ESTABLISHED 1997 Messenger · 47% reduction in overall personal injury crashes involving the test group wearing the high visibility yellow florescent jackets. Their effectiveness

Titusville

The space industry has long been Titusville’s primary source of revenue,

but after the space shuttle program was discontinued, town leaders decided to diversify and embrace eco-tourism. Besides having a wealth of opportunities for fishing, kayaking and birdwatching, it became apparent that Titusville also sat at the crossroads of three long-distance paved multi-use trails – Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail, East Coast Greenway and the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop.

In 2013, Titusville began taking earnest steps to provide amenities and safe passage for bicyclists by forming a trails committee, spearheading efforts to build a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over their busiest thoroughfare (Garden Street), revamping downtown streets to be more bicyclist/pedestrian friendly, and opening a new visitor center in 2017 that includes a bike shop inside!

To fine-tune their efforts, town planners also took a field trip to Dunedin, long recognized as being bicycle and pedestrian friendly and crowned Florida’s first trail town last spring. As a result of their efforts, Titusville was voted as Florida’s second official trail town by the Florida Greenways and Trails Council at their June meeting.

“We could not be more proud and excited about being designated Florida’s second Trail Town by the Department of Environmental Protection,” said Mayor Walt Johnson. “The city recognizes the economic impact and importance of becoming a Trail Town. We continue to work diligently to become the premier destination and Trail Town in the state.

Our downtown merchants are excited and beginning to see the increase in their businesses by those trail users who eat, shop and enjoy our unique offerings.” An eight-minute video produced by the town shows their Trail Town evolution.

Titusville celebrated their new trail town designation September 14 as part of their downtown street party. Earlier that same day, the Florida Greenways and Trails Council met in the Titusville City Chambers and designated three more trail towns—Malabar, Vilano Beach and Clermont.

Malabar

Malabar, a small town located at the southern end of Brevard County

along Florida’s East Coast, was designated due to its vigorous efforts to establish walking, bicycling and paddling trails through its conservation areas. The town has an active Trails and Greenways Committee that works to connect their

trail system to neighboring towns and they came together to build an impressive trail shelter, an ideal spot for a rest break or picnic or to take refuge from a storm.

Vilano Beach

Vilano Beach, located just north of St. Augustine along Highway

A1A, has developed a wide range of amenities for bicyclists on the East Coast Greenway and paddlers on the Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail. The town has wide paved trails on both sides of their main boulevard along with directional signage on every block.

Clermont

Clermont, located at the halfway point of the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail,

provides numerous amenities for trail users such as restrooms, benches, shade, information kiosks, way finding signs, water fountains and showers. Plus, motels,

BICYCLE ASSOCIATIONwww.�oridabicycle.org

MessengerOFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE FLORIDA BICYCLE ASSOCIATION, INC.

Vol. 22, No. 1 • Winter 2019Building a Bicycle-Friendly Florida

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Four New Trail Towns DesignatedBy Doug Alderson, Office of Greenways

Malabar’s volunteer-built trail shelter. Photo by Doug Alderson

Vilano Beach public pier. Photo by Doug Alderson

Titusville Mayor Walt Johnson (holding sign) with city staff, OGT staff, and Greenways and Trails Council members at Titusville event.

(continued on page 4)

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18-PR-0975B

New Businesses/ Clubs/OrganizationsGulf Coast VeloKey West Bicycle AssociationSt Johns River-to-Sea Loop AllianceVeloSports Events

New MembersGrace Andry-Lee Christine ArbogastAnthony T Arculeo Patty BoatmanCesar BorriJeff & Anne-Marie BrooksJared CarterBrian CourchesneWilliam DawesWinchester Dermody & Chris KiriazisMichael DickersonRichard L Eldridge

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Winter 2019 Page 3

Carol & Mike MillerDavid MillerBill & Mary NesperJeff OrnerMichael PettinatoDiane QuellerMiranda RayDeanna Rhodes-TannerRafael RiveraSamuel RoseTina RussellStephen SalvoNancy SanfordKim SmithBrian SoucyPieter Van DienFrank VeitTamiya WilliamsJanet & Jeff Wilson

Scearce, Satcher & Jung, P.A.CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTSKenneth L. Scearce, CPADavid A. Satcher, CPACarla M. Hansen, CPA(407) 647-6441 Office (407) 645-0099 Fax

1030 W. Canton Ave., Suite 210, Winter Park, FL 32789

Whether you’re cycling along side the horses and carriages near Nazareth, PA…

…or strolling along the

ancient roadways in Jerusalem,

Israel…

…it’s a small world when it comes to the common courtesy of

SHARE THE ROAD.

An amazing study has been published on the effects of wearing a bright

fluorescent jacket while riding during the daylight. It was conducted in Denmark, a country with a dense population of cyclists and, incidentally, where cycling injury crashes are vastly under reported by the riders. In fact, the study suggests under reporting by cycling crash victims of 86% for those with serious injuries and over 90% by those with minor injuries. (There must be a dearth of bicycle injury lawyers in Denmark!) Denmark is in the EU which experienced 2000 cycling traffic deaths in 2010, about 7% of all traffic fatalities.

One purpose of the study was to provide a way to reduce the “I never saw” them response from motorists after colliding with a person riding a bicycle. In Denmark, 82% of multiparty cycling crashes occur during daylight. The theory behind the study was that increasing rider visibility would result in fewer crashes.

There were 6793 participants who were randomly divided into essentially equal numbers of people in a test group and a control group. To participate in the study they each agreed to ride their bike at least three times per week, although most participants rode their bikes daily and a high percentage used their bikes for transportation. Each member of the test group was required to wear a yellow florescent jacket each day they rode. The jackets were all alike and were provided by the study. The control group wore their normal riding attire.

The study relied on web based self reporting each month about whether they had been involved in a crash involving another person or vehicle. In addition, the test group received random reminder emails following-up on their use of the jacket.

The test results showed an astonishing 47% reduction in overall personal injury crashes involving the test group wearing

the high visibility yellow florescent jackets. Their effectiveness in preventing crashes with motor vehicles was even higher at a 55% reduction. The results were greater in the winter (they have more hours of reduced day time sunlight intensity than we have in Florida).

The results of this study were much higher than what I have seen in the past. They noted that the effectiveness of the florescent jacket was on the same level of magnitude in reducing crashes as using permanent running lights (41% reduction) citing another study (also an amazing number!).

What is our takeaway? Cyclists should be wearing bright florescent clothing during the day. This study used jackets, but Denmark is a much cooler climate. Each of us should be using fixed daytime running lights, front and rear (not a weak light no one can see!). While not addressed in this study, visibility is significantly increased by wearing florescent colors on our knees/legs and at our ankles. Finally, remember to wear reflective clothing at night. Florescent colors are ineffective at night.

Reduce Your Odds of Being Hit by 50%by Jim Dodson

Source: Safety Science, “The effect of a yellow bicycle jacket on cycling accidents,” Harry Lahrmann et al, Volume 108, October 2018, Pages 209-217. Jim Dodson is a cyclist, author of the Florida Bicycle Accident Handbook, and an experienced injury & bicycle accident lawyer. His primary office is in Clearwater, and he represents injury victims throughout Florida. He is a bicycle safety advocate and Florida Bicycle Association board member. floridacyclinglawyer.com*Legal information is not legal advice. Nothing in this article may be considered legal advice. If you have specific questions for Jim Dodson, simply call his office at 1-888-340-0840. There is never a charge to talk about your case.

Russ Drevitson submitted this photo

of the sunset from the Pinellas Trail


Trail Towns are attracting the attention of cyclists/hikers/paddlers/equestrians around the country.

The first time I realized that I was traveling (cycling) through a “trail town” was during my 2008 summer bike trip in Virginia where we commenced our ride along the

Virginia Creeper Trail in the historic town of Abingdon (famous for its Barter Theatre). We discovered that most

visitors experience the trail by taking a bus up the mountain to Whitetop Station and cycling back downhill. However, our

President’s Message...

Trail Towns Are Here!by Patty Huff, President

plans were to cycle to D.C. and around the state so we cycled uphill. The beautiful town of Damascus is just halfway to the top and is known as “Trail Town, USA” because of its many nearby trails in addition to the Virginia Creeper: the Appalachian Trail, the Trans-America National Bicycle Trail, the Iron Mountain Trail, the Daniel Boone Heritage Trail, the Crooked Road Musical Heritage Trail, and Virginia’s Birding and Wildlife Trail. www.visitdamascus.org

In 2014 we cycled on several multi-use trails throughout Minnesota, leaving our vehicle at the Country “Trails” Inn in Preston as we cycled the first day to Harmony and back. Both of these small towns are part of the River Root Trail System and Towns (http://www.rootrivertrail.org/). The next day we bicycled through other Minnesota trail towns: Lanesboro, Wahlen, Peterson, and Rushford before heading north to the Paul Bunyan Trail. Two weeks later we found ourselves back on River Root Trail, biking through the small town of Fountain for a wonderful, long downhill ride back to our Inn. Beautiful quaint towns celebrating different events all along the way made our trip extra special.

This past summer my husband and I decided to stay in Florida to experience many of our own trails. This included the Pinellas Trail from Tarpon Springs to Dunedin which was designated in January

as Florida’s first official trail town by the Florida Greenways and Trails Council under its new program administered by the Office of Greenways and Trails. Then, in September I was privileged to attend the dedication of Titusville as the second trail town in Florida as the hub of three converging multi-use trails: the Coast-to-Coast Trail, the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop, and the East Coast Greenway! Three other towns have recently been designated: Clermont, Malabar and Vilano Beach. This is all very exciting for Florida and all trail users!

The benefits of visitors to trail towns are substantial: in addition to numerous amenities, such as detailed trail maps of the area, accommodations tailored to trail users, great food and shops, there are also friendly residents who welcome you to their area. The benefits to the trail towns themselves are also outstanding which may include creating economic growth, providing opportunities for new and current businesses (more jobs), encouraging trail users to stay longer (generating more revenue), improving infrastructure in rural areas, promoting a healthier lifestyle for residents, and preserving our natural resources. Your community can apply to become part of the “Florida Trail Town Program” at Office of Greenways and Trails website: https://floridadep.gov/parks/ogt/content/florida-trail-town-program.

Closing the GapsNew Section of Coast-to-Coast TrailOn a blustery and beautiful recent

November morning, over 100 people gathered at the historic train depot in Brooksville to “cut the ribbon” on the newest section of the Coast-to-Coast Trail. Dozens of volunteers and trail enthusiasts joined local and state elected officials to declare a new day was coming to Brooksville. This long-planned trail connection through the Croom Unit of the Withlacoochee State Forest now links the communities of Inverness and Floral City to this historic hub of Hernando County.

Former Senate President Andy Gardiner

was the guest of honor. His leadership role during the 2014-15 Legislature resulted in the SUN Trails Program in the FDOT. This program provided the funding to close the Brooksville-to-Withlacoochee gap.

Congratulations to the many individuals and community leaders who have pursued for two decades this dream of a re-birth of this abandoned railroad corridor as a trail. The focus of everyone’s efforts now turn to the western gap that will link the depot to downtown Brooksville and eventually to the Sun Coast Trail.

restaurants and stores can easily be reached from the trail.

Several other communities are applying for trail town status and their applications will be considered at the January 23-24 Florida Greenways and Trails Council meeting in Ocala.

