Stop Signs Added on Lake Hollingsworth Road at Ingraham Ave.
To reduce traffic speed at the popular crosswalk on Lake Hollingsworth Road and Ingraham Ave, Lakeland Traffic Department turned the intersection into a three-way stop. Bike boxes will be added at the intersection stops. Bicyclists please note that we’re expected to follow the same traffic laws as the autos. Please stop at the intersection not just because it’s the law, but to improve safety.
Photo (c) Chuck Welch for LakelandLocal.com
Urban Mountain Bike Criterium on April 28th
A press release from City Hall:
LAKELAND, FL (March 30, 2012) Red Trail Racing of Lakeland will host the Urban Mountain Bike Criterium in downtown Lakeland on Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. The registration and head table for the event will be in front of City Hall on Lemon Street.
Ray Wells, promoter of the event said, “There is no other mountain bike event like this in the country that we are aware of. In fact, I am not aware of any other urban mountain bike race in the nation.”
The Urban Criterium is a mountain bike race on asphalt and stairs that winds through the Iowa Street Parking garage and along Lemon Street in front of City Hall. Spectators are admitted free and can view the outlined course from designated positions.
The Iowa Avenue Parking Garage will be closed because it is part of the race course. The portion of Iowa Avenue between Lakeland’s City Hall and Lakeland Electric will be closed and a portion of Lemon Street will be closed to through traffic at Massachusetts Avenue.
Back by popular demand is the thrilling Street 2X Speed Trials competition that takes place between each urban mountain bike heat race. Wells said, “The Street 2X is a great spectator event as racers compete on identical courses with various obstacles and ramps in two separate lanes.” The first racer to complete the obstacles and make it to the finish line is the winner. Spectators are rewarded with some amazing acts of balance and lots of big airs as the cyclist launch themselves over the multiple ramps on the 2X course.
Visit www.redtrailracing.com for more information and to register for the Lakeland Urban Mountain Bike Criterium and the Street 2X Speed Trials.
How would you improve Lake Hollingsworth Drive?
We’re looking for more input. After the recent accident, the city is again looking into safety issues around Lake Hollingsworth. We’ve asked before, but we’re asking again, how would you improve traffic around Lake Hollingsworth?
All ideas are welcome, but be aware some probably wouldn’t be implemented. For example, no matter how much I ask, they’re no going to make it a bike only road.
What are your thoughts?
BikeLakeland at First Friday was a Success!
The crowds biked in…Promenade in Plaid made a few circuits around the Frances Langford Promenade…new bikes were tested…some were jumped over obstacles…and everyone had a great time.
We’re fixing the online Lake-to-Lake map that failed to appear Friday. Look for it Wednesday.
Thanks for biking!
Donating Now Could Save Your Bike in the Future
BikeLakeland is a group of bicycling enthusiasts in Lakeland, Florida. Our group believes strongly that Lakeland can become one of Florida’s premier bike friendly communities. There are so many unique attractions in our city that can be enjoyed by riding and walking. BikeLakeland’s goal is to make the experience even better. Our bike-friendly weather and bike trails are just our start toward achieving that goal. The BikeLakeland mission is to bring together Lakeland area bicyclists, business people, city employees, and increase awareness to effect positive change for bicycle riders in this area.
We’ve identified an accessible first goal. Lakeland lacks adequate bike parking to keep our bikes locked safely. BikeLakeland is working to alleviate that problem. Our goal is to raise funds to build at least 5 bike racks in Downtown Lakeland.
In coordination with the City of Lakeland Community Planning and Public Works Departments, we have identified handy potential rack sites throughout downtown. Working with local fabricators BikeLakeland is constructing racks that are visible, inexpensive, secure, accessible and attractive.
Designed to fully compliment and blend into the existing street structures, these bike racks will be attractive and functional additions to our city. They’ll send a powerful message that Lakeland’s downtown merchants welcome bicyclists. Families and individual riders will be able to enjoy the amenities our downtown offers, from the Frances Langford Promenade to Munn Park to the Kentucky shops and restaurants to the Lemon Street Promenade. To purchase and install each multi-bike rack costs less than $1000. Our goal is to raise $10,000.
“We receive and use 100% of funds donated by check to CFGL for BikeLakeland. If you’d like to donate now by credit card please follow this link, but please be aware that 3% your donation will be charged against your card for processing.”
If you’d prefer to donate by fully-deductible check, please make it out to the Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland with “BikeLakeland” in the memo and mail it to:
Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland
1501 South Florida Avenue
Lakeland, FL 33803
Thank you,
Tammy Wright
Fundraising Chair, BikeLakeland
That’s an Award-Winning Logo Up on Top
The team at Smart Creative, who created the BikeLakeland logo, were awarded the prestigious Judge’s Award as the favorite piece at the Polk ADDY’s:
Second, the concept was both clever and thoughtful. (And I get to brag on my designer because it was all his idea.) Lakeland has the iconic swan, and Tymn found a way to make this very subtle illustration where the saddle of the bike was also a swan. You don’t necessarily catch it on the first look, but once you see it, you won’t miss it again. He executed the concept well, with a great color palette, good typography and interesting juxtapositions of the other elements. We were creative. — How Little Projects Win Big Awards
Thanks Fred, Tymn and Smart Creative. You rock. And the judges agree.
Tiger Brad Penny Notices Bike Friendly Lakeland
Look what we found over at MLB.com:
Tigers starter and notable Twitter presence Brad Penny usually sends a good-morning tweet every morning after he wakes up. On Wednesday, he greeted everyone with a different tweet.
“Nice 8-mile bike ride to the stadium today,” he wrote.
He confirmed it later: Before a day of workouts in Spring Training, he worked out by riding his bicycle to Tigertown, a 40-minute ride by his estimate. He enjoys the bicycle as a cross-training exercise some days, and Lakeland has made a point in recent years to become more bike-friendly with bicycle lanes on several main roads.
He’s not the only one. Magglio Ordonez won’t commute to the park on his mountain bike, but he said he’ll ride a couple days a week, including near Joker Marchant Stadium along Lake Parker. It’s a good exercise for him, he said, and a good way to gather his thoughts.
Thanks for noticing Brad. We’re also working on adding bike racks and improving our bike paths.
Photo CC by Tom Hagerty for LakelandLocal.com. Used by permission.
Custom Made Trike
Ray and his daughter on Kentucky Ave. during the Lake Mirror Auto Classic Car Show. Ray built both bikes, which have electric front hubs and custom wood work. Ray builds bikes to order and custom car work at The Old Guys Garage on Combee.
City of Lakeland Installs New Bicycle Safety Signs
A public service announcement from the City of Lakeland promoting the three-foot law: