Community Affairs

Overview

Community Affairs Officer

Ken Rex
khrex(at)aol.com
 

The Spring City Cycling Club promotes and endorses highway, road, street planning, etc. that provides continued access and routes for bike travel and recreation in the Huntsville, Alabama area and across north Alabama.

Adopt A Mile Program

2012 Litter Patrol Along Cecil Ashburn

Each year, since February 2000, the Spring City Cycling Club adopts responsibility for the mile of roadway at the top of the Cecil Ashburn. We pick up litter on this section of road and are recognized by the City of Huntsville with signs marking the adopted mile.

For 2012: There are 4 sessions of 8 pledges each for a total of 32 pledges of which 4 are session leaders. The first 3 sessions are on Tuesday evenings (rain day Wednesday evenings) and the 4th session is the first Saturday of November with rain day the first Sunday of November. The amount of time is 2 hours. It’s a beautiful place, it is good company, and it is an adult Easter egg hunt. Some folks ride their bicycles there and afters we either order pizza or visit a local restaurant. SCCC officers have approved funding food.

Sessions are:

Wanna know more? Read the Adopt a Mile Project, view the current schedule/volunteer list, or contact Marjorie Holderer at mjholderer(at)knology.net, 256-883-9982

Community Grant Program

The SCCC annually reviews applications from members to provide money for an item, or project, that promotes and develops bicycling for sport, fitness, recreation, transportation, or safety education in the local north Alabama area. Applications are reviewed, then grants are chosen and awarded after the fall century proceeds are determined. Members should create an application covering the 5 Criteria for Requests found on the program document and submit to an SCCC officer. Usually in the Spring, one or more applications will be selected for community grants.

Proposed final design for widening Old Madison Pike

Proposed final design for widening Old Madison Pike between Slaughter Road and Thornton Research Park. The city and the state Department of Transportation have scheduled a March 1 public hearing for the project's corridor and design. The hearing will be from 5:00 to 7:00p.m. in the Pope John Paul II Catholic High School multipurpose room at 7310 Old Madison Pike.

Huntsville Bicycle Safety Committee

Huntsville has formed a Bicycle Safety Committee that meets regularly in response to increased calls for improved bicycle awareness. Members of the SCCC and Alabike are among the committee members. City of Huntsville web page is now online.

Some City of Madison cyclists are forming a group to work with the city to make Madison a more Bicycle Friendly City. If interested in helping, contact Peter Engstrom at pengstrom(at)knology.net

Draft FY 2008-2011 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program

The new AL Statewide Transportation Plan is now on-line. Check it out here. There are some words about “Complete Streets” in the new policy.
Safe Routes to School grants have been signed by the governor and Huntsville is among over twenty communities in Alabama to receive funds for SRTS improvements around schools. $295,000 of federal funds will be spent in the next year to build paths, sidewalks, improve and add signals and crosswalks, and install driver feedback signs near several Huntsville city schools.

Bicycle Commuting

So, you’re interested in riding to work? It’s a great way to get those miles in, it beats traffic especially on the Arsenal, and it reduces the wear and tear on the family wagon. Take a look at these websites for information and suggestions about bicycle commuting. These links also have great information about how to ride safely!!!!

Just how safe is cycling? Take a look at the these fatality statistics:

Other interesting statistics can be found at the NCSA Fact Sheets. Also see Safe Kids and National Bike Safety Network.

Sidewalks

Many of the links listed here have information about the dangers of sidewalks to cyclists. Accident statistics show that sidewalks are more dangerous than riding with traffic in the roadway Local cyclists have been injured while riding on sidewalks because motorists do not see them Alabama state law requires cyclists to use an adjacent path next to the roadway. However, sidewalks are not considered usable paths. Remember, where sidewalks cross roadways, cyclists must yield to traffic.

Bike Parking

As part of the new Huntsville Bike Plan, we are looking for businesses and offices to approach to install bike parking.

Riding on the Arsenal

Current security regulations and policies limit access to the Arsenal to those that have a Redstone Arsenal Badge (This includes NASA). An employee can escort guests if you a riding in a group. However, the last information provided by the Arsenal was that BIKE STICKERS are not required for access. Bike stickers are for residents living on the Arsenal to prevent theft. Club access may be available in the future, but will not looked at until the security posture relaxes.

So what is going on around Huntsville?

Take a look at the City of Huntsville Bikeway plan. And the Huntsville Greenways Plan.

What to do if you are involved in an accident

  1. Make sure you are okay!
  2. Get out of the road!
  3. Call police and 911.
  4. Fill out police report complete with witness statements.
  5. For insurance get forms from state and City, Motor vehicle report.
  6. Register with state for claims
  7. Get estimate of value of bike-repairs-parts-cost.
  8. Get advice from a bike friendly lawyer.
  9. Do not settle personal injury before a month ahs passed, as some injuries do not appear immediately.
  10. Do not let the insurance company take your bike. It is evidence.
  11. Only sign parts of release forms that apply to your case.

Other resources: Jason & Fischer, Attorneys at Law, specialized in cases involving bicyclists.

What to do if you are harrassed by a motorist

If you are involved in an accident, we would like a copy of the police report for our files. It allows us to track and understand accidents in our community so we can lobby local officials effectively.

Who to contact if you get attacked by a dog while riding

Because animal control laws vary widely in North Alabama and southern Tennessee, it's important to know the contact agency in each city and county.

Road Maintenance

Within the City of Huntsville, see streets or greenways that need a sweep or other maintenance?
Take action and call City of Huntsville Public Works Director Terry Hatfield at 256-427-5007. Within two weeks you should see results. If not, call again. Keep the rest of us posted. And thank you for making cycling better.

See streets that need repainting or repaving within City of Huntsville limits? Call Public works 883-3944 to add a street to their list. Each November, the city investigates inventories, assesses, and prioritizes these projects for the coming year. Projects and costs are evenly divided between the 5 city council districts. Source: Keith Clines article Huntsville Times 11-13-04

In Madison County, roads are maintained by one of 6 District offices. For the current district boundaries click here. For contact information, click here.

Bicycling and The Law

There have been several email discussions about bicycling and the law. Here are some resources that folks unearthed:
Alabama State Code online (check out Title 32, Chapter 5A, Article 32)

Advocacy

Are you interested in helping out with advocacy? Looking for information about what advocacy is, the issues involved, or other information? Check out the related links page.

© Copyright , Spring City Cycling Club – Huntsville, Alabama