A woman tallies pedestrians and cyclists as part of the annual counts.

The Health and Wellness Department of the City of Kingston measures how many people are walking and bicycling in two ways. An annual, in-person, paper count and two permanently installed infrared counters. We collect this data to determine trends, understand the needs of pedestrians and cyclists, and for grant applications. 

The annual counts are usually conducted in the third week of September. Pre-selected locations are counted for two hours on Wednesday and Thursday from 4-6 pm, and on Saturday from 12-2 pm. A volunteer tallies every time a person crosses the street or rides through the intersection. The count is based on the methodology developed by the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. 

The counts are conducted by volunteers from the Complete Streets Advisory Council (CSAC) and other groups, but additional volunteers are always needed! We provide training and count forms for volunteers. Email Emily to find out more or sign up to help! 

The infrared counters are located at locations on the Greenline network of trails. The counters use infrared light to detect movement past their sensors. These are recorded and downloaded regularly. No personal information or photos are taken. 

The Kingston Greenline is more than just a rail trail. It’s a citywide network of multi-use paths, linear parks, and complete streets that connect our neighborhoods, schools, business districts, and historic sites. It’s where Kingston walks, bikes, runs, and commutes.

Now that the Greenline is almost a complete system, The City of Kingston and Ulster County have reactivated the committee that supports its vision, ensures its sustainability, and brings people together around a shared love of our urban trail system.

The Greenline has become a defining feature of Kingston – but trails don’t maintain themselves, and growth doesn’t happen by accident. The restarted Leadership Committee is focusing on:

• Monitoring trail maintenance and improvements
• Advocating for funding and infrastructure investments
• Supporting community events and volunteer days
• Promoting equity, safety, and accessibility
• Building partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and city departments

Email Emily to find out more about the Kingston Greenline, what is happening, and how to get involved.

The City of Kingston has launched a comprehensive education campaign, but Traffic safety is a two-way street. Stay informed on upcoming changes and always be alert, whether driving, biking, or walking.

What to know:

• Cyclists must obey all signs, street markings, and signals.
• Vehicles are never permitted to park in cycle tracks or buffer zone.
• Regardless of how you are traveling, stay alert, especially at crossings and cycle tracks.

Drivers! Be a Road Hero

The road is full of neighbors, friends, parents, and children…; Drive like they’re your own.

• Always watch for pedestrians and cyclists.
• Familiarize yourself with Kingston’s new street designs on Broadway and the I-587 roundabout.
• Check your mirrors and blind spot for cyclists, especially when traversing the cycle tracks to make right-hand turns or when opening car doors.

Cyclists! Be a Road Hero

Be predictable! Cyclists are safer when they follow traffic laws.

• Use the new cycle tracks and obey all traffic signals.
• Look for vehicles turning right and crossing cycle tracks. Even if your traffic signal is green, watch for motorists.
• Ride with traffic.
• Always watch out for pedestrians.

Pedestrians! Be a Road Hero

The City of Kingston has made upgrades to pedestrian signs, markings, and signals but pedestrians should still always watch for vehicles.

• Stay safe by using the new high-visibility crosswalks, ADA-compliant sidewalks, and updated crossing signals.
• Be visible. Never assume a motorist sees you.

Kingston Needs Heroes

Road heroes take action in times of change. Luckily, the behaviors needed for safer streets in our community begin with small, common-sense acts. Obey the laws, be alert, and keep an eye out for each other. No superpowers required!

How to Use the Broadway and Greenkill Avenue 2-way Cycle Tracks and Two-Stage Turn Boxes

The City of Kingston now has two-way cycle tracks on Broadway from the I-587 Roundabout to Grand Street and on Greenkill Avenue from the 5-way intersection to near Iwo Jima Lane. Below are some tips for using this infrastructure.

What’s a cycle track?

A cycle track is a specific type of bike lane. Our cycle track on Broadway is two-way and protected by parked cars and a buffer zone. On Hurley Avenue, bike lanes were installed on both sides of the roadway and cyclists travel in the same direction as the adjacent traffic. On Greenkill, a 2- way bike lane separated by plantings creates a buffer from vehicle traffic.

How do I use the 2-way cycle tracks on Broadway and Greenkill Avenue?

