Skills park - accessible via local trails & East Coast Greenway

Richmond MORE (Mid Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts) is announcing today the planned building of an Off Road Bicycle skills area on Belle Island in the City of Richmond Virginia’s James River Park. This skills facility will be an addition to the 18 miles of urban single track trails nestled into the James River Park, Forest Hill Park and Byrd Parks located in the city. This entire system of trails has been built by volunteer labor and donated funds side by side with the City of Richmond Trails Division. Like the trails, this skills area will be built in collaboration with the following volunteer groups: The Friends of James River Park, JROC (James River Outdoor Coalition) the City of Richmond Trails Division, the James River Park System, Richmond MORE and IMBA (International Mountain Bike Association). This facility valued at $100,000 will be located under the Lee Bridge on the south east corner of Belle Island. This area is an unused portion of the island that was used for staging of mulch and materials. Construction will begin in April 2012 and the grand opening is scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend. [continue reading…]

I arrived late at the Senate Agriculture Committee this afternoon, but
learned from others who were there that the four Sunday Hunting bills
were somehow combined, and Reported with a few nays. This should be well reported in tomorrow morning’s Times Dispatch, so we can get the details.

I did hear SB305, the bill pertaining to the Dangerous Dogs Registry,
which was reported with very little discussion.

It is apparently an Administration bill aimed at simplifying the process
the owner of a dog deemed dangerous must go through. It neither
increases nor decreases the fees that must be paid, nor does it appear
to either weaken or strengthen the Registry process. This being the
case, I am not going to worry about this bill and expect that it will
sail right through.

Bud Vye
RABA Advocacy Director

We’ve created a Portfolio page at Richmond Sunlight listing the bicycling-related bills in the 2012 General Assembly, with links to follow the progress of each bill.

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In the Senate Transportation Committee this afternoon…

SB 264, motor vehicles not to follow ANY vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, patroned by Adam Ebbin, was quickly reported on to the full Senate with very little discussion.

Both bills patroned by George Barker, SB210 & SB219, which would move ANY use of a cell phone by a driver with a learner’s permit, and texting or emailing while driving by any drivers, up from a secondary to a primary offense, were reported, the latter with a few nays led by Carrico and McDougle, who were concerned with how a policeman could determine what a driver was doing with their cell phone from a distance, in order to stop them, since getting directions from a GPS and making phone calls (hand held) is NOT presently illegal. They have a point, and I sense this bill may have problems when it gets to the House, although the bill for those with learner’s permits should have no problems.

SB 199 patroned by Sen. Marsden, was continued until NEXT YEAR at the request of the patron, since on looking it over carefully he didn’t feel that in its present form it clearly addressed the problem, which he feels is classically illustrated right outside the building we were meeting in (9th & Broad). 9th is a one way street with 3 lanes (one turning left; one going straight; and one turning right) When the light at Broad turns green, pedestrians crossing Broad on each side of 9th, in marked crosswalks, have a green, as do the cars turning both left and right. Since the cars only have to Yield under the current law, you better pay attention if you are walking, as I can attest, since I make that crossing every time I go down there. The northern VA jurisdictions tried to get this bill through 7 or 8 times after the turn of the century, but it always failed, getting no support from the rural delegates. They did not bring the bill up for the last two years, and now are pulling this one, although there is a similar bill HB706 over in the House, which I will follow.

SB333 Carrico, which would bar mo-peds from all highways with speed limits of 35mph or higher, was not on the docket today, nor was SB101/Edwards which would permit Blacksburg to have bike lanes going in both directions on a street that is one way for motor vehicles. There has been a lot of discussion over whether the town doesn’t already have the authority to do this, but they want permission from the legislature anyway, and are proceeding to try to get it. [continue reading…]