WBWC March 2002 Meeting
The next meeting of the WBWC will be held on Thursday, March 7th, 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 behind the Ecology Center as well as next to Tios restaurant.
Everyone is welcome to attend. WBWC meetings are normally scheduled for
the first Thursday of every month. Minutes of the January and February
2002 minutes are posted here.
WBWC 2002 Priorities
At its February Board meeting, the WBWC discussed its top priorities
for the coming year. Rising to the top of the list were educational efforts
(i.e. elementary school safe biking courses, May Bike To Work Week activities),
Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County bicycle/pedestrian coordinators, sidewalk advocacy
and non-motorized transportation planning. The Board will finalize 2002
priorities at it’s March Meeting.
Ann Arbor Cyclist Ticketing Incident Continues
On
Ken Clark, WBWC Secretary and Chair of the City of Ann Arbor Bicycle
Committee, continues to go through legal proceedings due to being issued
a ticket by the Ann Arbor Police Department while riding his bicycle on
Plymouth Road. The original ticket was for stopping/parking in a roadway
(even though Clark never stopped or parked in the incident) but was changed,
after the fact (through legal court proceedings) to not riding as far
to the right as practical. The next hearing on the ticket will be held
in Ann Arbor on March 20th.
New Local Bicycle Report Available
A new report is available that presents a rather thorough summary of
the current status of bicycling in Ann Arbor and surrounding areas while
at the same time comparing the city with Boulder, Colorado and Madison,
Wisconsin. The full report, "Successful Bicycle Planning: Adapting
Lessons From Communities With High Bicycle Use To Ann Arbor and Washtenaw
County" is available at http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jlevine/downloads/bikereport.pdf
and soon as a link on the WBWC web page.
While the full report is over 110 pages long, the basic message of the
report is that Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County was once a rising star in regards
to encouraging bicycling, but along the way has stumbled, and rather badly
at that. Yet still, the report states there is great potential for the
Ann Arbor area. Other highlights of the report include..
- Harassment of bicyclists in Boulder/Madison is almost
non-existent, but a growing problem in Ann Arbor.
- Boulder and Madison have twice as many bike lane
miles compared to Ann Arbor.
- In the last 10 years, bicycle use has increased in Boulder
and Madison while use in Ann Arbor has at best stayed the same.
- Ann Arbor has a part-time, currently unfilled, Bicycle
Coordinator position in the city government. The University of Michigan
has no personal to deal with bike/pedestrian issues. Boulder has a full
time bike/pedestrian planner, a full time "bike to work week"
coordinator and two employees in a Streets and Bikeways Maintenance
office to deal only with bicycle issues. Madison has a full time bike/pedestrian
coordinator and a full time bike/pedestrian safety educator. The University
of Wisconsin in Madison has a full time bike/pedestrian coordinator.
- Ann Arbor spends 3% of its transportation projects
budget on bicycle facilities. Boulder spends 14%.
- Boulder has a "Close Call Comment Line" for
cyclists to call in harassment attempts, as well as a Bicycle Violators
Seminar which cyclists attend who have been ticketed for traffic violations.
- Both Boulder and Madison have significant and on-going
elementary school educational efforts.
The study suggests that to create a visible, viable and safe bike transportation
system in Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County, the following is needed…
- Create sheltered bike parking.
- Improve snow and ice removal as they relate to cycling.
- Improve bicycling conditions at the University campuses.
- Connect the Ann Arbor bike network with the University
North and South Campuses.
- Complete the Huron River path system.
- Carry out a major high profile intervention transforming
a central area Ann Arbor Street into a pedestrian and bike facility.
- Debate and adopt bike transportation goals, objectives
and targets by Ann Arbor.
- Adoption of a bicycle program and appointment of a Bicycle/Pedestrian
Coordinator by the University.
- Set up a multi-modal (i.e. Non-Motorized Coordinator)
transportation unit in the Ann Arbor city government.
