BACA Meeting, News,and Announcements

I'm gladly serving as a mouthpiece for BACA here.
 From Judy Lansky:

BACA General Meeting April 18, 6:30 P.M. US Pizza in Hillcrest, 2710 Kavanaugh. 

Want to promote bicycling in Central Arkansas? Support BACA and come to our meeting on April 18. We’ve been busy; come hear what is happening regarding bicycling. Our guest speaker, Jim McKenzie, Executive Director of Metroplan, will talk about the Broadway Bridge, the Imagine Central Arkansas survey and the proposed River Trail extension behind Dillard's among other issues. We will also have board elections for officers and two at-large board member positions. As always, there will be good food and good company. 

For more information on BACA, and how to join/donate, see www . bicycleadvocacy . com, and like us on Facebook. 
ATTEND LITTLE ROCK CITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING APRIL 16^TH TO ADVOCATE FOR COMPLETE STREETS:
Want to increase the opportunity for bicycling and pedestrian travel through better integration of land use and transportation? Urge the City of Little Rock to implement a complete streets policy, which recognizes the need for streets to be accessible to all potential users. At the City Board meeting on Tuesday, April 16 at 6:00 p.m., the City Board of Directors will consider a resolution of intent that the City adopt a complete streets policy. Please attend to show your desire to make the City of Little Rock a more livable community. For more information about complete streets, see http ://www . smartgrowthamerica . org/complete-streets.

BIKE LANES ON HIGHWAY 10

Bicyclists regularly use Highway 10 as a commuter route. We have the opportunity to make the route safe for bicyclists by requesting bike lanes as the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) considers improvements to Highway 10 from Pleasant Valley Road to Ferndale Cutoff Road at a public meeting on April 18 at Roberts Elementary School, 16601 La Marche Drive, Little Rock. The hearing begins at 4:00 p.m. Please take advantage of this opportunity to advocate for bike lanes on Highway 10. Stop by before the BACA meeting and fill out a comment card requesting bike lanes on Highway 10. If you are unable to attend the AHTD meeting, you will still have the opportunity to obtain a comment card from AHTD. We will have some cards at the BACA meeting on April 18 and they will be available on line after the meeting. More information on the public meeting can be found at: http ://www . bicycleadvocacy . com/news . html

BIKE LANES ON THE BROADWAY BRIDGE

BACA, and the Bicycle Friendly Community Committees of Little Rock and North Little Rock have joined forces to request the Mayors of the cities and the AHTD to put bike lanes on the new Broadway Bridge. Find more information and sign the petition here.

WARD MEETINGS

The City of Little Rock is holding public hearings in the various wards regarding expenditure of tax and bond moneys for street improvements. Some of the money will be spent on resurfacing streets in the different wards. Little Rock has already agreed to wide Pinnacle Valley Road from Cantrell to the railroad tracks as part of the resurfacing projects in Wards 4 and 5. For more information on the ward meetings and what you can do to promote the striping of bike lanes as the City moves forward with resurfacing, see http ://www . bikelr . com/ . 

WARNING SIGNS ON THE TRAIL IN FRONT OF THE EPISCOPAL COLLEGIATE SCHOOL

BACA sent a letter to Mayor Stodola requesting that the City put up warning signs on the hazardous portion of the River Trail from the Cantrell Viaduct to North Street alerting bicyclists to the dangers of the section (see www . bicycleadvocacy . com/close-the-gap . html). The City has agreed to place yellow signs stating: “Arkansas River Trail /Temporary Bike Route Ahead/Proceed with Caution.” Thank you Little Rock.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON 2013 BICYCLE PLAN UPDATE:
The update will be considered at the next City Council meeting, April 22, 6:30 p.m.–please attend the meeting to show your support for all North Little Rock has done for bicyclists.
View the proposed bicycle plan at: https://dl . dropboxusercontent . com/u/40132135/NLR%20Bicycle%20Plan%20and%20Map_2013 . pdf  

SOMA: 

For additional news about the development of bike lanes in SOMA, see http ://www . bicycleadvocacy . com/soma-district-bike-lanes . html

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Cyclofemme Ride - May 12, 2:00 p.m. Two Rivers Park:  http ://www . arkansasoutside . com/events/cyclofemme-ladies-ride/

Ride of Silence - May 15 (more details later)
Bike to Work Day - May 17 (more details later)

 

STAY INFORMED/VOLUNTEER

In addition to the BACA website, stay informed about bicycling in Central Arkansas at www . BikeLR . com and http ://nlrfit2live . org/.

We need volunteers for a number of projects including people who want to help (1) lead a Bike to Work Convoy, (2) design informational materials and brochures, (3) help recruit bicycle friendly businesses; (4) help organize community bicycle rides; (5) volunteer at events, (6) fundraising, and (7) any other way in which you would like to help promote and improve bicycling in Central Arkansas.

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. Hope to see you at the meeting on April 18. Please bring friends! Let’s work to make Central Arkansas bicycle friendly.

Judy Lansky

President, BACA