Michigan Bicyclist Magazine - Fall 2012

7/28/2019 Michigan Bicyclist Magazine - Fall 2012

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Law Enforcement Training Recap

UM-Flints Bike Facilities Course

Bicycle Friendly Midland

Ann Arbor Bike Sharing

Bike Summit Reections

And More

Governor Snyder Pedals

Detroits Dequindre Cut

In This Issue:

Buffered Bike Lanes

Come to Michigan See page 5

BicyclistMICH IGAN

PROMOTING BICYCLING AND THE SAFETY OF

BICYCLISTS ON MICHIGAN ROADWAYS

November 2012


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1 MICHIGAN BICYCLIST | November 2012

Small Revolutions Create Change

Winter always lls me

with optimism and

anticipation optimism

that I will regain my

orm on the trainer

and anticipation or

spring and new cycling

adventures. Your LMB is

in training or its spring adventure, which will

certainly urther strengthen the organization.

Earlier this year, I reported on the invigorated

standing committees. The board continued

its reorms through bylaw amendments

that set board term length at three years

and provided or annual election o our

seats. This will provide greater continuity on

the board, as only one third o the seats will

change in any given year, rather than the prior

system where up to hal potentially changed.

We replaced regional board seats with all

statewide seats. We also eliminated the at

large appointed board members. All L

members now have a say on all board mat

Voting will be at the annual member meet

allowing members direct input. The ann

meeting will occur in conjunction with

Lucinda Means Advocacy Day in May.

The board also beeed up the nominat

committee to nominate our poten

candidates or the membersh

consideration. The board instructed

nominating committee to give considerat

to specic talents needed on the bo

geographic hubs o member concentrat

and to the diversity that makes our state g

Your LMB is excited with these changes, a

we believe that they will result in a vibr

representative, and energetic board.

I hope to see you in the spring at the ann

meeting, i not beore. Until then, please

me in spirit, riding on the trainer and think

o spring adventures on the road.

STEVEN ROACH, LMB Board Chair

Michigan Bicyclist Copyright 2012On the Cover: LMB member Lyndon Babcockduring the Coast with Your Community BikeRide on October 14th which celebrated the newlyinstalled buered bike lane along Saginaw Street inLansing See page 5. Photo by John Lindenmayer.

Editor, Art & Design:JOHN LINDENMAYER

Letters/Comments/Advertisements may be

directed to:[email protected]

LMB Directors

DAVE BOURGEAULT

ERICA BRIGGS

COLLEEN BROWN

JIM CARPENTER

DAVID JONES

VIC LUKASAVITZ, Treasurer

RORY NEUNER

STEVEN ROACH, Chair

BARBARA SCHMID, Secretary

MICHAEL SHEEAN

MICHAEL SPROUL

LMB ToursJIM DOUGHERTY, Ride Leader Shoreline West

MARY DOUGHERTY, Ride Leader Shoreline West

StaRICH MOELLERExecutive Director

[email protected]

JOHN LINDENMAYERAdvocacy & Policy Director,

[email protected]

JENNY JENSEN

Associate [email protected]

The League o Michigan Bicyclists (LMB)is a 501(c)(3) non-proit organizationdevoted exclusively to the advancemento bicycling. Our mission is to promotebicycl ing and increase the saety o bicyclists on the roadways in Michigan.

M i c h i g a n B i c y c l i s t M a g a z i n e i s abeneit o membership in LMB, and is

published three times a year as part othe Leagues ongoing eorts to inormMichigan cyclists, law enorcement, policymakers, and the engineering and planningcommunity on issues afecting bicycling inMichigan.

416 S. Cedar St. Suite A Lansing, MI 48912(888) 642-4537 | (517) 334-9100www.LMB.org

League of Michigan Bicyclists

Printed on

100% Post Consumer Waste

Socialize with LMB - Find us at www.LMB.org

What Every Young Michigan

Bicyclist Must Know Options to CustomizeIn the rst year o distribution, our What Every Young

Michigan Bicyclist Must Know booklet has proven to

be a huge hit! Through the generous donations o

LMB supporters, we have already circulated over

51,000 copies to countless bicycle rodeos and other

bicycle saety events geared towards children.

Ater receiving numerous requests about customizing the booklet, LMB is pleased

to announce that starting in 2013, your organization will have the option to addyour own logo and contact inormation to the back cover.

The deadline to order customized booklets is January 1st, 2013, and a minimum

order o 900 booklets is required. I you do not plan to distribute 900 or more

booklets in 2013, please consider your booklet needs over the next ew years.

Please let us know ASAP i your club, shop, organization or law enorcement

agency is interested in ordering customized booklets. Contact Jenny by email at

[email protected] or more inormation and a pricing sheet.


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I hope that you had a antastic year o

bicycling. This summer was a bicyclists dream

with the long stretches o dry weather.

LMBs Education Committee has been

working closely with Kathy Vonk, an Ann

Arbor Police ocer and LMB member, todevelop a Community Bicycle Saety or Law

Enorcement training. We held our rst training this October. Our

goal was to use this rst training as a pilot and then tweak it beore

making the training available across the state. The attendance

exceeded our expectations, so I am condent that we are on the

right track. In 2013 we plan to conduct three additional trainings.

An article about the training, along with the 2013 schedule can be

ound on page our.

Our annual year-end appeal began on November 1st. You should

have already received inormation about our campaign in the mail.

I hope that you will consider a git to LMB to help us continue to bea strong advocate and voice or bicyclists in Michigan, to expand

our educational training or law enorcement, and to launch a

comprehensive Share the Road campaign. But just as important,

I hope that you will encourage at least one riend to also become

a supporter o LMB and our eorts to make Michigan a saer place

to bicycle. See page three or more on our annual year-end appeal.

In 2013 we also plan to launch an Ambassador program to work

with cyclists in various ways to promote bicycling and LMB locally in

their communities. I you are interested in learning more about this

new eort, please contact Jenny Jensen at [email protected].

This issue o the Michigan Bicyclist is ull o exciting inormation

about what is happening around the state to advance bicycling.

Ater you read it, please pass it along to a riend.

Remember, cold and snow is no reason to stop riding just an

opportunity to acquire new gear and experience bicycling in a

whole new way.

LMBs Advocacy & Policy Director Receives RecognitionWe are extremely pleased

to announce that John

Lindenmayer, LMBs Advocacy

& Policy Director, was recently

recognized with a 10 Over

the Next 10 award rom the

Lansing Regional Chamber

o Commerce. The award

recognizes the Lansing

regions top young proessionals

who are expected to contribute

signicantly to our community

over the next ten years.

