Archive of past newsletters

WBWC September 2003 Meeting
The next Board meetings of the WBWC will be held on Thursday, September 4^th, starting at 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. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Congress Cuts Bicycle And Pedestrian Funding – Part 1
Communities counting on federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects will have to shelve their plans, if a measure recently passed by the House Appropriations Committee becomes law. The Committee voted on July 24th to eliminate funding for the popular Transportation Enhancements program from the federal transportation budget for 2004.

Representative Ernest Istook (R-OK) chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee which drafted the bill eliminating the funding. 'In a time of falling resources, you need to make decisions of where the greatest need is,' explains Micah Swafford, Rep. Istook's press secretary. 'For years we have siphoned off funds from highway repair and construction.'

Representative John Olver (D-MA) led an attempt to restore the program in committee action, but the amendment failed by a 29 to 33 vote. "The Transportation Enhancements program is tremendously valuable, and I will fight to save it," said Olver, who said he would offer another amendment when the measure comes up before the full House of Representatives in early September. "Bicycle and pedestrian trails are among the most popular Transportation Enhancement projects," Olver added. "Not only do these trails provide a means for recreation, commutation and fitness, but they can also attract people into downtown communities and serve as a magnet for economic development."

Since 1991, the Transportation Enhancements program has built 8000 bicycle and pedestrian projects in communities large and small across the country. "Transportation Enhancements account for less than 2¢ of every Federal surface transportation dollar," says Keith Laughlin, President of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. "For less than 2¢ per dollar we get a popular program that supports locally-initiated transportation projects in communities across America. Those who would eliminate this program believe
that every single Federal penny should be spent on highways. I urge Congress to reject such short-sighted thinking."

"'Rep. Istook's argument about falling resources is not reflected in the numbers,' counters Martha Roskowski of advocacy group America Bikes. The federal transportation budget approved by the Appropriations Committee on July 24, 2003 was $33.3 billion, an increase of $1.7 billion over 2003 spending. Enhancements was expected to be funded at about $600 million in 2004.

The budget now moves to a vote by the full House of Representatives, expected in early September. Supporters of the Enhancements program, including America Bikes and other organizations, are mobilizing to convince Congress to guarantee full funding for the Enhancements program."

To help community leaders and reporters, America Bikes has created a fact sheet and resource guide to answer questions about the implications of eliminating the Enhancements program, which can be viewed at http://www.AMERICAbikes.org/saveenhancements.asp.

Congress Cuts Bicycle And Pedestrian Funding – Part 2 – Your Help Needed
As many people as possible are needed to contact their Congressperson and ask them to restore the funding set-aside for the transportation enhancements program. This is due to be voted on on the House Floor the first week of September, so it's important to call, fax, or e-mail NOW!

Since time is of the essence, a simple 90-second telephone call to your U.S. Representatives office is the most effective way of making your voice known. Simply call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202/224-3121 and ask for your Representatives office.

When the Congressional aide answers the phone, state that you bicycle and walk and want the Representative to restore the funding for the transportation enhancements program in H.R. 2989, the spending bill for the federal transportation program. To send e-mails, visit www.house.gov, enter your zip code, and you will find links to your U.S. Representatives web page, through which e-mails can be sent. You will also find fax telephone numbers on your Representatives web page (a sample fax letter is below).

Some congressional offices say the full Appropriations Committee "fixed the problem" and restored the funding.  This is absolutely not the case.  Flexibility on the part of each state to use the dollars on enhancement projects will not work if there are no dollars specifically set-aside for this purpose.  Each state always had the flexibility to use dollars for these purposes before ISTEA came along and they rarely did.  TE projects will slip to the bottom of the priority list despite all good intentions. 

Thanks in advance for your help on this important and timely issue.

Sample Letter To Congress

Dear Representative ______________,

The U.S. Congress faces a very important vote on the House Floor in September. H.R. 2989, the spending bill for the federal transportation program. Section 114 of that bill zeroes out funding for the transportation enhancements program.

