ACA October Meeting with TXDOT and City of Austin

Latest news from the Austin Cycling Association -- Next Meeting Monday, October 4!

Have a barrier on your favorite cycling route? Want a highway shoulder swept? Why answer that bike survey that showed up in your inbox? Have ideas on making cycling more accessible to Central Texans? Maybe you might even want to complain just a little bit? Join us at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 4, at Mellow Johnny's Bike Shop to hear from TXDoT and City of Austin officials.
The October ACA meeting has traditionally been the official public meeting of the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDoT) with the cycling community. This year we've decided to make it more informative and actually, fun! We've invited TXDoT to present along with the City of Austin Bike/Ped program and other agencies that produce cycling infrastructure and education programs at the state, regional and local levels. We want to demystify how are dollars are spent and decisions are made plus this is our chance to give these folks some constructive input on bike projects past, present and future.

Now for the fun part, the public meeting will be followed by a social hour with door prizes and adult beverages. Door prize tickets will be given out during the public meeting so come early and get your voice heard.

Submit your questions now to txdotmeeting@austincycling.org so we can get project specific info and have it ready to present.  Visit the Astin Cycling Association website for more details: http://www.austincycling.org/node/1236.

Accomodation of Bicycles in the Austin District

Are you a recreational cyclist or bicycle commuter?  If so, please fill out this survey!

Welcome to the survey about the accommodation of bicyclists on state roadways in the Austin District of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The purpose of this survey is to gauge how the Austin District of TxDOT is meeting the needs of people who bicycle or wish to bicycle for transportation and recreation. The study is being funded by TxDOT’s Austin District. If you agree to participate in this survey, you will be asked to answer questions regarding your bicycle riding habits and your opinion of TxDOT’s efforts in accommodating bicyclists. This study will take approximately 10 minutes. We would very much appreciate your thoughts and opinions.

Accomodation of Bicycles - TxDOT Survey - Click Here

UT Bicycle Auction

Wednesday, September 8th 2010


Need a bike to get around? Check out the Annual University of Texas Bike Auction - a great resource for a deal on a used bike. The bike auction will be held Wednesday, September 8th on the roof of Trinity Garage. Viewing will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the auction to start at 5:30 p.m. with staggered finish times. Bicycles will be sold as-is and there will be no refunds. PTS will not be able to store purchased bicycles. Forms of payment accepted for the auction include: cash, check, and credit card (Visa, Discover, and Mastercard).


Bikes have been known to go for as little as $1, so make sure to get there early!

Downtown Bicycle Boulevard Project

Announcing a Public Meeting and Open House for the Downtown Bicycle Boulevard Project! 

This Public Meeting and Open House will take place at Pease Elementary School Gymnasium on September 13, 2010 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Representatives from the Public Works Department will be on hand to provide information on the project and answer questions.


At this meeting, the Public Works and Transportation Departments would like to update stakeholders on the status of the Downtown Bicycle Boulevard Project. A Presentation and Open House has been scheduled to address the following items:

• The Rio Grande Street circular intersections• The Nueces Street intersections that will become 2-way stops

• The next steps for the construction phasing of the Downtown Bicycle Boulevard Project

Please contact Annick Beaudet at (512) 974-6505 or annick.beaudet@ci.austin.tx.us with any questions or concerns.

Pfluger Bridge Extension & Trail Closures

Attention Pedestrians and Cyclists:

Lady Bird Hike and Bike Trail patrons will start to see signs at strategic locations on the trail starting August 25, 2010 alerting them about the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail temporary closure on September 18 and 19, 2010. The signs are being posted so patrons can plan for the temporary trail closure at the construction site of the Pfluger Bridge Extension Project. The Hike and Bike Trail will be temporarily closed to trail patrons between BR Reynolds Road and San Antonio Street. Hike and Bike trail patrons are encouraged to review the trail maps in order to make plans for their outings on September 18th and 19th. The following link to the Austin Parks and Recreation web site will provide patrons with information and access to the maps: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/parks/closedparks.htm.  Hard copies of the map will also be available at the Parks and Recreation Office, 200 S. Lamar.  View Map in PDF.  