DEP’s Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT) encourages interested communities to conduct self-assessments to gauge their

strengths and weaknesses in relation to nearby trails and users. Trail Town candidates fill out an application and are then considered for approval by the legislatively-established Florida Greenways and Trails Council. To recognize Florida’s Trail Towns, designated Trail Towns are featured on the OGT website and given metal signs that can be placed at trailheads along with stickers for business windows.

Four New Trail Towns Designated (from page 1)

Commissioner Katherine Starkey (4th from left), Florida Greenways & Trails Council chair Becky Afonso (5th from left) and vice chair Brian Smith (6th from left) join county officials and trail enthusiasts for the ground-breaking.

On Tuesday, October 30, Pasco County celebrated the Starkey Gap Trail

groundbreaking with a ceremony in Longleaf. Due to be completed summer of 2019, this small gap will allow for continuous travel from St. Petersburg to Brooksville. Commissioner Kathryn Starkey championed the trail that will

ultimately connect Pasco County to Pinellas County as part of the Coast-to-Coast Trail. The Coast-to-Coast Trail promises to be a 250-mile network across the state, from Titusville to St. Petersburg, with multiple opportunities for additional trails to spur off of it.

Starkey Gap Trail Groundbreaking

City Councilmembers Kemerer, Young, Battista, and City Manager Mark Kutney

Winter 2019 Page 5

Executive Director’s Corner...

Award Winning by Becky Afonso, Director

They say you’ve got to have friends and I agree. Each of us knows the value of a friend and I bet

there are some out there who can attest to meeting great friends through cycling. I know I have. I’ve also networked

with wonderful and inspiring organizations and businesses through cycling.

Example: This past September I fulfilled a personal challenge to ride the entire Katy Trail in Missouri. I doubt I

would have done so if not for Bubba’s Pampered Pedalers, a bicycle touring organization I became familiar with after meeting Bubba over 15 years ago at Cycle North Carolina. In fact, thanks to Bubba’s BubbaFest tour in the Florida Keys, I was able to hook up with Alison Higgins, City of Key West Sustainability Coordinator for the FBA Request on page 18.

Another example: On November 14, I had the pleasure of being in front of Oldsmar Elementary School third graders as part of Pinellas County’s Great American Teach-In. I doubt it would have been as much fun if not for the insights Lisa Indovino, a Safe Routes to School educator, shared with me at the Open Streets Palmetto event. Suffice to say, I met Lisa through, you guessed it, cycling. Lisa’s recommendation to do the egg drop demonstration, which shows the importance of wearing a helmet, not only caught the attention of the children but the teachers as well.

I can always tell stories of the positive when it comes to cycling, but I know it’s not always happy.

Example: On October 30, four cyclists, Sarah Calabrese, 55, William J. Harrington, 57, Joel Calabrese, 67 and John Ustruck, 60, were hit from behind while changing lanes on Center Road in Venice. All the cyclists required hospitalization. On November 5, William Harrington succumbed to his injuries. The others have since been released.

Sarasota-Manatee Bicycle Club pres-ident Bud Gaunce texted me when this

happened. I also received emails from Hank Danielson of the Coastal Cruisers Bicycle Club and Mark Schiefer of Gulf Coast Velo as the story made the news and social me-dia. It’s not unusual for cyclists in this area to be members of multiple bicycle clubs and I am a member of all three. Suffice to say, it’s the kind of news that is paralyzing.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Pinellas County is the most dangerous place in the country to ride a bicycle. Joy Hancock of Bike Florida provides her insights to the WSJ article on page 12. Joy and I both live in Pinellas County and on occasion meet for a bike ride that includes lunch.

The stats have never stopped me from riding, or driving for that matter. Florida’s Integrated Report Exchange System (FIRES), show motorist traffic fatalities for this year, as of November 23, at 2,564. The fatalities for non-motorists in the same time frame are 115 bicyclists and 564 pedestrians. That’s a total of 3,243 people; people who drive, people who ride bicycles and people who walk. Simply put, there are no guarantees in transportation, no matter the mode you choose.

Personally, I don’t see transportation as gloom and doom. I continue to drive, to ride, to walk; always being accountable to pay attention and practice CPR – Courtesy, Patience and Respect. I don’t believe I’m alone in this. Why? Let’s go back to that opening statement: I’ve met great friends and network with wonderful and inspiring organizations and businesses through cycling; all doing what they can to make transportation in Florida better.

Sure, the networking is part of my job, but the success stories are real and in some cases, award-winning, thanks to Florida Bicycle Association. Here’s a sampling of FBA award recipients mentioned or featured in this special trails issue of the Messenger:

• Bubba’s Pampered Pedalers – 2016 Bicycle Business

• Lisa Indovino – 2014 Educator• Friends of the Legacy Trail – 2015 Trails

Promoter• Herb Hiller – 2016 Trails Promoter• Brian Smith – 2016 Citizen Advocate• Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation

– 2016 Supporting Agency• Florida Department of Transportation

District 7 – 2015 Supporting Agency• George Martin – 2006 Special

RecognitionGreat things are happening and continue

to happen. I don’t mind one bit that meeting these people and hearing the success stories are part of my job. We achieve great things together - stay positive!

In Florida with its singular drive for growth, eco values play the long game.

By eco values I mean not just conserving the natural order but also preserving cultural heritage. We are the creatures of nature and culture alike.

Driving along the SR 207 farm corridor between East Palatka and St. Augustine, roadside barns collapsed by recent storms occur as landscape artifacts. Something happened. Cycling the canopied trail and backroads, we stop where the farms are, at Jim’s Place in Elkton or at Molasses Junction Country Store. Conversation quickly reveals how those collapsed barns symbolize the waning of family farms and the communities they’ve sustained. Something’s happening. We’re in the moment.

Henry Flagler’s trains 130 years ago prospered corridor farms, but after the trains left and only the rail beds remained, farmers along 207 resisted their conversion to trail. I remember years ago cycling

Missouri on a newly finished Katy Trail having to work around boulders rolled onto the asphalt by aggrieved property owners who claimed reversionary rights.

At the micro level, a decade ago the residents of Armstrong quit fighting the new trail and embraced it instead. The East Coast Greenway Alliance, for which I worked, introduced touring companies to the trail. Bike Florida quickly adopted it and Armstrong itself. Velo Fest Community Initiative and the North Florida Bicycle Club followed. DOT built a spur to a new trailhead at Armstrong Park. Funds generated by meals prepared for cyclists paid for the acquisition of a trail-adjacent house planned for conversion as a hospitality center.

Filmmaker Derek Hankerson has captured the story of how these moves inspired the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission to embrace the community-building value of trails

Trails and the Long Game by Herb Hiller

SJR2C Loop Summit information at: www.http://sjr2c.org. Herb Hiller writes from his home in DeLand.

from Armstrong all the way to Wilmington, North Carolina.

Armstrong was inspiring. Why not the entire Hwy. 207 corridor adopted for agritourism? Farmers who watched the four-laning of 207 felt the rail bed should have been set aside as a way for slow-moving equipment.

Rail had prospered Hastings as a farm center, the same as its removal in the late ‘60s hastened town decline. When trail construction began, many thought the railroad was coming back. Adults didn’t ride bikes. Kids did. Maybe the farmers were right.

Ironically, the motive to reconsider coincided with last year’s vote to dissolve town government. Dissolution won big because county takeover promised drastically reduced utility rates. But the loss of local government palled the community.

This fall, a retired Citi Banker/cyclist and the pastor of The Lord’s Temple gave rise to a

Hastings Steering Committee with support from Hastings Rotary and the SJR2C Loop Alliance. It’s an up-by-the-bootstraps initiative to make sure that residents get heard about decisions that affect them.

Meanwhile, the agritourism corridor takes shape. Flagler College, St. Johns River State College, Flagler Hospital, FPL, health care plan companies, and county tourism and cultural agencies have invested in the corridor’s emergence. Come January 10, Flagler College will start monthly van tours. Tours will include visits to Blue Sky Farms in Hastings, to the produce and crafts market at Spuds Farm, and to the Saturiwa Conservation Area in Elkton. Lunch will come from newly opened Norma D’s Kitchen in Hastings.

Celebration of the values at work will take place April 5 and 6 at the 2nd Annual SJR2C Loop Summit in Palatka and Hastings. The long game will have perceptibly advanced.

On behalf of the FBA Board and Advisory Board, Happy Holidays!

The above column was written over the Thanksgiving weekend, prior to the news of another traffic crash in south Florida. According to the Miami Herald,

“Weston resident Denise Marsh, 53, died from her injuries. Marsh’s Facebook page says she was a native of Bloomfield, New Jersey, an office manager, a wife, mother of two and summa cum laude graduate from Broward College in May. Her photo posts featured family, especially her sons, and her pedaling family, Cycling Family Broward.Carlos Rodriguez, 62, was in surgery “with an unknown prognosis,” according to Davie police. Edgar Reyes, 48; Maria Bautista, 56; and John Beitz, 49 were in stable condition. A 14-year-old boy suffered a scraped knee. All appear to be from Cycling Family Broward.”

Carlos Rodriguez died on November 27. No charges have been filed against the driver as the crash remains under investigation. Cycling is not always happy, and as corny as this sounds, my thoughts are with the families and cycling friends of the injured and those that have died. Cycling Family Broward is hurting as are all of us. Florida Bicycle Association was first founded after the happy occasion of 1987 known as the Post Grape Nuts Bike Festival. The second inception of FBA was inspired by the loss of two cyclists on December 26, 1996. Our work continues throughout Florida and we will be in Tallahassee once again for the 2019 legislative session, advocating for distracted driving laws. We appreciate the support of our members, our sponsors and all of those who truly enjoy one of life’s simple pleasure – the bicycle. We will achieve great things together – stay positive!


Trails for the Health of ItBy Eric Draper, Florida State Parks Director

I recently attended the ribbon-cutting for a new section of the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail. The energy was

great — a mix of city leaders, students and local bicyclists had joined together to celebrate a milestone in the trail’s history. The completion of the new connector trail means that now, residents and visitors to Tallahassee can ride from Florida State University to the coastal town of St. Marks without leaving a paved multiuse trail.

I’m a passionate cyclist, and that naturally translates into an appreciation of trails and safe roads. The question is how we build the kind of enthusiasm that made the St. Marks connector happen among people who may not think of themselves as bicyclists or fitness enthusiasts. Part of the solution is sharing how trails can make people of all abilities happier and healthier.

I’m reminded of a story a friend told me. After a difficult knee surgery, his mother had trouble getting her usual exercise, a walk around her neighborhood on Amelia Island. She bought a bicycle because it was an easy way for her to get exercise, but she wasn’t comfortable cycling on nearby roads. A friend introduced her to the Timucuan Trail, a beautiful stretch along the coast from Little Talbot Island State Park to Amelia Island. Riding the trail helped speed up her recovery and gave her back confidence and a sense of well-being.

I like this story because it echoes my own experience cycling to stay active after injuries and to further my lifelong commitment to fitness and healthy living. Recent reports from health professionals recommend that adults get 150 minutes of aerobic exercise every week. What better way to move the heart and legs than cycling, and where better to ride that bike than on a trail?