Proponents of the bill say that the enhancement program will still exist in the re-authorization bill, and that states will have the flexibility to spend their general highway dollars on enhancement projects. However, this condition would take the nation back to the state of affairs in 1991, when these types of projects hardly ever happened. Budget constraints and highway project cost over-runs will ensure that these critical transportation enhancements never get funded.

The transportation enhancements program has done more to inspire community revitalization, create safe places to walk and bicycle, restore historic transportation infrastructure, and spark hometown pride than any other transportation program. These projects have made American communities better places to live.

For less than one percent of the total transportation budget, there is more balance in our transportation system. There is room for personal choice in transportation modes. I trust that you will make the right choice in supporting an amendment to restore the funding for the transportation enhancements program as outlined in the Administration’s original bill.

Sincerely,

Waterloo Township vs. "One Helluva Ride"

In July, the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society (AABTS) held their annual "One Helluva Ride" (OHR) bicycle tour (so named as some routes go through Hell, Michigan), which takes cyclists through Waterloo Township, west of Chelsea. It was very unfortunate this year that there was a fatality on the OHR, due to a cyclist having a stroke on a quiet section of road with no motor traffic involved.

After the OHR was over, the AABTS received a call from the Waterloo Township Chief of Police informing the club of numerous complaints by local residents of cyclist behavior, including running stop signs and using private property. Informing the AABTS that the costs associated tending to the deceased OHR cyclist cost over $600, the Chief indicated that the Waterloo Township government very well may require the AABTS to not only have a permit for future OHR’s, but also to post a bond. A few days after the telephone conversation, the AABTS actually received a bill from the Waterloo Chief of Police for $600+ for emergency services associated with the deceased cyclist riding on the OHR.

At the present time, the AABTS is consulting with an attorney on the actions of Waterloo Township.

Ann Arbor Streets For Bikes
Proposals recently surfaced from the City of Ann Arbor and the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to establish bike lanes on select roads that are currently almost unusable for cyclists. Specifically the City of Ann Arbor is proposing to convert West Huron Street and Jackson Road from four lanes to traffic to new design with only three lanes (two directional and one turning) with bike lanes along the curb area. Also, the DDA is proposing bike lanes for the downtown section of Huron Street, as well as Fifth and Division.

Ann Arbor Bandemer Park Path Construction To Begin
The Ann Arbor City Council in early August approved a $190,000 contract to build a paved, multi-use path through Bandemer Park. The path will be 10 feet wide and construction is expected to begin by early September. Earlier this year, the City of Ann Arbor held hearings on the alignment of the path, which originally would have been close to the Huron River but now will be next to railroad tracks that parallel north Main Street. When completed, the path will be part of a proposed east-west countywide pathway as well as a loop route around Argo Pond.

Ann Arbor Police Department Officer Training Program Established
The Ann Arbor Police Department will be conducting an internal class for police officers in September that is designed to be a resource for officers to enforce laws relating to bicycling and will be useful for both motorist and bicyclist enforcement. It is designed to be taught by police officers for police officers, and consists of approximately two hours of course material. It should be noted that regular Ann Arbor officers, and not just police cyclists, are receiving this training. In addition, board members of the WBWC and Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society have been invited to attend the training in an observer status.
This program is part of NHTSA's National Strategies for Advancing Bicycle Safety. A technical advisory group, consisting of police officers, representatives from the LAB, IPMBA, USA Cycling, LEBA, transportation agencies, bicycle advocacy groups, and bicycle safety experts have assisted in the curriculum development. The curriculum includes a strong element on why enforcement is important, with statistics and other crash data, and also highlights the most important violations and enforcement techniques.

A sincere commendation goes out to Officer Kathy Vonk of the Ann Arbor Police Department for her hard work on setting up this very important training.

What Cyclists Endure…(And Why Paved Shoulders Are So Important)
In June, WBWC Vice Chair Kris Talley reported on the following situation that she encountered. For the record, Kris is actively involved in a WBWC project to prioritize the paving of road shoulders most often used by cyclists throughout Washtenaw County.