Recipients are judged based on

their proessional achievement,

community involvement and

personal success. To be eligible,

applicants are required to

be 35 years old or younger;

proessionally centered in Ingham,

Eaton or Clinton counties; and

have spent a minimum o two

years working in the mid-Michigan

community. Lindenmayers role

in advancing Complete Streets in

Lansing and across Michigan was

noted during the award ceremony

From the Big WheelRICH MOELLER, LMB Executive Director

By ALI HARRIS UM-Flint Walk & Bike Program Intern,GREG RYBARCZYK, PH.D., & VICTOR LUKASAVITZ,PS/CZA LMB Board Member

To encourage more walking and biking onthe campus o the University o Michigan-

Flint (UM-Flint) and its host city, many groups

including aculty, students, and sta have been

working closely together on innovative non-motorized transportation

projects. At the center o these eorts is the UM-Flint Walk and Bik

Work Group, which was ormed to oster the support o sae, non-

motorized transportation initiatives, policies, and inrastructure acros

the campus and the greater Flint area. Increased walking and bicycling

will lead to reduced congestion on campus; enhance local and regiona

transportation options or current students, sta, and aculty; aid in

attracting uture students; and ultimately lead to a saer and healthie

community or everyone in Flint.

Although the University and the Walk and Bike Work Group have

been creating a saer pedestrian and bicycling environment on

campus by installing various walking and bicycling acilities, oering

sustainable transportation courses, and initiating progressive

marketing campaigns such as the Take the Stairs initiative, imprope

use o existing bicycle acilities and reckless driver behavior remain

evident on and near campus. This issue prompted the question

How can we create a saer transportation environment on ou

campus most eectively? It was concluded that education migh

be an answer to this question, and that the installation o a physica

bicycle skills training area on university grounds could create a saeenvironment to educate the campus community and general public

on proper bicycling, pedestrian, and driver behavior.

Ater conducting research on how other campuses use training

courses to teach proper bicycle handling skills, it was determined

that ew campuses in the U.S., i any, have such courses on-site.

Promoting Active Living ThroughBicycle Road Skills Course at U of M-Flint

See BICYCLE FACILITIES COURSE, page 10


4/16


We hope that 2012 has been a great year

or you to enjoy your bicycle. It certainly has

been a great year or LMB. We welcomed

Jenny Jensen to our sta, had a successul

tour season, along with a phenomenal

response to our newly released What Every Young Michigan Bicyclist Must

Knowbooklet, while continuing to make inroads on the advocacy ront.

As great as 2012 was, we have big plans to make 2013 even better! Hereswhat we have in store:

Launching a statewide Share the Road" campaign. We are extremely

excited about the impact a comprehensive Share the Road campaign

will have on reducing bicycle/automobile crashes, and encouraging

more people to ride bicycles more oten throughout the state.

LMB recognizes that inrastructure improvements alone, such as

Complete Streets, do not create bicycle-riendly communities. Michigan

also needs a major public education campaign to address the dangers

that careless drivers create or cyclists. Thats why LMB has been working

closely with the Secretary o States (SOS) oce over this past year on

opportunities to develop a Share the Road campaign.

With your help, LMB plans to work with our partners to create various

materials about sharing the road saely, including brochures and

posters or SOS branch oces and other locations, short PSA messages,

educational materials or drivers education instructors and students, as

well as a new dedicated Share the Road website that will house these

materials. The website will also include a driver/bicyclist saety pled

inormation on common collision scenarios and other saety tips.

While this campaign will primarily address driver behavior, it will

ocus on the rights and responsibilities o bicyclists. By emphasi

responsible cycling behavior, our campaign will combat misconcept

and prejudices that many drivers have against bicyclists and will o

on ostering goodwill between all roadway users.

Providing education for law enforcement personnel. The Mich

Vehicle Code in respect to bicyclists is oten applied unevenly across

state. We have developed a training program, which oers educati

credits or ocers, to help educate law enorcement (and citizens

Michigan law pertaining to cyclists and urther their understandin

the concerns o road cyclists. In 2013, we plan to conduct three traini

We also have a test case o the inamous Impeding Trac citation

are working through judicial and legislative channels to resolve

misapplication o the law.

Advancing bicycle related legislation currently in front of

Michigan Legislature. Currently, our Vulnerable Roadway

legislation and a bill to update the hand turn signals or bicyclists ar

ront o the Legislature. We hope to advance these bills still this ses

and are currently nalizing our 2013 policy priorities which will inclu

number o new issues that we plan to advance with your support.

Continuing to be a voice for bicyclists on issues like bikes on tra

and Complete Streets. We continue to advocate or roll-on bic

service on Michigan trains. Through a successul petition drive, we h

received a commitment rom Amtrak to make this happen. In a sepa

petition eort this year, LMB successully lobbied MDOT to ado

stronger, more bicycle-riendly Complete Streets policy.

In order to advance these initiatives and to be at the oreront o

issues aecting bicyclists, we need your help! Tours and dues cont

to cover LMBs general operating expenses, but we need your hel

und these exciting initiatives to make Michigan a saer place to bicy

Please consider how these eorts will make you saer on the r

Whatever you can give, LMB deeply appreciates your support!

Looking Ahead to Great Things

Big Water Bike Riders Complete Journey Around Great Lakes

In May, we posted an article on our blogabout two cyclists rom Minnesota, Kris

McNeal and Zach Chase, who planned to ride

~5,500 miles around all o the Great Lakes.

During their ride they recorded ootage or

a documentary about lie on the lakes. We

are happy to report that these two inspiring

cyclists have arrived back home in Duluth

ater 97 days o riding the Great Lakes.

According to an article by Peter Passi romthe Duluth News Tribune, Kris and Zach are

the rst cyclists to ride around all ve Great

Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway in one

season. Visit www.bigwaterbike.blogspot.

comto read about their adventure rom start

to nish. LMB looks orward to the release

o their documentary and congratulates Kris

and Zach on their accomplishment.

LMBs Year-End AppealBy now, you have probably received your year-

end appeal in the mail and we would like to thank

you profusely if you have already made your tax-

deductible gift. If you have not received your appeal

request, or donated just yet, please do consider

supporting the exciting projects that we have linedup for 2013. Donations can be made online at LMB.

org or by mail using the donation form on page 14.


5/16

On Friday, October 19, LMB held our inaugural law enorcement

training in conjunction with LouKa Tactical Training (LTT) at Lansing

Police Departments North Precinct. 30 law enorcement ocers

rom over 20 agencies across Michigan (and one rom Ohio) attended

the training, along with private security ocers, and a handul o

civilians (bicyclists).

Kathy Vonk instructed the Michigan Commission on Law EnorcementStandards (MCOLES) certied training that LMB and LTT developed to

help educate law enorcement on Michigan law pertaining to cyclists

and to urther their understanding o the concerns o road cyclists.

Vonk has served as an Ann Arbor police ocer since 1988. She is

the co-owner o LTT, and serves on many proessional and bicycling

boards and committees, holding instructor certications through

the International Police Mountain Bike Association, Law Enorcement

Bicycle Association, League o American Bicyclists (LAB), and the U.S.

Department o Transportation (Community Oriented Bicycle Saety

Instructor or Law Enorcement).

