Current status of mapped areas

NolaCycle has mapped a lot of New Orleans since we started in July 2008. Here's the newest image showing the areas we've collected data for. The section and labels relate to the dimensions and file name of the each map section volunteers have filled out. New Orleans south of I-610 and Florida Avenue, has been mapped with the exception of a few areas that were not completed due to rain or bike trouble (it's hard to map with a flat tire).

More events will be taking place in 2010 to map the rest of the 9th Ward, Lakeview, the greater Gentilly area, Algiers, and parts of Jefferson Parish and New Orleans East. As always, the more volunteers interested in mapping, organizing, and promoting, the more we can do.


As you can see when you look at our Bike Map website, not every map section has been added to the online map. We still need help from volunteers to get the data from the paper sheets (or the online scans) onto the website. This is really easy to do, and anyone with a computer and internet access can help. NolaCycle will be holding a couple "working session" where we gather together to enter data in January. If you'd like to help, keep an eye posted for events or e-mail us so we can explain the process and get you a login to enter data.

NolaCycle Events for this Thursday and Sunday

NolaCycle has two upcoming events where volunteers can get involved with creating the bicycle map of New Orleans.

Digital Map Working Session: Introducing the New Bike Map Website
This Thursday, 6-9pm, Loyola University's Monroe Library Multimedia Room 2
NolaCycle will be formally introducing the new data entry and bike map website to our volunteers. Everyone interested in helping with the data entry process is encourage to attend. NolaCycle will explain how to use the website, create data entry accounts for volunteers, and gather feedback on how to improve the site. Bring a laptop if you have one, or contact us to reserve a lender laptop. Free pizza (meat, vegetarian, and vegan options will be available) and soda will be provided.


View Larger Map

NolaCycle Bike Mapping Ride with HandsOn New Orleans
This Sunday, 10am-12:30pm, Parking lot of Bayou Oaks in City Park (1040 Filmore Ave)
With help from HandsOn New Orleans, NolaCycle will be mapping more of the city north of I-610. Everyone is welcome to come, and the more help the better. Volunteers need only to bring a bicycling and something to carry a clipboard in (like a bike basket or shoulder bag). We will be meeting in the parking lot of Bayou Oaks at 10am. Volunteers will work in pairs to map sections of the neighborhoods for suitability for cycling. We will be meet back at Bayou Oaks at between noon and 12:30 to return maps and materials. Volunteers are welcome to join organizers on a ride to the 9th Ward to catch up with the Super 9 Social Aid and Pleasure Club second line parade.


View NolaCycle Bike Mapping Ride - Sunday Dec. 20 in a larger map

Two Upcoming NolaCycle Events - December 17th and 20th

Mark your calendars - NolaCycle has two events in the next couple weeks. More details will be posted soon.

Mapping Meet-ups:
Sunday Dec. 20 - Fillmore, Milneburg, and Lakefront neighborhoods mapping ride with HandsOn New Orleans. 10am-12:30pm, meeting at the Bayou Oaks parking lot in City Park, 1040 Filmore Ave.

Planning & Design Meetings:
Thursday Dec. 17 - Digital working session to introduce the new data entry and bike map website! Please bring a laptop or let us know you need to borrow one. 6-9pm, Loyola University Monroe Library, multimedia room 2. Pizza and soda will be provided to volunteers!

Routes to and from Rome Park

Meet us at 10 am tommorrow! allow for 45 minutes travel time if you're unfamiliar with the route.

Call us if you need directions: Scott 504 237 0323


View NolaCycle Mapping Ride 11/22 in a larger map

TONIGHT - NOLA Bike Bash Opening Party & Goldsprints at Handsome Willy's

$2 to race per round, FREE to watch!

What are Goldsprints, you ask. Well check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldsprint for answers.

Here's a video from YouTube. We'll probably be racing one-on-one though.



Meet other guys and gals that like to put the fun between their legs as we kick-off a great weekend of bike fun in New Orleans. Come out to Handsome Willy’s and cheer on your friends that choose to race the Goldsprints. But what are Goldsprints, you say? Well, you know how way back in the 70’s, everyone had stationary bikes that turned into clothes hangers in the 80’s? Then everyone wanted to go spinning at the gym. Well, it’s kind of like that, except, with a big projection screen behind the stationary bike, and the faster you peddle, the faster the scene changes behind you. Oh, and to make it better, you’re competing with your friends lined up next to you, and you have screaming crowds cheering you on to victory. Sounds fun, doesn’t it. It is. We have drinks specials, too, just be careful drinking and racing.


View Larger Map

Detailed Bike Bash Schedule of Events

Here's the details on all the events happening this weekend.

FRIDAY:

Bike Bash Opening Party with GOLDSPRINTS @ HANDSOME WILLY’S
10pm-12am…218 s Robertson
$2 to race per round, FREE to watch! What are Goldsprints, you ask. Well check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldsprint for answers.
Meet other guys and gals that like to put the fun between their legs as we kick-off a great weekend of bike fun in New Orleans. Come out to Handsome Willy’s and cheer on your friends that choose to race the Goldsprints. But what are Goldsprints, you say? Well, you know how way back in the 70’s, everyone had stationary bikes that turned into clothes hangers in the 80’s? Then everyone wanted to go spinning at the gym. Well, it’s kind of like that, except, with a big projection screen behind the stationary bike, and the faster you peddle, the faster the scene changes behind you. Oh, and to make it better, you’re competing with your friends lined up next to you, and you have screaming crowds cheering you on to victory. Sounds fun, doesn’t it. It is. We have drinks specials, too, just be careful drinking and racing.

SATURDAY:

VIEUX CARRE RIDE
10am…esplanade and royal
FREE!!!
Participate in an awareness ride highlighting bicycle safety in the French Quarter. This ride will take you on a scenic tour of the historic Vieux Carre (French Quarter), while showing the importance of bike safety in shared spaces with motorized vehicles and pedestrians. Afterwards, the tour will continue north to RampART along North Rampart Street and then up the Lafitte Corridor, a planned greenway which will feature a trail from the French Quarter through Treme, Mid-City and ending at Canal Blvd. The ride will terminate halfway up the corridor where it intersects Bayou St. John, a natural inlet from Lake Pontchartrain, and also another established bike route the Jefferson davis and Wisner Trails) stretching from Uptown all the way to the lake: very much the future bicycle cross-roads in the middle of New Orleans.

N.O. BIKE POLO OPEN
10am-6pm…canal and villere
FREE to watch!
Come out and watch talented players from all over the world (literally) with impressive maneuvering skills battle it out in a 2 day tournament. Teams are flying in from all over to show off their skills during the N.O. Bike Polo Open. It’s tough, it’s rough, it’s gritty, and dirty. And it’s loads of fun. Want to participate? Go to www.nopolo.org.

BAYOU BBQ & VOLLEYBALL
12pm-2pm…moss and toulouse
FREE!!!
Ride your bike to end of Bayou St. John (near Lafitte) and enjoy some BBQ and volleyball. Mid-City Volleyball is a very active organization in helping get the Lafitte Corridor plan approved along with the Friends of Lafitte Corridor organization. So Mid-City Volleyball will be setting up volleyball nets for a nice social afternoon to be accompanied by some grilled foods provided by the Metro Bicycle Coalition (omnivores, carnivores, and herbivores are all welcome). This is a great opportunity to get off the bike, socialize with fellow enthusiasts, and refill with some much needed calories to finish your day on the bike.

