Originally Posted by
B. Carfree
No, the funds raised by the bRamble don't go to any infrastructure, it all goes for GEARs activities. I'm the guy who marks most of the century route. (I couldn't stand the fact that they do it by car, so I volunteered.)
So here is something I copied from the GEARs website on their Advocacy page.
"GEARs promotes and encourages bicycle riding for transportation and recreation. The Advocacy Committee works to create a physical and cultural environment in the Eugene-Springfield area in which riding a bicycle is safe and enjoyable.
GEARs Advocacy (and its predecessor, the Eugene Bicycle Coalition) has played a key role in implementing many improvements for bicycling, including:
- Better bike access on the Ferry Street Bridge, and the construction of the DeFazio Bike Bridge
- Construction of the East Bank section of the Riverfront Path, from Valley River Center to Delta Highway
- Bike Improvements on 24th Avenue, west of Friendly
- Installation of bicycle parking at Woodfield Station (29th & Willamette), the Fairgrounds, LCC’s Downtown campus, and other sites
- Construction of Eugene’s first “cycle track”, on Alder Street
- Creation of a system to help keep major bikeways free of leaves in the fall
GEARs Advocacy is planning to highlight top infrastructure hazards to cyclists in the Eugene-Springfield area. The goal is to help focus government entities on infrastructure improvements that improve safety of bicycling within the cities and also on roads connecting to surrounding communities."
I'm not from Eugene, so I can't verify the accuracy of the claims they make on their Advocacy page. But it does seem that the club does care about the cycling culture in the area.
I'm sorry your son had knives pulled on him. Eugene does seem to have a lot of homeless people. I wonder if it's ever been suggested to the city's "powers that be" to perhaps have a couple of bicycle cops patrolling the multi-use paths in town? I remember thinking last year when riding the bRamble that those bike paths would be kinda scary at certain times of the day.