LexRides

[politicalhero]

I just got this in an email

Rolling Up The Streets-Literally!
Bikes on Broadway Sunday, August 10, 2008

Pass the word to your friends, family, church members, sports leagues, health clubs and just anyone who would like to ride their bicycle without fear of being run over by cars.

Sunday, August 10, Broadway will be closed to cars from 21st to 4th Streets! It will be open for bicyclists, walkers, runners, roller bladders, parents pushing strollers, wheelchairs and all manner of human powered transportation. Come and enjoy the freedom of street riding without the worry. Parking will available at Paducah Tilghman High School, 2400 Washington, and a side street will allow direct access to Broadway.

Bicycling friends in other Kentucky cities can only dream of an event like this. The fact that Paducah is giving it a try is HUGE and it’s an incredibly positive reflection on our region! At BikeWorld, we’ve gone out on a limb, petitioning city officials to do this. The worse thing would be if there’s a tepid response. If you want safe places to ride, walk or run, it is imperative that you help get a big turn-out of “Bikes on Broadway!!”

[brokebike]

too bad that's in Paducah, and not here! Sounds cool.

Honestly, when I use terms like "make a statement" and "send a message"... I'm not referring to this event making a political statement against cars, like a protest or anything. We know what kinds of numbers turn up for things like that, and the answer is.... not many. As cool as that is to do, what we really need to get more out of the city and the community is to have more events that will get people out and moving in that direction. I think Bike Lexington's ride does this excellently, and I'd love to see it happen more often throughout the year... why couldn't it include pedestrians as well as a separate event that isn't a part of Bike Lexington? Seems like this would be a perfect opportunity, and they already have experience with making it work.

What I mean is more about making it fun and open to a larger number of people... to make something like this seem less of a chore. If people were given the opportunity to simply ride a few blocks to experience something like this, and to experience our urban core on a bike, without feeling like they have to pack up and drive out to where it is happening, maybe it would make more people realize how enjoyable it is to walk, bike, jog... whatever. And maybe it will make people more vocal about getting the right kinds of facilities and infrastructure in place to encourage more people to get out.

The route wouldn't even need to be huge... it just needs to be inclusive and enjoyable. A combination of police barricades and volunteer workers. Hell, I'd volunteer to watch an intersection for an hour for this. Surely, if it can be done across several days for Bike Lexington, it can be done for one day for 4 hours... at a price tag that is much less than $35K
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[politicalhero]

Here is the latest and greatest from the Second Sunday Group.
I have the action items from the meeting up front and then more text from the email below.


Just as a little wrap up to last week’s meeting, we are moving forward with the first-ever 2nd Sunday event on Sunday, October 12:



ü Three different locations were presented to so that he could then find out which would be workable within everything LFUCG will need to do in preparation and during the event. Those locations were: 1) Main Street at Triangle Park to Masterson Station Park, 2) New Circle Road – the entire circle, and 3) South Limestone to UK campus and incorporating as much as we could towards Transy’s campus or neighborhoods in that area.



ü Watched a promotional video, available at the following link, which has been presented to various organizations throughout the Commonwealth. Over thirty (30) counties will be participating with Fayette County on the same day at the same time for this one of a kind event!



ü Sign-ups were taken in three different categories for break-out committees…1)promotional, 2)logistical, 3)activities…and sign-ups are continuing. Please contact Diana Doggett at ddoggett@uky.edu if you would like to sign up for one of these committees.



ü Please pass along this email and invitation to attend this week’s meeting to anyone and everyone you can think of! This week’s meeting will take place at 5:30 pm in the Conference Room C of the Public Library on Main Street (Fourth Floor). I will re-send a reminder to the people on this list and include addresses of anyone who sends me theirs to add to this particular list. If you have any questions, please contact Diana Doggett at ddoggett@uky.edu and hope to see you Thursday!


Hi, folks and I am sorry to just get this meeting information to you today. Some of our meeting rooms got moved around and exchanged and everything I would have sent to you on Friday, would have changed today! And for those of you wondering why on earth you received this message, either someone you work with, work for or know thinks that you would be great in making this first time event a huge success in our community!



Below is an email sent to various contacts from Councilmember Jay McChord about a new event, 2nd Sunday, which will explain a little more about this email:



Dear Friends,



A few weeks ago I sent an email about the "2nd Sunday" idea where on the 2nd Sunday of October (October 12) we were challenging communities in all Kentucky counties to close at least one-mile of road to traffic from 2pm-6pm, so that citizens can use that location as a safe area o walk, bike, push strollers or whatever! Thanks to you for forwarding that message and promo video link - we now have over 30 counties in the Commonwealth participating with us this year!



I feel beyond a shadow of a doubt this is one large way we can not only change the health of all who live within the borders of Kentucky, but also show on a national level that we aren’t just the unhealthiest state in the union…we know what we need to do to build trails in Kentucky to provide everyone of all abilities safe, not intimidating, locations to get people out of the house, out of in front of the televisions and outside enjoying activities everyone of all abilities can participate in!



Yesterday New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg started something call "Summer Saturdays" where he closed 7 miles of roads to car traffic in New York and had residents come and exercise in the street. Yesterday was the first one of those Saturdays and he made national news headlines. Just think, WE ARE AN ENTIRE STATE THAT WILL DO THAT SAME THING EXCEPT BIGGER IN ABOUT 60 DAYS!!! What do you think might happen if Kentuckians come out in mass that day? What kind of story will that be? Can you conceive of Kentucky leading a national holiday called 2nd Sunday where roads are closed all over this country? I CAN!



Below is the link to the Bloomberg announcement and our own 2nd Sunday event website link. Check out what NY did and then forward this message to everyone you know!

http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.beb0d8fdaa9e1607a62fa24601c789a0/

www.2ndsundayky.com

[brokebike]

I'm curious as to how one would get involved with the planning meetings for these types of events. Is it open to public input? Only a selected few people from similar past events? Tim, I understand that you're a bit more connected to these types of things through BPAC and Bike Lexington and such, but how can say for instance, people on here who read these forums and may have some valuable ideas and input to contribute find out about these planning meetings, and in turn, how can the people who set the meetings reach out to broaden their pool of influence when matters of bike and pedestrian events are concerned?
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[politicalhero]

OK so I sent around a few emails and found out the details.
Hold on....

So Jay came up with the idea to host this 2nd Sunday event and then wanted the entire state to do it so he got the UK extension offices involved. However, Jay is not a "details man" just an "idea person" and the UK Extension office is not heading up the Lexington 2nd Sunday but more the idea across the state. So this begs, "who is planning this?"

It seems that it has evolved much like bike lexington that anyone who wants to help plan the event is open to attend the meetings or just plan your specific thing to coincide with the larger event, etc.

Seems that it is a lot of cross over of bike lexington people (YMCA, LFUCG, etc) and some citizens.

If you are interesting in attending the meetings or just being in the loop you can email Bike Ped Coor. Kenzie Gleason (it has been dropped from way up high into her lap) at kgleason@lfucg.com or 258-3605. Jay's aid has a mailing list that you will be added to.

However, if you just want to send some ideas or feedback you can also email Kenzie. Anytime I have posted asking feedback for 2nd sunday or bike lex on the forum that feedback has been aggregated and given to Kenzie

This project could be a good learning experience for Bike Lexington, however it could be problematic if Jay expects the same people who are already tapped out to pull off this project with little to no funding.

Currently meetings are scheduled for Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. but a new location is being sought. I am not sure if they are weekly meetings or not.

[brokebike]