THIS MEETING HAS BEEN CANCELLED. We will post information on a rescheduled date as soon as we have it.  The Chatham County Department of Engineering in Conjunction with City of Savannah and Georgia Department of Transportation will hold a public information open house for the  Truman Linear Park Trail, Phase 2 on Nov. 7 at  Bible Baptist Church Social Hall located at 4700 Skidaway Road.

The purpose of the open house is to provide the public with an opportunity to view the proposed project, ask questions and comment on the proposal. The public is invited to attend the informal open house anytime between 4 and 7 p.m. There will be no formal presentation. The meeting site is accessible to persons with disabilities.

About the Truman Linear Park Trail

The Truman Linear Park Trail, Phase 2 project proposes to connect the Phase 1 Trail  (Police Memorial Trail) to Lake Mayer. Phase 2 is approximately 4.8 miles in length and varies  in width from 8-ft to 10-ft. The path will consist of a combination of retrofitting existing  sidewalk and a new 10-ft wide asphalt path. Canals will be crossed with timber bridges and  wetlands will be crossed using timber boardwalks. The improvements also include upgrading  intersection crossings to safely accommodate pedestrians. The current project schedule  anticipates a construction contract being awarded in December 2014.

Written statements  concerning this project will be accepted until Nov. 22 and should be submitted to:

Chatham County Department of Engineering
Attn: Nathaniel Panther, P.E.
P.O. Box 8161 Savannah, Georgia 31412

Our SpokeModels group has organized a Bike Scavenger Hunt in conjunction with this month’s First Friday Art March on Nov. 1 from 6-9 p.m. at Desotorow Gallery.

Teams will check in with the Bicycle Campaign tent on Desoto Avenue, where they receive the rules, challenge questions, and a map. This is a great way to explore both the city and the Art March in a fun, interactive way! The winning team will receive prizes from the Savannah Bicycle Campaign and Desotorow. More information will be posted soon on the SpokeModels Facebook page.

City leaders announced Oct. 16 that Savannah earned Bicycle Friendly Community status for recent accomplishments in bicycle infrastructure, education, and programming. The City joins 291 Cities nation-wide and just four cities in the State of Georgia that have been recognized with the award.

“The City of Savannah is playing a critical part in creating a truly Bicycle Friendly America,” said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists which issued the Award. “We know Savannah’s investment in bicycling will be returned many times over in the health, environmental, and quality of life benefits of a thriving community.”

“The City has worked hard to provide new public bicycling facilities for residents, including the lanes on Washington Avenue in the 4th District,”, said Mary Ellen Sprague, 4th District Alderwoman. “This award celebrates the progress made, with more accomplishments to come.”

Recent accomplishments of the City include the Price Street and Washington Avenue bicycle lanes, “sharrows” throughout Barnard Street, an expanded bicycle rack program, the launch of the downtown bike-share program, and the receipt of a 2013 Play Streets grant.
“The City of Savannah has made great strides in fostering a bicycling culture in the last several years”, said John Bennett, executive director of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign. “We’re measuring growing numbers of riders each year, and have seen increased national recognition of Savannah as a bicycling destination.”

Read more about Savannah’s Bicycle Friendly Community designation.

This year’s highly successful Savannah Play Streets series concludes on Saturday with a colossal event in Daffin Park from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Throughout the year the Savannah Bicycle Campaign has brought bicycle fun to Play Streets with bike activities for kids, free bicycle valet parking and a group ride to the event, and this Saturday is no different. Want to get involved? Select a volunteer shift!

A group ride will leave from the south end of Forsyth Park at 11 a.m. And, thanks to our friends at Well FED Savannah, everyone who parks a bike with us will receive a free gift bag full of goodies valued at more than $25.

That’s only one of the cool things that happens when Play Streets teams up with the Savannah Food Day Festival, a nationwide celebration and a movement toward more healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. This is a national grassroots mobilization backed by some of the most prominent voices for energizing the food movement.

Savannah’s Food Day Festival is the largest in the nation and features live music, nearly 100 exhibitors and vendors and shopping at the Farmer’s Market. Attendees are also sure to find interest among the two dozen unique and completely free workshops and cooking classes, suitable for everyone, including the kids!

On Tuesday, Oct. 15 we’ll be riding from Baldwin Park to the Flip Flop Tiki Bar & Grill, located at 117 Whitaker Street.

Ride with us at 5:30 or meet us there at 6 p.m. Enjoy food, beverages and the company of other cyclists. It’s a fun way to find out about the latest news from your Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

Don’t forget your lights and helmet!

Savannah Play Streets events resume this month on Oct. 19, from 1-4 p.m. on May Street and on Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. in Daffin Park. A group ride will leave from the south end Forsyth Park on Oct. 19 at 1 p.m., bound for May Street.

The Oct. 26 event combines Play Streets with the Third Annual Savannah Food Day Festival, which attracted more than 10,000 attendees last year.

SBC will be offering free bicycle valet parking, bicycle games for kids, and group rides from each location from Forsyth Park. And we need your help! Please consider volunteering at one or both events: View volunteer opportunities and sign up today!

We are looking forward to the Fourth Annual Georgia Bike Summit in Roswell, Oct. 18-20. Workshop topics include Bike Friendly Small Towns, the Silver Comet Trail Economic Impact study, Working with Sponsors, Traffic Court 101 for Cyclists, Starting a Women’s Cycling Organization, Economic Impact of Bike Events, Community Bike Shops and Economic Empowerment, and more.

Adventure Cycling Association Executive Director Jim Sayer, who visited Savannah during National Bike Month, will be the keynote speaker.

Registration and additional information is available on the Georgia Bike Summit website.

How many people are riding bikes these days in Savannah? We aim to find out!

Your Savannah Bicycle Campaign is teaming up with the Coastal Region Metropolitan Planning Organization and the City of Savannah to coordinate counts of bicyclists and pedestrians at certain times and locations throughout Savannah and Chatham County on Sept. 24, 26, and 28.