It is great to see the new bike racks being installed today at the Sylvania Library, currently under renovation. We attended several public meetings and asked for improved bike parking at the new library. Please join us in thanking the Toledo-Lucas County Library for providing routine accommodations for cyclists at their libraries. Infrastructure improvements can take a long time, requiring patience, diligence and sometimes just plain luck. We would also like to thank the general contractor, The Spieker Company, who actually took the time to call us for installation guidance today (this is rare). Lastly, we appreciate  HBM Architects and Stough and Stough Architects for including the bike racks in the plans.

Many thanks for the great resources produced by Keri Caffrey and the folks at Cycling Savvy. This is a 2-minute video that every cyclist should watch...please watch it!

What Cyclists Need to Know About Trucks from Keri Caffrey on Vimeo.

Large vehicles present special hazards you need to understand.

The simple but essential rule is:
never ever… ride along the right side of a large truck

Do not pass a truck on the right.

If a truck passes you and then slows, or stops next you at an intersection, do not stay beside it. Do what you need to do to not be there.

To explain why, we’ll show you how trucks turn, where their drivers must look, where they can’t see, and how large vehicles hide you from other drivers. In order to keep the trailer from rolling up over the sidewalk, truck drivers must start from farther left, then pull forward - sometimes having to drive into the oncoming lane for the cross street. This initially makes it look like the truck is going straight. As the truck is making the turn, the driver must watch any pedestrians on either end of the crosswalk, as well as the vehicle at the front of the queue for the cross street. A bicyclist riding along the curb or in a bike lane would most likely be in one of the trucks huge blind spots. Sadly, too many cyclists that get into the situation never see it coming. The off-tracking trailer comes across very quickly, and the only escape is to immediately jump off the bike and run to the right. Hanging back will keep you out of this danger zone. But while a cyclist who hangs back isn’t trapped in the sweep of the trailer, she would be screened from view of any on-coming drivers preparing to turn left.

The savvy cyclist will move to the left side of the lane behind the truck, so she has the best vantage to see and be seen by other drivers.

Why is this hearing important for cyclists (walkers and joggers)? While the project is focused on drainage improvements along Ten Mile Creek, Lucas County Engineering has partnered with Metroparks of Toledo to include right-of-way along the southern edge of the creek to extend the University Parks Trail (known as phase 2). Funding was just awarded to construct Phase 1 from King Road to Silica, Lucas County cleared that section earlier this year (see here). The U/P Trail extensions will ultimately take the trail to Sylvan Prairie Trail and beyond.

A public hearing will be held in the first floor Assembly Room of the Board of Lucas County Commissioners, One Government Center, Toledo, Ohio at 2:00PM on November 14, 2017 for the purpose of hearing comments related to this project.

Public Meeting Announcement - Ten-Mile Creek

It is very important that trail users be present at this meeting to voice support for the U/P Trail extension. We hope you can join us at the meeting. If you have any questions or comments about the meeting, please contact keith@WeAreTraffic.org

There is a new ride-share program in Ohio, sponsored locally by TMACOG, that provides resources and incentives to promote alternate forms of transportation to reduce single-occupant motor vehicle commutes.

If you use your bike to commute to work, or for routine activites like grocery shopping, you are a candidate for this program. Click through the link to find out more info and register to participate.

We Are Traffic is working with local businesses that have employees that commute by bike and in many cases, it is their only form of transportation to get to work.

Last week, we met with the manager of Cinco de Mayo on Central Avenue and presented a helmet and light kit for one of their employees who signed up for Gohio Commute. Carlos is very thankful for the incentives as he commutes many times after dark, previously without lighting.

Contact us if you have an employee that could benefit from the Gohio Commute program!