BIKE RODEO 4 KIDS
1:30pm-4pm…n. tonti & gallier (RUBARB)
FREE!!!
Bike Rodeo for kids of all ages. Learn how to ride safely and be more predictable around motorists and pedestrians. You’ll learn about which way to ride down the street (with traffic or against), the way to signal when you’re making turns left and right, and a lot more. This is a great training for anyone unfamiliar with what the laws really say, and to help parents teach their children correctly, as well. We’ll have a prizes, too!!

VEER MOVIE SCREENINGS @ NOLA CANDLE FACTORY
Two showings @ 5pm & 8pm…4537 n robertson (Candle Factory)
$8
There is limited seating, so feel free to bring your own chair. Enjoy New Orleans’ first screening of Veer, the movie. Veer explores America’s fast-growing bicycling culture by profiling five people whose lives are inextricably tied to bicycling and the bike-centric social groups they belong to. The film follows these characters over the course of a year, offering a behind-the-scenes look at their personal struggles and triumphs. Veer examines what it means to be part of a community, and how social movements are formed.
Recognized as an official selection for the Lincoln Center New York Film Society Green Screens Series, Victoria Film Festival, Winner of Best Documentary at the Calgary Underground Film Festival, Nominated for Best Documentary at the San Joaquin International Film Festival, this screening should not be missed. Watch the trailer: http://www.veerthemovie.com/trailer.asp
There will also be beverages available for purchase and popcorn.

SUNDAY:

AUDUBON ZOO BIKE RIDE 4 KIDS (AND THEIR FAMILIES!)
8:30am-9:30am…6500 Magazine (Audubon Zoo)
$4 per bike (Children in Safety seats or pulled in bike trailers free)
Early morning bike-ride through the Audubon Zoo for children. Register ahead of time with Monica Pasos (mpasos@auduboninstitute.org ) at Audubon Zoo, so you can be one of the 50 bikes to ride through. The ride will last one hour, with several stops to see the animals along the way. This is a great opportunity to get into Audubon Zoo before it opens when it’s quiet, animals are out, and the crowds have not yet arrived. When the ride is over, you can go back to the zoo a little longer to sight-see some of the animals you missed, or browse the shops.

NOLACYCLE MAPPING RIDE IN PONTILLY
@ ROME PARK PLAYGROUND
10am-12pm…robert e lee and st roch
FREE!!!
Help complete NolaCycle’s mapping project while enjoying a ride in Pontilly. NolaCycle is a grassroots organization that recently joined forces with the Metro Bicycle Coalition. Led by Lauren Sullivan, the group has ridden all over New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to grade the roads of the city by width, quality, and speed of motor vehicles. You’ll be given a small quadrant map and a few markers so you and your team can graphically illustrate block-by-block what the conditions of the roads are from a cyclist’s perspective. When this data is completely collected, a GIS map will be created and distributed showing the best blocks to ride on, in order to inform a cyclist’s route across the city. What’s better is that Acorns of Hope, an organization set out to replant trees along coastal Louisiana after Hurricane Rita, will be making their annual bike ride to plant trees, and end up in New Orleans on this day to help with the mapping. We welcome our tree-planting-cousins from Southwest Louisiana, and are glad they can be here to help make New Orleans a more sustainable city. We’re especially excited that they’re biking the whole way here!

N.O. BIKE POLO OPEN
10am-6pm…canal and villere
FREE to watch!

BIKE DRAWING & RACK INSTALLATIONS & SPONSORSHIPS @ PO BOY FESTIVAL
11am-6pm…Oak St.
Where Ya’ Rack? is the latest Young Leadership Council project to come out of the Leadership Development Series in the fall of 2008. The purpose of the project is to have plentiful, safe and secure bike parking installed all over New Orleans. There will be a raffle for a bike at the Po Boy Festival, as well as information for individuals and businesses to learn how to sponsor one or more racks for installation, and tell us where it is you live, work, and play, so Where Ya’ Rack? can install racks where demand is greatest.

METRO BICYCLE COALITION BBQ @ N.O. BIKE POLO OPEN
12pm-2pm…canal and villere
FREE!!!
Chow on some BBQ while watching Bike Polo. This will be the end of the internationally attended New Orleans Bike Polo Tournament. Come by, have some food (again, all omnivores, carnivores, and herbivores are welcome), and see which teams come out on top.

BIKE BASH AFTER PARTY @ ALL-WAYS LOUNGE
9pm-?…2240 St. Claude
$8
Fund-raiser for Plan B at the All-Ways Lounge (formerly Cowpokes). Will have 3 bands and 2 DJ’s. More info forthcoming.

NolaCycle Mapping event this SUNDAY!!!!!!!!!!! Come out and map the streets!

On Sunday November 22nd, as part of the city-wide NOLA Bike Bash festival, NolaCycle will be organizing volunteers to map the greater Gentilly/Lakefront/Pontchartrain Park area. Riders will meet at Rome Park playground (at St. Roch and Robert E Lee) at 10am.

People of all ages and cycling experience are encouraged to attend. Riders will be given a map to record information on road conditions that will take approximately one hour to complete. Since we survey conditions block-by-block, NolaCycle rides are slow paced and relaxed. Even middle school children have helped out! Acorns of Hope, a group riding across southern Louisiana replanting trees, will be joining us along with a number of Metro Bicycle Coalition members.

Volunteers need to only bring a bicycle (actually, skateboards work well too) and something to carry a clipboard with such as a basket or messenger bag. NolaCycle organizers will explain the process, assign areas to pairs of riders to map, and hand about materials. The mapping event will end at noon at the parking lot on Canal and Villere for the FREE Metro Bicycle Coalition BBQ and the N.O. Bike Polo Tournament. Riders who don’t want to join us for the lunch can return materials to NolaCycle organizers at Rome Park by 11:45am.

The more people who attend, the more data we can collect, and the closer we get to completing the first comprehensive, city-wide bike map of New Orleans! Hope to see you Sunday!

The Bike Bash is Almost Here!!!!!

It's going to be awesome. Check out all the details on MBC's Bike Bash website.

NolaCycle's event is going to be on Sunday from 10am-noon. We're going to do a mapping ride like that ones we were doing last summer until this spring, but we're taking it above I-610 this time! Bring your bike, friends, and a basket or bag to carry a clip board and meet us at Rome Park. After the mapping ride, we'll go down to the BBQ at the Bike Polo Tournament.


View Larger Map

Digital Working Session Wednesday Nov 4

On Wed Nov 4th, NolaCycle will be holding another working session to digitize the NolaCycle data.

We're building a database of our raw data (on the map sheets volunteers filled out) that can be used to GIS and online mapping programs. Bring a laptop with Excel and a PDF reader program. There will be some laptops available for those who don't have one. Please let Scott or Lauren know if you need a computer to borrow.

We're meeting at Flora's at Franklin and Royal in the Marigny. We'll be working from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Flora's serves food and coffee drinks. If you haven't helped with digitizing before, please come at 6:30 so we'll have plenty of time to explain the process and answer questions.

Digital map working session tomorrow Oct 27th

If you have two free hours tomorrow evening, swing by my place (e-mail for directions) at 7:30pm to help build the data base for the digital map. We need LOTS of help on this since it's a very time consuming process. Please bring a laptop with Excel.

I'll make some of my specialty vegan chocolate cookies for volunteers (and yes, they are seriously just as good as non-vegan cookies. If you don't believe me, then come tomorrow and taste for yourself).

