Quote from Carol Grayshaw on January 4, 2024, 10:08 am

Doylestown Demonstration Leads to Permanent Bike Lanes

Published in DVRPC News, January 2024

A temporary demonstration on Doyle Street in Doylestown Borough has led to a permanent bike lane after receiving strong community support. For ten days during September 2023, the demonstration bike lanes provided safe passage from the newly constructed Broad Commons Park and Doylestown Borough Hall down Doyle Street to Harvey Avenue. READ MORE.

The Bucks County Pop-Up Bike/Pedestrian Lane Project received funds from DVRPC’s Travel Options Program (TOP). TOP funds innovative projects that support the goals, outcomes, and strategies established in A New Route to Better Travel for All: The Regional TDM Plan. Learn more about the demonstration project by watching a short video.

Quote from Carol Grayshaw on February 5, 2024, 9:43 am

How Parking Reform is Helping Transform American Cities

Published in YaleEnvironment360, January 31, 2024

In cities across the U.S., planners are pushing to eliminate mandates requiring parking spaces in new buildings. The reforms — along with banning street parking or adding meters — help to reduce car dependency, create public and green spaces, and lower housing costs. READ FULL ARTICLE.

Quote from Carol Grayshaw on February 5, 2024, 9:46 am

DVRPC Approves $15.5 Million for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects in PA

Published in DVRPC February Newsletter

DVRPC has awarded $15.5 million to eleven local projects in Southeastern Pennsylvania through the Regional Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TASA) Program. The federal program funds community-based "non-traditional" projects designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of the nation's intermodal transportation system. VIEW THE PROJECTS.

Quote from Carol Grayshaw on March 18, 2024, 9:05 am

Actually, EV Sales are Right on Track

Dan Farber, Legal Planet (March 4)

There is a lot of talk about weak consumer demand for EVs — doleful from greens, triumphant from others. Maybe US carmakers have hit a few speed bumps –not surprising when trying to rapidly ramp up a product that’s new to most consumers.  But the reality is actually quite reassuring in terms of the U.S. market. Globally, the picture is even rosier for EVs, with the big open question being whether U.S. carmakers are going to be shoved to the curb by the Chinese.

Let’s start by looking at projections when Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act’s big push for electric vehicles. How do actual sales compare with the predictions?  In 2020, the Energy Information Administration projected that by 2023, there would be 580,000 zero emission vehicle sales in the U.S.  Actual sales seem to have been 280% of that estimate. On February 21, the Rhodium consulting group released a preliminary finding that in 2023, 9.2% of U.S. new car sales — that’s 1.4 million cars — were zero emission vehicle sales, almost all of them EVS. That’s up from 2.8% in 2022, and 2.2% in 2020.  In other worlds, EV sales tripled in three years. READ MORE

Quote from Carol Grayshaw on March 18, 2024, 9:12 am

The Week Without Driving Is Coming - Are You Ready?

From the WalkWorks Bi-weekly Newsletter, March 12

If you can drive or afford a car, you may not understand what it’s like to rely on walking, rolling, transit and asking for rides. But for nearly a quarter of people living in the United States – people with disabilities, young people, seniors and people who can’t afford cars or gas – this is our every day.

We created the Week Without Driving challenge so that those who have the option to drive can learn firsthand about the barriers and challenges that nondrivers face and work with nondrivers to create more accessible communities for all.

The Week Without Driving campaign has a new website with lots of helpful resources and compelling content. Among other items, there are templates for press releases and invitation letters as well as flyers and brochures. Start thinking now about whether you are in a position to sign on as an individual or an organization. Who would you invite to take part in the challenge from September 30 to October 6 of this year? What would your version of the template press release look like?

VISIT THE WEBSITE

Quote from Carol Grayshaw on March 18, 2024, 9:18 am

Winter Maintenance and Active Transportation Infrastructure
From the WalkWorks Bi-weekly Newsletter, March 12

Sometimes winter in PA is just a balmy walk in the park, but we know our climate has long included stretches when we have winter weather to contend with. What does that mean when it comes to winter maintenance of Active Transportation assets?

There are plenty of cold climate locations that manage to maintain and encourage bike riding throughout the year. Some resources that may help in communicating about principles and best practices for making it work:

• Toole Design's updated Report on Winter Maintenance of Walkways and Bikeways
• Video from the BicycleDutch youtube channel on winter cycling and winter maintenance in Finland (just 6 minutes)
• An op-ed calling for municipal sidewalk plowing in Minneapolis

Depending on who you're talking to, different resources may be called for. Consider sharing the report with elected officials and municipal managers, the video with people who may be fair weather cyclists, and the polemic with advocates.