of that. Why build bike lanes when robocars and driverless trucks will be programmed to know all about space4cycling?

That’s one vision of the future. A more dystopian one involves platoons of speeding robocars making roads even more deeply unpleasant and motor-centric than they often are today. Pedestrians and cyclists may have to be restricted “for their own safety.” After all, if you knew the tipper truck barrelling towards you will automatically brake if you wobbled out in front of it, you’d have little incentive to stay in the gutter and every incentive to play one-sided chicken.  [full article ...]

Also, check out this city in Bolivia that passed a law making it compulsory to ride bikes one day per week.

Maryland grants millions for on and off-road bikeways

Governor adds millions to popular bike program, thanks to Transportation Infrastructure Investment Act.

HANOVER, MD - As part of the O’Malley-Brown Administration’s Cycle Maryland Initiative, Governor Martin O’Malley today announced $3.2 million in Bikeways Program Grants to fund 23 projects in four counties and 12 municipalities.  The Maryland Bikeways Program, which is administered by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), supports the design and construction of projects that create and improve bicycle connections in Maryland to key destinations, like work, school and shopping.

“To build a modern transportation system that supports all Marylanders, we must seek a balanced approach and invest in alternative forms of travel like bicycling,” said Governor O’Malley.  “These grants will help local jurisdictions enhance their bicycle networks, which encourage healthy lifestyles and play a role in improving our air quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change in Maryland.” [full article]

Poster's note: This is an all inclusive approach, where funding is spread across multiple facility types, both on-road and off. View the list in pdf HERE.

1st State Bikes endorses Amy Roe for Mayor of Newark

On November 26th there will be a special election for the Mayor of Newark, and we are enthusiastic to support Dr. Amy Roe.  Amy has been a long-time advocate for bicycling in Newark and is one of the founding 9 board members of the Newark Bike Project.

Amy’s platform for Newark supports our efforts:

Amy sees one of the biggest obstacles to higher bicycle modeshare in Newark is the continued lack of bike parking. Main Street has added some inverted “U” racks, but often times, these are occupied, and most of Newark's shopping centers and office parks have no bicycle racks at all. In addition, the S. Main Street revitalization project did not include mandatory bike parking. Amy has testified before the Newark Bicycle Committee about the need for additional bike parking, and will continue to advocate for this if elected Mayor.

Another challenge to encouraging bicycling as an alternative mode of transportation are safety issues. These include "bicycle salmon", those riding contra flow on the wrong side of the road, or those that ignore basic traffic rules all together. This makes bicycling dangerous for those who know and obey the rules of the road, and makes it more difficult for those in automobiles to operate their vehicles safely. Converting bicycle salmon into responsible riders, thus demanding the respect we deserve from motorists requires additional sharrows and correctly designed bike lanes. To that end, she will work with City Council, local advocacy groups, and DelDOT to fund and implement the Newark Bicycle Plan on an annual basis. Amy knows full well that every person that chooses a bicycle over a car is reducing traffic congestion, helping the environment, and improving our quality of life.

Other issues include University police cars parking along Delaware Avenue, directly blocking the highest volume bicycle lane in the City. Combined with bike salmon trying to avoid parked cars from the wrong direction, it has become a nightmare for all road users during peak traffic time. If elected Mayor, look again for Amy to focus on the Newark Bicycle Plan, where it calls for the construction of a segregated, 2-way cycle track instead of the current 1-way bike lane. In the interim, she will ask the Newark Police to enforce Newark's parking rules to protect bicycle lanes, and to prevent parking by the University police in them.

We could easily continue discussing ideas for Newark's active transportation future, but like NYC under Mayor Bloomberg and Janet Sadik-Khan, it will take strong leadership from the top down. That said, I ask for your vote on November 26th to become the next Mayor of Newark.

---
Poster's Note: We will keep our readers up to date on Amy's candidacy as we approach the election. You can read an amazing biography on Amy HERE.

LAB, Bike Delaware skew BFS rankings in recent webinar

The League of American Bicyclists needs to reconsider their strategy and be more diligent with fact-checking.

