Bike-Centric and Self-Examining at Last Meeting

In attendance: Cathy Smith, Bill McKechnie, Loren Demerath, Katherine Brandl, Maurice Loridans, Cynthia Keith, Chris Chandler, Susan Keith, Lani Duke

CYCLING FOR TRANSPORTATION NEWS FROM BOSSIER AND ARKANSAS

The group welcomed first-timers Bill McKechnie, friend of Carolyn, and Cathy Smith, long-time blog reader.  Bill was field engineer for Bridgestone, lived in Austin where he biked a lot, and also in Naperville, Illinois, and Winter Park, Florida.  Cathy is a pastor in town and recently visited Bentonville, Arkansas, where they've done lots with bike-ped infrastructure.      Cathy said Bentonville looks like a small town with big ideas.  Maurice said Walmart's headquarters are there, and Loren noted that Walmart probably realizes that encouraging progressive bike-ped infrastructure is a cost-effective way of luring executives to work for Walmart in a place with a high quality of life.  Cathy noted Bentonville has lots of police on bikes, various kinds of bike-ped paths going all over town, and pedestrians have the right of way.  It seems like the whole town is outside.  Their slogan is “come out and play Bentonville,” and people really do.  In some places they just widened the sidewalk and made separate lanes for bikers and pedestrians, effectively taking cyclists off the streets--preferable for some, especially given the street.  We could do that on Line Ave., running it all the way from Downtown to the Inner Loop!  There were also little touches of how the sidewalk corners were slowly rounded to accommodate cyclists.  
    Maurice reported on local good news on that front: Bossier’s city council has just approved funds to connect their riverside bike path to the Board Walk.  It was noted that the more people get out and bike, and the more Shreveport will be seen as bikeable, and increasingly made to accommodate biking.  Bill said we need what Amsterdam has: a sea of bikes

CYCLING CHEAPLY
A range of other cycling issues where discussed, such as the pro's and con's of helmets, bike-share programs, the Yellow Bike Project in Austin, and one-upping each other on how cheap we've been able to get functional bikes (Bill staked the first claim at $10, Loren upped it with a $1 garage sale buy, but Maurice's flavor won in getting a bike for a pot of gumbo!)

CYCLING ON SIDEWALKS 
Also noted was how motorists can harass cyclists for biking on the road even when riding on the sidewalk is technically illegal.  Maurice said we can get a ticket for biking there, and motorists can get a ticket for harassing us.  That said, several of us freely admit to doing biking on the sidewalk when bike safety on a given road is precarious. 
  
BEST I-49 ROUTE UNCLEAR

Loren reviewed the efforts of a recent charette conducted by Kim Mitchell and others on the route of I-49 going through the city, and enough varied opinions were apparent that a focused meeting might be useful.  It was suggested we invite those with expertise such Dara Sanders, Murray Lloyd, Kim Mitchell, and others.  Perhaps a moderated panel might be needed to structure the debate where there's a lot of money at stake.  
    Maurice noted that the people that DON’T want it to go through Allendale haven’t approved of any of the three routes that have been suggested.

REFINING ABS MEETING STRUCTURE

Chris Chandler's thinking about how to get more productive followup from Aspen Idea Festival hosted locally by the Community Foundation led us to work on a model for the discussions might work better by incorporating the technology of "clickers" or even cell phones where folks respond to questions by texting. 
    Chris said that CF Director Paula Hickman is on board with tweaking the format in effort to improve productive followup.  
    Bill noted that in his experience as an engineer, it helps to a measure, deadlines on a calender, and repeatability.  One could have five bullet points, and noted how many did we hit, etc.
    Chris suggested that we use ABS meetings as a way of developing a format that would focus discussions and create more productive outcomes, and we can then propose using that format for the Community Foundation's hosting of the Aspen Idea Festival.  Chris and Loren agreed to meet and work on that, and try it out at next Monday's meeting.  {Gulp!}

FOODHUB DOING GOOD WORK; BARNWELL'S FIT UNCLEAR

Lani Duke talked about the Food Hub meetings she's been attending.  ABetterShreveport had talked about how the Barnwell might complement what the Foodhub does.  Reportedly, Robert Specian has gone to Liz Swain about possibilities.  Susan Keith was a member of "Friends of the Barnwell," but the group's connection was dissolved unilaterally by the city eight months ago.  The city of Shreveport told them they were no longer affiliated with it.  They may become involved with the museum of at the State Fair Grounds, but as of now, the group is in a state of unaffiliated limbo.

