858 Pearl St., Eugene

Attending the April meeting of the Eugene Bicycle Coalition were Webb Sussman, Jim Wilcox, Bob Ransom, Herman Krieger, Paul Moore, Rex Redmon (and daughter Hazel), Sue Wolling, Lee Shoemaker (Eugene Bike/Ped Coordinator) and David Roth (City of Eugene Public Works/Transportation)

Bike Parking in Park Blocks

Rex has been asked to join representatives of the Saturday Market, Farmers’ Market, City of Eugene and Lane County to discuss opportunities for improved bicycle parking in the park blocks. He asked those present for suggestions/recommendations, recognizing that both space and funding are quite limited. Anyone with suggestions as to location, design or other aspects of bike parking in the Park Blocks is encouraged to contact Rex at rex@efn.org.

Bike Day

Dan Carol is the coordinator of Bike Day at the Science Center, a free bike celebration to take place on Saturday, June 2. (see flyer attached) The Young Apollos, a group of middle school students committed to sustainability, are working with Dan to plan and publicize the event. Plans so far include (1) free ice cream (2) addresses by Mayor Kitty Piercy, State Senator Bill Bradbury and (possibly) Congressman Peter DeFazio (3) presentation of Climate Masters and Sustainable Business of the Month awards (4) music by a marimba band (5) a free ride on a course created from several truckloads of dirt that will be delivered for the event (6) performances by the McCornack Unicyclists, and other events. The West Eugene Wetlands Center is holding an open house on the morning of the same day, and volunteers from Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life will lead a ride from the Wetlands Center to Bike Day, with stops along the way where riders can have a card stamped as a “passport” to compete for prizes. The Bike Coalition is invited/encouraged to participate in Bike Day with a table, booth, speakers, or other event. No decision about the Bike Coalition’s participation was made.

Non-Profit Status

Webb reported that his investigation of options for obtaining 501(c)3 status for the Bike Coalition suggested that the process might be too ambitious for a small group with no budget. He said that the process would require a significant investment of time in meeting regulatory requirements, and would cost $2000-$3000. Sue reported that Richard Hughes had investigated the possibility of obtaining many of the benefits of non-profit status through an agreement with Eugene Neighbors Inc. Richard, and a lawyer he contacted, felt that this arrangement would suit the Bike Coalition very well. Those present felt that obtaining non-profit status independent of any other group would be in the best interests of the Bike Coalition in the long run. Lee suggested contacting David Atkins, an attorney who specializes in the legal needs of non-profit groups. Webb agreed to contact David Atkins and report back.

Public Notice of Bike Path Closures

Webb updated the group on problems associated with the recent two-day closure of the North Bank Trail for maintenance. Webb reported that the path was closed with very little prior notice, and that detour routes were inadequately signed and dangerous. Upon finding these condition, Webb had lengthy discussions with various representatives of the Public Works Department. They quickly put notices of the closure in the news and improved signage at the site.

Members expressed frustration that this is a recurring problem despite the fact that the Bike Coalition has spoken with Public Works about path closures before. Lee explained that in this situation, the complex interaction between the Army Corps of Engineers, the City, and the contractor doing the work created the problem. This is somewhat typical, because many different groups do projects that impact bikeways. Within Public Works itself, the Maintenance, Parks & Open Space, Engineering, and Surface Operations Divisions all do such work. In addition, EWEB, the various cable and telecommunications companies, and private developers often affect bikeway operation. Each project has a traffic control plan that is approved by the City, but with many projects underway, the City cannot typically visit each site to ensure that there is proper notification and signage. Members objected that this would be clearly unacceptable if motorists were affected, yet it is commonplace when those affected are bicyclists. Lee encouraged bicyclists to report problems by calling Public Works at 682-4800 or maintenance@ci.eugene.or.us, so the City can locate and address problems. Lee suggested inviting a representative of the City to attend the next meeting, and the group agreed to this plan.

Legislative Update

Paul requested an update on the bicycle-related bills that are before the legislature. Lee responded that most of them are still in committee, so the outcome is still quite uncertain. Jim pointed out that legislation to strengthen the Bottle Bill is moving ahead and likely to be signed into law.

Gimpl Hill Proposal

Sue distributed information about a development proposal to build 29 homes on Gimpl Hill Road. A resident who is concerned about the proposal has requested that the Bike Coalition and GEARS submit letters expressing concern about the impact that this development could have on safety for cyclists using the road. After a brief discussion, the group agreed that Sue would submit a letter requesting that steps be taken to mitigate the effect of increased traffic and provide safe cycling conditions if the proposal is approved.

LAB Listing

Jim pointed out that the League of American Bicyclists is preparing its annual listing of bicycle groups/resources across the country, and that it costs $45 to be included in the list. Members chipped in money to pay for the listing, and Jim will submit the required information for the Bike Coalition to be included in the list.

Ride of Silence

Lee will help Paul find the names of bicyclists killed by motorists in Lane County over the past 10 years. This information will be used in the Ride of Silence on May 16.

Bike Parking Code

In preparation for a discussion of bike parking and code enforcement at the next Bike Coalition meeting, Jim distributed the text of the current code (attached to this message). Members are encouraged to look over the bike parking that is required by code, and prepare questions to submit to the Planning Department representative who will speak at the next Bike Coalition meeting.

Next Meeting: Monday, May 21