WAYS TO USE BIKES AND TRANSIT TOGETHER.

Suburban to City Commute: Bike commute downhill into town, take the train or bus home. Or, keep a bike parked downtown so that you have quick access to more places to eat or shop at lunch time. Avoid rainy weather, bringing your bike with you on transit rather than getting wet. Bike from home to the bus or train, and then continue on with your commute. When you get to your destination, you will have your bike to help you continue on with your trip.

Suburban to Suburban Commute: Bicycle to the train. Take the train or bus as close as you can to your workplace. Then bicycle to your destination.

Cross rivers and lakes: Many bridges do not have bicycle or pedestrian access. Bringing your bike onboard a bus, train, or ferry can be the answer.

Access National Parks: Many National Parks now have buses with bike racks. Having a bike allows you to cover more ground than walking. Acadia National Park and the Grand Canyon are good examples.

Carpooling: Ride with a friend to their worksite and then bicycle the rest of the way to work.

Use two bikes: If you don't want to, or can't bring your bike on transit, then keep an inexpensive bike parked at each end of your transit ride.

Use a folding bike: Folding bikes are small and can be carried onto almost all vehicles. This is especially helpful on airplanes and on Amtrak, which limits bicycle access on many trains (but has great access on others, such as the Vermonter and route along the Pacific Ocean).

Traveling: For someone visiting a city on business, a bike is a great way to get to a nearby park trail.

Source: http://www.bikemap.com/transit/reasons.htm

WILL AMERICANS FOLLOW THE EUROPEAN EXAMPLE?

According to a Sept. 15th Newsweeek Online column by Gersh Kuntzman, "You may have heard that America is fat. You may have heard that nearly two-thirds of us are overweight and 31 percent of us are obese. You may have even heard last week that the Department of Agriculture will soon decrease the number of calories a person should eat every day, an admission that there's no point in designing diets for the healthy average American when the healthy average American no longer exists...

"Americans bike and walk far less than their European counterparts (what article about American obesity would be complete without a gratuitous comparison with good ol' Europe?). In the U.S., only 7 percent of all trips outside the home are made by walking or biking, compared to 39 percent in Sweden (hey, it's cold there), 34 percent in Switzerland (hey, it's hilly there) and 46 percent in The Netherlands (hey, it's low and swampy there)..."

Source: http://www.msnbc.com/news/967089.asp?0cv=HA00
NCBW's C-E-N-T-E-R-L-I-N-E-S

Southface Energy Institute's Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable theme for October 3 is Intown Transit & Smart Growth: The Beltline brings mobility and redevelopment to Atlanta. The Beltline is quickly becoming a ground-breaking collaboration between private and public nterests.

Come to the October Roundtable to learn why this project has been embraced by neighborhood associations, community leaders and other groups interested in improving Atlanta's quality of life.

Go here for more info and to RSVP.

New Belt Line Movie available for online viewing

Cathy Woolard previewed a short video on the Belt Line at the Rail~Volution conference, last week. The work, narrated by Jane Fonda, represents an outstanding multi-media presentation for envisioning and educational purposes. I found the technique of super-imposing operational light rail cars over the currently kudzu-covered tracks to be a particulary effective piece of imagineering. View the video here.

Expansion of Atlanta's Greenway Trail network continues in Dekalb County. Construction began Monday on a 4-mile multiuse trail that will connect downtown Lithonia with Stonecrest Mall and Arabia Mountain.

This phase of the greenway trail will cost about $1.6 million in mostly federal funds and is expected to be completed within about six months with PATH Foundation providing construction services.

Future phases will link Arabia Mountain to Panola Mountain and, ultimately, to Rockdale County and will incorporate ample natural borders providing for an outstanding functional linear park for the area.

Join the Belt Line Action team. Send an email to cwoolard@ci.atlanta.ga.us with "Join Belt Line Action List" in the subject line if you want to help make the Belt Line a reality.

Resurrection of the Macon-to-Atlanta Commuter Rail

A long-planned commuter rail line between Atlanta and Macon will get $25 million in new funding this week, with most of the money going toward real estate for train stations and to improve road crossings.

The rail investments surprised some because Gov. Perdue had backed off his predecessor’s vision for commuter rail lines as a fix to Atlanta’s traffic problems.

The announcement suggests that plans for a passenger-rail connection between Macon and Atlanta are not dead, as had been speculated earlier this year.

The town of Hampton, which sits mid-way between Macon and Atlanta, represents an excellent opportunity for transit oriented real estate investment. Visit www.burkesisco.com for currently available "Rail" Estate.

Redemption of the Arc

The rights-of-way for a proposed super highway that once caused deep divisions could now bring communities together.

State Representative Jan Jones (R- District 38) announced August 8th that she is forming a task force to create a 60-mile long greenway trail along the Northern Arc highway route. The plan will include greenspace on either side of a multi-use greenway trail extending through four north metro counties, including Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth and Gwinnett.

Follow the links for more info:

Greenway Trail may grow in the path Arc has vacated

Northern Arc as greenway proposed

Northern Arc greenway announcement

Green space in the form of Greenway Trails has been shown to raise the values of surrounding property, as it raises the quality of life.

Live near a Trail. Visit www.trailestate.com.