Trade in those minivans, people, Maplewood and its environs are getting more bicycle-friendly!

Two recent developments point in that direction: the formation of the South Orange/Maplewood Bicycle Coalition last month and the nearly completed bicycle lanes on Glen Avenue in Millburn, hard on the Maplewood border.

Patch reported last month on Tom Reingold (Maplewood) and Ellen Kahaner (South Orange) and their newly formed SO/MA Bicycle Coalition. After the initial organizational meeting on October 28, at the Baird Center, Reingold and Kahaner have announced two follow-up events:

Tuesday, December 1. The second meeting of the SO/MA Bicycle Coalition will take place from 7:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m., at the Baird Center in South Orange. The meeting will feature reports from newly formed committees and updates on other local cycling news.   Sunday, November 29. The first group ride of SO/MA Bicycle Coalition is scheduled for Sunday, November 29, at noon. Cyclists will meet at the Baird Center and regroup afterwards in Maplewood, location to be announced. There will be a five-mile and a ten-mile ride. The SO/MA Bicycle Coalition Mapping Committee will supply the routes. Rain date is the following Sunday, December 6.
Meanwhile in Millburn: Yesterday, Jen Connic, editor of Millburn Patch, reported that "the much-awaited bicycle path is nearing completion" on Glen Avenue with the installation of signs and speed humps.

As Connic related, the Millburn Township Committee approved the installation of the bicycle path in August. The path will stretch from Brookside Drive to Ridgewood Road at the Maplewood border along Glen Avenue. The path also links to downtown Millburn via Lackawanna Place.

Several "share the road" signs have been installed along the road, and workers were installing speed humps on Wednesday. Daniel Baer, a Township Committee member, said street markings and repainting the center line still need to be completed. All of the work should be done within two weeks.