Bike Baton Rouge Announces New President
Bike Baton Rouge, the Capital City’s most active bicycling and pedestrian advocacy group, has a new president.
Lynley Farris is the first woman to helm the 17-year-old organization. She takes over after several years working in community development and digital media with the Mid City Redevelopment Alliance, Mid City Studio, and STUN Design.
Farris had been an active volunteer and supporter of Bike Baton Rouge before joining its Board of Directors and being voted president. In her new role, she hopes to take the organization to the next level and bring the possibilities for biking in Baton Rouge closer to reality.
Originally from Missouri, Farris came to Baton Rouge as a part of AmeriCorps during which she ran the Mid City cultural district. This also allowed her to work with Mid City Studio where she continued to work after her year of service to help establish the studio as a nonprofit.
“Biking has been a huge part of my life,” Farris said. Her family took nightly summer bike rides when she was growing up, what they called “Farrises on Parade.” In her teen years, an aunt introduced her to mountain biking and triathlon. This led her to discovering a sense of freedom, independence, and self-discipline that she still relishes.
“Being on a bike seat, you can see and experience things just a bit differently, and I’m really into that,” said Farris. “I hope more people will take the chance to learn what I mean and Bike Baton Rouge can be an instrumental part in helping develop the conditions and culture that promotes the benefits of seeing the Baton Rouge community in a slightly different way.”
October Newsletter
It’s spooky season and there’s lots of rides and news going on this month! Check out the latest from Bike BR.
Doug Moore has been the fearless leader of Bike Baton Rouge for the last seven years. He has decided to take a step back and turn the reins over to Lynley Farris, but don’t worry, he’ll still be around! Read his thoughts on the successes and the future of biking in Baton Rouge here.
Imagine a world where Baton Rouge adopted and implemented a bicycle master plan decades ago. It almost happened. Read about the first comprehensive plan to make biking more accessible in the Capital City and what happened to it in this long read from Bike BR founder Mark Martin.
Volunteer Opportunity: Bike BR will have a table at the Red Stick Farmers’ Markets on October 23 and 30. Come by and chat with us, or get your feet wet volunteering! If you’d like to volunteer, email info@bikebr.org.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: There are several unique rides this month in addition to the regular weekly rides.
October 25 - The Downtown East Social Ride is having a Halloween Party! The ride leaves from the City Roots Coffee at the Electric Depot at 6:00 p.m. It will will then head over to Leola’s in Circa 1857 for a little bit of socializing. Costumes are STRONGLY encouraged! More info here.
October 30 - The Baton Rouge Bicycle Club is hosting the Fall in the Felicianas Halloween Bike Ride to benefit the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank. It will start at the Jackson campus of BRCC located at 3337 Highway 10, Jackson, LA, and will feature a 30-mile ride (departing at 9:00 a.m.) and a 60-ride (departing at 8:00 a.m.). Registration is $35 and can be completed online here.
October 31 - It’s baaaaaack! Velo Muertos 2021 is a tour of Baton Rouge cemeteries led by Bike BR’s own Mark Martin. The ride will gather at 4th Street @ Spanish Town Road and departs at 9:30. Check out the Facebook event here for more info.
Here’s a list of weekly rides. Find one near and meet some fellow bike riders!
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
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!
What Could Have Been?
Imagine a world . . .
A funny thing happened fifty years ago. More accurately, a thing FAILED to happen fifty years ago and that failure has had a huge impact on how Baton Rouge developed.
The early 1970s saw a number of transportation related effects. Many cities worldwide had spent the previous decade or two reconfiguring their fundamental structure. City centers emptied as suburban sprawl began its cancerous growth outward from the core. Unlike the first movement away from the city cores in the late-1890s and early-1900s, the single-user motor vehicle largely fueled this suburbanization rather than mass transit.
As the tidal forces of daily commuting into and out of the city cores grew, the need for storage space for all those privately owned motor vehicles began to eat into public space. Cities allowed, even encouraged, buildings in the emptying city cores to be demolished. Parking lots replaced the razed buildings.
Once the buildings were removed the tax rate on the properties dropped. Cities found their tax incomes dropping, which affected the city’s ability to pay for services. The more buildings removed the worse the problem became. As the number of parking lots grew, the reason to drive into town diminished as there were fewer living spaces and businesses to attract traffic. This, coupled with sprawl, new roads, changes in consumerism, and the post-World War Two housing boom, accelerated the destruction of city cores.
In Europe, cities began to convert ancient town squares – the center of human interaction for centuries – into parking lots. Cities that had evolved around and along canals and other waterways began to seal and drain those waterways converting them into streets and roads. National governments in the Americas constructed multilane highways between, and most importantly, through city cores destroying minority neighborhoods and business districts in the process.
The effects of those changes helped bring about another shift in the path of urban development for some cities in the late-1960s and early-1970s. Three cities in particular – Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Portland (OR), and Baton Rouge (LA) – initiated similar approaches to the problems.
One of those cities did not follow through.
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
Nieuwmarkt, a square in the center of Amsterdam, Netherlands, used for passive storage of motor vehicles in the 1950s and 1960s, above, and the same square restored for use by humans, below. In the 1970s many buildings on and around the square were torn down to make way for a planned metro and highway which was to run right through the Nieuwmarkt neighborhood. This led to heavy rioting, known as the Nieuwmarkt Riots (Nieuwmarktrellen), in 1975 and, ultimately, abandonment of the highway plans.
By the late-1960s, Amsterdam had recovered from World War Two and quickly adopted automobility as had the rest of The Netherlands. Urban policy makers came to view the car as the travel mode of the future. Neighborhoods were destroyed to construct roads for motorized traffic and car parking spaces replaced city squares.