Some of us looked forward to the new Bicycle-Friendly State (BFS) application and webinar. It was disappointing, therefore, to see inaccuracy in the section about Delaware’s progress towards becoming bike-friendly. Not only is it a simplistic portrayal that ignores all efforts outside of Bike Delaware’s Walkable Bikeable Delaware initiative, but the history of rankings that support this portrait are inaccurate. Delaware was ranked 31st in 2008, not in 2010. We rose to 9th place in 2009, in good part due to the Complete Streets policy and the Bike Summit. We fell to 10th place in 2010, and then to 18th place in 2011. After that we rose to 10th for 2012 and now 5th for 2013 (TBA), in agreement with the webinar/power point.

This page from the webinar, found on You Tube HERE, is not the reality. It became obvious when we pulled the magazine archives and checked. For one, Delaware ranked #31 in 2008, not 2010.

There is no doubt that Walkable Bikeable Delaware has had a substantial impact, but the more accurate history of the State’s rankings below illustrates a much different sequence of events than the presentation leads us to believe. Delaware made the initial 22 point leap based in good part upon Complete Streets and other on-road improvements, and Delaware’s first bike summit. This was before Walkable Bikeable Delaware.

2008: Ranked #31

Common sense tells us that the road to becoming bike-friendly is not as simple and easy as the Delaware presentation implies. Even with our bike-friendly Governor Jack Markell, it is not a smooth downhill coast, but a long, winding, rocky road full of ups and downs. As with all efforts towards progress, that is the reality. And it has been and will continue to be true in Delaware as well as in other states over the years to come. Most of us, therefore, look to the LAB, a venerable organization with much experience, to guide us through these bumps and not to provide us with an unrealistic impression that is bound to disappoint.

LAB should promote an upbeat, you-can-do it attitude and serve as a cheerleader for advocates who are making an effort in all 5 Es. It is possible

2009: Ranked #9

to accomplish this while maintaining a realistic and inclusive approach. Not only cyclists, but non-cyclists who are in a position of responsibility, look to the LAB for guidance. In Delaware, these folks are well aware of the specifics of the Walkable Bikeable initiative which has centered almost exclusively on off-road bike path facilities. Unfortunately, most do not have the bicycling experience to recognize that such a simplistic vision is incomplete.

It’s true that Delaware is behind a number of other States in the construction of off-alignment pathways, and therefore, it’s very nice to see us making up ground. Some wonderful projects are underway, and Delaware has a number of realistic and progressive people in government agencies and organizations throughout the State. We don’t need to promote the notion, however, that a State can become bike-friendly

2010: Ranked #10

solely through funding of off-road projects.

Although combined efforts continue to help our State move forward and we are making progress in most areas, without support it becomes an uphill battle to work on other areas that are necessary to make a state truly bike friendly, including: On-road infrastructure, education, legislation, enforcement, and encouragement. By promoting a misleading impression of our efforts and progress, the LAB makes it that much more difficult for the rest of us Advocates in Delaware (and perhaps in other states as well) to continue to pursue improvement in all of the other necessary areas.

2011: Ranked #18

There is no question that the Trails and Pathways initiative - and thus a more Walkable Bikeable Delaware - is worth supporting. However, off-road paved bike paths are the most expensive, highest hanging fruit of all when it comes to time and money well spent. The recent workshop and tremendous turnout surrounding the Newark-Wilmington Pathway is very encouraging, however, I give this project 15-20 years to complete - and that relies on future administration's support and preservation of its funding. The Pomeroy Trail in Newark, under 2 miles in length, took over 10 years to complete, despite most of its ROW readily in tact. Now up and running for almost 10 years, and very popular indeed, it becomes immediately apparent that our existing roads are still necessary to reach our final destination, hence the Newark Bicycle Plan - all inclusive.

2012: Ranked #10

While serving on the Board at Bike Delaware for 5 years, I received numerous inquiries about a fully marked on-road bike route with well designed bike lanes between the two cities. I had few suggestions to offer, other than watch for repave/rehab activity in coming years, and consider joining forces in Advocacy. Only then could our Complete Streets policy be encouraged, perhaps on a direct connect like Kirkwood Highway, some of which was already scheduled for 2013 (we will soon report what we know about DelDOT's pave & rehab schedule for 2014.)