Ann Arbor Bicycle Coordinator Position
In early February, 2002, it was reported in the Ann Arbor News
that the Ann Arbor City Council agreed to not only spend over $600,000
for the construction of two new non-motorized paths (in the Jackson Road
and Barton Drive areas) but is also considering a revision of the City’s
Bicycle Master Plan. While this news is very encouraging, there
is also some potential very bad news in that Ann Arbor is considering
the elimination of its part-time Bicycle Coordinator position.
Quite simply, the elimination of the Bicycle Coordinator position would
be a massive blow to not only those interested in bicycling as a form
of transportation and recreation, but to the non-motorized movement in
general.
Letters, e-mails and telephone calls are needed to members of the Ann
Arbor City Council and the Mayor thanking them for there recent actions
on making the City more bike (and pedestrian) friendly, but also asking
them to keep open the position of the Bicycle Coordinator and to explore
the option of a full-time Non-Motorized Transportation Coordinator.
While letters to the Ann Arbor City Council from Ann Arbor residents
will have the most impact, letters 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 call…
- Thank the Ann Arbor City Council, and the Mayor, for allocating funds
for two new non-motorized paths, as well as considering a review of
the Ann Arbor Bicycle Master Plan.
- Urge the Council/Mayor to not only keep the City Bicycle Coordinator
position open, but to consider the establishment of a full-time Non-Motorized
Transportation Coordinator position.
- The continuation of the Bicycle Coordinator position demonstrates
a commitment to alternate forms of transportation.
- The Coordinator position helps make sure that Ann Arbor will obtain,
and spend appropriately, the federal and state non-motorized transportation
funds the City is entitled to.
- In the past, the Bicycle Coordinator has accomplished such varied
tasks as improving bike parking options, making sure bike-specific road/pathway
maintenance is performed, spearheaded May Bike To Work Week activities,
conducted bike safety education courses in schools and works to implement
the Ann Arbor Bicycle Master Plan.
Sample Letter
Dear _________ (Addresses are below the sample letter)
I would like to first commend the Ann Arbor City Council for recent actions
that will result in two new non-motorized paths in the City. I am also
very encouraged that the City is considering a review of its Bicycle Master
Plan.
At the same time, however, it is my understanding that the City is considering
the elimination of the part-time Bicycle Coordinator position. I strongly
oppose any such action.
At a time when auto traffic, pollution and urban sprawl are increasing,
the City of Ann Arbor needs to be doing more, not less, to promote non-motorized
transportation. By maintaining the Bicycle Coordinator position, the City
Council would be sending a very strong message that they are committed
to promoting alternate means of transportation.
In the past the Bicycle Coordinator has been a very beneficial asset
to the City, promoting safe bicycling courses in schools, helping obtain
funds for non-motorized projects, improving bicycle parking facilities,
running the annual "Bike To Work Week" activities and updating/implementing
the Bicycle Master Plan.
Rather than eliminate what is now the part-time position of Bicycle Coordinator,
the City should explore creating a full-time Non-Motorized Transportation
Coordinator that would not only work on bicycle projects, but also those
issues that deal with pedestrians.
I again commend the City for recent actions to improve non-motorized
transportation while urging that the Bicycle Coordinator position not
only be retained, but be converted into a full-time Non-Motorized Transportation
Coordinator position. Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Your thoughts on this issue would be very much appreciated.
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.