In 1971, deaths by motor vehicles reached record levels, with 3,300 people dead, 500 of whom were children. Vic Langenhoff, journalist and father of one of those dead children, wrote a series of articles the first of which used the dramatic headline ‘Stop de Kindermoord’ (Stop the Child Murder). Others soon took up the challenge of calling for safer street designs rather than restricting children’s access to streets. “Stop the Child Murder” joined other organizations with aims to restrict motor vehicles in city centers, improve public transportation, protect heritage sites threatened by road construction plans, and other related interests.
Within a few years ‘Stop de Kindermoord’ became subsidized by and was integrated into the Dutch government. In the meantime, another group of activists founded the “First Only Real Dutch Cyclists’ Union” to demand more space for bicycles in the public realm. As the movement for safer streets grew, protesters created mass street rides (think Critical Mass), guerilla infrastructure actions, and other forms of protest large and small. Their approach focused largely on safety through redesigning streets to restrict motoring and prioritize people cycling and walking. The protests gained support by approaching planners and politicians with a message to protect children.
In 1978, Amsterdam changed directions and adopted an entirely new, safer, direction with the adoption of their Traffic Circulation Plan. Over time, the traffic death rate that was 20 percent higher in the Netherlands than in America in 1975 became 60 percent lower by 2008. Amsterdam, as of 2021, has over 475 miles of cycle paths and bike lanes within the 64 square land miles of the city (Baton Rouge covers 88.65 square miles).
PORTLAND, OREGON
Unlike most cities in the United States, Portland saw relatively slow growth in the post-World War Two era. That didn’t deter the state and city, bolstered by then-current federal redevelopment and highway programs, from creating plans that would eradicate older inner-city neighborhoods for redevelopment or highway expansion. One project in particular, the Mount Hood Freeway, itself part of a much larger plan designed by Robert Moses to add fourteen highways in the Portland metropolitan area, would have destroyed 1,750 older Portland homes, erasing one percent of the Portland housing stock. The plan initially appeared in 1955. As the project slowly advanced it led to a “highway revolt” within the community in the late-1960s and early-1970s that eventually stopped the project.
This “highway revolt” was part of a larger social phenomenon: the organization and growth of active and motivated neighborhood groups; a generational change in city government leaders, and; new federal requirements for community involvement in spending decisions. City planners proposed a formal district planning program in 1971 that integrated neighborhood organizations into the planning process.
One of the results of this community involvement, particularly the “highway revolt,” was the 1973 Portland Bike Plan, Portland’s first. This plan included nearly 190 miles of bicycle infrastructure to be built in the city and created a citizen's Bicycle Advisory Committee along with a Bicycle Program within the city's Transportation Bureau. By the time the second bicycle plan was adopted in 1996 the city had built 185 miles of bicycle infrastructure. As of 2020, Portland reported a total of 403 miles of all categories of bicycle facilities with an additional 70 miles funded. Portland covers 133.42 square land miles (Baton Rouge covers 88.65 square miles).
BATON ROUGE
Like many other US cities, Baton Rouge grew rapidly during and after World War Two. In 1947 the city and the parish became a unified city-parish government, in part due to that rapid growth. Between 1964 and 1974 the state completed construction on Interstate 10 and a new bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge. This construction eradicated hundreds of homes, bifurcated historic neighborhoods, and wiped out successful African American business districts associated with those neighborhoods. Unlike Portland, no successful community organizations arose during the Interstate planning process to counter it.
In 1969, Keith Kingbay, “cycling manager of the League of American Wheelmen,” came to Baton Rouge on a speaking tour intending to build support for “marked and established bikeways, the backing of public officials, and intensive safety programs.” Kingbay appeared in the local newspaper in the context of a recreational ride with the Baton Rouge Cycle Club. The president of that club, Roy Odom, Sr, would become the driving force behind future efforts to establish a bicycle master plan.
In November 1969, Roy Odom led the Cycling Jambalaya Week intended to establish a statewide cycling network. Representatives from five other state cycling organizations attended the four-day cycle touring event. Governor McKeithen issued a Cycling Jambalaya Week proclamation. The tour also had the endorsement of the Tourist Commission, the State Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Department of Highways.
Three months later, Keith Kingbay, returned to Baton Rouge for more public appearances touting a statewide bicycling network. “Almost every state in the union, except Louisiana, has such a system,“ Kingbay stated. “And, since they use mostly smaller existing roads and the smaller highways, there is no great public or private expense involved.” His statements were made as the Interstate system was under construction around the country, which Kingbay believed would divert motor vehicle traffic from the smaller roads thus making bicycle touring easier and safer.
Except for an attempt to institute a city-parish bicycle registration system, the state bicycle network and the Baton Rouge bikeways plan disappeared for nearly two years from the local media. In 1972, however, Roy Odom returned with a petition to add a bikeway down Highland Road declaring it the first link in a city-parish bicycle master plan. Further, he stated “they” were working with city-parish planning officials and “considering a master plan of bikeways to embrace power line, pipeline, and levee rights of way” as well as streets and roads.
In the middle of July 1972 the idea of a city-parish bikeway plan appears for the first time on the city-parish council agenda when Councilman Owen A. Gauthier introduced a resolution authorizing the City-Parish Traffic Engineer, the Planning Commission, and the Beautification Committee “to make the necessary surveys and to study the feasibility of implementing bikeways throughout the Parish of East Baton Rouge.” On September 13, the final reading of Gautier’s resolution was read and unanimously adopted by the Council. The path to the bikeway plan’s approval would prove tortuous.
For the next two years, the comprehensive plan would be all but forgotten as the necessary committees failed to consider it. During this time, several individual paths were proposed with some finding funding and eventually being constructed. Among these disconnected paths were what became the Gus Kinchen Trail, a path along Nicholson Drive from LSU to Jennifer Jean, and one on Highland Road from LSU to Staring Lane. The Highland Road project has still not been built.
