Walk+Roll Keeps Cleveland on its Heels, Wheels
Is Cleveland the next Paris? The next Bogota?

Cleveland is "into" cycling. And as popularity grows, Cleveland is starting to resemble Paris, France, or Bogota, Colombia. Bike paths are being grafted onto city streets, cycling events like Walk+Roll Cleveland are spotlighting the benefits of biking, and bicycles are becoming the preferred mode of transportation for many.

When cycling advocate Lois Moss, formerly of Century Cycles, organized the first Walk+Roll event in Rockefeller Park four years ago, the event ignited events in other cities. Cleveland's first "Ciclovia," a Spanish term meaning "bike path" or a temporary event closing of the street to vehicle traffic, brought 10,000 people to Rockefeller Park.

Other cities are mimicking Cleveland’s Walk+Roll. Chicago, Portland, San Francisco and Miami began events in 2008. New York City held ciclovias for three Sundays in August 2008 when it created a seven-mile car-free route from Central Park to the Brooklyn Bridge along Park Avenue for three Saturdays in August, 2008.

“Everyone knows Cleveland was the first,” Moss says.

And now there’s City Bikes, a new downtown bicycle rental program that will run through August 31. Downtown Cleveland Alliance purchased 17 bicycles to be rented at Gateway North parking garage at East Fourth and Huron until Cleveland’s bike station becomes a reality. The planned station may open as early as Spring 2010 and will have room for at least 60 bikes with changing rooms and showers. In the meantime, it’s hoped that City Bikes will build excitement for the bike station, which may be the first of many stations all over the city and “the heart of any artery system,” as described by Eric Wobser, special projects manager for Mayor Frank Jackson.

Cleveland’s vision of adding bike paths and rental stations throughout the region follows the vision of programs in Paris and Bogota. In Paris, bicycles can be rented at stations throughout the city for free half-hour sessions that can get you from one point to another in the city more quickly than walking. Bogota's car-free day--the largest and most successful event of its kind in the world—has drawn international attention with its closing of streets on a Sunday afternoon so people could walk and cycle without interference from motor vehicles.

And that’s the point—getting people out onto the streets, whether riding or walking, to see the hidden places one only sees close up and personal. Like when walking in Rome or Paris, walking in Cleveland can reveal flowerpots on fire escapes, bicycles leaning against porch rails, and alleyway book stalls. Look closer and you might spot corner bakeries, artist galleries, shoe repair shops, jugglers tossing multi-colored balls, original art displayed on a sidewalk, and boxes of kittens.

Rental rates for City Bikes cycles, which is across from Flannery’s Pub, are $15 for two hours on the weekends. During the weekdays, individuals can rent bikes for $6 an hour, which can be paid by credit card. Each bike rental comes with a lock and a helmet. (For more information, visit http://www.DowntownClevelandAlliance.com.) When I asked our local bike promotion innovator about Cleveland Alliance’s rental program, she said it’s a good idea. She’s heard about five programs in the last two months—University Circle, Incorporated, Cleveland State University, John Carroll University, and The Cleveland Clinic are all contemplating bicycle programs. Moss feels the various programs need to cooperate.

“They need to be connected so people can get bike in University Circle and drop it off downtown,” Moss says. "It would be great if all the institutions who were working on bike sharing got together because they could easily create a network of bike sharing stations in different parts of the city so that people could use the bicycles for short trips."

Walk+Roll Cleveland promotes bicycling through human-powered neighborhood programs that combine fun with active living (http://www.WalkRoll.com). It’s about getting out and about without the car and with other people, conscious about our effect on the environment and our need to be active. Among the facts posted on the Walk+Roll website: the average person loses thirteen pounds during their first year of commuting to work by bicycle; Co2 pollution would be reduced by 25 million tons a year if 10% of commuters switched to a bicycle; and 50% of children rode bikes to school in 1964 while today only 3% ride.

This year’s Walk+Roll events began with rides in Lakewood and Old Brooklyn the weekend of July 18. On Saturday July 18, Walk+Roll Old Brooklyn/Brooklyn Centre promoted free bicycle, walking, and trolley tours of one of Cleveland’s old neighborhoods. The Cleveland Metroparks sponsored Brookstock, a free music festival in the neighborhood, that started just as Walk+Roll was wrapping up. The event was a success, with 70-75 people riding their bikes across the bridge near the Zoo with a police escort, to let people get used to riding in the streets.

This Saturday, July 25 and Sunday, July 26, should be dubbed “Cleveland bicycle weekend.” On Saturday, nearly three miles of streets and paths in the Detroit Shoreway/Gordon Square neighborhood will showcase new residential developments and lovely historic neighborhoods, as well as Edgewater Beach and Lake Erie. Walk+Roll is partnering with Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization on this special event. Walking and riding to Edgewater, participants will discover a hidden path to Edgewater that they would never know about if they stayed in their cars.

On Sunday July 26, Walk+Roll Slavic Village/Broadway will set aside an eight-mile route (the longest ever) which will include two Cleveland Metroparks, commercial, residential, and public art projects, an inner-city golf course, a waterfall and history center, Cleveland Botanical Garden’s community garden, and many other sites and activities. The day will be capped by an open picnic and community celebration at Washington Park sponsored by Slavic Village Development.

All the Walk+Roll events are free and can be joined at any point along the planned route. Unlike street parties and festivals, Walk+Roll events do not plan entertainment—the people who participate provide it by bringing their yoga class demonstrations, portrait sketching, and fresh-grown vegetables to the street.

Ride a bike from downtown to University Circle or go to a Walk+Roll route to walk streets devoid of car traffic and slip into antique shops and book stores. Join the street part. Feel the Ciclovia energy in the air and the urban cement below your feet. Get out and walk and roll, Cleveland.

Get your details on both events at http://www.WalkRoll.com.

From Cool Cleveland contributor Claudia J. Taller ctallerwritesATwowway.com.

Taller blogs at http://www.ClaudiaTallerMusings.blogspot.com.
(:divend:)