John Berg doesn’t bike to work every day. But most days, he’s on a bike.
If the Cherry Hill computer consultant doesn’t have an appointment an hour or so away, he’ll use his single-speed bicycle to traverse eight miles from home through South Jersey to get to the office.
He’s got it all together. From the very sufficient lighting on his bike, to the side-saddle bags filled with everything a biker could ever need, to his reflective yellow jersey and a specially-made pouch meant to keep dress shirts neat and crisp, Berg is always ready to roll.
With a Google map of his route neatly folded in a Ziploc baggie, I meet Berg and his friend and fellow bike advocate, Barbara Berman at her Cherry Hill home.
The two are passionate bike advocates in Cherry Hill. But they don’t just talk the talk. They walk the walk. (Well, in this case, maybe they bike the bike?) First #BadBikeJoke
Berg and Berman are members of Sustainable Cherry Hill’s “Way to Go” taskforce, which advocates for making Cherry Hill a safer pedestrian/bike accessible town without the use of a car.
As promised in my first article of this riveting three-part, investigative series on bicycling in South Jersey, I am here to report on what local municipalities, bike advocacy groups, planning organizations and local cyclists are doing to promote biking in the area. Hope this gets your wheels turning.
So back to our Cherry Hill friends. Two years ago, a few residents got together with an interest of thinking and talking about how a 24-square mile township could be made safer and more accessible to bikers and pedestrians alike.
“It’s about getting out of our cars, pollution and the environment. It was a huge undertaking,” Berman said.
Earlier this year, Way to Go assisted the township in applying for a state Department of Transportation grant. The grant, which the township received, covers the costs of a planning consultant to help compose a bike and pedestrian master plan.
This summer, the township solicited residents’ input through an online survey to pinpoint what areas they would like to see safer biking conditions, signage and bike lanes. The plan, which should be completed next spring, will identify and provide recommendations based on the needs of the township.
Berg and Berman were thankful Cherry Hill received the grant to study biking in the community, but still want to do more. Way to Go wants to get into the district’s 19 public schools to educate students and teachers how to safely use a bicycle as a means of transportation through town.
They also have a vision for a “Tour de Cherry Hill,” which could unite bikers and help establish Cherry Hill as a safe place for cyclists. The group is also advocating for more bike racks near area businesses.
Advocacy groups aren’t the only thing taking two wheels by storm in the region. More and more organizations are focused on providing planning assistance.
Take Cross County Connection, for example, whose mission is to improve the quality of life in southern New Jersey through transportation solutions. Among other transportation-related services, the non-profit organization provides technical assistance to municipalities and community groups in how they consider bike facilities and safety, CCC Transportation Specialist Graydon Newman said.
The group is headquartered in Marlton and focuses on Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.
The organization receives most of its funding through the NJDOT, with some money coming from NJ Transit, Newman said. The group is also working with area schools to get the word out about bike safety.
“We’re looking to do more this year, more with the state Safe Routes to Schools program and bicycle safety classes,” Newman said.
Perhaps one of the greatest gifts to bikers (well, at least me) is the Google Map. I’ve probably mentioned Google Maps at least 10 times so far in my stories, so much so that Google should start paying me for the advertising.
Anyway, CCC has developed a comprehensive map of the region, with options to show different layers of transportation services, including PATCO and River LINE stations, municipal and county bike routes and bike tour routes. It’s pretty handy, if I do say so myself.
The interactive maps and meetings with local government officials and community groups have been beneficial to the organization and the community. But still, Newman said, he hopes for a more bikeable South Jersey.
“Bicycle conditions are pretty obviously not where we’d like them to be. Our job is working with municipalities to try and bring awareness to that,” Newman said.
Another player in the local bicycle-planning scene is the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Based in Philadelphia, the organization works to foster regional cooperation in Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania and New Jersey suburbs to address key issues, including transportation, land use, environmental protection and economic development.
Joseph Hacker, manager of the Office of Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Planning, said the DVRPC focuses on working mostly at the county level with Camden, Burlington, Gloucester and Mercer counties.
“The DVRPC is not an advocacy agency. We provide assistance to counties and communities to help direct how they’re going to spend their money (on bicycle safety and infrastructure),” Hacker said.
The DVRPC is currently working specifically with Camden County to develop a bicycle plan to include in its master transportation plan. The organization is also present in Gloucester County, where officials are interested in connecting trails with area parks. The organization also creates maps to help local governments and engineers identify road conditions and bike facilities.
Now let’s switch gears. Get it? (That joke doesn’t work for too many stories. Had to use it.) #BadBikeJoke number two.
As you may or may not know, there are many different kinds of bikers. There are cyclists, who are usually pretty serious about biking and pretty in-shape. There are off-road/mountain bikers. There are bikers who ride for fun and for long distances in large groups. There are bikers who commute. And bikers who run quick errands.
And then there are bikers who use their two-wheeled machines to procure random groceries, get to their local watering holes a tad bit faster and occasionally commute to work. These so-called bikers hardly check the weather prior to riding and frequently get lost, with or without maps. I digress. (That’s definitely not me, in case you were wondering.)
Team Evesham is a local bicycle group, 97 strong, based in Marlton. The group was formed in 2008 with eight members on board. The Evesham Celebrations Foundation, a non-profit group created to celebrate community events in town, sponsors team Evesham.
The team also raises money and participates in regional charity bike tours such as the MS City to Shore ride and the American Cancer Ride.
Last year, Team Evesham’s 40 riders raised more than $60,000 in the MS ride. The goal for this year is $75,000, team captain Sandy Student said.
The team attracts riders of all levels and all walks of life, Student said. High school students, seniors, business professionals, police officers, school board members, casual bikers and seasoned veterans all take part in the regular, weekly rides, as well as the charity events. The group enjoys biking, but also advocates for more accessible roads and education as well, Student said.
The team is interested in adding bike paths to the Black Run Preserve area near Kettle Run Road. Student also mentioned a 2009 vision study that township residents responded to, indicating that many were supportive in adding more bike lanes throughout the township.
Team Evesham also offers classes to teach riders the basics of bike riding at no charge.
“We teach how to look behind you, how to signal and some basic maintenance,” Student said.
The team is also working on advocacy and education in the township’s schools, as well as at Cherokee High School. They are also looking to implement a bike club team at the high school, which Student says has been well received by staff.
“We’re looking to spread to gospel. We want to advocate bike lanes and safe cycling,” Student said.
And in case that wasn’t enough proof for you, here’s a few more local groups working toward bicycle utopia.
John Boyle of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, a bike advocacy group that promotes bicycling as a healthy, low-cost, and environmentally-friendly form of transportation and recreation in the Philadelphia-metro region, said there are a few other groups to look out for in New Jersey.
• Cooper’s Ferry Development Corporation is working to develop bike lanes and trails in Camden.
• Collingswood Bike Share is also up and rolling. The program works like a library–uses borrow and return bikes to the Bike Share. Volunteer mechanics work on the bikes. The cost per year to join is $25. For more on the program, visit their Web site.
So there you have it.
I rode my bike in South Jersey.
I told you it was safe and the local police backed me up.
And now I’m showing you just how many people out there are interested in making the world, or at least South Jersey, a better place to bike.
I hope you enjoyed this series on biking in the region. I know I did! Are you ready to give it a try?
Signing off from bike lane land…
Melissa
