Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Transportation bill cuts bike and ped funding
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| From bicyclesigns.com |
Moments ago, Congressman John Mica (R-FL) announced the introduction of the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act. The proposed bill eliminates dedicated funding for bicycling and walking as we feared, and it goes much further and systematically removes bicycling from the Federal transportation program. It basically eliminates our status and standing in the planning and design of our transportation system -- a massive step backwards for individuals, communities and our nation. It's a step back to a 1950s highway- and auto-only program that makes no sense in the 21st century.
The bill reverses 20 years of progress by:
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will vote on the bill on Thursday. Representatives Petri (R-WI) and Johnson (R-IL) will sponsor an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. There are no Virginia representatives on the T&I Committee. However, you can take action. See the LAB Advocacy page for suggested next steps.The bill reverses 20 years of progress by:
- destroying Transportation Enhancements by making it optional;
- repealing the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school;
- allowing states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles;
- eliminating bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs; and
- eliminating language that insures that rumble strips "do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled."
Labels: safe routes to school, transportation bill, transportation enhancements
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Monday, January 30, 2012
Volkswagen teams up with BikesBelong
Volkswagen, which has their U.S. headquarters in Herndon, VA, recently teamed up with Bikes Belong:
At Volkswagen, we recognize that two wheels are sometimes as good a choice as four. That’s why today at the Washington Auto Show, we announced a new two-year partnership with Bikes Belong, the nation’s leading advocacy organization for biking.
Not only is biking fun and healthy—it’s also good for the environment. For these reasons and more, the sponsorship is a perfect fit with Think Blue, Volkswagen’s initiative to promote eco-friendly mobility and motivate employees and customers to practice environmental responsibility in their everyday lives.
As part of the agreement, Volkswagen will donate vehicles and funding to support three Bikes Belong initiatives: Peopleforbikes.org, Safe Routes to School National Partnership (SRTSNP) and Bicycling Design Best Practices. The partnership also aligns with our long-term commitment to encourage active lifestyles by endorsing cycling, running and triathlon events. Until the quadrathlon is restructured to include auto racing (we can dream, can’t we?), we’re happy to support organizations like Bikes Belong.
Not only is biking fun and healthy—it’s also good for the environment. For these reasons and more, the sponsorship is a perfect fit with Think Blue, Volkswagen’s initiative to promote eco-friendly mobility and motivate employees and customers to practice environmental responsibility in their everyday lives.
As part of the agreement, Volkswagen will donate vehicles and funding to support three Bikes Belong initiatives: Peopleforbikes.org, Safe Routes to School National Partnership (SRTSNP) and Bicycling Design Best Practices. The partnership also aligns with our long-term commitment to encourage active lifestyles by endorsing cycling, running and triathlon events. Until the quadrathlon is restructured to include auto racing (we can dream, can’t we?), we’re happy to support organizations like Bikes Belong.
Labels: bikes belong, volkswagen
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Sunday, January 29, 2012
I-66 public meeting Thursday
A public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 2 from 5-8 p.m. at VDOT NoVa Headquarters, 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030. This is just south of I-66 off West Ox Road.
Cyclists are encouraged to attend the meeting and speak out for bike access along the I-66 corridor. In 2002 the Fairfax Co Board of Supervisors approved plans for a major trail along I-66 similar to the Custis Trail, but it has never been implemented. Now is the time.
Bicyclists also need to be able to safely cross I-66, which forms a major east-west barrier in many areas of western Fairfax Co.
Please either attend the I-66 meeting to email comments to the study team's leadership (reference "I-66 Tier 1 EIS: Public Comments" in your subject line) at CG.Collins@VDOT.Virginia.gov or Stephen.C.Walter@Parsons.com.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Bill to require drivers to exercise due care defeated in VA House subcommittee
The Virginia House Transportation subcommittee 2 today voted to pass by indefinitely, in other words to kill, a bill that would have drivers of motor vehicles exercising due care to avoid crashing into a pedestrian or bicyclist. Here's the full text of the bill:
§ 46.2-923.1. Drivers to exercise due care.
Notwithstanding the other provisions of this chapter, every driver of a motor vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or the operator of a human-powered vehicle and shall give an audible signal when necessary. Every driver shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, incapacitated, or intoxicated person on the highways.
Delegate Barbara Comstock (R-McLean) cast the deciding vote to kill this bill. Unfortunately we have not been watching the session closely and did not ask cyclists to send messages to members of the subcommittee. This is an important bill that would help protect cyclists by requiring motorists to exercise due care to avoid hitting them. Four out of the 7 members of the committee, all Republicans, voted against the bill. We wrote the following note to Delegate Comstock:Notwithstanding the other provisions of this chapter, every driver of a motor vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian or the operator of a human-powered vehicle and shall give an audible signal when necessary. Every driver shall exercise proper precaution upon observing any child or any obviously confused, incapacitated, or intoxicated person on the highways.
Dear Delegate Comstock,
I was very disappointed to hear that you voted to pass by indefinitely the bill (HB 784 Exercise due care; requires drivers to avoid colliding with pedestrian) that would help protect pedestrians, bicyclists, children, and incapacitated pedestrians. It's hard to believe that 4 of the 7 members of House Transportation subcommittee 2 voted against this bill. It doesn't seem to be too much to ask motorists to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian or a bicyclist. Please reconsider your vote and have this bill heard by the full Transportation Committee and House as a whole.