TIME TO PAINT BIKE SHARROWS ON STREETS?
Some time ago ABS received permission to paint bike sharrows on streets.  We've held back from doing more than we did on a small scale for the tree tour because of our hopes that a bike-ped plan would be soon created, which it wasn't; more recently, we thought it might be worth waiting for the Unified Development Code's completion, but we now the code wouldn't help much for that kind of thing.
    So, we may be putting off a great opportunity to add significant value to our city right now.  Later in the week, at the monthly meeting of the coalition of community agency partners for the Healthy Green and Into the Outdoors program headed by the Community Foundation, Loren met Dr. Mary Hawkins, on the faculty of the Department of Kinesiology and Health Science at LSUS.  She mentioned that she has a bunch of students that need service-learning credit.  Hmm...

NEXT MEETING:
Monday, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Wright Math Building, as usual. 
    Picking up on topics from previous weeks, but while taking the first steps towards Chandler's productive meeting template!  Join us!

Independence Bowl for Football Safety, Bicycle Coop, Pollution in Cross Bayou Discussed at 9/6 Meeting

At the meeting of Monday, September 9th, were Maurice Loridans, Loren Demerath, Cynthia Keith, Feico Kempff, Nick Runyon.  Here are Loren’s rough notes:

USING THE INDEPENDENCE BOWL TO SHOWCASE SAFER FOOTBALL

Nick noted that the NFL settlement just followed our discussion from the previous week.  Feico said if you leave the equipment choice to the players, things might look different; people would want their own safety.  

    Loren is scheduled to meet with Kelly Wells of the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau to discuss two topics: 1) leveraging the Independence Bowl, or even just use of the stadium, to improve football safety, and 2) leveraging the I-Bowl to publicize an issue that would help the city.

CITY'S AMENITIES IN NATURE DISCUSSED (running the gamut!)
RIVERSIDE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS

Cynthia noted that the mountain bike trails by the boat launch by Veteran's Park are being featured as a recreational amenity.  Maurice said a number of the obstacles have been home-made--as have all the trails--and are dangerous.  It doesn't mean they shouldn't be there, just that the city should be careful in what it recognizes and for which it then implicitly takes responsibility.  The National Park Service doesn’t publicize hair-brained activities, as the City shouldn’t in publicizing and supervising the Stoner Park trails.  But one person asked about the skate park, noting that skateboarders break their arms and such all the time. There’s also some R-rated graffiti there, but Nick thinks there’s a norm set by the older skaters against messing up the deal they've got and not doing things that would get it taken away from them.

HAMEL'S MEMORIAL PARK TRAILS

It was noted that there used to be trails at the northern end of the Hamel property but you can’t get through any more.  You can come back from the beach to lower Hamel park.  If you come down the northern end of the mound it used to have a nice trail there, but not anymore.

OUTDOOR MEETING

There was sentiment that we’ll have a meeting out there when it gets cooler.

BAYOU TO BAY CLEANUP

Speaking of that area, Loren noted that Jon Soul has mustered a number of volunteers under his "Bayou to Bay" watershed education project, and they've recently cleaned up the beach by the Jimmie Davis Bridge this past weekend.  

ALLIGATORS

Cynthia wondered if there were alligators.  Maurice said there are alligators in every body of water in this state, even in bodies so small you wouldn’t consider them bodies of water!

TURTLES

Feico noted that there was an application for commercial fishing of turtles in Cross Bayou and under consideration at the city council this week.  

POLLUTION

Maurice said he wouldn’t eat turtles out of Cross Bayou, but almost every year Shreveport pumps out of Cross Bayou for our water, and you can taste it in the musty flavor of the water at those times of water.  Maurice has said he’s seen ruptured sewer lines in Cross Bayou.  Moreover, there was decades of dumping of organic matter from the roof shingle manufacturing there years ago, but nobody’s ever asked them to clear it up.