Our “Gap” (Great Allegheny Passage) TrailLessons Learned Preparing Palatka’s “Trail Town” applicationPhotos and text by Linda Crider, SJR2C trail Alliance member; The Bartram Inn Bed & Breakfast, Palatka, FL

We began our quest August 9th traveling from different directions to meet in Pittsburgh,

PA, the beginning (or end) of the Great Allegheny Passage Trail. Bob Stevens drove his van with bikes from Grove Park, FL; Mike Mahony flew in from Gainesville, and I flew in from Phoenix. Riding this trail had been on each one of our “bucket lists” for years so we decided on a date to finally make it happen – a plan to ride our bikes 150 miles from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD on the abandoned railroad line that years earlier had been turned into a trail by a group of visionary and committed volunteers, “The Allegheny Trail Alliance,” and their 12 trail partners.

I procured a copy of the Great Allegheny Passage Trail Guide book that was filled with information – mileages, lodgings, restaurants and cafes, bike shops, shuttle services, information about the various towns we would pass through, and an excellent fold out map of the entire trail. It was an invaluable resource that enabled me to plan out a 5-day/7-night itinerary cycling an average of 30 miles a day (fully loaded with our clothes and necessities in rain proof panniers and bike packs) and reserve rooms at reasonably priced Bed & Breakfasts.

We lucked out on the weather, dodging rainstorms that held off most days until late afternoon or evening, helping to keep August temperatures down to a comfortable level.

The trail was very well signed and easy to find each morning from the small towns that this trail traverses. The deciduous forest canopy shaded the lime rock and cinder packed trail that was well maintained and continuous, despite occasional constrained right-of-way widths that utilized sidewalks, striping on the road with delineators, and even sections of “rails WITH trails.” The railroad trestles and tunnels had been excellently maintained and converted for bicycle use; several of the tunnels were even lit with electric lights overhead.

The little towns we stayed in and went through had been at one time successful industrial (steel, coal, railroad) towns but now were just barely “holding on” and hoping the “GAP” tourism would bring people and money. We did our part, staying at Bed & Breakfasts, eating at local cafes and restaurants, and looking for things to do in the evenings. Unfortunately there wasn’t much. Aside from a visit to a developing brewery, a “band on the Square” (40’s music in a downtown parking lot), and some lovely eat out dining experiences, there wasn’t much to do. Only a few places along the trail had any type of commerce; a tile mosaic artist, Amish farmers market, and some ice cream stops were about the extent. We were sadly disappointed in this. The excellent marketing “spin” far exceeded the actual experience, we thought.

Hooray for the marketing (way-finding signs, brochures for each town, trail guide booklet), excellent directional signage, mile markers, trailheads (converted train stations turned museum and information centers), and the well-maintained trestles and tunnels. We were NEVER lost.

The “GAP” trail maintenance appears to be orchestrated by volunteers and is well done in comparison to the C&O Canal Trail that is federally

operated and NOT (as well at least) maintained. The surface of the C&O is more subject to mud puddles/potholes, cracks, and stray rocks. In fairness, the money for the C&O Trail seems to be absorbed by the trailhead sites and the lock and dam maintenance (they were completely redoing the Williamsport viaduct when we visited by car).

As Palatka proceeds to become an officially designated “Trail Town” in the state of Florida, the lessons learned from the “GAP” experience, especially the passion and persistence of volunteers, are valuable. As one of the pieces of our St. Johns River-to-Sea (SJR2C) loop puzzle, we have an important role to play. Palatka is already a trail “hub” with the million-dollar investment in a bicycle/pedestrian bridge crossing the St. Johns River, connecting our downtown and Keystone Heights to the Loop trail in East Palatka and all the way to St Augustine. It is significant that this bridge is the only safe way for cyclists to get across the St. Johns River for 40 miles to the north or south.

The SJR2C loop trail received the nod by the Florida Greenways and Trails Council last year to be second in line for legislatively approved SUN Trail funding to complete gaps in this 260 mile 5-coun-ty trail. Herb Hiller, trail mentor and founder of the SJR2C Loop concept, helped establish the SJR2C Alliance, as a non-profit group to shepherd the trail development effort. They are gathering partnerships much as the “GAP” trail Alliance did along the five counties (St. Johns, Putnam, Volusia, Brevard and Flagler) that contain the trail. Approximately 35% of this trail is already in place, and it is also designated as a spur of the national East Coast Greenway Trail (that runs from Maine to Key West).

Putnam County’s north section of the Loop Trail has been completed from East Palatka to the county line. St. Johns County will help complete a gap in Hastings this November with the completion of the Deep Creek bridge and the trail from the Putnam County line alongside SR207 all the way to I-95 outside of St. Augustine. A grand celebration is planned for Nov.17th in Hastings with booths, venders, children’s activities and runners and bicyclists coming from Palatka and from St. Augustine in either direction to “drive the golden spike” in the middle of Hastings. This small town has high hopes and expectations that the trail will bring bicycle and pedestrian travelers to visit cafes, shops (bike and ice cream), B&B’s, farmers market and trail head museum.

From East Palatka south toward Volusia County, the trail is only in the planning phase except for the recently completed trail parallel to the road widening of State Road 17.

As this road widening project continues south, a trail will be built alongside it to be part of the SJR2C Loop five-county trail. An ambitious project for sure, but one the people of Florida have voted and supported through funding amendments to support all modes of transportation, as well as the tourist dollars the trails promise to generate. Many are saying, “Bicycling is the new golf.” But who knows. The economic input is a small investment for the potential output generated for communities.

In our application to become a “Trail Town” (as if

this bike trail hub is not enough), we can add the designation of the St. Johns River as a state Blueways Trail and National Recreation Trail, the Bartram Scenic Byway, the Florida Hiking Trail crossing SR100 at Etonia Creek, Welaka State Forest trails, equestrian trails near Florahome and Welaka State Forest… all part of a comprehensive trail system.

Palatka serves to become an important trail town and link in all four directions. As a strong Alliance partner, the city of Palatka, Putnam County government and chamber of commerce, and the “Putnam Blueways and Trails Citizens” support organization, and the downtown merchants are all charged with pursuing the “Trail Town” designation and creating an action plan to welcome trail users and support their needs with local facilities, restaurants, lodging, shops, bike repair, kayak rentals, farmers market, artists studios, trail guide booklet and maps, etc. It is an economic development project in the making and will bring a tourism dimension back to this once thriving tourist town.

The Bartram Inn Bed & Breakfast is located at 116 Kirkland St., Palatka, Florida 32177. Email [email protected]. Phone: 352-359-0623

Winter 2019 Page 7

Patricia Huff, PresidentP.O. Box 617Everglades City FL [email protected]

Courtney Reynolds, Vice President100 Myrtle Street, #106Longwood FL [email protected]

Jim Dodson, Secretary310 Wildwood Way Clearwater FL 33756 727-446-0840 [email protected]

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Gainesville

Oldsmar(FBA HQ)

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Board of Directors

Staff

Tim Bol, Past Board Member,FBA, [email protected] Burns, Chair, Jacksonville Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Com-mittee, [email protected] Caffrey, Co-Founder, CyclingSavvy. Program Consultant, American Bicycling Education Association, [email protected] LeDew, City of JacksonvilleChief of Traffic Engineering [email protected] Connaughton, Director Florida Traffic & Bicycle Safety Education Program,[email protected] Diez, Hernando County MPO, [email protected] Henderson, Past President, FBA, Miami-Dade County MPO,[email protected]

City names denote board and program staff member distribution. Is your area represented? Contact a board member today!

Advisory Board

Working Together toBuild a Bicycle-friendly Florida

The Florida Bicycle Association (FBA) was incorporated in 1997 for educational and charitable purposes. FBA is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations, including membership dues, are tax deductible. A copy of the current financial statements may be obtained by contacting FBA.

To become a member supporter of FBA, join online at www.fbamembership.orgThe Messenger is published quarterly as a service to members and advocates for a bicycle-friendly Florida by the:

Florida Bicycle Association, P .O . Box 2452, Oldsmar, FL 34677www .floridabicycle .org • e-mail: Becky@floridabicycle .org • Phone: 813-748-1513

Messenger Copy and Advertising Information and Deadlines:FBA Membership includes a subscription to the Messenger. The FBA accepts and welcomes your advertising!Please see the website for rates and specifications or e-mail: [email protected]. Publishers reserve the right to review advertising content and to reject advertising that, in the opinion of the Association, is neither in the best interest of FBA’s members nor its goals and objectives. Although we carefully review articles and information submitted, FBA is not responsible for the information or opinions contained herein unless explicitly stated as official policy of FBA. ©2018 Florida Bicycle Association all rights reserved

OUR MISSION: for Florida bicycling is to network and share best practices, to educate and advocate and to build awareness as a unified voice.

OUR VISION: for Florida is to be a state where bicycling is safe, respected and encouraged as a means of transportation and recreation.

OUR PURPOSE:• To educate bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists about safely sharing roadways

and paths• To be a powerful, influential voice that protects and advances the interests of

bicyclists• To encourage the creation of great on-road and off-road places to ride• To provide a statewide communications network for bicyclists• To encourage more people to bicycle more often

Deadlines:Winter Issue – November 15Spring Issue – February 15Summer Issue – May 15Autumn Issue – August 15

A copy of the official registration and financial information (ch9008) may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll-free 1-800-435-7352 within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state. http:/www.800helpfla.com/

Help Us Grow the Base! Give to FBA

The Florida Bicycle Association was founded by people like you who want to make Florida a better place to ride a bicycle. Our projects and programs that benefit bicyclists are made

possible primarily through membership and sponsorship to our organization. Simply put, without membership, sponsorship and donations, the Florida Bicycle Association would not exist. Keep bicycle enjoyment alive in Florida and help us in the fight against bicycle fatalities, Join FBA!

Did you know your membership donation to FBA is tax-deductible?FBA is a 501(c)(3) education and charitable nonprofit corporation. You can join FBA online or

download and mail an application from our website, www.floridabicycle.org. You can request an application to be mailed to you by contacting Becky Afonso at 813-748-1513.

Does your place of employment offer matching gifts to non-profits? Think FBA! Bicycling is one of life’s simple pleasures to enjoy, not fear. Join or donate to the Florida Bicycle

Association and let’s ride together for Florida bicycling excellence. Contact Becky Afonso at [email protected] for more information on ways to donate to FBA.

Henry N. Lawrence, III, Past President & Founding Member, FBA, [email protected]

Laura Minns, Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX), [email protected]

Dan Moser, Bike/Ped/Traffic Safety Consultant,[email protected]

Roger Pierce, Florida Bicycle Touring Calendar,[email protected]

Paula Saracki, FBA Messenger, [email protected]

John Sinibaldi, Jr. St. Petersburg Bicycle Club,[email protected]

Lisa Walker, Public Affairs,[email protected]

Randall Williams, former Messenger editor, [email protected]

Becky Afonso, Executive Director174B State Street E, Oldsmar FL 34677813-748-1513, [email protected]

Laura Hallam, Administrative Assistant367 Buckhorn Creek Road, Sopchoppy FL 32358 407-399-9961, [email protected]

Mary Beth Garcia, Ride Leader/Ride Marshal Program [email protected]

Edward Mingus, Treasurer3393 Mahogany Pointe LoopLakeland, FL [email protected]

John EgbertsP.O. Box 118208 Gainesville FL 32611 352-294-1685 [email protected]

J. Steele Olmstead 14517 N. 18th Street Tampa FL 33613 813-979-4949 [email protected]

Brian Smith, VP Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation, submitted this photo of the Polk/Lake County lines on the General Van Fleet Trail


VeloSport Events of South Florida and FBA’s Ride Leader to Ride Marshal Certification Program PartnershipVeloSport Events of South Florida and Florida Bicycle Association’s Ride Leader to Ride Marshal Certification Program entered a partnership on November 1st . Through this partnership FBA will assist in recruiting, training, supporting and certifying Ride Marshals for all of the VeloSport cycling events scheduled from November 1, 2018 through 2019 . VeloSport Events sought out FBA as a partner to ensure their events had trained ride marshals and that all cyclists obeyed Florida Bicycle Laws and smart cycling practices . FBA is pleased to partner with VeloSport as a trusted advisor to provide consistently trained marshals through the FBA certification program .