Sincerely,
Bruce Wright
See a summary of what Virginia Bicycling Federation considers bicycling-related bills in the 2012 General Assembly. They are also posting regular Legislative Updates.I was very disappointed to hear that you voted to pass by indefinitely the bill (HB 784 Exercise due care; requires drivers to avoid colliding with pedestrian) that would help protect pedestrians, bicyclists, children, and incapacitated pedestrians. It's hard to believe that 4 of the 7 members of House Transportation subcommittee 2 voted against this bill. It doesn't seem to be too much to ask motorists to exercise due care to avoid colliding with a pedestrian or a bicyclist. Please reconsider your vote and have this bill heard by the full Transportation Committee and House as a whole.
Sincerely,
Bruce Wright
Labels: delegate comstock, due care, hb784
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Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Good turnout for the Burke-Springfield bike plan meeting
Bob mentioned the idea of having a mini bike share system connecting the north Ft. Belvoir area with the Franconia-Springfield Metro station.
A cyclist in the audience noted that when he rides his bike to the store there's often no place to park his bike. Another cyclist said that Arlington, Alexandria, DC and many other cities around the U.S. have somehow found the funds to make their communities more bike-friendly and we should be able to do the same. We're often forced onto major arterials and we need better bike connections.
Another cyclist said that kids should be able to ride to school. In many cases kids live directly across the street and can't even walk there because they need to cross a major arterial. Using buses to cross barriers was suggested as one solution that needs to be publicized and made easier.
A woman noted that she likes to ride with her 7 year old around Lake Accotink but she's encountered archers hired to kill deer in those areas. She refuses to ride there and ends up going to other, less dangerous areas outside the county. We've heard about this from a FABB member who has the same concern along the W&OD Trail between Reston and Vienna. If you aren't aware, Fairfax County has opened up many parks to archers this year.
After the group discussion people gathered around large scale maps and made comments on where they ride, where they want to ride but can't, and where they'd like to see improvements. They could also comment on other aspects of the plan including bike education, enforcement, and encouragement.
The next bike plan area meeting is for the Annandale area on February 15 at the Mason District Governmental Center, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale starting at 4:30 p.m. Since that is on the same night as the FABB meeting, we plan to hold the FABB meeting after this meeting at the same location in Annandale.
DancesWithCarsDC has posted videos of the presentation and Q&A session:
http://youtu.be/K2G37vhY46o
http://youtu.be/izN9DHhaZbs
http://youtu.be/ZKthIKeP8sY
http://youtu.be/jzbnU91WH8M
Labels: bicycle master plan, burke, springfield
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Monday, January 23, 2012
DRAFT VDOT Safe Routes to School Strategic Plan
We have not yet had a chance to read the details. This is from the one-page summary at the beginning of the report:
In the short term,
- The Program Structure will remain as is, with all program elements managed by VDOT’s Central Office.
- Outreach and Education efforts will focus on aggressive outreach with existing resources, guided by an annual communication plan (developed separately from the Strategic Plan), and by optimizing partnerships with other state agencies.
- Project Application and Selection will focus on re‐instating the non‐infrastructure application program.
- Project Implementation and Management will become more streamlined and include clearer guidance.
- Project Close‐out will become a more reliable and predictable process for the State SRTS Coordinator and grantees.
- Evaluation and Measurement will include processes to generate information about project effectiveness.
- SRTS Program Sustainability will provide greater support for VDOT staff working on SRTS projects and begin to identify ways to create self‐sustainable local SRTS Programs.
- A revised Program Structure that expands the SRTS Advisory Committee’s role, especially with respect to project selection.
- A more flexible Outreach and Education plan, according to demand by local SRTS Programs and within existing resources.
- Program Sustainability efforts that focus on making SRTS a part of standard operating procedures for VDOT and participating localities.
Labels: safe routes to school, strategic plan, vdot
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Alliance for Biking and Walking 2012 Benchmarking report released
Highlights from the report include:
Bicycling and Walking Levels
- 12% of all trips are by bicycle (1.0%) or foot (10.5%).
- From 2000 to 2009, the number of commuters who bicycle to work increased by 57%.
- In 2009, 40% of trips in the United States were shorter than 2 miles, yet Americans use their cars for 87% of trips 1 to 2 miles. Twenty-seven percent of trips are shorter than 1 mile, yet 62% of trips up to 1 mile long are by car. Residents of the largest U.S. cities are 1.7 times more like- ly to walk or bicycle to work than the national average.
- 14% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. are bicyclists (1.8%) or pedestrians (11.7%).
- In the 51 largest U.S. cities, 12.7% of trips are by foot and 1.1% are by bicycle, yet 26.9% of traffic fatalities are pe- destrians and 3.1% are bicyclists.
- Seniors are the most vulnerable bicyclists and pedestrians. Adults over 65 make up 10% of walking trips, yet comprise 19% of pedestrian fatalities and make up 6% of bicycling trips, yet account for and 10% of bicyclist fatalities.
Labels: alliance for biking and walking, benchmarking report
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