The Pfluger Bridge Extension Project, a Public Works Department project, will extend the bicycle and pedestrian bridge to the north over Cesar Chavez Street, connecting Lady Bird Lake with the Sixth and Lamar Market District.

The bridge extension is an integral part of the new north-south route for bicyclists and pedestrians: from the Pfluger Bridge, across the bridge extension, over Cesar Chavez Street, through the future Gables site to the Bowie Pedestrian Underpass and up to W. Third Street. For more information about the Pfluger Bridge Extension project contact: Sara Hartley, Communications & Marketing Manager, City of Austin Public Works Department, telephone 512 974 1444. 

Click here to view the Pfluger Bridge project web site:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/publicworks/pflugerbridge_construct.htm

For more information about the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail closure contact, Victor Ovalle, Program Manager; Public Information and Marketing, 512 974-6745 or at: victor.ovalle@ci.austin.tx.us.

May is Bike Month

The city of Austin is busy getting ready for Bike Month, which is May. During this time, people are encouraged to commute by bike. You could choose to bike to work a couple days a week, use your bike to run your small errands, or plan to make more time to just get out on your bike and ride. Biking is a great family activity--bike to a nearby park, cruise the neighborhood, or take a ride for some ice cream. The whole idea is to just grab your bike and get out there with it!


The Austin Commuter Challenge is an event being put on in conjunction with bike month. Please BE KIND to Cyclists is creating a team and we want you on it! To join our team, simply register for the Team Challenge and select Please Be Kind to Cyclists.  


What is it? 
The Austin Commuter Challenge offers 3 categories of competition. Each challenge competes on trips. Trips to the store, to the movies, your favorite watering hole, or work all count. Anytime you would normally turn a key, but instead travel by bike yo   u get to loga trip. It doesn't matter how far your ride, just that you ride. So weather you ride 5 miles or 50, each one-way destination constitutes a trip. For example: Ride to work 1 trip + Ride home 1 trip = 2 trips. It's that simple! Trips equal points and the more points you have the better your chances of basking in the glory that is winning the 2010 Austin Commuter Challenge!

The 30 Day Team or Solo Challenge — These challenges were designed for people who are gluttons for punishment. Who will rack up the most trips during the month of May? Who will persevere and stand victorious atop the podium?

The Bike Week Family Challenge — This seven day challenge was designed with families and beginner cyclists in mind. Get the kids involved — teaching our kids that getting outdoors and using human power is good for them and the world they live in. You do not have to be a family to compete in this challenge, but lots of families are! Does your family have what it takes?

What are you waiting for? Go and sign up! :-)

Sunday Breakfast Rides with my Family

On family day, Sundays, we try to walk to breakfast from home.  Last Sunday the weather was nice so we decided to try something different, a little more adventurous. We got our bikes out and the four of us rode to Kerby Lane Café, The Original (on 38^th Street).  It took us a little more than an hour to get there, we hardly rode on the street; for the most part, we rode on the trail.  It was fun and safe, I was actually very impressed how the trails communicate with each other and take you in all directions. 

Riding our bikes not only brings us closer as a family, but also encourages other families to do the same and sends a message - Austin supports the cycling community.  Sunday mornings, the traffic is light and the people, I believe, are more kind and tolerant towards cyclists.  If more of us spend more time on the street riding our bikes, officials and auto drivers will become more aware of bicyclists on the road; they will get used to seeing cyclists and they would learn to drive around cyclists with confidence.  Of course, we have to do our part as well; be kind, curios and respectful to drivers and use common sense while you sharing the road.

Please join me, I invite you to experience with your family another way to get around Austin for breakfast or brunch, come out and ride; let’s start a new Austin tradition. 

~Al Bastidas

Please Be Kind to Cyclists - Founder