Pedal Power

How do you get around Concord? A walk can be a refreshing way to get Downtown if you live close by. The efficiency of a bicycle ride can get you further in less time than you may imagine. For short trips less than three miles, cycling is the smartest way to travel. 

Live-ability or livability can be defined as suitability for human living. For me it means not requiring my car as suggested by Ray LaHood, the former secretary of US DOT. Many who live in Concord can get to Main Street by walking and many more could get there by a short bicycle ride. To illustrate using images from WalkScore, the following animation show a 15 minute walk (green line) from the State House plaza. The same distance can be covered by bicycle in 5 minutes. Each additional minute of cycling includes more neighborhoods in the animation, up to 15 minutes of pedaling.

When you consider the logistics of driving a car, finding and paying for parking, and walking to the destination, compare that to how a bicycle trip could go instead. Does it make sense to drive?

June 6, 2013 City Council Public Hearing

Agenda

ConcordTV video Testimony advocating for bicycle accommodation at: 126:15 to 136:50

June 20, 2013 City Council Public Hearing 

How will CIP 460 be paid for?

Agenda

- Includes authorization of 2014 City Budget of $54,454,032 with Amount to be Raised by Taxation of $34,280,919. (page 9)

- Includes authorization for the Downtown Complete Streets Improvement Project (CIP 460) public funding of $1,285,000 ((page 35).

- Funding for burying underground utilities by the Sears Block Tax Increment Finance District (2014 Budget Transmittal Letter of May 10, 2013- page 2).

ConcordTV video Public Hearing Recording

More on Pedaling

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/06/13/bicycling-the-safest-form-of-transportation/

http://www.sierraclub.org/pressroom/downloads/BikeMonth_Factsheet_0512.pdf

http://www.activelivingresearch.org/files/ALR_Brief_DailyBikeTravel_May2013.pdf

http://www.bikesbelong.org/resources/stats-and-research/statistics/safety-statistics/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/22/why-arent-younger-americans-driving-anymore/

http://www.frontiergroup.org/sites/default/files/reports/Transportation and the New Generation slides.pdf