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STAUNTON — A proposed Staunton-Sawyerville-Benld bike trail could boost economic and residential development in Macoupin County and eventually result in a series of bike trails linking Springfield and St. Louis, a group of Macoupin County residents believe…

June 30, 2009 at 1:39 pm Leave a comment

Action Item: Bicycle Funding

The League of Illinois Bicyclists encourages you to get involved. Calling All Bicyclists and Pedestrians! Please Take Action Today!

Thanks to calls from bicycle and pedestrian advocates like you, the Senate refused to hear an amendment that would have blocked any Economic Recovery Bill money from being spent on biking and walking infrastructure projects. Now we need EVERYONE’S HELP to make certain that there is strong support for Transportation Enhancements $ for biking and walking in the final bill!

Support Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects in the Economic Recovery Bill

The House and the Senate have each passed their own version of the Economic Recovery Bill, aimed at creating jobs and stimulating the economy. Both bills include billions for transportation infrastructure, but only the House bill includes funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects in the Transportation Enhancements program. The House bill includes approximately $1.35 billion for Transportation Enhancements of which 50-60% is traditionally spent on bicycle and pedestrian projects. The Senate bill does not explicitly include Transportation Enhancements, so it’s unclear whether this funding will be in the final bill.

We need to make sure Transportation Enhancement funding is in the final bill.

This week there will be a conference committee where several members of the House and several members of the Senate will work together to reconcile the two bills. Conferees need to hear that Transportation Enhancements are important to stimulating the economy, creating green jobs, and moving us towards a sustainable future.

CALL TODAY! http://capwiz.com/lab/callalert/index.tt?alertid=12647931

Please call your senators and representative and ask them to tell the Conferees to support Transportation Enhancements in the Economic Recovery bill. Tell them:

Bicycle and pedestrian projects create jobs at the same or better rate than highway projects.
These smaller projects can move quickly to hire local businesses and help local economies.
Providing safe and convenient bicycle and pedestrian access gives families healthier and cheaper transportation options
Improving sidewalks and bike lanes can make a downtown a destination further helping the local economy.
Better biking and walking options also help ensure greater energy independence, less pollution, and a healthier United States!

Please share this email alert with all bicyclists and pedestrians you can, and encourage them to join you in supporting biking and walking today! Thank you – together we will make a big difference!

February 11, 2009 at 7:29 pm Leave a comment

Ray LaHood Selected for US Transportation Secretary

raypicture Illinois’ Ray LaHood, a central Illinois Congressman who was stepping down this year, is slated to become the new Secretary of the US Department of Transportation, a powerful post which has a big impact on bicycling.

Please visit the League of Illinois Bicyclists for a statement from Executive Director, Ed Barsotti. http://www.bikelib.org/political_state/lahoodappointment.htm

To learn more about Congressman LaHood’s accomplishments and service visit http://www.house.gov/lahood/photo_album.shtml

December 19, 2008 at 4:21 pm Leave a comment

Green Spaces = More Health

Green spaces ‘reduce health gap’

A bit of greenery near our homes can cut the “health gap” between rich and poor, say researchers from two Scottish universities.Even small parks in the heart of our cities can protect us from strokes and heart disease, perhaps by cutting stress or boosting exercise. Their study, in The Lancet, matched data about hundreds of thousands of deaths to green spaces in local areas. Cities should introduce more greenery to improve wellbeing, they said. Across the country, there are “health inequalities” related to income and social deprivation, which generally reflect differences in lifestyle, diet, and, to some extent, access to medical care. This means that in general, people living in poorer areas are more likely to be unhealthy, and die earlier. However, the researchers found that living near parks, woodland or other open spaces helped reduce these inequalities, regardless of social class.
When the records of more than 366,000 people who died between 2001 and 2005 were analyzed, it revealed that even tiny green spaces in the areas in which they lived made a big difference to their risk of fatal diseases. Although the effect was greatest for those living surrounded by the most greenery, with the “health gap” roughly halved compared with those with the fewest green spaces around them, there was still a noticeable difference.

For more information http://www.landscapeonline.com/research/article/11389

November 21, 2008 at 3:54 pm Leave a comment

Sinnissippi Dam Walkway-Completed & Open

September, 2008
After many years of planning, surviving setbacks, revised planning and lot of persistence. The Sinnissippi Dam Walkway is now open. There are many to be recognized for their hard work, including;

Sterling Park District
Coloma Township Park District
City of Sterling
City of Rock Falls
Illinois Department of Natural Resources

The new sidewalk leads from the Dillon Home in Sterling down through an scenic archway curving along the river. Users will see a view of the dam, benches, old-fashioned lamps and a gazebo. Below the walkway is an area for fishing. The sidewalk curves again and approaches the walkway which is about 10 feet wide and 1200 feet long and guarded by railings.

You can see Sinnissippi Lake, the Rock Falls hydroelectric plant and accees the nearby walking path of the Hennepin Feeder Canal.