Sylvania River Trail Phase 2 Under Construction

Construction is underway for Phase II of the Sylvania River Trail project that will run along the north side of the Flower Hospital campus, cross the Ottawa River, run under the US-23 expressway and exit out to Monroe Street. The highly anticipated addition to this project will increase the total length of the trail to 1.5 miles and include improvements such as elevated walkways, new bridges, and landscape beautification. Phase II will cost just over $2 million with $850,000 coming from grants and $400,000 coming from ProMedica Hospital contributions over the next five years. 

Sylvania River Trail Phase 2

For more details, visit the City of Sylvania Website

Wabash-Cannonball Ribbon Cutting

Northwestern Ohio Rails-to-Trails Association (NORTA) would like to extend an invitation to all, to celebrate with us as we officially open another mile of the Wabash Cannonball Trail into Liberty Center.  The Ribbon Cutting ceremony will take place, rain or shine, on Saturday, June 23, 9:00 am, at the historic railroad depot in the Village of Liberty Center.  This is a free event including guest speakers, refreshments, door prizes, and a 5 or 10K fun walk/run/bike.  See the attached flyer.

The construction is just finishing up on the new trail which is not on the former rail bed, but rather, alongside it.  It extends the corridor from it's current terminus at Henry Co Rd 6C, along the south side of the rail bed, then across an easement, and onto the roadway, Wabash Street, leading to the depot in downtown Liberty Center.

Bike Share Coming to Toledo - Public Meeting

Join the Mayor, City of Toledo representatives, the biking community, Metroparks Toledo, small businesses and your neighbors in a discussion about biking in Toledo! 

Representatives from GOTCHA bike (https://thegotchagroup.com/bike-share/) will be on hand to present information out the new bike share program coning to Toledo this summer! 

How will we handle safety? What are the infrastructure plans to support biking? What do citizens and supporters want to see to be bike-friendly? 

Join us! 
May 30, 2018
4:00-5:30PM
Ward Pavilion - Wildwood Metropark

Free and open to the public.

Toledo Bike Share

New Access to University Parks Trail

There will soon be a new connector to the University Parks Trail from Reynolds Road, just south of Central Avenue. Please join us in thanking Promedica who owns the land and is paying for the improvements to connect the Wildwood Complex to the U/P Trail. Based on the activity, the project will complete within May and provides a formal connection to Reynolds south of Central.



New Bike Racks installed at Sylvania Library


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.

What Cyclists Need to Know About Trucks

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.

2018 Commuter Special Use Trail Permit Available

Special Use Permit

Get your 2018 pass today, they're free and allow 24/7 access to the trail for commuting!

Regional trails are used for commuting as well as recreation, fitness and enjoying nature. Because trail hours are the same as the Metroparks - 7 a.m. until dark every day of the year - it limits some commuters' options. For example, someone bicycling to work, school or church during open hours would be unable to return on the same trail after dark.  

For this reason, Metroparks Toledo issues special permits for after hours commuting on the University Parks Trail and the Wabash Cannonball Trail.

Download an Application Form

Commuter permits can be attached to a bicycle to show that the commuter has received permission to use a trail for transportation during hours when the trail is closed.  The Blade published a story here.
 

Cycling Without Age Toledo

The Right To Wind In Your Hair

Cycling Without Age is a movement started in 2012 by Ole Kassow. Ole wanted to help the elderly get back on their bicycles, but he had to find a solution to their limited mobility. The answer was a trishaw and he started offering free bike rides to the local nursing home residents.

He then got in touch with a civil society consultant from the City of Copenhagen, Dorthe Pedersen (now Cycling Without Age), who was intrigued by the idea and together they bought the first 5 trishaws and launched Cycling Without Age, which has now spread to all corners of Denmark, and since 2015 to another 38 countries around the world.

We are working with Maumee Valley Adventurers and other local partners to bring this program to the greater Toledo area, for more information on how you can get involved, contact keith@WeAreTraffic.org

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