Ladies and Gentlemen,
I apologize for not having responded earlier. I have been
dealing with other issues. I believe that Don’s comprehensive listing of
items below are in line with the specification of any good transportation plan.
As we have been discussing the development of a scope of work for the Urban
Area’s Long Range Transportation Plan Update a key element has
been the development of the bicycle and pedestrian portion of the plan. Our
concept has been to create an inclusive Transportation Plan for all surface
transportation modes-bicycle, pedestrian, highway and transit with each mode
coordinated to maximize mobility in the area and to reduce the negative impacts
that can be associated with transportation, such as safety hazards, green house
gas and other emission pollution, run off pollution, reliance on foreign oil
etc. while at the same time maximizing the positive aspects of alternative
modes such as energy conservation and the potential health benefits of walking
and riding. Ultimately, it is about providing citizens with a variety of viable
alternatives to get around the community. In this light the bicycle plan
will gain the most credibility with potential funding sources such as DOH when
they can understand how it fits into the whole transportation system. If the bicycle
and pedestrian elements are justified in the same manner as the highway and
transit elements of the plan then it becomes much more likely that they can be
funded especially in light of the new Federal initiatives supporting these
modes. To this end I anticipate that the ultimate RFP for the Urban Area Plan
Update will include very significant consultant time devoted to the creation of
this portion of the Plan which will include the items listed by Don below. However
it will also have to have the project level focus shown in the Charleston Plan
to tell DOH exactly what projects need to be done where preferably in what
order.
The MPO Committee I have discussed with you will be the Steering
Committee for the bike and pedestrian portion of the LRTP. We will certainly
want to build on the work that has been performed to date and we will want the
Committee to provide additional insights from their experiences. We may be
fortunate enough that much of the work that has already been performed by the
Bike Board to date will simply need to be modeled, refined and given the right “sheen”
to meet the requirements of DOH and the Feds. From my perspective the most useful
thing the Board can do in preparation for the development of the plan will be
to continue to refine the ongoing evaluation of facilities in the area as the
basis for the initial evaluation of cycling in the area. I hope to
be able to meet with you this fall as we refine scope of work for the LRTP
Update. Much of what we will need to do will be determined by the outcome of
the Sustainable Communities Grant we are seeking. However, we will still need
to be refining the RFP as we are waiting to hear from the Feds on this
application.
Thanks,
Bill Austin, AICP
Executive Director
Morgantown Monongalia MPO
180 Hart Field Road
Morgantown, WVA 26508
304-291-9571
304-692-7225 Mobile
From: Don Spencer
[mailto:dspencer36@comcast.net]
Sent: Saturday, August 21, 2010 1:21 AM
To: 'Frank Gmeindl'; 'Bicycle Board'
Cc: 'Bill Austin'
Subject: RE: [Bike board] Bicycle Plan
Frank – I too strongly support the development of a
comprehensive bicycling plan, but I do have some reservations about the
applicability for the Greater Morgantown area of what I understand the Kanawha
and Putnam County Plan to be.
I think that it is prudent for us to proceed with an organization
of the plan which continues to gives prominence to the SIX E’s. The
framework of the K&P plan is essentially three large chapters which contain
lots of different types of information but does not give a structure which
would likely increase an understanding of the issues by our policy makers or
many other readers. Other important uses for a plan are 1) creating a means for
communicating with the League of American Cyclists; 2)
orienting/providing-a-reference our own new Bicycle Board members as new
members continue to join the board each year; and 3) providing clear background
for on-going, changing media personnel as to WHY we are doing each of type of
things that is being done. I do not think that the K&P Plan organization
would effectively serve each of those purposes for us.
1.
We certainly would need an overview and executive summary.
2.
We also need state-of the-art explanations on the importance of
cycling: its benefits, the priorities in creating bicycling friendly
communities, and an explanation of our existing conditions in the Morgantown
area.
3.
We need a description of local cycling’s government
environment and the relationship of cycling in the Morgantown to the WVDOT,
GMMPO, city and county government. Included with this could be an explanation
of the background of the planning process.
4.
We need an explanation of recommended national and state standards
or policies for infrastructure, signage, bicycle law, parking, inter-modal
interface, and bicycle driving and/or any other matter relating to streets,
roads, greenways or other classifications of thoroughfares.
5.
We need a section which, in light of the priority standards and
policies presented, provides a ranked list of recommended changes for
infrastructure and engineering.
