Saturday, November 14, 2015
US DOT Secretary Foxx: Transportation Must be Multimodal
Noting that the population of the southeast is projected to double by 2050, Secretary Foxx said we must have multimodal solutions for our transportation problems, with roads, public transit, good walking environments and good land planning included as part of the equation for every community.
“We can’t build enough roads to solve our transportation problems. We can’t widen enough.” And if roads are the only solution, “the South is going to be stuck in traffic. Period.
"When you put all your eggs in one basket and you get too many eggs, the eggs start falling out. And what’s happening in the South is that we’ve been so road dominant for so long, now that the rest of the country has figured out that it’s a great place to be with four seasons, with great business climates, with all kinds of great advantages, now you’re seeing a rush of population into these areas, and the reality is the road systems can’t handle it. And even if you widen roads, it’s going to help for a little while, but it won’t help forever.”
Labels: anthony foxx
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Safer People, Safer Streets campaign
As part of the campaign Secretary Foxx "invites Mayor’s and local elected officials to attend a Safer People, Safer Streets Summit and then take significant action over the next year to improve pedestrian and bicycle transportation safety. The Mayor’s Challenge will showcase effective local actions to improve safety, empower local leaders to take action, and promote partnerships to advance pedestrian and bicycle safety."
From the news release:
While overall highway fatalities have been declining, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities have been on the rise in recent years and now represent nearly 17 percent of total fatalities. The Mayor’s Challenge aims to reduce pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities around a framework of seven Challenge activities that are based on the latest innovations in improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
The initiative will begin in March when Mayors and staff responding to the invitation will convene at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) headquarters for a Mayoral Summit to discuss how to build upon or implement the challenge’s seven activity areas.
The seven Challenge activities are drawn from the recommended actions stated in the2010 USDOT Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations. For example, recommended actions in the policy statement include gathering and tracking data on biking and walking in their community and ensuring street designs are appropriate for pedestrian and bicycle safety. Attendees at the Summit will work with USDOT staff to identify new Departmental resources they can use during the Challenge and will network with their peers.
The Mayor’s Challenge is a vital piece of Secretary Foxx’s overall pedestrian and bicycle safety initiative. In September, Secretary Foxx announced the launch of the Safer People, Safer Streets initiative and asked USDOT field offices to conduct road safety assessments in every state. In March 2016, cities participating in the Challenge will reconvene for a capstone meeting to share lessons learned, and celebrate their success.
Click here for additional information pertaining to the Mayor’s Challenge.
The initiative will begin in March when Mayors and staff responding to the invitation will convene at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) headquarters for a Mayoral Summit to discuss how to build upon or implement the challenge’s seven activity areas.
The seven Challenge activities are drawn from the recommended actions stated in the2010 USDOT Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations. For example, recommended actions in the policy statement include gathering and tracking data on biking and walking in their community and ensuring street designs are appropriate for pedestrian and bicycle safety. Attendees at the Summit will work with USDOT staff to identify new Departmental resources they can use during the Challenge and will network with their peers.
The Mayor’s Challenge is a vital piece of Secretary Foxx’s overall pedestrian and bicycle safety initiative. In September, Secretary Foxx announced the launch of the Safer People, Safer Streets initiative and asked USDOT field offices to conduct road safety assessments in every state. In March 2016, cities participating in the Challenge will reconvene for a capstone meeting to share lessons learned, and celebrate their success.
Click here for additional information pertaining to the Mayor’s Challenge.
