TBAG and the Mitchell Park Neighborhood are moving forward with an exciting bicycle public art project for 2012.  In the fall of 2011 a committee made up of a public artist, Mitchell Park neighbors and TBAG board members conducted a competitive artist and concept selection process.  More than 15 fifteen Arizona public artists were considered.  A Tempe-based artist team by the name of coLAB was selected in December.

The concept for the public art (see attached images) involves bicycle sculptures and large boulders that will be placed in 4 locations along Farmer Avenue (between University Drive and 13^th Street) that will serve as a permanent monument to the importance of bicycling in Tempe, the contributions of TBAG to the community, and help deepen the emphasis of creating bikeable, sustainable corridors for our town and to serve as a model for land use and transportation.  In the words on the artist team, coLAB: “The people-powered vehicle (bicycle) is immensely efficient and useful, and can drastically change the outlook for future balance between man and nature.”

The city of Tempe and TBAG is currently working with the artist team to finalize designs.  Construction of the artwork is expected to happen late Spring/early Summer 2012, with a dedication ceremony anticipated soon thereafter.  This important project will help transform the street and further emphasize TBAG’s role in shaping Tempe and beyond as a bicycle region.

Eric Iwersen

e...@biketempe.org

eric...@tempe.gov

480-239-9593

Check out the concept pdf: TBAGbicycleART.pdf

Sun. Jan 8, 12:00 NOON
We are meeting at Stinkweeds, 12 West Camelback.
Stinkweeds opens at 12:00 noon for on time arrivers.
Early arrivers can shop around the excellent shops on the northwest corner of Camelback and Central.
At Stinkweeds parking lot we will discuss these possible destinations: Postino, Windsor/Churn, TrailHead Cafe, SunUp Brewery.
12pm – We will be riding the new BUFFERED bike lanes on Central Ave from Camelback to Bethany Home then to Camelback then to Bethany Home then to Camelback then to Bethany. (a series of out and backs)
1pm-Lunch at Postino
2pm-we will do another hour of circles OR we could ride to Trail Head Cafe via AZ Canal then SunUp brewery.
3pm-Windsor/Churn OR TrailHead Cafe
4pm-more bike riding.
5pm-SunUp Brewery /End of Event
http://www.facebook.com/events/279859675396754/

 

November 17, 2011
Introduction by Ashley “Roadrash” Lanoue

Come join us for our Annual Meeting on Nov 20th @ 7pm at Boulders on Broadway Read up on who TBAG is and what we do before you attend the meeting. Check out: http://www.biketempe.org/category/annual-meeting/ . Make sure you join us for the Fall Harvest ride this Friday! Hope to see your smiling faces this November.

  Upcoming Events and Rides by Ryan “Raspberry” Guzy
Calendar of upcoming events, and special notes about weekly rides in Tempe

Saturday Nov 19th @3pm. The SanTan Brewing Company Brews Cruise is coming to Tempe. $20 gets you 4 beers at 4 bars, including Boulders, and food at the start at Mellow Mushroom. It’s a short, easy, cruiser ride around Tempe, good for all ability levels. RSVP on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/vHuBsU then check out more details and buy tickets here: http://www.santanbrewing.com/santan-brews-cruise-rivalry-ride.

Tour de Fat Summary: The Tempe Tour de Fat raised $64,500 for local cycling non-profits, which is over $5000 more than last year. This event just keeps getting bigger and better every year. And this year, part of the money is going into a grant fund so that we can directly benefit seven local non-profit groups instead of just three.

Third Friday Ride: Join us for the Fall Harvest ride this Friday the 18th, a wistful evening, pedaling hither and thither in search of the superior seasonal. Be at ye ol’ Tempe Beach Park entrance about 7:30. Bring your lights and locks, you’ll need ‘em.

Advocacy Updates by Ryan “Raspberry” Guzy
Updates on local, regional, and federal advocacy topics

Cyclists rights to the road are under attack. Check out this link for more information http://www.bikeleague.org/petition/

Bike Culture by Ashley “Roadrash” Lanoue
Sharing the love of bicycles

Worlds fastest human??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V2FgwN_re4

What will people think of next??? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juMXlr5_cpU&feature=related

 

Adult Education by Ashley “Roadrash” Lanoue


Information on upcoming classes and online resources

Want to get involved with adult education? It is going to be a big year for adult ed. check it out! http://www.biketempe.org/category/adult-education/

Get Involved by All Board “Fractured Hip” Members
Volunteer for upcoming events and join our planning committees

