Category: projects

engineering, infrastructure, news, projects, transportation

Emerson Bridge and Pomeroy Trail connectors project

Following the 2022 completion of the Emerson (bike/ped) Bridge, the City is moving forward with plans to have DelDOT construct two off-road paved trails, one through Kershaw Park and the other through Olan Thomas Park, which will connect the bridge with the Pomeroy Trail.

aerial diagram of Northeast Bikeway Connector Trails project

The project began in January 2023 with a meeting of engineering representatives from Pennoni Associates, City staff, and members of BikeNewark to discuss design project issues and parameters.

Along with generous funding from New Castle County, project funding had been earmarked in the City’s 2023 budget. It is anticipated that this project will be completed in 2026.

This project has long been in BikeNewark’s plans for connecting the bridge to its North Bikeway and adding wayfinding signage north and east through Curtis Mill Park and along Old Paper Mill Road, thus completing the Northeast Bikeway segment of the Newark Bikeways low-stress network.

communication, education, encouragement, engineering, events, infrastructure, projects, safety

What we accomplished in 2024

While 2024 was not the most successful year in terms of being able to promote and effect our missional objectives, we were able to be involved in the community and accomplish the following:

photo of kiosk
One of four information kiosks installed in Newark parks along Newark Bikeways routes
  • Maintained membership of 42 individuals, losing seven former members but gaining seven others.
  • Completed our information-kiosk project, which included installation by the City of Newark in four locations (Phillips Park, the junction of the Hall and Pomeroy Trails, Olan Thomas Park, and Hillside Park) with the addition of Newark Bikeways and City of Newark Area Recreation Amenities maps created by BikeNewark. 
  • Highlighted National Bike Month in May with our annual Bike to Work Day event on the campus of the University of Delaware, in coordination with event partners City of Newark, UD, DelDOT, Newark Bike Project, and Delaware Commute Solutions. About 75 participants attended the event.
  • Partnered with University of Delaware Police, DelDOT, and Newark Bike Project to hold three successful bike-safety events on campus, during which about 70 sets of bike lights were installed, about 20 bike helmets were given and fitted, and bicycle-safety information was distributed.
  • Organized and held six First Friday Rides community events—slow group rides that are meant to encourage those of all ages to enjoy bicycling and practice good group-riding etiquette.
  • Supported A. I. Whoo on its University of Delaware–hosted Newark Outdoor Recreation information project, which involved creation of a website and installation of associated outdoor signage with QR codes. The website utilizes the BikeNewark-created City of Newark Area Recreation Amenities map, which coordinates with the Newark Bikeways low-stress network. 
  • Assisted in the efforts of WILMAPCO and City staff to update the 2014 Newark Bicycle Plan, and a member made presentations to The Newark Partnership and Rotary Club about the update project.
  • Supported the Newark Arts Alliance’s inaugural “Garden Tour by Bike” event with bike-route map.
  • Distributed information and talked with attendees at the annual Newark Community Day in September.
  • Supported John R. Downes Elementary School for its annual Bike to School Day celebration in May.
  • Supported John R. Downes Elementary School during its DelDOT-led day of bike rodeos—practical bicycle-safety sessions for children.
  • Supported the Newark Center for Creative Learning’s Greenfest event.
  • Supported the Delaware State Parks’ trail-information days for White Clay Creek State Park.
  • Members participated in planning committees/discussions for the following projects/topics:
    • South College Avenue gateway
    • Newport-to-Newark off-road trail
    • Newark to Lums Pond bike access
  • Members participated in (and continue on) The Newark Partnership.
  • A member participated (and continues) on the City of Newark’s Transportation Improvement District (TID) Committee.
  • A member participated (and continues) on the City of Newark’s Conservation Advisory Committee.
communication, environment, infrastructure, news, projects, transportation

City adds BikeNewark’s new information kiosks

photo of kiosk
One of four information kiosks to be installed in Newark parks along Newark Bikeways routes

Recently, the City installed three of four planned information kiosks, paid for through grants secured by BikeNewark, in city parks as a guide supplement to BikeNewark’s low-stress network wayfinding signage. Each kiosk contains our Bikeways map and a city Area Recreation Amenities resource map.

Partnering with the City of Newark Department of Parks & Recreation, BikeNewark produced the resource map (shown below), which highlights area parks, noting specific park amenities with an overlay of the Newark Bikeways low-stress network, as well as many off-road trails.

Area Recreation Amenities graphic

Kiosks have been installed in Phillips Park along the James F. Hall Trail (where the Southwest Bikeway meets the Central Loop), at the junction of the Hall and Pomeroy Trails (Central Loop), and in Olan Thomas Park along the Pomeroy Trail (North Bikeway). The fourth kiosks will be installed in Hillside Park (West Bikeway).

photo of kiosk position in Olan Thomas Park
One of the kiosk locations is Olan Thomas Park, along the Pomeroy Trail, part of the North Bikeway.