A cycle track is a road, just like the other lanes on Broadway. Ride on your right when traveling, just like you would on any road. Be cautious at the green conflict stripes, this means there is a driveway or intersection where vehicles may be turning. Be cautious around parked vehicles, if they open a door suddenly you could crash. On Broadway, use the two-stage green turn boxes to exit the cycle tracks. See more about the green boxes below.

What are those green boxes?

Have you noticed the two-stage turning boxes at four intersections on Broadway? These allow cyclists to make turns from the cycle track. We call them two-stage because it may take two maneuvers to cross traffic.

Step one:

Ride along the cycle track until you get to an intersection with a green box. Stop before the white line and look for the bicycle traffic signal. Stop when the bicycle signal is red.

Step two:

When the bike signal turns green, roll into the green box and turn your bicycle the way you want to turn. Look across the street to the traffic signal. Do not cross until it turns green. (Note, users will not see a bike symbol in this signal, only when riding along the length of Broadway)

Step three:

When the signal turns green, look both ways and cross with traffic as if you were in a car. Watch for cars turning right and left. Proceed on your way across the intersection to the crossroad.

How do I get in or out of the 2-way cycle track at the I-587 Roundabout?

If you are coming from the Roundabout or East St. James Street, if possible, make a left signal, and when it’s safe, cross traffic into the 2-way cycle track, cross E. St. James and merge onto the bike lane.

Exiting the cycle track at the I-587 Roundabout? Slow down and dismount your bicycle. Walk your bike on the paths that lead you through the traffic circle intersection to your intended exit. Stop and be cautious when the path crosses oncoming traffic. Try to make eye contact or get confirmation that drivers see you before you cross.

Bicycle riders also have the right to use the Roundabout as any motor vehicle does. Cyclists may “take the lane,” so look behind you, and when there is a break in traffic, merge into the lane and eventually into the center of the lane so that cars know they shouldn’t pass you. When you come to the yield line, stop or yield to traffic, before you enter the circle. Travel around the circle and exit at your intended turn. After you exit the Roundabout, when possible, move to the right to let faster vehicles pass.

How do I enter the bike lane at Prince St./Grant St and Pine Grove?

• If you are cycling west on Broadway, when the traffic signal is green, continue into the bike lane on your right.

• If you are coming from Pine Grove, or the YMCA, wait at the signal in the left lane. When it turns green, roll forward, yield to oncoming traffic, then make a left turn into the bike lane.

• From Grand Street, enter the realigned intersection bike lane and if the signalis red, wait for the signal. When it turns green, enter the bike lane on your right.

I’m at Prince St. and Pine Grove Ave., now what?

If you are traveling east on the bicycle track and arrive at Broadway/Prince/Pine Grove, you have three options.

• If you want to take a left onto Prince St. or Grand St., stop at the white line. When the signal turns green, watch for turning traffic behind you on the right, then make the left onto Prince St.

• Going straight (east) on Broadway? Use the green two-stage turn box. When the light turns green, roll into the green box and turn your bike facing toward Rite Aid. Stop at the red light. If possible, use a left-hand signal to let traffic behind and in front of you know your intentions. When the light turns green, yield to oncoming traffic then make the left to continue along Broadway.

• Heading to the YMCA or Pine Grove? Use the green two-stage turn box. When the light turns green, roll into the green box and turn your bike to face Pine Grove and the YMCA. Stop at the red light. When the light turns green, wait for oncoming traffic to pass, then continue straight.

Motor Vehicle Drivers

Never park in the cycle track or in the buffer zone! This is extremely dangerous for cyclists. If you block the cycle track, you may force a bicycle rider to swerve into traffic or collide with a parked car. Please park with your vehicle inside the striped parking spot and not in the buffer zone (the white striped area between the parking spot and the cycle track). If you park in the buffer zone and open your car door, you could seriously Injure cyclists. That is called being “doored” and can kill a bicycle rider. Try using the Dutch Reach! See below.

The Dutch Reach

Drivers, when you go to open your door, try the Dutch Reach so that cyclists don’t get “doored!” Rather than using your hand closest to the door to open it, use your far hand, this causes you to swivel and look back, to see if a bicycle rider is coming. Then open the door slowly. This small maneuver can save a cyclist’s life. The impact and fall from hitting a car door can cause very serious injury.

