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Guests: Keith Laughlin, Rails-to-Trails; Zach Vanderkooy, Green Lane Project; Mike Cobb, Disaster Relief Trials
It’s official; the weather in northeast Ohio has caused me to give up on the notion of riding a bicycle out of doors. Ever. And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
If the federal government gives a railroad some land, what happens to the land when it’s no longer used for train tracks? According to the Supreme Court of the United States, it reverts to the adjacent, private landowners. Otherwise, a bike trail might run through someone’s house. Or something. Anyway, Keith Laughlin of Rails to Trails is here (again) this week to explain the court’s recent decision and its potential impact on rail-trails.
On a brighter note, People for Bikes is gaining traction with their Green Lane Project. According to Zack Vanderkooy, director of the Green Lane Project, green lanes are also known as separated bike lanes. This project works with selected cities to implement these lanes to make urban cycling safer and more accessible.
(photo by Ethan Jewett)
And finally, out of Portland, Oregon comes Mike Cobb and his Disaster Relief Trials. The concept is a friendly competition to get people thinking about using cargo bikes to transport supplies in the wake of a natural disaster. This technique popped up in a limited way after Superstorm Sandy, when roads, electricity, and gasoline supplies in the NY/NJ area were compromised. As we say in IT, never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of backup tapes!