"Last Friday, I sent a list of questions to the Washtenaw County Road Commission about accommodating bicyclists on County roads.  On Saturday morning, I was run off Scio Church Road just east of Wagner by a double-bottomed gravel truck. 

I looked into my rearview mirror at about the same time I heard a loud blast of a horn, and saw it approaching fast with no signs of moving over. I aimed for the gravel shoulder and got there just before it blew by. It was an easy maneuver and I didn’t come close to crashing, so I was able to use the resulting adrenaline to keep up with the truck. I was hoping it was heading for the gravel pit west of Wagner, and was gratified when I saw its brake lights go on in the distance right about where I thought the pit driveway was, and turn in.  By the time I made it to the driveway, there was no sign of it, so I started to follow the road down into the pit.  After the road turned to dirt and I still couldn’t see the truck, much less the bottom of the pit, I figured that might not be the best place to chat with the driver anyway.

I rode up to the nondescript trailer at the pit entrance, went inside, and told the woman (dispatcher?) there that one of their trucks had just run me off the road.  She seemed genuinely concerned and got the driver on the radio.  I heard the driver ask "Can she hear me?" and then go on to tell me that he had been following all the "MDOT rules" and that bikes didn’t belong on the road anyway.  The dispatcher gave me the mike and showed me how to use it, and the driver and I went back and forth that way for a bit. At one point I pointed out that I had nowhere to go but off the road because his truck took up the whole lane and he wasn’t moving over, and he said, "Well, du-u-uh." Then he said he’d come up in a few minutes.

The woman told me that "Catfish" was really very nice and completely harmless, but I could stay in the trailer with her while I talked to him if I wanted. He came in, all 300 tattooed pounds of him, and started in again on how he didn’t do anything wrong, I didn’t belong on the road, where was the license plate for my bike, how much did I pay in taxes to ride my bike on the roads, bikers should stay on the paths that were built for them, and more of the usual crap.  All this was easily answered, so he went off on several tangents about how cars are always cutting off trucks on the highway but if there’s an accident it’s always the truck’s fault, and (joined at this point by a few other truckers who had come in) how truckers pay so many taxes they can barely stay in business.   Presumably for this reason, he said, "I’m not a prick, but when I get behind the wheel of that truck, I’m a prick."  Because of the weight of his truck, he could do what he wanted when it came to bikes. "The only thing that can hurt me is running into a tree or another truck like mine."  I asked whether that meant he could he do what he wanted to cars too and he said that was right. I asked whether he could just run red lights when he was in the truck and he said, "Pretty much, yeah."  He said, "My ex-wife used to tell me I thought I owned the road when I got into that truck. I told her I don’t think I own the road, I know I own the road."

During all this I learned that because of construction on Liberty, gravel trucks are being rerouted onto Scio Church, and will be until at least mid-August. (Maybe others were already aware of this, but I guess I had only used Scio so far this year on Sundays when the trucks don’t run.)   Scio is hillier than Liberty, so the truckers can’t see as far ahead. Catfish eventually came
around to saying that he came up over a hill, saw me, and didn’t have enough time to slow down. There was oncoming traffic so he had no choice but to "spook me off the road."  (Yes, I would say this implies he was traveling too fast for conditions.) 

As depressing as all this sounds, we did all come to one agreement there in the trailer that it was pretty outrageous that Scio Church has no paved shoulders.  I mentioned that I had just been in contact with the WCRC on that very issue and asked if they would be willing to go to the WCRC and support paved shoulders. They were very enthusiastic about this and said if someone brought in a petition, every trucker would sign it and they would take it around to all the gravel pits in the area and everyone would sign it.

Now I have no idea whether that might be valuable or not. I imagine many of the truckers are not county residents, for one thing. The gravel companies, on the other hand, do reside here. (This particular one is Tri-City Aggregates.)  It might be interesting to form an unholy alliance of bikers, truckers, and gravel companies to ask for paved shoulders on Scio Church from, say, Maple to Zeeb and see what happens. 
Interestingly, later in my ride that day I noticed that it appeared that paved shoulders had been added to Cavenaugh Lake Road after it the last time it had been paved, on the uphill side of at least two hills.  One of my questions to the WCRC was whether this was possible, and Cavenaugh Lake certainly made it seem like it was.