Labels: anthony foxx, mayor's challenge, US DOT
Monday, December 15, 2014
US DOT Secretary Foxx blog's about Reston road diets
Recently we mentioned a new Federal Highway Administration publication, "Road Diet Informational Guide," that uses Lawyers Road in Reston as a case study of how road diets improve safety and can provide better bike access. Today US Dept. of Transportation Secretary Foxx featured the guide in his blog Fast Lane: A diet you can live with:
One community where a road diet was a good fit is Reston, Virginia, where two roads recently shrank, and motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are safer for it. In Reston, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) implemented a road diet on a two-mile segment of Lawyers Road during an already scheduled 2009 repaving project. Reaction among residents was mixed before the project, but views shifted to strong support after the project helped reduce crashes in the corridor by 67 percent—that’s a full 2/3 reduction! A second road diet was installed on nearby Soapstone Drive in 2011, and that diet resulted in a 65 percent crash reduction.
I first heard about road diets when I was mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. They’ve become popular features there, and FHWA has singled them out as one of nine proven safety countermeasures for cutting fatalities and serious injuries on America’s roadways.
Better roads, more options, and safer travel – that’s a diet we can all live with.
I first heard about road diets when I was mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina. They’ve become popular features there, and FHWA has singled them out as one of nine proven safety countermeasures for cutting fatalities and serious injuries on America’s roadways.
Better roads, more options, and safer travel – that’s a diet we can all live with.
Labels: anthony foxx, road diet
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Notes from 2014 National Bike Summit
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| US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx |
Opening Plenary
Congressman Blumenauer reminded the group of his oft-repeated quote: "How many Americans are stuck in traffic on their way to ride an exercise bike at the health club?" We would all be healthier if we had safe, connected bike routes. He noted that Houston recently allocated $200 million to build 150 miles of trails within the city.
His major point is that the 18.4 cents/gallon gas tax has not been raised since 1993. He wants to increase the gas tax by 15 cents/gallon over three years. Our infrastructure is falling apart and the highway trust fund will run out of money this fall. Federal funds for bike projects, formerly Transportation Enhancements, have been cut. The increase could lead to more funds for rebuilding our infrastructure, providing better transit options, and increasing funds for bike projects.
Representative Albio Sires of New Jersey spoke about his bipartisan bill, HR 3978. "The New Opportunities for Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Financing Act of 2014 (NOBPIFA) will allow communities to take advantage of low-cost financing for projects that make streets and sidewalks safer for all users through a new federal credit assistance program that would direct millions specifically for low-income communities."
Douglas Meyer surveyed local elected officials on their attitudes toward bicycling issues. The survey was conducted between Jan-Feb 2014. There was almost universal support for improving bike conditions and providing multimodal transportation options. The following reasons were cited: health, quality of life, to attract new, younger employees, and to compete with other bike-friendly cities. They resent anti-car arguments but support multimodal transportation choices. What's needed to succeed is a political leader, examples of projects that work, making connections, and allocated funding. We need better data to show the cost effectiveness and safety aspects of good bike projects. They are all aware of the bike sharing concept and many think it is a great way to increase bike use.
Bill Reduto, Mayor of Pittsburgh - During a meeting with President Obama he asked for the scaffolding on the Washington Monument so that cyclists can ride the Great Allegheny Passage from the Monument in DC to the monument scaffolding in Pittsburgh. His goal is for Pittsburgh to be in the top 10 Bicycle Friendly Communities in the U.S. Even in Pittsburgh where streets are narrow and road space is tight, room is being dedicated to bikes. All new projects need to provide a complete streets vision.
Overcoming the Scofflaw Perception
Laura Solis of Bike New York discussed a campaign in New York City called Don't be a Jerk, a series of humorous videos on riding with traffic, staying off the sidewalk, and yielding to pedestrians. She noted that Bike Smart: The Official Guide to Cycling in New York, is available in eight languages and is given to most new bike owners when they purchase a new bike.
The following three speakers discussed bike education and traffic ticket diversion programs in which motorists and cyclists can avoid bicycle infraction-related traffic penalties by attending a bicycle safety class. Rich Conroy, also of Bike New York, said that Bike NY holds an hour and a half class each month for approximately 10 cyclists who have committed infractions, usually riding on the sidewalk, which is a misdemeanor, or wrong-way riding. He informs those cyclists of their rights and how they can contest a ticket that may have been issued in error. When the program began many cyclists incorrectly received tickets for not riding in the bike lane. Rich has attended Police Roll Call meetings to discuss cyclist's rights and to hand out a one-page flier. Bike New York also conducted 35 bike safety classes for over 700 new Citi Bike members.
