I regret to report that last week, the Connecticut Rail Commuter
Council failed to pass Richard Stowe's resolution in favor of bicycle
parking in the new M-8 train car designs. As a result, the last chance
that we have to persuade Metro North to approve a bike-friendly design
is this Wednesday, March 26 at 5 pm at the President's Forum. The
forum is a once-per-year opportunity for citizens to express wishes and
concerns pertaining to Metro North trains.

The meeting is held at MTA Headquarters, 347 Madison Ave, in the 5th
Floor Boardroom, just next door to Grand Central.

We *need* to pack the meeting with helmet-toting cyclists! I'm urging
you, if at all possible, to leave work early on Wednesday to attend
this meeting. We need to take the 2:52 pm train out of Union Station
in order to arrive in time to get on the speaker's list (sign-ups are
4:45-5:00 pm).

I know that the expense of the trip is an issue. I have a multi-ride
pass and can offer people at the somewhat reduced fare of $22 round-
trip instead of the regular $28. If you'd like to come but are
concerned about the cost, please get in touch with me and we'll figure
something out.

I hope everyone can appreciate the urgency of this issue. If we don't
speak out on behalf of Connecticut cyclists THIS WEDNESDAY, then our
bikes-on-trains initiative will almost surely fail, and it will be
another thirty years before we have a chance to properly integrate
bicycle and rail transit in our state.

Let me know if you can come on this trip, and we'll plan on meeting at
Union Station at around 2:45 on Wednesday.


-- Jason
315.450.3309