What are the bicycle signals for taking a right and left turn?

State law doesn’t require a cyclist to signal if taking their hands off the bars would put them at risk. But it is a good way to communicate your intentions and may keep you safer.

Turning Right

Fully extend your right arm in a straight line OR bend your left hand at a 90-degree angle up with your hand open.

Turn Left

Fully extend your left hand in a straight line.

Stopping

Bend your left hand in a 90 angle down with the palm open.

Consider taking the Smart Cycling classes with the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster(External link). The curriculum comes from the League of American Bicyclists(External link).

The City is in the process of developing a planning document that will be used to improve the way we travel around Kingston. Those improvements include compliance with the federally mandated ADA Transition Plan, sidewalk improvements, and more emphasis on bicycle lanes to encourage more active transportation. Active transportation includes non-motorized methods of travel, such as walking and biking. An ideal active transportation network has well-connected streets and dedicated paths that are linked to local transit, as well as both commercial and residential areas.

Among the many other documents the city has for work that needs to be done, this document will be filled with data that can be used to plan the safety of cyclists and pedestrians, facilitate the work that needs to be done, and referenced for grants and funders to make this master plan come to life. Emily Flynn, Director of Health and Wellness for the city of Kingston, is the project manager for the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.

What prompted the need for this Master Plan?

Cities need to be continuously working on improvements for their infrastructure. According to Flynn, this master plan has been in discussion for a few years now, but has recently needed more attention. “The community had been talking about a bicycle master plan for a while, but it especially came up when there was public outreach for the Broadway Streetscape Redesign happening around 5 years ago. There was a lot of ‘bike-lash’ or criticism of cyclists and lack of support for infrastructure. The thought was that a Master Plan could help the City decide where and what kind of infrastructure was wanted. It was also identified that it would help with grant applications.” Both city staff and members of the public agree that Kingston needs a better system of streets and walking paths that connect commercial and residential streets in a way that puts less stress on motorists, pedestrians and cyclists.

Kingston already has other planning projects that work to improve transportation within the city, such as the Kingston Greenline. Flynn stated,“The Greenline is a network of infrastructure and considerations for pedestrians and cyclists in the City of Kingston. Meaning, parts of it have been built and some are still very much still under development. The goals of the greenline will be incorporated into the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan and built upon. Potential greenline considerations may be: planning for how people will get to the trailheads in a safe way, how people will travel in parts of the City where the Greenline is not, how to maintain the Greenline and other infrastructure. There is a Greenline planning document that, along with other planning documents, will be reviewed and incorporated into the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.”

What will the Master Plan consist of?

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan will have a few different components that ultimately will help the City facilitate improvements to the streets and sidewalks of Kingston. Barton & Loguidice was hired as a consultant to assist City staff in conducting research and analyzing the current status of Kingston’s network of transportation. According to Emily Flynn, “[Barton & Loguidice] is an experienced engineering firm that will help us create this plan with data collection, public outreach, and the plan creation. We had eight qualified proposals and B&L won with a scoring rubric, and they excelled during the interview.” A lot of detailed data will be collected for the consultant to create a report of the current status of Kingston’s streets, and give recommendations on what needs to be or should be worked on.

The existing structure of streets and sidewalks will be looked at first. The city will look for gaps in sidewalks, and where it is not safe to walk or bike, such as on a busy street that offers pedestrians and cyclists little or no protection from regular traffic. ADA compliance is another important factor that will be considered when analyzing and developing a report for the Master Plan. Areas that do not offer support for the disabled will be noted. An important overarching feature of improving non-motorized transportation in Kingston will be the level of service our streets offer for non-motorists. Level of service refers to how comfortable a person feels in a space. If there is a busy road that offers no bike lane or sidewalk, that level of service will be low because people would not feel comfortable walking or biking right next to fast moving traffic. An example of a street with a high level of service would be a street that has a designated bike lane and protective sidewalk. This street would also provide a lot of access to shops, restaurants, and public spaces that can be accessed without a vehicle.

