Pentagon Aircraft Naming Staff: Sick and Twisted?

Tweet from urbandata: 20thC aircraft names: Mustang, Hornet, Falcon. Now: "Reaper"? Who @ Pentagon is Sick & Twisted? WSJ: U.S. Drones Hacked http://bit.ly/4VaI9m

Urge your CT Representative to Co-Sponsor the Complete Streets Act

Rosa DeLauro has done it... how about the others? Here's how.

YOUR LETTERHEAD

November (DATE), 2009

Re: New Report Highlights Need for National Complete Streets Policy

Dear [REPRESENTATIVE X],

I am writing to share with you a new study entitled “Dangerous By Design: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths” (http://blog.tstc.org/2009/11/09/report-too-many-us-roads-are-dangerous-by-design/) that examines the national epidemic of preventable pedestrian deaths, and to urge your support for a national Complete Streets policy and increased funding for pedestrian facilities in our state.

More than 76,000 Americans have been killed in the past 15 years while crossing or walking along a street in their community. Overwhelmingly, these deaths occurred on poorly designed roadways that encouraged speeding cars and made little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs, or on a bicycle. The report finds in Connecticut, only 1.7 percent of funds authorized under the federal transportation law have been spent on projects to improve the safety of walking and bicycling. Yet pedestrians comprise 12.6 percent of all traffic deaths in Connecticut.

Here in [DISTRICT/COMMUNITY], the problem is especially severe. [INCLUDE LOCAL STATISTIC AND/OR EXAMPLE HERE.]

[ORGANIZATION NAME] commends you on your work to improve transportation safety for all Connecticut residents. Please add to that record of achievement by co-sponsoring the Complete Streets Act (H.R.1443/S.584), which ensures that all users of the transportation system, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, children, older individuals and individuals with disabilities are able to travel safely and conveniently on and across federally funded streets and highways. This is a strategy that will not only make our streets safer, but will help make our communities more livable by providing people with attractive transportation options.

[ORGANIZATION NAME] looks forward to working with you to ensure that our streets are safe for everyone.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

YOUR TITLE

YOUR ORGANIZATION

Deadly Bridge on Route 1 in Connecticut: Tell ConnDOT to Wake Up

If you are one of the many local residents who uses this route while cycling from Bridgeport to any points east of Downtown New Haven, you may be concerned about the Tomlinson Bridge rail crossing. Apparently, cyclists are literally falling and being injured almost every day on the tracks, which cross the road at a 30 degree angle with no warning. Enlarge the photo here to see exactly how crappy the situation is.

The bridge was built a few years ago, is the only crossing from Downtown New Haven to points east -- and it seems only a matter of time before a cyclist dies here. Over 20 serious injuries have been documented by New Haven's pedestrian and bicycle activists, but since most cyclists here are residents from the surrounding Latino neighborhoods in East Haven and New Haven and might not be likely to report injuries, the actual number is probably much higher.

http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1300 has a constantly-updated summary that we've enjoyed following along, with many images, a somewhat graphic video of a cyclist falling over and getting injured on the tracks during a group ride, and over 200 comments detailing how advocates are trying to address the issue.

A direct link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOAITwySMIU or click here for the New Haven Independent's version.

Looks like the cyclist fell even though people were yelling to the crowd to be careful. The video post says :

Cyclist takes a spill on the railroad tracks on the eastern approach to the Tomlinson Bridge on Forbes Ave/Route 1 during a Critical Mass ride in New Haven, Conn. on 09/25/2009. Despite the protests of hundreds of local residents, ConnDOT has taken no action to make the crossing safe for cyclists, other than to post a sign of a toppling cyclist next to the east-bound lane of the bridge.

The original issue reported on SeeClickFix has resulted in stories in Streetsblog and on the front page of the New Haven Register, among other places, and been viewed 4,500 timies.

You can file complaints directly with ConnDOT at http://www.dotdata.ct.gov/contacts/contact.aspx. Or call Governor Rell's office in Hartford - 800-406-1527.

Speaking of SeeClickFix, the Hartford Courant has a nice op-ed today about why citizens should be allowed to report neighborhood concerns anonymously, and why some towns' efforts to stop that won't work.

See here and here for more background on the Tomlinson Bridge. Since ConnDOT reportedly has no interest in doing anything about this, maybe a lawsuit is the only way to fix this?

Church of Satan Now Watching New Haven's Neighborhood Problems on SeeClickFix

Everyone else is virtually watching their neighborhood in New Haven, so why not the Church of Satan?
http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/8577 (scroll down to see the list of "watchers" -- there are about 1,500 nationwide now).

When is this going to catch on in Bridgeport?

Texas: Supersize Me

Another multibillion dollar temple to urban sprawl. At least it is located in Texas, so you never have to see it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/sports/football/18stadium.html?_r=1&hp

But the city rejected the plan as too costly, and Jones was forced to look farther afield, eventually settling on a generic suburban enclave midway between Dallas and Fort Worth, not far from the ballpark where the Texas Rangers play.