Finally, at their August 14, 1974, meetings, the City and Parish Councils took up the bikeway plan. During discussion, Councilman W.T. Winfield added an amendment that added a bicycle trail across Monte Sano Park west of Plank Road.
It’s worth presenting the rationale for the plan in full:
The Comprehensive Bikeway Plan of Baton Rouge is a master plan for designating routes of various types. Its purposes are to insure continuity of routes through various parts of the city and parish and to avoid costly duplication of facilities. It also permits an orderly development process for determining priorities and for allocating funds for the development of bikeways. Finally it provides a framework from which other bikeways may emanate connecting still other parts of the City and Parish.
That is to say, the plan not only provides a framework for creating a bikeway system throughout the City-Parish but also for expanding that system in the future.
The plan prioritized construction projects and split responsibility for the projects between the city and the parish. The bikeway plan also provided full lists of the city and parish recommended facility priorities by class, path listings by classification, and route descriptions. Two illustrations provided visual descriptions of the typical bikeway cross sections and a map of the parish showing all the recommended facilities.
Unfortunately, having a plan in hand and implementing that plan are two very different things. Within a month Roy Odom wrote a letter to the editor that began, “Just one question: How long? How long is Baton Rouge going to sit back and watch the flower of its youth being consumed by the voracious appetite of the traffic fatality? By the criminal neglect of our bureaucracy?” Odom adds he heard Public Works Director Ray Burgess on the radio saying he lacked money and a show of public support. Odom points out the state legislature designated five highway funds for bikeways and that the Federal authorities provide several categories of matching funds. He omits any mention of public support but finishes with a jab at how bikeways on the New Highland Road are being “fumbled.” At least five years had passed since Odom started working on a comprehensive bikeways plan.
Perhaps adding insult to Odom’s perceived injury, an article in the September 29th Sunday Advocate specifically mentions how Portland (OR) was using highway money to build more than sixty miles of bikeways. Some of those bikeways had initially been planned as scenic routes rather than transportation bikeways, that is, the route had been altered to connect residential and business districts rather than purely scenic areas. The item included a quote from a 17-year-old who used the bikeway to commute to work and back.
Now that the City-Parish had a bikeway plan and the Director of Public Works had stated he needed money for the plan, what did the local politicians do? They announced a new $61.5 million bond issue referendum, $5 million of which would be divided evenly between the twelve metropolitan districts with projects drawn from “citizens petition . . . paving projects . . . sidewalk and bicycle path construction.”
The bikeway plan was less than two months old and already ignored.
Within days the Planning Commission adopted its own five-year capital improvements program adding an additional $30.46 million for drainage and road work but declined to add to the $5 million in the bond proposal. The bond proposal was defeated in the November election.
Nearly one year after the bikeway plan had been adopted, Roy Odom wrote another letter to the editor. In it he describes riding on a bikeway in Shreveport and then asks where are the equivalent paths in the state capitol? As he noted in answering his own question, “They exist on paper and in red tape . . . The fabulous sums that have been spent on evaluations, analyses, reviews, investigations and plans would . . . efficiently pave Baton Rouge’s bikeways with gold.” He goes on to demonstrate the desire for bicycle infrastructure around the world, the bikeways in other Louisiana cities and towns, the presence of bicycles in most garages, and the lack of bicycle infrastructure in Baton Rouge. In his view it is the lack of unity between the many different interests who want to see forward movement on the bikeway plan that leaves the plans unfulfilled.
Three months later, Odom writes another letter to the editor. This time, after painting a picture of a cyclist riding in the road with motor traffic in the rain and invoking the energy crunch and the need for physical fitness, he offers a solution. That solution is a petition circulating that urges implementation of phase one of the bikeway plan. There is no evidence that the petition was ever presented to any governing body.
The bikeway plan effectively disappears from the public record at the end of 1975. It reappears briefly in 1977 in an article on legislation before Congress, House Resolution 955, the Bikeway Transportation Act of 1977, that would add $45 million for bicycle paths. House Resolution 955 never made it out to committee.
By January 1976 only two bikeway projects had been completed – the “Gus Kinchen path” and the path atop the University Lakes levee along the Corporation Canal. Neither of them was part of the bikeway plan. During a bus strike in 1976, LSU and the city entered discussions on adding bicycle facilities to connect the campus with residential districts south of campus. The City-Parish did eventually apply for funds from the Federal Highway Administration under the Bikeway Administration Act to construct bicycle paths along Nicholson Drive from the LSU campus to Jennifer Jean and along Highland Road from the LSU campus to Lee Drive. The path along Nicholson Drive was eventually constructed. The Highland Road path never came to fruition.
CONCLUSION
Creating lasting change in a culture requires a mix of economic, political, and social elements combined with a willingness to effect change. In the early 1970s these elements came together in Amsterdam and Portland resulting in a shift toward a more robust, accessible, and diverse transportation system for those urban areas. During that same era in Baton Rouge those elements did not coalesce to create long-term, lasting change.
The key ingredient lacking in Baton Rouge was a desire for change not only within the political realm but within the social as well. There were no organic, local, resistance organizations that arose to fight the destruction wrought by Interstate construction. No systemic changes in the local planning leaders, transportation officials, and politicians leading to a call for change. Even the repeated blows of oil shortages, transit strikes, and increasing traffic deaths did not affect a change in the world view of residents.
Roy Odom, with the assistance of the Baton Rouge Bicycle Club, seems to have been the driving force behind creation of the bikeways plan. Once the idea of the bikeways plan was accepted by the city and parish authorities other agencies had to be involved. Those other agencies grew beyond those strictly necessary to create a plan and build the infrastructure. Unfortunately, this mix did not provide the necessary energy to take the plan from document to implementation of on-the-ground facilities.