As the Wilmington-Newark pathway and others like it crawl forward in future years, or decades, there remains no additional funding set aside for even the lowest hanging fruit, which could include road re-striping for the purpose of traffic calming and bicycle safety measures in the present. But with a passive President, a Vice President that abhors bike lanes and shoulders, and an Executive Director that openly quotes bike pocket lanes (through intersections with right turn-only lanes) as human meat grinders, don't count on Bike Delaware for support. It is their ED's opinion that bike lanes are especially dangerous and inappropriate on the very higher speed arterial roads on which most of us depend - and has even written letters and emails to that effect.

So now the question becomes, is Bike Delaware an all inclusive, full service (as in the 5 Es) advocacy organization as found in other high ranking BFS states?  Sadly, LAB appears to think so.

- Frank Warnock has been an award winning Advocate, Ride Leader, and Event Director in multiple states since 1989.

Newark Bike Project Grand Opening set for Oct. 11

By Sindhu Siva -- Newark Bike Project will be having a Grand Opening Celebration!!  We would like to honor and thank all those that have helped us come so far. The celebration will be Friday, October 11th from 3:30-7 PM. Snacks will be served and all ages welcome. We hope you can stop by!

Poster's note: Visit NBP's website, including a full schedule of activities at the shop. Also, visit their Facebook page. Map of shop location on Google Maps below.

View Larger Map

Overall VMT declines for 8th straight year

Factors affecting the decline in VMT: A new SSTI report 

By Chris McCahill -- SSTI has released a paper outlining factors contributing to the recent decline in American driving and the implications for transportation planning. As previously reported, per capita VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled) has decreased steadily for the past eight years, resulting in a slight decrease in overall VMT during that time period. In contrast to prior fluctuations, this recent dip in VMT does not appear to be driven by economic conditions or high gas prices. Instead, researchers attribute this new trend to a culmination of decades-long growth, along with changing personal preferences.

As researchers such as Steven Polzin suggested even before the recent downturn, many of the factors that contributed to rapid increases in driving during the twentieth century have nearly reached their peak. These include the rise of women in the workforce, the baby boom, an emerging middle class, and growing automobile ownership. As these trends flatten out or decrease, so too will VMT in the coming decades.  [full article ....]

Overall VMT is on the decline, and will continue to do so as more progressive trends dictate. Visit HERE for more data, including per-capita.

Poster's note: Great news. Now we need the political will to stop this colossal waste, and instead pool these hundreds of millions in transportation dollars for road projects and retrofits that better facilitate "relying more on transit, biking, and walking".

Delaware's BEST: September Update

The B.E.S.T. (Bringing Education and Safety Together) Group was started last year because people from various organizations wanted to share information and accelerate efforts on active transportation being pursued in Delaware. In addition to networking, we have been developing a curriculum that supports Delaware State Standards for Physical Education.
 
There are six Physical Education Standards for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12.  The following is from a draft version of our Lifetime Fitness Program Outline and addresses motor skills and movement patterns (Standard 1):

• Kindergarten-2nd Grade: Decision-making – when to run, walk, stop, start (pedestrians)
  
• Grades 3-5: On-bike Skills – start, stop, adjust speed
  
• Grades 6-8: Pre-driving Skills – travel on right, respond to traffic signs/signals (on bicycles)
  
• Grades 9-12: Life Long Health – slow race, relay race, sprint, distance/endurance  (on bicycles)

If you would like to become a part of this effort, please contact Ceci & John McCormick at johnandcecimcc@gmail.com

BEST Vision Statement: Promote bicycling, walking, and public transportation in a way that engages the talents, energies and influence of the various advocacy groups and local, county & state resources, so that our collective efforts are aligned and coordinated, and Delaware’s active transportation initiatives are recognized nationally as a model program.

Governor Jack Markell's 7th Annual Tour of Delaware Announced

HERE is the link for the route in Google Maps for this year’s Annual Bike Tour with Governor Markell on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4th.

Please note that the Tour will kick off at 9:00am in Middletown and is anticipated to end at 3:00pm in Dover.

If you are planning on participating, you must confirm with an email to Mr Corey Marshall-Steele, Governor Jack's Administrator. You will also need to include an emergency contact phone number, as well as your own contact information: 

Corey.Marshall-Steele@state.de.us

Among other things, the confirmation is necessary to ensure they have enough transportation back to the start of the route. So don't hesitate; RSVP today!

