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WBWC December 2002 Meeting
The next Board meeting of the WBWC will be held on Thursday, December
5, 2002, 7pm at the Ecology Center, 117 N. Division in Ann Arbor (just
north of Huron). The meeting will last for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Limited parking
is available at the Ecology Center as well as next to Tios restaurant.
Agenda items will include 2003 goal-setting and 2003 officer elections.
Everyone is welcome to attend. WBWC meetings are scheduled for the first
Thursday of every month.
WBWC Annual Membership Meeting
On November 7th, the WBWC held its annual Membership meeting, holding
Board member elections, general business and a presentation from the Washtenaw
County Parks and Recreation Commission. Elected to two-year Board positions
were Bob Goodsell, Leigh McCue (Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society), Christa
McDermot, and Jim Nieters (Ann Arbor Velo Club). These individuals join
current Board members Tim Athan, Ken Clark, Bruce Fields, Rebecca Kanner
and Kris Talley.
Richard Kent from the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission
gave an update on non-motorized trail development by the County, informing
meeting attendees that construction would start next year on a new trail
linking the east end of the Gallup Park trail to the Eastern Michigan
University area through St. Joseph Hospital property. Also, the Commission
is actively working on a new trail that would travel north from the Parker
Mill park on Geddes Road into the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical
Gardens.
Membership Renewals
Membership in the WBWC is on a calendar year basis and if receiving this
newsletter by mail, you will find enclosed a membership renewal form along
with a return envelope. As an added bonus, those renewing their membership
(or starting a new membership) will receive a free copy of the Washtenaw
County/Ann Arbor Bicycle Map. As always, a big thank you goes out to those
individuals, groups, and businesses that support bicycling and walking
advocacy by supporting the WBWC, and we look forward to your continued
support in 2003.
Snow Removal
With the coming of winter, around the county there will almost assuredly
be the problem of snow removal from sidewalks and non-motorized trails.
In an effort to not only educate the public about laws relating to snow
removal, as well as providing a source of where lack of snow removal complaints
can be registered, the WBWC website (www.wbwc.org) will have a "snow"
section included by mid-December. The "Snow" page of the WBWC
website will include all local and county laws on snow removal, as well
as contacts for where complaints can be registered on a lack of snow removal.
Michigan Avenue/US 12
A reconstruction plan is currently under development for the US 12 highway
between Saline and Ypsilanti, a part of which will include provisions
for non-motorized travel. Public meetings are planned for the future on
the project, but the WBWC has already been in contact with a consulting
firm working on a preliminary plan for the highway, urging at the very
least that wide (6-8 foot) road shoulders be included that would also
be painted as bike lanes. While currently US 12 is not a heavily used
non-motorized travel corridor, this could change as development increases
in the area, especially in Pittsfield Township (which is developing an
extensive non-motorized network itself).
Ann Arbor City Council Working Session
On October 28th, the Ann Arbor City Council held a working session on
alternative transportation in the City. Terri Blackmore of the Washtenaw
Area Transportation Study gave a presentation on sustainable transportation,
followed by a talk by University of Michigan Associate Professor of Urban
Planning Jonathan Levine on the report he prepared on successful bicycle
planning (comparing Ann Arbor to Boulder, CO and Madison, WI - available
on the WBWC website at www.wbwc.org). These presentations were followed
by a report by Greg Cook of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority on
congestion mitigation through the use of commuter rail/park and ride lots.
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society Safety Committee
Over the past few months, the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society (AABTS)
has reinvigorated their Safety Committee, holding a number of meetings
to explore options of increasing bicycle safety. The Committee has explored
regular meetings with law enforcement, child bike helmet give-a-ways,
public education through the media, and cyclist education.
Michigan Bicycle Summit
On October 24th, the League of Michigan Bicyclists held what is hoped
to be the first annual "Bicycle Summit" in Lansing, an event
attended by Board members and officers of the WBWC. The event was designed
as not only to educate attendees on current projects and resources, but
also to encourage activism. Presentations were given at the Summit by
the Michigan Department of Transportation, Rails to Trails Conservancy,
Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), Michigan Mountain
Biking Association and the League of Michigan Bicyclists.
