Bicycle patrols—a community policing tactic that some law enforcement agencies de-emphasized in recent years—are seeing a resurgence as the price of gasoline approaches or surpasses $4 a gallon across the country, CNN reports. Pittsburgh is one city to hop on the bike trend.

When will Cleveland police hit city streets on bikes? It may not be as simple as Third District Commander Thomas McCartney and Fifth District Commander Calvin D. Williams first thought. When a small group of patrolmen under McCartney’s command discovered a dozen bikes collecting dust in a storage locker, they rescued and cobbled together a half-a-dozen rideable bicycles by combining parts.

It seems like a happy ending, except the six officers aren’t so much patrolling on bikes as they are “skulking around” on them, says Lois Moss, founder of Walk + Roll Cleveland, who is advocating to make Cleveland Police on bikes a legit operation.

"From what I understand, some members of the police union do not want officers riding bicycles because they want it to be a separate Unit whereby it gets special funding,” Moss explains. “They also are saying that officers should get paid more to ride a bicycle as opposed to use a car or a motorcycle or a horse.”

That way of thinking is behind the times, Moss says. She cites the "Bike Bill" being considered by the U.S. Senate. It lists a number of statistics regarding bicycles, including this one: Many public agencies in cities are using bicycles to deliver critical municipal services…96 percent of those serving more than 250,000 residents now have routine patrols by bicycle.

"They are not seeing the up-side, which is officers are healthier," she adds. "One cop told me he lost 40 pounds due to cycling – plus the relationship between the police and citizens is more open.”

What will make Cleveland more of a Bicycle Friendly Community? The city may have earned an honorable mention as a ‘BFC’ from the League of American Bicyclists this past May (during Cleveland Bike Week), but the national group says the city still has a long way to go. The League recently supplied the city with a four-page list of priority improvements that would move it up the ranks to BFC-Bronze or higher.

“Set an ambitious, attainable target to increase the percentage of trips made by bike in the community,” the League urges. Currently, less than ½ of 1 percent of trips to work are done by bike in Cleveland. “This number should be increased significantly in order to demonstrate bicycle friendliness.”

Beyond recognition, Cleveland is interested in adopting the ‘bike friendliness’ list as its agenda for making cycling a real transportation option, says Martin Cader at Cleveland City Planning.

Miles of new bike lanes are one measures of bike friendliness, but just as important is how safe people feel cycling on city streets. Cleveland (and Cuyahoga County) can boost safety by traditional means—re-educating adults how to ride a bike safely on the street and offering special BikeEd training during driver’s education courses and to bus and truck drivers. Cleveland can also adopt innovative programs like Chicago’s Bike Buddies. There, 240 ambassadors make house calls—bike commuting along with people from their home and teaching basic bike maintenance.

Agenda items are categorized under the ‘Five E’s’—Engineering, Education, Encouragement and Enforcement. (Read more).

Bike commuters in Cleveland should have plenty of spots to park their bikes in the near future thanks to a new law requiring all parking lot operators in the city to install at least one bike parking spot (and associated bike racks) for every 20 car spots.

Cleveland City Council passed the law in June, which applies to lots both existing and new. Read more here.

Location(s)

Choose from a 23-mile leisurely bycicle ride complete with a trip on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad or a 10-mile family friendly ride complete with an ice cream stop at Thornburg Station. Following the rides enjoy a BBQ lunch, giveaways and live entertainment. 

Fee. Go here for more details and to register.

Location(s)

Big Creek Trail and Neighborhood Connector Plan
Public Meeting

The City of Brooklyn and project partners are seeking public input on the Big Creek Trail and Neighborhood Connector Plan. The study will develop preferred alignments for a three mile all-purpose trail expansion through the city that will seek to connect the Metroparks Zoo and Brookside Reservation to the Big Creek Reservation south of Brookpark Road. It will examine connecting parks, neighborhoods, civic and commercial areas throughout the city while identifying opportunities for interpretive exhibits and ecological restoration.

The $75,000 study is being funded by a $60,000 Federal Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative grant program administered through the Northeast Ohio Coordinating Agency with local matches from the cities of Brooklyn, Cleveland and Parma, Cleveland Metroparks, and Friends of Big Creek.

The meeting starts at 6:30 PM at Brooklyn City Hall, 7619 Memphis Avenue. For more information contact Donna Thompson, City of Brooklyn at 216-635-4224 or visit < www.friendsofbigcreek.org >.

