This is the time of year for many schools to do their Surveys and Tallies and it’s also a good time to update Action Plans. As part of any schools initial action plan or rework of an existing action plan is the important step of the “walkabout”. It’s hard to know what exactly needs to be done without getting out onto the street and walking it, especially during arrival and departure times.
This month’s inforgraphic is from Metrolinx from Canada; the numbers may be slightly different for our community but are not too far off.

Have you heard of Drive Less Club Oregon?

Drive Less Club Oregon is a non-profit statewide initiative of the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Drive Less Save More campaign. Drive Less Clubs are youth-powered programs intended to promote conservative travel habits in Oregon by engaging pre-driving teens, 12 -15 years old and young drivers, 16 – 24 years old. The purpose of Drive Less Clubs are to build awareness about the importance of reducing single-person car trips and to change driving habits by promoting alterative travel options such as Drive Less Connect (ridesharing), carpooling, biking, walking and public transportation to name a few.

Young people who are interested in creating a Drive Less Club in their school or community will be given resources to become a Drive Less Club Intern to create initiatives in their community and in their schools by undertaking a variety of activities aimed at engaging key influencers. Students can create clubs in their schools where they will host events and activities that bring awareness to Drive Less Save More campaign initiatives. We will provide all the tools that students/young people need to participate and make the campaign successful. Our goal is to empower teens to create activities that will resonate with their community, schools and in their homes. Participation will appeal to students who need extra curricular activities to build college and/or job resumes. In return for their work, the teens will receive a recommendation letter from the DLSM leaders in their area, and/or other high-ranking officials. Our goal is to create Drive Less Clubs in Portland, Eugene/Springfield, Salem, Corvallis, Bend, Roseburg & La Grande

If you would like to learn more about our campaign, feel free to visit our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/DriveLessClubOregon or email us at DriveLessClubOregon@gmail.com

Lot’s of great Walking and Biking going on all around Eugene-Springfield today!

Here’s a report KEZI did this morning and then some various photos and posts:

From Beth at Village School:

“I was too busy serving up cups of warm apple cider this morning to get a picture, but the Village School’s Walk + Bike to School Day was a beautiful success! So many parents and children with pink cheeks and happy smiles! And the warm drinks at the end made some little (and big) kids very happy!”

From Kimberly at Ridgeline Montessori School:

I Forgot to take pictures of my kids riding their bikes to school, probably because it’s an everyday thing. So instead I took a picture of the crowded bike racks for the international walk/bike to school day at Ridgeline Montessori. There are even more bikes around the corner. What’s even more impressive is that these kids come from all over Eugene and even some from Springfield and Veneta. Great turnout! (Had to get Maebel in the photo though )

Here are some super cute kids (of course I’m biased) riding off to preschool. Isadora is 4 and pedals the 1.5 miles whenever she can. Gus & Ben Strider as far as their little legs will go!

Some pictures from Roosevelt Middle School where there also happen to be a Bike Safety Education Class today:

Do you have some photos to share? Email us or share them on our Facebook Page!

The Fiets of Parenthood

Calling all pedal powered Moms and Dads to the Fiets of Parenthood! As part of this years Cargo Bike Fair and Disaster Relief Trials we’ll be holding a fun-filled competition for parents to flaunt (and practice) their family biking skills. The race will include: the dropped toy turnaround, groceries & a growler grab-n-go, a slalom, and other feats cargo biking families face. Bonus points for number of kids on the bike so bring your friends along! We’ll have a loaner cargo bike to try out if you don’t have one.

Emily Finch, Cargo Bike Rockstar, showing off her stuff at the Portland Fiets of Parenthood

Cargo Bike Fair & Disaster Relief Trials
Last year over 100 people came out for the Cargo Bike Roll Call, a show-and-tell of utility biking for Eugene. From errand running family bikes to mobile canning stations there is a huge diversity of cool ways to move ourselves and our things around our community. This year we’re expanding the event to include the Disaster Relief Trials (DRT), a cargo bike race designed to help demonstrate the abilities of bikes in disaster situations. Through a partnership with the City and University Emergency Management programs and our local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) the riders will demonstrate how bikes can help in response to a disaster. The riders plan and navigate a course of their choosing through the city, to designated check points with fully loaded bikes. At each check point riders will encounter obstacles or have tasks to assist response teams.

While the riders are completing the course, the Cargo Bike Fair and a “Fiets of Parenthood” will be held. The Cargo Bike Fair will be a great place to show off and see cargo bikes and gear as well as to see various emergency preparedness supplies and resources.

All events will take place at the South Eugene High School parking lot from 11am-4pm. The DRT will start at Noon. Fiets of Parenthood is from 12:30-2:00pm.

Join the fun: Register to ride, have a booth, volunteer (get free stuff), sponsor the event, or just spread the word and come!

There is still time to register for International Walk+Bike to School Day! The walking and biking encouragement event will be held around the world on October 9th and dozens of schools in Eugene will be participating in one form or another!

Nationwide the rate of kids biking or walking to school has been on the d

ecline since the 1970s while the risks to kids’ physical health and well-being associated with inactivity have risen. But in Eugene, the percentage of kids biking or walking to school has risen over the past 5 years as our Safe Routes to School program has grown. We have improved infrastructure, increased our education and encouragement programs, and helped raise awareness about the need to increase safe, healthy, and fun active transportation options.

This trend of more walking and biking is a reflection of our communities commitment to investing in safe biking and walking routes, education, as well as encouragement programs like the Walk + Bike to School Day. The trend is also seen in communities around the state as Oregon is the national leader in overall participation in Walk + Bike events!

Join the fun this Wednesday. Park the car, even if it’s a few blocks from school, and walk or bike to school!

Via a press release from Lane County:

Lane County Public Works, in partnership with the Bethel School District, is pleased to announce the opening of a new sidewalk on Hyacinth Street in Eugene. Hyacinth Street connects Irving Road and Irvington Drive and provides access to Irving Elementary School. Prior to the improvements, Hyacinth Street had no sidewalks or marked crosswalks. This forced bicyclists, pedestrians, and automobiles to share the roadway, which included on-street parking on both sides.

The new sidewalk is located on the west side of the street and extends from Calla Street to Irvington Drive.  Additional new improvements include three marked crosswalks, curb bump-outs to help reduce traffic speeds, and completion of a partially constructed multi-use path that connects the Dry Creek Road and Hyacinth Street neighborhoods.
Design of the new improvements was supported by a robust community involvement process, which included meetings with stakeholders, door-to-door visits by project staff, and open houses. The community’s input shaped the final design that is consistent with the character of the neighborhood and customized to address the needs of the owners of the 27 adjoining properties.

The new improvements enhance safe travel in the neighborhood, improve connections between neighborhoods, and encourage walking and biking to Irving Elementary School. The school is located on the west side of Hyacinth Street and has advocated for many years for sidewalk improvements. Point2point and the Bethel School District are leveraging this infrastructure investment through the Safe Routes to School program that educates and encourages children to safely walk and bike to school. A new map has been developed for Irving Elementary School families showing the recommended walking routes that now include this new sidewalk.

Eugene Friends of Trees, a non-profit organization, is coordinating the planting of 41 trees along the new sidewalk. On November 8, 21 trees will be planted with the help of Irving Elementary School students. On November 9, an additional 20 trees will be planted by volunteers.