    The foam blobs floating down the river can be naturally occurring.  But the water in the Red River is cleaner than that in Cross or Twelve Mile Bayou.  That would be a beautiful area to paddle if it weren’t for the people living along it not treating it like a dump.  There are garbage bags, refrigerators, and such thrown down there.

    Loren asked advice on what to do about the streets going through isolated areas.  He regularly bikes home from Magnet High School through one area.  Feico said it's 13 acres that was in the Rossbottom bankruptsy and is now owned by a local doctor.  Loren noted the dumping of trash there is a shame, that it's a peaceful country road going through a beautiful forest, otherwise.

    Maurice said construction companies tell their low level employees to dump stuff and be back on the job in five or ten minutes, sometimes even knowing there's no place they can do it legally that fast.

REDUCING LAW VIOLATION

Loren asked if we should post signs of penalties, even warnings of video surveillance, etc.  Police receive complaints about that sort of thing but the responses can be ham-fisted.  The response can be to cut down the woods, like cutting off your nose to save your face.

    The possibility of automatic sensors was raised.  Nick’s brother is a radio personality in Cedar Rapids and he's told Nick about the huge controversy in there surrounding automatic traffic tickets. Maurice said there can be defenses; it’s not completely automatic with no chance for contesting the ticket.  But, it does generate revenue.  A friend in New Orleans has gotten a ticket for running a red light at 4:00 a.m. when there wasn't a soul around.

BIKE COOP POSSIBILITIES

Loren is thinking that the Theater Department might be able to share some space with us in certain locale where they store old scenery.  It would need to be secured, but that could be done by putting a gate there.

    We could use the old props creatively.  Some of the old giant trees with hooks on it, etc.  Folks can get national attention for creatively designing a bicycle coop, let alone doing that for bicycles. 

    As for folks who might be interested in collaborating on that sort of thing, Steve Culp is contact who’s mechanically inclined, husband of Liz Swaine.  

DOG PARK FUNDRAISER THURSDAY

On Thursday, 9/12, is the fundraiser for the dog park at Canes (5-8 pm) and the Red Mango (noon to 10 pm) on Youree.

COHABITAT OPENING ON THE 20TH

Cohabitat is celebrating its reopening in its new location under the Texas Street Bridge with live music on the 20th, 5-10 pm., where Brother’s Seafood was next to Nicky’s.  They've raised $20,000 to refinish the kitchen and make it into a test kitchen.

Next week: the Local Idea Festival concept, community gardening at the Barnwell, Healthy Green and Into the Outdoors possible advocacy on anti-obesity Policies, and whatever other topics come up!

Digifest looks like it'll be a cool show, once again!

Here's the flier on it.  Loren will be moderating a panel on local development Friday at 2:00.  There'll also be a game jam that Centenary's Node will be participating in the game jam at 3:00 that afternoon.  (Node the living-learning community focused on using technology and design for treating social problems.)  Should be a fun time!

 

Barnwell, Independence Bowl, and a Productive Local Idea Festival

After the summer off, we're meeting again, every Monday night, 6:00-7:00, in the Wright Math Building on Centenary's Campus, just up from the Gold Dome.  Anyone's welcome to join us and discuss ideas for a better city!

In attendance last Monday, August 26th: Cynthia Keith, Katherine Brandl, Maurice Loridans, Loren Demerath, Lani Duke, Chris Chandler, Nick Runyon, Feico Kempff

BARNWELL POSSIBILITIES FOR A FARMERY, COMMUNITY GARDENING, ETC.

The group continued a discussion from last week about downtown community gardening and farmery possibilities (see posts below for farmery description).  One thought is that having a center for shared social activity like community gardening would be a further lure for people to live downtown.  And even if they didn’t, the Barnwell is on the bike path, so it’s a convenient weekend ride destination.  Maybe downtown could become the center for our community gardening and fresh greens and herbs shopping?  Lani will be at the next meeting of Grace Peterson’s group and ask about it.  Lani noted that the farmery idea is too cool not to explore it.  Also noted that on 4th street off of Marshall is “Community Harvast,” a hydroponic gardening organization; they want to sell to restaurants.  