Another thing that should happen soon is a communication from as many bike groups as possible to the gravel and/or trucking companies, reminding them that Scio Church is a popular bicycle route and they need to recognize that while they’re detoured onto that road.  If that means driving below the posted speed limit so that they can react to bicycles in the road, that’s what they have to do. It would be nice if this could be backed up by a statement from the Washtenaw Sheriff’s Office somehow. The woman at the gravel company said that she hears at least two reports a day of truckers having "encounters" with bicyclists on that route.

I didn’t report the incident to the Sheriff’s office for a couple of reasons, but am still considering talking to them about it to see what they have to say. From everything Catfish said, he represents a hazard to anything on the road that is not another truck, but I’m guessing they won’t do anything about someone with an attitude like that until someone is actually hurt by him."

Ann Arbor Pedestrian Rights Actions
The City of Ann Arbor Environmental Commission Transportation Committee has been actively working on documents that would given pedestrians concrete legal rights, including a Pedestrian Bill of Rights and pedestrian ordinances. Initial pedestrian actions include:

Adopt "Pedestrian Bill of Rights."

1. The freedom to walk with independence, comfort and safety, and with reasonable "peace of mind",

2. A complete and unimpeded network of pedestrian ways through urban areas,

3. Safe, well-maintained, well-lit walkways, without obstructions or barriers,

4. Right-of-way at all pedestrian crossings, especially near schools,

5. Safe and convenient access to common destinations and other modes of transportation,

6. A public educated on the health, social, environmental and economic benefits of walking, and a driving public that is aware of pedestrian safety issues.

• Adopt FHWA "National Bicycling and Walking Study" Goal of doubling the percentage of total trips made by bicycling and walking while simultaneously reducing by 10 percent the number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed or injured in traffic crashes. The goal for Ann Arbor would be 18% of commuting trips by the 2010 census, constituting a doubling of the 9% of commuting trips found in the 2000 census.

• Adopt modified pedestrian section of Michigan Uniform Traffic Code.
• Planning ordinances should be changed to ensure that appropriate pedestrian LOS is provided both in all developments and subsequently affected areas.

• Adopt Sprinkle Consulting Inc. Pedestrian LOS measurement.
• Set standard that Pedestrian LOS should track with population density, with LOS A provided at highest density, LOS B or higher at middle density, and LOS C or higher at lowest density.
• Maximum pedestrian delay at traffic signals should be 1 minute.
• To allow for senior citizens, differently-abled citizens, children, and parents with children to cross streets safely, a crossing speed of 3 feet/sec should be used in general when timing signals for pedestrian crossing, and either a crossing speed of 2.5 feet/sec should be used where more than 10% of pedestrians are or will be in these groups, or a system that detects pedestrians and extends signal time for them as needed should be used.
• Pedestrian signals should show "Walk" for the largest fraction of the corresponding traffic signal "Green" phase possible.
• Only traffic signals that have operating pedestrian triggers may change from standard operation to "Flashing" mode overnight.
• The AAPD should record all complaints of violations of pedestrian rights. The record must include a valid tracking number, the complaint, the location (address if available), date and time, and any follow-up that was done. Aside from data with confidentiality concerns, this complaint record should be available to the public. The records should be kept as long as other citation records.
• The AAPD should create a high-profile position responsible for follow-ups from pedestrian complaints, crosswalk sting operations, and knowledge of pedestrian safety.
• The AAPD should conduct traffic enforcement operations at not less than 1 crosswalk per week for a total of not less than 2 hours per week including a rush hour.
• City staff who operate city vehicles should receive training and periodic refreshment training in safe operation of vehicles around pedestrians and pedestrian facilities, laws and ordinances regarding pedestrians and vehicle interactions with pedestrians, and sensitivity to pedestrian concerns.
• Safe, marked crosswalks should be established on major roads every 300 feet or less at useful locations for pedestrians unless the city demonstrates that less than 100 people live within a 5 minute walking distance of the potential crossing location.
• The City should keep permanent public records of all locations where pedestrian facility ordinance violations are reported, the date and time of complaint, the violation, and what was done in response to the complaint. Aside from data with confidentiality concerns, this complaint record should be available to the public.
• Under the requirements of Michigan Act 51 section 10k, the accommodation for the percentage of trips done through nonmotorized means in Ann Arbor should receive the equivalent percentage of Act 51 disbursements to Ann Arbor, in addition to any amounts spent on non-motorized transportation from special assessments, federal or state grants, millage funds, or the Ann Arbor general fund.
• The City should designate high-priority pedestrian routes that will be cleared or enforced for clearance within 24 hours of significant snowfall events.

