“First person” by Tommie Harrell
(Please scroll down for report links and photos.)
We named the day “Ride Island University: Cambridge” and we planned it to be an immersive learning experience. After two months of preparation, it turned into the singularly most productive day I’ve so far experienced as Bike Newport’s Advocacy Associate.
On May 13th, I was part of the Ride Island team that brought a group of municipal planners, elected officials, business owners, first responders, and other influential Aquidneck Island stakeholders to Cambridge, MA. Our goal was to introduce community stakeholders and leaders to the history, process, and outcomes of Cambridge’s extensive bicycle infrastructure network. Thanks to a well-curated tour by Jeff Rosenblum, one of the network’s original planners, we experienced firsthand what it is like to bike when separated and protected from cars, and to witness how the people of Cambridge move about in their daily lives – where only about 30% commute by car.
It felt so productive to me because I was witnessing progress being made in real time. The day’s discussions revealed that the tour made it possible for people to imagine the very things that Bike Newport and the Ride Island initiative are working towards – an Aquidneck Island where anyone can safely and comfortably bike or walk to any destination. All day, I listened to people who can make a difference – already talking about what our version of a truly multimodal community would look like – how we might change our transportation network for the better; how we can improve access, safety and connectivity for all road users. I can’t wait to continue the conversation and bring our vision to fruition.
As we move forward, we now will be able to collaboratively envision and plan our best local solutions more productively, better informed by the experience of seeing and riding well-designed roads that actually encourage and support biking and walking, through the specific allocation of space (whether in the roadbed or adjacent to the sidewalk) and application of various strategies that slow and/or separate vehicles from bikes and pedestrians.
For a full report about the day’s activities, please see this comprehensive report by Colleen Cronin in ecoRI News: Aquidneck Island Cyclists Visit Mass to See Bike-Friendly Community.
To see the Ride Island Bicycle Network Plan for Aquidneck Island, please visit rideisland.org.
I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to the interested and inspiring participants who accompanied the Ride Island team on this valuable learning experience.
Participants:
Terri Cortvriend (RI State Representative)
Colleen Cronin (ecoRI News)
Christopher Daly (Newport Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission)
Kate Dana (Multi space Designer)
Marco DiMattino (Owner, Anna D’s Café)
Harp Donnelly (Chief, Newport Fire Department)
Lisa Lewis (Landscape Architect)
Tuuli Martin (Planner, City of Newport)
Paige Myatt (Aquidneck Island Resiliency Coordinator, RIIB)
Mike Naylor (Captain, Newport Police Department)
Sydney Ormerod (Newport Health Equity Zone)
Trish Reynolds (Director of Planning & Economic Development, City of Newport)
Tom Welch (Town Councilor, Middletown)
Ron Wolanski (Director of Planning & Economic Development, Town of Middletown)
Ride Island Team
Thomas Brendler (van Beuren Charitable Foundation)
Andy Clarke (Toole Design)
Bari Freeman (Bike Newport)
Tommie Harrell (Bike Newport)
Rosie Jaswal (Toole Design)
Shawna Kitzman (Toole Design)
Elizabeth Lynn (van Beuren Charitable Foundation)
Toole Team, Cambridge
Moctar Fall
Ben Katz
Jeff Rosenblum
Alexis Vidaurretta
Video by Alberto Genao
Photos thanks to Andy Clarke /Toole Design and Colleen Cronin / ecoRI News
Bike Newport