Bike To Work Week
The WBWC is actively working to "reinvigorate" the annual May
Bike To Work Week event. Preliminary plans include publishing a brochure,
holding dedicated rides, bike shop discounts on bike commuting accessories,
bike maintenance clinics and a number of other activities. Plenty of volunteers
are needed to make Bike To Work Week 2003 (May 11-17) a success and if
interested in helping out, please contact WBWC Bike To Work Week Committee
Chair Rebecca Kanner at 995-5888 or
Get Active!
Ann Arbor Alternative Transportation Coordinator Position
While in the recent past the City Council of Ann Arbor has made a commitment
to create an Alternative Transportation Coordinator, action of filling
the position has been rather slow. To help move the creation of the Coordinator
position forward in a timely manner, calls, letters and e-mails to Ann
Arbor City Council members are again needed.
While contact with the Ann Arbor City Council from Ann Arbor residents
will have the most impact, communications from anyone in Washtenaw County
who visits the City are useful. After all, people who live outside Ann
Arbor certainly visit the city and contribute to its economy. Also, any
example set in Ann Arbor will certainly be felt in surrounding areas.
Points to make in your letter/e-mail/telephone callâ ¦
· Thank the City for the work they have done for non-motorized
transportation (wide curb lanes, paved shoulders, bike lanes, shared use
paths out of sight of roadways, and traffic signal detectors that detect
bicycles).
· Urge that the position of Alternative Transportation Coordinator
be filled so concrete action on transportation alternatives can take place.
· Also urge that a thorough search be done for the position,
as an individual is needed that has experience in multi-modal transportation
and advocacy. Such a search for a qualified Coordinator may very well
have to be done outside the current Ann Arbor city government structure.
Sample Letter
Dear Council Member
I would like to commend the Ann Arbor City Council for their continued
actions to advance non-motorized transportation, namely the holding of
an October 28th Council working session on transportation alternatives.
We are also encouraged by continuing actions to make Ann Arbor more bike-friendly,
such as continuing construction of wide curb lanes, paved shoulders, bike
lanes, shared use paths out of sight of roadways, and
traffic signal detectors that detect bicycles."
In the spirit of the working session, on behalf of the Washtenaw Bicycling
and Walking Coalition, I would like to urge that the position of Alternative
Transportation Coordinator be filled so concrete action on transportation
alternatives can take place.
As you are aware, the Ann Arbor City Council has created a separate position
for an Alternative Transportation Coordinator within the City budget but
as of early November the position is still vacant. And while we again
hope prompt action is taken on the filling of the Coordinator position,
we also urge that a thorough search be done for the position, as an individual
is needed that has experience in multi-modal transportation and advocacy.
Such a search for a qualified Coordinator may very well have to be done
outside the current Ann Arbor city government structure.
Concerning funding for the Alternative Transportation Coordinator and
the projects such a Coordinator would be dealing with, there may be a
number of unexplored resources available from both federal and state alternative
transportation sources. We would urge the Council contact representatives
of the City's own Bicycle Coordinating Committee for further ideas on
funding.
Again, the City of Ann Arbor is to be commended for recent improvements
to facilities for non-motorized transportation. The WBWC urges Ann Arbor
City Council to fill the Alternative Transportation Coordinator position
with an experienced candidate as soon as possible. By doing so, the City
will be showing strong leadership to the rest of the County on the issue
of non-motorized transportation.
Sincerely, ______________
Contact Information: Ann Arbor City Officials
When writing/e-mailing/calling, please include your return address and
telephone number so as to help with a return response to you. For address
data on the Mayor/Council members, please visit http://www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
and go to the "City Council" page. From the City Council page
an e-mail link is available where you can simultaneously send one e-mail
to all City Council members and the Mayor.