Upon arrival, each attendee received LTT and LMB literature, includinga small booklet listing the various Michigan Vehicle Code (MVC) statutes

applicable to bicyclists. The new LMB booklet was specially designed to

t into the ticket books carried by many police ocers.

The morning

session kicked

o with a round

o introductions,

ollowed by a

viewing o Enjoy

the Ride, a LAB

produced videoocused on sae

cycling and proper

lane positioning.

Questions about

the MVC were

then passed out to

participants with

instructions to

research the answers

using LMBs What

Every Michigan Bicyclist Must Knowbooklet, or other available resources.

The research done during the break enhanced everyones knowledge obicycle law and spurred an excellent discussion, which revealed a ew

misinterpretations o the law. One such misinterpretation included the

common misnomer that a cyclist can be cited with impeding trac. Vonk

quickly debunked the notion, clariying that bicyclists are considered a

part o trac according to the MVC. Since most non-interstate roadways

in Michigan do not have minimum speed limits, a cyclist cannot impede

trac simply because o their speed or the act that they are riding a

bicycle in the roadway despite the presence o other trac.

Ater the Q & A wrap

up, Todd Briggs and S

Colegrove rom B

Colegrove, P.C. u

discussed the MVC

a civil law point o

and took questions

attendees. They stre

the importance o

enorcement doing

thorough job at the s

o bicycle crashes, espec

in cases where a cycl

unconscious or unabl

speak or themselves.

LMB would like to thank Kathy Vonk or teaching the course, Lan

Police Department or hosting, and Briggs Colegrove, P.C.

participating in the training. Thank you also to all who attended ma

LMBs pilot law enorcement training a great success.

LMBs Inaugural Law Enforcement Training a Success!

2013 Law Enforcement Training Schedule

April 4 Auburn Hills

April 11 Berrien Springs

April 12 Harbor Springs


6/16


A group o 30 cyclists celebrated the opening o the Saginaw Street

(M-43) bike lane in Lansing with a group ride on October 14th. The

cyclists were joined by a group o pedestrians rom the neighborhood,

community leaders, and state and local engineers, who all came out on

the unusually warm all day to participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremonyor the Saginaw Street bridge opening.

The two-mile bike lane is not just any ordinary bike lane. As a result o

years o engagement between the City o Lansing, Michigan Department

o Transportation (MDOT), and community advocates, an agreement

was reached to provide

saer accommodations or

bicyclists along Saginaw

Street by putting the road

on a road diet, where an

under-utilized travel lane

was replaced with whatis known as a buered

bicycle lane.

A variant o a conventional

bicycle lane, a buered

bicycle lane is accompanied

by a designated buer

space, separating the

bicycle lane rom the

adjacent travel lane. The

ve oot bike lane along

Saginaw Street includesan additional six eet o

pavement markings, or

buer, giving cyclists

plenty o space or

comortable riding on this heavily traveled road.

The redesign o Saginaw Street also incorporates shared lane markings,

or sharrows, near designated right-turn lanes where there was

insucient room or the buered bike lane

or a keyhole bike lane to continue all the

way up to the intersections. These markings,

accompanied by dashed lines and signageare used to help the bicyclist and motorist

navigate the transition area between the

bike lane and turn lane. While drivers are

always required to share the road, sharrows

alert drivers that they are much more likely to

encounter cyclists in this location. Sharrows

also indicate proper lane position or bicyclists

to help make them more visible to drivers.

Once bicyc

pass through

intersections use these sha

lane markings,

buered bike

picks back up.

The buered

lane on Sagi

Street was insta

the same wee

a similar bue

bike lane al

N o r t h w e s t eHighway (M-10

Oakland Cou

(see next pa

making them

rst o their kind in the state. Until now, buered lanes have b

conned to progressive cities like New York, Chicago, Portland, Sea

Minneapolis and Boulder, said Josh DeBruyn, MDOT Bicycle

Pedestrian Coordinator.

Many credit Complete Streets as the motive or the new buered b

lanes and see the projects in Lansing and Oakland County as the m

dramatic evidence yet o Complete Streets implementation.

In 2010, the state adopted a Complete Streets law, calling or

accessible, interconnected and multi-modal transportation netw

that saely and eciently moves goods and people o all ages

abilities. MDOT nalized and adopted their internal Complete Str

policy in July as required by this law.

The law is by no means a mandate or bike lanes everywhere, but it

made multimodal thinking the new normal, putting the burden o

1st Buffered Bike Lanes Come to Michigan Cyclists Celebrate in Lansing

Ribbon cutting or newly replaced M-43 Saginaw Highway bridge over the Grand River in Lansing. L to R:

Andy Kilpatrick - City o Lansing Transportation Engineer, Lisa Benck - Westside Commercial Association Chair,Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero, Jessica Yorko - 4 th Ward Councilwomen, Stephen Palmer - Lansing Transportation

Service Center Manager, MDOT, and Greg Losch - Construction Engineer, Lansing Transportation Service

Center, MDOT. State of Michigan - Department of Transportation, Photography Services . See additional photos

o the M-43 buered bike lane on our Flickr page at lickr.com/leagueomichiganbicyclists

Sharrow roadway marking


7/16

New M-10 Buffered Bicycle Lane: EnhancingMobility for Oakland County BicyclistsM-10 (or Northwestern Highway) stretches through Oakland County between

Southeld and Farmington Hills. The highway was constructed originally as a

our lane road with two 12 shoulders. Following a recent resuracing, a thremile section o M-10 has received

a new treatment: Michigans rst

buered bicycle lane.

Tradi ti ona l bic ycl e la ne s ar e

becoming more common around

the country and here in Michigan.

Bicycle lanes help create order in

the roadway by clearly delineating

a space or bicyclists and motorists.

The bu ered bic ycle lane is an

innovative new acility oten usedon roadways with higher speeds

(>45 mph) and/or high traic

volumes. The M-10 bicycle lane

consists o the standard 5 wide

bicycle lane adjacent to the curb,

with a 7 painted buer between

the bicycle lane and motor vehicle

traic. The buered bicycle lane

provides greater separation

between bicyclists and motorists

improving the saety and comort

o both.

To bring attention to the cross over

locations at designated right turn

lanes, the bicycle lane includes a special green pavement marking treatment

The green pavement markings are the width o the bike lane outlined with whit

lines. These areas are designed to alert motorists and bicyclists that they are at

potential confict area. In these areas, all road users should exercise heightened

awareness. M-10 is the rst state roadway to use the green pavement markings

Motorists traveling on M-10 are permitted to cross the bicycle lane to ente

driveways. However, motorists must yield to bicyclists when turning right.

Michigan Department o Transportation (MDOT) is excited to be a leader in

implementing this innovative design on Northwestern Highway along with

similar buered bicycle lane on M-43/West Saginaw highway in Lansing. Saet

o all users o the roadway is always the goal.

Bicyclists are reminded to ollow all rules o the road and obey all trac contro

devices including trac signals.