There will also be a public outreach component that allows for the public to weigh in on what work should be done to improve the streets of Kingston. Emily commented, “We haven’t developed all the details of the public outreach yet but I’m sure it will include a formal public meeting, electronic and paper surveys, and pop-up outreach events. It may include focus group conversations and tabling at community events.”

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan might also advocate for better education and better safety laws that make it easier for vehicles and bicyclists to share the road harmoniously. Currently, there is not enough required education for motorists on how to share the road with bicyclists. This includes sharing lanes, giving right of way and signaling. Bicyclists also should have more education on sharing the road with other vehicles in order to create a safe environment for both modes of transportation. Following stop signs and traffic lights, and signaling properly would improve the flow of traffic and reduce safety concerns.

What happens after the Master Plan is completed?

According to Flynn, the Master Plan will take at least a year and a half to be fully executed. Part of the plan will be to initially decide which projects have more priority over others, and those with higher priority will be worked on first. Not only will this plan improve the way we move around Kingston, it can also be used to create programming opportunities, such as encouragement programs. These types of programming will encourage people to use the newly developed systems of streets and sidewalks and consider incorporating them into their regular travels around the city. 

Kingston’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan will be a great effort to improve transportation conditions in the city, and when completed it can be a model for other urban areas to reference when considering improvements in urban planning. This plan is a continuation of Kingston’s efforts to make healthier lifestyle choices more accessible, and efforts to reduce environmental impact.

Want to read more about the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan? Check out: engagekingston.com/pedestrian-bicycle-master-plan

The Kingston Women’s Bike Festival (KWBF) is back for its third year and excited to announce this year’s event will offer even more opportunities for every woman to explore empowered bicycling. During May, Bike Month, KWBF programming will be offered throughout the entire month. Most opportunities will be remote but there are a limited number of in person rides on the itinerary as well. To stay informed on updates and to register for programs and events please visit: Bike Friendly Kingston/ Kingston Women’s Bike Festival . As always, all events and programs are free of charge and open to all who wish to participate. 

This year, KWBF kicks off with a remote keynote presentation on May 14th at 6pm, delivered by Kea Wilson of Streetsblog.org  and formerly of Strong Towns USA. Kea will be speaking to participants from her home in St. Louis about building communities centered on transportation equity. Her conversation is “specifically geared towards women and other gender-marginalized people who primarily identify simply as people on bikes rather than capital-C Cyclists, capital-U Urbanists, or technical experts on how streets are planned, designed and maintained.” 

Other opportunities include:

“How to Effectively Shop for a Bicycle and Keep Your Bike Rolling Smoothly” with Samantha from Revolution Bicycles as well as ” Recomendaciones para adquirir tu bicicleta y como rodar sin problemas y segura por la ciudad”.  By journalist and full time bike rider Maria Hubeaut.

“Tips on Safely Riding with Kids” presented by Inno Powell and “Cómo Montar Bicicletas Con Los Niños,” presented in Spanish by Rosebella Landau with the support of Live Well Kingston. 

Presentations from the City of Kingston on upcoming projects and community engagement opportunities including: “The Future of Kingston’s Bicycle Infrastructure and How to Be an Effective Advocate” presented by Kristen Wilson, Director of the Office of Grants Management and Emily Flynn, Director of Health & Wellness.

GPI and Susan G. Blickstein, LLC will also present updates on the Safe and Accessible Foxhall and Flatbush Project and share tips on virtual engagement during COVID-19.

“Values Building and Manifesto,” hosted by Women’s History Month Kingston and facilitated by Aimee Gardner (KEII, and formerly O+). Visit murals that prompt discussion on how women have navigated and taken up space on bikes and against the status quo. Then help define the values for women’s bicycling culture in Kingston.  The ride culminates in a group writing session to draft a manifesto. 

