Bikeboard September 2012

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17 participants
28 discussions

Re: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Connecting Communities
by Chip Wamsley 17 Sep '12

17 Sep '12

I like the New Hampshire version, I agree with Butch that it most likely won't be enforced but would be good to have on the books when a driver does hit a cyclis and then maybe it would be enforced. -----Original Message----- From: "Graber, Stephen" <sggraber(a)hsc.wvu.edu> Sent 9/10/2012 11:37:28 AM To: "Frank Gmeindl" <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com>, "bikeboard(a)bikemorgantown.com" <bikeboard(a)bikemorgantown.com> Cc: "Eric Henrickson" <moxiemeister(a)hotmail.com> Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Connecting Communities I favor repeal of 17C-11-(a) and 17C-11- 5 (c) (Far to the Right and Mandatory Side Path) as both limit cyclists rights to use reasonable roadways safely and completely. As for 17C-7-3 I favor the amendment in the original document rather than the New Hampshire version. I doubt the legislature would reject it because they feel 3 ft is enough so we might as well go for 4 ft. Hard to believe it would be enforced, regardless. ------------------------------------------- Stephen G. Graber Biochem & Mol Pharmacology PO Box 9142, HSN-3122 West Virginia University Morgantown, WV 26506-9142 phone: 304-293-2305 ------ _0 ------ _ \<,_ ---- (*)/ (*) From: bikeboard-bounces(a)bikemorgantown.com [bikeboard-bounces(a)bikemorgantown.com] On Behalf Of Frank Gmeindl [fgmeindl(a)gmail.com] Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2012 10:29 PM To: bikeboard(a)bikemorgantown.com Cc: Eric Henrickson Subject: [Bikeboard] Fwd: Connecting Communities Bicycle Board Members, Thanks to Chet and Traci for responding to my message below. Nobody said anything about the proposal to add a 4-foot passing law and I've been giving it some more thought. The main reason I proposed a 4-foot law is that PA recently passed one and 4-feet seemed to be better than 3-feet which most states have. Then, I wondered if since most states have a 3-foot law and only PA has a 4-foot law, would the legislature reject the 4-foot law but maybe look more favorably on a 3-foot law. In my opinion, practically speaking, a fixed distance for passing doesn't make much sense. Wouldn't you want a vehicle that's traveling 65 mph faster than you to give you a little more space than a vehicle traveling 10 mph faster than you? So, instead or a 4-foot law, I would like to propose a law such as New Hampshire's that says, "... at least 3 feet when the vehicle is traveling at 30 miles per hour or less, with one additional foot of clearance required for every 10 miles per hour above 30 miles per hour". What do you think? Frank Begin forwarded message: From: Frank Gmeindl <frank.gmeindl(a)comcast.net> Date: September 4, 2012 1:00:49 PM EDT To: bikeboard(a)bikemorgantown.com Subject: Fwd: Connecting Communities Bicycle Board Members, At last week's meeting with Kasey Russell, Bill Austin and Christiaan Abildso, Kasey asked me to think about a legislative agenda for Connecting Communities. (Recall that in her white paper, she gave two examples: 3 foot passing law and a self-imposed tax on biking community.) Well, I've given it some thought and wrote the attached document. Please read it and tell me what you think. Feel free to mark it up using track changes and comments and return it to me. Also, check In it, I am recommending 4 legislative changes: Repeal 17C-11-5 (a) which requires bicyclists to ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable. Or, if not repeal, add exceptions such as when preparing to make a left turn, to avoid hazards such as debris, glass, holes, dogs, etc. and when the road is too narrow for a bicycle and vehicle to travel safely side-by-side within the lane. Repeal 17C-11-5 (c) which says, whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway. Amend 17C-7-3 which addresses overtaking and passing to require motorists to allow 4-feet when passing a bicyclist and to pass at a prudent reduced speed. Adopt the 2009 MUTCD. As you know, I have always resisted messing with legislation because I think most people and perhaps especially legislators hate bicyclists so once they turn their attention on us, we can only but lose out; especially competent bicyclists that operate their bicycles as vehicles. All 50 states have a law that says every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle. Considering the level of bicycle friendliness that WV government has demonstrated, I wouldn't be surprised if WV were the first state to repeal that law or modify it so that we're not allowed on the roads anymore. Nevertheless, there seem to be more and more well-meaning people who are not competent bicyclists promoting new laws and changes to existing laws so I feel compelled to be proactive rather than reactive. Kasey is a Charleston City Councilor and an experienced lobbyist. I think she's capable of getting something good done for WV bicyclists. She told me that she was 5 years old when she last rode a bike and she's afraid of bicycles. I'm sure she's getting legislation recommendations from all over the state. Since we're one of the few places in WV that has an organized body of bicycling experts, i.e. the BB, our recommendations might get attention. If you're interested, http://bikemorgantown.com/bikelaw.php has links to relevant law. I look forward to your responses. Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles _______________________________________________ Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard(a)bikemorgantown.com http://wvcompletestreets.org/mailman/listinfo/bikeboard