Want to get involved? We need your help! Come to our annual meeting on Nov 20th to see what TBAG does and where you can help. During the meeting we’ll be discussing 6 different areas: Advocacy, Education, Social Rides, Youth Programs, Events, and Projects. We’ll introduce each area and then break up into groups for discussion and planning. By the end of the meeting we’d like to have a plan of what TBAG will be working on in the coming year, who will be working on it, and an idea of how we’ll accomplish these goals. Here’s what we need you to do between now and then: Look at the different areas and think about what you’d like to see in each. Think about local problems and how you’d solve them. Think about projects and initiatives that you could help out with. Bring these ideas to the meeting. Also get the word out, if you know people that would be interested but haven’t been involved with TBAG before, let them know so they can contribute. This is your opportunity to make a difference for cycling in Tempe. Date and Time: Sunday Nov 20th @ 7pm Location: Boulders on Broadway(upstairs) Who: Open to everyone, bring your ideas and get involved! Facebook users can RSVP at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182886535128526


 

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October 10th 2011
 

This is a special October edition of the TBAG newsletter. We’re getting it out a few days earlier than usual to tell you about all the great things going on this month. You may want to print it out and put it on your fridge/bike basket/bathroom mirror. All of the event info is available here if you’d like to link to it from facebook etc: http://www.biketempe.org/events/bike-events-oct-2011/

October is fast becoming Arizona’s second bike month. The weather is getting nice and it’s the beginning of our long cycling season. To celebrate, there are some big events coming up, rides, raffles, and sponsored events, all centered around the Tour de Fat on October 15th!


Ongoing Events:
Bike Raffle

Win a Yuba Mundo Cargo Bike! Raffle tickets are $5 and can be bought online at: http://www.biketempe.org/raffle/ or in-person at Boulders on Broadway and The Bicycle Cellar. The final drawing will be on Wednesday 10/12 during the Bike Week Cruiser Ride at Boulders.


Car for Bike Trade

Do you have what it takes to give up your car for a year and beyond? Post your video or written word and photos to the Tempe Tour de Fat Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=112320205519497 or email: trad...@newbelgium.com If New Belgium likes your story, they will take your car, and in exchange give you a handmade Black Sheep commuter bike built in Fort Collins. More details here: http://www.newbelgium.com/events/tour-de-fat/tradeyourcar.aspx

Bike Donation Drive 
Now until Tour de Fat – bring your used bike or bike parts to Bike Saviours http://www.bikesaviours.org/, Rusty Spoke http://www.rustyspoke.org/, or We-Cycle http://www.wecycleusa.org/ and get a free Tour de Fat beer token. 


Tour de Fat Week events:
Monday Oct. 10th: NEW BELGIUM BEER & RAFFLE
Specialty beer on tap and a raffle for New Belgium merchandise. Raffle proceeds benefit local non-profits. VENUE: Taste of Tops @ 7PM – 9PM
Tuesday Oct. 11th: CRAP RIDE 
Ride to Sport Chalet Bike Parts Show + beers & food along the way. START: Tempe Beach Park Entrance @ 7:30PM
Wednesday Oct. 12th: BIKE WEEK CRUISER RIDE
New Belgium Beers at The Tavern on Mill, Robbie Fox’s and Boulders on Broadway. Final drawing for the bike raffle at Boulders. Raffle tickets are $5 and can be bought online at: http://www.biketempe.org/raffle/ or in-person at Boulders on Broadway and The Bicycle Cellar START: Tempe Beach Park Entrance @ 7PM
Thursday Oct. 13th: NEW BELGIUM PARTY
Beer specials, t-shirts, & giveaways. VENUE: Casey Moore’s @ 7PM – 9PM
Friday Oct. 14th: PEDALS & PICTURES
Showing the movie “RAD” about BMX bikes. VENUE: Madcap @ 7PM

Saturday Oct. 15th: Tour de Fat!
The biggest bicycle event in Arizona. 100% of the proceeds benefit local cycling non-profits. Parade at 10AM + Beer pour 11AM-4PM + Kids & Family area 10AM-1PM Venue: Tempe Beach Park @ 10AM-4PM

Later in October:
Friday Oct 21st ZOMBIE RIDE – RSVP on Facebook -Calling all zombies to invade Tempe! TBAG Third Fridays Presents the Tempe Zombie Ride. START: Tempe Beach Park @ 7:30pm

Sunday Oct 23rd TOUR DE TEMPE – This is Tempe’s 16th annual free family fun ride. We’ll be helping with setup and serving as the ride leaders at this event. Can you help? Click here to volunteer: http://bit.ly/2011tdtvolunteer or here for more info on the ride: http://www.tempe.gov/tim/events/default.htm START: Kiwanis Park @ 7:30AM – 11AM

Thursday Oct. 27th VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION PARTY Tour de Fat and TBAG volunteers only! If you’d like to sign up to volunteer as a team or individual, visit biketempe.org/events/tour-de-fat VENUE: Boulders on Broadway @ 7PM

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October is fast becoming Arizona’s second bike month. The weather is getting nice and it’s the beginning of our long cycling season. To celebrate, there are some big events in October, rides, raffles, and sponsored events, all centered around the Tour de Fat on October 15th!