Plan B Bike Co-op is hosting a Halloween-themed Bike-In movie this Sunday

Straight from Plan B:

BEETLEJUICE!!! Sunday Night. Plan B Bike-In Movie, Halloween Edition. Bugs Bunny Cartoons, It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown!, A Garfield Halloween. Cartoons start at 7:30 sharp, Movie after! Bake sale! Popcorn! Beer! Fall Drank treat! Only 2... DOLLARZ!!! Behind the Mardi Gras Zone. Repost if you love us!!!

Movies are screened on Architect's Alley (behind Mardia Gras Zone) in the Marigny.


View Larger Map

Pizza will be provided for volunteers this Sunday

If you enter data, we'll feed you pizza!!! After we finished at 6pm, we'll have some pizza delivered to Loyola for all our wonderful volunteers.

Let us know if you're vegan or have a gluten allergy so we can order something you can enjoy.

Digital Working Session THIS SUNDAY

If you'd like to help NolaCycle build this digtal database of street conditions (which will be used to make shapefiles of conditions and recommended bike routes), please come to Monroe Library at Loyola University this Sunday from 3 to 6pm. We'll be meeting in Multimedia Room 2 (MM-2).

You don't need a lot of computer knowledge to help with data entry. All we will be doing is putting information from the maps we filled out during mapping events into an Excel database. So if you can type, you can help! Bring a laptop if you have one, but some extra computers will be made available.

This is a map of Loyola's campus. The library is located in the middle of campus next to the Danna Student Life Center. E-mail Lauren if you have questions.

Loyola University Police Bike Auction October 1st - this Thursday!

Ever wonder what happens to all those bikes left behind at the end of each quarter? They end up being auctioned off by the university police department a couple times a year. This is a great opportunity to get a cheap "fixer-upper" that might have been abandoned because of a broken wheel or stolen seat.

Here's the official 411:

University Police will hold a bike auction on Thursday, October 1, 2009 beginning at 5:00 p.m. on the 4th floor of the Freret Street garage. Viewing of the bicycles will take place from 4:30p.m. until auction time. Bid opening will range between $20.00 and $50.00 depending on the condition of the bicycle. All bikes will be sold in an AS IS CONDITION and ALL SALES ARE FINAL. Checks will only be accepted from Loyola University community members. All other must pay CASH. Bikes must be removed immediately upon purchase.

N.O. Bike Polo Open

Check out New Orleans Hardcourt Bike Polo for more information as the date nears.

Mark your calendars - the first annual NOLA Bike Bash will be held November 20-22

The Metro Bike Coalition and N.O. Polo are planning the first annual NOLA Bike Bash for November 20-22. Events will be held around the city, including a polo tournament, group rides, repair clinics, film screenings, a BBQ, and a NolaCycle mapping event. More info to come soon!

NolaCycle Update, aka "What the heck have you been up to, Lauren?"

It's been a crazy and fast summer for me. As you probably gathered, I graduated from college and now I'm living in New Orleans permanently. I'm also working full-time for a non-profit organization. Add all that on top of a personal life, and things get pretty busy!

A quick run down of what's on the table for NolaCycle right now:
1 - Digitizing the NolaCycle data. We have a database! A database that needs information added to it... John DeFraites put together a database file we can add information to segment by segment. I'll be dividing up raw data maps this week and giving those to volunteers to start adding that info into the Excel file. Once everything is added, that can be turned into GIS shapefiles and KML shapefiles (for use with internet-based programs like Google Maps). If you're interested in helping with adding data, let me know. I have a list of about 10 or so people, but the more we have, the less time it will take.
2 - Fall mapping events. Soon we will be holding NolaCycle mapping meet-ups again! Gentilly, Lakeview, Algiers, and other areas of Orleans Parish that we're mapped last year will be mapped this fall and winter. That includes all areas of the East Bank north of I-610/Florida Ave (We mapped all of the southern half of the East Bank already). We did Algiers Point, but would like to continue the map further south. If some brave souls want to map Eastern New Orleans, that would be wonderful. Since I'm working full-time, I won't be able to head up as many mapping meet-ups as I used to. NolaCycle is going to need volunteers to help with this because Dan, Tom, and I cannot do it alone right now. If you want to help organize events in your neighborhood, e-mail Lauren (at) nolacycle.com and I'll help you get started. ***If you're in Jefferson or St. Bernard Parish, we'd really like for you to get involved and organize mapping events!***

Okay....that's it for now. I'll update more later.

St. Charles Ave and Harrison Ave getting new bike lanes

New Submerged Roads projects are starting every month or so at this point and 2 of the projects currently underway have received a fair amount of attention, St. Charles Avenue and Harrison Avenue. In addition to the resurfacing of these roads, both will have bike lanes as part of the final lane configuration.

The St. Charles Ave bike lanes will go for 1.4 miles between Carrollton and Nashville Avenues and will should see heavy use as St. Charles is already a popular route for cyclists. The Harrison Ave bike lanes will go for about 1 mile from West End Blvd to the Orleans Ave Canal. There will also be new bike lanes along Harrison through City Park between Marconi and Wisner Boulevards.

There are some quotes from Robert Mendoza in the article that are hopefully a positive sign that future road projects will continue to address bicycle and pedestrian needs.

For more details on the projects, read the Nola.com articles on St. Charles Ave and Harrison Ave.

Promote safe biking, walking

Check out today's Metro section of the Times Pic, for a letter to the editor from John Renne, President of the Metro Bicycle Coalition, regarding there recent passage of the Colin Goodier Bicycle Protection Act. This is in response to Monday's Times Pic story about the governor signing the bill into law.

Re: "Jindal signs bills for expanded seat belt use, bicycle safety," Page A2, June 29.

Our legislators and governor should be commended for supporting safety on our streets. The recent passage of the Colin Goodier Protection Act, which will require motorists to maintain a safe distance of at least 3 feet from bicyclists while passing, is sure to reduce crashes and save lives. The measure also protects bicycles from harassment by motorists and acknowledges our right to share the road.

While it is great to see our politicians supporting bicycling this year in the Legislature, we still have a long way to go toward making it safer on the streets of New Orleans. The Metro Bicycle Coalition has been working for safer streets, including more bike lanes, bike parking and overall awareness.

We envision a European-like city that will continue to attract families and young professionals. The next mayor should take cues from Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York to make walking and biking a centerpiece of their strategy to revitalize this great city.

John Renne
President
Metro Bicycle Coalition
New Orleans

Governor Jindal signs 3 foot passing law

Governor Jindal signed the Colin Goodier Bicycle Protection Bill this afternoon. The law requires motorists to provide 3 feet of clearance when passing a cyclist on Louisiana's roadways as well as outlawing the harassment of cyclists. The law goes into effect on August 15, 2009. If you're interested in reading the exact language, check out this link or search for HB 725 at the Louisiana Legislature's website (www.legis.state.la.us).

Graphics & Digitizing Meeting July 1st

If you're interested in helping with the graphics, design, data entry, and digital outputs (GIS, GPS, iPhone apps, interactive online maps, etc., etc.), then come to the graphics/digitizing meeting Wednesday July 1st at 7pm. Please e-mail lauren@nolacycle.com for details about the meeting and where it will be held.

Goodier Bike Protection Bill Passes Senate

Shortly before 12:30 today, the Louisiana Senate voted unanimously to pass the Colin Goodier Bike Protection Bill (HB 725). According to the Louisiana Legislature's website, the bill has returned to the House without amendments from the Senate.

We'll update you all later today on the the final steps before the bill heads to Governor Jindal for his signature. Also check back for an update on the Complete Streets Study Resolution (SCR 110).

The NolaCycle Project wins the Director's Choice Award for DAAPworks!

The NolaCycle Bike Map Project won the Director's Choice Award for urban planning at DAAPworks this year!