> Area Recreation Amenities map (PDF)
> Newark Bikeways map (PDF)

communication, evaluation, news, projects, safety

Accomplishments in 2023

BikeNewark was busy again in 2023 in a number of areas. Below is a list of our accomplishments during 2023, categorized by type.

Bicycle-friendly status

graphic of silver Bicycle Friendly Community seal for 2023-2027

Helped the City of Newark complete its renewal application to the League of American Bicyclists for “Bicycle Friendly Community” (BFC) status. As a result, Newark became the first city in Delaware to achieve “Silver” status as a BFC. There are only 41 communities nationwide that boast a higher BFC status than Newark.

Projects

Newark Bikeways sign graphic

Completed signage production and installation for the South Bikeway and the Delaware Avenue portion of the Central Loop Bikeway as part of the Newark Bikeways low-stress bicycle network wayfinding project.

Purchased and ordered four information/wayfinding kiosks for the City of Newark staff to install on segments of the Newark Bikeways.

Safety

No Distracted Biking card

Produced a new safety handout—“No Distracted Biking”—to address the problem of local cyclists wearing earphones, earbuds, and texting while biking, adding to our growing cadre of bike-safety materials. It also mentions no biking under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering substances (i.e., no “BUI”).

Partnered with University of Delaware Police, DelDOT, and Newark Bike Project to hold four successful bike-safety checkpoint events on campus, during which about 75 sets of bike lights were installed, about 25 bike helmets were fitted and given out, and bicycle-safety information was distributed.

Events

2023 Family Bike Fest logo

Organized the inaugural Newark Family Bike Fest, a family-oriented event in June on the University of Delaware campus that included bicycle and civic-organization vendors, games for the kids, a bike rodeo administered by DelDOT, and distribution of local route and bike-safety information.

Highlighted National Bike Month in May with our annual Bike to Work Day event on the campus of the University of Delaware, in coordination with the City of Newark, UD, DelDOT, Newark Bike Project, and Delaware Commute Solutions.

Organized and held five First Friday Rides community events—slow group rides that are meant to encourage those of all ages to enjoy bicycling and practice good group-riding etiquette—involving more than 50 bicyclists.

Participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of DelDOT’s Elkton Road improvements project, which included the off-road paved bike/ped path from the Maryland state line to Gravenor Lane, which is part of the city’s Southwest Bikeway.

Distributed information and talked with attendees at the annual Newark Community Day in September.

Distributed information and talked with attendees at a Newark evening Beer Garden event in October and raffled off a new bike helmet among the registered donees.

Funding and membership

Received grant funding of $6,000 from The Newark Partnership and an additional $5,000 from state Rep. Cyndie Romer to be used for the purchase of information kiosks to be placed along segments of the Newark Bikeways.

Received $2,000 in generous funding from the White Clay Bicycle Club, much of which was applied to the Newark Bikeways wayfinding project.

A few members contributed other amounts in addition to their membership fee.

Increased membership by ten during the calendar year, bringing total membership for 2023 to 42.

Support of other efforts

Supported and co-sponsored our partner Bike Delaware’s “Everyone Gets Home” Summit in Dover in May.

Supported John R. Downes Elementary School for its annual Bike to School Day celebration in May.

Supported the Newark Center for Creative Learning’s Greenfest event.

Supported and participated with Delaware State Parks in five trail-etiquette events.

Members participated in (and continue on) The Newark Partnership.

A member participated (and continues) on the City of Newark’s Transportation Improvement District (TID) Committee.

news, projects, transportation

Delaware Greenways announces FHWA grant for Bayshore Byway

Delaware Bayshore Byway sign

Delaware Greenways logoCongratulations to Delaware Greenways for its successful application, which resulted in the award of a National Scenic Byways Program grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to the Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) in the amount of $913,420 for the Delaware Bayshore Byway. Delaware Greenways and DelDOT are two of BikeNewark’s seven partner organizations.

A group of Delaware Greenways volunteers worked diligently with DelDOT to write the application that won the grant.

Delaware Greenways asserted that “[t]his project will improve, increase, and broaden the use of non-motorized travel and recreation options along the Delaware Bayshore Byway, a National Scenic Byway. The… combined Master Plan [will include] a Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan… that will augment the existing Corridor Management Plan.”

> Delaware Greenways article

Editor’s Note:

BikeNewark truly believes that partnerships are critical to “moving the needle” for bicycle-centric improvements here in Delaware. This is precisely why we describe BikeNewark as “a partnership of interested cyclists and organizations working to improve bicycling in Newark, Delaware.”

If you’d like to help out with our advocacy efforts by volunteering your time and talent, joining as a member, or making a donation, or if you simply want to opt onto one of our mailing lists, see BikeNewark.org/get-involved.