HOMEOWNERS LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

According to a Mar. 14th Denver Post article, "Homeowners are beginning to emerge from their cocoons. Lifestyle guru Faith Popcorn coined the term 'cocooning' in the 1980s to describe the American need to retreat from the realities of life. Cocooning was considered a way to protect oneself and disconnect from the outside world. Now American homeowners are acting like a whole different type of insect.

"'Shortly after 9/11 there was a lot of discussion about a new return to home, about the 'new cocooning,'' said J. Walker Smith, president of Yankelovich, a Chapel Hill, N.C.-based marketing consulting group that tracks consumer attitudes. 'But this return is actually quite different.' Yankelovich trend-watchers began seeing signs of this new return home in 1998 and coined the term "hiving" in 2001. Like a beehive, a hive home represents engagement, interaction and connection with the outside environment. It has larger, open gathering areas. Hive homes are also often on smaller lots, encouraging use of community centers and parks that are an integral part of a hiving community..."

Source: http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~33~2014737,00.html
Title: "'Hiving' new community buzzword"
Author: Chryss Cada
Courtesy of: info@bikewalk.org

ATLANTA REGION PED/BIKE PLANNERS: SHOW ME THE $$!

According to a Feb. 21st Atlanta Journal-Constitution article, "Five
years after the Atlanta Regional Commission announced the first
planning grants for its much-heralded Livable Centers Initiative, the
program is still more potential than reality. But that hasn't curbed
enthusiasm among the government leaders and community activists trying
grab $280 million in federal transportation money to build their
distinctive districts, planned to encourage people to walk or take
public transit to reduce car trips that contribute to the region's
dirty air.

"As she walks along North Decatur Road with a spiral-bound planning
report in hand, Kathie Gannon, a board member of the Alliance to
Improve Emory Village, uses lingo to describe what is expected to
happen in her community. 'We're going to put the road on a diet,'
Gannon says, explaining that a section of North Decatur Road will be
reduced from four lanes to three, making room for a turning lane and
space for bicycles. She is equally excited about a proposed
'roundabout' that could transform the confusing five-way crossroads
into a calmer, nicely landscaped intersection..."

Source:
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/business/horizon/0304/22livable.html
Title: "Rebuilding blocks"
Author: Janet Frankston
Courtesy: info@bikewalk.org

Since the beginning of MARTA rail service in 1979, MARTA has transported approximately 3.5 billion people, or 10 times the entire population of the U.S.

The Convergence of Trail and Rail: RAILBIKES!

Imagine gliding along on ribbons of steel, through breathtaking open space, enjoying the pristine air, the abundant wildlife, and the silence. Your ride is as smooth as glass - and there's no traffic. Your hands are free to take pictures or enjoy your lunch. Your path is never steep. Where there's a hill, you go around it, or through a tunnel. Sound like a cyclist's dream? You're not dreaming - you're RAILBIKING!

For more than 100 years people worldwide have been enjoying the sport of railbiking. The 1908 Sears catalog offered a railbike attachment for $5.45. In Europe today there are dozens of active railbike rental facilities using abandoned railroads.

- From the Publisher of Railbike: Cycling on Abandoned Railroads

If someone knows of a mono-railbike, I say we adopt these for usage on the BeltLine until the Trolleys come...

Other Links:

- RailBike Tours, Inc.
- Bentley RailBike
- RailBike in Europe

Tales from the Silver Comet...

"The trail has honestly changed my life. I was a 2-pack-a-day smoker and February 6th will mark five years (and eight marathons) since I quit, all because of that awesome trail is right behind my house. As a single mom, I couldn't get to the gym or travel to run. With [the trail] so close and so safe, I can go anytime my schedule allows...I only have to put on my shoes."

- Dana Greene, Organizer Get-Fit Atlanta

Source: www.pathfoundation.org

Lovejoy Commuter Rail Plan Gains Speed

A plan to build a commuter rail line from Atlanta to Lovejoy got a boost of adrenaline Tuesday when Norfolk Southern said it wanted to operate the line and could get passengers moving by late next year. Read more.

Source: ajc.com

WALKING COULD BE THE NICEST THING TO DO IN ATLANTA

According to Colin Campbell column in the Mar. 7th Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "There's a new high-rise office building in Midtown, part of the Atlantic Station development. Its upper floors provide such an unexpected view of the city -- from west of the freeway, for a change -- you have to smile. Will growth in the heart of Atlanta just keep chugging along through recessions and budget crises? What new networks (streets, tracks, bike paths, fiber optics) will link tomorrow's neighborhoods? And what about those pedestrians down there, already strolling along the sidewalks of the yellow 17th Street bridge?

"It's this last point, the walkers, that struck me most. I think they're the wave of the future. Atlanta badly needs to make it safer to walk, and also more practical and fun. Because if we did that all over town, walking could become one of the nicest things to do in Atlanta. It could be a major supplement to cars, buses and trains, as it already is in many other cities. It would mean cleaner air, more stores and more customers. It would mean people-watching instead of the usual anxious glancing at other drivers. It would mean cafes, gardens and a better environment for children, families and the elderly..."

Source: http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/0304a/07colin.html
Archive search: http://www.newslibrary.com/sites/ajc/
Title: "Safer sidewalks would be big step into city's future"
Author: Colin Campbell

Buckhead neighborhoods call for recreational trail

Hey SUVs! Make way for the SUB (Sport Utility Bicycle).