Living Car Free - Harrison County, MS seeking input on aternative transportation

For of all, let me just say this: w00t! Mississippi is not known for being particularly bike friendly; you're more likely to be seen as a moving beer bottle target. However, I just read online that Harrison County, which makes up a good portion of the Gulf Coast and has great beach access, is developing a comprehensive plan that includes economic development, environmental concerns, and transportation improvements (including alternative transportation like bicycles and public transit). I just read the chapter on transportation, but was very impressed with some of the ideas. One such idea is to "explore adding bike trails along rail corridors". Since the major railway corridor runs east-west (and right past my house and place of employment), that is an awesome idea; whether or not it comes to fruition is another issue. They also propose "the creation of walk and ride days for citizens to use alternative transportation" and "include pedestrian and bicycle amenities in appropriate areas to promote safe, non-motorized means of travel".

I think this would really help promote tourism in the area which, in turns, helps the local economy. I could see the Mississippi Gulf Coast become the South's Portland or Seattle, if the county and city leaders, and local businesses work together towards that goal.

A few years ago I made a car free trip to Hattiesburg and got around town on a bike. For those who don't know, Hattiesburg is the anchor for the Longleaf Trace rail to trail conversion. It's also a nice old college town with a bit of cultural verve that's all too rare in the deep south. While I was there I read somewhere that around 15% of their tourist revenue is in some way bike related.

Your planners in Mississippi need to consider a few important things if they want to create a bicycling tourist destination.

Marking a recreational bike trail is just a small part of the job. It must be possible for bike tourists to lock up outside of shops and cafes. They need to have easy access to refreshment and restroom facilities. They cannot try to encourage bike tourism and at the same time permit businesses to adopt a "no car no service" attitude. Motels must allow bikes to be kept in safe places, not just locked outside in sleazy parts of town. Cycling in hot, humid weather is a sweaty thing to do, and they have to have places where people can stop at which allow for that.

Now, one problem in Hattiesburg is that their whole system assumes that people arrive in town in their own cars with their own bikes. When you think about it, that assumption basically limits bike tourism to a small regional area -- it's inconvenient for people to haul their own bikes around on airlines, buses and trains. They should at least make sure that tourists can easily ship their bikes to and from some local point, and that reasonable bike rentals are available as well.

They should be able to greet bike tourists with a packet of maps, suggestions for local exploration, and very importantly a phone number to call for mechanical or medical assistance.

Platy, you have some valid points, many of which I didn't even consider. There is a planning meeting tomorrow (Saturday) morning, and I will be sure to get up and mention those ideas to the committee. Hattiesburg is a great town, but you're right, it doesn't do enough to encourage bike tourism. (As a historical note, Hattiesburg and Gulfport are sister cities linked by a man named Captain William H. Hardy who built, among other things, a railway linking Hattiesburg with the Gulf Coast; something that may be revived when our university creates a new campus inland from the coast.)

Again, thanks for the input.

They could get something going almost overnight simply by designing a logo for the local bikeway system. Local businesses that support or contribute to the bike tourism project could display a plaque or sign outside their door or in a window. It would mean specifically "Cyclists welcome" and that some kind of bicycle friendly provision has been made for them, such as a good bike rack, a bathroom, refreshments, maps, information, patch kits, emergency telephone numbers, and so forth.

"include pedestrian and bicycle amenities in appropriate areas to promote safe, non-motorized means of travel".



This piece struck me, all the car culture has to do is scream "inappropriate" and they kill a project. I've seen this kind of thing in the DC suburbs. Crap like "a bike path through our neighborhood is inappropriate because it will attract criminals." They brought that excuse up to try to kill the Cap Crescent trail and they did kill the extension of the W&OD trail to Potomac Yards. A common thing around here is a neighborhood with homes adjacent to public property will gradually extend their yards into the public space. Then they'll scream bloody murder at any plan to allow the public to use the space. Criminals, trash and get this one from Alexandria- "Bikers on the trail will make too much noise and disturb the wildlife." Inappropriate.

For an example of what Platy is talking about check out the Eastern Townships in Quebec. They sent all kinds of maps and stuff when I was planning an unsupported independent tour. Then out on the roads and in the towns the locals were very accommodating. We did the bed and breakfast thing, they let us put our bikes in locking garages, gave discounts for bike tourists etc. One bed and breakfast operator told us that the reason he loved bike tourists is they arrive late, shower, eat, sleep, get up early and get out of his hair. He said golf tourists were the worst because they liked to linger over a long breakfast. He saw the bike tourists as easier money than the golf tourists who made him work harder.

When we got up early at another B&B to get an early start, the owner heard us and got up and insisted on making us a quick breakfast hours before the regular time so we wouldn't start out hungry. I guess what I'm trying to reinforce is that if the community isn't into it, it won't happen.

harleyf, maybe someone in your county should get in touch ASAP with James Moore who owns Moore's Bicycle Shop in Hattiesburg. When I was visiting there someone told me he was the prime mover behind the Longleaf Trace. (I didn't have the pleasure of meeting him personally at that time, though.) From what I see on the web he's able to offer guidance on how to advocate for similar projects.

http://www.longleaftrace.org/EcoDev/Start.html