It really blows me away how blown away people at school have been by the project.

Honestly, what is NolaCycle?

NolaCycle is just taking an idea and running with it. It is networking, coordinating, and data collecting. It is not anything so complicated that a dedicated group of advocates couldn't replicate.

NolaCycle is looking at an urban issue in reverse. Instead of planning and then acting, NolaCycle is acting then planning, using what was learned to formulate goals and strategies for the future.

Learning by doing - that is what NolaCycle is.

So what is so special about?

NolaCycle lets us discover our city. It uncovers hidden assets (good roads in the mix of potholes) and devises ways to use those assets.

NolaCycle is building community, or rather uniting community, through data collection. It doesn't sound sexy, but it works. By making data collection a social event, NolaCycle is making something technical into something social. We are connecting by building our understanding of under-used resources and hidden assets. We are connecting by developing plans to use those resources and assets.

And, finally, NolaCycle is building a model that can be used for other urban issues. It is a mindset, a framework, and a strategy for building community and building knowledge.


"Out of all the undergraduate senior problem projects, from all the different cities and towns around America, yours is the only one that really makes me want to live there."

Loyola University Police Bike Auction June 10th

LOYOLA'S UNIVERSITY POLICE BIKE AUCTION

University Police will hold a bike auction on Wednesday, June 10,
2009 beginning at 5:00 p.m. on the 4th floor of the Freret Street
garage. Viewing of the bicycles will take place from 4:30p.m. until
auction time. Bid opening will range between $20.00 and $50.00
depending on the condition of the bicycle. All bikes will be sold in an
AS IS CONDITION and ALL SALES ARE FINAL. Checks will only be accepted
from Loyola University community members. All other must pay CASH.
Bikes must be removed immediately upon purchase.

NolaCycle featured in this week's Gambit Weekly - go pick one up!

NolaCycle has been featured in the Gambit Weekly as the COVER STORY!!!!!!! (see image above - that's the cover of the Gambit this week!)

Go to your local coffee shop, locally-owned business, bookstore - where ever the Gambit can be found - and check out the story on NolaCycle, plus the other cycling-related stories.

Here are the links to this week's cycling features:

Chain Gang: A citywide bicycle map nears completion after a year in the making

Share the Road: Being discourteous to cyclists is a form of bullying

Spin Doctors: Bike co-ops get cyclists in touch with their inner mechanic

Wish you had a 36"x48" poster of the NolaCycle project for your wall? Dream no more - the poster is DONE!!!

One part of the "things I need to do before U.C. will let me go" is COMPLETE and will be printing off tomorrow afternoon.

My poster for NolaCycle can be seen in full-size and full-color on the 5000 level of DAAP (College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning) on the "wooden floor" (by the fancy glassed-in gallery, across the way from the library and college office) all next week. The opening reception for DAAPworks (our college-wide senior show) is Tuesday evening from 5 to 9pm. You can check out not just the world-changing, super exciting planning projects, but also paintings, photographs, sculptures, models, clothing, and posters from all the other programs.

I hear there will be free food...maybe booze? I bet the School of Design will have booze in their gallery. I'll meet you there! Its always better to tell people all about New Orleans when you're buzzed.

In you're not living in exile in Ohio like I am, you can download a small PDF of the poster. It sums up the project in about 2000 words and has pretty pictures - you might even be in one of my pretty pictures! Jade, Andy, Liz, Amanda and Tom are, along with a handful of others. The poster is much more enjoyable to read than my almost 100 page capstone paper. Who knew you could write damn near 70 pages about cycling in New Orleans? (I filled those other 30 pages with maps, pictures, and newspaper clippings - which is NOT cheating because formatting graphics is hard work).


NolaCycle Bike Map Project by Lauren Rae Sullivan is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

One step close to the Colin Goodier Protection Act (aka Louisiana 3ft Law) becoming law!

The Senate Transportation Committee approved the Colin Goodier Protection Act!!!! It will now be sent to the floor to be debated and voted on.

....as always, ignore all the ignorant "public" comments that have been posted about the article.

From Nola.com - "Senate committee approves bill to make roads safer for bicyclists"

BATON ROUGE-- A Senate committee stood up for bicyclists Thursday, giving unanimous approval to a bill that would enhance their safety on the road and make it a misdemeanor offense for occupants of cars or truck to throw objects at the cyclists.

The Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works approved House Bill 725 by Rep. Michael Jackson, I-Baton Rouge, sending it to its final legislative stop on the Senate floor.

If the bill becomes law, it will be known as "Colin Goodier Protection Act," after a New Orleans native and avid cyclist who was a fourth-year resident surgeon at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. He died last summer in Iberville Parish while training for a triathlon when his bike was struck from behind by a truck on River Road.

Jackson's bill says that a vehicle must leave a "safe distance" of at least three feet when passing a bicycle on the road, and must maintain the distance until the vehicle safely passes.

The bill also directs the Office of Motor Vehicles to include a summary of the new law in driving manuals and other "instructional publications" for drivers, and requires the state Department of Transportation and Development to "place signs in areas frequently used by bicyclists. . .to make motorists aware of the need to share the road." It also directs the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission to engage in a public awareness campaign."

Violations carry a fine of not more than $250, but for motorists who are occupants of vehicles and "harass, taunt or maliciously throw objects at or in the direction of any person riding a bicycle," Jackson's bill says the fine is a minimum of $200 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days."

"Hopefully, we will save somebody's life," Jackson said.

Goodier's mother, Nicette Goodier, testified that since the House passed the bill two weeks ago, one cyclist has been seriously injured by a vehicle and another killed. The accidents happened in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, she said.

Goodier said that 14 states already have laws that set up safe zones for cyclists and at least five others besides Louisiana are debating ones this year.

"Let's legislate awareness now," she said, struggling to keep her composure. She said Louisiana ranks third per capita in bike fatalities.

-Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune

New draft map of NolaCycle data

Here's a new draft map of the NolaCycle data. It's just for a small area because we're planning on taking a different approach to digitizing the data than originally planned. I'll post the information on some upcoming digitizing/graphics meetings for July later in the month. If you're into computer programming or GIS, then those will be the meetings for you!

In the mean time, check this map out. From this map you can design your own custom routes. NolaCycle will be doing some recommended routes as well (likely will have a "data map" and a "route map" when it's all said and done), but I didn't feel comfortable drawing up recommended routes without being able to double-check them physically before posting them online. If you see any errors with the data on this map, leave a comment or e-mail me so I can make the corrections.


This work by NolaCycle Bike Map Project is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.

Violent attack on a cyclist reported on Chef Menteur yesterday

I posted a couple of days ago about a vehicular homicide in Eastern New Orleans that resulted in the loose of Ruben J. Soria. Just yesterday another man on a bike became a victim of violent crime. This post showed up in my google alerts today. I don't usually read the New Orleans Murder Blog, but the author does usually report on all the violent attacks of the day that the news sometimes leaves out. The blog doesn't post anything about the victim or their condition, but we hope that he recovers quickly.

I wanted to call this to everyone's attention so you all can be on alert. I don't have any more details on the incident, but if something shows up in the news with a description of the vehicle or license number, I'll be sure to post that. Not sure if this was an attempted theft or personal attack. If this was an attempted theft, please be careful and be alert if anyone approaches you accusing you of riding their "stolen bike."