Panel discussions include: “Safe Streets for Everyone” presented by  Rise Up Kingston   safety and accessibility envisioned by BIPOC community members, as well as innovative discussions on transportation equity hosted by Citizens For Local Power on what role cycling and other transportation alternatives play in a sustainable future. and an in depth discussion on bicycle law by with experts from O’Connor and Partners 

In person opportunities include “Strong Like a Mother” guided mural rides and other wellness programs hosted by our friends at O + Festival  celebrating the women who occupy space on the walls of Kingston and the heart journeys of our sacred female ancestors . Plus other group riding opportunities which explore local trails, with our friends from the Wallkill Valley Land Trust  and from traffic safety educators from :SUNY Ulster  and The Governor’s Traffic Safety Commi

At the heart of the KWBF mission are the goals to empower healthy, diverse, and engaged communities as a means to create environments which make bicycling accessible to women. This year the Kingston Women’s Bike Festival is expanding upon their annual one-day event to go even farther in achieving those goals. “Bike riders know that momentum is vital to any ride, but so is understanding the terrain,” says KWBF founder Rose Quinn.“That is why our journey this year will foster civic engagement and community-building. We not only want to see the road ahead, we want to play a role in where it takes us. We believe in the power of informed bike riders and community members alike.”

This year’s Kingston Women’s Bike Festival is made possible by the hard work of many women and with the support of: Women’s History Month Kingston, Bike Friendly Kingston, YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County, SUNY Ulster, La Voz, Radio Kingston, Revolution Bicycles, O+, Susan G. Blickstein, LLC, The Kingston Land Trust, Live Well Kingston, Citizens for Local Power, O’Conor and Partners, Wallkill Valley Land Trust, Rough Draft, Ulster Savings Bank, Stewart’s Shops, and The Kingston Wire.

KWBF mission statement:

We believe all women should feel free to ride a bicycle anytime, anywhere, alone or with others. The Kingston Women’s Bike Fest facilitates this vision through a festival focusing on women new to cycling or who don’t identify as cyclists.  The mission of the festival is to remove barriers and empower women with the camaraderie, and the ways and means, to include cycling in their lives.

This post is a status update on the current state of just one of those thirteen projects: the Kingston Rail Trail (KRT), also known as the Hurley Rail Trail Connector. The KRT seeks to connect Uptown Kingston’s Washington Avenue to the Hurley Rail Trail, via a 1.8 mile trail with underpasses beneath the New York State Thruway and Route 209. Once the trail gets to the Hurley Rail Trail (also known as the O&W Rail Trail), pedestrians and bicyclists can travel up to 13 miles to get to the Towns of Marbletown and Rochester.

The project was first proposed by Ulster County back in 2008, as part of the Non-Motorized Transportation Plan (NMTP), but was delayed due to insufficient funding. The hope with the NMTP, as well as the Ulster County 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan, was to establish a “multi-use trail system that would be comparable to an interstate highway system for bicyclists and pedestrians countrywide and connecting to adjacent counties.”

A public hearing was held in December of 2018, which laid out a final design report and work on the trail is expected in 2020. But the trail is already open for informal use by bikers and pedestrians at their own risk.

Interested in checking it out for yourself? Read on:

How to Get There

If you’re starting in Kingston, the trailhead is in the parking lot of the Super 8 Motel, at 487 Washington Avenue in Kingston, NY 12401. It is possible that in the future, a trailhead parking area will be developed along Washington Avenue.
If you’re starting in Hurley, the trailhead is a few hundred yards away from the parking areas on Route 209 for the Hurley Rail Trail.

Where to Park

If you’re a customer at the Super 8 Motel, or have permission from the staff, you could park in their parking lot. Otherwise, there is street parking available on some sections of nearby Washington Avenue and North Front Street, as well as municipal parking on North Front Street.
The Hurley Rail Trail has multiple dedicated parking areas on Route 209.

Be Careful

For now, the trail is still undeveloped, and has many spots that dip or rise unevenly. According to the most recent design presentation, it will be paved with asphalt pavement.

The Thruway Underpass

One of the most unique features of the trail is the I-87 underpass, which has become home to some beautiful graffiti. It’s not known what will happen to the art when the trail is fully completed, so make sure you check it out while it’s still there!

Road Crossing

Right after the Thruway Underpass, make sure you carefully cross the private road to continue on with the trail. When work on the trail is complete, this crossing will be decked out with signage and permanent markings.

Tall Grasses = Ticks

After you get across the road, the trail runs through some tall grasses. Due to a mild winter and a number of other environmental factors, 2019 is shaping up to be an extremely heavy tick season. If you’re hiking through the tall grasses, be sure to take precautions and check yourself thoroughly for ticks afterward.