Check out all the details: http://www.biketempe.org/events/bike-events-oct-2011/

Click here to view and print the flier:

Win a Yuba Mundo Cargo Bike
Sponsored by The Bicycle Cellar and Boulders on Broadway
Proceeds benefit TBAG and its non-profit partners
See the bike at Boulders on Broadway
Tickets $5 each at Boulders on Broadway, The Bicycle Cellar, or online
Drawing at Boulders – 10/12 after 9pm, during the Bike Week Cruiser Ride
http://www.biketempe.org/events/raffle/

FTA Issues Policy on Funding Eligibility For Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements

A final policy statement providing guidance on federal funding eligibility of pedestrian and bicycle improvements near public transportation facilities was issued by the Federal Transit Administration in the Aug. 19 Federal Register.

Under federal transit law, funding administered by FTA can be used to construct bicycle and pedestrian improvements in and around transit facilities when there is a “functional relationship” to the facility. To further the USDOT policy of making communities livable, the notice said, the FTA policy statement provides that projects within the one-half mile pedestrian “catchment area” or the three-mile bicycle “catchment area” have a de facto physical and functional relationship to the transit facility, and therefore are eligible for federal funding.

According to the notice, pedestrians generally are willing to walk at least one-half mile to train stations and other public transportation facilities when in a safe and well-designed streetscape. This half-mile radius around a transit facility is considered the pedestrian “catchment area.” Similarly, the bicycle “catchment area” is determined to extend three miles from the transit facility. Design features for these catchment areas should include adequate sidewalks, pathways, and roadway crossings as well as amenities such as benches, shelters, and lighting.

Pedestrian and bicycle improvements beyond the one-half-mile and three-mile distances may be eligible for FTA funding by demonstrating that the improvement is within the distance that people will travel by foot or by bicycle to use a particular stop or station, the notice said.

The statement received overwhelming support from stakeholders and commenters during the proposal comment period. Commenters included the American Public Transit Association, the National Complete Streets Coalition, Smart Growth America, and various state departments of transportation and local transit authorities.

According to the 2009 notice of the proposed policy statement, grantees previously lacked guidance on how to meet the “related physically or functionally” condition, since FTA had “made no determination of the specific distances pedestrians or bicyclists can be expected to travel to access a public transportation stop or station.” The relationship has been determined case by case, based on a narrative set of criteria.

The new policy statement simplifies the process of determining whether pedestrian and bicycle improvements are eligible for funding, according to the notice.

By providing improved pedestrian and bicycle access to transit, there are additional benefits to the community, including reduced traffic congestion, safer streets, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and increased transportation choices, according to FTA. “The success of public transportation can often be limited by poor ‘first and last mile’ access to the system,” the notice said.

For the text of the policy statement and additional information, link to the Federal Register notice.

 

July 14, 2011
Introduction by Ashley “to tired to be creative” Lanoue.

Great things are happening in Tempe! Check out the College Ave. Project and start marking the days off your calendar until Tour de Fat 2011! Out of school with nothing to do??? Sign up for one of TBAGs great committees and get invovled!


 
 Upcoming Events and Rides by Ryan Guzy and Jeremy Deathrage.
Calendar of upcoming events, and special notes about weekly rides in Tempe

We’ve begun planning for the 2011 Tempe Tour de Fat which is on Oct. 15th this year. If you are interested in helping with the planning and managing an area at the event, please contact r...@biketempe.org

We also have two other events in October that need shift leaders and managers. First is the bike valet at the Tempe Octoberfest on Oct 7th-9th. We need shift managers for all three days of the event. Volunteers will receive free food and beer tickets.

We are also taking a larger role in helping the City of Tempe with the Tour de Tempe on Sunday Oct 23rd. We need a few people to help with the planning and doing route marking and setup of this event. Volunteers at either of these events will get free beer tokens at the Tour de Fat, whether you volunteer at the Tour de Fat also or not. If you can help, please contact r...@biketempe.org

TBAG THIRD FRIDAY RIDE: Join TBAG Friday July 15th for Handlebar Happy Hour. Meet up at the entrance to Tempe Beach Park at Rio Salado and Mill at 730pm, ready to roll out at 745pm. Check out https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=184915471567906 for more information.

