Thanks to all for your responses to my question below. I really appreciate all the private and public responses.
Here is a compilation. I think I got everything, and permission from everyone. My apologies if not.. I made the mistake of moving back and forth between email addresses on all this. ********************** Compilation: The best thing, in my humble opinion, is to provide the most and best possible bicycle parking. You can have all the events and kiosks in the world, but if there isn't a place to park a bike, then going by bike isn't that practical. Then adjust traffic flow to allow amenable access to all vehicular traffic. Once the facilities are there, then the bike events and education will have better reception. This is, of course, my own opinion and doesn't reflect the opinions of Bikies listserve. ************** Hi. A couple things I have noticed in the past. Is there proper bike parking at the west end of the building? And enough? Is there employee bike parking on the north (and northeast) side of the building? Can there be a bike shortcut into that lot? At the west end of Straubel Street (street to the extra MATC parking lot) there is a gate to block motor vehicle traffic - this is just east of Robin Roberts Field. There should be a permanent opeing in the gate for bikes to get thru from the Starkweather Path directly over to Wright Street. Gonig this way to MATC may be more comfortable for many than going onto Anderson Street. The Straubel connection would also be a great benefit to the Truax neighborhood. The last I recall, the west has poor placement and not the right kind. ************** My suggestion would be to make bicycle safety information - including commuting and riding tips - available to all students, faculty and staff. I'm sure that the folks at UW Transportation Services would be glad to pass on how they communicate with their community. As an educational institution, you have a good opportunity to reach everyone as they cycle through, whether as en employee or student. I emphasize everyone, because one of the best things to do for bike safety is to reach the drivers that share the roads in the same area. If the people driving to MATC make the people biking to MATC feel unsafe, you are working at cross purposes. ************** One option is to start a Bicycle User Group (BUG) at MATC. For information on BUGs, see, for example, the websites below and Google for more. Actually, it sounds like you already have done this. Now the trick is to formalize, sustain and grow your activity. http://www.safecycling.ca/BUGmanual2002/bugs-long.pdf http://www.cyclefriendlyemployers.org.uk/bugs.php Elaboration after question: I am not aware of any BUGs in Madison currently. I am planning on starting one for City employees, but have not gotten this organized yet. I can come out and talk with you and others at MATC about bicycle friendliness of the streets. I would consider this a listening session, an opportunity for you and others at MATC to ask questions, voice concerns, etc. You could even use this as a first BUG meeting/event. I will be able to let you know what plans exist for future changes, but will not be able to immediately answer all questions. For example, left turn arrows at the signalized intersection is more complex and needs to be answered by a signal operations engineer. Arthur Ross, Pedestrian-Bicycle Coordinator City of Madison Traffic Engineering Division ************** Our agency has a program to encourage ridesharing and other alternatives to driving alone to work/school. Ward Paxton is the coordinator and I have copied him on this note. He comes to the MATC campus every year to market the program. Through funding from the Madison Parking Utility, the program now offers a "kit" of info., including the city and county bike maps (we do the county map). He can talk to you about perhaps getting that "kit" put into the library or another visible location on campus. Of your things to pursue for next year, I think covered parking would be the most important. For long-term parking, that is critical. WisDOT has a nice covered parking facility at the Hills Farms Building. Bill Schaefer, Transportation Planner Madison Area Transportation Planning Board ---- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: ============= Hi all, I am new to the list.. have been lurking for a week or so... just wanted to introduce myself and ask a question. I've been a year-round bike commuter for about two years now, which is about how long I've been working at my current job as a librarian at MATC (Truax). We are working on a number of "sustainability" projects here at the college, including supporting -- and growing -- the MATC biking community, both students and staff. I'd love to hear from anyone who might have ideas around this kind of project... This is what we've done so far: * had our second annual bike clinic (light repairs and tune-up) * made bike maps available in the library * invited the amazing Nancy from BFW to campus during our Focus the Nation event and during an "alternative transportation day" (the first one ever.. and it showed, I'm afraid) * created a "biking community" Yahoo group * had a team for Bike to Work Week What we hope to add for this coming school year: * make a covered bike rack available * have a pump and (maybe) lube available * make bike locks available for checkout to students and staff who have forgotten theirs * have a kiosk with info on all kinds of commuting options, including biking * in the fall, have presentations/info on bike commuting in the winter After reading some of today's mail, I'm thinking.. what about a display with a mannequin wearing a bike helmet correctly, with signage that gives bike safety info? (This may be too corny.) Any ideas or advice you have would be much appreciated. Thank you! Terry (Ross) [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
