Recap of the Annual Non-Motorized Transporation Pilot Program All-Pilot Meeting

From Joan Pasiuk, Bike Walk Twin Cities Program Director.

The annual meeting of the four pilot communities in the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot (NTP) program, of which Bike Walk Twin Cities is a part, was held in late October in Columbia, MO. Representatives of the pilot communities were joined by representatives of the partner organizations, specifically:

• Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Environmental Health - Research/program staff
• Federal Highway Administration-- Bicycle and PedestrianProgram Manager
• Rails to Trails Conservancy -- Policy staff
• Safe Routes to School National Partnership -- Director
• Volpe Center of U.S. Department of Transportation -- Research staff

We came together in Columbia, as we do regularly, as strong allies. This same group, driven by a strong commitment to shape the important work we share, meets by phone conference biweekly.

There was considerable planning on the collaborative work of evaluation and reporting. Discussion included review of evaluation methodology and modeling, and preparation for the community-wide bookend survey at the pilot completion. Despite Congressional debate that could affect the pilot timeline, we remain on track for final data collection in fall of 2010 and delivery of final report in 2011. We agreed, however, that the need to relate results as well as work-in-progress is ongoing; we will continue to develop short, specific pieces that share the story of the pilots' investments. Continue to monitor NTP at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/ntpp.htm.

Showtime: presentation of the year's highlights in each pilot community.

All pilot communities are developing unique priorities for on-street, off-street, planning, and educational/programmatic investments. All pilots will have some projects uncompleted by final 2010 counts; all pilots face a range of public reaction to proposed projects. For example, Sheboygan, WI is undertaking some significant trail connections and has implemented pedestrian improvements that will eliminate the need for several school bus routes. Marin's enormous multi-modal tunnel is underway. Columbia, as host and featured community, showcased the significant marketing campaign in progress. Minneapolis shared the Bike Walk Twin Cities video being shown on cable across the grant area, new funding in 2009 including demonstration innovations, and progress on measurement and public health evaluations. The highlight of the meeting was a bike tour of new and planned facilities with special attention on experimentation with some on-street markings.

The Minneapolis area is the only pilot with no infrastructure/operations projects opened as of October 2009, a situation that deserves attention. (Note that 14 jurisdictions are included in the grant area, but that 43%, or 13 out of 30, of the awards have been given to the City of Minneapolis.) During the three years of NTP, the City of Minneapolis has accomplished traffic work related to a bridge collapse and reconstruction, development of major traffic projects in the Urban Partnership Agreement (one of five regions nationwide), street reconstruction related to the first regional commuter rail line, and significant project work resulting from ARRA funds. A number of city and county bike-ped projects were also completed during this time. Transformation of Minneapolis continues in dramatic ways. But the timeline for NTP is critical. Minneapolis and many of the surrounding municipalities have innovative and extensive Bike Walk Twin Cities projects on the books. With more pilot funds possible through Congressional continuing resolutions and so many projects to complete, 2010 will be a very telling year. Transit for Livable Communities will continue to be a conscientious steward of the pilot, providing technical assistance and prompting best practices. The spotlight is shining intensely on the Minneapolis area, a big city with a strong bike/ped legacy and the opportunity to deliver the promise of NTP in a big way.

Welcome Dan Hoxworth as TLC's New Executive Director!

We are thrilled to announce that Dan Hoxworth has joined Transit for Livable Communities as its new executive director!

Please join us for a welcome celebration at The Happy Gnome (498 Selby Avenue in Saint Paul) on Monday, November 16th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. You’ll have the opportunity to meet Dan and connect with other TLC members over tasty food and drink. Please RSVP to Art Allen at ArtA@tlcminnesota.org if you plan to come, so we can plan for food. 

Hoxworth joins TLC at a dynamic time. With the Northstar line opening and the Hiawatha line operating successfully, the organization will not rest until the bus system is soundly supported and the rest of our regional transitways system (including the Central and Southwest lines) is built out. In addition, TLC will ramp up the momentum it has achieved with Bike Walk Twin Cities, a $22 million, federally funded initiative aimed at increasing bicycling and walking in Minneapolis and its neighboring communities.

“I’m honored to continue the work that was started by Barb Thoman, John DeWitt, and Lea Schuster,” says Hoxworth. “Transit for Livable Communities is clearly the go-to organization for creating a balanced transportation system in the Twin Cities region, and I’m excited to build upon the grassroots momentum generated by TLC’s fantastic members.”