In 2014, HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley put together a guide for protecting yourself from tick-borne diseases.

The Hurley Rail Trail

After 1.8 miles, you’ll get to a paved section of the Hurley Rail trail that runs alongside Route 209. It runs for about 13 miles continuously through parts of Hurley, Stone Ridge and High Falls, and then alternates between road and trail for another 14 miles through Accord, Kerhonkson, Naopnoch and Ellenville.

For the most up-to-date information on the Hurley Rail Trail, visit their website.

This trail guide will be updated once work on the trail is completed.

1. Heal Well
   • “Resilience” Film Screening: Heal Well is planning a screening of the film “Resilience, the biology of stress and the science of hope,” May 16^th, 6pm, at GW Elementary School Auditorium, with a panel discussion after. It is a film about childhood trauma and they will have resources in the room.
   • MiSN Community Baby Shower: The HAHV midwives and a maternal health coalition is working with Emily to host a community baby shower with community resources for women and children at the Hodge Community Center, June 9^th, 1-3pm.
   • Integrated Ulster: Ulster County is working on an initiative called Integrated Ulster that builds health coalitions and increases communications between agencies.
2. Play Well
   • Disc Golf Course and Clean Up: Play well helped do a park cleanup of the new Disc Golf course that has a grand opening April 27^th, 11am.
   • Chess Tables: Age Well and Play Well collaborated to apply for an AARP Community Challenge Grant for two chess tables, four benches, a shade structure and support for monthly chess meet-ups.
3. Eat Well
   • Laurie Mozian is no longer at HAHV. Katie Shehan-Lopez will still chair the team.
   • Conversations have been about how to communicate community about resources more. During the government shut-down multiple Eat Well member organizations sent out parallel press releases about food insecurity resources.
   • The Kingston Food Co-op will present at next Eat Well meeting, June 5^th, 10am.
4. Age Well
   • Cyber Seniors Program: moving toward installing another set of computers at the Stuyvesant Rupco building. Age Well is still having great success partnering high school students with the seniors for computer help.
   • Age Friendly Kingston: Age Well is considering applying to be an AARP Age-Friendly City. The County has been hosting focus groups about community services. Transportation and a senior center are still major concerns for this focus team.
5. Travel Well:
   • Bike Friendly Kingston: Kicking of Summer Slow Rides in May, will be every Thursday, 6pm at YMCA. The Tour De Kingston is June 23^rd. Bike Fest at Town of Ulster Library, June 8^th. Women’s Bike Fest was huge success. Read about what attendees had to say here. 
   • Complete Streets Advisory Council: Is creating a draft procedure of Traffic Control devices.
   • Greenline System: Kingston Point Rail Trail Phase 1 is under construction.
   • Bus Merger: The bus merger passed the Ulster County legislature and is going forward. UCAT is holding a public meeting, April 25^th, 5:30-7:30pm, at UCAT, 1 Danny Circle. Comments will be accepted no later than April 28^th. Buses will be free for 6 months.
   • 311: The City has launched the 311 system that can be used to report sidewalks that haven’t been cleared.

Have any questions about these projects? Want to get involved? Email Emily!

The event marked a new high point in Kingston’s growth as a bicycling community, with a focus on making connections between different groups and normalizing bicycling as a mode of transportation. Here’s what some of the attendees and presenters had to say:

Margie Green

Kingston Resident

Intro to bicycling:

I actually became interested in last year, with the YMCA 5k bike ride. In the summer, I started doing rides with my daughter. This year, we did the Tour de Kingston, and there’s so much more to learn.

Bicycling as part of life:

I fit it in as much as I can. We have diabetes in our family, so every bit of exercise helps. We do family rides in the neighborhood around Downs Street, and it’s a nice family outing.

Karen Rogers

Presenter from Rochester

Intro to bicycling:

I had a free membership at the Y, and went to a spin class one day. I’d had kids and gained over 70 pounds. I loved the spin class and became an instructor, and in 2011 I started my own studio where we offer classes.