Sunday, November 11, was the first event of the season . The CycleFest event was a 2-day expo and bike ride with over 800 cyclists participating out of CB Smith Park in Pembroke Pines, FL . FBA’s RLRM Program Manager, Mary Beth Garcia, recruited 18 Ride Marshals for the four rides from Social—12-15 MPH 30-mile ride, to Advanced 15-19 MPH, Elite 19-23 MPH and Open 23+ MPH 60-mile rides .

VeloSport is sponsoring a Ride Leader to Ride Marshal certification class for this group of Ride Marshals and future Ride Marshals in the south Florida area over the next month . Stay tuned for more details posted on our website about registration for this upcoming RLRM certification workshop . The goal is to host the RLRM Certification prior to the next VeloSport event on January 20th, the Giro Bella Women’s Ride out of Snyder Park in Fort Lauderdale, FL supporting women in cycling and domestic abuse . Proceeds from the registration fees for this ride go to the No More Tears Foundation .

RIDE LEADER / RIDE MARSHALPROGRAM


If you are interested in joining the Ride Marshal VeloSport Team, please contact Mary Beth Garcia,

[email protected]. Register for the Giro Bella ride @

www.velosportevents.com/giro-bella-womens-ride

BICYCLING OFF-ROADin Wonderful Wild Floridaby Patty Hu�

Tamiami TrailSouth Florida has an abundant of ex-

citing backcountry trails through our parks: Collier-Seminole, 10,000 Islands Wildlife Refuge, Picayune Strand Preserve, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve, Big Cypress Preserve and Everglades National Park. All of these are located either along or adjacent to the Tamiami Trail (yes, a “trail”), named in the early 1900s connecting Tampa with Miami. Today the south section is the main artery between Naples and south Miami. Alligator Alley (Interstate 75) is parallel and 20 miles to the north, linking Tampa to Ft. Lauderdale. Many cyclists and group tours travel the most southern route along the Tamiami Trail in order to experience the beauty of our national and state parks. Adventure Cycling has an agreement with the National Park Service to promote a bicy-cling network through our National Parks.

For background information, Barron Gift Collier provided the state of Florida the funding needed for the completion of the Tamiami Trail with an understanding that the southernmost part of Lee County (which he owned the majority) be re-named Collier County. A state-wide celebration was held in Everglades City on April 26, 1928, for the grand opening.

Building a road in the middle of a swamp was quite a feat, likened to one of the great wonders of the world. To accommodate the traffic along this route, Barron Collier built way stations every 10 miles and provided gas and food. Fast forward 90 years and his legacy has become a two-lane rural highway connecting the various parks between the east and west coast. It is no wonder that long distance cyclists come from all over the world to experience the wonders of the Everglades in a non-motorized vehicle. Over the past 35 years that I have traveled the Tamiami Trail, there have been many safety improvements: large Australian Pines lining the canal were removed (they were invasive and easy targets for crashes); the road surface has been resurfaced several times with shoulders added where there were none; a stoplight was installed at the entrance to Everglades City on SR29; two separate multi-use pathways in the western section close to Naples were built to accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians; two “Share-the-Road” signs now alert motorists to cyclists, fishermen and photographers; some of the many rumble strips have been removed. Despite these enhancements, there are still safety concerns: high speed traffic and the narrow bridges and the remaining raised pavement markers, requiring the cyclist to move into

the lane of traffic. Experienced bicyclists who are used

to riding on two lane highways and who enjoy long distance cycling will continue to come to south Florida to appreciate the uniqueness of this area. There is a variety of birds, wildlife, vistas and cultural / historic sites for the traveler along the Tamiami Trail that can’t be found anywhere else in our state. The first weekend in November, a group of 67 cyclists (see photo) celebrated their 9th annual “72-hours to Key West” Ft. Myers to Key West bike ride to raise funds

for Tiny-Hands Foundation. In March we’ll have another charity bike group “Ends of the Earth Cycling” who take a slower trip between the two cities, relaxing along the way in Everglades City. In addition, many touring cyclists come from all over the world; just last month I met up with a German long distance rider traveling east to Miami from Naples and a Brazilian rode 120 miles one recent Sunday from Miami to Naples. He emailed me how much he liked the road and had a good ride. Come enjoy Wonderful Wild Florida for yourself!

FBA President Patty Huff submitted this photo of Janes Scenic as a submission to the Favorite Trails Contest.

Winter 2019 Page 9

Visit ShareTheRoad.org

Click on “Get the Tag”

Put the tag on your car and show the world you support bicycle safety and education in Florida!

1.

2.

3.

Become a Share the Road Champion - It's easy, inexpensive, and a great way to join thousands like you who want to make our roads safer for cycling.

Proceeds from the STR Tag go directly to the Florida Bicycle Association and Bike Florida.

Do you care about making our roads safer for cyclists? Want to do more but you don't know where to start?

Get the Tag!

It’s as easy as 1-2-3:

Winter 2019 Page 11Page 10 Florida Bicycle Association

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LegendFlorida National Scenic Trail

BluewaySUN Trail Network

Existing Trail

GapConnectors

Coast to Coast Regional Connector - 250 miles

Heart of Florida Regional Connector - 135 miles

Gulf Coast Regional Connector 225 miles

Nature Coast Regional Connector - 175 miles

Old Florida Regional Connector - 100 miles

Great Northwest Coast Regional Connector - 275 miles

Tropical Terminus / East Coast Greenway - 250 miles

Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail - 100 miles

St Johns River to Sea Regional Connector - 90 miles

Capital City to the Sea Trails - 85 Miles

Atlant icOcean

Gulf ofMexico

TITLE Data Source: FDEP OGTPrepared Date: March 21, 2017This map is for planning purposes only. Any other use is not advised.

Engineering - Landscape Architecture - Planning - GIS

Regional PriorityRegional PriorityTrail ConnectorsTrail Connectors

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Miles

St. Johns River to SeaSt. Johns River to SeaRegional ConnectorRegional Connector

East Coast Greenway /East Coast Greenway /Tropical TerminusTropical Terminus

Florida KeysFlorida KeysOverseas Heritage TrailOverseas Heritage Trail

Gulf CoastGulf CoastRegional ConnectorRegional Connector

Heart of FloridaHeart of FloridaRegional ConnectorRegional Connector

Nature CoastNature CoastRegional ConnectorRegional Connector

Great Northwest CoastGreat Northwest CoastRegional ConnectorRegional Connector

Coast to CoastCoast to CoastRegional ConnectorRegional ConnectorOld FloridaOld Florida

Regional ConnectorRegional Connector

Printing Date: 3/27/2017 3:21:40 PMFile:F:\8586\004\GIS\MXD\20170321-RegionalPriorityTrailConnectors-11x17.mxd

Capital City toCapital City tothe Sea Trailsthe Sea Trails

Regional Priority Trail Connectors A look at how SUN Trail connects, thanks to our friends at Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation and Genesis. Visit Florida Greenways & Trails Foundation (www.fgtf.org) or SUN Trail (www.floridasuntrail.com) for more information.


Members’ Favorite TrailsFBA asked our members and cycling enthusiasts to submit their favorite Florida trail photos for this special issue. Enjoy the views as our trail photographers enjoy their special edition FBA Polar water bottle.

See more favorite trail photos on pages 3, 7, 8, 13, 17 and 19.Ronna Fisher took this photo at Green Springs Park - Spring to Spring Trail.

Adrian Viloria’s photo from Black Point Park & Marina. Note cyclists reflected in the water.

Lisa Portelli took this selfie with her friends on the new section of the East Central Trail from Maytown Road to Titusville. They are at Vergie’s Pit Stop, a SAG stop with incredible provisions, entirely on honor system. Bikes bring out the best in folks!


In 2019, the Florida Freewheelers will be hosting the 39th edition of the Florida Bicycle Safari. Over the decades, the Safari has built up a reputation to deliver 3 or 6 days of great cycling, games, fun activities, and catered meals in North Florida and South Georgia that will have you licking your chops long after the event is over. To learn more about this annual getaway, visit https://www.floridabicyclesafari.com/ or email [email protected] for more details and information.

Late September my attention was brought to a Wall Street Journal article labeling

Pinellas County, FL as the most dangerous place to bicycle in America. As a resident of Clearwater and therefore Pinellas County, I must admit I was a little surprised. Sure, there is a lot of traffic and there are plenty of places I would never ride a bicycle. I know people (including my husband) who have gotten into accidents involving cars and I’ve had some scary moments myself. At the same time there are great trails, an active cycling and triathlon community, and tons of tourists out enjoying the sun on beach cruisers. If it were so dangerous, then why do so many people ride? And how are they having fun?

Almost immediately the Tampa Bay Times came out with their own article: “Is Pinellas County really the most dangerous place in the nation to ride a bicycle?” If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, I strongly suggest you do. It provides a fair and balanced assessment of what the Wall Street Journal’s claims and corrects a lot of the misinformation contained within. Furthermore, it provides a more in-depth account of what is really going on in Pinellas County and around the state with regards to bicycle safety.

With these articles in mind, I started thinking a bit more about Pinellas County and Florida as a whole. I am not native to

Florida and when comparing cycling to other places I’ve lived and ridden, Florida always comes out on top as my favorite place to ride. Here the roads are smooth (as opposed to being full of wheel-destroying potholes), dogs are kept safely fenced (as opposed to needing to carry mace to ward off packs of aggressive dogs loose on the street), and there is an extensive trail network that is currently expanding to connect across the entire state (as opposed to almost none). Plus, the weather couldn’t be any better.

I also know that cycling where there is a lot of traffic is just as dangerous as trying to race away from a hungry Rottweiler. Pinellas County is the most densely populated county in Florida, in the third most populous state in the country (6.5% of all US residents) that currently has the third highest rate of population growth at 1.56%. These numbers do not include tourists. According to Visit Florida there were a record 116.5 million tourists that came to our state in 2017 alone. This is an increase of 3.6% over what was the current record holder in 2016. It is also highly likely that 2018 will break 2017’s record. When you look at it this way, you can see the enormous challenges Florida faces to keep vulnerable road users safe while at the same time trying to manage the influx of people to what is already a crowded state.

A Different Vision for Bicycling in Florida by Joy Hancock, Executive Director, Bike Florida

The good news is that slowly but surely people are waking up to the need to prioritize the rights of vulnerable road users. Through initiatives such as the Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Coalition, Bicycle Pedestrian Partnership Council, Florida Bicycle Association, Bike Florida, and many other federal, state, and local partners, stakeholders, and safety advocates, some significant change is taking place. Here are just three examples:• The number of bicycle fatalities in

Florida has decreased by about 23% since 2015. This is significant, even more so when you consider the concurrent population growth in the state.

