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July-August 2005League Designates Ann Arbor a Bicycle-Friendly CommunitySixteen cities across the United States can celebrated national Bike to Work Week with the news that the League of American Bicyclists (LMB) awarded them the coveted designation of “Bicycle Friendly Community”. The award, given at levels from Bronze to Platinum, recognizes those communities that are improving conditions for bicyclists and bicycling safety. Locally, the WBWC applied to the LMB for the award, providing these details about the state of local bicycling support. The awards were as follows: Gold Curb Your Car Month OverviewThis year in Ann Arbor, May was designated as “Curb Your Car” month, with elements of the national Bike To Work Week and Bike To Work Day tied in to the event. The overall goal was to get people out of their cars and on their feet or bike pedals. A part of Curb Your Car Month was the GetDowntown Commuter Challenge from May 1st through the 28th. In the Commuter Challenge, organizations competed against those of a similar size to get the highest percentage of employees using sustainable modes of transportation during their daily commute during the month of May. Winners: 10-24: 25-99: 100+: Number of Participants: 754 Overall, there were 21 local events in Curb Your Car Month, four focus events (Try Transit, Use Your Feet, Get out and Bike & Share a Ride) and an estimated 1000 attendees. One other part of Curb Your Car Month was Ann Arbor Mayor Hieftje’s Bicycling Ambassadors. Modeled after a program in Chicago, the Bicycle Ambassadors aim to promote and encourage cooperation and mutual respect between all road and sidewalk users. Ambassadors engage people directly in a friendly and non-confrontational way to provide information and answer questions on how cyclists, pedestrians, and motorists can share space. This year there were 19 Ambassadors taking part in the Curb Your Car Month Kick-off on May 2nd, the Moonlight Delight on May 6th, and the Ann Arbor Book Festival on May 21st . It was estimated that 450 people were engaged in “Share the Road” dialogue: Sponsors & Supporters of Curb Your Car Month included 4th Ave. Birkenstock, Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, Ann Arbor Cyclery, Ann Arbor News, Ann Arbor Observer, Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, Bank of Ann Arbor, City of Ann Arbor, Clif Bar, Dan's Cruisers, Downtown Development Authority, Great Lakes Cycling and Fitness, KingsLake and Crain Premium Granola, Performance Network, RelaxStation, Seva, Timbuk2, Tortoise and Hare, Two Wheel Tango, Vitosha Guest Haus, Washtenaw Biking and Walking Coalition, Whole Foods & Zingerman’s Deli Participants in the month long Commuter Challenge included the Altarum
Institute , Angelini & Associates, Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce,
Ann Arbor DDA, Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor Observer, Ann Arbor
Transportation Authority, ApplEcon, Arbor Brewing Company, Berg &
Associates, Inc., Big Ten Market, Center for Simplified Strategic Planning,
Center for the Advancement of Clinical Research - UM, Charles Schwab &
Co, City of Ann Arbor, Ecology Center, English Language Institute-UM,
Fourth Ave Birkenstock, Great Lakes Cycling & Fitness, i3 Statprobe,
IAS, Interalab, Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice, JJR/SmithGroup,
Kerrytown Concert House, Limno-Tech, Inc, Mathematical Reviews, National
Poverty Center, Ford School- UM, National Wildlife Federation, North American
Students of Cooperation, NVFEL / U.S. EPA, Peoples Food Cooperative, Peter
Allen and Associates, Pfizer Inc., Q LTD, Rudolf Steiner Health Center,
School of Information- UM, School of Music- UM, The Greenway Collaborative,
Inc., Toyota Technical Center, Two Wheel Tango, UM - Library Information
Technology, University Center for the Child and the Family- UM, University
of Michigan Health Systems, University of Michigan Law Library, University
of Michigan School of Public Health, University of Michigan Temporary
Staffing Srvcs, Washtenaw County, Washtenaw County - Brownfield Program,
Washtenaw County Trial Court, Washtenaw Technical Middle College and Zingermans
Deli Cross Country Trail Huron River BridgeIn early June, a public hearing was held, with WBWC Board members in attendance, at the Scio Township Hall on two permit applications to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to build non-motorized bridges over the Huron River as part of the cross-county non-motorized trail. One of the bridges is proposed northwest of Dexter in Hudson Mills Metropark, and the other is east of Dexter. A decision by the MDNR is expected in July. State of Michigan Plans "Get Outdoors" DayOn Saturday, July 23rd, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is planning its first “Get Outdoors”, or GO, Day. The event, a cooperative effort between the DNR and a number of recreation groups, is hoping to be the biggest one-day outdoor event in North America. On GO Day, special