Kansas City Bicycle Log |
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Posts, email, and ideas related to bicycling and bicycle advocacy. I post these mostly for my own convenience in being able to keep them archived and searchable, but if you get some use of them, more power to you! Among other interesting items here is a fairly complete record of my involvement with the grassroots effort in support of the BikeKC initiative in the Summer of 2002. You can find everything from press releases to letters to the city council to exhortations to other bicyclists to write letters to the editor. See what worked well and what caused us problems in the effort to pass BikeKC. From my point of view, this was almost a picture-perfect grass-roots movement. The result was that BikeKC was passed on August 15th, 2002. Now we have to work to make sure the plan becomes reality! Most of that is in the 8/25/2002-8/31/2002 archive.
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Wednesday, November 20, 2002
These are my further comments in support of TEA-21 re-authorization. You can (and should!) submit your own comments at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reauthorization/. Incorporation of bicycles as a design vehicle. In my opinion: 1. Bicycles should be be considered a design vehicle on every street and road, except these very few roads where they are specifically prohibited. 2. I support this statement from TEA21 but feel it should be further strengthened in TEA3: "Bicycle facilities and pedestrian walkways shall be considered, where appropriate, in conjunction with all new construction and reconstruction of transportation facilities except where bicycle use and walking are not permitted." My suggested improvement of this statement: "Bicycle facilities and pedestrian walkways shall be considered in conjunction with all new construction and reconstruction of transportation facilities except where bicycle use and walking are not permitted. Needs of bicycle and pedestrian roadway users must be met in all new construction and reconstruction. This need not invariably include the addition of special extra facilities, but every roadway should include design features that promote better cooperation and compatibility between motor vehicle users and pedestrians and cyclists." 3. ISTEA and TEA-21 include requirements for government bodies receiving TEA-21 funds to appoint bicycle/pedestrian coordinators. However, many states, counties, and cities do not have such coordinators in place. When Bike/Ped coordinator positions go vacant, government bodies have not been aggressive in filling them. The requirement for Bike/Ped Coordinators at every level should be strengthened, and stronger encouragement given to government bodies to fill these positions and keep them filled. Dr. Brent Hugh Missouri Western State College TEA-21 re-authorization--my comments in support of bicycle education These are my comments in support of TEA-21 re-authorization. You can (and should!) submit your own comments at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reauthorization/. Bicycle education. We know that one of the main impediments to the increased use of transportation alternatives in this country is a culture that devalues these alternatives and sees them as inefficient and unsafe. We know that education is one important way to change these attitudes. We know from the research that the number one way to improve the safety of bicyclists is to give them education and training in proper on-road cycling practices. We know that one of the main reasons people do not cycle for transportation purposes more, is that they are uncomfortable cycling in traffic and they do not know the proper and safe way to cycle in traffic. We know that cycling education can improve cyclists comfort level (and safety) in transportational cycling. We know that teaching cycling as a unit in public school physical education classes would meet the curriculum objectives for health and physical education set in most states and school districts. In particular, (1) many important coordination and movement skills are taught in a cycling class, (2) cycling classes teach responsible personal and social behavior in physical activity settings, and (3) cycling is one of the best lifetime health and wellness activities. These three are important points in most curriculum standards. For these reasons, I strongly advocate the inclusion of cycling education in the TEA-21 re-authorization, and particularly endorse the promotion of cycling education as a regular part of the public school education. Cycling education should be an important part--a vital part--of a Safe Routes To Schools program. --Dr. Brent Hugh Missouri Western State College |