IDEAS FOR THE INDEPENDENCE BOWL: HISTORIC GAME, PROGRESSIVE FUNDING

Loren described an idea he has for the Independence Bowl, and the group encouraged him to explore it.  He sent an email to Kelly Wells, and cc’d Mayor Glover, at his request.  The Mayor was encouraging about the idea when Loren approached him about it after Saturday’s meeting (see the post below).

The email describes the idea Shreveport would be the site of the first significantly safer football game.  It could be the Independence Bowl, but the Mayor suggested an all-star game, such as, perhaps, this year's high school all-star game that will played at Independence Stadium.

The Mayor pointed out that players are expected to bring their own helmets, partly as means of cutting costs, though also as a means of identifying players.  Apparently new helmets have been developed recently, but leagues like the NFL, CFL, or NCAA will have to adopt them en masse, everyone getting them all at once.  But a bowl game, or an all-star game, might be a way of demonstrating the equipment on a smaller scale first.  So, showcasing a new helmet might help further its implementation.

Loren noted that as a football fan he beginning to feel guilty.  He wouldn't let his own kid play it now, knowing what we do, and he feels bad that people who might not know any better are letting their kids play while he just sits there and watches.

Loren also asked future sponsorships of the Independence Bowl that could work more in our city's favor.  He asked if it’s possible to cobble together funding from, say, a non-profit industry which might pay for the benefit of publicizing their cause?

Loren’s received no response yet from Wells, but has just sent a follow-up.

In group’s discussion of the ideas, folks noted that Dr. Anil Nanda is a local neurosurgeon who’s been interviewed about this topic.  Maurice said Bicycling Magazine two months ago had an impressive article on helmets where they note that the standards haven’t changed since the 1960’s.  The tests all involve testing direct impact fractures, and not the movement of soft tissues within the skull, which causes concussions.  The bicycling industry is resisting changes.  Because of the fear of lawsuits, it appears football in the NFL and the NCAA are embracing greater awareness and change.  That said, Feico pointed out that any organization may be loath to be connected with a demonstration of safer helmet technology, since that’s an implicit acknowledgement that their sport is currently unsafe. Leadership is needed, and that’s often where government comes in.

On the idea of alternative funding, Maurice wondered how money would flow into the bowl.  Breast cancer awareness has been promoted through sports, mostly, perhaps through for-profit companies associating themselves with a good non-profit cause.  Later in the week, at a meeting of partners in the Healthy Green and Into the Outside coalition, it was mentioned that an insurance company might like that kind of association.  Blue Cross Blue Shield is the sponsor of HGIO, so perhaps we should talk to people there, and places like that, where they make a profit on health, and would benefit from the association with progressive health policy changes.

Loren has wondered privately: would politicians gain from taking a stand on this?  a school board?  can a community set equipment standards that apply to all folks playing that sport under their supervision, or using their fields, etc.?  Now that the NFL has settled with it’s players, movement on the issue may slow.  Hmmm...

LOCAL IDEA FESTIVAL DISCUSSED

Chris Chandler described for the group an idea he’s had about creating a local form of the Aspen Idea Festival, but one with more effective follow up and eye to making productive change.  The Aspen Idea Festival brings in top people to discuss a recent big idea for the world.  They broadcast the panel’s discussion around the world.  For the past few years, during February, the Community Foundation has sponsored it and run the video at the Robinson Film Center, and then had local experts discuss it, and invite the audience to participate.

Chris’ ideas include making a Shreveport Idea Festival.  It would involve programming a local forum, inviting interested people to come together and discuss the idea, to find a champion for the idea, and to divide those who want to help into follow-up teams to help push the idea forward.   

New technology can be used to sort out members of the audience who want to contribute to furthering an idea, and in what ways.  “Clickers” and now, just cell phones, using websites like Socrative, where audience members can respond to surveys and be tabulated immediately on the screen in front of them.  Chris was thinking that the technique could be used to find out who wants to work on what, how many support a given tactic, etc.  The audience gives feedback as the discussion proceeds and this can lead to more focused follow-ups in forming working groups.  Lani mentioned she’d seen that kind of thing done elsewhere to sort people out by the skills and resources they’re willing to volunteer, so there’s a precedent.