Big Creek Trail and Neighborhood Connector Plan
Public Meeting

Wednesday, June 25th
6:30 pm

Brooklyn City Hall
7619 Memphis Avenue
Brooklyn, Ohio 44144

During Cleveland Bicycle Week in May, organizers gathered information from area cyclists, learning what works, what doesn't and what people like about cycling in Northeast Ohio.

Here are some of their thoughts:

Fix the Roads!!: Cyclists care about good roads. No surprise there. Cyclists have historically cared about transportation, starting the "good roads" movement before there were cars. As we proceed through the 21st century, remember that in the 19th century, cyclists initiated the call for quality roads to serve the economy and population of a growing nation. So let's fix the potholes, clear the debris and glass that plague motorists and cyclists alike.

Who Rides?: Cyclists have a variety of goals, but the most frequent riders are commuters and those riding for recreation, health and fitness. The next largest groups were those on social visits and errands. People ride for their individual goals, but also, ride as a social activity. Cycling helps individuals and families have fun and enjoy the area's beautiful parks.

We Don't Fret About Motorists: Yes, many motorists don't seem to be aware of traffic laws that establish a cyclist right to use the roads, but it's a diversion to cite barriers between cyclists and motorists, at least from the cyclists point of view. Cyclists report they would ride more with safer bike lanes (82%), areas free from glass, debris and car doors, about 45% more than those who criticized motorists. Weather and poor road quality were cited by more than half of respondents, far more than those citing unsafe motorists.

Those cross-country cyclists working to raise attention for climate change and the need to address an issue of national and international impact are at it again, organizing a ride from New York to Washington, DC. They are asking concerned citizens and riders to plan on joining them in September for a five to Washington D.C.

The ride is to promote renewable energy and solutions to global warming: www.climateride.org and they will have cyclists from all over the country joining them, and they say it would be great to have representatives from Cleveland join us and ride to Washington. Here’s the release:

Join Brita Climate Ride 2008
September 20th - 24th
New York to D.C.
www.ClimateRide.org

Join Brita Climate Ride 2008 for the first multi-day supported bicycle tour where you pedal to promote renewable energy and solutions to global warming. Climate Riders will cycle 320 miles in five days from New York to Washington D.C., following scenic country roads and finishing on the steps of our nation's capitol, where we will make a statement about our country's need for action.

Along the way, expert speakers will educate and inspire Climate Riders and local communities about the science, the policies and the solutions to global warming. Our riders and the communities we pass through will learn how our government, businesses, and all Americans will benefit from a cleaner, healthier climate. This is a unique event--a fundraiser and climate conference on wheels, and an opportunity to meet people who are engaged in making a difference.

Each rider will be responsible for raising $2,250. Proceeds from the ride benefit Clean Air - Cool Planet and Focus the Nation, two organizations that lead the way in expanding climate change education, encouraging renewable energy policies, and promoting solutions to global warming.

As the Towpath Trail inches its way from Old Harvard Road to the Flats, Cleveland’s south side and its neighbors aren’t waiting to get connected. Brooklyn Heights, Parma, Seven Hills and Independence are banding together to create the West Creek Greenway Trail, a 16-mile on-and off-road loop with linkages to the Towpath at Canal Road on the southern end and at the Cleveland Metroparks’ CanalWay Center on the northern end. Catalyzed by the West Creek Reservation, the group has already completed two sections of trail. Read more here.

The West Creek Greenway Trail will ultimately link with a new trail that the Metroparks plans to build from Old Harvard into Slavic Village, heading northeast to its Mill Creek Falls. From the falls, cyclists (and pedestrians) can head into the heart of Slavic Village on Morgana Run Trail, a 2-mile former train line that was converted to recreation path in a first for Cleveland. Read the story about this ‘rails-to-trails’ success here.

Beating West Creek to the punch: Cleveland’s Old Brooklyn neighborhood recently dedicated the Treadway Creek restoration project, including a 2/3-mi. bike path connector. It’s the first ‘neighborhood connector’ to link up to the Towpath.

A 15.9 mile connector trail linking West Creek Reservation and the following cities to the Towpath Trail:

• Village of Brooklyn Heights
• City of Independence
• City of Parma
• City of Seven Hills