The facilities that were eventually built were created as ad hoc projects, some that were in the plan and some that were not. Most of the facilities created in the late 1970s and early 1980s were not connected to any other bicycle facility. All the facilities created in this era simply began and ended, seemingly randomly. As a result, the facilities were built in a scattershot manner with no connected system resulting.
Given the ad hoc nature of these construction projects there was no context for building an efficient, effective, and equitable system for all citizens of East Baton Rouge Parish and the region. It also meant there was no impetus to maintain the facilities that were constructed, much less to continue expanding the plan over time.
At the moment (October 2021), there are a number of s programs to increase road capacity in the city-parish that are funded and underway. Most of these road construction plans are intended to widen roadways for higher motor vehicle capacity. A few will add connecting routes intended to syphon traffic away from overburdened existing roadways. Each of these plans includes a Complete Streets component intended to create pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure along the individual projects IF the context of those individual projects, in the opinion of the project managers, warrants such additions and IF adding such infrastructure does not exceed a set percentage of the total cost of the project.
The recently approved Pedestrian-Bicycle Master Plan (accepted and approved, June 2020) is neither funded nor underway, except for BREC trails projects that have been active before the Master Plan existed. Using many of the same tactics employed in the 1970s, the current administration has not funded the Master Plan while simultaneously bemoaning the lack of funds.
No percentage of monies available via the MOVE BR program for community enhancements – sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, landscaping, etc. – have been dedicated to the Master Plan. Instead, much as in the 1974 bond proposal, it is proposed that a percentage of the community enhancement monies be evenly distributed to the twelve metro council districts each of which will propose their own plan for their own district. There is no mention of the Master Plan in this proposal.
It appears Baton Rouge is poised to once again pass on the opportunity to create a robust, diverse, integrated transportation system.
Can we change that? We won’t know if we don’t try. Will the citizens of Baton Rouge join together to insist the Master Plan be implemented in a timely manner? Will YOU?
A Message from Doug
Doug Moore has served as the president of Bike Baton Rouge for the past seven years. As he takes a step back, he offers his thoughts on the successes and progress that Baton Rouge has made for biking as well as some encouragement to continue pressing on.
Doug Moore
Folks, it's been a great honor, but the time has come for me to step down as President of Bike Baton Rouge. I first learned of Bike BR's existence several years ago when I rode my bike to a festival downtown (Blues Fest?) and happened upon the "bike corral" operated by Bike BR. "What a cool thing!" I thought. And it was. I volunteered for a couple of shifts parking bikes and started coming to some meetings. Pretty soon, I started coming up with ideas on things we could do as a city to make bike riding better. I quickly learned that ideas without action are not worth a lot, so I started doing my best to organize events, rides, meetings and initiatives. I met many people in local and state government and in the engineering/consulting world. I tried my level best to become as knowledgeable as anyone in the city about biking conditions, rules/regulations and design guidelines. And while some mistakes were made and some things could have been done differently, I have no regrets. I feel immense pride having led this vital organization for the past few years. Advocating for better biking and safer streets in a city such as Baton Rouge can feel...Sysiphean at times. Without the help and support of other Bike BR members and leaders (you know who you are), I would have fallen victim to cynicism. And even though I'm stepping down, I am more hopeful now about the state of biking in BR than I ever have been before. We're getting there, folks! So...to this point, it was suggested that I offer some pearls of wisdom and inspiration from my time as President of Bike Baton Rouge...
1. While we have a ways to go, Baton Rouge is becoming a truly great American biking city. With a few pieces of infrastructure and some policy changes, most of, if not all, of Baton Rouge can be made accessible to people on bikes. And if we manage to do that, this will be an amazing and awesome thing.
2. Bike people are the coolest. Sure, I'm biased, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong. I've met some great friends through biking. You can too.
3. The key to making Baton Rouge a better biking city isn't financial...or logistical.... it's cultural and political. In other words... SPEAK UP and SPEAK OUT! Local politicians and officials only do things that they think have broad support...as they should. Our voices need to be as loud, if not louder, than the people who hate bikes. And yes... those people exist and they are many. Letting people in charge know that the mission of Bike Baton Rouge is important to you...that matters. A lot.
4. Keep doing bike clubs, social rides and other bike-themed events. Take things that aren't necessarily about bikes, and make 'em about bikes. Halloween + bike ride = bike thing! Thanksgiving + bike ride = bike thing! Movie + bike ride = ... ok, you get the idea. Get out there and do stuff and do it on bikes!
5. When a bike lane or a piece of trail does get built, use it....and thank the people who made it happen. They like that.
6. Support radical change, and do so by making it not radical. Is it radical for people to be able to get around their city safely using active, environmentally friendly transportation? It sure as hell shouldn't be. But because some elements of policy and design are new to us, they'll seem radical. At least at first. Have an open mind and be an ally.
All that being said, I'm truly amazed at everything Bike Baton Rouge has accomplished for an organization of our size. Thanks to all of you, we definitely punch above our weight class and it's been one of the great achievements of my life to have thrown a few punches myself. Please say informed, stay involved and stay active!
YEAH BIKE!!!
Yours in gratitude,
Doug Moore
Bike BR September Newsletter
Fall is just around the corner and hopefully we’ll start getting some cooler (and drier!) days. Why not get on your bike and ride! Here’s the latest from Bike BR.
Fall is just around the corner and hopefully we’ll start getting some cooler (and drier!) days. Why not get on your bike and ride! Here’s the latest from Bike BR.
Baton Rouge is seeking recognition from the League of American Bicyclists to increase its Bicycle Friendly Community designation. The League is looking for feedback about riding around BR. Fill out the review here before October 11.
BREC is in the planning stages for the Scotlandville Parkway project and needs input! This promises to be a wonderful addition to the biking infrastructure in the northern part of the city. Take the survey here.
