[bizutch]

Please Read the following in Reverse!!! And don't forget the survey!

Asheville is Getting Serious About Cycling


A reminder that the Bicycle Plan open house is tonite, Thursday, March 8th, from 4-7 p.m. at the Asheville Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St., and a link to the bicycle plan survey. Please pass this along to anyone you think would be interested in participating.

Thanks,

Barb Mee, Transportation Planner
French Broad River MPO
P.O. Box 7148, Asheville, NC 28802
(828) 259-5457
http://frenchbroadrivermpo.org/

-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Baechtold [mailto:dbaechtold@ashevillenc.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 11:37 AM
Subject: Asheville Bicycle Plan - Online Questionnaire

To: French Broad River MPO Mailing List

For the Asheville Bicycle Plan, there is an online questionnaire for those with an interest in bicycle transportation in the City of Asheville. I forgot to include the link in my last message. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Daniel Goodman of Toole Design Group at the phone number or email address listed below.

Take the survey here.

http://m1e.net/c?39418907-oPA0cB/MjgQ7M@2305443-O1YeMfP8ogJwU

Contact information for Online Questionnaire:

****************************************

Daniel W. Goodman, AICP, LEED(r) AP

Toole Design Group, LLC
301.927.1900
301.927.2800 (fax)
dgoodman@tooledesign.com
www.tooledesign.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Baechtold [mailto:dbaechtold@ashevillenc.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 11:17 AM
Subject: Asheville Bicycle Plan Open House Thursday March 8th, 4-7 p.m.

TO: French Broad River MPO Mailing List
Please forward this information to others that might be interested.
March 6, 2007
The City of Asheville is asking area residents to offer ideas on ways to make the city more bicycle-friendly. Nationally known experts on bicycle planning will be in Asheville this week to share information and gather public input at an open-house on Thursday March 8th from 4-7 p.m. in the City of Asheville Public Works Building at 161 South Charlotte Street.

The City has hired consultants from Toole Design Group and Livable Streets, Inc. to prepare Asheville's first comprehensive bicycle plan. The plan, which is partially funded by the North Carolina DOT, will provide recommendations for short-term and long-term improvements for bicycle transportation. Strategies might include completing key links in the Asheville greenway system, and connecting that system to on-road improvements such as bike lanes or paved shoulders.

The City is working closely with the North Carolina DOT, because many of the major roads in the area are controlled by the State. Also, much of the funding for road and bicycle improvements flows through State government. Several years ago the NCDOT initiated a new funding source to complete bicycle plans in North Carolina cities and towns. This plan will identify priorities for making investments in bicycle transportation.

At the open house on Thursday, bicyclists of all skill levels, motorists, and any other interested citizens are encouraged to come share their experiences, identify locations that need improvement, and to offer great ideas for making Asheville a bicycle-friendly community.


Dan Baechtold, AICP, Coordinator
French Broad River Metropolitan Planning Organization
828.259.5457
www.frenchbroadrivermpo.org

 

[sneakysnake]

I stopped by earlier this evening, it was a good time.

 

[bizutch]

I stopped by earlier this evening, it was a good time.

I had to work and couldn't get over there. Did they unveil any maps or routes, etc? What are they planning to do?

I live in Fairview and to bike commute to work I have to either hit 74 and the parkway to go to North Asheville...or I have to go to out South to Arden and come up Sweeten Creek. There is no way to go direct from Fairview to Oakley into town at all. I'm on an island.

 

[sneakysnake]

They had maps of all the parts of the city laid out and people were marking the trouble routes, or routes that need work with marker on the map. They had some free bike commuting asheville maps, but they were almost ten years old, but I don't think that they unveiled any new stuff.

They were talking about ways to make bike routes safer, with marking of the roads, bikes lanes, and several other things. I went in with the thought that greenways could really benefit us, and thankfully many other people think the same way as me and that was already being discussed as an option in certain places ie: the parkway.