SEMCOG Bicycle Map Available
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), a regional association of county, city and township governments, has just published bicycle maps for six southeast Michigan counties, including Washtenaw. The maps show roads (with traffic volume and road shoulder information), shared use paths, parks, bicycle safety information and bicycling resources. The maps can be obtained by calling SEMCOG at 313/961-4266 or visiting www.semcog.org and e-mailing the organization through their website.

Study: Michigan Took Wrong Turn On Roads
According to a June 25th story published in the Ann Arbor News, "Michigan passed over funding for bike paths and public transit and instead emphasized road construction that did little to relieve congestion or air pollution, according to a study released today. The study by the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation, which funds research on ways to improve the Great Lakes environment, looks at how seven Midwest states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, spent their federal transportation dollars over the past 12 years.

"Michigan spent the least among the Midwest states on repairs, despite having the worst bridges in the nation and the highest percentage of roads in fair to poor condition in the region, the study notes. It spent the most on new roads. That's expected to change under Gov.Jennifer Granholm's 'fix-it-first' philosophy. 'We're on the leading edge of a crisis,' says Kelly Thayer, transportation project manager with the Michigan Land Use Institute in Beulah and a contributor to the study. 'The Legislature is fighting hard to have some of the new-pavement programs come first. We can't afford to expand the system while we're allowing it to fall apart.'...". For more information on the report, visit…

http://www.transact.org/PDFs/ms2002/state%20fact%20sheets%20al-mo.pdf.

Walk To School Day

On Wednesday, October 8, 2003, Governor Granholm is hoping hundreds of Michigan schoolchildren will start their day with an early morning walk to school through the Walk to School Day program sponsored by the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports and the Michigan Department of Community Health.

During this event, the adults involved will complete a survey to help identify trouble spots (scary dogs, poor visibility, lack of sidewalks, unsafe crossings) that prevent kids from walking to schools on a regular basis. The goals for this program are to…
• encourage physical fitness
• raise awareness of traffic/walking safety
• evaluate how walkable a community is and where improvements can be made
• create environmental awareness of air quality around schools
• provide a quality experience for families

For more information about the Walk To School Day, including free materials, visit http://www.michiganfitness.org/walktoschool2.html or http://www.walktoschool-usa.org.

Streets, Federal Policy Are Mean And Lean, Report Says
Despite pedestrian and cyclist deaths accounting for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities, only 0.7 percent of federal transportation money was spent on pedestrian and cycling facilities in 2001, according to a new study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP).

The study, Mean Streets, heralds the 27-fold increase in federal spending on such projects over the past decade--from $11.6 million in 1992 to $313 million last year. But that figure, the STPP says, is not enough. No state spends more than 2.7 percent of their transportation budget on pedestrian and cycling projects. And some $700 million in federal money earmarked for such projects went unspent last year, the study said.

Mean Streets breaks down federal funding for transportation projects by state. Alaska, New Mexico and North Dakota ranked highest in percentage of federal transportation funds spent on cycling and pedestrian projects from 1998 to 2001. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) show that Alaska and North Dakota suffered more cycling fatalities per capita (3.9 and 2.3 per million, respectively) than the national average in 2000, while New Mexico's cycling fatality toll (1.2) was below the 2.5 national average.

West Virginia, South Carolina and Texas spent the lowest percentages of their federal transportation budgets on cycling projects. South Carolina and Texas spent 0.2 and 0.3 percent, respectively. West Virginia spent nothing.

