Once again, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-VA (7th), is up to his old tricks. As if he didn’t wreak enough havoc on America’s economy by refusing to negotiate with the Administration last week, he’s once again picking on bicycling.
This time, Cantor has bike sharing on his YouCut list.
Considering that the largest university in Virginia, Richmond’s Virginia Commonwealth University, is about to add a bike share program, you would think that a politician in touch with his home base might think twice before doing something like this. [continue reading…]
Update: read the interview with Jakob Helmboldt at Richmond.com
We’ve known about this for awhile, but we’ve been awaiting an official announcement. Now the cat’s out of the bag: Jakob Helmboldt will be Richmond’s first Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Coordinator, starting Monday, August 15.
See the announcement at the City’s blog, and at RVA News.
There is no better person for the job. Before being hired away by planning firm VHB, Jake served as VDOT’s statewide bike-ped coordinator; and before that, Safe Routes to School Coordinator. As far as cycling cred goes, Jake is a former Category 1 racer, a strong recreational cyclist, and a regular bike commuter.
The stars are aligned for cycling in Richmond, soon to receive a series of road improvements and trail building efforts; and, with luck, the 2015 World Cycling Championships. We’re fortunate to have talent like Jake onboard.
Cartoon by Chris O'Brion & The Roanoke Times
Read the companion editorial: Mistaking Planning for Conspiring
Leave your comments below — unfortunately there’s no comment section at Roanoke.com
Tony Barrett & Barbara Duerk
Tony Barrett, Maine board member for the East Coast Greenway, attended the Appalachian Trail meeting July 2011. Barrett cycled the Trans America Bicycle Trail end to end. In recognition for cycling the 570 miles of Interstate Bicycle Route 76 in Virginia, Virginia Bicycling Federation’s representative Barbara Duerk presents Tony with the Trans America Bicycle Trail pin.
The Virginia Bicycling Federation awards a commemorative pin to cyclists who have ridden all 570 miles of US Bicycle Route 76 in Virginia. If you or anyone you know would like to receive a pin for this achievement, please contact us.
Mayor Wants Bicycling to Have Impact in Richmond
In an interview with NBC12, Richmond mayor Dwight Jones is calling for major bicycling improvements in the City of Richmond.
“We want to see bicycling in the City of Richmond become a huge impact,” said Mayor Dwight Jones.
He’s planning to hire a bicycle coordinator this year. The city’s paying for the sharrows with money from the Commonwealth Transportation Board.
The mayor’s hoping this latest wave of improvements also increases the city’s chances of hosting the World Road Cycling Championships in 2015.
The event is expected to bring 500,000 to the capital city and generate approximately $135 million in revenue. Richmond is one of two finalists, along with Oman in southwest Asia.
“When they (the UCI) see that we’re serious about sharrows and serious about incentivizing businesses to bicycling that’s impressive to them,” said Jones.
Richmond will find out this fall if it host the World Road Cycling Championship. The winning city will be announced from Denmark in September.
Signs and pavement markings will be placed on 80 miles of the city’s roadways over the next two years.
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