Savannah Bicycle Campaign receives $30,319.30 grant from Governor’s Office of Highway Safety

Savannah, GA — The Savannah Bicycle Campaign has received a $30,319.30 grant from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS). The grant will help finance SBC’s education programs, safety campaigns, work with local governments to improve infrastructure, printing of the popular Bike SAV bike map and guide, and other programs aimed at making Savannah and Chatham County safer for people who ride bikes for transportation and recreation.

“We are excited to have Savannah Bicycle Campaign as a grantee again for the coming year,” said GOHS Communication Manager Robert Hydrick. “They have been with us for several years and are a great advocate for the cycling community in and around Chatham County. This grant will help them continue to create safe and convenient bicycling environments in the Savannah area.”

“In Savannah and Chatham County, many people depend our their bicycles for daily transportation,” said John R. Bennett, executive director of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign. “In addition, more people are using bicycles for healthy exercise. We have also noted Savannah’s emergence as a bicycle tourism destination, with local and national bike tour companies active year round. Support from GOHS is critical to our goal of preventing crashes that injure and kill people who ride bikes.”

The grant year for this award is Oct. 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 2019. For more information on GOHS and its highway safety programs, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org.

Ardsley in Motion: ‘Resident-driven’ research

Originally published in Connect Savannah on Oct. 10, 2018.

COUNTING CRACKS in the sidewalk might sound like a euphemism for a boring and useless activity, along the lines of “watching paint dry,” but in Ardsley Park these days it’s a purposeful part of a serious initiative.

Last month the Ardsley Park Chatham Crescent Neighborhood Association launched Ardsley in Motion, an effort to improve safety and mobility, and promote beautification efforts throughout Ardsley Park and Chatham Crescent. (Disclosure: I serve on the neighborhood association board).

APCCNA President Nick Palumbo developed the concept, organized events, sought guidance from subject matter experts, and recruited more than 75 volunteers to systematically assess the condition of streets, crosswalks, sidewalks, bike lanes, signage, trees, and other vegetation.

Read the full article in Connect Savannah.

Scooter debate conveniently ignores autos — again

Originally published in Connect Savannah on Aug. 22, 2018.

LOCAL PROBLEMS and opportunities demand local solutions and initiatives. That’s one of the messages Ben Stone delivered to a gathering of 30 neighborhood leaders, government officials, and advocates Aug. 9 at Bull Street Labs.

Stone, director of arts and culture at Smart Growth America, and Emiko Atherton, director of the National Complete Streets Coalition, were invited to Savannah by Georgia Bikes, the statewide advocacy organization.

The meeting was designed to explore “the nexus between Complete Streets, creative placemaking, and designing culturally relevant places.”

Read the full article in Connect Savannah. 

Nightmare Scenario: What to do if you’re hit by a car while riding your bike

Originally published in Connect Savannah on Aug. 1, 2018.

IT HAPPENED almost 13 years ago. On Aug. 27 2005, I was hit by a car while riding my bike.

It happened on 49th Street just a few blocks from my house. I pedaled up to the stop sign, put my foot down, and made eye contact with the motorist across the intersection.

Since neither of her turn signals was activated, I figured she would proceed straight through the intersection just like me. So, I entered the intersection and that’s when she turned left into my path and hit me.

Read the full article in Connect Savannah. 

The weaponization of jaywalking

Originally published in Connect Savannah on July 11, 2018.

AT LEAST once a month I make a presentation to a civic organization, neighborhood association, class, or conference and one of my favorite slides is a 1901 photograph that depicts Bull Street looking south from City Hall.

Silhouetted figures are visible in the image. I like to aim my laser pointer at them and ask my audience, “What are these things out in the street?”

Someone will eventually respond, usually with a bit of hesitation: “Pedestrians?”

“Yes,” I say, “But back then they were called people.”

Read the full article in Connect Savannah. 