• In 2017 Florida was ranked 15th in the League of American Bicyclist’s Bicycle Friendly State Ranking. Seeing as how in 2009 Florida was 32nd, this shows a large amount of relative progress. Our aim is of course to be number 1, and we will continue our hard work until this is achieved.

FBA, Bike Florida and Alert Today Florida partner with the Tampa Bay Lightning to sponsor on-ice bicycle races during intermissions at select home games. This is a fun and effective way to raise awareness of bicycle safety.

(continued on next page)

Winter 2019 Page 13

800-828-7655 twitter.com/VisitCentralFL

facebook.com/VisitCentralFlorida

If so, spin down to Central Florida’s Polk County– your hub for some of the best and most diverse cycling experiences in Florida. Road, mountain, single track, rails-to-trails, bikepacking – with some surprisingly heart-thumping elevation changes.

Why not stay here and ride them all? Plan your velo-escape at ChooseEverything.com

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• In 2018 funding for bicycle and pedestrian safety programs in Florida increased by $4.2 million from the previous year. Bad reputations are hard to repair. But the

facts show Florida is combating past failings and building a safer future for vulnerable road users. And Bike Florida wants to help make this future happen.

For 25 years, when most people hear of Bike Florida, they think of our annual bicycle tour. We are so much more than that. Our vision is of Florida as the premier cycling experience. This vision is of a future with no traffic-related bicycle fatalities, wide-spread bicycle infrastructure, and a culture of safety amongst all road users. Our vision is of Florida’s towns thriving economically from both bicycle tourism and people choosing to live in these towns because of their bicycling culture. And we believe this is achievable as long as we work with others who have the same vision.

We also know that we need you to help us get there. If you want to be part of this but not sure how to get started, there are three simple things you can do today:1. Become a member of the Florida Bicycle

Association. Already a member? Get a friend to join. Membership is only $25 (or less) annually and fees go directly to grass roots development and advocacy for bicyclists around the state.

2. Get a Share the Road specialty license plate. It costs just $19 more than a standard plate, and this tiny contribution goes a long way. All proceeds go to the Florida Bicycle Association and Bike Florida to continue

their work in bicycle safety and education. Plus, when you have the plate on your car, you are providing a constant reminder to your fellow motorists to Share the Road. The more people we get out there with the plate, the louder our voices will be heard. Get the plate at www.sharetheroad.org.

3. Sign up for Bike Florida’s 25th Annual Spring Tour! From March 29 to April 3 we will be having tons of fun in the lovely towns of Brooksville and Inverness, riding the Withlacoochie, Good Neighbor, and Sun Coast trails.While we want our participants to have

fun, our primary focus is to help our host communities improve their economic health through bicycle tourism. As the tourism dollars come in engineers, planners, tourism development councils, chambers of commerce, etc. realize that bicycles mean business—a lot of business. As we spread this message, more and more Florida towns will put more funding towards bicycle infrastructure in order to attract more bicycle tourism. The outcome is a win-win: Florida communities attract more tourism, and bicycling becomes safer and more enjoyable. Did I mention how much fun you’ll have? Visit bikeflorida.org.

Bicycle safety is not yet where it should be in Florida. With everyone working together to build on the great things that have already been accomplished, we can achieve what was once thought of as impossible. And the next time we are featured in the Wall Street Journal it will say: “Florida is the best place in the nation to ride a bicycle.” Teresa Moore submitted this photo from the Viera Wetlands.


Upcoming Bicycle Touring Events in FloridaThis printed version is ABRIDGED from promotional material provided by tour organizers. We’re not responsible for accuracy of information or quality of these rides. Use the contact information for more details about each ride. Data are gleaned and summarized from an online calendar database maintained by Roger Pierce and published on the FBA web site. To add an event to his (and our) calendar, e-mail to [email protected] or go online to post your own entry. See complete calendar, including many out-of-state rides we don’t have room to print here, at www.floridabicycle.org/touring.

JANUARYJanuary 6 (Sun)Venice Piggy’s Revenge Endurance ChallengeStarts at 8:00 a.m. at 1800 Mabry Carlton Pkwy, Venice, FL 34292. 10,20,40 & 60+ mile optionshttps://www.bikereg.com/piggys-revenge

January 13 (Sun) Punta Gorda Hamster Wheel 200Starts at 5:00 a.m. at Ridge Harbor Community Center, 30337 Cedar Rd, Punta Gorda, FL 33982. 30 & 62 milewww.eventbrite.com/e/hamster-wheel-7-tickets-52539050715

January 27 (Sun) Gainesville Battle of OlusteeStarts at 9:00 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Gainesville-University Center, 1250 W University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601. 113 mileshttps://www.facebook.com/events/959445567555332/

FEBRUARYFebruary 9 (Sat) Arcadia Ride for Tiny TownStarts at 7:45 a.m. at Mosaic Arena, 2450 NE Roan St, Arcadia, FL. 5, 15, 30 & 60 mile optionswww.active.com/arcadia-fl/cycling/ride-for-tiny-town-2019

February 10 (Sun)White Springs Suwannee Sweetheart RideStarts at 8:00 a.m. at the Suwannee Bicycle Association Headquarters, 12 Bridge St, White Springs, FL25, 52, 62 & 100 mile optionshttp://suwanneebike.org/events/sweetheart.php

February 10 (Sun) Palmetto SPBC Cycling ClassicStarts at 7:00 a.m. at Palmetto’s Manatee County Fairgrounds, 1303 17th St West, Palmetto FL 3422118, 36, 60 & 104 optionshttps://raceroster.com/events/2019/17510/spbc-cycling-classic

February 10 (Sun) Clermont Tour LatinoStarts at 7:30 a.m. at Waterfront Park, Park Palm Street, Clermont, FL 34711. 10, 25, 50, 70 & 100 optionshttps://raceroster.com/events/2019/18892/2019-tour-latino

February 16 (Sat) Lake Worth Loop for LiteracyStarts at 7:00 a.m. at John Prince Park 2700 6th Ave S, Lake Worth, FL 33461. 40 mile option.www.literacypbc.org/event/lsupport-literacypbc-org2019loopforliteracy/

February 16 (Sat) Boca Raton Ride 4 OrphansStarts at 7:30 a.m. at Spanish River Church, 2400 Yamato Rd, Boca Raton, FL 33431. 15, 31 & 62 mile optionshttps://events.hakuapp.com/ride-4-orphans

February 17 (Sun) Tallahassee The Champions RideStarts at 7:00 a.m. at the Golf Club at Summerbrooke, 7500 Preservation Rd, Tallahassee 32312. 13, 39 & 62 mileshttps://www.bikereg.com/champions-ride--criterium

February 24 (Sun) Melbourne Cycle 4 AlzheimersStarts at 7:00 a.m. at Brevard Alzheimer’s Foundation, 4676 N Wickham Rd, Melbourne 32935. 10, 62 & 100 mileshttps://raceroster.com/events/2018/15051/cycle4alz-2018

February 24 (Sun) Havana Havana Hills Spring ClassicStarts at 8:30 a.m. at Wanderings, 312 1st St NW, Havana, FL 32333https://raceroster.com/events/2019/18267/havana-hills-spring-classic

MARCHMarch 2-3 (Sat-Sun)Key Largo Bike MS: Breakaway to Key LargoStarts at 7:00 a.m. at FIU Stadium, 11310 SW 17th St, Miami, FL 33175https://secure.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR/Bike/FLSBikeEvents;jsessionid=00000000.app30113a?pg=entry&fr_id=30139&NONCE_TOKEN=D8595644977803662E505EC532792A65

March 3 (Sun) Naples TD Bank Naples Bike BrunchStarts at 7:00 a.m. at Fleischmann Park, 1600 Fleischmann Blvd, Naples, FL 34102https://raceroster.com/events/2019/20432/td-bank-naples-bike-brunch

March 9 (Sat) Dunedin Ride 4 the AnimalsStarts at 8:00 a.m. at Highlander Park & Aquatic Complex, 1937 Ed Eckert Dr, Dunedin, FL 3469825, 31 & 62 mile optionshttps://raceroster.com/events/2018/14906/ride-4-the-animals-2018?aff=0CWS4&aff=0CWS4

March 16-20 (Sat-Wed)Fort Myers 8th Annual Key West Bike RideStarts at 1:30 p.m. at NMSI/Ends Cycling, 2701 Cleveland Ave #200, Fort Myers, FL 33901. 300 mileshttps://www.endscycling.com/keywest5day

March 22-23 (Fri-Sat)Punta Gorda Pedal and Play in ParadiseStarts at Laishley Park Pavilions, 100 Nesbit St, Punta Gorda, FL. 15, 30 & 62 mile optionshttp://pedalandplayinparadise.com/event-details/

March 23 (Sat) Inverness Clean Air RideStarts at 7:00 a.m. at Inverness Trail Head, 1270 N Apopka Ave, Inverness, FL 34450. 14, 28, 48 & 100 mile optionshttps://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Inverness/CleanAirRide

March 24 (Sun) San Antonio Gran Fondo FloridaStarts at 8:00 a.m. at Vo2max Cycles, Inc., 32807 Pennsylvania Ave, San Antonio, FL 3357636, 55 & 96 mile optionshttps://www.bikereg.com/florida-gfns

March 24 (Sun)Hallandale Beach Granfondo Garneau RideStarts at 8:00 a.m. at Gulfstream Park Racing and Casino, 901 S Federal Hwy, Hallandale Beach, FL 3300915, 31, 40, 62, 80 & 100 mile optionshttps://www.facebook.com/events/337777633720826/

March 24 (Sun) Palm City Riding for HeroesStarts at 7:30 a.m. at Justin Wilson Memorial Park, 2050 SW Mapp Rd, Palm City, FL 3499040, 58, 80 & 105 mile optionshttps://raceroster.com/events/2018/15969/riding-for-heroes?aff=0CWS4&aff=0CWS4

March 24 (Sun) Venice Tour de ParksStarts at 7:00 a.m. at Venice Train Depot/Legacy Trail, 202 E Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34285. 20, 35 & 62 mile optionshttps://www.friendsofthelegacytrail.org/next-tour-de-parks/

March 30 (Sat) Plant City Dean’s RideStarts at 7:30 a.m. at Hillsborough Community College-Plant City Campus, 1206 N Park Rd, Plant City, FL 33563

19, 37 & 64 mile optionshttps://raceroster.com/events/2019/18660/deans-ride

March 30-31 (Sat-Sun) Naples Pan-Florida ChallengeStarts all day at North Collier Regional Park, 15000 Livingston Rd, Naples, FL 3410910, 31, 62, 100 & 2-day 200 mile optionshttp://www.caamevents.com/caamtourseries/

March 30 (Sat) Palm Coast Up with Down Bike RideStarts at 8:00 a.m. at Mezzaluna Pizzeria, 101 Palm Harbor Pkwy, Palm Coast, FL 3213731, 62 & 100 mile optionshttps://raceroster.com/events/2019/20082/up-with-down-ride?aff=0CWS4&aff=0CWS4

APRILApril 6 (Sat)Multiple Locations Dolphins Cancer ChallengeStarts at various times at multiple locations all ending at Hard Rock Stadium, 347 Don Shula Dr, Miami Gardens, FL 33056. 14, 25, 35, 52 & 100 mile optionshttps://dolphinscancerchallenge.com