Chris also noted that the technique could cut down on the phenomenon of five people or so dominating the discussion to advance their own agendas.  Plus, the data collection can continue indefinitely online afterward.  A bit like having a facebook page built around a discussion group.  

Local foundations, organizations, and companies might be willing to help with funding for it.

BICYCLE COOP POSSIBILITIES

The idea of having some sort of bike coop, or old bike depository lives on.  The group discussed some possibilities, including some spaces at Centenary.  Just padlocking a space that’s covered from rain would be sufficient.

CITY BUDGET TO FINALIZED

Feico noted that the city’s 2014 budget is due to the council October 1.  Paint and labor for bike lanes and sharrows, and weed-eaters for dog parks and trails, are among the things we should make sure are in the budget.  No money in the budget to paint bike sharrows?  That’s why the only ones we have in Shreveport were painted by this very organization?  That can rectified.  And remember, just like a dog park, bike sharrows are now standard features in any city’s infrastructure for providing a healthy lifestyle.  Unless you want folks to leave Shreveport, you want bike sharrows, even if you don’t ride a bike!

Next meeting, September 9th, 6:00-7:00 p.m., Wright Math Building.

ABS Members Attend Meeting on City Development Code

Reminder that our regular Monday night meetings have started.  Come on down to join us in talking over issues.  6:00-7:00, Wright Math Building, Woodlawn Ave., across from Magale Library on the Centenary Campus, two blocks up from the Gold Dome on Kings.

Loren Demerath, Jon Soul, and Cynthia Keith were ABetterShreveport Board Members in attendance at the meeting held by the city this past Saturday morning to inform on Master Plan Implementation through the upcoming effort to create a Unified Development Code using community input.  Others in attendance were neighborhood association leaders and city officials.  About 70 people were there.

Before the meeting Loren chatted with Dara Sanders, the Master Plan Administrator, and friend of ABS.  She said it's been a busy but productive summer for her.  The firm chosen to write the unified development code signed the contract, and Dara has a listed ABS as one of the stakeholders, so it will be contacting us about meeting with them.  Dara would like to meet with us about the Unified Development Code as well.  Loren said we'd value those meetings.

Loren asked Dara about what the group had discussed at last week's meeting: if it's going to be 18 months or more before the code is passed, what can we do to keep bad development from happening?  We thought if she could alert us as to proposals and site plans that conflict with the principles in Master Plan, ABS could then attend the relevant MPC meetings to articulate our concerns.  Dara said communicating with the public about developments that are inconsistent with the Master Plan.

In Dara's presentation, she said the Unified Development Code will created as an outcome of community input, coming through a city wide town hall meeting, 5 public workshops, charrettes, 5 public open houses, one public hearing, MPC meetings, city council meetings, and parish commission meetings.  Loren wondered to himself if we have to go all of those meetings, though it's probably a form of power through community organization: the more people you can get out, the more your issues will be advanced.  Dara noted, though, seeing common interests should be an outcome; that the meetings will facilitate neighbors and neighborhoods talking to each other and raising awareness of common interests (for example, Loren thought, during meetings can come to understand how a dog park is actually IN THE INTERESTS OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T OWN DOGS!).  To participate people need to contact their neighborhood associations and select a representative.  The council of neighborhood associations is a gathering of such people.  Questions?  The phone number to Dara's desk is 673-6463. 

Poor New Bike Racks Discussed at Monday's First Meeting of the Year

After a summer hiatus, ABetterShreveport is back in session.  We had an interesting first meeting of the year, but we've barely begun to plan, so come on down to the next one if you want to help set our agenda.

 In attendance: Maurice Loridans, Chris Chandler, Jon Soul, Katherine Brandle, Loren Demerath, Cynthia Keith, Lani Duke, Nic Runyon

DOG PARK UPDATE

Cynthia Keith updated us on the dog park:  The District Court told the Mayor he has to sign to accept the money by a certain date.  They got an appeal and got a writ of review where three judges review the ruling.  The first judge has now said he’d let the second circuit decide the stay and won’t do anything until then.