events are planned for most Michigan state parks as well as many county, city and metro area parks. State officials are expecting 500,000 to 750,000 people to take part. For more information on GO Day, visit the DNR website. WATS Bicycling SurveyThe Washtenaw Area Transportation Survey team has put together two surveys soliciting comments from pedestrians and cyclists on the facilities for non-motorized transportation in Washtenaw County. This is a great opportunity to provide input to this important policy-making group. Washtenaw Community College Earth Day ReportOn Tuesday, April 14th the WBWC joined with the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, The Farm, the Huron Valley Green Party, Project Grow, Huron Clinton Metroparks, Releaf, Honda (hybrid cars out on the patio), and the Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy in the annual Earth Day display at Washtenaw Community College. The event ran from 9am until 3pm and the WBWC was able to distribute
a fair amount of bicycling and walking information to those passing through
the display area. At the same time it was interesting to see what the
public really wanted in the way of resources. Requests included a listing
of local bike shops, a statewide bike trails map (people just don’t
know where to ride their bike), more items for walkers and literature
about Safe (Walking) Routes To Schools. Walking School Bus AppreciatedOver the past year or so, members of the WBWC have been involved with the “walking school bus” concept where adult volunteers head out walking to a school and have children join up on the journey. This gives many parents a sense of security knowing that their children are getting exercise while walking to school while at the same time being supervised by a responsible adult. One letter coming to the WBWC from a local parent was as follows… Thanks to the organizers for initiating the Walking School Bus at (Ann Arbor’s) Bach Elementary, and especially to the few participants. I've always wished my kids could experience the fun, fitness, and responsibility of walking to school, as I did from K through college. My older son met with the Walking contingent at West Davis and 5th Street on numerous occasions, and, once he started third grade this year, he has also ridden his bike to and from school with me several times. Once his little brother starts Kindergarten next year, I plan to send them walking together, possibly without us. Thanks also for the notice that Ecology Center friend and Washtenaw Bicycle and Walking Coalition member Brenda Bentley-Goenka will discuss the health benefits of walking on May 5th at the Ann Arbor Public Library. Thanks and Regards,
Lucinda Means Passes AwayOn Wednesday, April 27, Lucinda Means, Executive Director of the League
of Michigan As a real, living memorial to Lucinda, the “Lucinda Means Bicycle Advocacy Fund” was recently established to further the mission to which Lucinda so passionately dedicated her life. Lucinda's friends who wish to honor her life and vision are encouraged to contribute in her memory. Establishing an endowment fund, with proceeds used to support the League of Michigan Bicyclists' mission -- making Michigan a bike-friendly state, was a key part of Lucinda's vision for the League. At the discretion of the LMB Board, the Fund may also support other organizations that benefit bicyclists, pedestrians and communities. "By establishing Lucinda's Fund under the aegis of the Capital Region Community Foundation, the LMB also enables donors to get up to a 50% credit on their Michigan state tax returns, as well as a federal tax deduction. Because contributions go to the Fund's principal, no more than five percent of which can be spent annually, investment earnings will continue to grow the Fund's principal in perpetuity. To make a donation, please send your check to: The Capital Region Community Foundation, 6035 Executive Drive, Suite 104, Lansing, MI 48911. Be sure to write Lucinda Means Bicyclists Endowment on the memo line of your check. If you have any questions about the Fund, please contact the LMB office through the LMB webpage at www.lmb.org. Transportation Bill UpdateOn June 30th, the U.S. House and Senate passed the eighth extension to TEA-21 federal transportation law since it expired on September 30, 2003. These extensions are due to the fact that the House and Senate cannot seem to agree on a new federal transportation bill that would also contain funding for non-motorized projects. Since the situation on the transportation bill is so fluid, for updates readers are urged to visit the America Bikes (a coalition of bike and pedestrian friendly groups and organizations) at www.americabikes.org. Complete Streets Legislation Fails in the SenateIn April, Senator Tom Harkin introduced legislation known as the Safe and Complete Streets Act of 2005 to help create more sidewalks and bike paths, and improve pedestrian and bicycle safety. The bill would encourage federal, state, and regional agencies that receive federal transportation funding to incorporate pedestrian and bicycle safety measures when communities are built or modernized. The legislation also would commit additional resources to the 'Safe Routes to School' program. 