Pedals & Pathways: Traffic Slowdowns, Bus Buddies, Upcoming Rides, and more

Navigating New Hampshire’s Urban Paths

Hello Manchester! I hope y’all got your taco fix in before the rain hit! I did and it was wonderful, the first hour or so was gorgeous. My favorite taco was the jerk chicken from Maya’s Kitchen at 790 Elm Street. They’re closed on Monday, and open from noon to nine other days. Give them a shot, I plan to return.

Meanwhile, greenery is bursting out all over. It’s like a dam burst.

Now, let’s move on to these topics:

• Why does my local drive take so long?
• Bus Buddies programs take root around the country
• A Week Without Driving
• Pine Street Safety Improvements Put On Hold
• Tour de New Hampshire
• Racks in Portsmouth
• Signs in Maine
• Bike to Work Day
• Upcoming Rides

Why does my local drive take so long?

Ever wonder about that? Of course you have, we all have. Especially when we’re sitting motionless, stuck in traffic. What’s going on up ahead? A crash? Road work? A police stop? It’s always something.

You know what else we’ve all experienced? That occasional trip that just flies past, the once-in-a-while super quick journey, when all the lights we encounter are green, when no giant truck pulls slowly into traffic, we encounter no unloading school buses, no other cars at stop signs, no cars in front of us trying to parallel park. We reach our destination and can barely believe we’re already there.

Think for a moment about similar experiences you’ve had. Recall a local trip that was memorably fast or slow. What are the factors you recall that made the trip fly by, or slowed it down? Now, was one of those factors the posted speed limit? I’ll bet not. Maybe for a few of you, but for most of you, no.

Intriguing, eh? Most of us complain about the speed limit, but if ask ourselves: what do we remember that affected our travel time? speed limit is rarely one of the items. Could it be that we’re onto something?

Let’s fire up the modern miracle tool of AI and see what it can tell us. Today, of course, it’s used by Google to process every search. Let’s start off by searching for:

“impacts on duration of your urban car trip”

and examine the results.

> === BEGIN Google Search Results === <

AI Overview

Several factors can impact the duration of an urban car trip, including time of day, type of road, and traffic conditions. Urban trip duration can be affected by rush hour traffic, congested roads, and the frequency and efficiency of public transportation.

Factors Affecting Urban Car Trip Duration:

• Time of Day: Rush hour and peak commuting times will generally have longer travel times due to increased traffic volume.
• Type of Road: Urban roads with more traffic signals, pedestrian crossings, and shared space with cyclists and pedestrians will generally have longer travel times compared to freeways or highways, according to a study on the impact of connected and automated vehicles on travel time reliability.
• Traffic Conditions: Traffic jams, accidents, and other disruptions can significantly increase travel time.
• Public Transportation: The availability and efficiency of public transport options (bus, train, subway) can influence car trip duration, as individuals may choose to use public transport if it is faster or more convenient, says a study on how accessibility levels affect the frequency of car use.
• Parking Availability: The ease of finding and accessing parking can add time to an urban car trip, especially during peak hours or in popular areas.
• Distance to Center: The distance from the center of the city to the destination can also impact travel time, as traffic density and congestion tend to increase towards the city center.
• Urban Form: The way cities are built, including factors like density, mixed-use development, and connectivity, can influence travel patterns and trip duration.
• Weather Conditions: Poor weather (rain, snow, ice) can cause road closures, slower speeds, and increased accident rates, leading to longer travel times.
• Individual Choice: Factors like the individual’s willingness to take alternate routes, adjust travel time, or switch to other modes of transportation can also impact their car trip duration.
• Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs): The use of CAVs could potentially reduce congestion and improve travel time reliability in the future, but their impact on urban travel time is still being studied.

> === END Google Search Results === <

Fascinating, and that’s a lot of factors. I count ten. But nowhere in that list is the posted speed limit. But surely it has some impact? Let’s modify our search and try again:

“impact of speed limit on duration of your urban car trip”

and look at the new results.

> === BEGIN Google Search Results === <

AI Overview

Lowering urban speed limits can slightly increase urban car trip durations, but the impact is usually small. Studies suggest that reducing speed limits by 10 km/h might increase travel time by up to 5% initially, but this difference can decrease to 1% in the long term as drivers adapt. However, speed limit reductions are also associated with a decrease in crashes and improved safety.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

• Impact on Travel Time: While lowering speed limits can lead to a marginal increase in travel time, the difference is often not significant. For example, a 10 km/h reduction in speed limit might result in a few minutes added to a typical urban commute, but this is often less than the time saved by avoiding accidents or reducing fuel consumption.
• Behavioral Adaptation: Drivers tend to adapt their driving behavior over time after speed limit changes. Initially, there might be a more pronounced increase in travel time as drivers adjust their speeds, but this effect tends to diminish as drivers get used to the new speed limit.
• Safety Benefits: Lower speed limits have been shown to reduce the frequency and severity of traffic accidents. This can lead to reduced congestion and improved overall safety, potentially outweighing the slight increase in travel time.
• Other Considerations: The impact of speed limit changes can vary depending on factors such as traffic density, road design, and driver behavior. Additionally, the benefits of speed limits extend beyond safety, including reduced noise pollution and improved air quality.

