Douglas Weinstein

ESSAY: DOUGLAS WEINSTEIN

WALK BIKE NASHVILLE

My Service Scholar project was inspired by my combination of passion for biking and enjoyment of working with younger kids as a mentor. I partnered with Walk Bike Nashville (WBN), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to make Nashville a more “walk-able, bike-able, and live-able community,” with plans to run some of their biker safety clinics and camps for elementary school kids. These events are targeted at Metro Nashville students who otherwise would not learn to ride bikes as they may not have the resources to afford a bike. In this case, WBN also provides the bikes for the kids to ride during the clinics. However, this plan was thwarted when schools closed due to the pandemic. Pivoting, I found I could still accomplish my goal of helping teach kids how to bike, even if it weren’t the way I originally planned. Instead, my project involved expanding the infrastructure for bikers to support them when they were riding. Specifically, I installed bicycle FixIt stations and parking racks at local elementary schools and churches to support elementary school ridership and the entire cycling community. Part of my inspiration for getting involved with biking was my interest in addressing an alternative and healthier transportation method than driving cars: riding bikes! Over the past decade, Nashville has been one of the fastest growing cities in Tennessee and America. According to the 2020 Census, Davidson County’s population increased about 15%, Williamson County by 35%, and Rutherford County by 30% (Census). With its newfound growth, Nashville also started to experience some of the effects of expansion as it stretches the existing public transportation and highway systems. Citizens of Nashville experience heavy amounts of car traffic daily, causing congestion in our fast-growing city on a regular basis. With an underfunded and under-resourced public transportation system, the strains of Nashville’s meteoric growth were evident as early as 2015. By 2017, a $5.2 billion transit system bill was proposed to the people of Nashville, which would have expanded the public transportation system, including adding a light rail system connecting Nashville and adding tunnels for public transit. However, the bill did not pass.

Additionally, Nashville’s aggressive real estate development strategy has added to the heavy congestion problem as well. Where one house stood, real estate developers tear it down and put up as many as six houses on the same lot (I lived in one of these houses when I first moved to Nashville!). These are frequently known as “tall and skinnies,” and with the density of neighborhoods increasing exponentially with newcomers moving to the city, it causes a marked increase in the numbers of cars in neighborhoods, saturating and overwhelming the traffic patterns. According to the Transit Center, the rapid growth and booming downtown tourism had ascended “traffic” to the top of Nashville residents’ list of concerns in 2017, surpassing even affordable housing and education (transitcenter).

With Nashville’s transportation problem at an all-time high, citizens need to

find alternative forms of transportation… and can turn to biking! One of the many positive aspects of cycling is that it provides a relatively quick and direct means of transportation. Whereas walking or public transportation commutes can be lengthy, biking is a direct and relatively inexpensive way to commute. The average bicycle costs around $400 (Bicycle Universe) whereas a car would be significantly more expensive, not to mention the cost for fuel as well. Biking is also a much more economical solution to transportation for citizens of Nashville in lower socioeconomic brackets, as opposed to bussing or buying a car.

Cycling has other benefits as well. To start, cycling is a great form of physical exercise and has been linked to improved mental health. According to Raglin of Sports Medicine, “Research on acute exercise indicates that 20 to 40 minutes of aerobic activity per day results in improvements in anxiety and mood that persist for several hours. These transitory changes in mood occur in both individuals with normal or elevated levels of anxiety, but appear to be limited to aerobic forms of exercise” (Raglin). Exercise, such as cycling, has been found to increase the promotion of the release of endorphins in the human body, which lowers stress levels. Especially with increased anxiety about the COVID-19 Pandemic, cycling is a great de-stressor activity.

In addition, cycling has been linked to physical wellness, including increased muscle strength and flexibility, improved joint mobility, decreased body fat levels, and improved posture and coordination (BetterHealth). Cycling is a viable option for exercise because it is low impact. While running can be hard on a person’s body, especially knees and lower body joints, cycling is much easier on the legs, and still provides intense aerobic exercise. Another physical benefit of cycling is that it can lower your risk of a heart attack or stroke by lowering cholesterol levels (Healthline).