Advocacy Updates by Eric Iwerson and Aaron Golub.
Updates on local, regional, and federal advocacy topics

Check out the City of Tempe’s College Ave. Streetscape and Pedestrian Improvement Projects going on now!

There are several on-going advocacy projects, such the work on the Alameda St. bike/ped bridge and the recent bike count. TBAG is represented on several transportation planning committees – do let us know if you want to help out and represent TBAG. If you have other ideas about what TBAG should be working on – please email Aaron Golub at aar...@biketempe.org

Bike Culture by Eric Iwersen and Joe Perez.
Sharing the love of bicycles

City of Phoenix has secured an illustrator for its Bicycle Safety graphic novel and posters. Anticipated to be available on Sept 30. City of Phoenix will be applying for Bicycle Friendly Community status this month. Applications are due July 22.

Bicycle Public Art: 17 submissions were received from the call to artists. The selection committee (made up of TBAG representatives, project area neighbors, and a public artist) will convene July 21 to select a preferred artist. The artist will be contracted and begin project concept development in August.

Adult Education by Ashley “to tired to be creative” Lanoue.

Information on upcoming classes and online resources

TBAG is gearing up to educate the masses! TBAG will be sending a few people to become League of American Bicyclists League Cyclist Instructors. TBAG will be offering Traffic Skills 101 classes in the near future!

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Introduction by Ashley “24″” Lanoue

Wow, April was a great month for TBAG and all you awesome people! Help make May just as great by volunteering for the Advocacy team or check out the Cowboys and Aliens third Friday ride! And don’t forget about your artsy side! Check out the call to artist for the Mitchell Park area !

 
Upcoming Events and Rides by Ryan “29er” Guzy and Jeremy “27″” Deatherage.
Calendar of upcoming events, and special notes about weekly rides in Tempe

Thanks to everyone who came out to the first annual SanTan Wheelie Jam! The turnout exceeded expectations, especially for the event’s first year. We also want to say a special thanks to all of our great volunteers, our sponsors, vendors, and partners that helped make this event happen. Check out the TBAG Facebook page for photos from the event: http://www.facebook.com/biketempe

TBAG 3rd FRIDAY RIDE: Yippee ka Yay, It’s the COWBOYS AND ALIENS RIDE this month for TBAG Third Fridays on May 20th. Throw on your best western duds or silver jumpsuit. Saddle up! links: https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221663357860183

A Lil Something to Look Forward To: SUMMER SOLSTICE SWIMSUIT RIDE II: Sunday, June 19, 3 p.m.Summer in the desert is just around the corner, and you know what that means — it’s time for the sacred ritual of storming Tempe by bicycle, dressed in mere swimsuits, stopping to jump in every fountain, splash park and water feature we can find!  If you have ideas of places to stop and get wet, water related paraphernalia, or water to spare from your hose contact Chris George at cege...@gmail.com .





Advocacy Updates by Aaron “700c” Golub.
Updates on local, regional, and federal advocacy topics

There are several on-going advocacy projects, such as the work on the Alameda St. bike/ped bridge and partnering with City of Tempe to encourage bicyclist and motorists to share the road. TBAG is represented on several transportation planning committees – do let us know if you want to help out and represent TBAG. For more details, check out:http://www.biketempe.org/advocacy-outreach/. If you have other ideas about what TBAG should be working on – please email us or come to the upcoming advocacy meetings, first Thursday of each month, at 7pm at Boulders on Broadway.

Bike Culture by Eric “650c” Iwersen
Sharing the love of bicycles

Bicycle Public Art:   TBAG is seeking to commission an artist (or artists team) to work with to create a permanent public art piece in Tempe, in the Mitchell Park Neighborhoods area.  The project commission is for $15K and is inclusive of all design and fabrication costs associated with the project.   TBAG, the neighborhoods, and the City of Tempe will work with the artist to see the project through to construction.  The intention of the project is to create a local landmark that supports bicycle culture in Tempe.  Artists of all skill levels are encouraged to apply.  Check out http://www.biketempe.org/public-art-project/ for more information.

Youth Education by Ashley “24″” Lanoue.
Information on upcoming classes and online resources

It’s starting to get warm out there. Watch those kids around water and make sure they are properly hydrated while participating in outdoor activities.


Tidbits by Ashley “24″” Lanoue
Bits of information that do not fit anywhere else

Your friendly neighborhood co op, Bike Saviours, is auctioning a 58cm Colin Laing! Don’t wait to check it out, auction ends today May 12th at 7pm. Just search for it on ebay! 

 


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