Mayor
John Hieftje, 669-5855, JHieftje@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
Ann Arbor City Council
WARD 1
Robert Johnson, 769-7507, RJohnson@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
Kim Groome, 662-3049 KGroome@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
WARD 2
Michael Reid, MReid@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
Joan Lowenstein, 761-5248 H, 222-4776 W JLowenstein@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
WARD 3
Jean Carlberg, 769-4493,JCarlberg@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
Heidi Cowing Herrell, 973-3125, HHerrell@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
WARD 4
Marcia Higgins, 662-0487, MHiggins@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
Margie Teall, 213-5811, MTeall@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
WARD 5
Christopher S. Easthope, 662-4412, CEasthope@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
Wendy Ann Woods, 663-7092, WWoods@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
SEMCOG Web Page Updated
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) has recently updated
their web page, with a specific sub-section dealing with non-motorized
facilities, general information, and local initiatives. Another sub-section
deals with Regional Transportation Plans (RTP), which are the "blueprints"
for regional transportation planning in Southeast Michigan. The address
for the SEMCOG webpage is www.semcog.org.
Segways Go On Sale, No Need to Walk Ever Again
In early autumn the Segway motorized, single-person, personal transport
went on sale via the Amazon 'early adopters' club. Deliveries of the $4950
device will take place in March 2003 although in a pitch for publicity,
30 consumers will be hand-picked to receive their Segways before Christmas.
"Segway enthusiasts who choose to purchase the first Segway Human
Transporters through this program will have the world watching them,"
promises Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway.
Despite the fact that the expensive Segway will make fat Americans even
fatter, Segway claims that using a Segway is good for your health, and
your wealth: "Enhancing your strength and mobility will expand the
boundaries of your neighborhood by enabling you to cover more ground in
less time. And it will help you accomplish things that might have otherwise
required a vehicle, creating benefits for your household, such as saving
money - as well as benefits for your community and society as a whole."
The Segway website stresses that fast, heavy Segways have "no impact
on the pedestrians around you."
In an article in Time last year, Kamen said Segways are ideal for downtown
transportation. Unlike cars, they are cheap, clean, efficient, maneuverable.
Unlike bicycles, he told Time, with not a shred of irony, they are designed
specifically to be pedestrian-friendly. "A bike is too slow and light
to mix with trucks in the street but too large and fast to mix with pedestrians
on the sidewalk... Our machine is compatible with the sidewalk. If a Segway
hits you, it's like being hit by another pedestrian." Karmen, did
not mention, however, that Segways weigh 65 pounds and move at speeds
up to 15mph.
And on the Good Morning America website, Kamen again repeated his claim
that bikes are more dangerous to pedestrians than Segways will ever be.
So far, 32 US states (including Michigan) have rushed through legislation
to allow use of Segways on sidewalks, bike paths, and certain roads. The
rest are being lobbied hard, something which greatly worries many bicycle
advocate groups.
The New Congress and Bicycling
(From The League of American Bicyclists) - Although a few results are
still outstanding, we already have a good idea of the makeup of the 108th
Congress. The Republicans have increased their majority in the House by
several votes, and they have regained control of the Senate by at least
one vote (Louisiana will not be decided until December). The 108th Congress
presents important new challenges and opportunities the entire bicycling
community. While our vision and goals remain the same, our message must
be more broadly defined, amplified and delivered to achieve success.
If the League of American Bicyclists (http://www.bikeleague.org) and America
Bikes (http://www.americabikes.org) have been doing their jobs, then you
know how critical 2003 is for bicycling. Next year, the legislation that
provides a majority of federal funding for bicycle projects (TEA-21) expires
and must be reauthorized. Following is a brief analysis of the new Congress
and the Committees that will have primary jurisdiction of TEA-21 reauthorization.