Prepared by: Tom Pozolo, MDOT Operations Engineer, Oakland TSC; Josh DeBruyn, MDOT Bicycle an

Pedestrian Coordinator; and Deirdre Thompson, MDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Engineer.

the state to show a lack o need, exorbitant cost,

or inability to obtain a maintenance agreement

with local road agencies as reasons to be exempt

rom compliance.

Complete Streets are also being embraced locally

all across the state. Michigan boasts over 80

municipalities the most in the country whohave adopted Complete Streets ordinances or

resolutions. Lansing passed their ordinance in

August 2009, ollowed by a non-motorized plan

both driving actors behind the Saginaw Street

bike lane and other enhancements the city is

making to their bicycle network.

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said that the bike lane

marks a big moment in public transportation in

Michigan. Complete Streets commands the city

to always consider sidewalks and bike lanes when

we are doing any restoration work or new workon roads.

Stephen Palmer, Lansing Transportation Service

Center Manager or MDOT, reinorced the

Mayors comments with his own in an interview

with the Lansing State Journal. We ound

that once you provide sae walking and biking

transportation, people will use it. It opens up a lot

o opportunities or people to decide what type

o transportation they would like to use, Palmer

said. You no longer have to just select a car.

While MDOT and the City o Lansing are to be

commended or their successul collaboration on

this innovative project, a tip o the bike helmet

also goes to persistent Westside residents, who

started advocating or the bike lane back in 2005.

Neighbors and local businesses began asking or

changes to the roadway by attending countless

meetings with city and state leaders, organizing

letter-writing and phone campaigns to elected

ocials, and collecting petition signatures rom

bike lane supporters across the city.

As a state trunk line, Saginaw Street is under

the control o MDOT. Jessica Yorko, now 4th

Ward Councilmember, and other Westsiders

including the Westside Commercial Association,

demonstrated great persistence and

perseverance in their desire to improve the saety

and accessibility o Saginaw Street or all users.

Green pavement markings at right turn lanes along th

new buered bike lane on M-10 in Oakland County. Th

green paint is intended to help bicyclists and motorist

navigate the conict area between the bike lane and tur

lane. Photo taken during construction o M-10 buere

bike lane in Oakland County. Photos by Josh DeBruyn

See Buffered Bike Lane, page 7


8/16


Bike Lanes So, Where are

Drivers Supposed to Turn From?

The State Police Uniorm Trac Code

prohibits parking in a marked bicycle

lane, except where parking is permitted

by ocial signs. Furthermore, it states,a person shall not operate a vehicle on

or across a bicycle lane, except to enter

or leave adjacent property, meaning

that drivers are to make turns rom the

travel lane and not use the bike lane as a

deceleration lane.

While buered bike lanes are new,

and will undoubtedly take a bit o

adjustment or drivers and bicyclists

alike, LMB reminds drivers that the 6-oot

buer is actually part o the bike laneand not the automobile lane. Motorists

should always make right turns rom

the automobile travel lane, not rom the buer zone or the bike

lane. Drivers should always yield to cyclists going straight at an

intersection, just as you would a pedestrian in a crosswalk or on

a sidewalk in ront o a driveway.Bike Lanes Dont Just Improve Safety

They Improve Our Economy Too!

A recent Universityo Massachusetts

study evaluated job

opportunities created

by 58 inrastructure

projects in 11 U.S.

states. The results

ound that cycling

projects create a

total o 11.4 local jobs

or each $1 million

spent. Pedestrian-

only projects create

a little less employment, with an average o 10 jobs or the

same amount o money. Multi-use trails create 9.6 jobs per $1

million but road-only projects generate only 7.8 jobs per $1

million. A similar study that examined inrastructure projects in

Baltimore, Maryland published similar results: pedestrian and

bike inrastructure projects create 11 to 14 jobs per $1 million o

spending while road-only inrastructure initiatives create just 7

jobs per $1 million o spending.

It went back and orth between the city and MDOT or years,

said Yorko. Bike lane supporters stuck it out through three MDOTtransportation service center managers. The newest manager, Steve

Palmer, embraced the idea o a bicycle lane along Saginaw Street and

worked to advance the project soon ater taking over the position. He

should get a gold medal, Yorko added.

The rst victory, however, came back in 2008 when the city agreed to

do a trac analysis to determine the easibility o a two-way conversion

or lane reduction. To the delight o Yorko and other cycling advocates,

the analysis showed that perorming a road diet would not cause any

congestion concerns.

Saginaw Street was designed or much higher trac volumes than itnow receives, said Andy Kilpatrick, Lansing Transportation Engineer.

The construction o I-496, suburbanization o the region, as well as the

closing o two automotive plants on the Westside o town contributed

to the under utilization o this route over the last several decades.

The decision to reduce the number o travel lanes rom our to three

reversed nearly 40 years o auto-centric transportation planning along

the corridor. In 1965, Saginaw Street was widened and converted

into a one-way, which many believe was a key actor contributing

to the decline o business and residential areas along the corridor,

culminating in a 70% vacancy rate or commercial property in 2005,

according to Yorko.

The new bike lane connects Lansings Westside into the River Trail

system, which also received extensive improvements. In conjunction

with the Saginaw Street bridge reconstruction, the River Trails

cramped underpass below the bridge was reengineered to address

fooding problems and to oer more head room or bicyclists. A new

path was also added on the Westside o the river, connecting Adado

Riverront Park to the northside o the river. The city plans to extend this

section o trail even urther next year, according to Kilpatrick.

Kata Rothhorn o Lansing pedals along the Lansing River Trail during the Coast with Your

Community Bike Ride on October 14th in celebration o the newly installed buered bike lane

along Saginaw St. (M-43) State of Michigan- Department of Transportation- Photography Services.

The buered bike lane along Saginaw St. (M-43)

being painted ater the road was put on a road diet .

Download MDOTs bicyclelane brochure to learn

more: LMB.org/bikelane

Buffered Bike Lane, cont. from page 6


9/16

Governor Snyder Pedals Detroits Dequindre Cut

About the Dequindre Cut

The Dequindre Cut Greenway, an urban recreational path, ocially

opened to the public in May o 2009. The 1.35-mile greenway,

developed through a public, nonprot and private partnership, oers a

link between the Riverront, Eastern Market and many o the residential

neighborhoods in between.

Formerly a Grand Trunk Railroad line, the Dequindre Cut is a below-street

level path that runs parallel to St. Aubin Street, between Mack Avenue

and Woodbridge Street just north o the Riverront. Well-known or its

urban artwork and grati, the rst completed section o the Dequindre

Cut is between Woodbridge Street and Gratiot Avenue. The greenway

eatures a 20-oot-wide paved pathway, which includes separate lanes

or pedestrian and bicycle trac. Entrance ramps to the Cut are located

at Laayette Street, Gratiot Avenue and at Woodbridge Street.

The Dequindre Trail Extension, connects the rst section o the

Dequindre Cut rom Woodbridge Street south to Atwater Street

near Milliken State Park and the RiverWalk. Further north, beginning

conceptual plans are underway or phase II o the Dequindre Cut, which

would extend the pathway north rom Gratiot Avenue to Mack Avenue.

