Conservation + Recreation: March 2010
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More Than Just the Bike |
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Moab, Utah is a sweet spot for bicyclists and other park fans. On the Colorado River, near Arches National Park and the
Old Spanish Trail, and not far from Dead Horse Point
State Park and Bureau of Land Management recreation lands, Moab's key location begged for a gateway park that would connect trails and roads and create
a recreational hub.
Lions Park
will be just that: a portal to the recreational opportunities in the parks and
beyond. This park is the result of dedicated volunteers-including
the Moab Trails Alliance, Utah State University, Grand County, the City of
Moab, BLM, and the National Park Service.
The new car-free bridge is
now open (ribbon-cutting photo, above) and the park and transit hub on the south side of the
river will be completed in 2012. Lions Park will
provide facilities for both motorized and non-motorized users, with separate
and safe trails for bicyclists and pedestrians. In an area that gets more than
2.5 million tourists per year, it's estimated that half a million people will
use at least one component of the new transportation system once this hub is
completed.
The
community is excited about bike trails in their midst. In addition to being
a gateway community for so many amazing parks and recreation areas, Moab is a
mountain biking destination. "This is an incredible amenity for visitors
and residents alike," says Marcy DeMillion, an NPS Community Planner.
"People are elated at the thought of being able to get on their bike in
town and ride this coordinated system for miles." Bridge photo courtesy of Mathew Barlow.
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Pedals and Possibilities
The future for non-motorized transportation looks a lot like
bike sharing. Cities worldwide are putting fleets on the streets for residents
and visitors, and proving that when bikes are made available, people will use them. Take a spin on a VĂ©lib' in Paris, BIXI in Montreal, or
SmartBike DC in Washington DC, or find other bike-sharing cities at this Bike-sharing Blog. Listen to this NPR segment for the rest of the story on bike-sharing.
Now the National Park Service is looking at how bike sharing could improve staff mobility or even transform the park experience for visitors. Through a partnership with Humana and B-cycle, park rangers and office staff in Washington DC are kicking the tires on their own fleet of B-cycles. Through this demonstration, national park superintendents from around the country can arrange a test ride when work brings them to Washington. And for years, the Red Bike program in Glacier
National Park has provided climate-friendly transportation for park employees when the destination is just a bit too far to walk. Programs like these
demonstrate how bike-share systems work and let the Service consider how bike-sharing could be translated into a service for
visitors as well.
The newly formed Bike Sharing Advisory Committee, bringing together members from the Central Federal Lands Highway Division, NPS, and other technical experts, has embarked on a program to study existing bike sharing
programs, risk management issues, and best practices. The goal is to make recommendations
to federal land managers about bike sharing programs for visitors and employees
alike, as a way to reduce congestion, and meet public health and sustainability
goals.
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A Tip of the Helmet to...
Janice Tower Singletrack Advocates
Singletrack Advocates participates in and advocates for
the preservation, maintenance, and construction of singletrack trails in greater Anchorage.
"Janice is a star
community volunteer" says Lisa Holzapfell of the National Park Service. "She singlehandedly started the Singletrack Advocates. Without her leadership, mountain bikers would not have come together and no
singletrack trails would have been built in the Municipality of Anchorage. She
is a wizard at fundraising, negotiating, and gaining consensus from interested
parties. She is always positive and has the full respect and support of
everyone she works with. In addition to her hard work with Singletrack
Advocates, Janice created Mighty Bikes a youth
mountain biking program in Anchorage serving over 100 kids each summer, and is
on the board of the Arctic Bicycle Club. On top of
all that, she is one of the toughest mountain bike racers in the country. We
all tip our hats to her every time we see her."
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