Mayor
John Hieftje (D)
1800 Traver Rd. 48105
669-5855
JHieftje@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
Ann Arbor City Council
WARD 1
Jean Robinson (D) Robert M. Johnson (D)
1020 Cedar Bend Dr. 48105 1413 Culver 48103
662-6303 769-7507
JRobinson@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us RJohnson@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
WARD 2
Joseph Upton (R) Michael Reid
2019 Seneca 48104 1070 Chestnut 48104
995-8934 MReid@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
JUpton@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
WARD 3
Jean Carlberg (D) Heidi Cowing Herrell (D)
1902 Independence Blvd. 48104` 2896 Sharon Drive 48108
769-4493 973-3125
JCarlberg@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us HHerrell@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
WARD 4
Stephen C. Hartwell (D) Marcia Higgins ®
417 Sumark Way 48103 1512 Marian Ave. 48103
663-7872 662-0487
SHartwell@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us MHiggins@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
WARD 5
Christopher S. Easthope (D) Wendy Ann Woods (D)
520 W. Madison St. 48103 1035 Newport 48103
662-4412 663-7092
CEasthope@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us WWoods@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
Bicycling and Walking in Ann Arbor (another way
to help!)
Additional people are needed to sign up for the Northeast Area Plan Transportation
Advisory Committee. The consultants are doing a good job planning for
more biking, walking, and transit, but a lot of the people on this Committee
think biking and walking are jokes. Help is needed! It's easy to
sign up. Call 994-2800 or email wrampson@ci.ann-arbor.mi.us
and say you want to be on the Northeast Area Plan TCAC and ask for a meeting
schedule. That first step doesn't commit you to attend meetings,
but if you haven't called beforehand, you can't vote at a meeting.
Bike Month Help Needed
Volunteers are needed to staff information tables at literature displays
during April and May. Specifically, assistance is needed for an Earth
Day display (April 21) at the Leslie Science Center in Ann Arbor, as well
as information tables at the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti farmers markets on
May 11th and 18th (both days are Saturdays). Volunteer
shifts are generally for two-hour blocks of time. If interested in helping,
please contact Bob Krzewinski at 487-9058 or e-mail wolverbob@cs.com.
Motorist Receives 45-year Sentence In Cyclist
Road Rage Death
Sending a strong message to motorists who vent their rage on the road,
a judge sentenced an Illinois man to 45 years in prison for intentionally
striking a bicyclist with his SUV and killing him. "It happens every day;
most people shake it off, but some choose to escalate it further. They
let their ego get the best of them,'' Judge
Kenneth Wadas told Carnell Fitzpatrick. "They have to show they have the
edge; in this case, a Chevrolet Tahoe definitely has the edge over a bicycle.
He mowed him down.''
Fitzpatrick, 31, held his head in his hands and shook in disbelief as
his friends and family groaned and sobbed in the packed courtroom. Fitzpatrick
was convicted of first-degree murder in December 2001 after a jury found
that
he had used his 1997 Tahoe as a weapon against bicycle messenger Thomas
McBride.
Before sending Fitzpatrick off to prison, Wadas said growing incidents
of road rage required him to issue a harsh sentence. Fitzpatrick had faced
20 to 60 years for the death of McBride on April 26, 1999. "I've been
practicing law for the last 26 years, and I have never been involved in
road rage cases. ... I've had two in the last few months,''
Wadas said. "It makes me conclude there is more road rage out there than
meets the eye. This sentence, I hope, will deter others from the crime.''
On Feb. 4, Wadas sentenced Edwin Valentin to 45 years in prison for using
his car to force his girlfriend's car into a fatal accident after the
two had argued. Prosecutors said McBride's death was the first case of
road
rage in which a bicyclist was killed by an angry driver seeking revenge.
Fitzpatrick was convicted of running over McBride as McBride rode from
his Oak Park home to the Chicago Loop. McBride slapped the hood of Fitzpatrick's
sport-utility vehicle and cursed at him for nearly hitting McBride. Fitzpatrick
apparently gunned the engine, drove up behind McBridge and struck the
bicycle's rear tire before running over McBride. Fitzpatrick fled but
turned himself in to police a short time later. McBride's family said
both families lost loved ones.
In a tearful victim-impact statement read in court, McBride's father,
Robert, called the youngest of their five children a loving son who was
full of life. The family has started an endowment fund in Thomas' name
at Harold Washington College, which has issued two $600 scholarships so
far, Thomas' mother, Mary Ellen McBride, said. "When you take someone's
life, the punishment is that your life as you know it is taken away from
you,'' Mrs. McBride said. "It's not a happy day for both families.'' Fitzpatrick
apologized to the family but insisted, as he did during the trial, that
the incident was an accident and he never intended to strike McBride.