Children’s bicycles needed for annual Holiday Bike Drive 2017


Our New Standard Cycles program is seeking donations of children’s bikes for our annual Holiday Bike Drive in conjunction with Blessings in a Book Bag. After volunteers recondition the bicycles, they will be given to deserving children selected by Blessings in a Bookbag on Dec. 16. Here’s coverage of last year’s event from Fox 28: Savannah Bicycle Campaign gives 53 children bikes this Christmas.

Bikes can be dropped off at 1301 Lincoln St on the following days and times:

  • Thursdays from 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
  • Sundays from 2:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
  • Other times by appointment.

Bikes can also be dropped off at the Wilmington Island Farmers Market on Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Please note that badly damaged or rusted bikes cannot be accepted.

For more information or to schedule a donation, email New Standard Cycles Program Manager Henry Rocha at bikes@bicyclecampaign.org. If you’d like to help refurbish the bikes, sign up here.

We are grateful to the Spiva Law Group for providing helmets to go along with the bike and to Junk Luggers of the Coastal Empire for donating and transporting bikes.

Matt’s Moon River Cruise 5 detailed ride information

Please read carefully. Detailed information follows.

If are going on the 29- or 40-mile rides

The rides will leave from Ellis Square after a brief press conference, but we would prefer you arrive by 10:15 a.m. All ride participants must wear helmets. You should also bring two bottles of water, tools and a spare tube, cash, and ID. The rides will feature staggered starts with “pace” groups, but participants are welcome to follow the marked route on their own. Ride maps and cue sheets are available here. 

The rides will end at Moon River Brewing Company. Bike valet parking service will be provided. If you encounter any problems on the ride, please alert one of the ride marshals. If you have a mechanical failure or other event that prevents you from completing the ride, please call 912-655-1637 and we will dispatch a vehicle to collect you and your bike.

If are going on the 5-mile fun ride

The ride will leave from Ellis Square at noon, but we would prefer that all riders arrive by 11:45 a.m. Helmets are strongly encouraged and required for children under 16. The ride will end at Moon River Brewing Company. Bike valet will be provided.

Where to park your car and/or bike

On-street parking is located throughout downtown Savannah. The closest parking garages to the event sites are the Ellis Square and Robinson garages. More information on parking is available on the City of Savannah’s website. A free valet parking service for bicycles, staffed by our volunteers, will be located in Bay Lane, direclty behind Moon River Brewing Company.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email info@bicyclecampaign.org.

 

Today is for Riding #3: Billy J.

The Savannah Bicycle Campaign is featuring people who ride their bikes for work, play — and everything in-between. They may ride rain or shine, or they may hit two wheels on the weekends. But no matter what, they know what they love about riding in Savannah — and what can be improved.

Follow along on our blog and our Instagram account as we share some top shots they’ve taken from behind their handlebars, their favorite things about riding in our beautiful city, and their hopes and dreams for the future of bicycling in Savannah.

Interested in sharing your story? Email info@bicyclecampaign.org.

After all, #TodayIsForRiding.

Dr. Billy Jamerson started riding a bicycle as a child growing up in downtown Savannah.  Taking a break to begin his dental career and raising a family, he forgot about the joy and fun of cycling. In fact for several years, he didn’t cycle at all!

Then about six years ago, his daughter Beth encouraged him to start walking around Lake Mayer. This led to faster walking and eventually running.  Along the way while recovering from plantar fasciitis he rediscovered the childhood joys of cycling Savannah. He often rides several times a month between ten and fifty miles each ride.

“Cycling is a great way to stay young and ride like you did when you were a kid — but this time in spandex! Its like being forever young.”

What are your favorite rides? 1) Slow ride on Washington Avenue to Habersham downtown around the downtown squares on a lazy Sunday morning onto Burnside Island pass Isle of Hope, Wormsloe and Bethesda. 2) Enjoying the early morning sun rise and late evening sunsets. 3) Discovering new rides in distant cities offer great ways to tour and see the world. 4) Riding with groups of cyclists over greater distance.

Billy says… Savannah with its mostly flat terrain is geographically easy to ride.  The streets downtown offer a perfect way to exercise and enjoy the innate beauty of the parks punctuated with centuries old trees.   The flow of tourists, students and locals scurrying around makes downtown an effervescent magnet for pedestrians appreciating the areas deep and rich history. Each day the dynamics change and are never the same.  The outlying county is also mostly flat offering excellent coastal views and intimate retreats with nature.