> === END Google Search Results === <

So, what are we to make of this? Of both our own remembered impressions of past trips, and of Google’s AI-assisted search results?

An article on the website of the World Resources Institute wrote:

“Safer speed limits don’t necessarily make trips longer.

“Many people fear that slowing the speed limit in urban areas will dramatically increase journey time. However, average road speeds in cities are more determined by the frequency of intersections than speed limits.

“A safer speed limit can achieve more uniform speeds and reduce dangerous midblock acceleration, while adding little to overall journey times. Research from Grenoble, France has shown that a speed limit of 30 kmph (18.64 mph) rather than 50 kmph (31 mph) only added 18 seconds of travel time between intersections 1 km (.62 miles) apart. Lower speed limits may even reduce congestion in some cases, as they reduce the likelihood of bottlenecks. This has been observed in Sao Paulo, where lowering the speed limit on major arterials reduced congestion by 10 percent during the first month of implementation, while fatalities also dropped significantly.”

So lower speed limits DO increase urban travel time, but ONLY BY A SMALL AMOUNT. There are so many other factors that affect your urban travel, speed limit is reduced to only a small one. Sometimes it has only a negligible effect.

A separate side effect of lower speed limits is to make crashes less likely, by allowing greater reaction time for all involved, and less deadly by lowering the kinetic energy of the moving vehicle. (If you double a vehicle’s speed, its kinetic energy is multiplied by four.)

Bus Buddies programs take root around the country

If for any reason you need local transportation, but can’t drive yourself, a local bus system can be a lifesaver. But how the heck does it work?

I was recently curious about the Manchester bus system. What locations does it serve? How often do the buses run? How much does it cost? Can I pay on the bus? Or must I buy a ticket in advance? If so, where do I buy it? I was able to find maps & schedules online, but they weren’t always very clear, and for most of my other questions I found no answers.

In some cities, they’re tackling the need for bus information with a program called Bus Buddies. Bus Buddies programs provide free, one-on-one assistance for people who want a little extra help riding the bus. Many dedicated Bus Buddies volunteer their time and share their knowledge of riding the fixed-route bus system while providing excellent customer assistance skills to riders.

Olympia, Washington has had such a program for a decade. It attracts a range of customers. From parents needing assistance getting their children to school, to exchange students needing help getting around town, to people needing help getting to the grocery store or appointments, as well as those who are no longer able to drive. This program serves anyone, no matter their age or ability.

Olympia currently has 10 bus buddies providing personalized support showing bus riders how to get to new destinations, transfer to other buses, and connect with other regional bus services for longer trips. On request, they will also take you to a YMCA, to area museums, or just about any place the bus goes.

One of Olympia’s Bus Buddies described why he rides public transportation:

• I think it is good for the environment to cut down on carbon emissions by riding the bus or train.
• It’s great to have someone else do the driving – I like to look out the window and enjoy the sights and the ride.
• I like the challenge of learning how to get someplace that I have never been before by using public transportation.
• I can get on the bus and go right to my destination without having to look for parking and paying big parking fees and worrying about my car.

Olympia’s Bus Buddy Program is a partnership between Intercity Transit, Catholic Community Services of Western Washington, Volunteer Services, and Washington State Department of Transportation.

Boston also has a Bus Buddies program, focused on elderly riders. Volunteers are trained and matched to people 55 and over to teach them how to plan trips and navigate routes safely on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Transit system.

Closer to home, Nashua has a Travel Training Program. A flyer in PDF format can be viewed here. Nashua’s program offers FREE travel training for individuals or groups that want to learn how to ride the bus. Their travel experts will come to your location and show you how to use Nashua’s public bus system independently, safely, and confidently! They cover topics like:

• how to plan a bus trip
• how to read a bus map & schedule
• safety tips

Do you think a similar program would be helpful in Manchester?

A Week Without Driving

It’s never too early to think about this. If you can drive or afford a car, you may not understand what it’s like to rely on walking, rolling, transit, and asking for rides. But for nearly a third of people living in the United States – people with disabilities, young people, seniors, and people who can’t afford cars or gas – this is every normal day for them.

Taking one full week of your life and intentionally, specifically, not driving yourself in a car during that week will help you learn firsthand about the barriers and challenges faced by non-drivers.