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Last BB meeting?
by Derek Springston 17 Sep '12

17 Sep '12

Hey guys, I was just curious to know what was decided on my mapping and GIS work over the next year. Have meeting minutes been sent out? Did I miss something? Thanks, ~Derek -- *Let deeds, not words, be your adorning. -'Abdu'l-Baha* *“Every time I see an adult on a bicycle I no longer despair for the future of the human race.” -H.G. Wells*

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Connecting Communities
by Frank Gmeindl 11 Sep '12

11 Sep '12

Bicycle Board Members, Tomorrow at 8 am, Christiaan, Bill Austin and I will meet with Kasey Russell at Waterfront Place to discuss her new organization, Connecting Communities. Kasey is a Charleston City Councilor. From the attached, " Connecting Communities will provide a unifying voice for citizens, elected officials, and policy leaders to address smart growth and a complete transportation system for our state." What do you think? Frank D. Gmeindl Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board LCI #1703 491 WilsonAvenue Morgantown, WV 26501 304-376-0446 Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles

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Fwd: new white paper
by Frank Gmeindl 10 Sep '12

10 Sep '12

FYI, legislation recommendations sent to Connecting Communities Begin forwarded message: > From: Frank Gmeindl <fgmeindl(a)gmail.com> > Date: September 10, 2012 7:47:14 PM EDT > To: Kasey Russell <russell.kasey(a)gmail.com> > Cc: Don Spencer <dspencer36(a)comcast.net>, Bill Austin <baustin(a)labyrinth.net>, Dennis A Strawn <dennis.strawn(a)highmark.com>, Gary Zuckett <garyz(a)wvcag.org>, John Manchester <jmanchester(a)lewisburg-wv.com>, Patrick Donovan <pdonovan(a)njrati.org>, Patrick Donovan <Pdonovan(a)dot.state.wv.us>, Christiaan Abildso <cgabildso(a)mail.wvu.edu> > Subject: Re: new white paper > > Hi Kasey, > > When we met in Morgantown on September 28, you asked me to think about a legislative agenda. Attached, please find CClegislationV06.docx: "WV Connecting Communities Legislative Agenda: > Proposed Bicycle Legislation Changes". This represents the consensus of the Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board. In it, we recommend that Connecting Communities work to: > Repeal WV 17C-11-5 (a) which requires bicyclists to ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable. > Repeal WV 17C-11-5 (c) which prohibits bicyclists from riding on the roadway whenever a usable path is provided adjacent to the roadway and requires bicyclists to ride on the path. > Amend WV 17C-7-3 to require motorists to pass bicyclists at a distance not less than 4-feet at a careful and prudent reduced speed. > Adopt the 2009 Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices > > The document contains rationale and substantiating data for the recommendations. > > Also, please find attached, Connecting Communities-MgtnBB.docx. This is your white paper marked up by the Morgantown Bicycle Board. Please see the changes and comments made using track changes and comments in MS Word. Mostly they make it more exact, clear and correct. Also, we suggest that the vision statement should create a clear image of the future state that we want to achieve. For example, "Our vision is people walking and bicycling to their neighborhood grocery store and kids walking and bicycling safely to school". > > We look forward to discussing these two documents with Connecting Communities members at the October 13 meeting. > > Frank D. Gmeindl > Chairman, Morgantown Municipal Bicycle Board > LCI #1703 > 491 WilsonAvenue > Morgantown, WV 26501 > 304-376-0446 > Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles > > > > > > On Sep 10, 2012, at 11:19 AM, Kasey Russell wrote: > >> Hi Don (I cc'd everyone so that you all can see where we are with the group and get the latest Connecting Communities White Paper (attached). Today (monday, sept 10), I am meeting with Senator Plymale. Tomorrow, Gary and I are meeting with Dennis Strawn to draft the motion to approve turning WVCA into Connecting Communities.) >> Now back to Don -- I added your suggested wording to the funding line. The self-imposed tax would obviously need a lot more thought and planning before we initiated something like that. We can discuss legislative agenda at length on Oct. 13th. >> I don't really have contacts for all the folks that need to be at the meeting on the 13th. I'm hoping that people like you (and everyone on this list) will help spread the word to make sure we get the right folks there. Who are the right folks: biking, pedestrian, safe routes to schools, wellness, rails to trails, mainstreet, other???? >> I am still working on location for meeting. Any ideas? Kent Spellman with the WVHUB is looking into the Caperton Center in Bridgeport (I think). >> Thanks, kasey >> >> On Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 12:32 AM, Don Spencer <dspencer36(a)comcast.net> wrote: >> Hi, Kasey – Thanks for including me in the feedback group. >> >> >> >> I appreciate the work that you have done and I would suggest adding the words …” to supplement use of federal and state transportation funds” at the end of the third bullet from the end. I fear that by talking about going after other funds that it will release the DOH from responsibility of using core funds for in-city ped-bike projects. >> >> >> >> Also, on the last bullet, I personally do not think that it strengthens the paper by suggesting the idea of a self-imposed tax on bicyclists. If you believe that some kind of tax is essential, I think that it would be better to suggest outright that there could be a graduated excise tax on the sale of each bicycle everywhere in the state. The tax would need to be dedicated specifically to support and maintain cycling related infrastructure. Then having specific examples in each locality would seem to be important. People probably would not grumble in Morgantown if there were rail trails, signage and climbing lanes to be maintained (if the funds collected would be returned to Morgantown), but I am not sure that it would sell in a lot of communities where there is no identified “bicycle-related infrastructure” unless the funds were, again, being returned to the communities with identified “bicycle benefits” to be maintained. In Morgantown our problem with our trails is that we have to continuously repair slides and slumps – which we cannot always afford to do without state and federal support. >> >> >> >> Do you anticipate envisioning the taxing of pedestrians for sidewalks, shoulders and trails? Sidewalks are essential but so is having a funding stream dedicated to maintain the sidewalks. Would the legislation need to address some state-local partnership issues? >> >> >> >> One key issue that you mention, of course, is the state bicycle plan. What would be the state bicycle plan look like? Who would put it together? What resources and references would be used? >> >> >> >> I look forward to the next meeting. Will other specialists on bicycle/ped policy and planning be able to join us? Thanks so much for your leadership. >> >> >> >> Don >> >> >> >> >> >> >> <Connecting Communities.docx> >

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Arlington bike/walk infographic
by Chet Parsons 07 Sep '12

07 Sep '12

>From their Bike Arlington / Walk Arlington group. Wonder what it would take to get them to allow us to use it? Chet

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Quorum for tonight
by Frank Gmeindl 06 Sep '12

06 Sep '12

Bicycle Board Members, Six members have notified me that they won't attend tonight's meeting. We'll still have 7, a quorum if the following show up Gmeindl, Graber, Liebig, Newcome, Rosenbaum, Walker, Wamsley. Derek submitted several ideas of things he wants to work on so here's an updated list of what will be on the flip charts at the start of tonight's meeting. Leader Item Helpers Bike racks at schools Alice Bicycle safety programs at schools Alice Colin Create single track trails in the City Derek Update our BikeMorgantown.com website to an ArcGIS Explorer Online platform. Can show benefits at next meeting or through sharing link, if interested. Derek Compete bike parking site location data collection along with photos Derek With bike parking data, complete analysis of parking gaps in Morgantown Derek Revisit SLMs and Share the road sign mapping to make sure still current and available. Derek BB to Consider placing proposed bike facilities (SLMs, signs, bike lanes, bike parking, trails, etc) on bikeMorgantown.com. Could come from existing bike plan GIS files or new identified wants Derek Request for other BB members to suggest what they'd like to see the GIS team to consider. Chet said he'd help on any GIS work. See you tonight! Frank

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SRTS webinar today at 2
by Frank Gmeindl 06 Sep '12

06 Sep '12

Engaging Policymakers: How Site Visits and Events Can Inspire Policy Change to Support Your Program Registation: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5053583384676796928

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Matt Watson presents tonight 6:30 Suncrest Middle School
by Frank Gmeindl 05 Sep '12

05 Sep '12

Bicycle Board Members, This is a reminder that Matthew Watson will be presenting tonight at 6:30 pm to the Suncrest Middle School Parent Teacher Group his petition to have a bicycle rack installed at the school. It would be good if some BB members were there... and very cool if they showed up on bikes and locked them to appropriate facilities:) Frank

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Bikeboard September 2012