Dan is passionate about community revitalization and building strong institutions. He is well-known in the nonprofit sector from his decade-long experience as President of Neighborhood House, which he transformed from a $1.6 million to a $5.5 million organization. In that position, Hoxworth conceived and orchestrated the design, development and construction of the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Center for Community Building, the Congressional living memorial to the Wellstones.

Dan also worked on transportation issues in Missouri, where he started a neighborhood association that quickly grew into one of the most active and powerful neighborhood groups in Kansas City. He worked with environmental groups to stop a second beltway from being included in the 2020 Transportation plan of the Metropolitan Council’s equivalent in Kansas City, and reframed the debate to focus on revitalizing the urban core.

His extensive community leadership roles include chairing the 200-plus member Council of Agency Executives of the Greater Twin Cities United Way, leading the Nonprofit Roundtable of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, and serving as a founding member and officer of the Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities. He has extensive relationships within diverse communities, having served on the Latino Leadership Council and the Cultural Diversity Task Force of the League of Minnesota Cities. The Somali community has recognized him as an honorary elder. He is a frequent speaker and has authored journal articles (including ones focusing on transportation and development), written guest editorials, and held conferences.

He received a Master in Public Administration (MPA) in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and also completed doctoral work in Administrative Science/Public Administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

“Dan Hoxworth is a proven leader who has the skills and energy to help transit riders, bicyclists and pedestrians build a powerful movement for transportation choices,” says Jennifer Munt, Board President of Transit for Livable Communities. “We are thrilled to have Dan on board.”

New Bike Lanes Come to Riverside Avenue

From Tony Hull, Bike Walk Twin Cities Program and Evaluation Specialist

The paint is fresh on new bike lanes on Riverside Avenue in Minneapolis. This improvement will be celebrated by the hundreds of bicyclists and pedestrians who travel the route daily. This corridor is a destination parade, including three campuses (the University of Minnesota, Augsburg College, St. Catherine University), medical facilities (the U of M Hospital, Health Partners clinic) cultural centers, and many restaurants and businesses.

The bike lanes are possible because of a “road diet” – converting four travel lanes to three—two travel lanes plus a left-turning lane. And voila -- enough designated room for on-street bike lanes. These new lanes help bicyclists travel more safely to all those destinations.

What is especially appreciated along this corridor is the fact that these bike lanes are slightly wider than six feet. (Many bike lanes in Minneapolis are only 5 feet wide - the minimum standard) What a difference that makes in terms of level of comfort! There is plenty of room to avoid the door zone of the parked cars and the cars in the lane over seem to be travel at a slightly slower speed as well, making sharing the road a real pleasure.

These new bike lanes almost got postponed and may not have been added if not for some forward thinking by the City Public Works Department. The Riverside project was originally awarded Bike Walk Twin Cities funds in 2007 for a project that connected with other project awards that will eventually connect Riverside Avenue to Franklin Avenue, across the river and to additional facilities on 27th Street Northeast that will connect to University Avenue. Earlier this year a re-assessment of maintenance needs pushed the schedule for a full reconstruction of Riverside Avenue up to the years 2011-12. Obviously, expending significant funds on a street that would be torn apart in a couple of years would not be a wise investment.

However, understanding that this is a key bicycle and pedestrian corridor, in addition to being a key project for Bike Walk Twin Cities program evaluation, the city decided that doing a simple re-painting of the roadway would be a low-cost interim solution that would immediately benefit bicyclists and pedestrians and allow us to measure the results of the “quick-fix” approach.

More on-street markings are coming, and will help orient motorists caught off-guard by the transformation. Meanwhile, pedestrians have fewer motor vehicle lanes to cross and bicyclists have some well deserved space.

Thanks, Minneapolis.

Twin Cities Ranked 1st in Nation for Preventing Pedestrian Deaths, but Region is Still No Walk in the Park, Report Shows

From Katie Eukel, Acting Communications Manager

The Twin Cities fared best among 52 of the largest U.S. metro areas for pedestrian fatalities, a new report shows. While this offers evidence that investment in trails, sidewalks, dedicated bike/pedestrian bridges and other infrastructure is making the region a safer and more inviting place for walking, the number of fatalities and accidents is still unacceptable and measures need to be taken to further improve safety and health.

The report, Dangerous by Design: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths (and Making Great Neighborhoods), ranks America’s major metropolitan areas and states according to a Pedestrian Danger Index that assesses how dangerous they are for walking. Dangerous by Design, released by Transportation for America and the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership, calculated a Pedestrian Danger Index of 22 for the Twin Cities region over a two-year period, lower than the average index of 77.5 calculated for the 52 large regions included in the study. The report also shows that the Twin Cities region spent a higher percentage of its federal transportation funding on bicycle and pedestrian projects than most of the other regions featured in the report — although still less than five percent.