A recent article in The Advocate pointed out that the traffic headaches motorists complain about really are getting worse. And with some new projects on the horizon, it makes finding alternative methods of transportation even more attractive. Board Member Drew Walker wrote about it on our blog here.
We need you! We’re always looking for volunteers to help with things like bike corrals, events, and cleanup projects. We’re also looking for people with vision and initiative to serve on our board. If you’re interested in volunteering, email lynley@bikebr.org.
Another article in the local paper of record highlighted Phil Baker. He celebrated his 80th birthday in one of the most epic ways we’ve seen in a long time. Happy birthday Mr. Phil!
As the bike boom continues to grow, more and more businesses are realizing that bikes mean business. Each month we’re going to be highlighting local businesses that support biking in Baton Rouge. This month we’re featuring Cypress Coast Brewing. The folks at Cypress Coast are knowledgeable about their brews and always have interesting new flavors. They’ve also been known to host the occasional impromptu Bike BR board meeting. Check them out at 5643 Government Street.
There are a couple of special rides coming up this month in addition to the regular weekly rides below. If you’re looking for some cool people to ride around with, don’t be shy!
Calendar:
September 22 - The Capital Heights Social Ride and the Downtown East Social Ride are joining forces for an End of the Summer ride. The ride starts at 7:00 p.m. at Ingleside Methodist Church in Mid City and will end up at Leola’s for snack and drinks. Check out the Facebook event here.
September 25 - Samantha Morgan (organizer of the Downtown East Social Ride) is leading the second of four rides in conjunction with the Green Book exhibit on display now at the Louisiana State Museum. The ride will start at 9:00 a.m. and meet at the museum located at 660 N. 4th Street.
Here’s a list of weekly rides. Find one near and meet some fellow bike riders!
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
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!
Is It Time to Ride a Bike Yet?
Big changes are coming to Baton Rouge, and they are going to affect everyone who moves around the Capital City.
The largest of the projects in terms of both cost and length of time to completion is the I-10 widening project running from the Mississippi River Bridge to the 10/12 Split. This project is expected to take 23 years to complete. As part of the widening, the elevated portions of the usually congested interstate will be removed and replaced with new, wider elevated sections matching the widened at-grade lanes.
For the spans over The Lakes, access under the interstate will be severely impacted on Dalrymple and East Lakeshore Drives. State DOTD officials anticipate this phase of construction to last four to five years, within the twenty-three years for the overall Interstate 10 project. A related project affecting the Dalrymple Drive on- and off-ramps will add additional challenges to the Lakes area.
But that isn’t the only major artery that will be covered in orange cones. Airline Highway, Bluebonnet Boulevard, and Nicholson Drive – among others – will be widened. Adding another level of complexity is the Lakes Project that will be going on at the same time as the I-10 widening project.
All these projects have the potential to cause major disruptions for all roadway users. In short, it’s about to get even more interesting and infuriating to navigate Baton Rouge by car.
“Many of these projects are long overdue and much needed, but it also highlights the vulnerability the city faces when it puts all its transportation eggs in one basket,” said Bike Baton Rouge board member Drew Walker. “If your usual or only option for getting around is a car, for whatever reason, good luck.”
Funding large transportation projects like these has usually been an exercise in creative taxation. President Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, which Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy played a significant role in helping cross the finish line, may make funding sources more easily available. While that is a significant investment, Walker says the dollar amount doesn’t add up to much if it isn’t used well.
“Bike Baton Rouge would like to see the most vulnerable road users prioritized as we move forward with these massive road projects,” Walker said. “If we put the most vulnerable at the front of our considerations when committing to these kinds of projects, we can address a lot of issues like climate and social justice, economic development, and helping Baton Rouge become a place people want to live, rather than leave.”
“There has to be more than just a few sharrows or a stripe down the side of the road,” he said. “We’ve made some progress, the Government Street road diet has helped immensely and the Downtown Greenway is a wonderful route, but I think Baton Rouge is primed to take the next step. We can’t afford to make the same mistakes we’ve made in the past.”
“Where would we be as a community if we had implemented and expanded upon the first bicycle master plan Baton Rouge created in 1974? The most current Pedestrian-Bicycle Master Plan, approved in 2020, includes projects covering the Parish, but will we commit to implementing this current plan?”
Walker says Bike Baton Rouge is happy to help people find ways to make leaving the car at home an option. “Bike Baton Rouge created a suggested bicycle route map that serves the entire Parish,” said Walker. “Some places are more difficult to reach by bicycle but certainly not all.”
To create the map, members of Bike Baton Rouge rode the routes in groups of two to five, with individuals having varying degrees of riding experience, and rode each route at least twice. This provided multiple viewpoints when reviewing the routes and gave everyone “on the ground” experience with the roads rather than simply looking at a map. That map may be accessed on the web at https://bikebr.org/map.
“If you missed out on the ‘bike boom’ during 2020, it’s not too late,” he said. “We have some fantastic local bike shops in Baton Rouge and walking is always free. If you need help finding the safest and most efficient route to bike or walk, let us know. We’d be happy to help.”
We Need to Work Together
A recent Op-Ed on StreetsBlog caught my eye and got me thinking. What if we didn’t differentiate between different types of cyclists when talking about infrastructure?
The opinion piece addresses a proposed amendment to the massive infrastructure bill making its way through Congress. This amendment, if adopted, “would divert $1 billion from the Transportation Alternatives Program, the core federal funding program for safe, connected sidewalks, bike lanes, and paths.”
At issue, as the author puts it, is a situation that would “force the bicycle and pedestrian community to fight among ourselves for scraps.” She makes a compelling argument.
This bill is, of course, huge and will be debated and Frankenstein-ed at the national level as most bills of this size typically are. But, if it passes, it means money for projects at the more local level. So, the question is, how do we in Baton Rouge get our piece of the pie and what do we do with it?