One day, a friend introduced me to bicycling outside. I had never considered it before. I started, and then we trained over 25 spin class moms to ride outside too. It changed their lives and opened their eyes to seeing the community in different ways, got healthy, lost weight.

Connecting a mixed biking population:

In Rochester, and I believe in Kingston, there’s been a mixed biking population. There are people who desperately need the transportation, and there are people who are biking for exercise with fancy bikes.

There can be a huge stigma around biking. When I started riding outside, people were asking, did I lose my job, did I get a DUI? In some communities, when you get a car, you’ve made it. I tell people that I have a car, but I also have a bike. It doesn’t mean I haven’t made it.

My goal is to inform women and definitely minorities that if you’re going to ride, there’s a right way to ride. You can bike, get your kids to school, get groceries, do everything you need to do.

Bicycling in the winter:

My goal this year is to bike in the winter too. This is my year.

Karen was invited to the festival by one of the organizers; in return, one of the organizers, Rose Quinn, will speak at a June 15 Women’s bicycle event in Rochester to share insights and experiences from Kingston.

Tracy Austin

Presenter from Rochester

Her passion:

I have a passion for helping women get on a bike. We want to target people who are under-represented in bike culture. I enjoy helping anyone feel comfortable riding in traffic.

Bike infrastructure:

The culture in Rochester is shifting, just like it is here in Kingston. Seven or eight years ago, you just started noticing more people riding, and over time, the different groups have been coming together. Our main group there is Reconnect Rochester (a non-profit that champions transportation choices that enable a more vibrant and equitable community, “whether by bus, by rail, on bike, or on foot.”) They’re getting funding for a full-time bike advocate.

Shaniqua Bowden

Outreach Coordinator, Kingston Land Trust

Bridging neighborhoods together:

I think bicycling on the Greenline (and other trails) will condense Kingston and bridge the neighborhoods together. People will be pinging and connecting with one another.

People who already are biking and walking:

People are already using the trails, even though they’re not done. People are getting around the city on bicycles and on foot regardless. It’s great that these options are getting attention.

Maria Cecelia Deferrari 

Outreach Coordinator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County

How CCE programs connect to bicycling:

I work with our Relatives as Parents Program, which provides education and support to relatives who are raising children when the parents can’t. We do a lot of fun intergenerational activities, and support physical fitness and health in its totality. Cycling is a great way for all genders and ages to connect and go out to explore the world in a safe way.

Honoring societal contracts with bicycling:

“Everything is interrelated and interconnected. Safety, how we support our families in our communities, feed our families, etc. We need to strive to create the healthiest person-made environments that we can, and honor the social contracts that help create the world as it should be.”

Want to connect with the Kingston bicycling community? Check out Bike-Friendly Kingston’s website and join the Facebook group, and learn more about Live Well Kingston’s Travel Well Focus Team!

The City of Kingston and Ulster County are moving forward with a plan to transfer the CitiBus system to Ulster County and be incorporated into the UCAT system. City bus routes will be similar and UCAT routes outside of the City will not change. There will still be three routes that service most of Kingston. The frequency will increase to every 30 minute for two of the routes and every 45 minute for one route. For the first 6 months, July – December 2019, bus fares will be FREE. After the transition time the cost to ride the bus will stay the same at $1 inside the City, $2 to Port Ewen and $.50 for seniors and persons with disabilities during non-peak hours.

When will the bus merger happen?

On or about July 1, 2019. The County will develop schedules, literature, and outreach brochures to communicate the changes.

Will the current City bus driver’s lose their jobs?

The County agreed to make an offer of employment to full-time bus drivers employed by the City.

How will I be able to find out about routes and schedules?

The City buses will be incorporated into the Ulster County UCAT system. Routes and schedules will be posted on the Ulster County website, posted at bus stops, brochures will be distributed to community organizations, and will be on the UCAT mobile app. If you have a smartphone and the UCAT app, you can see where the buses are, in real time. You will be able to call the Ulster County’s Transportation Information Center (845) 340-3333 during operating hours.

Will all the buses be transferred to UC?

No, a few vehicles will stay with the City. Much of the bus garage and equipment would continue to be owned by the City to maintain other City vehicles.

Will the bus routes stay the same?