Despite this good news, 35 Twin Cities pedestrians died in traffic crashes in 2007-2008 (8 percent of motor vehicle fatalities in the region) and just over 1,300 more were injured.

The newly formed Minnesota Complete Streets Coalition is calling for legislation in 2010 that would help improve the safety and accessibility of roads in Minnesota for everyone, including motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, seniors, children, and people with disabilities. A statewide “Complete Streets” policy would help Minnesota update its transportation planning and design process to ensure that we build roads that are safe for everyone.

“Most of our state’s roads were designed at a time when moving more cars faster was the priority,” said Barb Thoman, Program Consultant at Transit for Livable Communities. “Today Minnesotans want streets that are safe for everyone, regardless of whether they’re walking, driving, bicycling, taking the bus or using a wheelchair.”

For the full report and press release, click here.

Volunteer Opportunities for the Northstar Commuter Rail Opening- Saturday November 14th!

From Owen Duckworth, Organizer

On Saturday, November 14^th, the Northstar Commuter line will be hosting grand opening events at stations in Big Lake, Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids, Fridley, as well as the Target Field Station in downtown Minneapolis.

Transit for Livable Communities will have a table at each station and is looking for volunteers to help us out pass out information and sign people up with TLC! We want to invite people to support additional transitways, answer questions about TLC, and get them involved so we can increase transportation choices in the region by 2020.

If you are interested in volunteering you can register online here. If you need more information or have any questions, please contact Owen Duckworth at (651) 767-0298 ext. 130 or owend@tlcminnesota.org.

There will be a limited number of free train rides available from the Big Lake, Elk River, Anoka, Coon Rapids and Fridley stations, but none out of Minneapolis. People will, however, be able to tour a Northstar train at the Target Field Station and will receive a ticket for a free ride on the line to be used at a later date.

For more information about the grand opening events or the Northstar Commuter Rail in general, visit www.northstartrain.org.

Below is a schedule of the station events:

Northstar Station Schedule of Events

Target Field Station/Minneapolis
Saturday, November 14
10:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Event program begins at 10:30 a.m.

Fridley Station Grand Opening Event
Saturday, November 14
8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Event program begins at 9:30 a.m.
Free train departs at 11:00 a.m.

Big Lake Station Grand Opening Event
Saturday, November 14
9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Event program begins at 9:45 a.m.
Free train departs at 11:35 a.m.

Elk River Station Grand Opening Event
Saturday, November 14
10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Event program begins at 11:30 a.m.
Free train departs at 1:05 p.m.

Anoka Station Grand Opening Event
Saturday, November 14
11:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Event program begins at 12:30 p.m.
Free train departs at 2:15 p.m.

Coon Rapids Grand Opening Event
Saturday, November 14
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Event program begins at 2:00 p.m.
Free train departs at 3:35 p.m.

Dallas Doubling Light Rail Transit

From Barb Thoman, Program Consultant.

Dallas is on pace to double its 45 mile light rail system to 90 miles by 2013. Dallas Area Rapid Transit, or DART, the agency that plans and operates that region’s rail and bus system, is currently building three new light rail lines. The Green Line is the longest at 28 miles running northwest to southeast and includes a stop at the Baylor University Medical Center. It has an estimated cost of $1.8 billion and an expected completion date of December 2010.

The DART web site identifies $7 billion in current, planned and projected transit-oriented development along its rail system. DART also operates an 84-mile network of HOV lanes and 34 miles of commuter rail. DART provided 117 million transit rides in 2008 (compared to 95 million in the Twin Cities). DART is funded with a one cent regional sales tax, fares, and federal funding.

For additional information on DART, visit the DART website.

Tell Google Maps Which Car-Free Areas to Capture

by Art Allen, Online Communications Coordinator

Ever get frustrated that you can't see the Midtown Greenway on Google Street View? Or how about Nicollet Mall? Google Maps is correcting this. They are sending out their awesome Google Street View Trike to capture car-free spots:

There are only a handful of pedestrian- and bicycle-only areas covered by Google Street View so far. But that will change soon, and you can help influence what areas are captured.

Tell us where to ride!

The Street View trike has already collected some imagery, but now we're accepting your suggestions for where to send it next in the United States. Send us your most inspired suggestions for the places you really want to see featured in Street View.