We have a Master Plan for biking and walking, we have the MoveBR initiative, and we have a fantastic recreation entity in BREC. Can we get all of these folks to put their heads together and find creative ways to take a complete view of the possibilities for increasing our ability to move and recreate in Baton Rouge?
My main point is that if you walk or ride a bike in Baton Rouge, you’re my kind of person. More trails would be welcome, but so would more connectivity and safer routes around town. The city has made progress, but there’s still more to be done. As the national conversation is dominated by talk of infrastructure – what it is, how to improve it, how to pay for it – we can also start thinking about new ways to improve our own infrastructure.
We do have some great allies in place and there are some projects in the works. The Lakes Project has the potential to be a boon as does the Scotlandville Parkway Project. MoveBR has taken alternative modes of transportation into consideration for its projects.
This is a moment to work together to build back better. We need ideas and we need voices. In short, we need to work together for the good of everyone. We have no control over what happens at the national level, but we have to be ready when opportunity knocks.
Drew Walker is a Bike BR board member. The view in this article reflect only the author’s opinion and not necessarily those of the Board or membership of Bike Baton Rouge.
For the love of bikes!
Guest blog by Samantha Morgan
During the summer of 2014, I took a bus to Austin, Texas to visit a friend and my older brother. One night, my friend and I rode bikes to a nearby restaurant for dinner. It was that moment when something in my head clicked.
I hate driving. I hate the interstate. I hate going fast. So much of life in a car makes me sick. And not just, like, “oh my god, I feel totally sick” - no, it actually pains my body.
When I got home from that trip, I kept thinking about that bike ride. My job was just a couple miles away from my house. “I could ride a bike to work,” I thought. But could I really?
Only one way to find out. I bought a bike. This was a major investment for me. I was only making enough money to not be negative. I still had debt, even though I hadn’t used a credit card in over 5 years. I had no credit. I had some money saved, but not much. I had a little extra money every month for the first time in my life and a few hundred dollars was still a LOT of money to me.
“Will you ACTUALLY ride the damn thing,” I questioned myself.
Again, only one way to find out.
I went down to the shop near my house and bought a bike with money from my savings account. I only had about $700 in savings, so a $350 bike was a major investment. But I did it.
A week went by and I didn’t ride the bike more than a couple blocks. “See, this was a bad idea,” my stupid brain kept saying.
I was going to be very mad at myself if I didn’t do this. “Get on that bike and prove that making an investment in bettering yourself ISN’T a mistake.”
I decided to do a test ride on the weekend to see what it would actually be like to ride to work. The good news - it wasn’t that bad.
Eventually I started riding to work every day. The only time I drove was when it was raining.
My early days on two wheels was a solitary activity. I got on, rode to work, rode home, left the bike sitting in my living room until the next day. On the weekend, I would attempt to go for longer rides. On one such attempt, I came across a group of people on bikes. As it happened, I knew the person leading the ride. I joined the group as they went around to various houses in the Garden District, taking a look at their garden at each stop.
The man leading that ride, Mika Torkkola, would end up being my bike guru. He literally taught me everything I know about bikes, including so much about the history of biking in Baton Rouge. Funny, too, because he’s foreign - a fact I enjoy reminding him of every chance I get.
The first story the Australian-native turned bike historian, was that of the tattoo on his leg. It says “Yeah Bike!”
“What’s that all about? I asked.
Once upon a time there was a small group of folks in Baton Rouge who loved to ride bikes. During these ancient days of the late 1990s, there were even less resources for bicyclists than there are now, so people would get together one day every month for what was called “Critical Mass.” The goal was to get as many people on bikes together to ride on city roads to show motorists that they too deserve space on the street. Safety in numbers, right?
The concept for this type of ride was not unique to Baton Rouge. In fact, the original Critical Mass happened in San Francisco. There, bikes represented more than just a mode of transportation, and certainly much more than exercise. The bicyclist of the 90s in San Francisco had a much bigger goal in mind - to save the world!
Okay, that might be a little dramatic, but also, maybe not. You see, car culture, we were learning, can have some pretty negative side effects, especially in large cities. Air pollution was becoming hard to deny AND THE NOISE! Go outside right now. Do it, I’ll wait.
Did you hear the birds chirping, crickets cricketing? I’m sure you did. But what else did you hear?
CARS! Whether near or far - I don’t care where you live, it’s nearly impossible not to hear them.
Getting people out of their car in Baton Rouge is not an easy task. In fact, it’s almost as impossible as it is to live somewhere that isn’t surrounded by car noise. The city wasn’t built for anything but travel by car. This was a fact the original Critical Mass hoped to address. Showing the powers that be that people want to ride bikes and they want to do it safely was the goal.
“For some really weird reason, as it was happening, I knew we were doing something almost historic,” said Moshe Cohen. “It felt like we were part of this movement that was happening all over the country.”
Moshe came to Baton Rouge by way of LSU. For a northern boy, the deep south was a bit of a culture shock, but quickly he found his tribe.
“I came in as an outsider and there were so many cool people who weren’t like everyone else,” he said. “Everyone just seemed really quiet about it - like they were hiding out.”
He began to see pockets of people who were outside of the “norm” and started asking them to join the ride.
“Somehow this philosophy we had of saying ‘Yeah Bike’ became your way of saying now we’re in this club,” he explained. “I said, come ride with us, it’s not about being in a club, it’s about being on a bike. All you have to do is ride a bike and there’s no entrance fee. And people were looking for that.”
They would meet once a month at the LSU clocktower. Each ride had a different path that would end at a different location.
“The whole thing about Critical Mass is there were no leaders, no agenda, no rules, so we tried really hard to make sure everyone got what they wanted,” he said. “It was really just a celebration about what was going on in the city and it was a little bit student centric because that was my world, but we pulled people from all over the city.”