'A community with sidewalks and bike paths encourages people to get outside and live more active lives,' said Harkin. 'We can do more to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety, and make it easier for Americans to walk or use bicycles for work, errands, exercise and enjoyment. This initiative will not only create safer streets but it will also promote healthier lifestyles, encourage interaction in neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for communities across the nation.'..." Unfortunately, a vote on the Safe and Complete Streets Act was defeated by a vote of 53 to 44 in the Senate in the course of work on a new federal transportation bill. While this was a somewhat close defeat, in a way the legislation was a milestone in that it was the first time that the complete streets concept was debated and voted on in either chamber of Congress. It also should be noted that both Michigan Senators Levin and Stabenow voted in favor of the Act. Other groups supporting the Safe and Complete Streets Act included AARP,
America Bikes U.S. Conference of Mayors Continues Push for "Complete Streets"Despite a defeat on “Complete Streets” legislation in the U.S. Senate, on June 13th, The United States Conference of Mayors passed a resolution in support of a Complete Streets agenda. "Complete Streets" is a vision of a "seamless network of on-street bicycling and walking facilities, trails and transit connecting homes, jobs, schools, shops, families and friends. At its 73rd Annual Meeting, the organization -- led by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Des Moines Mayor Frank Crownie -- urged Congress and the Administration to require state transportation departments and metropolitan planning organizations to adopt Complete Streets policies and called upon the U.S. Department of Transportation to support such efforts through best practices, technical assistance, and other means. The mayors, with help from Kevin McCarty of the Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP), included the Complete Streets directives in a broader resolution dealing with renewal of the Nation's current transportation law, TEA-21. According to our own Bill Wilkinson, "This is yet another example of the power of a coalition like STPP. The combined efforts of bike/ped advocates would fall well short of our goals without the experience and access that STPP's programs and staff lend to our mutual interests. For the record, here's the language of the relevant passages: "BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the United States Conference of Mayors calls upon Congress and the Administration to adopt legislation that requires state transportation departments and metropolitan planning organizations to adopt 'Complete Streets' policies; and "BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. Department of Transportation support state and local transportation agencies and their efforts on complete streets, through best practices, technical assistance and other means." In the same resolution, they also supported Safe Routes to School and Enhancements funding: "BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors urges the Congress and Administration to recognize that safe routes for bicycles, pedestrians and other non-motorized transportation are still inadequate in many metropolitan areas by establishing the Safe Routes to School Program and also support maximum funding for the Transportation Enhancements Program." A 450k pdf of all resolution may be downloaded at:http://tinyurl.com/7os54 [See page 174] Find out more about Complete Streets. Michigan Sidewalk LegislationCurrently in the Michigan House and Senate, legislation is being considered that would mandate that of the 1% of the Michigan Transportation Fund dedicated to non-motorized transportation ½ be used for sidewalk construction only. The legislation, SB338 in the Senate and HB4555 in the House, has already had some debate in, and outside the State government. Proponents are focusing on the need for additional sidewalks around the state. Opponents are saying that a strict mandate of ½ of the 1% non-motorized funding for sidewalks may lead to serious cutbacks on multi-use trail (i.e. bicycle and pedestrian) construction, as these typical 10’ wide trails are much more costly to construct than narrow sidewalks. Michigan DOT Chooses Grayling for ModelAccording to a May 19th Crawford County Avalanche article, "Michigan Department of Transportation officials are using the City of Grayling as a model to show how to make a community bicycle friendly. MDOT planners are working with the City of Grayling's bike path committee to form designated bike paths which will allow residents to travel safely around the town and travel to Crawford County's paved pathways. Work crews on Tuesday began painting designated bike lanes on roads where residents can travel. "The city's bike path committee, which was formed last fall, has been studying options where additional paved paths could be developed in the community or where connections and bike routes can be made using existing infrastructure. MDOT has obtained federal funds to complete some of the initiatives. 