First-ever Look at Midwest Spending for Transit, Rail, Bike Paths Released

A new study by the Joyce Foundation finds that the Midwest -- long the nation's transportation hub -- is falling behind in addressing traffic congestion, air pollution, and other critical transportation problems.

The study examines Midwest spending on transit, rail projects, road repair and other improvements since the 1991 passage of ISTEA, the federal transportation bill, which is currently up for reauthorization in Congress. The study reports that over $42 billion in federal transportation dollars went to the Midwest, funding major projects in Chicago, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and other Midwest cities to improve bus service, create bike paths and repair roads. But the region has lagged behind in vital areas, such as increasing transit ridership and improving air quality. Meanwhile, traffic congestion costs the Midwest more than $10 billion annually; freight-rail tie-ups in Chicago (the world's third-largest intermodal port) slow down shipments nationally; and promising light-rail and high-speed rail projects remain stalled for lack of funds.

"Federal transportation laws have brought some dramatic improvements in our region over the past decade," said Ellen Alberding, president of the foundation. "But serious problems remain. Traffic congestion, air pollution, streets that are unsafe for people riding bikes or kids walking to school: problems like these erode the quality of life in too many communities.

We have made a start at doing something about them, but we have a long way to go. Federal incentives for transit, for improving air quality, and for making our streets safer would help us get there. At the state level, we need to spend the money more creatively, to move people and goods safely and efficiently while strengthening our communities and safeguarding our environment." More details on the report are available at http://www.joycefdn.org/.

Conserve by Bike Act Approved by U.S. Senate
Recently, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the Conserve by Bike Act as an amendment to the Senate Energy Bill. Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Act. The House of Representatives adopted a Conserve by Bike Amendment to H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act,
on April 11. When the Senate completes action on its full Energy Bill, a conference committee will meet to work out differences in the two energy measures.

Because both the House and the Senate have approved identical Conserve by Bike language, it is virtually assured of passage when the House and Senate conference committee meets to work out the differences in their two Energy Bills. Senate passage of the Energy Bill and conference consideration will not begin until after Labor Day. Once both Houses agree, the President must sign the Bill into law before the US DOT can begin to determine what the pilot programs should look like. For more details on the Conserve by Bike Act, visit http://www.bikeleague.org.

Pedestrian and Cyclist Equity Act of 2003 Introduced
On Wednesday, June 18th, Congressman James L. Oberstar (D-MN) introduced the Pedestrian and Cyclist Equity Act of 2003. PACE calls for $250 million a year in funding for Safe Routes to School infrastructure and education projects across the country, with every state guaranteed at least $2 million. For more information, visit www.americabikes.org/saferoutes.aspto or http://americabikes.org.

Bicycling Online Advocacy Center
The League of American Bicyclists has started a new online bicycling advocacy center at http://www.bikeleague.org. In just a few weeks, over 1,200 concerned cyclists have already used the program to contact their Members of Congress to urge them to fully restore funding for Transportation Enhancements for fiscal year 2004 and on other issues. Enhancements funding was recently eliminated by the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee. To express your concerns, just visit http://www.bikeleague.org and click on the "Enhancements May Be In Danger" button. You can determine who your Senators and Members of Congress are and send them a message on this issue and other issues of importance to bicycling.

Presidents Council On Physical Fitness Promotion
Lynn Swann, Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and NFL Hall of Fame member, today launched http://www.presidentschallenge.org, a new interactive Web site to help all Americans build a regular physical activity routine. The site is fun, easy to use, and there is no cost to participate. "We need to find ways to keep kids and families interested in getting physically active. By allowing people to chart success and receive awards, we are taking steps to build a healthier U.S.," Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. John Burke, President of Trek Bicycle Corporation and President of the Bikes Belong Coalition, is a member of the President's Council and played a role in the development of the new program.

The site is in response to growing concern for the health of Americans due to the continuing rise in the prevalence of obesity, one of the most serious chronic health conditions today. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese; 15% of children are overweight. The problem costs an estimated $117 billion in 2000 and accounts for at least 14% or 300,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.