When the ride ended, the connection didn’t. Unlike Critical Mass events in other cities, the Baton Rouge edition was more about getting people on bikes with the hope they would enjoy the experience and keep doing it. Those who did would say, “Yeah Bike!” as they crossed paths with another rider. If the passing rider said “Yeah Bike” back, you knew they were part of true bike culture.
“In a lot of ways, a city that’s built around the car - which is Baton Rouge - it makes people feel isolated,” Moshe said. “Getting into your car is an isolating thing. Tying the city together with these rides makes it feel smaller.”
Moshe eventually moved, but Critical Mass kept rolling. Today, there is no Critical Mass ride in Baton Rouge. Instead, neighborhood rides took over and are now popping up all over the city.
“All of these new entities came to fill the gap and now these people living in these spaces also want access to that kind of community,” he said. “The bike rides were the ticket to help create that.”
Creating a biking community in my new neighborhood was the EXACT reason why I started the Downtown East Social Ride in 2019.
After a few dozen rides, I was surprised when Moshe was one of the participants on MY ride. He was in town visiting and he had heard about the ride.
“I know who you are!” I said emphatically.
“I know who YOU are!” he said back.
We talked like old friends and there was a sense of connection that came with ease. That’s the thing about shared interests, it really does give you a sense of belonging. And I cannot think of a better group of people with which to belong.
YEAH BIKE!!!
If you liked this story, please check out the Downtown East Social Ride website! Tell your friends about it to help build this weird little community.
Bike Baton Rouge June Newsletter
Summer is coming, so get out there and ride! Here’s the latest from Bike BR.
Impact of Kansas City Southern crossing modifications.
Land planners for the University Lakes Project are looking for more feedback as they continue developing the area. Provide input on your use and opinions of the areas around the lakes here.
There is a public meeting June 14th at 6:00 PM at the Baton Rouge Gallery at City Park. Please register to attend here.
(You can register to attend via zoom here).
It is vital we have a good presence, as this project will affect the land use around the Lakes for decades to come.
The DOTD plan for safety improvements along the KC Southern Railroad, although much improved from the previous version, will cause harm to residents along Orange, Apple, and Smith Street. Housing values will likely be lowered. Youth are extremely unlikely to walk several blocks out of the way to access City Park. The current plan provides safety improvements for vehicles, but not to youth on foot and on bikes. The railroad came after this neighborhood was built, but these residents continue to shoulder harm, depreciation, and division of their community. Bike Baton Rouge is concerned not only about the residents of these streets, but about what these choices say about our community as a whole. Whose voice matters?We encourage you to submit a public comment to DOTD, to voice concern about the safety of youth and harm to this community. We would like to see DOTD come up with funding for basic safety measures to keep these crossings open. Find out more about the project on our blog here and send your thoughts to dotdcs@la.gov with "RE: H.012449" in the subject line.
Councilman Lamont Cole is holding the 4th Annual Pedaling for Peace ride. The ride will be Friday, June 25th from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. The route starts at the Shoppers Value, 5355 Government Street, Baton Rouge, and will ride to Howell Park and back. We’ll be out there and hope to see you too! Check out the Councilman’s Facebook page for more info here.
Councilman Lamont Cole is hosting the 4th Annual Pedaling for Peace ride June 25th at 6:00 p.m.
Here’s a list of weekly rides. Find one near and meet some fellow bike riders!
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
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
June 14 - Lakes Project public meeting (6:00 p.m. @ City-Brooks Community Park, Baton Rouge Gallery)
June 18 - Juneteenth Celebration (Meet at 5:30 p.m. @ Electric Depot, hosted by Downtown East Social Ride).
June 25 - 4th Annual Pedaling for Peace ride (6:00 p.m. @ Shoppers Value, 5355 Government St.)
Kansas City Southern Rail Crossings Closures by DOTD
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and Federal Rail Administration (FRA) are proposing a project that includes the maintenance and rehabilitation of ten (10) and closure of five (5) railroad crossings along the Kansas City Southern (KCS) railroad in the City of Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish.
The crossings that are proposed to be closed will be complete closures. The sidewalks at these crossings would be removed; however, pedestrian crossings would be created at several of the other crossings, usually where sidewalks come up to the railroad right-of-way and end. Detours will be required for the maintenance and rehabilitation during the in-roadway crossing work. The detours will be coordinated with the City of Baton Rouge at the time of construction. Detours will not be required for the signal work at crossings that will remain open.
The maintenance and rehabilitation work will be completed within existing KCS, City of Baton Rouge, or LADOTD right-of-ways. Additional right-of-ways may be required for street connectivity on the east end of Orange Street to connect Orange Street with Matilda Street. Connecting roads within KCS right of way are proposed to link Smith Street, Orange Street, and Apple Street, paralleling the west side of the railroad tracks.
The crossings to be closed are:
· Gayosa Street
Changes coming to Kansas City Southern crossings.
· Julia Street
· Smith Street
· Orange Street
· Apple Street
The crossing to be rehabilitated are:
· North Street
· Main Street
· Laurel Street
· Florida Boulevard
· Convention Street
· Wisteria Street
· South Boulevard
· Myrtle Walk Street
· Terrance Street
· Louise Street
This is the fourth LaDOTD project in Old South Baton Rouge adversely affecting travel and accessibility. The other three are:
· Closure of Terrace at Highland to accommodate updated I-10 E exit ramp
· New I-110 S exit onto Terrace Street, and
· The I-10 widening project
When combined with these railroad crossing closures the Old South Baton Rouge neighborhood will be further subdivided, chopped up into disconnected bits. People living in the area will find it increasingly difficult to travel into, out of, and around the neighborhood. This will have a lasting negative impact that follows an unfortunate historical trend in this neighborhood.