Finally, cycling is environmentally friendly. Cycling is powered by energy provided by the legs of a person, not by gas or electricity like other forms of transportation. In this sense, cycling provides an eco-friendly alternative to driving or bussing and is still faster than walking and running. Cycling promotes environmental awareness, and cuts down on greenhouse gasses and global climate change. It also reduces the need for new parking lots and roadways, and reduces air pollutants (C02 emissions), noise pollutants (engine of a car), and congestion from cars (WalkandRollPeel).

My Senior Service scholar project not only helped satisfy my interest in helping kids and making biking more accessible, but it also helped mitigate some of the transportation and environmental problems in Nashville and can help improve physical and mental health for all individuals who are involved.

With these ideas in mind, I needed to think about how I wanted to design, evaluate, and implement projects that could help my hometown of Nashville. Identifying the impediments to biking, for example, insufficient FixIt station availability and broken stations due to vandalization of the stations around town was a critical factor that I needed to consider. Another factor I explored was the rationale for the relatively low rate of elementary school kids riding their bikes to school. I found that part of this was due to the lack of exposure to safe cycling programs as well as an enormous scarcity of safe parking structures at the elementary schools. The

public school system in Nashville does not have the resources to provide this type of training, and while many schools have parking racks, most are outdated, rusted, and dangerous. Working closely with my WBN mentor, Mr. Robert Johnson, we decided to develop a plan to strengthen the infrastructure for the biking community in Nashville. The good news was that our city already has several beautiful greenways, large open tracks for bikers, walkers, runners, and outdoor people to use. However, the cycling infrastructure was limited. For example, if someone got a flat tire on the greenway and did not have the tools to fix the bike, they would be stranded. Leveraging WBN’s strong relationship as an advocate dealer with DERO, one of the preeminent bike rack and bike parking product companies in the US, we were able to have a bicycle FixIt station donated to Walk Bike Nashville. However, the full-time staff working for WBN were not able to dedicate attention or time to the installation of the station, they needed a volunteer to install the station because they didn’t have the resources to pay anyone. On my first project, I agreed to take the Project Management role for the installation of the FixIt station. A FixIt Station is a collection of tools available to the public so that people can fix their own bicycles on the road. The FixIt Station includes tools (i.e., Allen wrenches, screwdrivers, tire levers, air pump, etc.) necessary to perform basic repairs, from changing a flat to adjusting brakes and derailleurs. The tools and air pump are securely attached to the stand with stainless steel cables and tamper-proof fasteners. Hanging the bike from the hanger arms allows the pedals and wheels to spin freely while making adjustments. If the cyclist has a smartphone, there is a Quick Read (QR) code on the Fixit station to view detailed help instructions. I was tasked with identifying an underserved area where it might be of most use. I started by analyzing population density and bike traffic around the city and identified East Park as a potential site. This area was ideally situated because it was on two different bike routes, and was in close proximity to the WBN headquarters, not to mention that it is a beautiful public park in East Nashville which is adjacent to the East Nashville Recreation center, a grocery store called “Turnip Truck,” and in a residential neighborhood. However, because this park is on public land, I had to negotiate with Metro Parks to ensure that engaging in construction activities was sanctioned. In addition, I needed to create a maintenance agreement to ensure that the FixIt Stations would be accessible for future upgrades and repairs by us, should these be needed. Working through the hierarchy at Metro Parks, and after writing several drafts of contracts, agreements, and emails, I was finally successful in gaining approval for the installation late in the spring of 2020. In addition to learning how to navigate administrative paperwork and local politics, a major part of my service project was honing my technical construction skills. I learned from my mentor how to mix and lay concrete, properly dig a hole, drill a hole into concrete, set a wedge bolt, and assemble the FixIt Stations. Along with the technical construction skills that I learned, I also honed my organizational and managerial skills. I learned how to organize all of my tools and materials, how to scope expenses and create/manage a working budget, and how to draft and update a

production workflow for this type of installation project.

