In Bicycling, Bike to work

Although the week started with some rain, by Wednesday the sun was out and the weather was perfect for biking.  The Bike to Work Week and Bike Month participants logged over 1,800 miles and over 340 rides, and seemed to have a great time doing it. This is what Joe C. told us: “Always love bike month! I am now getting my toddler into it as well as she follows me around in my bike trailer evenings after work and on the weekends. And I ride my bike to work every day as well!”

“This is truly a beautiful area for biking to work—I live in Princeton and the community size is so perfect for bike commuting. For the most part, drivers are friendly and accommodating.” said Emma I.

And some even braved the rain in good spirits, granted due to the wrong forecast. Here is what Sharon H. said: “Got rained out on Monday. The weather folks lied about Tuesday since I road home in the rain when the weather folks forecasted no rain, but I did not melt! And, the mud splattering on me was good for my skin!”

What’s not to like, having a good time, exercise, and the chance to win prizes. Speaking of, here are this year’s winners:

Joe Cicalese        $ 20.00 Kopps gift certificate

Ken Mayberg     $ 20.00 Kopps gift certificate

Anne Hayton     Wegmans gift card

Farzaneh Tabata               $ 20.00 Kopps gift certificate

Brian Clissold      REI backpack and hydro flask

Charlie Tennyson             $ 20.00 Kopps gift certificate

Forrest Meggers              $ 20.00 Kopps gift certificate

Gabriella Herrera             $ 20.00 Kopps gift certificate

Frederic Roemschied     REI backpack and hydro flask

Mark Goldhammer         Whole Earth gift card

Sean Devine       4 Trenton Thunder tickets

Emma Ignaszewski          $ 20.00 Kopps gift certificate

Trevor Davies    $ 20.00 Kopps gift certificate

The winner of the photo contest is:

Lisa Boulanger   2 Princeton Garden Theater tickets and popcorn

Photo contest winner

It was an amazing week and month and we enjoyed joining our fellow bike commuters on the road. We even biked to a tabling event in Carnegie Center (see photo below) and it was a great to see all the employees taking the newly installed Zagster bikes for a spin. We also appreciate having a new bike lane on Carnegie Drive after the completion of the road diet at the end of April.

Carnegie Center Zagster

We also joined Princeton University on Bike to Work Week Day for the Breakfast for Bikers event at the Firestone Library Plaza.

Bike to Work Day at Princeton University

While many of us have access to bike lanes and trails and can figure out safe ways to commute, other improvements are needed in our area to make bike commuting even safer. Here is what some of this year’s bike commuters have suggested:

For Safety, better crossings at road crossings coming into Trenton.  For example, (1) coming out of the LHT onto Lewisville Rd., to cross over Federal City Road to travel on the south side (and is there a potential old road that parallels Federal City Road for a short distance behind some houses there for a future bike path?), (2) the Intersection of Rt. 583 and Rt. 206, and (3) the Intersection of Brunswick Ave and Southard Street where the green traffic light is out!!!  We need route to NJDEP at 401 E. State Street where employees want to commute to work but can’t find safe ways”

 “Some type of safe crossing at Route 31 and Ingleside Avenue would make for a much safer crossing. I’m NOT advocating for a functional traffic light, since that would impact traffic on Ingleside and in Pennington, but a bicycle overpass or something that would stop traffic when a biker/walker wants to cross.”

“Without a doubt, it would improve things greatly if the D&R Canal towpath between Route 27 and Harrison Road was resurfaced.  When it rains it is a mud pit, which slows me down, and means I have to arrive early enough to change out of my muddy clothes.  To be clear, I mean the trail should have a fresh coat of gravel — I do not think it should be paved.”

“In order to travel from Princeton University to the Princeton Forrestal Campus, it is necessary to either bike on the canal path, or divert through Kingston (adding 3 miles). The canal path is pretty, but it is also often hostile to cyclists, e.g. when it is very muddy, snowy, slushy, etc. I believe that portions of the canal path for which there is not an equivalent alternative route on roads should be paved and maintained during winter for bike commuters. In particular, this applies to the section of the canal path between Harrison Road and Mapleton Road.”

 “Pave the roads. Fix potholes. Bike lanes.”

Better route from the canal to downtown Princeton.”

“Bike Lane on Quakerbridge Rd.”

 

We hear you and we appreciate your feedback.

Thank you to all who participated and special thanks to the event sponsors: Kopp’s Cycles, Whole Earth Center, REI Princeton, Princeton Garden Theater, Wegmans Princeton, and St. Lawrence Rehab.

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