This ride has become an annual tradition in Delaware, as you meet, greet, and ride with one of the most, if not the most bike-friendly governors in the nation.

Governor Jack, 2nd from right, at the Delaware City rest stop during the 1st edition of the ride in 2007

A Warm Welcome for a Bike Rack

By Amy Wilburn -- Once upon a time, there was one small wheelbender rack in the parking garage shared by the Carvel State Building and the Redding City/County Building in Wilmington. Bicycles were crowded together, and some unfortunate souls were turned away for lack of space. The wheelbender rack supported the bicycles only by the front or back wheels, which risked deforming their lovely round shape. U-locks were useless. The bicycles were sad. But in August of 2013, the little wheelbender rack was joined by a brand new modern bike rack.

Wow! The new bike rack supports the bicycles by the frames instead of the wheels, and makes it possible to lock up both the frame and the wheels with a U-lock or a cable lock.

 

But not to worry. The little wheelbender rack is never lonely because it still has one loyal adherent. Lets just hope no one knocks it over!


 

Amy Wilburn is Chair of the Delaware Bicycle Council

Exciting new event Oct. 5 celebrates River Towns

From the event website -

River Towns Ride & Festival

Celebrating historic New Castle & Delaware City

The first annual River Towns Ride & Festival is a one-day event that is the first joint festival held between the two historic Delaware waterfront towns of New Castle and Delaware City. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5, from noon-5pm.

The two towns are 10 miles apart and connected by the bike-friendly corridor of Route 9. Therefore, the event will feature a bicycling component that will have riders cycling between the two destinations. Competitive cyclists will be encouraged to participate in the River Towns Time Trial for cash and prizes while recreational cyclists can pick their distance and ride for fun or to earn a distance medal

While cyclists traverse between the two towns, festivals will be held in each town’s main square: The Green in Historic New Castle and Battery Park in Historic Delaware City. Activities include live music, rides, attractions, games, tours, vendors, food and drink.

A highlight of the event will be a craft beer festival held at Battery Park in Delaware City from 1-5pm. More than a dozen craft breweries will be participating. Those same craft beers will also be available at the restaurants located in Historic New Castle. Program, registration info, etc HERE.

Poster's note: This section of the Route 9 corridor does contain generously wide shoulders and few turn lanes for most of its length, and is thus seen as bike-friendly. However, conditions are in significant disrepair just south of Old New Castle. Unless this stretch has been repaved or repaired recently, expect a temporary loss of shoulder, cracks and potholes, debris, etc for about a 1 mile stretch.

Come visit, volunteer with NBP at Newark's Community Day

Newark Community Day is Sunday, September 15 from 11am to 4pm on the University of Delaware’s Green. The Newark Bike Project has space number 1542 which is immediately adjacent to Delaware Ave next to Sharp Hall (see map below). If you are available to volunteer or stop by the event, please do so and help spread the word about NBP!

If the weather looks questionable, you can call the Leisure Time Hotline at (302) 366-7147 to check if the event has been cancelled (Rain date next Sunday). Hope to see you there!

Angela Connolly tabling at the Trabant Center during Earth Week, April 2013.

Upcoming Education and Awareness Opportunities

Bicycle Safety Checks have been a big part of our bicycle safety outreach, especially to UD students, to provide safety information, free bike lights and helmets when warranted, and minor bicycle repairs. It also gives us an opportunity to preach a bit about the importance of riding with the direction of traffic, not wearing headphones while riding, etc.

This year the event has been expanded to four (4) dates!  East at a different locations to reach a board range of riders on campus.  See the dates/times/locations below and please volunteer to come out when you can!