Tyler Dewey of Bike Athens in Georgia discussed their diversion program. Their one-hour class is given once a month in English and Spanish. It costs $30 and if completed cyclists can avoid a $125 fine. Fines for bicycle tickets are waived upon completion of the course.
Brian Botwin of Commute Options in Bend, Oregon conducts a monthly bicycle safety class as part of the city's bicycle diversion program for cyclists ticketed for running red lights and wrong-way riding.
Retailers Best Practices for Advocacy
Brian Drayton of Richmond (CA) Spokes, a community bike shop involved in youth training. Many riders who use the shop depend on their bikes for transportation. While most bike shops do not want to work on big-box store bikes, they are often the only bikes low income riders can afford. By helping these riders shops can gain important allies.
Jeff Koenig of Big Poppi Bicycle Company in Manhattan, KS discussed the importance of locally owned bike shops to their communities. He noted the loss of brick and mortar bike shops over the years, in part due to the commoditization of bike products. Bike shops and the advocacy community depend on each other and need to work together. Advocates need to understand that shops have very small profit margins and their cooperation means more than, and may not include, providing discounts or monetary contributions.
Chris Kegel of Wheel & Sprocket in Milwaukee said retailers and advocates need to get involved in the political process. A good way to influence the process is to form a Political Action Committee (PAC) to help elect pro-bike candidates (see Cascade Bike PAC as an example).
Lunch speakers
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx began his talk by showing a photo of himself riding a Charlotte bcycle bike. He noted that the 6th round of TIGER funding would soon be open to applications for bike projects. He said biking is about more than recreation, that we need all forms of transportation. Even though national crash fatalities are at record lows, bicyclist and pedestrian deaths have only had a small decrease. He mentioned the success of road diet projects in Charlotte.
Gabe Klein of the Urban Land Institute, formerly headed Chicago and DC departments of transportation. He stressed the importance of throughput vs. speed; we don't need to go fast to have efficient traffic flow. He has been able to create extensive bike infrastructure in DC and Chicago through hard work and persistence, funding from multiple sources, and support from the top. He prefers two-year plans with measurable results. Chicago's Vision Zero plan has a goal of zero ped, bike and overall traffic fatalities in 10 years through the use of 300 speed cameras, 20 mph residential streets, and other measures. Vision Zero is described in Chicago Forward and includes a goal that 5% of all trips of 5 miles or less be made by bike. Bike advocacy organizations are key partners in helping make change in those cities. Gabe thinks that when autonomous vehicles are in place they will be in near-constant motion and there will be much less need for parking spaces. These spaces can then be used for ped/bike facilities.
Matt Klein of Urban Land Institute. Discussed three factors and how they affect cyclists: Economics: Parking is dilutive to overall project returns, with structured parking spaces costing $45-85K/space. The real estate community supports reduced parking minimums and understands the importance of ped/bike access. Sustainability is an important issue with developers, who want to build LEED-certified buildings that include bike parking and access, especially since new employees (Millenials) are demanding these facilities. Mainstreaming: Established business organizations are not as supportive of bike access and facilities. Cyclists should reach out to them.
John Cayer of Kimberley-Clark, the main sponsor of the National Bike Challenge. The goal this year is 50,000 riders pedaling 30 million miles between May and October.
Making a Compelling Video
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| Max Hepp-Buchanan speaking, Gary Fisher in the foreground |
Yolanda Davis-Overstreet of Ride in Living Color showed a clip from the film about African Americans and other people of color on bikes that she has been developing for several years. Her goal is to promote healthy lifestyles in the African American community where one of very two kids born today will develop diabetes (vs. 1/3 of all kids).