From The New Orleans Murder Blog

"3) 6900 block of Chef Menteur. On 06-02-09 at 1230pm, the victim was approached by a male who told him the bike he was riding looked like their bike. The victim rode away. The victim noticed the two men following in a car. The victim turned north on Chantilly and heard several gunshots which struck him in the arm and chest. NO East, Shooting"

NolaCycle is now part of the Streetsblog.net National Blog Network!

We're moving on up in the world, kids! Check out the Steetblogs.net National Blog Network for transportation-related blogs from around the nation. There is now a little dot over New Orleans on their map :)

Beach Alley Cat? Um....yes please! Thank you Pensacola Alley for giving me a reason to go on vacation!

Anything I might have been planning to organize with NolaCycle for the weekend of the 10th will be delayed. I'm going on vacation! Thank you, Pensacola, for giving me a totally awesome way to spend the weekend before I start work.

There will probably be a good group of New Orleans people going to Pensacola that weekend. Usually a handful of the N.O. Bike Polo folks go to these events and I have a 3-bike truck rack, so I'm sure you can figure out a way to get there if you don't have a car. The New Orleans Bike Forum is a good way to keep up with what's going on regionally (Memphis, Baton Rouge, Pensacola, etc.), but make sure to put in your name and location and such when you join because they've been getting a lot of spambots making profiles. The moderators had to start requiring approval of members to cut down on this.

See you on the beach!

Keep an eye out for the June 7th edition of the Gambit Weekly

Not this coming week's Gambit, but the following week's edition is going to have a special section on cycling in New Orleans, so make sure to grab one early! I'll post the links to the stories when they come out so you can check them out online too.

Also, we're one hit away from being viewed on 5300 computers (the counter goes by IP addresses, not hits). That's pretty awesome when you think that NolaCycle only started a little less than a year ago and the maps aren't even completed yet. Thanks everyone who's checked us out on here!

I'm really excited about getting back in town (just a little more than 3 weeks away!) so NolaCycle can get the ball rolling on digital outputs for the data and finish up the PDF map. If you want to get on the "digitizing and graphics" team, shoot me an e-mail and I'll put you on that mailing list. Tom and I will be organizing meetings at the end of June or early July, so get on the list so we can work with you to set up meeting times that fit your schedule.

Also, there are lots of updates about the project and all types of kinda interesting research (if you're into planning and public policy you'll find it interesting) I did for my capstone that I'll be posting online after June 9th (only 10 more days until I present the project to my professors....kinda scary). I won't be posting the entire document until later in June though because I'll likely make some more edits after I get feedback from my adviser.

Photo Essay: 20 of the Freakiest Custom Bikes on the Road

I thought this was pretty awesome. Eira sent this my way so she could convince me we really need to build this shopping cart bike (or something similar, since who knows what we'll find in the scrap pile at Plan B).

Photo Essay: 20 of the Freakiest Custom Bikes on the Road



Posted using ShareThis

Bike Commuting video - one of the many fun things that show up in my google e-mail alerts

Joey Brooks has put together some videos of cycling in New Orleans. I really like this one because it reminds me how much I love high-speed bike rides through the French Quarter and Downtown. I'm getting new cranksets for both of my bikes (hopefully really soon) so I'm looking forward to the insanity of riding on Decatur and Canal during the holidays zooming around cars and confused tourists. Oh, opps, did I say I weave around cars? I meant I love traveling at the same speed as everyone else and following every single traffic law.



Anyway, who the heck is Joey following in this video? I can't figure it out and it's really irritating me because it's probably someone I know and I thought I could recognize almost all of the fixie kids by their bikes and back of their heads.

Also, if you haven't watched the NO Bike Race Alley Cat videos, these are awesome too. They feature almost all of my favorite New Orleans cyclists, so that's an extra bonus when I'm feeling homesick because I'm stuck in Ohio writing a freakin' 80 page paper about biking in New Orleans.

Louisiana Bicycle Festival - June 20th in Abita Springs

Shoot, this is happening the day I'm supposed to leave Ohio (4eva!!!). Maybe I should talk my brother into driving down to Louisiana with me a day earlier.

Anyway....June 20th is the Louisiana Bicycle Festival in Abita Springs (Northshore). I didn't go last year for some reason I can't remember, but I've heard its a good time. The festival includes a parade and bicycle show (see "competition" below). There will be a lot of vintage bikes for sale as well, so bring your cash money. It runs from 10am to 4pm. And since you're in Abita Springs already, you can use that opportunity to visit the Abita Brew Pub - one of my favorite places on the Northshore. That still gives you time to go to my # 1 favorite Northshore location - Fontainbleau State Park. Man, maybe I really should come back to Louisiana early....

Here's what you need to know about the Louisiana Bicycle Festival

Competition: Bring some bikes and your may win a prize. Prizes may be awarded in a variety of categories: Original Pre 1940; Original 1940 - 1960; Original Post 1960; Restored Pre 1940; Restored 1940 - 1960; Restored Post 1960; Custom; Decorated; Novelty; Art from Bikes or Bike Parts; and Best in Show - judging is very unorthodox - judges may be bribed (this is Louisiana) and categories may be created and deleted as the judges mingle with participants.

Past prizes have included new bikes: a new 3G bicycle, a Huffy, a Schwin, bicycle books, posters, tee shirts, bike memorabilia, certificates suitable for framing, and fantastic bragging rights!

Schedule: 10:00am - The festival officially starts at 10am. Most bicycle enthusiasts arrive on the festival grounds hours before. Many "deals" are made before 10am.
12:30pm - The parade takes shape
2:00pm - The ballots are collected and counted
2:30pm - The awards and prizes are announced.
4:00pm - The festival is officially over, however some participants who came from out of state may have already left to return home, and some participants will stay a few more hours, enjoying the fellowship with the remaining bikes and local beverages

Website:
http://www.labicyclefestival.com/

Need more information? Contact John Preble of the UCM Museum, http://ucmmuseum.com or john@seelouisiana.com

"The New Orleans Bicycle Book" - Only took me like 9 months to find this...

So I finally found the name of that infamous "awesome book about biking in New Orleans that was written in the 70s or 80s." All the people I've talked to about NolaCycle who are over 40 kept telling me "you should really find that book. I can't remember the name or the author though..." Well, I ordered a copy of it today for $8.50 off ebay from some book seller out of Missouri (good things do come out of the Mid-West sometimes). I'm super pumped to get this book in the mail. You can few a little bit of the content online, but only a few pages work. I'm also trying to contact the author, Louis Alvarez (the e-mail address on there doesn't work). If you know how I can get a hold of him, help me out!

Once I get this book, feel free "borrow it" aka, come over to my house and read it. For how rare it is, I don't think I want to risk loosing.

Cyclist killed last night in New Orleans East in a hit and run

From nola.com:

"Ruben J. Soria, 56, died immediately after a motorist struck him as he pedaled a bike in the 12000 block of Chef Menteur Highway near Paris Road, coroner's chief investigator John Gagliano said Tuesday.

The car didn't stop after striking Soria, police said, and authorities are still looking for the motorist that killed him."

Bicyclist killed in hit and run in eastern New Orleans

This is really terrible, and not the only only hit-and-run that has happened lately. RIP, Ruben Soria. My condolences go out to his family and friends. Hopefully the police are able to figure out who is responsible and bring him or her to justice.

The rest of the details of this incident have not been released yet as the investigation is on-going. If you have any information on this murder, please call Crimestoppers at 504.822.1111 or toll-free at 1.877.903.7867.

If you haven't been out to New Orleans East, it is by far one of the least bike-friendly parts of the city. The roads there are much more suburban in character and route choices to get from one part of the East to the other are extremely limited. Despite how unfavorable it is for cycling, if he was coming or going from Village de L'Est or NASA, Chef Menteur might have been his only option for a route. New Orleans needs to make bicycle improvements a priority throughout the city, including areas outside the core such as the East. The lives of people who live and work in those communities depend upon it.