• Weds, Sept 4th,  9 - 12,  Delaware Ave at the Mall
• Mon, Sept 9th,  1 - 4,  bridge to north campus
• Thurs, Sept 19th, 9 - 12, underpass to Rodney dorms
• Tues, Sept 24th, 11 - 2, Del Ave at the Mall

For further information, email Mike Fortner, Newark's Principal Planner at: MFortner@Newark.de.us

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Newark Bicycle Project Mechanics Classes - next round will begin Monday, Sept 9th, from 6:30-8:30. Tentative Mechanics Class schedule as follows:

• Monday, Sept 9th: Basics (beginner)
• Monday, Sept 16th: Wheels + Brakes (intermediate)
• Monday, Sept 23rd: Drivetrains (intermediate)
• Monday, Sept 30th: Bearings + Bottom Brackets (intermediate)

Classes are $10 each, and do not need to be taken in order (although we strongly recommend that the basics class is taken before any of the intermediate level classes if you are new to bikes). The Park Tools "Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair" will also be available for purchase for $20. TO REGISTER: Please e-mail training@newarkbikeproject.org with your name, phone number, and which class(es) you plan to attend. Spaces are limited, so make sure to sign up soon!

For 2013, Three Bike Tours and a Surgery...

By Angela Connolly, Certified Medical Assistant -

There is nothing more frustrating for anyone to endure than chronic pain. When you lead an active lifestyle, and are a transportation/recreational cyclist, it seems even more unbearable to endure. Sometimes it takes a brave decision and a leap of faith to become fully functional again, and that is what Frank Warnock, this Blog's Admin, was inspired to do, by his desire to become as proficient a cyclist as he had been before his chronic low back and leg pain began to slowly take away the high level of cycling that he had enjoyed all of his life.

Disc rupture at the L4/L5 and
L5/S1 levels. Blackening of the
discs indicates dehydration.

Frank had suffered from chronic low back pain due to problems at the L4/L5/S1 levels. This is a common site for disc herniation, and in Frank's case, both levels had ruptured, with L5/S1 off alignment and in a "bone on bone" state. Although there are several possibilities, including cumulative trauma, his Doctors were unable to determine the exact origin of the problem. Two prior Discectomies and multiple steroid injections did not bring permanent relief, so a decision had to be made. Had he taken a conservative approach to the pain and done nothing, he would have risked becoming incapacitated someday. The vertebrae could have eventually fused over time, but in an inappropriate position, causing deformity and debilitation, and increased pain. An avid cyclist who looks forward to a lifetime of cycling, well into his advanced years, Frank found this possibility unacceptable, and he began to realize that a permanent solution had to be found.

Because Frank wasn't in constant pain, however, it was tempting to put off the decision. He would be reminded of the problem only when he hurt his back (which was so easy to do), most recently while on an almost thousand mile round trip tour to Lake Erie, PA. On this occasion, the simple action of lifting the front wheel of his bike over a curb set off the terrible pain. With each new injury, he would have to cope with moderate to severe pain for several days. It didn't take much to cause pain, only a simple movement, like lifting something, which, when he was unprepared for, would set off yet another attack of pain.

Frank, en-route to Lake Erie - via the Allegheny
Mountains - in mid June.

Before making the decision to undergo surgery, Frank had set three goals for himself to achieve for the year. Knowing that he faced a lengthy recovery, he wanted to enjoy touring with his friends from the White Clay Bicycle Club. The Hershey Weekend Tour and the Hawk Mountain Weekend were the tours that provided the preparation for the 12 day long Tour of Erie in June, combining for a total of 1,440 miles. Filled with hills and challenges, completing these Tours successfully gave Frank the encouragement to seek a surgical solution to his pain, so that he could continue to have many years of touring in his future.

Dr. Louis Quartararo

The journey to surgery began with the decision to seek out the best, state-of-the-art procedure that modern medicine has to offer. Traditional Spinal Fusions are routinely done through invasive, "open" procedures, which are very difficult for patients to recover from. Through an online search, we learned about the NJ Spine Institute, and Dr. Louis Quartararo, who specializes in minimally invasive spinal surgery. "Dr. Q", as everyone calls him, is confident, reassuring, and very kind, and his office staff is exceptionally professional and helpful. Also caring for Frank was Jenny Reyes, Dr.Q's Physician Assistant. With this award winning and experienced team in place, Frank felt confident and certain that he had made the right decision to go undergo a PLIF procedure, which means Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion. Done Endoscopically, this highly sophisticated procedure is only performed by a few Surgeons around the country, as it takes additional training and expertise for a surgeon to master. Unfortunately, this advanced level of care is not available in Delaware, but it was well worth the 2 1/2 hour drive to Paramus NJ, one town over from Fair Lawn and the lovely planned community of Radburn, where he grew up.