Cynthia recounted how the Mayor has recently increased the requirements to having the dog park to $1 million there at Hammel's because he is now requiring a playground, bathrooms, and a maintenance shed.   At one town hall meeting, reported by TV news, Cynthia was very animated against the Mayor as were other people Cynthia had never met before, though the Mayor said they were planted by our organization.

COMBATING OBESITY THROUGH DRAINAGE DITCH BIKE PATHS 

Loren talked about ABetterShreveport's recently joining the Healthy Green Into the Outside

one vision of a bike path converted from a drainage ditch (cycleicio.us)

initiative run by the Community Foundation.   HGIO is aimed at developing local solutions to obesity, and has raised 1.4 million dollars to that end.  Loren described his interview on KTBS about the partnership and how he described what LSU landscape architecture Dr. Bruce Sharky's said after visiting here.  Sharky, a world expert on greenways who has designed them for such cities as Anchorage Alaska, said Shreveport’s drainage ditches are the most accommodating he’s ever seen for converting them to greenways, i.e., adding bike paths, nature trails, etc., and that will make the project exponentially cheaper than it would be elsewhere.  Newcomer to ABS, Nick Runyon, said he lives on a drainage ditch and would love to see a path put there.

WALKS AGAINST OBESITY DISCUSSED AT HGIO MEETING

Later in the week, Loren attended his first meeting of HGIO.  There was a lot of He was asked to chair the advocacy group, and looks forward to it.  It was a useful meeting, hearing about what the coalition of agencies has done already.   The value of increasing Shreveport's perceived walkability and bikeability was agreed on at the meeting.  Ideas were discussed for how to do that, and one was having organized walks to destinations, in part to raise awareness of the most walkable routes.  Painting markers, noting historic points, and other features were mentioned as ways of giving the walking routes even more value.

BARNWELL CENTER'S FUTURE DISCUSSED

On the heels of hearing a proposal for part of the Barwell Center being used for community gardening, or the site of a "farmery" (see a post below), the group noted that the center is a historic building.  Chris Chandler said his parents used to take him there as a kid, to see the plants, the water features, etc.  At very least, we need to preserve it, he said, others noting that it's a great location.

The group agreed that we should take this opportunity in the Barnwell's renovations to help brainstorm about how it could be used.  We'll be inviting Grace Peterson and others to do that with us this next month.

NEW BIKE RACKS NOTED DOWNTOWN, THOUGH NOT OF MUCH USE 

Maurice Loridan updated us on bike facilities downtown.  There are three new sets of bike racks that someone at Sportran has installed, apparently without educating themselves in how bike racks work.  One set is at Elvis Presley and Milam that look like microphones; they’re not especially functional as you have to thread your lock through a space that’s easy to overlook; it’s also right next to an iron fence where people often lock their bikes more easily.  The other racks are on Travis Street where you can only lock your front wheel.  Bike thieves can easily disconnect a quick-release front wheel, take off with your bike and leaving you the wheel.  These racks are all positioned by public surface parking lots--not a popular destination for cyclists.  ABS and this blog has long advocated bike racks being placed at places where alternative transportation users tend to go, like Robinson, Artspace, Co-habitat, etc. 

DARA SANDERS TO GIVE UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE TALK SATURDAY

Jon Soul said on Saturday at the Independence Stadium Skybox, Dara Sanders will be presenting the latest on the Unified Development Code.   

The group discussed how important it is that the Code is created and passed as soon as possible, since until that point there are harmful structures being built (streets and bridges with no shoulders and sidewalks for example) and natural amenities being harmed (trees removed along a waterway on Fern, south of 70th).  Jon noted that it’s anything but smart growth to remove the organic growth buffer along a waterway.  

Until the code is passed, what to do?  Chris said that if there was a community of people that went down and contested things like that at MPC, they’d have to respond to it.  It was agreed that ABetterShreveport will have to be on alert for that kind of thing from here on.

PLANNING THE YEAR'S MEETINGS AND OBJECTIVES STILL TO COME

As the meeting broke up at 7:00, Loren noted next week we'll continue talking about themed meetings and aspirations for the year.