While this plan is much improved from the previous version, we feel it will cause harm to residents along Orange, Apple, and Smith Street. Housing values will likely be lowered. Youth are extremely unlikely to walk several blocks out of the way to access City Park.
The current plan provides safety improvements for vehicles, but not for pedestrians, cyclists, and other vulnerable road users. The railroad came after this neighborhood was built, but these residents continue to shoulder harm, depreciation, and division of their community. Bike Baton Rouge is concerned not only about the residents of these streets, but about what these choices say about our community as a whole. Whose voice matters?
We encourage you to submit a public comment to DOTD, to voice concern about the safety of youth and harm to this community.
We would like to see DOTD come up with funding for basic safety measures to keep these crossings open.
To submit comments to DOTD, email dotdcs@la.gov with "RE: H.012449" in the subject line.
Bike to Work Day
For those who may not know, Bike to Work Day is today, May 21. If you’re like most people…you don’t (bike to work, that is). That’s ok. It’s not always easy to do in Baton Rouge and for many people, it’s just not practical. That being said, it might be more practical than you think. We at Bike Baton Rouge would like to provide some solutions for some of the most common reasons people give for not biking to work:
1. What about the rain?
Sure, it’s not fun to get caught in the rain and yes, it does rain a lot in south Louisiana. But did you know it only rains one out of six days, on average, in Baton Rouge? And those days where it rains, it doesn’t necessarily rain when you’re on your way to or from work. And when it does rain on you, there are ways to deal with it:
Proper attire – there are rain jackets out there for all seasons. You can wear rain gear to bike and change once you get to work (or home).
Lights – driver visibility is compromised during the rain. Make sure you are visible, especially to drivers behind you.
2. But I have too much stuff to carry.
It’s one thing if you have a work truck/van loaded with tools or if you are required to use a car or truck for your job. It’s another if you are simply going to work at an office or store.
Backpack – there’s the trusty backpack. This is usually enough to handle your laptop, lunch and a change of clothes. Downside? It’s on your back. It’s easier to let your bike do the work…
Rear rack – For those who don’t have a rear rack…you should get one. It’s a game changer. You can attach a common milk crate on the back with zip ties or bungees. There are collapsible baskets that fit on the sides of your rack. The best option is panniers (French for “bike bag”). They make big ones, small ones, even waterproof ones (for the rain). Rear rack options are great for that trip to the grocery store on the way home as well.
3. But it’s too cold (rarely applicable in Baton Rouge).
Even in Louisiana, it gets cold. But the cold doesn’t stop people from biking in Minneapolis or Helsinki, so why should it stop someone in Baton Rouge? Pro tip: you don’t need as much clothing as you think. Just cover your extremities – gloves, earmuffs or caps and lip balm. Your body heat will take care of the rest after about 5 or 10 minutes of riding. Wear a layer you can shed ½ way through your commute. Don’t dress to be warm immediately after stepping outside. If you’ve dressed correctly, you’ll be cold at first, but you’ll warm up soon enough.
4. I don’t want to get all sweaty.
This is probably the most common excuse we hear about why people choose not to bike to work. After all...it does get very hot in south Louisiana. Here are some pro tips:
Wear shorts on your ride, bring your work clothes to change into once you get to work (see storage options from earlier)
The Two Towel method – bring one small towel to wipe off/cool down, and another for drying off. A little smell-good and a few minutes inside in the A/C, and you’ll be fine.
For those with long hair, utilize a “dry-shampoo” spray and an “up hairdo.” You’ll look sharp and will stay cool more easily.
Desk Fan – a little desk fan for your office or workstation is super helpful.
Seriously folks, you’d be surprised at how easy it is to adapt to biking to work in the heat.
5. But I live too far away.
This one’s tough. We realize we’re not likely to convince someone to bike 20+ miles to and from work every day. However, what’s not that farfetched is to go “multi-modal.” If you have a way to carry your bike on your vehicle, consider driving ½ way and biking the second ½. We guarantee you’ll enjoy the 2nd ½ more!
Or… if you live on the CATS route, you can put your bike on the front of the bus (easier than you think) and sit in the air-conditioned bus most of the way.
6. But I have kids.
This one’s tough as well. But believe it or not, it’s totally possible to cart your kids around by bike, just as you would in a minivan. There are cargo bikes that are designed for carrying children. They’re extremely cool. There are attachable bike seats that are made for little kids. There are bike trailers that hold two children as well. Check out your local bike shop for options.
And if your child is old enough, you can ride bikes together to school. Your child will be more alert and ready to learn. Plus, instilling the values of active, environmentally friendly transportation can’t be done too early in a child’s life.
7. But I’m not sure of the best way to get there.
Plan your route. Don’t wait til the first day you bike to work to figure out how best to get there. Do a trial ride on your day off so you can see how long it takes and figure out if there are certain streets or intersections that should be utilized or avoided. Remember…the route you drive will rarely be the same route you bike. Streets designed for moving lots of cars very fast are almost always not the ones you want to take on your bike if you can avoid it. Conversely, taking neighborhood streets will slow you down in a car (accordingly), but not on a bike. Even if you’re really flying, you’re probably only going 20 mph or so.
By the way, we can help with planning your route.
You can even quantify the benefits.
It’s no secret that replacing vehicle miles with bike miles is good for your heart, waistline, wallet and well…the world. Check out our calculator to see how much gas money you can save, how many calories you can burn and the emissions you can prevent by swapping some car commutes with bike rides!
Remember, always have your lights, your lock and the supplies/ability to change a flat tire. Here’s a super helpful video from our friends at BREC and Front Yard Bikes that shows you how to change a flat. Another pro tip is to carry $1.75 with you at all times. If your bike has a mechanical issue you can’t fix on the fly, you can always stick your bike on the front of the bus.
Know any other helpful pro tips? We’d love to hear them in the comments!
Happy riding!
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