With my newly acquired FixIt Station expertise, I offered to expand my role with WBN by managing and maintaining the 6 other FixIt stations across Nashville, improving durability, purchasing and replacing vandalized or stolen tools, and thinking of innovative anti-theft solutions. Over the course of the next year (and importantly in conjunction with the 2021 Tour De Nash event), I became the ‘go to’ guy for ensuring that the stations were in tip top shape to assist bikers on the roads. I engaged the community as the FixIt station manager for all of the FixIt stations scattered across the city. I replaced over 20 vandalized tools on 4 different trips. When I check in on the stations, I find old (flat) tire tubes and scrap metal bike parts in the trash, verifying their use!

But bike FixIt Stations were not the only infrastructure improvements that were needed in Nashville in order to encourage bike riding. The youngest bikers at elementary school were still in need of support. And while I was not able to work directly with the students, I was able to contribute positively to bike safety by installing new bike racks at St. Ann’s Church (North Nashville), JE Moss Elementary School (Antioch) and Rosebank Elementary School (East Nashville). This part was also a learning experience for me as I negotiated pricing with DERO and finalized cost quotes and shipping logistics.

While each of the installations were distinct, the one that stands out for me was at JE Moss. The racks at JE Moss were outdated, not effective, rusty (dangerous especially around children), and large and clunky. They only allowed for the front wheel to be secured, making it possible for people to steal the rest of the bike by removing the front wheel to steal the body, or thieves could cut through the wheel to steal the whole bike. Additionally, vandals have been known to bend bikes attached to racks like these, completely disfiguring the front wheel and rendering the bike useless. On the other hand, new U-shaped racks would allow for the entire frame of the bike to be secured onto the rack, minimizing theft and vandalism.

Meeting with the JE Moss Principal, Mr. Carl Febles, and Community Outreach member, Ms. Jennifer Hurst, to discuss the renovations was an opportunity for me to engage in designing the new, safer bike parking area at the school. After deliberation about the quantity, color, and style of bike racks as well as placement, I ordered 5 blue U-shaped racks.

On the day of installation, I recruited Mr. Robert’s assistance and he and I, with the help of Walk Bike Nashville’s “Big Red Drill,’’ got to work. We removed the old racks, chiseled off the old anchors from the ground, disposed of the dilapidated racks with 1-800-GOTJUNK, drilled holes into the ground, installed new wedge anchors, placed the racks and secured them safely with anti-theft penta-nuts. The JE Moss bike parking installation was complete and Mr. Carl Febles reported within the first month of the rack installation that cycling to JE Moss had increased by 300%!

Since JE Moss’s district lines are all within a two-mile vicinity, cycling is a viable option for all children. The racks will encourage more kids to bike to school, increasing physical exercise, helping with mental health, and relieving some environmental stress from cars.

Expanding cities such as Nashville should pay more attention to transportation

infrastructure to support the traffic that comes with increasing population. With major roadways and local ones jammed with vehicles, in some cases, public transportation is an option, i.e., London has the “tube” and New York City has the metro subway. But Nashville has failed to curb car traffic and has neglected to invest in its transportation system. Bicycle riding not only helps relieve some of the stress on public transportation and traffic problems, but it is also great for physical and mental health. Cycling is also a great way of reducing some of the pollutants in the environment, cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions and gas usage.

My senior Service Scholar project targeted increasing bike ridership across Nashville by encouraging more people to ride bikes by building infrastructure that supported this community. I also aimed to encourage elementary school kids to bike to school as an option, and to begin to build an appreciation and sense of enjoyment for biking overall. I feel satisfied that I have accomplished both goals and hope that Nashville has many years of successful, safe usage of these biking infrastructure improvements.

