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August 2011
We are a member supported non-profit working to improve bicycling access, safety and education in South Carolina. |
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Wondering what is going on this weekend in the SC bike community? Check out our calendar for events and more.
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Federal Update & August Recess
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Thanks to all of you who responded to our recent action alert to contact your member of Congress. Nearly 300 messages were sent to Senators Graham and Demint, and most Representatives received several dozen messages.
If proposals such as Congressman Mica's move forward, we would not only lose valuable federal funding projects, but we would also lose our go-to people at SCDOT--the bike/ped coordinator and Safe Routes to School coordinator. For now, it looks like the debt-ceiling debate will likely push Congress to pass yet another short-term extension on SAFETEA LU rather than a multi-year authorization. For a summary on about re-authorization and Federal funding issues, visit our blog.
Finally, the August recess is a good time to remind your representatives in Congress about the importance of biking and walking as a transportation priority. With both the Senate and the House in recess, Senators Graham and Demint, and Representatives Gowdy, Scott, Wilson, Duncan, Mulvaney and Clyburn will likely be available some time between August 6th and September 5th at town hall meetings or in their respective State and district offices. Please contact your elected officials today to set up a meeting during the August break. If you need any help navigating this process, contact Rachael.
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Recreational Trails Program funding
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Finally, some good news on bike/ped funding.
Many trails throughout SC are built and maintained through funding from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). This federally funded program receives its funding from a portion of federal gas taxes paid on fuel used in non-highway recreational vehicles.
A South Carolina State Trails Advisory Committee reviews applications for this funding each year, and just announced the 2011 recipients of the RTP grants. A total of $975,595 has been granted to seventeen projects statewide.
The following projects include a bicycling component, and are recommended to receive 2011 RTP funding:
- Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission trail connector (Lexington County)
- Swamp Rabbit Trail (Greenville County)
- Kings Mountain State Park trail (Cherokee & York Counties)
- Lake Conestee trail improvement (Greenville County)
- Jasper County Parks & Rec connector trail (Jasper County)
- Gateway Park bike skills trail (Greenville County)
Finally, if Congressman Mica's outline for the transportation re-authorization were to be successful, programs like RTP would be eliminated. Without this program, fabulous trails throughout the state would not exist.
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The popular Forks Area Trails System (FATS) is a partially RTP funded network. Photo from SORBA CSRA.
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Safe Streets Save Lives Momentum
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Palmetto joyriding to a city near you!
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We are finalizing the agenda for Mia Birk's visit to Charleston, Columbia and Greenville on September 7, 8 and 9 respectively. Stay tuned for these details to be announced in early August.
Please join us for-all day events in each city. Mia's schedule in each city will include a free lecture, a family-fun bike event, and book signing from her new groundbreaking book, Joyride: Pedaling Toward a Healthier Planet. We just found out that the publisher is already printing a 2nd edition (to be released fall of 2011), which expands upon the lessons and tools by adding 50 easy-to-follow keys to transforming communities and empowering people.
Thanks to Charleston Moves, Sustainable Midlands, Livewell Greenville, and Bikeville for working with us to make these events the best that they can be. For more information, contact Natalie Britt with Palmetto Conservation Foundation or Rachael with PCC. This opportunity is made possible with support from South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism. |
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Beaufort County Rail-Trail
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The Beaufort Rail Trail has been building buzz around the state, and now you can play a part in this promising new project. A public workshop has been proposed for early this fall to develop a Beaufort Rail Trail Master Plan. The workshop, concerning trail width, paving material, trailheads, and connecting pathways, as well as how to connect the trail with neighboring communities and amenities, will be held concurrently with charrettes by the City of Beaufort focusing on the design of neighborhoods spanning the Ribaut Road Corridor. This is a real opportunity for those of us who will be using the new trail to help shape the vision for the trail on what best suits personal experience and needs.
