LVBC -

Educating Parents and Their Children at  the Y’s  Healthy Kids Day

Ron Birch, Mo and Alexander Nazeeri, and Dean Auchenbach volunteered  at the Y’s Healthy Kids day.

They distributed bicycle safety information, quizzed the kids with the bike wheel spin game and showed parents how their children’s new helmets should be worn.

PennDOT Leadership Wants to Enhance Bicycle Transportation

 Penn DOT’s Deputy Secretary for Highway Administration, directs a team of over 9,600 employees in Central Office and the eleven districts. He has oversight of maintenance, operations, design and construction of Pennsylvania’s highways and bridges. Scott Christie, P.E. serves in this position and has provided the following commitment to bicyclists in the capital region. “Leadership in District 8-0 looks for every opportunity to pave shoulders of roadways to enhance alternate means of transportation and to eliminate obstructions in the shoulders”. He further noted that bicyclists should “feel free to let District and County staff know where obstructions are” . A very serious obstruction was brought to our attention by a bicyclist who lives in Dauphin Borough and has only SR 322, the Dauphin Narrows, as the roadway to travel from his home to Harrisburg and back. Bicyclists are prohibited from using this section of road from Dusk to Dawn and that prevents this bicyclist and others from bicycling to work, to HAAC and other destinations for many months of the year. We brought this issue to the attention of District 8’s Chief Executive Mike Keiser, P.E. and Deputy Secretary Christie. We understand that Central Office is reviewing the situation. Since this initial effort was begun in May, other bicyclists have let us know that even during the day, bicycling the Dauphin Narrows is a challenge. Suggestions include installing signals that let motorists know that bicyclists may be in the underpass. Amongst the thousands of Penn DOT employees, there are many bicyclists, including Deputy Secretary Christie. Bringing situations to their attention is the first step in getting them fixed.

LEBANON COUNTY BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION MAP

The Lebanon County Bicycle Transportation Map is located at the Lebanon County Metropolitan Planning Organization website, http://www.lebcounty.org/Planning/Pages/MPO.aspx .   This major endeavor has been a partnership with the Bicycle Coalition, the Lebanon County Metropolitan Planning Organization (LEBCO MPO), and PennDOT. The staff at the County GIS office were able to provide important data, experience and expertise.

The purpose of this Map is to inform Penn DOT, our metropolitan planning organization, municipalities, and contracted planners and engineers which roads are most frequently used by bicyclists to reach their varied destinations.

Reconstruction of intersections, adding turning lanes and other road projects should include the needs of bicyclists especially on these designated roads. Close examination of the Map shows that there are many important state roadways that lack four foot shoulders. As these roads are resurfaced and improved, a concerted effort should be made to widen the shoulders. Dieting the travel lanes may be possible. Traffic engineers determine if a road can be dieted. One example of a state road that should be prioritized for improvement is SR 501 from Reistville to SR 422. This section needs shoulders that will make this roadway safer not only for bicyclists but Amish who are using scooters and horse drawn vehicles. Pedestrians will be better served as well.

The County Bicycle Transportation Map is being used as a template to prepare Bicycle Transportation Maps for Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry Counties. Their MPO, Tri County Planning –HATS, is working with Harrisburg Bicycle Club members to determine which roads and streets to include in their bicycle network for each county. The HBC Committees have added transit stops and made a few other revisions for the Legends. Within a few months, we can identify a regional network of bicycling routes

E&E Metalfab, Inc. Provides Multi-Bike Rack for Lebanon Valley Rail Trail

LVBC anticipated purchasing  the first multi-bike rack manufactured by E&E Metalfab, Inc.  This bike rack is located at the Cornwall trailhead of the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail.   The  bike rack meets the standards of the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP).  It is with our great appreciation that this bike rack is being provided  at no cost by E&E Metalfab.   This generous contribution will now enable the Coalition to purchase a similar bike rack for another location.