April 7 (Sun) Cocoa Beach Cross Florida RideStarts at 7:00 a.m. at Shepard Park, 200 E Cocoa Beach Causeway, Cocoa Beach, FL 3293190, 77 & 167 mile optionshttps://raceroster.com/events/2019/18045/38th-annual-cross-florida-ride?aff=0CWS4&aff=0CWS4

April 13 (Sat) Amelia Island Katie Ride for LifeStarts at 8:00 a.m. at Atlantic Recreation Center, 2500 Atlantic Ave, Amelia Island, FL 3203418, 34 & 63 mile optionshttps://katiecaplesfoundation.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=537

April 13-14 (Sat-Sun) Palatka Palatka Bicycle WeekendStarts at 7:00 a.m. at Riverfront Park, 2000 Memorial Parkway, Palatka, FL 3217725, 31 & 62 mile optionshttp://www.putnambluewaysandtrails.org/2019-Palatka-Bicycle-Weekender

April 13-18 (Sat-Thur) 39th Florida Bike SafariLive Oak & Cherry Lake (3 & 6 day options)Starts at the Suwannee County Fairgrounds, 1302 11th St SW, Live Oak, FL Multiple miles options dailyhttps://www.floridabicyclesafari.com/index.php

April 14 (Sun)St. Petersburg Tour de Cure – Greater Tampa BayStarts at 7:30 a.m. at Albert Whitted Park, 480 Bayshore Dr SE, St. Petersburg, FL 3370110, 31, 40 & 65 mile optionshttp://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?fr_id=12678&pg=entry

April 28 (Sun) St. Augustine Tour de Forts ClassicStarts at 7:30 a.m. at St. Augustine High School, 3205 Varella Ave, St. Augustine, FL 3208425, 37, 56, 70 & 100 mile optionshttps://raceroster.com/events/2019/19533/tour-de-forts-classic

Winter 2019 Page 15

Officer Must Witness Incident

Q Joe asked: I ride my bicycle to work and back each day. Most of the

commute is on rural roads with a wide shoulder but not technically a marked bike lane. This morning, while I was riding on the shoulder a vehicle pulled along beside me, slowed, and made a right turn which forced me into the ditch to avoid being run over. She stopped and said she thought I was further back and I should have seen her turning. The ride immediately preceding the incident was pretty rough so I can’t say whether or not she actually hit me. When the deputy sheriff arrived he said that since it wasn’t a crash he couldn’t do anything since he didn’t witness the incident. Does this sound right to you?

AThis is the applicable statute:s. 316.083 – Overtaking and

Passing a VehicleThe following rules shall govern the

overtaking and passing of vehicles proceeding in the same direction, subject to those limitations, exceptions, and special rules hereinafter stated:

(1) The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall give an appropriate signal as provided for in s. 156, shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance, and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle. The driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle must pass the bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle at a safe distance of not less than 3 feet between the vehicle and the bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle.

Since violation of the statute above is a non-criminal violation, what the officer stated is essentially correct. Normally an officer must witness the incident to properly evaluate the facts. If a crash occurs, an investigation can be initiated and witness statements are taken and other evidence is collected.

If you were not satisfied with the outcome, you could have asked for a superior officer to follow up on scene, or you could file a report after the fact with the sheriff ’s office asking that they investigate.

Questions about the laws related to bicycling?

Ask Geo @ FlBikeLaw.org*by George Martin

As part of the Bicycle Law Enforcement Program, FBA maintains www.FLBikeLaw.org to provide a place to ask questions about the laws. Questions come direct to FBA via

the “Contact FBA” form from www.floridabicycle.org as well as other sources. Herein is a very limited sample of questions and answers found on the site. Go online for more.

*DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this column is to inform about bicycling laws. The material provided here and through other means is for general informational purposes only and shall in no way constitute or be construed as legal advice by the officers, directors, agents or employees of the Florida Bicycle Association. If your experience in a court of law or on the streets differs from that presented, we want to know about it, but George Martin and FBA are not accountable for a ruling contrary to our interpretation of Florida Law or other consequences of cycling. You should seek legal advice on a particular situation.

Most people recognize the dangers of driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but seldom consider the dangers of walking or riding a bicycle along a roadway while impaired. Alert Today Florida and ABC Action News, along with other partners, worked together to film two new public service announcement videos to help drive the message home that one foolish act can ruin a thousand other great ones. The first video shows a bicyclist struggling to ride a bike home after having too much to drink with friends. The second video is a pedestrian also struggling to get home after having too much to drink after watching the big game. The two videos have a positive message at the end with the characters making better decisions and getting home safely. Please visit www.AlertTodayFlorida.com to view the videos.

COALITION CORNER

Bicycle Lights at Night on Private Roads

Q Susan asked: Kris at Trek bicycle store said it was illegal to ride a bicycle

without lights. Even in the daytime. We live in a gated community and she knew that. I only ride in the community not on the city streets.

ALights are only required on bicycles when operating at night or in

inclement weather.s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations(7) Every bicycle in use between sunset

and sunrise shall be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a lamp and reflector on the rear each exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of 600 feet to the rear. A bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by this section.

s. 316.217 – When Lighted Lamps are Required

(1) Every vehicle operated upon a highway within this state shall display lighted lamps and illuminating devices as herein respectively required for different classes of vehicles, subject to exceptions with respect to parked vehicles, under the following conditions;

(a) At any time from sunset to sunrise including the twilight hours. Twilight hours shall mean the time between sunset and full night or between full night and sunrise.

(b) During any rain, smoke, or fog.If the roads in your gated community

are public roadways, all the laws apply. If the roadways are private property and an agreement between the community and law enforcement is in place, the same laws apply.

Dashed Bike Lane Lines

Q Herman asked: Why does the line that separates a bike lane from the travel

lane turn to dashed at an intersection?

AThat is the correct way to mark a bike lane approaching an intersection, as

required by FDOT documents. It helps define the proper actions of both the bicyclist and the motorist. Unfortunately, many intersections are not so marked.

Sidewalk Cycling in Largo, FL

Q Thomas asked: Is sidewalk bicycling prohibited anywhere in Largo?

AUnless there is a local ordinance to the contrary, bicycling is permitted

on sidewalks.s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations(9) A person propelling a vehicle by

human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

The only local restrictions to bicycling relate to parks within the city of Largo.

Chapter 17 Parks And RecreationSec. 17-2. Traffic laws.(a) Applicable state vehicle laws shall

apply in and about all park property and in addition thereto the following rules shall be applicable on roads and driveways within park property.

(b) No person driving, operating, controlling or propelling any vehicle, motorized, horse-drawn or self-propelled, shall use any other than the regularly designated paved or improved park roads or driveways, except when directed to do so by a law enforcement officer or department employee.

and Pinellas County.Chapter 90 – Parks And Conservation

ResourcesSec. 90-5. – Vehicles and traffic control.(e) Bicycles shall only be ridden on

roads and trails designated for bicycle traffic within parks and environmental lands and are prohibited on boardwalks. Where provided, bicycle racks must be used for the parking of bicycles. Bicycles shall not be

chained or locked to trees, any other plant life or structures, or placed so as to obstruct pedestrian or vehicular movement.

You can search the Code of Ordinances for your location by going to the Muni Codes for your city or county.

eBikes on Private Property

Q Steve asked: I live in a 400 unit “condo” complex in So.Florida. As

I anticipate purchase of an e-bike, I’ve noticed that the rules of the facility (a very rigid, 35 yr old project, which prohibits “motorcycles, pickup trucks (including $85,000 Escalades), and motorized bicycles”. I’m concerned that I may have to transport a folding e-bike off the property to operate or risk running up against the HOA. I’m hoping that with the “greening” of our country and Florida in particular, that some wiser, legal authority will assist in prohibiting local law and HOA type associations from effectively killing e-bike sales and use. Any thoughts and guidance that will help me (and others) to successfully transition to the world of e-biking will be appreciated.

ACondominiums and Home Owner’s Associations are private organizations

and can devise rules as they wish. Buyers should be aware of any rules in place before buying into any private organization. You might want to consider asking the board of directors the justification for the rules about ebikes. Their concern may be about gas motor assist bicycles which are noisy and not road legal unless registered as a moped.

The FBA is considering possible legislation concerning ebikes in Florida. You may want to contact the FBA at https://floridabicycle.org/contact-us to voice your views on ebike legislation.


The Legacy Trail is a 10.5 mile long rails-to-trails multi-use paved path in

Sarasota County, connecting to the nine mile long Venetian Waterway Park trail in Venice. It attracts 225,000 uses per year.

A November 6th general election ballot asked County voters to approve up to a $65M bond to extend the Legacy Trail another eight miles to downtown Sarasota, with overpasses and amenities, and better con-nection to North Port. The bond would be repaid through property taxes over 20 years.

The Friends of the Legacy Trail (FLT), as the grassroots community catalyst for this initiative, is euphoric to report that 71% OF SARASOTA COUNTY VOTERS VOTED YES, winning 99% of the precincts!

How does a small group of communi-ty activists convince local governments and 417,000 residents, who tend to be tax-averse, to invest many millions of dollars to expand a multi-use trail?

Here’s our recipe for success, backed by tens of thousands of hours of hard work over six years:• Recruit passionate board members. Let

each oversee one facet of the organization, turn them loose, and trust their efforts. Our eight committees: Trail Extension, Safety, Marketing, Trail Maintenance/Enhancement, Membership, Public Meetings, Volunteers, and Information Technology.

• Put some skin in the game. We asked and the County Commissioners agreed to study the feasibility to extend the trail along the unused rail corridor to down-town Sarasota, provided we raise (we did) half the $150,000 cost, demonstrat-ing community support.

• Grow the membership and volunteer base. We focused on organizational growth, now with 1,000+ dues-pay-ing members and 300+ volunteers. We gained recognition as a political force in the community, like when our support-ers wore yellow FLT shirts at key County meetings.

• Engage local governments in a con-tinuing dialogue. We periodically met individually with government leaders to establish a dialogue, discuss mutual op-portunities, and address their concerns.

• Raise the organization’s profile in the community. Our Speakers Bureau de-livered a five-minute “elevator” speech or longer Power Point presentation to businesses, community groups, and home owner associations. For four years, we participated in countless farm-ers markets, neighborhood and major events across the county, like food fes-tivals, health fairs, and business expos. We sponsored helmet-fitting giveaways for kids.

• Become a stand-alone charitable or-ganization. FLT started as a chapter of

the Friends of Sarasota County Parks. We became an independent 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization in 2015, able to raise tax deductible contributions.

• Find friends in high places. The County partnered with the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a nationwide organization that creates parks, to negotiate acquisition of the rail corridor. TPL brought us a strategic level of excellence, expertise, personnel, and resources. We also part-nered with three prominent local area charitable foundations.

• Establish a political action committee. As a 501(c)(3), we were limited by law in saying VOTE YES for the referendum. TPL established a political committee with individuals from across the politi-cal spectrum who were recognized and respected in the community. They raised funds, sought endorsements, and ran the Vote Yes campaign.

• Develop a succinct, easily communi-cated core message. We emphasized safety for trail users and motorists, en-hanced property values and quality of life, and that funds could only be used to extend the trail and its connections.