Here in southern New Hampshire, the SNHPC is a local partner in this event, which occurs Monday, 29 September – Sunday, 5 October. I suspect that taking part in this will not be easy, but it may be extremely worthwhile.

Learn more here.

Pine Street Safety Improvements Put On Hold

Some safety-focused changes and a planned bike lane on Pine Street from Bridge to Webster Streets were put on hold recently by Aldermen Morgan, Kantor, and Vincent who form a majority within the Committee on Public Safety, Health & Traffic. The motion to put this project on hold was made by Alderman Morgan of Ward 1.

Aldermen Barry & Goonan were in support of the project. The full proposal from DPW to the committee (which was put on hold, or “tabled” in committee parlance) can be read here.

This project entailed more than adding a bike lane. For example, it also included removing parking spots too close to corners, which currently block the visibility of drivers going north on Pine Street, and of drivers approaching Pine from intersecting streets.

This project would have improved safety for everyone: drivers, pedestrians, and residents in our neighborhoods. Similar lane reductions on Maple, Beech, and Chestnut Streets have already shown measurable success in reducing vehicle speeds, calming traffic, and preventing crashes. These changes improve the quality of life for those living along what are otherwise effectively highways cutting through residential areas.

More details can be found in Andy Sylvia’s article.

You can find your Alderman by clicking here.

Addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses for all Aldermen can be found at this link.

A map showing all Manchester Wards is here.

Tour de New Hampshire

The Bike-­Walk Alliance of NH educates, advocates, and activates to improve conditions for walking and biking statewide. As part of that mission, one of the activities they host is a series of scenic rides throughout the state called the Tour de New Hampshire.

This series of ten rides takes place throughout May and into June, and are distributed around the state. All rides are guided, and all levels of experience are welcome. Rides are generally on flat surfaces, 15-20 miles long, with numerous stops, and are at a leisurely speed. Rides are free, but registration is required. You can register by clicking here.

The Bike-­Walk Alliance of NH is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and contributions are tax-deductible.

Racks in Portsmouth

I walked past these during a recent visit to Portsmouth and instantly fell in love. They look so simple, yet perfectly functional. It’s true that a single rack would only hold two bikes, but they would hold them upright and securely. There is no question of what would be the correct parked position. And they take up so little space. They virtually shout ECONOMY and EFFECTIVE.

Maybe we can see something similar in Manchester one day.

Signs in Maine

I drove past these road signs during a recent visit to southern Maine. Naturally, I wondered why we don’t have similar signs in NH. We have the same 3-feet-minumum-to-pass law, and we know that most NH drivers are woefully ignorant of it. Yet we insist on not posting signs. Do we have some state driver education through telepathy program that I’m unaware of? Or does it come from our skin-flint cheapness? Are we unwilling to pay for roadside signs, but willing to pay the resulting costs in property damage and, more importantly, human life?

That seems penny-wise and pound-foolish, at best.

National Bike To Work Day is May 16

As you bike to work, swing by City Hall Plaza between 7 and 9 AM and share some coffee and treats from NXT Coffee. Last year we had 44 riders stop by, let see if we can set a new record this year!

Or maybe you’re not a morning person. No worries! On your way home, stop by the Queen City Bike Collective from 4 to 6 PM for an afternoon open house, and see what the collective is all about.

And remember, the best day to ride your bike is always TODAY!

Upcoming Rides

The Manchester cycling community has several recurring weekly group rides coming up this summer. These are low-commitment events, no pre-registration required — just show up with your bike and helmet with an appetite for fun!

Starting off on May 30 is the “Friday Eventing Spin.” These will typically be 10-mile rides through scenic Manchester. Bring lights if you have them and stick around afterward for liquid refreshment at a local brewery. Leaving from Queen City Bike Collective at 35  Elm Street on Fridays at 5:30 PM.

Another recurring ride will be the “Sunday Morning Over-Easy,” another 10-mile ride through Manchester’s trails and quiet streets. Kids are welcome with an adult and we’ll finish up with coffee or snacks at a local cafe. Leaving from Queen City Bike Collective at 35 Elm Street on Sundays at 10:00 AM.

Join the “Queen City Bike Collective” club on Strava to stay updated about our group rides and join other members on individually organized rides. Or see details at website: qcbike.org/events/.

Another ride coming up on Thursday June 12 is focused on Manchester Young Professionals. It’s expected to start at 5:30 PM. Other details still TBD. But it should be fun! Finishing up at Republic Brewing on Old Granite Street.

Call for Input

We very much want to hear from you! Do you have any questions or concerns? What topics would you like us to cover? Send your feedback our way and we’ll get on it! We want to ensure this column meets your needs.

Stay safe, warm, and dry, and have fun out there!

Note: The author is a member of the board of the Bike Walk Alliance of New Hampshire, but the views expressed in this article are his own.