New York Times Starting to Sound Like Real Citizens, Rather than Corporate News Drones

A fabulous piece of reporting about violin repair shops in the NY Times, that will probably be edited out of the story pretty soon:

"Even in an age when cranes are toppling, concrete strength tests are suspected of being faked and entire building facades collapse, the Tanen repair shop has managed to draw attention from the city."

They might have added a note about the city's failure to provide safe infrastructure for bicyclists and pedestrians, too. Or how about the state and city's inability to keep people on seizure medications from driving dump trucks and mowing down pedestrians.

From:

Caution: Violin Work Not Allowed in This Zone: A violin repair shop in a residential neighborhood runs afoul of the same department charged with overseeing the safety of New York City’s buildings.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/nyregion/16about.html

Suspect in Annie Le Case is Not a Student (New Haven / Yale University News)

Police are zeroing in on a lab tech as a possible suspect in the murder of graduate student Annie Le, according to two people familiar with the probe. Contrary to national media reports, the suspect is not a student. The suspect is not in custody.

Excellent reporting on the murder case from the New Haven Independent: http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/09/serious_suspect.php#017029more

Event: 2009 Connecticut Tour Des Farms Bike Ride

Saturday, September 12
8:30-3 pm, start & finish at Edgerton Park in New Haven

Founded in 2003, CT Tour Des Farms is a bike ride intended to promote local agriculture. In 2009 the sponsors are CT Folk Fest / Green Expo, East Coast Greenway Alliance, Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, and CT NOFA. This is the first year the ride has been based entirely in Greater New Haven. There will be two routes - a shorter, flatter route (~25 miles) and a longer, more challenging route (~35 miles). Both will start and end at Edgerton Park in New Haven in time for Green Expo and Folk Fest activities in the afternoon and evening. We are planning to visit (among other sites) Common Ground High School, Lockwood Farm, Mill River Valley CSA, and Boulder Knoll Community Farm. Also the route will showcase the Farmington Canal Trail -- part of the East Coast Greenway -- as it nears completion along the New Haven-to-Cheshire section. There will be musical performances at each site by CT Folk artists, as well as meet-and-greet with the farmers.

Register at: http://ctfolk.com/ctff/tour.html

Questions? Contact Aaron at aaron.goode@gmail.com or Alice-Anne ataliceanne.harwood@gmail.com.

BRT Symposium in Hartford: 10/15/09

From TSTC: This fall, come hear about proposals for bus rapid transit in Connecticut and learn about BRT success stories throughout the nation. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Regional Plan Association, Capitol Region Council of Governments, Transit for Connecticut and the Center for Public Policy and Social Research at Central Connecticut State University are hosting a Bus Rapid Transit Symposium on October 15, 2009 from 9am-12pm at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford, CT. Many thanks to State Senator Don DeFronzo for sponsoring the event.

October Summit to Focus on Bike/Ped Advocacy in Fairfield County Region

See below for some info on an important upcoming event related to statewide bike advocacy. The event will feature presentations on Complete Streets around the state, an update on the status of the Merritt Parkway trail, and other info on recent developments around the state.

Fairfield County/East Coast Greenway Bicycle/Pedestrian Summit
Thursday, October 22, 2009, 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Optional Hike 8:30 a.m., Wine Reception 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
UConn, Stamford. Limited Space so Sign up Early at:

http://fairfieldbikeped.eventbrite.com/

Purpose
To heighten public awareness of bicycling, walking and public transit as valid and important alternate transportation options.
To broaden support for the Merritt Parkway Trail as an important recreation and commuter corridor
Formation of a Fairfield County Bicycle/Walk Coalition

Who Should Attend?
Bicycle, walking, equestrian and hiking clubs; the physically challenged; elected officials; municipal land use and transportation planners and park & recreations officials; bicycle shop and sport shop owners, health and fitness professionals; tourist organizations and local Chambers of Commerce.

Hosts
East Coast Greenway, CT Forest & Park Association, Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance

Co-Hosts
Connecticut Bicycle Coalition, Greenwich Safe Cycling, Regional Plan Association, Sound Cyclists Bicycle Club, Farmington Valley Trails Council, Tri-State Transportation Campaign

Sponsor
Newman’s Own Foundation

Speeds reduced in Santa Monica, California

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/08/santa-monica-reduces-speed-limits-on-may-streets.html

Kudos to Santa Monica. According to numerous reports and studies, lower travel speeds are the single most effective way to make streets friendlier to cyclists and pedestrians.

Shopping Plaza Design Failure

Interesting post on the Streetsblog network on how the most urban places are not necessarily the best designed from a pedestrian and bicycle perspective: http://sf.streetsblog.org/2009/06/17/the-failure-of-design-in-downtown-new-haven/

Excellent Videos on Promoting Cycling

Excellent videos on how cities are promoting cycling: http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/07/how-cities-are-promoting-cycling.html

Our favorite is the educational piece from Paris. It's amazing how much that city has changed since Velib was introduced.

Should Motorists Pay a Medical Tax?

See here for background.