6.
We also need overall policy goals/objectives/projected action steps
with rationale relating to education, enforcement, environment, evaluation, and
equality.
7.
We also need a plan for developing safe cycling to middle schools
and high schools as well as a description of collaborative planning with WVU.
8.
We need a discussion of our state and local bicycle law environment
and plans/priorities for change and advocacy.
9.
We need a financial plan for implementing priority cycling
improvements.
10.
And we need an ongoing plan which will describe a) on-going role of
the Bicycle Board, b) means by which infrastructure will be maintained, c) ways
by which education and training can be continued, d) methodology by which
progress of community cycling will be measured, and e) method by which new
planning will be continued.
Appendices: List of
governments participating in planning – including MPO, Morgantown Traffic
Commission and Bicycle Board; Vision/mission/guideline/membership of Bicycle
Board; MPO/City of Morgantown Complete Streets Policy; Street Design Guidelines
prepared by Dan Burden; MPO Non-Motorized Transportation Plan, WVU Bicycle Plan
Summary; County/City Transit Routes and Planning Summary; Bicycle Accident
Data; State Code information on bicycles; City codes on bicycles; Copy of DOT
Grant Award for Education to City of Morgantown; report on program
implementation to date; MRTC rail trail information; overview of League of
American Bicyclist’s Bicycle Friendly City Awards Program; list of cities
and states which have received League Bicycle Friendly City/State recognition;
summary of status of other municipal bicycle development in West Virginia, 2000
charrette survey results; other research reports; newspaper articles,
brochures; maps, pictures, illustrations, graphs; pocket with folded Bicycle
Map of Greater Morgantown prepared by the Morgantown Bicycle Board; pocket with
folded map of Rail Trails of North Central West Virginia; etc.
These are some suggestions for a
comprehensive foundation document. Hopefully this may help with the planning
for comprehensive planning; perhaps a committee can look this over along with
other ideas and responses from others. I am willing to help with the
preparation of a draft plan if requested.
Don
From:
bikeboard-bounces@cheat.org [mailto:bikeboard-bounces@cheat.org] On Behalf
Of Frank Gmeindl
Sent: Friday, August 20, 2010 9:58 AM
To: Bicycle Board
Cc: Bill Austin
Subject: Re: [Bikeboard] Bicycle Plan
Hugh, Nick, Chet,
Thanks for your affirmation of the need for us to have a
comprehensive plan. I doubt any BB member will argue against such.
I'd like to see some feedback on the substance of the plan.
e.g. What do you think of their organization for doing the plan?
what do you think of their process for identifying needs? for
defining improvements? What do you think of their planned improvements?
Frank Gmeindl
Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of
vehicles
On Aug 20, 2010, at 8:26 AM, Hugh Kierig wrote:
Frank
I
think that it would be a great thing to do, similar to the Pedestrian Safety
Plan that the Ped Board is taking through the approval process now.
Hugh
E. Kierig, AICP, Director
Department of
Transportation and Parking
West
Virginia University
Post
Office Box 6561
1112
Van Voorhis
Morgantown,
West Virginia 26506
304-293-9095
(o)
304-293-3939
(f)
>>> Frank Gmeindl <frank.gmeindl@comcast.net>
8/19/2010 7:52 PM >>>
Bicycle Board Members,
From
the very beginning of the Bicycle Board, some of us felt we need a
comprehensive bicycle plan. Our 2007 application for the LAB Bicycle
Friendly Community award was our attempt to organize such a plan.
Subsequently, we have continued to view our initiatives in the 5E
categories that I think helped us maintain a balanced on focused program.
Bill
Austin wants to create a Greater Morgantown Bicycle Plan. The Charleston
area MPO, Regional Intergovernmental Council, completed a walking and cycling
study 2 years ago. It can be found at
http://www.wvregion3.org/Transportation/bike-ped_plan.htm
I'm
wondering what you think of it because we could use it as a model.
Please
keep this among ourselves because Dennis Strawn from Charleston sent this to me
to help develop the presentation that we'll make to the statewide MPO
conference in October with the understanding that I would not distribute it
beyond the Morgantown BB.
Please
send me or to the BB your comments about the Charleston plan or about a Greater
Morgantown Plan. Ultimately, if we're going to develop a comprehensive
bicycle plan, we'll have to have a plan for how to do that:P
Frank
Gmeindl
Cyclists
fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles
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