No. The routes have been reconfigured to address transit demand and reduce travel time. There will still be three routes with a hub at the Kingston Plaza. The frequency will increase on two of the routes to every 30 minutes and the third route would be every 45 minutes (currently, the CitiBus works on an hourly schedule). For riders outside the immediate transit coverage area (based on their address), Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT) will be available. Users will have to request the service 24 hours or more in advance and be pre-approved based on their address. The DRT service will bring you to a transfer hub where you may have to connect with another bus to reach your final destination. Saturday service will consolidate two routes with a 45 minute frequency. Buses will continue to go into housing complexes to pick up passengers as they currently do.

What is the Demand-Response Transit service?

This service will be for riders outside the immediate transit coverage area. Users will have to request the service 24 hours or more in advance and be pre-approved based on their address. The DRT service will bring you to a transfer hub where you may have to connect with another bus to reach your final destination.

Will paratransit service stay the same?

Ulster County will provide paratransit service in the City of Kingston with the same requirements and level of service as they have been providing for the County.  

Will the hours of operation change?

The hours will stay about the same.

Will the bus consolidation cost the tax payers more money?

No. The tax burden will be lessened because of reconfigured routes and fewer busses running on Saturdays. The City of Kingston will pay Ulster County $112,500.00 the first year and $225,000.00/year for 5 years after. The Citibus has been costing the City of Kingston about $225,000/year.

How can I give the feedback about the new routes?

The County will hold public meetings within the first six months of operation to assess the effectiveness of the new routes and will seek to address any comments received.

But how do all the sections of the Greenline fit together and what will happen when? Folks who have been involved since the beginning are patiently (or impatiently) awaiting the construction of the first section. How can project managers clearly communicate the progress of the construction projects and what the public can expect when?

Enter the new City of Kingston’s “Kingston On The Move” webpage where you can find a great new project map and status updates for each of the sections of the Kingston Greenline. Getting a project from concept to funding to construction is no easy task. Several of the projects have multiple funders, each with their own administrative requirements and timelines. And some of the projects still need more funding, so while managing existing funds project managers continue to seek new funders and partners. In my first year as the grants manager at the City, I have discovered that managing these projects is like being at a contra dance where you change hands with new partners and often come back to your original partners too. And somehow someone has to keep the end goal in mind, a symphony of movement forward to create something beautiful and to also enjoy ourselves along the way. To communicate about all the interactions that happen along the way would be impossible, but our new website aims to communicate the essence of how and when we are moving these projects forward. It also aims to bring a new level of transparency about project status to the public.

Kingston On The Move is this administration’s new vision for transportation that Mayor Steve Noble unveiled at the State of the City Address on January 10th, 2017. In the past the City has not had a comprehensive vision and action plan for improving transportation to guide the maintenance, development, and build out of our transportation system. We’ve had lots of great new and current projects such as the Safe Routes to School project, the Greenkill Bridge, the Uptown Parking Lots, and all the Kingston Greenline projects, but how do these fit into a long-term vision for a better transportation system in Kingston? City staff are working with a strategic transportation planning sub-committee of the Complete Streets Advisory Council, to create this vision and a three-year prioritized action plan to guide our system’s development.  On the City webpage, within the next quarter, you’ll find an inventory of all the transportation-related plans and the City’s action plan. This group and the City will continually be looking at how we can make transportation stress-free, safe, and seamless from walking and biking to a bus to your motor vehicle. The Kingston Greenline is a significant piece of this puzzle, the spine for the future non-motorized sections of our transportation system.

 So check out our new Kingston Greenline Project Status Map and the City’s Kingston On The Move website. Dig in and learn how we are moving forward. If you have a question about one of the projects or feel the project status updates are missing information, contact me at 845-334-3962 or kwilson@kingston-ny.gov or the project managers listed on the website. And remember, there are so many ways you can get involved in transportation planning. Maybe join the Kingston Land Trust Kingston Greenline Committee, the Complete Streets Advisory Council, or one of our other partners such as Bike Friendly Kingston. Or attend public meetings that will be held by the City about one of the specific projects. Together we can create a great system that works for all and have some fun dancing along the way.

For more information on the progress of the Kingston Greenline, be sure to check out the Kingston On The Move site.