We encourage our members to attend the meeting and impact the Rail Trail. Though dates and times have not been announced, we will update our blog and calendar once we receive that information. In the meantime, you can visit the Beaufort Rail Trail website to learn more about the project and find more opportunities to get involved.
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Greenville's Bicycle Master Plan
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Greenville's Bicycle Master Plan will soon be up for a vote, and it needs your support. Several City Council Members have expressed their doubts about the realities of the plan. This Master Plan is the result of community workshops, bike counts, online surveys and a number of other methods used to get the community involved. Without your support, all this work could go to waste. Distinctions between Complete Streets and the Master Plan, too much focus on bike lanes, not enough focus on bike lanes, and the lack of unified understanding of the Master Plan's overall goal demonstrate how murky an issue this can be for council members who are not as heavily invested in bicycling as we are. So we encourage our members to help show the council what the Bicycle Master Plan means to you and what it can give the city.
Bike Greenville has rightly pointed out that this is not an issue of offering "an amenity for the people who currently ride bicycles in Greenville, but an opportunity for those 60% of concerned but interested potential riders to safely and comfortably get out on bikes." So contact your city council member today, along with the Mayor and City Manager, and tell them that this Master Plan is something you care about. We will be updating our blog as the vote progresses to keep you as up to date as possible. |
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Hilton Head's BFC award ceremony
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Back in May, we were very pleased to announce the League of American Bicyclists has awarded Hilton Head South Carolina's first silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community designation. This week, League President Andy Clarke and Vice President Elizabeth Kiker will visit the island to officially recognize the city for its accomplishments. The reception for the celebration will be held at the Wexford Clubhouse from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 2. If you are interested in attending, contact David Zunker.
This is a great leap forward for South Carolina in our efforts to create a truly bicycle friendly state, and we are excited to celebrate with Hilton Head and its cyclists!
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Mountain biking enthusiasts in Traveler's Rest will soon have a new place to practice their skills. Volunteers, trail builders and mountain bikers have been hard at work in Gateway Park designing and beginning construction on the city's first flow park and skills area. The project, a collaboration between Greenville County Recreation District and the Upstate chapter of SORBA, is funded in part by a grant from the SC Department of Recreation and Tourism. The rest of the money needed was raised through creative and bike-based fundraising efforts, allowing Upstate SORBA to hire professional trail builders for the project.
Phase I will consist of a flow park and a MTB skills area to provide fun for beginners and pros alike. The flow park, also known as a pump track, is designed to simulate a short mountain bike trail and will challenge the whole body by not requiring any pedaling. Instead, vertical forces on the bike on the track's rollers and berms is transferred into forward motion.
A long term goal for this project is to tie it into the Swamp Rabbit Trail and provide more opportunities for upstate mountain bikers. To see pictures from the work on Phase I or to stay tuned for more chances to volunteer to help create a trail, visit Upstate SORBA.
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August Gear Review: Gu Brew Tablets
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Each month, our friends at Hawley share a review on the latest gear that is passing through their hands and on its way to your local bike shop. Below you will find a portion of the gear review for August; to find out the rest, visit our blog. As always, thanks to Ken Klatte, Production Artist with Hawley, for this sneak-preview.
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Gu introduced their Brew tablets earlier this year and I can't stop  using them. Although Peach Tea and Lemon Lime are palatable, Orange is the flavor that comes closest to embodying its appellation. It's got a subtle citrus taste and unlike Nuun hydration tablets, it doesn't have a fizz or bite to it (for those with finicky stomachs). I have been using them on rides during June and July and have found the results surprising to say the least. In addition to riding cramp free, the fructose/maltodextrin combination gave my muscles a little boost on some super steep climbing sections.
Finish reading the review about Gu's Brew tablets at our blog!
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We need the support of cyclists like you to continue our efforts of making SC more bicycle friendly. The PCC is the voice for cyclists across South Carolina. Please support us with your donation today.
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