A squeaky wheel who wanted better bike paths in Hilton Head has left a well-oiled machine | Opinion

Frank Babel emerged on the scene as a pain in the rear, like the seat of a new 10-speed bicycle.

But he has eased the ride for the masses in two decades of what he called “barking for more, better, safer biking on Hilton Head Island and the Lowcountry.”

His involvement began around 2006, when he started doing more biking than golfing after his retirement from Ross Perot’s Electronic Data Systems.

He discovered dirty bike paths, so he figured out where Town Hall was, and went there to complain.

“There was a lot of weed and root intrusion, and pathways weren’t connected,” Babel said. “You could have a map that told you where parks were. Another map could tell you where beach parks were. None of the maps were connected.

He made his own map of the bike paths. And he began submitting written reports on pathway conditions to the town.

Now, for health and personal reasons, Babel has stepped aside as president of the Bike Walk Hilton Head Island organization that evolved from the first organization of advocates called the Squeaky Wheels.

In a letter this month to the mayor and Town Council, Babel said, “When the League of American Bicyclists says, ‘We want you to be the first Platinum level Bike Friendly Community on the East Coast (only five nationally),’ we know we’ve done a great job by almost every measure.

“Bottom line,” he wrote, “we now have an internationally recognized bikeways system in place that differentiates our community; a functioning, safe, alternative transportation system; a thriving, successful biking industry of 36 retail shops renting many thousands of bikes weekly; and a full pathways capital improvements project pipeline.”

Hilton Head has about 125 miles of bike paths, including those inside gated communities.

Today, the town’s pathways are connected. And there are maps showing how. Informational kiosks line the pathways, paid for by the Rotary Club of Hilton Head and designed and erected by the town. More than 200 volunteers are trained “ambassadors,” acting as a concierge service for thousands of vacationing families on bicycles.

For nine years, TripAdvisor has listed riding bike trails as a top attraction on Hilton Head.

Most private communities are upgrading their systems, led by Sea Pines, which can now accommodate 600 to 800 bikes at its main beach park. And there is room for 5,000 bikes at the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing golf tournament, with the help of the Kiwanis Club.

A wave of new public involvement includes the Kickin’ Asphalt riding club that has grown from 10 members in 2006 to 300 now.

The Pedal 4 Kids biking event started 17 years ago to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of Hilton Head this year netted $125,000 with more than 750 riders.

In 2011, the town earned the silver level of recognition from the League of American Bicyclists. It became one of only two cities on the East Coast with the gold level in 2015. Levels are determined by the degree a community can prove that it “encourages people to bike for transportation and recreation through the five Es: equity, engineering, education, encouragement, and evaluation.”

Safety and education is on more people’s minds. Intersections and entire sections of William Hilton Parkway have been upgraded for pedestrian and cyclist safety. Thousands of helmets have been distributed free. And Beaufort County has a coordinated bicycle and pedestrian plan.

Babel believes bicycles are the answer to the island’s great tourism question: “Where are all these people going to park?”

He said he simply wanted to give back to his community, and he wanted to focus on one thing. Now, he said, someone else needs to take it to the next level. He believes the town should hire a staff bicycle and pedestrian coordinator.

Babel’s ride through life has not always been smooth. He was raised in a cold attic after his father lost his job. He did $100 million deals in his own job. Two years ago, he suffered the sudden loss of Linda, his wife of 57 years. He has now pedaled on through his 80th birthday.

He leaves the scene as a great example. To get things done, you don’t blow things up. You build things up, always focused, eyes on the road ahead, even when they think you’re a pain in the rear.