We now have the full feedback from the League, with suggestions from the local cycling community as well as experts in the field.  The full report is available here.  Some highlights:

Engineering:

• Adopt a complete streets policy
• Adopt and implement a comprehensive bike plan
• Develop a designated east-west bicycling corridor
• Develop a bridge access policy

Education:

• Add educational message to utility bills
• Continue to improve bicycling education opportunities for adults

Encouragement:

• Consider a “Ciclovia” or “Summer Streets” event to open streets to nonmotorized users
• Commuter challenge or bike to work pit stop for Bike to Work Week
• Consider an ordinance to require larger employers to provide showers, bike parking, and other encouragement tools.

Enforcement:

• Encourage police officers to use targeted enforcement to encourage motorists and cyclists to share the road, such as a tip card explaining each user’s rights and responsibilities.
• Host Enforcement for Bicycle Safety seminar.

Evaluation:

• Update the Bicycle Master Plan. The new plan should set targeted annual goals for implementation.
• Continue to improve data collection methods on bicycle usage and crash statistics and evaluation of this data. Use this data to prioritize infrastructure upgrades or targeted enforcement efforts.

a) Big holiday weekend, and most of y’all like us are not working this Friday.
b) It’s way hot.  Grab a popsickle.
c) We’re retooling and buffing the Bike Convoy to relaunch very soon.  Look for an announcement in the coming weeks.

If you need an excuse to ride your bike, it’s a much easier ride down to River Street to check out the fireworks display on Saturday, July 4 (and a much easier exit) if you go by bike.   See you there!

Come and revel with the gang in our underground lair at the Moon River Brewing Company at 21 W Bay. Social starts at 5:30, business at 6:30, and we won’t leave until we have elected the 2009-10 board, recounted our first year (perhaps in verse) and peered into the crystal ball bearings to see what the next year may bring.

Bring yourself! Bring a friend! Bring a check if you are inclined to join or renew your membership in our fine organization!  We will cap off the evening with a triumphant night ride down Bull Street.

Frank’s win again highlights the usefulness of the bike for short trips (this was a 4.2 mile race), and the hidden time in parking a car and walking to one’s destination, a very real addition of time for drivers especially in the downtown area. One thing not mentioned in the coverage (Mary Landers in SMN and the WJCL story) is that combining the first two modes — bike and bus — extends their range substantially, and presents another great option in our city where all the buses are equipped with bike racks.

Congratulations and thanks again to Frank!  Thanks to the City of Savannah and CAT for their help in promoting this event.

Casually we suggested to some folks at CAT and the City of Savannah that a cool event might be to have a race from door to door between a bicyclist, a transit rider and an automobilist.  They loved the idea, and so it’s on for next Thursday, June 18 as a component of the local celebration of the national Dump the Pump day from the American Public Transportation Association.  The race will begin around 8:30am and finish at City Hall by 9am with a press conference.

The ground rules:

1. Three will compete:  one is allowed use of CAT, one is allowed use of a bike, and one is allowed use of a car.
2. Race is door to door from the Twelve Oaks Shopping Center to City Hall, approximately 4.2 miles
3. All traffic rules (including the speed limit) must be followed.
4. Car and bike must be parked legally before the finish.

We all know a bike is the healthiest, least polluting and cheapest option, but could it be the fastest as well?  What do you think will happen?

…here comes pride up the backstretch.

Campaigners, come one and all for our annual business meeting on Tuesday, June 23.  Social begins at 5:30pm in our underground lair at Moon  River Brewing Company (21 W Bay St), and the business meeting will follow at 6:30.  We will elect the 2009-10 Board of Directors, and current paid members are eligible to serve and to vote (a great reminder to renew if you have not already).  We will also have a presentation of the year in review and a preview of the year to come.  We hope y’all can join us.

Please note that this represents a departure from our usual third Tuesday meeting schedule — this will be the fourth Tuesday, June 23.  As always, Moon River will let you bring your bike inside.

This is a co-hosted event of the Savannah Wheelmen and Coastal Bicycle Touring Club, two groups Jerry loved to ride with.  If you want a little extra, you can leave early with one of the following groups from town:

7:15 AM - Leave Habersham YMCA - David Udinsky will be leading
8:00 AM - Leave Gallery Espresso (pace of 20 mph needed to arrive on time)

Recycle Chatham has begun a petition that has already garnered 5,000 of the required 16,626 to place the measure on the ballot.  Though our organization is focused on bicycles, we see the value in this and our board has therefore endorsed the petition.  If  you live in Chatham County and are a registered voter, please take the (very short) time to go to the petition and make your voice heard in support of this measure.  Think of it this way:  your rides will then be free from all of those cars driving their recycling to the transfer stations!

If you missed Row Your Bike to Work Day (it was a bit of a gully washer, with lightning to boot on May 15), please join us this Friday, June 6 for our monthly group commute, the First Friday Bike Convoy.  Experienced riders will lead routes from Baldwin Park (Atlantic and 41st), Habersham Village, and Pierpont Circle in Gordonston into downtown.  The rides start at 8, and we’ll finish with coffee and some hanging out.

As for weather plans, check in at bicyclecampaign.org; for the latest — any call to cancel for weather will be made by 6:30am on the day of the ride.

Weather update:  It’s on like donkey kong.  Today’s ride will finish at Ex Libris, the SCAD bookstore on MLK near the Civic Center.  Inside is the local home of sponsor Jittery Joe’s who will again be treating participants to coffee this morning — enjoy!