WORKS CITED Accuardi, Zak. “Derailed - How Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan Crashed at the Polls.” Transit Center, 1 Dec. 2019, transitcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ nashville_report_8x10_RGB_interactive.pdf. Web. Accessed 27 Jan. 2022. “Benefits of Cycling.” Walk and Roll Peel, Peel Region, www.walkandrollpeel.ca/cycling/ benefits.htm#:~:text=Environmental%20benefits&text=Cuts%20down%20on%20 greenhouse%20gas,new%20parking%20lots%20and%20roadways. Web. Accessed 27 Jan. 2022. Bicycle Universe. bicycleuniverse.com/how-much-does-a-bike cost/#:~:text=However%2C%20the%20following%20are%20average, Single%2 Dspeed%20bike%20%24400. Web. Accessed 27 Jan. 2022. “Cycling - Health Benefits.” BetterHealth, Department of Health, State Government of VIctoria, Australia, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/cycling-healthbenefits. Web. Accessed 27 Jan. 2022. Raglin, J.S. “Exercise and Mental Health.” Sports Medicine. “12 Benefits of Cycling, plus Safety Tips.” HealthLine, 26 Feb. 2019, www. healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/cycling-benefits#benefits. Web. Accessed 27 Jan. 2022. Yu, Yue Stella. “2020 Census Results.” Tennessean, www.tennessean.com, 13 Aug. 2021, www. tennessean.com/story/news/2021/08/12/census-2020-population-middletennessee-drives-state-growth-diversity/5559415001/. Web. Accessed 27 Jan. 2022.

WALK BIKE NASHVILLE

When searching for an organization to partner with for my senior service project, I knew that I wanted to volunteer for something I cared deeply about, and I am lucky to have found Walk Bike Nashville (WBN).

Walk Bike Nashville’s mission to make Nashville a more “walk-able, bike-able, and live-able” community is one that I value highly, and my experience with this organization has educated me in numerous ways. My original goal with WBN was to teach elementary school kids to bike, but after COVID shut this program down temporarily, I transitioned to helping cyclists from afar by building infrastructure on the roads, routes, and at schools and churches to support them.

When I first started my work with WBN, I was the project manager for the task of installing a FixIt station that had been donated to them. With help from my WBN supervisor and mentor, Mr. Robert Johnson, I learned how to analyze population density, read maps for bike routes, and interview cyclists effectively for the ideal placement of this FixIt station. After deliberating the perfect spot, I learned how to contact government officials at the Metro Parks office, asking them for permission to build on public land. Then, when the day finally came to build and install, I learned a vast array of technical skills. Having never worked a construction job before, I learned how to mix and lay concrete, how to properly dig a hole in the ground, how to drill a hole in dried concrete, and how to secure a station with bolts to the ground. This experience sparked an interest in me about construction engineering and STEM. Seeing how all of the parts fit together and how the station came out versus what we envisioned excited me.

In addition to this FixIt station in East Park, I also became the manager of all six of the public FixIt stations around Nashville, restoring and replacing vandalized and stolen tools (usually stolen to be sold as scrap metal for a few dollars). I helped install 6 bike racks at St. Ann’s church, and led a project to install 5 bike racks at JE Moss Elementary school and 2 bike racks at Rosebank Elementary school

During the construction of these projects, even after countless hours of planning and discussing all of the possible things that could go wrong, like always, some things were uncontrollable. However, through these struggles, such as figuring out how to haul 30 gallons of water across the street to aid in mixing the concrete or not accounting for large tree roots underground which we were digging into, I learned a valuable lesson: things don’t always go as planned, and it was my response that decided how it would turn out. After mixing all of the concrete, then realizing that we needed 15 more 50 lb. pound bags, we rushed to Home Depot while the concrete was already setting and drying. Here, I learned the importance of keeping myself calm, clear headed, and collected in situations of stress. Things worked out, and we bonded the concrete together but I learned an important lesson to stay calm and think clearly in situations of stress.

I have experienced personal satisfaction with my Senior Service scholar project. I knew that if I found an organization with a cause that I loved, I would enjoy my time volunteering, and I can say with 100% certainty that I did that. So lastly, I reflect that I know that it is important to find things that you are passionate about because it makes doing “work” more enjoyable. I did not feel as if what I was doing with Walk Bike Nashville was work, it felt like fun. I am grateful to Ensworth and WBN for giving me the opportunity to help support the Nashville cycling community.