Max Hepp-Buchanan of Bike Walk RVA in Richmond, Virginia showed his film of a visit of elected officials and local government staff to Arlington and DC to tour bike facilities. Most of the film was produced using in-kind donations from the filmmaker. FABB showed the video during the 2013 Fairfax Bike Summit.
General advice from the video group included: short (3-4 minute) videos are often the best; iPhone Voice Memo works well for audio recording (Gary Fisher noted that a small iPhone compatible microphone from B&H improves sound quality); always have contracts in writing; don't let cartoonists get too creative; use short sentences; spoken text is different than written text. Most used Final Cut Pro (the earlier version) for doing their editing, although iMovie is OK to start.
Many of the participants were on Capital Hill today meeting with their Congressional reps to ask them to support bike-related issues and to join the Congressional Bike Caucus.
Thanks to our FABB supporters whose contributions allowed me to attend the Summit.
Labels: anthony foxx, congressman blumenauer, diversion program, gabe klein, national bike summit, scofflaw cyclists, video
Monday, July 1, 2013
The Future of American Transportation
If you ask any CEO where they’d rather open up shop and hire…If you ask any parents where they’d rather raise a family…If you ask any young professional where they want to live and work---you hear the same things time and time again. People want infrastructure that reduces congestion and protects the environment. They want high-speed trains that shuttle between cities and light rail systems that connect to jobs. They want bike paths, bike shares, buses, and streetcars that give them the option to leave the car at home.
The proof is in the numbers. People took a record 10.5 billion trips on public transportation in 2012. Amtrak ridership has grown more than 40% in the last ten years. Over 20 American cities now operate bike shares, and each program has been met with incredible popularity. New York's new CitiBike bike share has sold nearly 52,000 memberships.
This is what Americans want. This is what the future of American transportation looks like.
Secretary LaHood will leave office soon. His replacement, Anthony Foxx, Mayor of Charlotte, NC, was confirmed on June 27 (Charlotte has a bike share system called B-Cycle). We wish Secretary LaHood well.
The proof is in the numbers. People took a record 10.5 billion trips on public transportation in 2012. Amtrak ridership has grown more than 40% in the last ten years. Over 20 American cities now operate bike shares, and each program has been met with incredible popularity. New York's new CitiBike bike share has sold nearly 52,000 memberships.
This is what Americans want. This is what the future of American transportation looks like.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Nominee for US Department of Transportation
President Obama recently nominated Charlotte, NC mayor Anthony Foxx to replace DOT Secretary LaHood. Sec. LaHood has been a great friend to cyclists. BikePortland noted that Mayor Foxx has supported bike infrastructure and events in Charlotte: |
| Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx Photo: Weldon Weaver |
Rob Sadowsky, executive director of Portland's Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) said this evening that he's "very excited to have a Secretary that likes to bike, understands the need for a balanced transportation system and understands urban land use."
As a bike town, Charlotte isn't a major bright spot; but they appear to be on the rise. They are currently recognized as a "Bronze" level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The City of Charlotte Bicycle Plan was last updated in 2008. According to the 2012 Benchmarking Report from the Alliance for Biking and Walking, Charlotte ranks 44th (out of 51) in U.S. cities in terms of how many people walk and bike and 23rd in spending per capita on biking and walking projects. The U.S. Census reports that Charlotte has a 0.2% bicycling mode share.
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| Launch of Charlotte bike share Photo: Weldon Weaver |
“During his tenure Mayor Foxx has been supportive of initiatives including an expansion the city’s bike route network, green bike lanes, bike boxes, sidewalk construction projects and other projects to meet bicycle and pedestrian needs,” Tobe said.
Perhaps the Mayor’s most memorable active transportation achievement was his leadership during the installation of the city’s bike sharing system by Charlotte Center City Partners. His understanding of its importance to the transportation network was essential to its launch in advance of the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.
Labels: anthony foxx, charlotte, transportation secretary LaHood, US DOT
