"Chips" Cronin Remembered; Sharrows dedicated on 2d Street Bridge

Hot day, hot pavement, gratitude for the wind.

I joined an estimated 2,300 cyclists on the Second Street Bridge at 2 p.m. today to celebrate the new "sharrows" and signage urging motorists to share the respective north- and southbound right lanes and to yield to bicyclists. 

While the Louisville Bicycle Club had been at work with the city to improve safety on the bridge, it was the death of Cronin (by an "inattentive" driver) that clearly fast-tracked getting the new signs and lane markings up.    In half an hour of pre-ride speeches to the choir, Cronin's brother-in-law, Ed Tonini, who is also head of advocacy for the LBC, said the Federal Highway Commission is allowing the new lane markings as a "pilot" program since they are not part of the existing signage inventory.

Mayor Abramson, made only a few brief remarks, the most significant perhaps being that he wants to make Louisville as cyclist-friendly a city as Portland, and in less time than it took Portland to accomplish its current status as a national leader.

Unfortunately, today was no demonstration as the entire bridge was closed to motorized traffic for the inaugural ride.  Cycling clubs and racing teams from both sides of the river went off first to do a lycra-rich, three miler over and back.  Many others followed, including families with children, people of all abilities, etc.  I even met a couple from St. Louis who had rented neat looking adult trykes at the concession near Joe's Crab Shack (at $10/hour) to join the ride.

A similarly large group broke off on the other side, I with them, to head out to Utica for a 20 or 30 mile loop.  It was a delight getting into a nice rhythm in a long stretched out line heading east on Utica Pike.  

I split off just past the Port to head up Utica-Sellersburg Road, get on Highway 62 and book it out to Charlestown where I was meeting family and friends at a pool party.  About 20 miles, hot pavement, and a bottle each of water and Gatorade to stay hydrated.

The bridge signage is an important event on the long road to raising awareness and safety while developing a "share the road" attitude around here.  Each of us should appreciate other's efforts to make progress and do what we can to support and extend it.