Bicycling Advocacy in New Hampshire 2012

Bike-Walk Alliance of NH Update - January, 2012

" A Voice for New Hampshire's Bicyclists and Pedestrians"

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Four bridge stories make the headlines

 Manchester Airport Access Road (MAAR) and Pearl Harbor Survivors Bridge across the Merrimack River opened November 11 for motorists and bicyclists. This multi-million dollar project as started some years ago was originally designed to exclude bicyclists on the main roadway (now called the Raymond Wieczorek Drive) connecting Bedford to Manchester, Londonderry, and Litchfield. A bike path, not to be illuminated at night, cleared of snow in the winter, or providing a direct connection to local roads, was part of the design but that would not accommodate vehicular cyclists requiring a 24 x 7 x 365 transportation corridor. Mopeds and electric bicycles were also to be prohibited from using the bridge to access local roads where they are commonly used. In 2009, advocates from the Granite State Wheelmen and Bike-Walk Alliance of NH were made aware of these restrictions and sought to have them lifted to be in compliance with Federal guidelines. Another bridge built years earlier down-river connecting Nashua and Hudson (the Sagamore Bridge) had the same restrictions. After many inquiries to NH-DOT and pointing out the need of cyclists to use these bridges for transportation, a series of high-level meetings between NH-DOT and FHWA starting in March 2010 resulted in the restrictions being removed from both the Sagamore Bridge and the MAAR bridge on May 24, 2010. BWA-NH reported this major accomplishment at the time and sent a "thank you" letter to key NH-DOT personnel.

On November 10, the official dedication ceremony was held on Ray Wieczorek Drive at the airport end. Bicyclists, runners, and walkers were the first to check out the new roadway and sidepath. BWA-NH and GSW members participated with a definite preference to cycling on the road, not the sidepath which was being well used by local residents out for a walk, children on bikes, dogs being walked, babies in strollers, etc. Vehicular cyclists just want to ride from point A to B with the least hassles in the safest manner, and the road with wide, smooth, and maintained shoulders serves that purpose very well. The MAAR project was opened for full use by all vehicles on Veterans Day, November 11, a very symbolic gesture.

The Memorial Bridge between Portsmouth NH and Kittery ME will be replaced starting in January 2012 with the new bridge targeted to be functional in July 2013. The 88-year-old bridge was in very poor condition and was abruptly closed to motor vehicles on July 27, 2011. Bike-ped crossings of about 900 a day continued for the rest of the year. With no bridge for at least 18 months, an hourly bus shuttle service running from 5 am to 1 am, seven days a week, is the current plan. The 12 passenger bus capable of carrying six bikes is considered totally inadequate by BWA-NH and was so expressed at a hearing in Portsmouth on November 29. A follow-up email was sent to the project managers and NH-DOT officials since there will be “Public Outreach Committees” dealing with local concerns during the project and even about aesthetics of the bridge itself.

Many cyclists including BWA-NH feel the Sarah Long Bridge (the “middle bridge”) could be used for vehicular cyclists and leave the shuttle for pedestrians, disabled, and bicyclists who cannot pedal about half a mile on a two-lane, 30-foot wide roadway. The new Memorial Bridge is to allow cyclists on the roadway in two five-foot lanes with the curb-to-curb width being 32 feet. The Sarah Long Bridge is considered “unsafe” for bicyclists by some people in the Maine and NH DOTs. However, all ideas are still “on the table” as we seek a more practical crossing between Portsmouth and Kittery without biking to Dover, some 12 miles away. The Memorial Bridge “detour” signs lead all vehicles including bicyclists to the Sarah Long Bridge, so what do hundreds of cyclists per hour do when they cannot cross the river? More discussion on this topic with various DOT officials is definitely expected before prime cycling season resumes.