• Facilitate communication with volun-teers and the general public. Our FLT web site, monthly newsletter and social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) offers a wealth of fresh, en-gaging content. Our referendum FAQ featured a map of the planned extension.

• Engage the local news media. We met with local print media editorial staff and columnists, receiving favorable cover-age. We had many letters to the editor published. We did local radio and tele-vision interviews and panel discussions.

• Seek political party support. We remained bipartisan!

• Be creative. Our Square Foot Campaign allows individuals to “buy” a $20 tax deductible square foot of the extension, receiving a certificate with the precise GPS coordinates of their square foot. We have raised $59,000 from 550+ donors, demonstrating community commitment.

• If you don’t count, you won’t count. We discovered our old passive infrared count-ers were substantially undercounting. We donated new electronic counters to the County, and developed a new statistically sound algorithm to count trail usage. The County adopted our new count, a 47% increase over previous years.We were proud recipients of the Florida

Bicycle Association 2015 Trail Promoter of the Year. To our fellow trail builders, WE DID IT. YOU CAN ALSO!

We are extremely grateful for the over-whelming community support for trail building. See the extension map (right).

Winning Ways of Friends of the Legacy Trail by Roger Normand, President, Friends of the Legacy Trail

Three little-used blocks of New York Avenue in downtown Lakeland will

soon become a two-way bicycle path, continuing the city’s long-term goal of becoming a mecca for cycle commuters.

Dubbed a “cycle track,” the south-bound lanes of New York Avenue will turn into a two-way bike path between Lime Street and Main Street. Costing roughly $674,000 – coming from state and federal transportation money – the project includes a physical barrier that will separate the bicycle lanes from car traffic, which will travel north bound.

It may not seem like much, but in reality, it is the first step to a more cohesive cycle commuter network. City staffers feel the New York Avenue modification combines well with other plans already in the works. Those other projects include a bike path planned for the west side of Lake Hunter, as well as a planned and state funded bridge over CSX tracks to the north, coupled with the bike path around Lake Wire and a planned bike route up Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. All together, the city aims to help cyclists flow easier – and safer – through the burgeoning city.

The addition of the cycle track is the first part of a master plan that, if staffers and planners have their way, will eventually tie downtown bike and pedestrian pathways into a citywide and regional system, including the General Van Fleet State Trail, the TECO-Auburndale Trail and the Fort Fraser Trail.

Nevertheless, the project isn’t only about pedal power. The city also hopes that the plans for New York Avenue help to revitalize the area between Florida Avenue and the RP Funding Center. The project will also add streetscaping similar to the rest of downtown

as well as decorative lighting. The city started to implement cyclist

and pedestrian safety improvements shortly after a driver collided with a group of cyclists near Lake Hollingsworth in 2012. Since then, changes have been made to traffic signals and intersections, all with an eye toward improving visibility and traffic flow while protecting cyclists. Additionally, some sidewalks were raised to improve pedestrian safety.

All the improvements continue Lakeland’s push toward being a cycle-friendly city. That work was recognized in 2012, when the League of American Bicyclists first dubbed Lakeland a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community. The crown jewel is the Lake-to-Lake Greenway and Bikeway Network, a 26-mile network of paths that runs from Lake John, circles Lake Hollingsworth, goes by Florida Southern College, and travels through Lakeland by Lake Hunter, Lake Wire, Lake Morton and Lake Bonny. It then passes Southeastern University and winds up along Lake Parker.

POLK COUNTY NEWS:

Lakeland Cycle Track by Jack Cormier

Cyclists ride tandem on the Lakeland Cycle Track.

Winter 2019 Page 17

Wheels of Justice – Ask a Lawyer

Favorite Designs to Protect Bicyclistsby J. Steele Olmstead, Esq. practices law statewide from offices in Tampa. He has been helping bicyclists back on the road since he was a tech in his brother’s shop in Tallahassee. Instead now he does it in front of a jury.

Recently in Tampa there was a presentation at a prominent restaurant

asking the question, “What is your favorite bicycle safety design?” Ironically enough, attendance was hampered because there was no motor vehicle parking. The easiest way to get there was walking or bicycling. I couldn’t attend because of a prior commitment. However, I prepared to discuss my ideas.

This is not the first time something like this happened. There have been a lot of discussions about what is the safest design. It seems like each engineering firm or metropolitan planning organization have a design they want to push. For me, it is simply anything that removes the dreaded sound of an approaching car from behind me knowing there is nothing between its bumper and my body. However, I do have some specific favorites.

Protected IntersectionsThe majority of injuries and fatalities

in the United States are at intersections. Predictably, 35% of them are a result of the “right turn” by a motorist. I am sure you have experienced this. Suffice to say, any kind of structure on the road at a corner that prevents a car from cutting off the cyclist is going to reduce injuries and death. Solutions from cities around the world have ranged from the fender-damaging upright steel pipes that prevent a hubcap – removing right turn or the Dutch design that includes ellipticals at the corner that accomplish the same thing as the steel pipes. As a cyclist, I want the motorist to be cognizant of the lane I’m in and not cut me off at the intersection. Anything that can do that is a step in the right direction. By saying that, I am telling you, dear reader, there are dozens of designs out there that your city and county can put in place to save your life. If you go to a city or county counsel meeting and tell what you have to go through to drive your bicycle, you can get a Jackson Street infrastructure like the city of Tampa has.

Green PaintI have been to many city, state and

county planning conferences and heard many proposals for safety designs. The easiest and cheapest for your city is simply green paint. I don’t care where they put it, just put it down the road where cyclists are supposed to be. Your governmental road department can put it in the bicycle lane; it can paint a green box, it can paint a green turn lane (variation of a bicycle box) or put it wherever. It is just paint. It simply alerts the motorist “Hey, this ain’t your space- stay out.”

I like paint for several reasons. First, it is just paint. It is cheap. It can be put down or taken up as the need or design

changes. Secondly, there is less push back from motorists. There was a movie about the “Kinder Mord” campaign in Holland. I remember one specific scene where a motorist, angry because the road was no longer available to his car, got out and pulled up the car barrier. The residents on that street who wanted the barrier actually fought back and a brawl ensued. (Now that’s bicycling/walking advocacy– I don’t recommend it). It is far better to show up in your county and city council meeting with your fellow bicyclists and demand they start buying buckets of green paint.

Bulb-outsIn this issue there’s an interview with

Alex Henry who is a bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for District 7 of the Florida Department of Transportation. During his interview, I asked him what his favorite bicycle safety device was and he said, “Bulb outs.” These are simply extensions of the corners at roads intersections and have on-street parking. So, instead of the parking ending and the motorist able to make a dangerous, tight right turn, the bulb out extends out into the street to the same distance as the width of the parking lane. Hard to explain. Google it. These are not new ideas. I have a picture of these in Seattle, Washington in 1941. Bulb outs require a city to put down cement and build up the roadway. At certain intersections with lots of people walking and on bicycles, these are actual lifesavers.

As Alex Henry explained to me, these give an extension to where a person walking or bicycling can wait without being run over by a car. A small, but committed, groups of Margaret Mead type citizens can get these installed.

Throughout this article you’d notice each paragraph ended with an observation that citizens of cities and counties have received these bicycle and walking safety infrastructure when they demanded it. So my final choice for a safety design is you. You, a city, county and U.S. Citizen voicing your desire for bicycle infrastructure. But that’s not all, in light of the recent election, you can see that voting for representatives and showing up to the city and county council meetings gets results. In a large metropolitan county in the West Central area of Florida not one but two walking and bicycling advocates were elected to the County commission. I have every intention of going to every single County commission meeting and alerting my social media groups to join me every time a walking or bicycling issue comes up. I have every intention of calling these County commissioners and reminding them why they were put there by us bicyclists: to stop the injury and slaughter of cyclists on the road in the state of Florida.

So, that’s your job. If you don’t know about the wonderful infrastructure in New York City, Amsterdam, Berlin, and other major cities, you probably don’t know about what’s called derisively by motorists: “bicycle Nazis” in New York City. You also probably don’t know about the: “Kinder Mord” campaign in Holland started by a seven-year-old child who had too many of his friends killed by cars. Google them both. You can find out when your county or city is having a meeting about bicycling by following

them on twitter or checking the website. You can also set up email deliveries for announcements about meetings and the bicycling or walking contents of meetings.

You, the bicycling person and your friends in your community or in your bicycling club have this power to protect you from motorist hurting you. Go use it.

Join FBA Today!Your membership makes a difference.

Add your voice for the future of all bicyclists in Florida.

Name __________________________________________________________________________

Gender: Male Female

Business/Club/Agency ___________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________________

City ____________________________________________________________________________

State _____________ Zip __________________________________________________________

Phone __________________________________________________________________________

Email ___________________________________________________________________________Membership type:

Individual ($25) Family ($35)

Student/Snowbird ($15) Supporter ($50)

Club/Business/Agency ($100) Benefactor ($100)

Champion ($250) Legacy ($500)

Other/additional donation _______________________________________________________

Membership includes a FREE subscription to the FBA Messenger!Please mail check to: Florida Bicycle Association

PO Box 2452, Oldsmar, FL 34677Or go online to: www.floridabicycle.org

Marion & Fred Korzec submitted this photo from the St. Marks trail.


For those who missed the summit, FBA board director sat down with Alex to

record his words and wisdom:Steele: What is the mission that District 7 Secretary Gwynn has given you as the bicy-cling/walking coordinator?Alex: It is consistent with the direction our central office in Tallahassee. The statewide refocus in the last couple of years is to put a focus on bicycle and pedestrian safety and Complete Streets. Secretary Glenn, espe-cially here in District 7, has been a very big proponent of safety of all road users, which definitely has overlap with Complete Streets. Complete Streets [policy] provides a lot of benefits for vulnerable road users, including people bicycling and people walking.Steele: In the presentation Thursday night you talked a lot about the Complete Streets program. For the folks who are not sure, what is the Complete Streets program?Alex: Sure, so Complete Streets is really about putting the right street in the right place. For a long time we had a couple of different ways of classifying roads – urban road, rural road, etc.. Now, a lot that is put into [studying] how the roadway interacts with the surrounding, what we call context. This is stuff that starts at the right-of-way line [on the edge of the road].Steele: Wait, what is context?

