Hi bike folks! It’s been a little while since we’ve been able to get an update out. We’ve been doing quite a bit, so keep reading to find out all about it.
1. As biking in Baton Rouge continues to grow, so do the needs of Bike Baton Rouge. We’re pleased to welcome five new board members. These new leaders have chosen to dedicate their time and talents to further the mission of our organization. We’re looking forward to the ideas and perspectives they bring to the table!
The new board members are: Matt Dreher, Lynley Farris, Arthur Hebert, Dorian Stewart, and Drew Walker.
2. It’s hard to believe, but Bike Baton Rouge is old enough to get a driver’s license (but we’ll stick with our pedal power for getting around town)!
We celebrated our Sweet 16 with a community ride hosted by Geaux Ride. It was a great time as we left from downtown and rode to Millenial Park for food, dancing, and fun! We were also able to get several fellow riders to send a message to the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration encouraging them to rewrite the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices to put pedestrian and cyclist safety front and center.
Geaux Ride is a local business located at the corner of Main and Third Streets in downtown Baton Rouge that rents out some pretty slick light up bikes and leads tours around the area. Owner Charles Daniel has a great thing going there and we look forward to seeing his continued success!
3. A couple of bike ride fundraisers are coming up this month. Baton Rouge Bike Club’s Spring Ride Supporting the Scouts BSA is May 15th at 6:30 a.m.
McMains Children’s Developmental Center is holding its 13th annual No Such Thing As Impossible bike ride supporting their Wheels to Succeed program on May 16th at 7:30 a.m.
Both start at Pointe-Marie, 14200 River Road in Baton Rouge. Click the links to register for either ride or to learn more about the causes they support!
4. INFRASTRUCTURE UPDATE!
Construction on the long-awaited Hyacinth Avenue bike lanes is estimated to begin in August or September of this year and take about 3 months to complete. These lanes will connect University Lake with Glasgow Ave, providing a crucial link in the low-stress network that connects Downtown with the Ward Creek trail system.
Read more about it here.
5. Lakes survey - As you may or may not have heard, the lakes system that connect City Park, LSU and the surrounding neighborhoods are being totally redesigned in the coming years. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey to let the designers know what's important to you. The answers to this survey will inform the design process so it's very important that bike advocates make our voices heard. You can sign up for notifications about public meetings and other information here.
6. MOVEBR - As projects are built, it's imperative that we bike advocates demand that new and rebuilt streets accommodate ALL road users and are designed with SAFETY as the highest priority.
We'll do our best to inform you of upcoming projects and public meetings, but please sign up for notifications as well.
7. Let’s talk about riding! Here’s a rundown of the weekly social rides:
Sunday
Baker Buffalo Cruisers -Baker, LA- Baker Walmart (6PM)
Monday
Downtown East Social Ride -BR, LA- Electric Depot (6PM)
Tuesday
Tuesdays on Wheels -Port Allen, LA- Cohn Elementary (7PM)
Wednesday
Capital Heights Social Ride -BR, LA Ingleside United Methodist Church (7:15PM); Westside Wednesday -Baker, LA- Ruffin’s II (7PM)
Thursday
Geaux Ride -BR, LA- 521 N Third St (7:45PM)
Friday
Who Dat Riderz -BR, LA- Past Time Lounge (7PM)
Tuesday, Thursday, (6:30 PM) and Saturday (8AM)
Community Riders -Zachary, LA- BREC’s Zachary Community Park
7. Membership - Please consider becoming a member if you're not already. The more members we have, the louder our voice. And if you're not sure if you're still a member, email us at info@bikebr.org and we'll check!
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 15 - Baton Rouge Bike Club’s Spring Ride Supporting the Scouts BSA
May 16 - McMains Children’s Developmental Center’s No Such Thing As Impossible bike ride fundraiser
May 16-22 - Bike Week
May 21 - Bike to Work Day