Source: Detroit RiverFront Conservancy www.detroitriverront.org

Photo courtesy the Governors oce.

On October 6th, Governor Snyder strapped

on his bike helmet beore riding Detroits

Dequindre Cut during his visit to announce

the Globe Outdoor Adventure & Discovery

Center project. Funded by the Natural

Resources Trust Fund, the project will

convert the derelict Globe Trading Co.

building on Detroits east riverront

into a center or taking part in outdoorexperiences, which will include a climbing

wall, kayaking simulator, zip-lining,

demonstrations on Michigans historic

lumber industry, and more. It is scheduled

to open in 2013 or early 2014.

As the Governor noted, today I will bike the

talk. Ater the announcement, Governor

Snyder biked with Department o Natural

Resources Director Keith Creagh and othersalong the greenway rom Milliken State Park

to Eastern Market, on rental bikes rom our

riends at Wheelhouse Detroit. He later

commented on Detroit being one o the

best cities in the country or biking.


10/16


Detroit Bicycle Fest Steven RoachSeptember in Metro Detroit was a celebration o bikes and cycling, with

a particular emphasis during Bicycle Fest, which took place September

816. Festivities commenced with the Celebration o Cycling ride, a

undraiser or Programs to Educate All Cyclists (PEAC). The next day was

the Tour de Ford, a undraiser or the Tom Groth Medical Needs Fund.

The group rides culminated in the Tour de Troit on September 15, which

hosted 5,000 participants, and an amazing post ride celebration in

Roosevelt Park. The Tour de Troit celebrated its 11th annual ride this year.

Its purpose is to raise unds or greenways and links in Detroit, to raise

awareness o cycling, and to promote Detroit as a cyclists dream city.

The Detroit Film Theater joined the estivities with a showing oBicycle

Dreams, a documentary about RAAM (Race Across America). The Detroit

Institute o Arts hosted a bicycle tour o their own on September 16 to

witness the Inside/Out art exhibits around the city.

Exciting News x 4 in Grand Rapids! Barbara Schmid1. On August 28, Mayor Heartwell announced a plan or the City o

Grand Rapids to add 26 miles o bicycle lanes byJune 2013. The rst 16 miles were laid down this

all. The nal 10 miles will be painted in the spring.

The City and Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition (GGRBC)

worked together to identiy which streets were key to creating

a well-thought-out bicycle network and one that incorporates

consistent pavement markings.

2. GRs Downtown Development Authority has ooted the bill or

another 39 bike racks downtown, boosting bicycle parking by 12

percent, to about 730 spaces. These new racks were installed in time

or Art Prize, but ocials say they arent nished more to come!

3. In September, GGRBC completed its third Bike Count & Survey study.

A Grand Valley State University statistics class once again aided in

conducting the survey along with GGRBC volunteers. The class is

currently analyzing the data, including incorporating inormation

rom last years all count, the summer count and the 2012 all count.

4. GGRBC was awarded two signicant grants this summer. The group

received a $10,000 one-year grant rom the Fund or Community

Good, a und o the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. The

second grant, valued at $45,000, was rom the Frey Foundation

with payment over three years.

Engaging Decision Makers in Kalamazoo David JonesI once worked as a shit oreman in a plastics plant. Oten I would

give the workers a choice in what they did each day. Inevitably they

would respond I dont care. Many times they would sulk o and

perorm their assignment, obviously not happy with the assignment

I gave them. Finally, I told them When I am giving you a choice,

take advantage o it. So oten in lie you are not given a choice.

Now to tie this back to cycling; this summer we had many opportunities

in the Kalamazoo area to oer our opinion to policy makers and

implementers. Opportunities included MDOTs Training Wheels

program, public meetings regarding MDOTs long range plan,

TRANS4Ms community meetings on inrastructure investmen

Michigan. Just to mention one, Training Wheels was certainly

worth the time. The program is composed o both in-class and on-b

training or transportation planners and community members. Du

the ride portion, we evaluated the design o various intersections

acilities an eye opener or many!

The simple moral: When given the opportunity to provide input

transportation or cycling issues, always take advantage o it. Cyc

must participate in the conversation in order to help advance chang

Bike Shorts LMB Board Reports

A2 to Launch Bike Sharing in 2013Ann Arbor is preparing to launch Michigans rst advanced

technology bike share system in 2013. The successes o recently

developed bike share systems in DC, Boston, Minneapolis,

Denver, Boulder and Madison has generated excitement in cities

across the US interested in providing integrated multimodaltransportation options

or residents, commuters

and visitors. Bike sharing,

when integrated eectively

with public transit, can aid

in reducing congestion,

and improving air quality,

public health, and economic

activity. Ann Arbors

system will be designed to

service the downtown and

University o Michigans

central campus during the

initial system design. Erica

Briggs, LMB board member

and project manager or

Clean Energy Coalition which

will be serving as the system

operator, stated that the

system is likely to begin with

100+ bikes and 12 stations.

The Clean Energy Coalition, working in partnership with the

Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, Ann Arbor Downtown

Development Authority, City o Ann Arbor, and University o

Michigan, has secured ederal Congestion Mitigation and Air

Quality (CMAQ) unds to develop a bike share system. The

University o Michigan has committed unds or the rst three

years o operations. Program partners are working to identiy

additional sources o public and private unding and identiy

ideal sites or station placement. A RFP or the bike share vendor

will likely be released this all.

LMB board member Rory Neuner a

a B-Cycle bike share demonstration

in June o 2011. LMB collaborated

with Capitol Community Bike Share

to bring B-Cycle to Michigan or the

two day demonstration to generate

excitement around a potential bike

sharing system in the Lansing region


11/16

This lent urther credence to our eorts to establish a skills course on UM-

Flints campus. Thereore, in the spirit o UM-Flints Go Blue, Live Green

program, and the mission o the LMB to support programs and projects

that acilitate sae bicycling, the walk/bike work group developed a

plan to install a Bicycle Road

Skills Course on a seldom

used private service road on

campus.

During the all o 2011,

the walk/bike work group

subsequently applied or

a grant through Genesee

Countys Sae and Active

Genesee or Everyone (SAGE).

The grant was awarded and

plans or implementation

ensued during the spring and

summer o 2012.

To ensure that the course

met Michigan Department o

Transportation (MDOT) and

American Association o Highway

and Transportation Ocials

(AASHTO) regulations, Fleis and

Vandenbrinks engineer and LMB

board member, Victor Lukasavitz,

PS/CZA was asked to design the

course.

The course includes several bicycle

eatures such as bicycle lanes,

sharrows, various trac symbols,

cross walks, a parallel parking lane,

a bike box, and more. Additionally,

inormational signs will soon be

installed that provide a title and brie

description or the various elements

within the course.