The Senate
As stated, the Republicans have regained control of the Senate and, therefore,
control of the agenda. It will be some time before Committee assignments
are set, but we can draw several conclusions now. Clearly, the biggest
change will be in leadership. On the Republican side, Jim Inhofe (R-OK),
who won reelection, will most probably become the new Chairman of the
Environment and Public Works Committee. Kit Bond (R-MO) will likely chair
the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee, but that is always
subject to change once Senate members start vying for other Committee
opportunities. John Warner (R-VA) and Pete Domenici (R-NM), the only other
Republicans up for reelection, easily won.
On the Democratic side, only Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) was up for reelection
and he won. We can expect Jim Jeffords (I-VT) and Harry Reid (D-NV) to
play important leadership roles on the Committee, but which one will be
Ranking Member of the full Committee and which one will be Ranking Member
of the Subcommittee remains to be seen. Committee ratios also won't be
set for a while, so it is hard to predict if there will be any vacancies
or lost seats.
Of the eight members of the Senate Bike Caucus, only Richard Durbin (D-IL)
and Susan Collins (R-ME) were facing reelection and both of them won.
(Please go to http://www.bikeleague.org/events/index.html to see the full
list of members of the Senate Bike Caucus.) Durbin is Co-chair of the
Senate Bike Caucus, and he and Collins cosponsored the Conserve By Bike
Amendment in the Energy bill. With nine new Senate members, our challenge
is to grow the Caucus in the 108th Congress.
The House of Representatives
The Republicans will remain in the majority and actually picked up several
seats. Overall makeup of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
should not change too much. None of the current Committee members lost
their seats, but at least four Republican and five Democratic slots are
now open due to retirements, primary losses or members running for other
office. Chairman Don Young (R-AK) is expected to remain Chairman in the
108th Congress. Tom Petri (R-WI) will continue to chair the Highways and
Transit Subcommittee. On the Democratic side, Jim Oberstar (D-MN) will
remain Ranking Member. The biggest change will occur at the Subcommittee
level. Current Ranking Member, Bob Borski (D-PA) retired and it is likely
that Bill Lipinski (D-IL) will take his place. There will be additions
to the Committee on both sides of the aisle and Subcommittee seats could
be exchanged, but those determinations won't be made until 2003.
Unlike the Senate, House Bike Caucus members must renew their memberships
every Congress. Of the 115 members in the 107th Congress, 102 will be
returning. (Please go to http://www.bikeleague.org/events/index.html to
see the list of Congressional Bike Caucus winners in Tuesday's elections.)
Without a doubt, we can rely on returning Congressman Earl Blumenauer
(D-OR) to lead the Caucus again. We should have no problem getting current
members to rejoin, plus we have 48 new members to talk to when the 108th
Congress convenes.
University of Hawaii Bike Lock Program
A November 6th article in a University of Hawaii newspaper reported "In
an effort to inform the University of Hawaii
community of the importance of locking their bicycles, Campus Security
has decided to institute a new bike lock program. Security officers will
lock any bicycle found unlocked and unattended, even if it's just for
a little while. Those wanting their bicycle unlocked will have to call
Security and provide appropriate identification and bicycle
registration papers."
Previously, campus security would confiscate unsecured bikes and take
them to a storage facility from which students could claim them upon submitting
proper identification.This amounted to about three bikes per month with
most bikes never retrieved (i.e., they were abandoned). Since the program
went into effect, only one bicycle has been locked by Campus Security
Toledo Police Concerned About Helmet Law
According to a November 1st story in the Toledo (OH) Blade, children who
ride bicycles without helmets could be fined, and possibly have their
bikes impounded, if a draft ordinance endorsed by the Toledo-Lucas County
Health Board is approved by City Councils in Lucas County. The Health
Board cannot pass or enforce such an ordinance, but it has drawn up what
it feels is good model legislation that it hopes area councils adopt.
The issue surfaced when local children's safety experts urged Toledo
City Council in March to pass a bicycle helmet law. Toledo police told
Council while they supported helmet use, they were concerned about how
the would enforce such an ordinance. They also worried that low-income
children would not be able to afford helmets. Based on those and other
concerns, Council tabled the issue and asked the Health Department to
look into the matter and come up with some suggestions.