'The city is going to become sort of a teaching tool for engineers,' said Dave Sabin, the city attorney and chairman of the bike path committee..." Newly Launched Web Site Encourages Active LifestylesTo help promote bicycling, Andy Clarke, executive director of the League of Michigan Bicyclists, and Tim Blumenthal, executive director of Bikes Belong, unveiled a nationwide Web site designed to encourage people to lead more active lives: www.activetransportation.org. The Web site was created by Active Living by Design, a national program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and will be managed by the League of American Bicyclists and Bikes Belong. “Our vision is to see walking and bicycling as widely accepted forms of behavior for transportation and recreation,” said Richard Killingsworth, outgoing director of Active Living by Design. “We’re delighted to launch this site and put its management in the capable hands of the League of American Bicyclists and Bikes Belong.” Guidelines: Analysis of Bicycle Facilities InvestmentsIn a recent note, David Loutzenheiser of Planners Collaborative invited readers to field test a new web tool -- "Guidelines for Analysis of Investments in Bicycle Facilities." The guidelines are the culmination of 18 months of research by the University of Minnesota, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Planners Collaborative of Boston, Mass. The aim is to provide planners,engineers, and project managers with estimates of costs, demand (use), and benefits for a proposed bicycle facility investment. To date, the team has identified bicycle facility costs, created a methodology to determine demand, and identified six benefits of cycling. They have translated this research into a web-based tool and now need help in field testing the guidelines. The online tool provides instructions for its use, including data needs and a glossary of terms. Users are asked to enter information about the goal of their inquiry (costs, demand, and/or benefits), spatial and demographic data about the area surrounding the proposed facility, and physical information about the facility itself. David asks readers to apply this tool to an existing facility in your area (or a proposed facility). For more information, contact David Loutzenheiser at drl@thecollaborative.com. Active Living Research Reports AvailableActive Living Research has released three new Research Summaries that present solid science in a format useful for policy makers, planners, developers, public health officials etc. Each 4- to 6-page brief summarizes the latest research findings on the links between health and the way we build communities, presenting results from the latest peer-reviewed studies as short bullet points. A new summary, Designing to Reduce Child Obesity, shows the importance of giving children better access to healthy choices for both physical activity and nutrition. Updated versions of Designing for Active Transportation and Designing for Active Recreation present newly published research as well as new charts and graphics. All three can be downloaded from the Active Living Research website. Drivers Need To Pay More Attention In CrosswalksSeattle Mayor Greg Nickels unveiled a new public safety campaign Wednesday aimed at crosswalk safety. It was touted as the city's largest pedestrian safety campaign in recent history. Seattle is always rated as one of the most walkable cities in the country and Mayor Nickels said he wants to keep it that way. The campaign includes three television commercials, three radio advertisements, 16 new pedestrian signs and three billboards. The signs and billboards read "Drive carefully, think of the impact you could make," and they include images of two pedestrians flying through the air as if they've been struck by a vehicle. Each year, more than 400 pedestrians are struck by vehicles in Seattle. That boils down to more than one collision a day. "The 30 seconds ads are going to make some people feel uncomfortable, they are pretty graphic. But that discomfort is nothing compared with what a parent would feel if their child is hurt," said Nickels. Along with the advertisements, billboards and signs, the city will improve walking routes around a handful of schools and increase education for children. Web ResourcesTHE
HIGH COST OF FREE PARKING BBC POLL:
BIKE "MOST SIGNIFICANT INVENTION" THOUGHTFUL
PLANNING BEATS BIGGER ROADS BUS-BIKE
INTERACTION WITHIN THE ROAD NETWORK CREATING A WALKABLE COMMUNITY COUNTDOWN PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS: A COMPARISON
OF... SMART SCHOOLS, SMART GROWTH UPDATE
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