Most users are also motorists, so

during demonstrations, pedestrians

and a vehicle are on site to help motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists

understand how to share the road and look out or potential hazards.For reerence, participants, are given LMBs What Every Michigan Bicyclist

Must Knowand What Every Young Michigan Bicyclist Must Knowbooklets.

Currently, the course is open or use to the campus and public, and

plans are underway to oer ormal courses to the community during

the spring, summer, and all semesters o 2013. The group hopes youth,

amilies, college students, experienced and non-experienced riders, and

other organizations rom around the state will partake in the classes.

Its exciting to oer the opportunity to teach basic bicycling skills

saety to the campus and community, said Ali Harris, UM-Flints W

and Bike Program Intern. We are delighted to be one o the pionee

colleges in the nation that oers this type o opportunity. UM-Fli

always looking or exciting ways to encourage a Go Blue, Live Gre

liestyle and thanks to SAGE, Fleis & Vandenbrink Engineering, M

Engineering, and various members o our group, this course is a pe

way to do just that.

Lukasavitz noted, The next step is to educate communities

engineers on the economic benets these types o acilities prov

such as improved tourism, which promotes increased spending, red

health costs, obesity, carbon emissions, and improves a persons qu

o lie. I have communities tell me they cannot aord to build th

multiple modes o transportation but my reply is that commun

simply cant aord not t

In terms o the value

training course hold

academia, Dr. Rybar

rom the Earth and Reso

Science Department at

Flint stated, The bic

skills course is an i

educational and advo

tool that can easily

integrated throughou

variety o classrooms

campus. Incorporating

course has ar reac

benets in terms o trai

the next generation

transportation plan

while they are students

open-minded to alterna

transportation modes.

Providing an on-cam

bicyclist educational

allows students to learn

doing, which is at the ce

o the universitys missio

provide UM-Flint stude

comprehensive and valued education. The bicycle skills course has

potential to become a model or other universities that want to incrnon-motorized transportation modes on campus. It is hoped that

project will inspire other colleges and communities nationwide to in

educational acilities similar to this to help to create a healthy, active,

sustainable environment.

For more photos and inormation on the course, visit www.bl

umfint.edu/walkandbikegroup or email Ali Harris at amisner@um

edu or Dr. Greg Rybarczyk at [email protected].

TOP: Signage typically used on the back o other signs along roads with bicycle lanes alerting cyclists

to ride in the direction o trafc. A shared lane marking or sharrow can be seen in the background.Sharrows are road markings used to indicate a shared lane environment or bicycles and automobiles. While

motorists are always required to share the road, sharrows alert drivers that they are likely to encounter

cyclists in this partic ular area. Sharrows also indicate proper lane position or cyclists, making them more

visible to drivers and preventing them rom getting squeezed by drivers passing too close or cut o at

intersections. BOTTOM: Bike boxes are a new engineering treatment that create designated areas at

signalized intersections that provide bicyclists with a sae way to get ahead o queuing trafc during

the red signal phase. They are intended to improve awareness and visibility o cyclists and to help

prevent dangerous right-hook collisions. (NOTE: U o M-Flint did not paint this demo bike box in the

standard green and white [wonder why?] color scheme and instead opted or a more spirited maize

and blue. This photo was taken beore the white stop bar was painted just prior to the start o the bike

box.) Photos courtesy Greg Rybarczyk, Ph.D., & Victor Lukasavitz, PS/CZA.

BICYCLE FACILITIES COURSE, cont. from page 2


12/16


When a bicyclist is hit by a motor

vehicle, there are two legal actions

that may arise: A civil action

and a criminal action. The civilaction enables the injured party

to recover nancial damages

incurred due to personal injuries

and property damages sustained in the collision. In a criminal action,

penalties or breaking the law are imposed. I motor vehicle or other

laws are violated, a trac ticket may be issued, or, i a more serious

oense is committed, the driver may be arrested and charged with a

elony. For the sake o this article, we will reer to the part o the case

where the trac ticket is issued as the criminal action.

In most cases, we rarely recommend that the bicyclist try to navigate

the civil legal system without the assistance o an experienced bicyclelaw attorney. (For a detailed discussion on this topic, see our article

The Pitalls o Representing Yoursel posted at LMB.org/legaldesk). In

addition to ensuring the best possible outcome in the civil action, that

attorney can assist the cyclist with the criminal aspects o their case.

Over the years though, even with competent legal representation, we

have ound that bicyclists oten become rustrated with the criminal

side o their case. Usually, they are either not pleased with the severity

o the inraction or penalty imposed against the motorist, or the

bicyclist is upset that no citation is issued at all. I you ever nd yoursel

in such a situation, here are some suggestions and tips to eectively

communicate with law enorcement and ensure that your rights are

being protected.

Day of Bicycle Crash Investigation by Police OcerI you are hit by an automobile, always call the police to report the

incident. The ocer will investigate and determine whether or

not a citation will be issued to the driver. In the case o a collision

that results in death or serious personal injuries to the bicyclist,

the driver may be arrested or charged with misdemeanor or

elony. As stated above, i you are injured or there is damage

to your bicycle, you may also have a civil action against the

driver or personal injuries, wage loss and property damage.

By calling the police to investigate, you will be documenting the

incident and preserving evidence or both the civil and criminalaction. Once the ocer arrives at the scene, he or she will investigate

by interviewing the parties and witnesses, inspecting the property

damage, and gathering other evidence. Otentimes, when ault is

clear, a trac ticket is issued to the at-ault party at the scene o the

collision. I the ocer is not persuaded that a law has been broken,

or, in the case o unclear liability, the ocer may decide not to issue

a ticket. In collisions where the cyclist is killed or seriously injured,

the ticket or ormal charge may not be issued until the ocer has had

enough time to properly analyze the evidence.

The Crash ReportShortly ater the collision, a written report should be issued by

police department. As a party to the collision, you have the righ

request a copy o that Crash Report. We always recommend get

a copy o the report to ensure that the acts are correctly stated. I

ocers summary o the acts is glaringly inaccurate or there are o

missing pieces o evidence, such as a witness statement or con

inormation, then we recommend contacting the investigating oas soon as possible to rectiy the discrepancies. Be a squeaky wh

but always be courteous and respectul. Keep a log o your c

messages and discussions with the ocer. I the ocer ails to ret

you calls, we suggest going up the chain o command by calling h

her supervisor. Explain clearly and concisely the errors in the rep

or the issues you have with the crash investigation. When ending y

telephone call with the supervisor, indicate that you will ollow-up

call with a letter. Mail the letter to the investigating ocer and c

the supervisor. Summarize the conversation in the letter and req

the relie you are seeking such as amending the crash report, issui

ticket, or changing the oense in a ticket already issued. Always k

copies o any correspondence.

In the case where you are dissatised with the ticket or charge iss

to the driver, you can also try to appeal to the ocer or prosecuto

reconsider their decision. In our experience, it is extremely di

to motivate an ocer or prosecutor to change a ticket or charge a

it has already been issued. However, in the case where no ticke

issued and you truly eel that the ocer has not properly assessed

evidence, then it would be advisable to take action. Following

some tips regarding the items most likely to cause an ocer to

evaluate his or her investigation or ticket.