A new $2.3M rail trail bridge in Keene crossing Routes 9, 10, and 12 on the Cheshire Rail Trail was started in September after being in the works for over a decade. Called the “ North Bridge”, various groups pulled together to secure funding from multiple sources; Pathways for Keene alone donated $100K with money raised from fundraisers over ten years. The need for a safe crossing of the three busy roads was highlighted on November 29 when a man was struck and killed by a NH-DOT truck when he attempted to cross. The need for a “ South Bridge” in Keene crossing equally busy roads and connecting sections of the Ashuelot Rail Trail was stressed to NH-DOT by Charles Martin, Founder and Treasurer, NH-RTC.

A new bridge under theWindham Rail Trail about 3/4 mile south of the Windham Depot parking lot is nearly complete so the popular trail will be open for winter activities. Connectivity of two Spruce Pond housing developments required the new bridge construction which severed the trail for about two months. A “new look” will await all rail trail users: fewer trees but a new bridge and road under the trail instead.

Other rail trail news includes the Derry Rail Trail Alliance(DRTA) announcing the completion of paving two-miles of their trail from Bowers Road to Windham Depot thanks to the Town of Derry and many local contributors. Trail users must go “up and over” Bowers Road or use the six-foot diameter culvert to make that crossing until funds are available to install a full-width 12-foot box culvert, about a $400K job which may be covered under a TE grant. The new section provides users to enjoy a paved rail trail from downtown Derry to the Windham Depot to Roulston Road, just 0.6 mile from Salem. That remaining 0.6 mile of the Windham Rail Trail goes over the new Rt. 111 bike-ped bridge and should be paved next year under a TE grant awarded in 2010. Trail-side parking at the southern terminus near Range Road and Route 28 (Windham-Salem town line) has been approved.

NH Rail Trails Coalition (NH-RTC) fifth annual conference was held November 12, 2011 in Concord at the SHC-NNE / BWA-NH office, 57 Regional Drive. Rail trail organizations and advocates from around the state participated and learned a lot about recent developments, projects, and funding issues. Speakers from the City of Keene, Carl Knoch of the Rails to Trails Conservancy, and Larry Keniston of NH-DOT presented much useful information. A special guest, Joe Hattrup, CEO of the Iron Horse Preservation Society, was able to answer questions about how his organization can build a basic rail trail at no cost to anyone. (The NH-RTC is affiliated with BWA-NH.)

Methuen (MA) Rail Trail Alliance (MRTA) finalized paperwork with the City of Methuen and the Iron Horse Preservation Society (IHPS) to build their section along the M&L corridor – at no cost for the basic rail trail. A ceremonial ground breaking by the MRTA was held on December 3 with actual work to be done during the winter as weather allows. BWA-NH has been coordinating efforts between IHPS, Salem, and NH-DOT to have similar work performed in NH; hopefully starting in Salem right after IHPS completes work in Methuen.

Classroom and on-bike training for elementary school students continues, mostly under local Safe Routes to School (SRTS) grant programs. An adult-level “Train the Trainers” program offered by BWA-NH to train and certify school phys-ed teachers, coaches, nurses, and other staff members to become LAB “Bicycling 1-2-3 Youth Instructors” so they can conduct LAB-designed bike-ed courses year after year in their schools for grades 4 and 5 is being implemented. The most recent training sessions were held in Warner and Pembroke with Pittsfield and Concord scheduled for the spring. This “TTT” program is funded by a SRTS grant to BWA-NH therefore it is free for the schools on a first-come, first served basis. Please contact the BWA-NH office for details: info@bwanh.org, 603.898.9926.