NolaCycle now has a Flickr photostream

Pictures from mapping events, local rides, and also examples of road conditions around the city.

Feel free to use the photos for your website, school report, or presentation - just make sure to give credit to the photographers. And don't make money off of them unless you're giving that money back to us - we could use it.

Check out Andy Menking's Local Food Map with bike routes!

Mapping volunteer Andy Menking has used the NolaCycle date to create a bike route map in GIS connecting local food sources (farmers markets, community gardens, and a couple produce stores) to one-another (because sometimes you have to go Hollygrove and Crescent City to find all the ingredients for your weekend feast) and to the East Bank neighborhoods.

I'm really excited that our data set has been put into use even before our map is done!

NolaCycle will be working with Andy's help to build off this map to create a "Bike to the Market" map for the Crescent City Farmers market this summer. Keep posted and look for it around later July or August!

Cheap bicycle rentals has finally come to New Orleans

Zac from NolaBikes (mobile bike repairs) is expanding his business and is now offering bikes for rent for only $10 a day. So now all of you can stop e-mailing me about where to rent a bike really cheap because you can just call Zac now instead! Problem solved!

Also, all of you who don't have a bike for the Bicycle Second Line this Saturday can rent one from Zac and still come out for the fun!

From Zac:

Tired of walking? Only $10 a day.

Come by the place right off broadway to select the right bike for your or call and have one dropped off to you anywhere- free deliveries to Audubon Park.

Use your credit card to avoid a cash deposit.

Absolutely the simplest and most convenient way to rent a bike.

If interested please call,

Thanks,

Zac
917.517.6291
www.nolabikes.com
^^

specializing in mobile repairs for the uptown/campus area.

Annnual Bike Removal at Tulane happening May 19-20 - DON'T LEAVE YOUR BIKE ON CAMPUS THOSE NIGHTS

Get your bike off campus after commencement, unless you want the TUPD to take it off your hands. I'm not sure if UNO, Loyola, Dillard, or Xavier do anything similar, but you might want to check just to be sure.

From Tulane (via a friend's e-mail):

Annually, following Commencement, police officers on the uptown campus remove bicycles locked to fixed objects (bicycle racks, handrails, trees, etc.). Abandoned bicycles take up valuable space on campus bicycle racks, and they tend to attract an unsavory element to campus. This year, bicycle removal will occur over a two-night period, May 19-20. Removal is accomplished between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Faculty, staff and students commuting to campus by bicycle should not allow their bicycle to remain on campus during the dates and times designated for removal. Students residing in uptown residence halls will be allowed to secure their bicycles in their residence hall rooms during the dates and times noted for removal.

Tulane University Police Department

Bicycle Second Line

The Metro Bicycle Coalition will be hosting New Orleans' Inaugural Bicycle Second Line on Saturday, May 9. The event will start at 10:30am from Washington Square Park (Frenchmen & Royal).

Stops along the way include:

• Global Green, to see sustainable affordable housing in Holy Cross
• Lafitte Corridor to hear about the progress of the Greenway, and
• City Park for an after party

For more info got to www.mbcnola.org

Where are these international NolaCycle.com visitors coming from?

So I've noticed in the last couple of days there have been a lot of visitors from Europe and some from South America on my blog. The "FEEDJIT" blog traffic widget I had on there didn't tell me where you all were coming from (as in what website you visited before you visited here) because I thought that was a little silly and stalkerish, but now I'm curious. I mean, shoot, my project isn't even done yet! I should be working on the map right now, but instead I'm being a lazy before I have to drive 4 hours to Detroit to pick up a sweeeet mountain bike (I'll post pictures when I bring it home! Pictures of me tearin' the horse trails at Mom & Dad's).

So I upgraded to the fancier FEEDJIT blog traffic widget that will tell me what hip Europian bike blog is leading you to me. I think I'll e-mail that blog author a virtual high-five for promoting my project!

Anyway, I'm really super super flattered that people around the world have now heard about NolaCycle!!!! A couple of month's a ago a coworker told me he overheard someone mention my project at a wedding reception in Houston. I thought that was really awesome. I mean, Houston, shoot, that's like 5 hours from New Orleans! But France, Peru, Sweden - that's a way bigger deal than Texas (sorry Texas, but you're really not exotic). Keep those international visits coming!

And if you're planning a trip to New Orleans and were hoping my map was finished, you can still e-mail any of the team members - Lauren@nolacycle.com, Dan@nolacycle.com, Tom@nolacycle.com - and ask us for advice on getting around by bike.

Bicycle Rolling Stop Animation - Idaho Stop Law

Check out Urban Velo's post about a new proposed bike law in Oregon based on a law that now exists in Idaho. It allows cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs, so they don't have to loose momentum by coming to a complete stop when the intersection is clear. But it does continue to make "flying through a stop sign" illegal and increases the fine.

In New Orleans, I'm pretty sure 95% of us already treat stop signs as yield signs, but there are a good 5% or so percent that don't stop or yield - they just fly right through causing dangerous situations for themselves, drivers, and pedestrians. Perhaps legalizing rolling stops for cyclists and taking on a strong public advertising campaign to explain the law would help with the situation. Apparently, the rolling stop law has worked really well in Idaho and the state overall has a very good bike safety record.

Bicycle Rolling Stop Animation - Idaho Stop Law


Bicycles, Rolling Stops, and the Idaho Stop from Spencer Boomhower on Vimeo.

Tour de Lis ride raise money for cancer research/support - Saturday on the Lakefront

This Saturday, April 18th, the Tour de Lis ride is taking place on the New Orleans lakefront. If you haven't heard about this ride before, it happens every year and is open to cyclists of all ages and ability levels. It's not a race, but ride to raise money and awareness. Last year they raised $165,000 that went to organizations helping cancer victims and their families with treatment, fiancial assistance, support, education, and research.

Pre-registration closed today at 1 (sorry I didn't post this sooner), but if you show up before the ride on Saturday, you can donate $50 to participate. Ride begins at 8 am and ends at noon.

Event Features

• A ten-mile loop on picturesque New Orleans Lakeshore Drive
• Police support
• Food, snacks and beverages
• Free bike support
• Goody bags for riders
• A New Orleans party atmosphere
• Fundraising awards

Ride one loop, one hour, or the whole day-- solo or on a team! Individual and team participation is encouraged as participants can ride the entire time, part of the time or recruit and have a team relay. It’s a ride for a cause – not a race.

Please Note:

• No minimum fundraising required.
• All donations are greatly appreciated.
• All cyclists must be at least 12 years of age
• All cyclists must wear a bike helmet
• Baby seats and child carriers attached to bikes are not permitted
• Tour de Lis begins and ends at 8000 Lakeshore Drive near Landry's Restaurant

New Metro Bike Coalition Website - I'm super late updating our link!

If you haven't checked it out yet, Metro Bike Coalition has a new website with a new website address - http://www.mbcnola.org

It's all pretty, shiny, and new! Check it out and update your links/bookmarks!

Transport for NOLA - new transit advocacy group getting started in New Orleans

Straight from my e-mail inbox to your computer screen - It's finally happening! People have come together to make a multi-modal transportation advocacy group for New Orleans! We're talking bikes, buses, light rail, streetcars, pedestrians, unicycles, hovercrafts, mules & horses (alright, maybe not too many horses because biking through poo is no fun).