"It was an accident,'' Fitzpatrick said in barely audible voice. "I never
meant to hit Mr. McBride or to kill him, none of that; it was an accident.''
But during the trial, witnesses said he sped up to hit McBride, and after
the bicyclist fell on the side of the street, he quickly drove off with
the mangled 10-speed bike dragging underneath and sending sparks flying.
Wadas said Fitzpatrick's two drug convictions in 1991 and 1994--each time,
he received 24 months' probation--played a factor in the sentence. Bicycle
messengers hailed the sentence. "We want to send condolences to his family;
regardless of the sentence, it doesn't bring him back,'' said Pat Vecchio,
a spokeswoman for Dynamex, where McBride worked for several years. "It
was absolutely unnecessary for McBride to lose his life because this guy
was acting out. Maybe it will raise the level of awareness to people for
the potential consequences of their actions.''
Third Graders Who Get It
A class of Maryland 3rd graders are lobbying that states legislature
to make "walking" the official State
exercise...and they realize the benefits of walkability far beyond just
exercise. They brainstormed about the benefits of walking, organized their
points, wrote letter drafts, gave each other feedback, nailed down their
arguments, then launched their campaign.
They promoted the physical side. "Walking is good because it doesn't
pollute the population," wrote Victor
Bonilla. "We'll have less traffic," wrote Nevile Tiller. "We won't cause
gas and bacteria to mix together and have problems." "It gives weak people
exercise and gets people strong and very healthy," wrote Dakari Abramham.
"Because if people did not have exercise they will be humongous and very
truly fat."
They highlighted the social benefits. "You get to know nature and your
surroundings better when you walk. You
can also spend more time with your family," wrote Emily Haislip. "Some
people walk to talk to each other," wrote Dennis Navarrate. "Some people
go walking to the store and buy ice cream." Jenice Rubio wrote, "While
people walk, they could see other people walking and they could meet each
other. If you have a dog, you could take it for a walk and then people
would like to pet it."
No loophole was left open. "It can improve the risk of car accidents,"
wrote Michael Douglas. "Walking should be our state exercise because walking
is free!" exclaimed Hannah Kenton. "You can walk with friends or by yourself,"
wrote Emma Gorin. "Just put one foot in front of the other and you'll
get the hang of it."
For the complete article visit: http://www.sunspot.net/features/lifestyle/bal-to.bill06feb06.story
or
http://www.thirdage.com/news/archive/ALT02991029-02.html.
A related article can be found at http://www.usatoday.com/life/health/doctor/lhdoc124.htm
Walking Away Depression
Duke University researchers say a brisk walk or jog around the track
three times a week may be just as effective in
relieving the symptoms of major depression as taking anti-depressant medications.
The study looked at 156 patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder
who were prescribed exercise,
medication or a combination of both. A study spokesman says that after
16 weeks individuals in all three groups
experienced statistically significant and similar improvement.
Writing in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the spokesman says exercise
may be just as effective as medication,
and in some cases a better alternative, for patients suffering severe
depression. Why exercise provides such
a major benefit remains unclear but patients who took the anti-depressants
saw their symptoms relieved sooner. But by 16 weeks, the group differences
had disappeared.
It's possible the structured and supportive atmosphere of the program
helps. And researchers suggest such
exercise may help patients get a "sense of mastery" over their condition,
giving them a feeling they are taking an active role in trying to get
better.
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.
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....
March 7 WBWC Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor
April 4 WBWC Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor
April 21 Earth Day – WBWC Bicycling/Walking exhibit at Leslie
Science Center celebration
May 12-18 Bike To Work/School/Shop Week
May 17 Bike To Work/School/Shop Day
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