So go! Promote your favorite car free spots! Submissions are due by October 28th... and then the voting starts!

In the meantime, you can still plan your walking trips with Google Maps and it will take you along the Midtown Greenway. But don't ask it to give you directions on the Kenilworth Trail, unless you want to walk to Georgia. Or you can plan your bike trips with the more complete Cyclopath. 

Request for Qualifications: Nice Ride (Minneapolis Bike Share Program) Market Feasibility

From Joan Pasiuk, Bike Walk Twin Cities Program Director

Transit for Livable Communities is issuing this Request for Qualifications to obtain professional services assistance to research, assess, and summarize the financial and programmatic feasibility of Nice Ride.

The scope of work shall include the development of a 5- to 10-page report that includes, at a minimum, the following:

1. An assessment of the soundness of the business plan

Review the business plan to determine if the assumptions and business plan are sound. Review the cash flow analysis and assess if the necessary elements have been appropriately taken into consideration.

2. An assessment of whether the projected subscriptions rates and proposed locations are justifiable in light of local pedestrian activity levels.

Considering the overall mode share mix in the service area, proposed bike share kiosk locations, existing infrastructure, and cultural attitudes, assess whether subscription rate/price and usage assumptions are reasonable.

Key indicators of success for bike sharing are pedestrian activity, high density and mixed-use. The report should assess the correlation between these indicators and bike share demand, and determine how the Minneapolis service district compares to the service district in other cities. This analysis should address key differences between U.S. and European cities -- especially volume of transit trips, automobile ownership, bicycle ownership, cultural attitudes to walk longer distances.

3. An assessment of what level of mode shift is probable and possible.

Mode shift is difficult to measure, since it is dependent on generalized survey data, and difficult to extrapolate to other cities due to differences in infrastructure and culture. The report should assess projected mode shift possible for Nice Ride and compare it to relevant data from other cities.

4. Recommendations that would enhance the Nice Ride Program.

In addition to an assessment of the soundness of the business plan, we are seeking general recommendations regarding strategies to improve the sustainability of the business model and maximize usage of the bike share system. Areas of particular importance: proposed pricing, strategies to limit losses due to theft and vandalism, and kiosk locations.

To read more about this RFQ, please visit the career page on the TLC website or download the RFQ here (PDF).

A Note from the Interim Executive Director

From Jan Lysen, Interim Executive Director

Jan Lysen here. I just wanted to give you a little update about what has been going on since I've been Interim Executive Director at Transit for Livable Communities. Looking forward, the search is being completed for a permanent replacement for Lea Schuster. Lea moved to Washington, D.C. in August and recently started as the Field Director for Transportation for America (also known as T4A).  Good to have a friend like Lea in D.C.!

Since August, I have had the pleasure of working with fabulous TLC staff who are making lots of good things happen in concert with our partners and members. Our advocacy and organizing team hosted a member team kick off meeting in August and are working with members in the east and west metro areas on topics ranging from the Southwest LRT corridor to Complete Streets to planning for the 2010 Governor’s race. Our Bike Walk team advanced an award to the Sibley Bike Depot for a bike lending library and is planning for awareness campaigns for 2010. Our membership and fundraising manager concluded a successful spring member appeal and is gearing up for our end of the year appeal to our donor base. And our Business Manager guided us successfully through our audit and is heading into the 2010 budget. One of my best experiences was opening the letter from McKnight Foundation awarding TLC a two year grant. Having served previously as a TLC Board Member, this has been an invaluable experience to see TLC’s work from the other side of the table.

TLC is on track to select its new Executive Director by early November. Until then, please feel free to call or write! I can be reached at 651-767-0298, ext. 106 or janl@tlcminnesota.org.

Free Tickets for the Northstar Commuter Rail Grand Opening

From Michelle Dibblee, Senior Organizer

Metro Transit is giving away more than 1500 free tickets to ride the Northstar Commuter Rail on November 14th! Register online for up to 4 tickets per household for a roundtrip ride from one of the suburban stations. Entries must be received by 5pm on Friday, October 9th. Provide your contact information, the number of tickets requested and your preferred station location.

On November 14th, every station will host a special event for the grand opening, including a program, transit information, and family-friendly activities. Transit for Livable Communities will join the festivities at each station. We’re looking for transit supporters to help spread the word about TLC and invite others to join our efforts to bring more and better transit to the metro area! Email Michelle to be part of the fun!

For more information, visit the Northstar Commuter Rail website.