But seriously, folks, Transportation Alternative in NYC has made a huge impact on improving mass transit and bicycle and pedestrian amenities and advocating for the people of the city who decide not to drive. Transport NOLA is bringing that multi-modal, "we're all in this together," model of advocacy to New Orleans. Transport NOLA is starting their campaign by focusing on rail improvements, especially pushing for a light rail system that will serve the entire city and just not a handful of neighborhoods like our current streetcar system. Check out the "Where" section and you'll see where bike and pedestrian facilities come into play too. (I'm not too crazy about this "bike lane in the middle of streetcar tracks" idea in the Tulane Station model, but maybe with modern streetcars, you and do it up so wheels don't get caught. I'll look into this and make sure a bunch of poorly designed bike lanes don't end up all over the city.)

I knew this was brewin', but I was really surprised to see how quickly this has come together. The website looks great and they already have some concept designs online!

The kick-off event is THIS FRIDAY at the Rusty Nail (1100 Constance St in the Warehouse District a few blocks south of Lee Circle) from 6-9 pm.

I, of course, will not be there due to this "you have to be in Cincinnati to take classes"/"you're too close to graduation to transfer" situation, but you should really go and get involved. This will be an excellent opportunity to create a forum in which all of us (advocates and users are various non-personal motor vehicle transportation modes) can come together, and work together, to improve the city and region.

Some bike questions for my reading audience

So I'm back in Ohio for 3 months, but I'm pleasantly surprised (and a little bit worried too) to find that almost all of my friends are in Cincinnati right now too. Anyone from the Rust Belt knows this rarely happens since everyone (including myself) is always trying to run as far away as possible, but thanks to the shitty economy and everyone trying to actually graduate this spring, about 90% of the people I've been hanging out with since I was 17 are back in town. For better or worse, though, I'm sitting in my childhood home on my parents farm 40 miles from campus because I'm cheap and I didn't want to pay rent or have to buy groceries and I only need to be at school two days a week.

On the "for the better" side of this, I actually have money right now. And I also have a real job lined up in New Orleans starting in July (I thought I'd reassure you all that I'll be back soon and not leaving for more than a week or two ever again!). That leads me to why I'm posting this - I need some more bikes. I only have one bike, the lovely champagne-colored Nishiki mixte you've probably seen me riding around on. I love that bike and I would U-lock the hell out of anyone who ever tried to steal it (keep that in mind encase you were considering that), but it's not that fast and I can't take it off-road.

I'm thinking of getting some type of cyclocross bike to fix that problem. There are a number of single-speed cyclocross bikes out there and Surly makes the Crosscheck frame that can be easily set up with a single-speed of flip-flop hub. I'd have to build that baby from the ground up though, and while I'm up for the challenge, I'm wondering if it is really cheaper than buying a complete bike. I've been scooping out the Specialized Tricross Singlecross but I've heard mixed reviews about alumnimum frames and carbon forks. Whenever I go to the bike shop in Oakley, I usually drool over the Salsa Casseroll Single which is really flexible in how the wheels/tires are set up and is made with CroMoly which I've been riding on for years now and have been happy with. These is also the Bianchi San Jose which I haven't seen at any bike stores but heard good things in online forums. I'm not exactly sure what else is out there in the under $900 price range.

A lot of the fixed-gear and single speed road bikes on the market are automatically ruled out because of their standover height. The max standover I can do with something with a straight top-tube is 28.5." 27.5" or 28" would be ideal. Most of those bikes are at 29" or more for the smallest size available. Discrimination against girls and short dudes if you ask me. I think I need to send some angry letters to Surly because the 49 cm Steamroller is too big for me! I can ride 49's in other brands like Specialized, but the 49 Surlys are way too big. The Crosscreck comes in a 42 and 46, so that'll work out.

I've also found myself up a creek trying to find a bike on craigslist. Everything is too big and bikes that aren't too big are traditional "women's style" frames which is not what I'm looking for. In frustration, I'm thinking I'll just buy new.

My dad, who is totally awesome, trash picked an old on road/off road bike for me this winter. It's not something I'd want to make into a regular rider, but I think I'm going to fix it up anyway and leave it at mom and dads for when I visit. It has gears (which I think work) so I'll put some off-road tires on it and take that baby out on the trail. I'd like to take my future cyclocross bike out on the trail too, but the one-speed might be tough in Ohio. A one-speed cyclocross bike should be pretty awesome though for any off-road trails in Louisiana and out terrible roads in New Orleans.

So what I need from you, oh dear readers, is some advice on what type of bike I should buy. Should I just get a road bike and pick up some old mountain bike on craigslist? Should I not give up on finding a small frame on craigslist so quickly? Can you solve all my problems and just sell me your bike? But really, give me some advice on this. In the mean time, I'll be visiting all the bike shops in Cincy on Wednesday and see what's around.

Oh, and PS...I need bff bike mechanic in New Orleans. I'm super sad about mine planning on moving away not only because he was really good at showing me how to fix my bike, but because he's a good friend and a top-notch adventure buddy. I'm working on trying to get my bff bike mechanic in Cincinnati to move to New Orleans but I'm not sure I'll suceed. He's not done with school and has a girlfriend who doesn't graduate for like 2 years. My other bff bike mechanic lives in San Franciso and don't ever get me started on how crushed I am about that. If you'd like to fill those shoes of these fine young men, send an e-mail to me and tell me how awesome you are. If you are indeed as awesome as you say you are and you can fix bikes just as well as anyone who works in a shop, I'll make you cookies and dinner in exchange for helping me with bike issues and we'll go on awesome bike adventures and get drunk every weekend. If you help me rebuild a bike, I'll buy all the beer too. This is a serious job here, so only send serious inquries. Men and women are welcome to apply, but the position is only open to those who are young adults or very young at heart. It is quite likely I'll never like you as much as Willie, Dave, or Rafe, but you can make an effort.

Louisiana 3 Feet

Louisiana State Representation Michael Jackson has introduced a law into the state legislator to require drivers to give cyclists 3 feet of space and to make harassing cyclists a crime.

Recently New Orleanian Dr. Colin Goodier was killed by a driver on River Road in Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge Tiger Cycling Foundation started campaigning for 3 feet laws in response to his death and others in the Baton Rouge area.

The Baton Rouge Bike Club and Crescent City Cyclists are asking people to send a thank you e-mail to Rep. Jackson to introducing this bill. To add to that, NolaCycle would like to ask you e-mail or call your local representative and tell him or her that you support this measure and would like to see additional legislation to promote cycling.

NolaCycle wins the Crescent Fund (along with 2 others)!

Crescent Fund Update:


Thanks to everyone who voted for us! We're really excited to get this cash infusion so we can move forward with getting incorporated as a non-profit and putting money towards the printing! Look for a "Bike to the Market" map in the summer on Market Umbrella and Crescent City Farmers Market's websites!

Meeting with the City Update:

Also, our meeting with the city folks I was talking about should be happening soon! I'm pretty excited about that. I've had some really great conversations with people over their bike facilities desires for the city.

I think the next step after this is maybe to have a New Orleans Cyclists Round Table event where we can get everyone working on advocacy in the same room and work on some common goals. I feel like people working in direct action (bike co-ops, event organizing), policy recommendations, and policy making aren't really communicating that well. I try to bridge that gap as much as possible, but it's amazing to me who doesn't know each other here. While we all like promoting cycling in different ways, I think we could all work together to achieve our common goals faster.

Nicole from MBC and I were talking about maybe hosting a big social event just to get people introduced to one another before we start working on well, work. Hopefully we can get that organized over the summer when I get back in town (which will be mid-June/early July).