Above: Xray from the front, post-
op. Note the Spinal Fusion Stimulator
wired in the upper left of the image.

Frank's surgery was performed on July 25th at the International Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery in Wyckoff, NJ. After the nearly four hour long procedure, he stayed overnight at the facility, and was discharged the next day, to recover at home. Dr. Q said that the surgery went very well, and now, at five weeks post op, the recovery period is well underway. In many ways, the surgery itself is only the first step. It will take several months of healing, physical therapy, and a good diet rich in protein and calcium, to insure a fully successful fusion. And there have been some bumps in the road, like severe nerve pain requiring a visit back to NJ, to the Pain Management Dr. Gregory Lawler, who works with Dr. Q to help control patients' post op pain. Dr. Lawler immediately understood the origin of Frank's post op pain and prescribed appropriate medication to help. With the pain under control, we are seeing real progress in his recovery. And although Frank can't wait to get back on his bike, he realizes that by resuming cycling, and other physical activities slowly, he is making an investment in his future health, and that once he is fully healed, he will be back on the bike stronger than ever. He is looking forward in the coming weeks to working with his Physical Therapist, Matt Hanling, to reach that goal. Matt has outlined his treatment plan and goals for Frank, and we are confident that with Matt's expert help and encouragement, the therapy will progress smoothly.

Frank would like to encourage anyone who suffers from chronic pain, and exhausted all conservative options, to investigate all of the surgical possibilities available for treatment. Also consider going outside Delaware if that’s what it takes to find the latest and greatest techniques available. Modern medicine and science have so much to offer, and the success rates are extremely encouraging! You can visit the NJ Spine Institute and learn about all of these treatment options.

Right: View from the side, post-op. Note the re-alignment and gains in vertebral spacing. Nearly 1" in lost height was gained back as a result.

Angela Connolly is a Certified Medical Assistant, most recently in practice with St. Francis Healthcare in Wilmington, DE. With prior experience in Gynecology/Urology, her experience caring for Frank has given her new insight and appreciation into the issues surrounding patients undergoing treatments for Orthopedic/Spinal conditions. As Frank's primary caregiver and companion in the surgical/recovery experience, she is happy to report that her patient has been positive, cheerful, and a pleasure to care for!

Public Workshop: U.S. 40 /SR 72 Intersection Improvements

From DelDOT's Website:

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is holding a Public Workshop to obtain comments from surrounding businesses and the general public for the capital project on SR 72. The project limits run along SR 72 approximately 600 feet south of Del Laws Road to the Belltown Run crossing of SR 72. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, September, 10, 2013 at Keene Elementary School, 200 LaGrange Avenue, Newark. The public is invited to attend any time between 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm.

The project involves reconstructing the intersection of U.S. 40 and SR 72 to provide an additional through lane on each approach to U.S. 40. In addition to improving pedestrian and bicycle access, the project also includes providing double left-turn lanes along both U.S. 40 approaches to SR 72. The project includes installing a new traffic signal and realigning the intersection at Del Laws Road, and revising the intersection geometry at Broadleaf Drive to allow eastbound left-turns with an acceleration lane to access northbound SR 72. These modifications are proposed to address congestion issues through the intersection as well as to address safety concerns.

The proposed improvements have been refined since the original public workshop on July 19, 2005, when a preferred alternative was selected based on public feedback through the public involvement process.

The same intersection, from the middle of U.S. 40 looking south on SR 72, during reconstruction 5 years ago. This project left bicyclists in a much worse situation, as newly added pedestrian refuge islands left little to no shoulder space through the intersection. Fortunately, a policy has since been adopted to ensure this doesn't happen again.

Interested persons are invited to express their views in writing, giving reasons for support of or in opposition to, the proposed project. Comments will be received during the workshop or can be mailed to DelDOT Public Relations, P.O. Box 778, Dover, DE 19903. When applicable, we offer the opportunity to fill out a questionnaire online which will automatically get emailed to Public Relations.