Is this the pedaling revolution?

Whoa!  And the website makes me want to quit my job, move to North Carolina, and join their ranks!

Seriously though, I especially like how it could increase your safety by giving you a larger presence on the road.  I'd think drivers would be more likely to assume you're occupying the full lane that a bike is entitled to anyway.  I wonder if it would give more confidence to those who don't feel comfortable biking in traffic.

First Meeting of the Year Monday!

An sketch of a "farmary"

Our first meeting of the year is Monday at 6:00 p.m.! 

We'll talk about ideas for the city, problems, prospects, etc. We'll hear updates on the dog park, the Barnwell Center, the Bayou to Bay project, biking kids to school, and about the Healthy Green Into the Outside initiative to combat obesity.

For instance, Lani Duke reports that the "Farmery" shown here has been floated as the kind of thing that could be done at Barnwell.

A real farmery in the background, but I'm looking at what they're all looking at!

And you can see my interview on KTBS here.  I talked about the notion of converting drainage ditches to bike paths.  That the idea that stimulated Peter Bonce to invite ABS to join the Healthy Green initiative.

We meet at the Wright Math Building, across from Magale Library on Woodlawn on Centenary's campus. 

Anyone's welcome to join us!

ABetterShreveport Invited to Join "Healthy Green and Into the Outdoors"

"Healthy Green and Into the Outdoors" is a coalition of 19 agencies that are all working combat obesity in our area.  There is a 1.4 million dollar pool of funds from a government grant and private monies raised by the Community Foundation to drive HGIO.  

ABetterShreveport will be able to contribute from a number of angles, but mostly, perhaps by pushing bike paths and nature trails, particularly our long-held vision for using our drainage ditches to create a network for healthy transportation.

One possibility is capping it, while keeping or improving it's capacity to deal with storm water.  Could be nice, don't you think?

now

later?

or, just add a sidewalk

and for security (though crime would likely go down anyway) 

plenty of possibilities, some concrete (in blue), some natural (red)

Stay tuned, or better yet, come to one of our meetings to help us plan how to make something like this happen.  We meet every Monday at 6:00 p.m., starting in September, at the Wright Math Building on Centenary's campus, at 6:00 p.m.  Join us!

Jimmie Davis Bridge re-do to include bicycle-pedestrian lanes; DOTD meet on Th, Aug 15, Barksdale Baptist Church

Velo Dendro Shreveport, 2010, a photo by trudeau on Flickr.

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development(DOTD) will host a public meeting to discuss the Environmental Assessment(EA) for the proposed upgrade to a portion of Jimmie Davis Highway (LA 511) to improve the crossing of the Red River, says
Leahanise Hogan.

The meeting will take place Thursday,
August 15, 2013, 6:00 p.m.to 8:00 p.m. at Barksdale Baptist Church located at 1714 Jimmie Davis
Highway in Bossier City. The purpose of the meeting is to present the status of the proposed project
and to solicit comments from the public. The meeting will be conducted in open house format and include stations where attendees can speak informally with members of the project team, view project area displays, and review known environmental issues.
Commensurate with the development of Line andGrade studies, an EA will be prepared for the project.
The project area extends from East Dixie Meadow Road in Caddo Parish to Barksdale Boulevard (US 71)
in Bossier Parish. The proposed action by DOTD involves developing a crossing of the Red River at LA
511 that provides two 12‐foot travel lanes in each direction with 4‐foot inside shoulders and 8‐foot outside shoulders and a shared use trail that connects the existing trails in Arthur Ray Teague Parkway
and Clyde Fant Parkway. Various alternatives are also being studied.

All interested citizens are invited and encouraged to attend the public meeting. Comments and suggestions are needed to help ensure that the project team addresses the full range of environmental issues during the EA study process. Both verbal and written comments will be received at the meeting.
All comments must include the commenter’s name and address. Comments will also be accepted until August 25, 2013 via the following methods:
Mail
Red River Bridge at Jimmie Davis Highway EA
P.O. Box 56845
New Orleans, LA 70156
Email
comments@redriverbridgeea.com
Phone
1‐877‐280‐8774