Please share you ideas for exclusive bike roads, lanes, pathes, and other facilities with us!

Hey Everyone! NolaCycle is going to have a meeting with some Big Shots from the city next week. We've been asked to talk about our project and share "big" ideas for bike facilities in New Orleans, especially exclusive bike roads (think the path along the lake shore in Chicago) and some ideas for general improvements and policies that the city could implement.

So if there is really anything bike-wise you'd like to see you want the city to hear about, e-mail lauren@nolacycle.com and I'll work it into my presentation. But if you have any really good ideas for exclusive bike routes or new paths, that would is what I'm really looking to pass along.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Please vote for use for the Crescent Fund + new mapping events

Crescent Fund
NolaCycle Bike Map Project applied for Market Umbrella's Crescent Fund this spring. It's a micro-credit loan of $500 that we can pay back through time (volunteering), talent (providing a service to the Crescent City Farmers Market or Market Umbrella), or treasure (money - something we don't have so we won't be doing that...).

We need your help to get this money though! You can vote online March 2-9 or in-person at the farmers market Uptown on Tuesday March 3rd or the downtown on Saturday March 9th. Please look over our proposal and vote!

You can vote online at:
http://www.crescentcityfarmersmarket.org/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=176&cntnt01origid=15&cntnt01returnid=62

Mapping Events
We're wrapping up mapping events for the first NolaCycle bike map, so please try to make it out this March! So far, I've scheduled these events:

Saturday March 7, 3pm: Upper 9th Ward. Meet at RUBARB, located at N. Tonti and Gallier.
Sunday March 8, 3pm: 7th Ward. Meet at the neutral ground at Bayou Rd, N. Tonti St, and Esplanade Ave.
Saturday March 14, 4pm: Gretna (and Upper Algiers). Meet at the neutral ground of Huey P. Long Ave near the ferry landing.

I know Gretna is a bit of a hike for a lot of you, especially since the ferry doesn't run on the weekends, but it really isn't a very long bike ride from the Algiers Ferry to Old Gretna. The levee path is a really nice ride and will drop you off right where we're meeting. Also, there is a farmers market and an art market in Gretna earlier in the day if you'd like to attend those. I'm planning on some super good West Bank Vietnamese at Pho Tau Bay once we're finished as well. All it all, what I'm trying to say is, it's worth the trip. The mayor of Gretna is interested in promoting cycling in his town, so we're interested in helping him do that.

Hope to see you out at one of the events and don't forget to vote!

"City Plans Upgrades To Area Streetscapes" From WDSU

New Orleans is getting serious about streetscape improvement! The article mentions that bike racks will be added to these streets ('bout time!), but nothing about bike lanes. These projects are focused on small stretches of roads, the main business-districts of neighborhoods, not entire corridors like Wisner or St. Claude where bike facilities have been added.

Robert Mendoza from Public Works said in the article people should start seeing work done by this summer, and the entire phase of the project should be complete by next year. I'm not sure if he means just the Canal Street and Alcee Fortier Boulevard projects or all of them. The article isn't very clear.

Anyway, check out this article and attend the public meetings if they're happening in your neighborhood.

The Ninth Ward streetscape meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Martin Luther King Jr. School at 1617 Caffin Ave.

The Broad Street and Lafitte streetscape meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at 3700 Canal St.


Here's the list of all the streetscape projects:
· Bayou Road (Broad Street to Rocheblave Street)
· Elysian Fields Avenue (Foy Street to St. Aloysius/Stephen Girard Street)
· Gentilly Boulevard (Pauger Street to Elysian Fields Avenue)
· Caton Street (Norman Meyer Avenue to Elysian Fields Avenue)
· Freret Street (Jefferson Avenue to Napoleon Avenue)
· Alcee Fortier Boulevard (Chef Menteur Highway to the Michoud Lagoon)
· Read Boulevard (I-10 to Dwyer Road)
· Lake Forest Boulevard (Bundy Road to Wright Boulevard)
· Crowder Boulevard (I-10 to Dwyer Road)
· O.C. Haley Boulevard (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard - US90B)
· General Pershing Street (S. Broad Street to S. Miro Street)
· St. Roch Avenue (Marais Street to N. Derbigny Street)
· S. Clark Street (Tulane Avenue to Banks Street)
· D'hemecourt Street (S. Clark Street to S. Jefferson Davis Parkway)
· Baudin Street (S. Clark Street to S. Jefferson Davis Parkway)
· Harrison Avenue (Orleans Avenue to West End Boulevard)
· N. Claiborne Avenue (Esplanade Avenue to St. Anthony Street)
· St. Bernard Avenue (N. Claiborne Avenue to Miro Street)
· General Meyer Avenue (Hendee Street to Odeon Avenue)
· S. Claiborne Avenue (Napoleon Avenue to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard)
· S. Carrollton Avenue (Stroelitz Street to I-10)
· Washington Avenue (Short Street to S. Carrollton Avenue)
· Dixon Street (Dublin Street to S. Carrollton Avenue)

New DIY maps posted!

I've FINALLY updated the DIY site today! I posted maps from the 7th, 8th, and 9th Wards that need to be completed. If you have some time and would like to do these on your own time, you can download the maps of your choice from the website. Fill them out and then scan and e-mail them back, or e-mail me for my mailing address and do it that way.

Doing DIY maps is really helpful for use since sometimes events get rained out, there's a spontanious second-line and no one shows up, or I forget there is a Saints game that day. All types of crazy stuff happens and neighborhoods don't get completed on their assigned mapping event days.

Thanks!

Looking for a bike to rent for Mardi Gras? RUBARB might be able to help!

Apparently I'm not the only one that uses the Bike section on Craigslist to promote my organization. Rubarb posted this today and I thought I should share it with you guys. It's always really hard to find affordable bike rentals in New Orleans, but Rubarb can rent you or your friends bikes in exchange for donated time or money.

we're a community bike shop where you can come and work on your bike freely, learn how to make repairs, volunteer, obtain a bike through work trade or a suggested donation of $40-$75 (depending on the quality, make, etc...). we're also open to rentals for the mardi gras season. (all donations go back into the shop, to purchase tools, art supplies, etc..).

our hours are mon 10-2, wed 3:30-6 and sat 1-6. located on the corner of gallier and tonti in the 9th ward.

www.rubarbike.org

Mapping event this weekend at RUBARB in the Upper 9th

Before you head down to Krewe du Vieux on Saturday, swing up to RUBARB in the Upper 9th. We'll be finishing up the Upper 9th, St. Claude, and 8th Ward areas in pairs or groups. It's open shop at RUBARB on Saturdays, so while we're waiting for everyone to show up or after we finish, you can check out the shop. It's main focus is the earn-a-bike program for kids. They always need adult volunteers though, so you can talk to Liz and Louis about that on Saturday if you're intersted.

Saturday, February 7th, 1pm to 3pm - Upper 9th Ward: Meet at Rubarb community bike shop at N. Tonti St. and Gallier St. behind St. Mary of the Angels Church

Updates, Updates & a rescheduled mapping event

It was kind of a yucky day today, so we're going to try the 7th Ward area again next Sunday. We'll be meeting a the neutral ground at the intersection of N. Tonti, Bayou, and Esplanade this time though. It's a nicer little corner there. We'll be meeting at 1pm this time too so you all can sleep an extra hour.

Also, graphics meeting is tomorrow at 7pm. E-mail me, lauren@nolacycle.com if you'd like to attend!

Finally, here's the map of the updated completed areas.