You can work toward a Presidential Active Lifestyle Award by participating in regular physical activity 5e days a week for 6 weeks, tracking daily efforts in a private log. Adults should be active for at least 30 minutes of daily activity; kids for at least 60 minutes each day. Log on to http://www.presidentschallenge.org, select an age category and register as an individual or part of a group. Over 100 physical activities are listed. If you are already physically active, you can earn the new Presidential Champions award online. As a subtle reminder, if you remain on the site for more than a few minutes, a message appears to log off and start moving.

Cleveland Radio Station Encourages Assaults On Cyclists
On July 2nd, the Cleveland, Ohio, Clear Channel Communications radio station, WMJI, ran a lengthy call-in show all about how bicyclists shouldn't be on the roads, and how to harass them for being there. Some of the suggestions were merely juvenile but others were lethal. For instance, one DJ suggested speeding past a bicyclist, having your passenger open the door, and put on the brakes.

Lois Cowan of Century Cycles in Solon, Ohio, heard the show and was appalled. She called the station and was able to go on the show several days later to explain about bicyclists' rights to use of the road, the dangers of harassment, and other topics. She was treated badly by the DJs and listeners. She then got the word out to bicyclists around the country and Clear Channel and their Cleveland affiliate, WMJI, were flooded with emails, phone calls, and letters.

Even after the abuse, Ms. Cowan pointed out that she didn't want to "get even" but, rather to "get results." As she put it, "I don't want this to escalate into an 'us versus them' debate and make things worse.  I just want to try to educate the public that bicycles are considered vehicles, cyclists are allowed on the roads and that we should all share the roads."

By July 11th, Clear Channel and the station had seen the light. They agreed to run pro-bicycling PSAs, donate money to bicycling causes, help with education programs and Safe Routes to School efforts, support the America Bikes agenda, and apologize publicly for their transgressions.

As Chuck Smith of the Ohio Bicycle Federation put it, "Thanks to the magic of bicycle advocacy on the internet, and the hard work of local Cleveland area advocates including my good friends Lois Cowan of Century Cycles and Dom Liberatore, their 50,000 watts will soon be working for cycling through PSAs rather than against us through extremely loose talk."

NHTSA Releases "Bikeability" Checklist
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has posted its Bikeability Checklist on the Web. The checklist is designed to be used by adult and child cyclists to assess and identify potential remedies to conditions they may encounter when biking in their communities." The Bikeability Checklist was created in cooperation with the folks at http://www.bikeinfo.org and can be found at …
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/Bikeability/index.htm

Michigan Foundation Raises $20 Million For Greenways

According to a July 7th column in the Detroit Free Press, "The handsome new wood-planked footbridge invites you across. From the shady walking loops on Huroc Island in Flat Rock, unexplored terrain awaits on a route that will stretch for miles, almost to Metro Airport. It's still unexplored, unfortunately. What greets you on the other side of the bridge is a short road of crushed rock that's horrid underfoot, a couple of utility substations -- and then you're stymied by railroad tracks. Sometime next year, you'll be able to get to the path that ends about a mile away inside Oakwoods Metropark. Just not today. "This bridge is, nonetheless, the first tangible sign of great promises to come through the GreenWays Initiative, launched two years ago by the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan. More work is scheduled this year at several sites...many more projects are on the drawing board. The Community Foundation has raised $20 million toward its $25-million goal, and so far has awarded just $3.6 million in grants. Minus the few odd administrative costs, that leaves a lot of money for actual work before Dec. 31, 2005, when the program is slated to end..." The complete article is available at http://www.freep.com/voices/columnists/ebarb7_20030707.htm

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. Memberships started after December 2003 are also effective for all of 2004

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.

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.

Mark Your Calendar....

September 4, 2003 - WBWC Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor

October 2, 2003 - WBWC Monthly Meeting, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor

November 6, 2003 – WBWC Annual Membership Meeting/Board Elections – Location TBA

December 4, 2003 - WBWC Monthly Meeting/Officer Elections, 7pm, Ecology Center, Ann Arbor