Poster's note:  It appears as though AASHTO compliant bike lanes are to be included in the project. Still, bicyclists are strongly encouraged to attend this meeting, as with all meetings and workshops that have (or should have) a bicycling component. This particular intersection does see a lot of bicycle (and pedestrian) traffic, and it is critical that we not only reverse the damage done 5 years ago, but actually turn it around into something safer.

Drop "Share The Road" Plaque? Yes

Mark Luszcz, Chief Traffic Engineer, DelDOT wrote:

"There have been some discussions about the bike warning sign (W11-1) and supplemental SHARE THE ROAD (STR) plaque (W16-1P). Some have requested that we simply use the bike warning sign and abandon the STR plaque altogether. Some believe the plaque puts more onus on the biker to share the road than the motorist. As far as I know, there is no actual research showing the effectiveness of either the bike warning sign alone or with the STR plaque."

"I would like to get the Delaware biking community’s opinion on the use of the STR plaque."

Greetings, Mark.

We support the obsolescence of the "Share The Road" plaque because:

a) Most travel lanes in Delaware are substandard width (11-12' in most cases) and are impossible to share when factoring the 3' passing law, and

b) misinterpretation, leading to the usual defense of the driver that the W16-1P message is intended solely for bicycles.

We believe we should use W11-1 alone, as much as possible, especially along the more popular roads without shoulders, i.e. Upper Pike Creek Road. We must not forget that usage of this sign has been (to my knowledge) limited to warning drivers that bicyclists may be ahead, i.e. in a trail crossing or other brief road use situation - not actually riding the road as suggested by W16-1P. Therefore, the sooner we get started with this transition, the better.

Thank you so much for this superb effort on bicyclists behalf.

Ride on,
Frank Warnock
Delawarebikes.org

Poster's note: Mark has asked the bicycling community to comment on this issue. In the interest of consolidation, please visit this topic on Bike Delaware's website and comment there. Link HERE.

How effective is the NCC Unified Development Code for bicycles?

The New Castle County Unified Development Code, under Street Standards, provides that space for a bicycle lane "shall" be included in cases requiring a right turn-only lane. As follows, under section 40.21.130, the following is found:

"Where necessary, the developer shall provide acceleration/deceleration lanes along major roads, as determined by DelDOT, as well as right- and left-turn lanes and bypass lanes, depending on local conditions and the amount of traffic generated by the proposed development. Where such lanes are required, they shall be at the expense of the developer. Acceleration, deceleration, bypass, and right-turn lanes shall include space for bicycle lanes, as required by DelDOT."

Yet, it is not hard to find an example where this bicycle safety provision was lost or removed in newly drafted or updated redevelopment plans, even though the New Castle County Unified Development Code under Street Standards says it "shall" be included.

Below are 4 examples where I believe this requirement was disregarded because of a breakdown during the approval process, or, there were circumstances preventing its full or even partial implementation as required in the county code.

Above: Main entrance to the "Traditions at Chistiana" housing development off Chapman Road, Newark. According to an unnamed source at DelDOT, the need for a Right Turn-Only Lane (RTOL) became apparent after the first phase of the development was completed, and was later added by request of residents. Therefore, because the RTOL was not included in the original plans, the bike lane provision fell through the cracks.  

Above: Entrance to the Armed Forces Reserve Center on Rt.273 in Newark, a road designated on Delaware's Bicycle Map as a "regional bicycle route". New sidewalks, curbs, crosswalks, channelizing island, and "wave" style bike racks were installed. However, for reasons unknown, the bike lane provision was omitted. 

Above: Rt.4 entrance to the Delaware School for the Deaf, completed in 2011. This road has a 8' wide multi-use pathway that is also designated as the East Coast Greenway. The design and engineering that was chosen, however, render this as little more than a wide sidewalk that can have negative implications for bicyclists. Below: The condition of the asphalt is dismal at best, yet the fact that this facility exists was enough to forgo the bike lane requirement as part of DSD's final approval. Despite ample lane width on Rt.4 - a road determined to be an ideal bike lane candidate when it was reconstructed using ARRA funding in 2009 - the idea (brought forth by DelDOT Planning) fell on deaf ears.

On a personal note, I had written a blog post for Bike Delaware a couple of years ago on this same topic titled "Should Side Paths Trump Mandatory Bike Lane Requirements?" that was mysteriously deleted at some point after leaving my position on their board.