New or additional evidence: Any time you have evidence that ass

law enorcement to properly evaluate a matter, we advise producin

to the investigating ocer. For example, i a witness suraces that

not interviewed on the day o the incident, provide the ocer with

witnesss name, address, telephone number, and summarize his or

anticipated testimony.

Tip: Dont rely on the police to gather all of the evidence: Otentim

witnesses do not wait or the police to arrive at the scene, especi

where response time might be longer. I you were involved in

collision, do your best to collect contact inormation o witnes

Better yet, ask your cycling buddy to do this or you. Keep a cop

any inormation supplied to the ocer. Also, i you have a hel

camera or camera phone, take video and photos o the scene all angles. Document the point o impact on the automobile. T

photos o the roadway to document potholes, debris, skid ma

damage to oliage and other items that may not remain the sa

over time. Potholes that have been there or months can be

by road crews the ollowing day or debris can be removed by st

sweepers. Photos and videos are especially important i tempo

weather conditions such as rain or snow played a role in the collis

Helmet camera ootage can also document how the crash occur

i you were knocked unconscious. For additional tips on preserv

Bicycle Crash Aftermath:

SARAH W. COLEGROVE & TODD E. BRIGGS

How To Assist Law Enforcement

with the Investigation


13/16

evidence, read our Crash Checklistposted at LMB.org/legaldesk.

Misconstrued Facts: Read the police report careully. The report

might ail to list that there were passengers in the vehicle, a act that

could become important i the passengers were distracting the driver

and caused the collision. The police report could also incorrectly state

key descriptive data, such as how the crash occurred, the weather

or road conditions on the date o the incident or the time o day.Contact the investigating ocer, urnish the oce with the correct

data and request that the report be amended. Oer to orward any

corroborating documents or evidence to support your claim. For

example, i the ocer indicates on the report that the weather was

clear and dry when it was rainy on the day o the incident, provide a

copy o the weather report or that day. Again, be courteous to the

ocer. The key is to motivate the ocer to correct the report so that it

is as actually accurate as possible, and to cause the ocer to re-assess

the matter in light o the new inormation.

No Response From Police Ocer? Next Step:

Contact Prosecutor or City AttorneyAn ocer may still not issue a ticket in cases o unclear liability,even i you ollow the above steps. To prevent overloading the

criminal system, police ocers have discretion to issue tickets and

to determine what matters get orwarded to the prosecutor. There

may also be other reasons why you are not getting any response to

your queries. An ocer may be swamped with other cases, or they

could be on leave, or working on matters with higher priority. I you

truly eel that the ocer is not properly assessing your bicycle crash,

however, and you have exhausted all other options, then it is possible

that the ocer could be abusing his or her discretion. I you suspect

this, then we recommend approaching the prosecutor directly.

The prosecutor is the chie law enorcement ocer. More seriousoenses such as a misdemeanor or elony are usually orwarded by

the ocer to the prosecutor or review. The ocer will gather all o

the evidence and present a package to the prosecutor. The prosecutor

reviews the package and determines whether or not to issue a charge

that must then be authorized by a judge. Technically, the prosecutor

can order an ocer to orward inormation relating to an incident. In

practice, though, the prosecutor usually waits or inormation to be

orwarded rom the ocer.

Beore you can contact a prosecutor, you must determine the

appropriate entity to contact. I no ticket has been issued by the

police, then it will be more challenging to determine who to contact.Depending on the type o oense, the city attorney or the county

prosecutor would review the case. For example, a civil inraction

would be reviewed by a city attorney, while a elony would be

reviewed by the county prosecutor. You may have to contact both

entities to cover all o your bases. Due to the act that prosecutors

usually wait or inormation to be orwarded by the police, you will

have an uphill battle. First, it may be dicult, i not impossible, to

make contact with a prosecutor or city attorney by telephone,

especially in larger communities. Always leave messages and keep a

log o your attempted calls. I you do not make contact by teleph

we recommend writing a letter to the prosecutor or city attorney

explains clearly and concisely the relie you are seeking. Include co

o all supporting documentation such as photos and summarie

witness statements. Again, keep copies o all correspondence

documents.

I ater trying all o the above, you still do not receive a responserecommend taking a hard look at the acts and evidence in your c

Is there sucient evidence to impose the charge you are seeking?

may need to seek the advice o a criminal attorney to accurately as

the evidence and applicable law. I you determine you are sad

with a stubborn veteran or inexperienced rookie who made a mist

then it may be worthwhile to keep trying. At this point, you will n

to get creative. Utilize all resources and contacts and be persisten

our experience, though, i there is sucient evidence to go orw

with a criminal case, the police ocer or prosecutor will pursue

matter without being prodded. It is in the law enorcement o

best interest to switly and accurately handle and address matte

there is insucient evidence to support the alleged crime, then mocers and prosecutors will not proceed with the criminal action

that case, your only recourse may be a civil action.

It might make you eel better to know that most, i not all, cyclists

that the penalty imposed on the automobile driver is too light. W

a crime has been committed and the act is not intentional, then

ticket or charge will rarely measure up to your expectations. We

this to be most true when a bicyclist is killed by a motor vehicle. M

oenses involving motor vehicles do not carry signicant penaltie

result in lengthy jail sentence, because, even i the bicyclist is ki

the actions o the driver usually do not rise to a level where inten

gross negligence is ound. That is why it is important to ollow

rules o the road, wear a helmet (even though the law doesnt reqit), and always ride deensively in order to do your best to a

collisions. Should you be struck and injured by a motor vehicle

always recommend that you seek medical attention immediately

seek the advice and counsel o an attorney amiliar with the laws

apply to bicyclists.

In our next article, we will discuss a case in which a bicyclist

intentionally hit by an automobile driver, and the ocer investiga

the crash did not issue a ticket to the driver. With our assistance

months ater the crash, the ocer nally did issue a ticket or a e

elonious assault with a motor vehicle. We will also share a cop

our letter to the police ocer, so you can use it as a reerence shoyou ever nd yoursel in a similar situation.

2012. Todd E. Briggs and Sarah W. Colegrove. Todd and Sarah are lawyers in privatepractice. In addition to helping athletes injured in bicycle and sports-related accidentsthey concentrate in the areas of civil litigation, including personal injury, commercialitigation, probate and estate planning law. Todd and Sarah are competitive cycliststriathletes and adventure racers. Each has competed in many national and statrunning, biking and triathlon competitions, including the Hawaii Ironman. You canread past articles from Sarah and Todd on our web site at: www.LMB.org/legaldesk

Briggs Colegrove, P.C.660 Woodward Ave., Suite 1523 Detroit, MI 48226(313) 964-2077 | [email protected]


14/16


When I attended my rst

National Bike Summit (NBS)

in 2011, it was mostly out o

curiosity. Did this gathering

have anything to oer me

in insight and inspiration

that I could put into action to enhance mycompanys commitment to this alternative

mode o transportation? The answer I ound

let me eagerly awaiting Summit 2012.