Another form of bicycling education is available in the form of videos and informational sources linked from the BWA-NH web site. New videos and links provided by other organizations from around the country appear routinely, so check them out. We emphasize bicyclist and motorist interactions, sharing the roads, on-road vehicular cycling techniques, handling a mountain bike in rugged terrain including how to fall, and multiple videos on bike maintenance -- all just a few clicks away at www.BWANH.org

The two Distracted Driver Simulators obtained by the NH Highway Safety Association in April and as supported by the Injury Prevention Center at Dartmouth and BWA-NH may soon have some “company.” NH-HSA is reportedly planning to purchase two more units based on the excellent feedback of using the first two for six months. In addition, BWA-NH plans to obtain one with touch screen features for demos, training sessions, and promoting wider use of the simulators. Several driver education schools, bike advocacy groups, and NH-DMV have already expressed an interest. The intent is to increase awareness and stop texting, cell phone use, and impaired driving before a crash occurs. Did you know a driver just talking on a cell phone (hand-held or hands-free) is twice as impaired as someone legally drunk at the 0.8 level? And texting while driving equals four times the impairment of a drunk driver? Let’s do what we can to stop the crashes caused by distracted driving, not just analyze cell phone records after a crash when someone, usually a bicyclist or pedestrian, is seriously injured or killed.

Looking Ahead
We encourage all interested parties, cyclists or not, to speak up in favor of improved bike-ped policies, education, and facilities. GSW members can renew their membership for just $20.00 more than the basic GSW rate of $15.00 if they wish to help financially with a tax deductible donation as our organization is 501(c)(3) certified. To upgrade from GSW to BWA-NH status, please make checks payable to “BWA-NH” as this automatically includes your full GSW membership.

Together we can make a positive difference!

Want to help the Bike-Walk Alliance?

Join the Alliance as an individual or a sponsor, help with the bike-ed programs, and get involved with local planning issues affecting bicycling in your area. The more people who know what is going on in our NH bicycling community, the sooner the better, then everyone can express their opinions in a timely manner to help make a positive difference for all bicyclists.

Did you know that by joining the Alliance your payment includes a full GSW membership with all the benefits? Present GSW members are encouraged to join the Alliance when your current membership is due for renewal. For more details
please visit our web site at www.bwanh.org or to join now use the membership application on this web site.

BWA-NH Focus

The Bike- Walk Alliance of NH is the only statewide advocacy group for bicyclist and pedestrian activities including legislation, safety and education programs.

BWA-NH Goals

To be the voice for bicyclist and pedestrians in New Hampshire.

To promote bicyclist and pedestrian safety, education, and access.

To ensure streets are bicyclist and pedestrian friendly.

To provide resources and support for bicyclist and pedestrians of all ages.

To act as a clearinghouse for bike/ped literature, resources, and curriculum.

To promote bicycling and walking as a means of transport, physical activity and exercise.

To be a statewide liaison for all bicycling and pedestrian organizations.

Walking and bicycling instead of taking short trips in the car improves air quality, increases rates of physical activity, and may help people to maintain a healthy weight.

Making bicycling and walking safer and easily accessible to more people, may reduce the burden of chronic disease and injury and improve the health of New Hampshire citizens.

Please check this advocacy page frequently as new developments and announcements will be posted here even if not in our newsletter. Time and space contraints prevent everything from appearing in print. Use of this web site to convey detailed information in a timely manner for those interested seems like a good idea to us, and we hope you agree. As always, comments are welcome!

Directions to
Bike-Walk Alliance of NH
c/o Safety & Health Council of Northern NH
57 Regional Drive, # 6
Concord, NH 03301

From Interstate Route 93:

From I-93 heading north or south, take NH Ex i t 13 in Concord . At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn east onto Manchester Street (NH Route 3) to cross the Merrimack River .   At the next set of lights (at the Carlson's auto dealership), take a left onto Old Turnpike Road .   Follow road for approximately 1 mile to the next traffic light at Airport Road.  Continue straight through light where the road now becomes Reg ional Drive.  (The Concord Airport will be on your right.)  Continue on Regional Drive approximately 1 mile.

The Safety & Health Council / BWA-NH office  i s located on the left at 57 Reg ional Drive (a one-story brick/brown stee l building) . Go to the parking lot on the right side of the building and enter through the second door from the rear of the building.  Look for the Safety & Health Council signs.

Granite State Wheelmen