Alex: Context is what is outside of our right-of-way line: the communities and their characteristics; how dense the populations are and who are using the roads. We also look at volume of transit, freight and if there are a lot of people bicycling and walking. So context looks at all of that and then we make sure we design our roads complementary to the surrounding context. This is kind of the crux of our Complete Streets policy.Steele: So there is a Complete Streets project in Tampa on Fletcher Avenue. It is composed of medians with plants and elaborate crosswalks with flashing lights facing the motor vehicles. Are there other Complete Streets designs, like protected bi-cycle lanes, in the program’s toolbox? Bike boxes at intersections? Protected corners at intersections?Alex: Yes, that can be part of it, but Complete Streets is less so about spots specific treatment of a roadway and more about the overall characteristic of the road. What is, what we call, the design speed of the road: What kind of vehicular speeds is the roadway encouraging, what kind of users are being accommodated, what other adequate bicycling and pedestrian facilities can be provided. Steele: How would a regular old bicyclist in a community, like Madeira Beach in

Pinellas County, get their government in-volved with a resurfacing project to get a protected bicycle lane or other Complete Streets improvements?Alex: We are reaching out to local govern-ments and planning agencies as part of our process for resurfacing projects to try to see if opportunities for improving bicycling and walking can be part of the project.Steele: Yes, but how does a citizen get their government to reach back to FDOT? City Counsel meetings? County Commission meetings? Writing letters? Speaking during public comment?Alex: Being engaged in your local bicycle advisory committee is a really good place to start. A lot of the feedback that we get is through those bicycle advisory committees. Steele: Do businesses support bicycling and walking infrastructure improvements?Alex: We reach out to businesses along a corridor and we explain to them what we are doing. The Tampa Downtown Partnership, which is comprised of multiple business owners, was very supportive of the recently completed project on Jackson Street. That project, in fact, received an award nomina-tion for transportation excellence.Steele: Any pushback from businesses?Alex: I know some of them were con-cerned with how we had to reconfigure the

parking. That was the primary concern.Steele: Where did the funding come from for the Jackson Street project?Alex: FDOT and federal funding. The local businesses provided some of the landscap-ing. Typically, extra aesthetic bushes and shrubs [landscaping] are covered by the lo-cal government. The City of Tampa provid-ed that for the Jackson Street project. It was definitely a collaborative project.Steele: What do you think would be the single most important thing that a local or city government could do to decrease the death of bicyclists and people walking?Alex: Taking a Complete Streets type ap-proach to the way governments design and plan their roadways. Being mindful of the type of users in the community surround-ing the roadway and having that informa-tion to help in the design process.Steele: What is your favorite tool to make any given intersection safer? Alex: My personal favorite is a bulb out or crew extension-type treatment. It’s typical-ly used most in situations where you have on-street parking. It allows you to pull out the curb to both a) reduce the crossing dis-tance that a person walking has to cross the intersection and b) it decreases the turn radii which promotes a slower turning ma-neuver by motor vehicles.

Interview with Alex Henry, Bike/Ped Coordinatorby Steele Olmstead, FBA board member Alex Henry is the bicycle/pedestrian coordinator for Florida Department of Transportation District 7, working under District 7 Secretary David Gwynn. Recently

at Bike/Walk Tampa Bay’s fall summit in St. Petersburg, Alex gave an exciting presentation about everything District 7 is doing for people, bicycling and walking.

FBA wishes to thank Steele Olmstead and Alex Henry for their time and efforts to save lives.

FBA Request, Key West StyleFBA executive director Becky Afonso recently rode her Dahon Espresso from Boyd’s Campground on Stock Island to Key West City Hall to give the City ofKey West Sustainability Advisory Board a presentation called “FBA Today.” It took the southernmost point of the United States to allow for a true bicycle commute to a FBA presentation, proudly supporting Car Free Key West.Make your FBA Request at www.floridabicycle.org

Nominate those worthy individuals and organizations to acknowledge their significant service and contributions to bicycling in Florida during 2018.

Categories include but are not limited to: Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Bicycle Club, Off-Road Club or Advocate, Enforcement Officer or Agency, Educator or Regional Trainer, Trail Manager or Promoter, Bicycle Friendly Community or Business,

Supporting Agency, Program or Event, Bicycle Business or Store Advocate, Bicycle Professional, Citizen Bike Advocate, Developer, Elected Official Champion, Volunteer, Special Recognition .

Visit www.floridabicycle.org, to submit your nomination online, or mail to FBA, PO Box 2452, Oldsmar, FL 34677 (please include your contact information with mailed nominations).

Nomination Deadline for 2018 FBA Annual Awards is January 31, 2019. Recipients announced March 1, 2019 to kick off Florida Bike Month!

FBA Annual AwardsFBA Annual Awards

RIDE LEADER / RIDE MARSHALPROGRAM


TRAINING CERTIFICATION, GENERAL PUBLIC SESSION$20 .00 For All FBA Members $35 .00 For All Non-FBA MembersMembership In FBA For Individual Participants ($25 .00 Per Year)

REGISTER ONLINE AT:www.floridabicycle.org or the RLRM page: https://floridabicycle .org/fba-ride-leader-ride-marshal-program/

Saturday, January 12, 2019 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm

Lake Myrtle Sports Complex 2701 Lake Myrtle Park Road,

Auburndale, FL

CONTACT: Mary Beth Garcia, Program Manager, email: [email protected]

Winter 2019 Page 19

FDOT DistrictsDistrict 1Cities: Bradenton, Fort Myers, Naples, SarasotaCounties: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Manatee, Okeechobee, Polk, SarasotaFDOT Bike/Ped coordinator: David Agacinski, 239-225-1959; Bike/Ped Safety Specialist: John Kubicki, 863-519-2447; SUN Trail Coordinator: David Agacinski, 239-225-1959FBA Member Bicycle Clubs: Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, Coastal Cruisers Bicycle Club, Highlands Pedalers Bicycle Club, Peace River Riders Bicycle Club, Polk Area Bicycling Association, Sanibel Bicycle Club, Sarasota-Manatee Bicycle Club, Naples Velo Community, Gulf Coast VeloFBA Member Bicycle Shops: Acme Bicycle

FDOT Statewide Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator:Mary O’Brien, 850-414-4283www.floridabicycle.org/resources-by-the-f-dot for more FBA member club & shop info.

Shop, Bike Route (Fort Myers), The Bike Route (Naples), Fort Myers Schwinn Cyclery, Pedelec SQB LLC Electric Bicycles, Road & Trail Bicycles, Pedego Electric Bikes (2 locations, Naples), Road and Mountain Bikes, Trek Bicycle Store (Naples, Cape Coral, Estero, Fort Myers), The Bike Shop Winter Haven, Bicycles International, Island Bike Shop (Marco Island, Naples), Naples Cyclery, LeRoy’s Bikeworks, Western Bikes (Naples)

District 2Cities: Gainesville, Jacksonville, Lake City, St. AugustineCounties: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, UnionFDOT Bike/Ped Coordinator: Derek Dixon,

904-360-5653; FDOT Bike/Ped Safety Specialist: Jennifer Graham, 904-360-5636; FDOT SUN Trail Coordinator: Barney Bennette, 386-961-7878FBA Member Bicycle Clubs: Gainesville Cycling Club, North Florida Bicycle Club, Suwannee Bicycle AssociationFBA Member Bicycle Shops: Champion Cycling & Fitness (3 locations)

District 3Cities: Destin, Panama City, Pensacola, TallahasseeCounties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Wakulla, Walton, WashingtonFDOT Bike/Ped Coordinator: Olen Pettis, 850-330-1543; FDOT Bike/Ped Safety Specialist: Andrew White, 850-330-1653; FDOT SUN Trail Coordinator: Olen Pettis, 850-330-1543FBA Member Bicycle Clubs: Capital City Cyclists, Emerald Coast CyclistsFBA Member Bicycle Shops: The Great Bicycle Shop

District 4Cities: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Pierce, Palm Beach, Stuart, Vero BeachCounties: Broward, Indian River, Martin, Palm Beach, St. LucieFDOT Bike/Ped Coordinator: Larry Merritt, 954-777-4683; FDOT Bike/Ped Safety Specialist: Tom Miller, 954-777-4073; FDOT SUN Trail Coordinator: Lauren Rand, 954-777-4499FBA Member Bicycle Clubs: Boca Raton Bicycle Club, Vero Cycling Club, Treasure Coast Cycling Association, South Broward Wheelers Bicycle ClubFBA Member Bicycle Shops: Orchid Island Bikes and Kayaks, Trek Bicycle Store (Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise), Conte’s Bike Shop (Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale), Bike Tech

District 5Cities: Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach, Kissimmee, Melbourne, Ocala, OrlandoCounties: Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, VolusiaFDOT Bike/Ped Coordinator: Michael Ziarnek, 386-943-5251; FDOT Bike/PedSafety Specialist: Chad Lingenfelter, 386-

943-5336; FDOT SUN Trail Coordinator: Heather Garcia, 386-943-5077FBA Member Bicycle Clubs: Florida Freewheelers, Sumter Landing Bicycle Club, Spacecoast Freewheelers Bicycle Club, Ocala Mountain Bike AssociationFBA Member Bicycle Shops: Village Cycles (2 locations), Orange Cycle, Full Circle Cycle, Fox Fire-stone Bicycle Shop, The Ride Xperience

District 6Cities: Key West, MiamiCounties: Miami-Dade, MonroeFDOT Bike/Ped Coordinator: Elizabeth Stacey, 305-470-5308; FDOT Bike/Ped Safety Specialist: Misleidys Leon, 305-470-5345; FDOT SUN Trail Coordinator: Elizabeth Stacy, 305- 470-5308FBA Member Bicycle Clubs: Everglades Bicycle Club, South Florida Triathletes, Key West Bicycle AssociationFBA Member Bicycle Shops: Mack Cycle & Fitness, Elite Cycling & Fitness, No Boundaries Sport, Bike Tech (2 locations)

District 7Cities: Brooksville, Clearwater, Port Richey, St. Petersburg, TampaCounties: Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, PinellasFDOT Bike/Ped Coordinator: Alex Henry, 813-975-6405; FDOT Bike/Ped Safety Specialist: Peter Hsu, 813-975-6251; FDOT SUN Trail Coordinator: Alex Henry, 813-975-6405FBA Member Bicycle Clubs: Florida Panthers Tandem Club, St. Petersburg Bicycle Club, Suncoast Cycling ClubFBA Member Bicycle Shops: Bike Sport, Chainwheel Drive (Clearwater, Palm Harbor), Jim’s Bicycle Shop, University Bicycle Center, AJ’s Bikes and Boards, Oliver’s Cycle Sports. Ride-N-Roll Cyclery (Seminole, Largo)

Tom D’Ambrosio took this photo on the Boca Grande Trail from his handcycle.

FROMHERE

LAUNCH

TITUSVILLE•FL

LaunchFromHere.comLEARN MORE & SHARE YOUR ADVENTURE AT: Relocation Information

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Launch From Here is a local campaign created by the peoplewho love to live here for the people who will love to visit here.

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Joe Zack (CC BY 2.0)

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Cycling

Pick Up Your Cycle Trails Map!

DISCOVER outdoor recreation and wild nature experiences — on foot, by kayak, on horseback, on a bicycle, on a fishing expedition, or with your camera.

Start at the Welcome Center in downtown Titusville. Get a map and hiking and kayaking tips for Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and Canaveral National Seashore. Discover equestrian trails at Scottsmoor Flatwoods Sanctuary and Fox Lake Sanctuary. Ride our expanding cycling trails to Sand Point Park, Marina Park, Draa Park, Chain of Lakes and beyond. Check the space launch schedule and be here for the roar of a rocket launch. Adventures big and small launch from here.

Converging Trails: Three major trails converge in Titusville, which was officially designated a Florida Trail Town in 2018 •The Coast-to-Coast Trail is part of a 250-mile trail that will link Titusville with St. Petersburg. Titusville is the southern tip of the 260-mile •St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop. This merges with the •East Coast Greenway that is one-third complete along its 2,900-mile route between Maine and Florida.

#LAUNCHFROMHEREWHERE ADVENTURES CONVERGE |

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Ride ItGear Up.

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SAVETHEDATE

Titusville.org/RideItDown

Documents

ESTABLISHED 1997 Messenger · 47% reduction in overall personal injury crashes involving the test group wearing the high visibility yellow florescent jackets. Their effectiveness