Above: The rebuilt entrance/exit to a newly renovated 4 Seasons Plaza in Glasgow, off of Rt.896, which will contain a Shop Rite Super Center. According to DelDOT, it is a pre-existing entrance, so the developer was not required to make any changes. However, it was requested that the pedestrian access facilities be brought up to standard, and the developer agreed to pay for it. While this is certainly welcome and likely spurred by concerns over the American Disabilities Act (ADA), it is with great shame that the "Street Standards" section under NCC code 40.21.130 is viewed as having little to no value, despite the fact that this area sees plenty of  bicyclists and pedestrians passing by or entering the shopping center. For those riding past the entrance, the risk of being "right hooked" is especially high.

Above: Kirkwood Highway at Harmony Road, the site of a new WaWa Super Store where NCC Code was met and bike lanes installed. However, as the cyclist in the distance is about to demonstrate, one is forced to move out into the high speed lane to avoid a traffic channelizing island (aka Pork Chop) before entering the properly designed bike lane. This came as quite a surprise, since DelDOT policy requires a 5' offset (4' in exceptional cases) between these islands and the white edge/shoulder line through intersections. DelDOT was notified via email on May 22, and agreed the island configuration is incorrect and will work on a mechanism to get it adjusted. However, no time frame was given.

Poster's Note: In summary, the above examples clearly illustrate that road advocacy must remain a top priority in our state. It is not my intention to blame DelDOT, New Castle Country, or anyone else involved in the development approval process that have led to these failures. But it is my opinion that road advocacy has taken a back seat to the interests surrounding Trails and Pathways, and the notion of reducing the amount of bicyclists on the roads. That said, I acknowledge that these agencies have performed some excellent work in other areas and projects. I appreciate their efforts, and I will continue to highlight these positive examples as well in the coming weeks and months.

Newark Bicycle Comittee Meeting on August 22

Attend a Newark Bicycle Committee meeting and become part of a community of cyclists who are working hard to improve safety and Newark's status as a bicycle-friendly city. Probably the most exciting project at this time is the creation of the city's Bicycle Plan, and beginning the implementation of bicycle-friendly infrastructure. Drop by and learn more!

AGENDA:

1.    Introductions

2.    Newark Bicycle Plan.

a.    Newark Bicycle Plan Update

3.    Community Day – 9/15/13

4.    Old Business

a.    Bicycle Improvements/ Sharrows – Part II

5.    New Business

6.    Adjourn


Volunteers are appreciated for all events and committee work. Meetings are held monthly at WILMAPCO on the 3rd Thursday, 4 p.m., click here for directions. Send us an email to be added to the committee email list.

Visit NBC's homepage for complete details.

Public Workshop: City of Wilmington Bike Facility Improvements

By Tamika Graham -- The City of Wilmington and its Bicycle Advisory Committee is aiming to capitalize on its past success of promoting bicycling with budget-friendly safety improvements. On November 2010, Wilmington successfully installed sharrow lane markings along Market Street in the downtown area - the first installation in the state of Delaware. Sharrow lane markings help convey to motorists and bicyclists that they must share the roads, and indicate a preferred path of travel and positioning for bicyclists relative to parked motor vehicles. This marking was formally introduced through the 2009 version of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which provides standards for traffic control devices, and has become very popular among states and cities aiming to encourage the safe coexistence of bicyclists and motorists. Wilmington bicyclists have noted the visible improvements in the downtown area and are often seen positioning themselves along the markings.

An application was submitted through the former Transportation Enhancements program (presently known as Transportation Alternative Program) for a variety of improvements citywide.  Using 80% of federal funds through this source will help the City leverage its limited resources.  Members of the public are invited to comment on a proposed north-south, east-west bicycle route that will consist of sharrow lane markings and bicycle directional signage through several neighborhoods across the City. This proposed project will implement recommendations from the adopted Wilmington Bicycle Plan to promote bicycle usage and safety. An open house public workshop will be held on Thursday, August 22nd, anytime between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., in the main lobby of the Louis Redding City/County Building, 800 N French Street, Wilmington, 19801. Staff from the City of Wilmington, DelDOT consultants, and WILMAPCO will be present to answer questions. For more information, visit us on line HERE.

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