Chico (CA) Cyclists Face Hefty Fines
For most students $89 is a lot of money. It equals one-third of rent for
a month or 89 drinks on buck night at the bars. It's also the cost of
a citation for riding a bicycle on campus. In a city where many of students
ride their bikes to campus and use them as a common source of transportation,
it's often the little things like the laws that are forgotten.
Laws that often go unnoticed are those such as bicycling under the influence
of alcohol or drugs, having proper equipment for night riding, and obeying
laws regarding headsets or earplugs. Riding a bicycle while under the
influence is punishable by up to a $250 fine and arrest. If the rider
is under 21 but over 13 years old, driver's
licenses are often suspended or delayed for one year..."
Fewer Kids Walk, Die Walking, Obesity Climbs
According to an October 1st Associated Press story, "The number of
children hit and killed by automobiles was cut nearly in half during the
1990s, according to a report released Tuesday that said the decline is
due to fewer kids walking to school and better traffic safety" According
to the National Safe Kids Campaign, 475 pedestrians under 15 years old
were killed while walking in public roadways in 2000, compared to 861
in 1990. The Campaign's report on child pedestrian safety found that parents
worried about safety, long distances, time and crime are driving their
children to school more often or putting them on the bus instead of allowing
them to walk.
"In 1969, about half of elementary school children walked or biked
to school, the study said. By 1995, the government's Nationwide Personal
Transportation Survey of 5- to 9-year-olds found that 10 percent of kids
walked to school, 53 percent traveled by car and about 30 percent rode
school buses. Heather Paul, executive director of the National Safe Kids
Campaign, said it's important to make it safer for children to walk to
school. 'We know obesity numbers are growing, and part of it is based
on sedentary trends for children,' Paul said. 'Walking to
school should be the first step, literally and figuratively, toward a
really healthy day.'..."
Monthly Reminders & Requests
WBWC Membership Applications Available
WBWC membership applications are available through the WBWC website (www.wbwc.org)
and in the literature racks of most Washtenaw County bike shops. Basic
membership is $10 a year with.
WBWC Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are currently needed for the following WBWC Committees...
Publicity - Send out meeting and special event announcements, mail out
printed version of E-News
Education - Help plan and staff educational efforts (i.e., Earth Day,
Bike To Work Day/Week)
For details on any of these jobs, please contact Bob Krzewinski at 487-7058
or wolverbob@cs.com.
School Bicycling Volunteers Needed
In cooperation with the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office, volunteers are
needed to help with bicycling educational efforts at local elementary
schools. No special skills are needed and a time commitment of 30 minutes
at a school would be needed. Items to be discussed (basic traffic laws,
how to wear a helmet, etc.) would be included in a written handout for
volunteers. If interested, please call 734/487-9058 or e-mail wbwc@topical.com.
Member Discounts
Ann Arbor Cyclery has joined the WBWC and agreed to offer a 10% discount
on purchases by WBWC members showing their membership cards. A hearty
"thank you" goes to Ann Arbor Cyclery for helping promote bicycling
in Washtenaw County. And if you are in a shop that is not a member of
the WBWC, a friendly word urging them to support bike advocacy though
WBWC membership would be appreciated.
Sidewalk Inventory Continuing
The WBWC continues to solicit recommendations for areas where there is
heavy pedestrian traffic and either there are no sidewalks or those that
are available are in very poor condition. Suggestions should include as
much specific data as possible and can be e-mailed to wbwc@topica.com.
An added help on any sidewalk suggestions would be photographs which can
be mailed to the WBWC, c/o Ecology Center, 117 N. Division, Ann Arbor,
MI 48104 or dropped off at the Ecology Center during weekday business
hours. Suggestions will be inventoried with follow-up to the appropriate
governmental body.
Ecology Center Library
It should be noted that the WBWC has a small, but growing, library of
bicycling and walking advocacy publications for checkout at the Ecology
Center in Ann Arbor.
Mark Your Calendar....
December 5 WBWC Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor
January 2 WBWC Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor
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