Evan Major, the Detroit Program Manager for the Student Conservation Association (SCA) sent along this job opening. Major says this is  “an exciting job opportunity to work with some great people and facilitate green job readiness programming for/with Detroit youth.”

For the past couple years the SCA has led hike/bike trail construction efforts at Rouge Park on Detroit’s west side.

Here is more information on the job position and how to apply. Resumes and cover letters are due on February 10th. Read the rest of this entry »

John Dodge's fixie cruiser from 1898

Detroit has some amazing bicycling history. Those early cyclists led the Good Roads movement, founded MDOT, and were instrumental in creating the automotive industry and motorspots.

We’re fortunate that we have the opportunity to see some of this history up close.

Detroit Historic Museum

We’ve mentioned in the past how the Museum has a replica of the famous Huber and Metzger Bicycle Shop in the basement.

But, there’s more bike history in their collection according to their curator:

We try to get everything out from time to time. We have the medals and Wheelman trophy in our Velocity exhibit now through August. There also is a 1899 F.J. Martz & Co., Detroit-made bicycle in the exhibit. I had hoped to use the Whipple, but not enough room – the perennial problem.

Some of the medals and trophy were won by Ernest Moross. Moross raced on the velodrome, was a “longtime associate of the first American auto racing superstar, Barney Oldfield… [and] obtained distinction as the first Contest Director for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway“.

The “Whipple” being referred to is a “watercolor promoting the League of American Wheelmen. Shows a woman cycle riders on good road contrasted with wagon on poor road.” It was painted by Detroit artist Seth Whipple (1855-1901), who is perhaps more famous for his maritime paintings.

But perhaps what we’d like to see most is their Evans and Dodge Bicycle. It was John Dodge’s bike from when his company built it in 1898 until 1905. It’s an aluminum frame fixie with some chrome/nickel plated parts, and black wheels with a “large gold stripe around the center.” It looks like he pushed a big gear too. Unfortunately it’s not currently on display.

The Henry Ford

The League of American Bicyclists sent the following request out to its members:

Today we had an interesting request that we thought that you all would be able to help answer. The Henry Ford museum is researching images for a new exhibit on the automobile in American life for the Henry Ford museum in Dearborn, Mich. Part of their story describes alternative choices to the automobile, past and present. They are looking for a portrait of Horatio Earle, who was instrumental in the early League of American Wheelmen, as well as a force in the Good Roads Movement in the early 20^th century. If you have one the archive could use, they prefer a 300 dpi tiff digital file. Please e-mail Brynn Raupagh at brynnr@sbcglobal.net.

We contacted Brynn about contributing. He said he was “buried with responses!” and got a photo from MDOT — which Horatio Earle founded.

We’re looking forward to seeing this new exhibit.

And if you decide to go, don’t forgot to visit Orville and Wilbur’s original Wright Cycle Shop just next door in Greenfield Village. Henry Ford moved their bike shop from Dayton to Greenfield Village in 1937.

Meeting with Senator Debbie Stabenow's staff at the 2010 National Bike Summit

If you register for the National Bike Summit before tomorrow, February 3rd, and save money, especially for IMBA members.

Attending this year’s Summit is critical given the recent changes in Congress. We need bicyclists in DC to make sure our representatives understand the importance and value of continued federal investment in bicycling infrastructure. Without continued federal transportation funding, you can expect a major reducti0n in new bike lanes, bike parking, and more throughout Metro Detroit.

Let’s keep bicycle transportation moving forward and join us in Washington DC this March.

The Oakland Press is reporting that the Village of Oxford Council has passed a Complete Streets resolution.

“In the past year or so, [Complete Streets] has really caught fire with the legislation. We want more traffic signals, more bike lanes and landscaping to slow down the traffic into town so people feel safer crossing the street,” said Village Manager Joe Young.

This is great to hear, especially in northern Oakland County, which isn’t known for embracing bikes on the roads.

One of the key points made in the article is the economic prosperity of a downtown is tied to the quality of traffic, not the quantity. Road agencies often focus on the latter. Complete Streets can help increase the quality of traffic.

Anna Taylor, Downtown Development Authority member and owner of boutique Pink and Charlie, said: “We’ve blocked out our pedestrian communities in our small towns, and granted, we’ve gotten a tremendous boom because we have traffic. However, I will say, that not one time since I’ve been a business owner have I had a gravel hauler pull up to the back of my shop, come in and tell me that he’d like to buy something.

“We’re glad we have traffic. We don’t want the traffic to go away. But we have to do something because a healthy, vibrant pedestrian community is our future. It means the difference between surviving and prospering.”

With a little luck, this Complete Streets resolution will catch fire in some of the surrounding communities.

A proposed streetcar/bicycle design from Seattle

Below is the DDOT announcement about public hearings on the planned Woodward light rail project.

Why is light rail important to Detroit cyclists?

First, a well-designed light rail system will lets you easily take your bike on board and provides bike parking at the transit stops. The system can actually encourage more people to ride. Biking increases the light rail’s effective reach into the neighborhoods. The light rail is not going to take you to places like Hamtramck, Eastern Market, Cortktown, Mexicantown, or Ferndale — but those could be easily biked to.

Second, this project is an opportunity to get light rail on Wooward and make it a Complete Street. Can we improve biking in a way that works well with the new light rail?

Mia Birk from Alta Planning has been involved in streetcar/bicycle facility design for a some time and recently wrote an article called “Bikes & Streetcars – Let’s be Best Friends!.”

Both streetcar and bicycle transportation are highly effective, sustainable solutions with multiple benefits. Bicycling leverages enormous health and environmental benefits, while streetcar leverages development. Both use space efficiently and forward economic progress. Together, they signify the dawn of a powerful new era of transportation efficiency.

And one thing’s for sure: designing streetcar lines without serious consideration of bicyclists will cost more in the long run, as it’s always harder to fix things than doing them well in the first place.

That bolded text is perhaps the key point.  Let’s make sure things are done well from the beginning and save money.

And let’s be best friends!

More details on the public meetings

Read the rest of this entry »