The most

exciting thing

about the

Summit is

that it brings

biking minds

together as

thought leaders.Leaders who

are infuential

as policy

makers. Leaders

who approach

Congress in its

own backyard.

Leaders who prepare and then provide our

legislators with inormation that helps them

understand why support or bicycling is critical

to our communities. More than 800 advocates

gather annually or that sole purpose. To me it

was important to be part o this.

The diversity o the sectors represented at

the NBS was impressive to me and to the

legislators we met. It was gratiying to see

governmental ocials respond to the hard-

working participants and their insight about the

economic impact bicycling is making. From bike

shop owners, non-prot groups, municipalities

and other enthusiastic advocates, the sharing

o experiences and perspectives was powerulto see.

My company, Duo-Gard Industries in Canton,

manuactures bike shelters. We were a

pioneer in recognizing that just parking a

bike wasnt going to satisy the needs o

this emerging movement. Riders wanted

protection and saety or themselves and their

bikes. Communities, however, also wanted

something that added to landscape appeal or

at least that didnt detract rom it. The problem

was that in the early stages, bike shelters were

either highly custom or looked like a woodshed

rom the barnyard. About 10 years ago, we

began working with two architectural rms

to design an exclusive line o standard bikeshelters. Inspired by European aesthetics, these

shelters add sophisticated architectural appeal

as well as saety and security options the biking

c o m m u n i t y

demands.

People were

pretty skeptical

when we

started with our

bike shelters.

Today, this line

accounts or

ve percent

o our total sales. And even the skeptics are

now convinced that the biking movement is a

orce to be reckoned with and supported or

economic, environmental and health reasons.

I was thus surprised that Duo-Gard was one

o only a ew manuacturers at the Summit.

Thats despite the obvious movement o

biking rom recreation to a recognized mode

o transportation with a lot o economic and

environmental ramications. The Summit

brought together all the sectors involved and

provided the opportunity to pick each oth

brains (even the competitions) to enhance

own ideas.

The Summit gave me a chance to talk w

others about the positive moves we

seeing. In Michigan, Im encouraged by implementation o Complete Streets.

Ann Arbor, or example, the bike acil

the city is adding are denitely being u

Educational institutions also continue to

leading advocates or biking. MSU does a g

job promoting cycling through leader

rom MSU Bikes Service Center, and

was recently ranked one o the top 35 m

bike-riendly universities by the League

American Bicyclists. And I couldnt help

smile when I learned that Ann Arbor Pion

High Schools Class o 2010 gave the schobike shelter as its traditional parting git.

Although its g

to see the increas

bike acilities across

state, I do have conc

that some commun

arent doing eno

on the education

yet. Bikes and

havent learned

coexist peaceullyall areas. Many dri

still consider bike la

as right-turn lane

see the education

drivers as one o

prime targets or

uture o the cyc

movement. I beli

over time, people will learn to saely share

road. The quicker this education can progr

the better or everybody, and Im extremexcited to help in this process.

I also want to be involved in urthering bic

commuting. Although this is a grow

segment, its still less visible than others, s

as recreational trail riding, or mountain bik

As a member o LMB, I hope to raise inte

and governmental support or commu

issues. By supporting and working with act

At the Summit: Bringing Biking Minds TogetherMICHAEL ARVIDSON, LMB Member & Executive Vice President o Duo-Gard Industries Inc.

TOP: Michael Arvidson (let) with other members o the Michigan delegation during the 2012

National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. BOTTOM: Parachute Bike Shelter by Duo-Gard Industries

Inc. at University o Michigans North Quad in Ann Arbor. See more bike shelters and parking by

Duo-Gard Industries Inc. at duo-gard.com.


15/16

Annual Memberships q New q Renewa

Membership/Donatio

q I n d i v i d u a l / F a m i l y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2

q Organization/Club/Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5

q L i f e - I n d i v i d u a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 4 5 (3-Pay Plan - $170/y

q Life-Organization/Club/Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $100

(3-Pay Plan - $350/

Name

Contact (for Shops/Clubs/Orgs)

Address

City State Zip

Phone

E-mail

Website

Membership Total

Additional Donation Total

Grand Total $

Join, renew, or donate by check or credit card tod

Please make checks

payable to:League of Michigan Bicyclis

q Visa

q MasterCard

q Discover

q American Express

q Im interested in volunteering with LMB

Name on Card

Card #

Card Address (qSame as Above)

Expiration Date (mm/yy)

Signature

Donations(tax deductible)q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$50

q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 2 5

q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12

q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $6

q Other . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $_ __ ___LMB is excited to again be organizing the

Michigan delegation at the 2013 National

Bike Summit to be held March 4-6. LMB

works diligently behind the scenes leading

up to the Summit to coordinate meetings

between cyclists and their Congressional

representatives. Weve seen some newMichigan aces attend over the last ew years

and are hoping to see even more in 2013!

The 2013 Summit is going to be a big one. This years theme is Bicycling Means

Business. For more than a decade now, your voice at the Summit has helped

dramatically increase investments in bicycling at the state and local level. But this

spring, Congress tried to write biking out o the new transportation bill. Funding

or bicycling was cut, but because o advocates like you it was not eliminated.

Register and Learn more at: bikeleague.org

Calling All Michigan Bike Shops: Come to the Summit for Free!The National Bicycle Dealers Association understands the close relationship

between ederal unding and the success o bicycle retailers. Thats why they are

oering 24 scholarships to rst-time Summit attendees who work at bike shops.

Not only will this scholarship pay or your registration or the 2013 Summit, but

it will also und your travel and lodging, too. What are you waiting or? Apply at:

bikeleague.org/conerences/summit13/nbda.php

Standard Road Merlin Bicycle

Mens 54cm titanium frame, dropbars, 27-speed. Mavic Classicswheels, Ultegra triple. Use your

pedals, saddle. $1,500, cash.

517-796-4990 (Jackson, MI) 9 am to 9 pmfor photo by email. If you buy, well meet(in Michigan LP), to avoid shipping.

oriented groups like LMB, Im condent that Michigan bicycling will continue to improve.

Finally, another great thing about the NBS is that anyone whos a bicyclist is welcomed

and encouraged to participate. Personally, I hope to see more manuacturers involved.

Yes, were all busy, and its sometimes hard to nd time or everything we know to be

worthwhile, but the Summit is an opportunity or us all to make a dierence. The 2013

Summit centers on Biking Means Business. No doubt about it, and I plan to be there.

Michael Arvidson is Executive Vice President o Duo-Gard Industries Inc. in Canton, MI. The company

is a leader in sustainable products and strategies or the architectural and design communities. The

company was named one o the Michigan 50 Companies to Watch in 2012.


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Documents

Michigan Bicyclist Magazine - Fall 2012