What could be improved? Savannah’s original historic street design offers an excellent plan to stimulate biking and pedestrian safety. 1) Establish a safe network of trails or routes to interconnect different parts of county.  2) Construct strategic routes downtown with protected cycling lanes. 3) Join cities like Atlanta, Columbus, and Athens committed to paths, trails and complete streets safer for pedestrians, runners and cyclists alike.  4) Become a leader in decreasing accidents and slowing vehicular traffic downtown to promote a safer and more fluid movement of people.

Whitaker and Drayton Street traffic calming proposal dismissed by City Council

We are disappointed by the Savannah City Council’s decision to dismiss the Whitaker and Drayton Street traffic calming proposal presented by the Savannah Development and Renewal Authority at the March 30 City Council workshop. Despite ample evidence that the SDRA proposal (download PDF) would both reduce crashes and deliver economic benefits, council endorsed a counter-proposal that will not be as effective in improving the safety of those who walk, ride bikes, or drive motor vehicles.

That proposal, submitted by the City’s Traffic Engineering Department, maintained design changes are not needed. Traffic Engineering recommended, among other measures, an education campaign aimed at people who ride bikes and walk as a strategy for addressing the alarming increase in car crashes. The traffic engineering report suggested concerns over safety were mostly a matter of perception, but offered to install pedestrian signals at some intersections and relocate a tourist trolley stop. Also proposed was an expansion of the Forsyth Park perimeter sidewalk to allow cycling. That idea would likely require the removal of trees and other vegetation, its projected half million dollar cost is not currently budgeted, and it would do nothing to improve safety on Whittaker and Drayton streets.

The SDRA proposal was endorsed by the Downtown Neighborhood Association, the Downtown Business Association, the Tourism Leadership Council, the Ardsley Park-Chatham Crescent Neighborhood Association, Healthy Savannah and Georgia Bikes. We remain committed to working with these and other partners — and City Council — to advance sensible and forward-thinking efforts to make Savannah better for residents and visitors alike. We also appreciate Alderman Bill Durrence for prioritizing people over fast moving traffic.

If you think Savannah needs streets designed to improve safety for all users, which will make our neighborhoods better places to live, please contact your elected officials.

Today is for Riding #2: Jen, @jen_colestock

The Savannah Bicycle Campaign is featuring people who ride their bikes for work, play — and everything in-between. They may ride rain or shine, or they may hit two wheels on the weekends. But no matter what, they know what they love about riding in Savannah — and what can be improved.

Follow along on our blog and our Instagram account as we share some top shots they’ve taken from behind their handlebars, their favorite things about riding in our beautiful city, and their hopes and dreams for the future of bicycling.

Interested in sharing your story? Email info@bicyclecampaign.org.

After all, #TodayIsForRiding.

Our next feature is on bicycle rider extraordinaire (and former New Standard Cycles program manager) Jen Colestock. Jen shares photos of her daily life and commute in Savannah in addition to her long-distance travels on her account @jen_coleslaw. Recently she completed a 2-day ride from Atlanta to Savannah that took her through 26 degree mornings, a 6500 foot elevation change and a frozen camelback over the course of 250 miles.

Jen says… what I love about biking to work is the sounds and smells of the city. I’ve had commutes that led me past coffee roasters, herbal and floral community gardens, music venues and street musicians. I’ve had commutes home during the summer where I’ve ridden through sprinklers. And almost every single commute I ride with or pass people I know.

What could be better? I think that the city has taken some measures for cyclists, like creating a few bike lanes, but those of us that depend on bikes as our sole form of transportation can easily get stuck in the downtown area. It takes a lot of experience and confidence to feel comfortable braving the choke points of Savannah’s infrastructure, where cyclists are forced on busy highways or under underpasses to get to or from work. I look forward to seeing projects like the East Coast Greenway and the Truman Greenway come into being.

Interested in sharing your story? Email info@bicyclecampaign.org.