06.30.08
Posted in Advocacy, Alerts
by Margherita at 10:23 am
Comments on behalf of the Providence Bicycle Coalition (PBC): Long-Range Plan and TIP
Overall comments
- We commend the program for its honesty in identifying and presenting scenarios for outcomes based on current spending and priorities. This greater transparency is needed to understand the costs of different choices and help the public indicate where we want to make tradeoffs among them. That being said, however, the truth is that the plan remains a listing of disconnected projects, isolated within program stovepipes. It does not provide a coherent and holistic map of the state’s transportation system and alternatives, nor does it include in the cost/benefit discussions the costs avoided by greater reliance on alternative transportation modes or incorporate the currently external costs of pollution, human health impacts, and the physical destruction or degradation of our cities and landscapes. According to its own analysis, more than 60 percent of goals and measures in the last long-range plan were either not met, were considered inadequate to demonstrate progress, or were unsupported by data. Yet most of these measures are retained in the proposed new plan. For one egregious example: the plan states a goal of reducing serious bicycle injuries from 80 in 2001 to 75 in 2015, 71 in 2025, and 69 in 2030 — taking 30 YEARS to achieve a reduction of 11 injuries!! Clearly this says something about the need to rethink how we measure a successful system and suggests we should massively re-orient the plan from an inventory of programs to a set of key strategic outcomes. If more bikelanes and signage were installed in urban areas they would accomplish multiple outcomes — not only providing more support for cycling as an alternative mode, but also reduced traffic congestion and improved air quality; reduced wear and tear on existing roadway infrastructure, including bridges; less negative impact on neighborhoods and more opportunities for local travel; and reduced need for parking.
- Despite its stated goal to the contrary, and despite the public priorities identified in its own survey, the plan still focuses on moving cars, not people and goods. Bicycles, walking, ferries, and transit are given very little attention and fewer dollars. As summarized in Appendix B, the survey showed the public’s top three priorities were 1) commuter rail and sidewalks (tied); 2) bus, trolley, and special needs services; and 3) bike paths and lanes. Moreover, the top incentives for greater transit use were more frequency, availability of commuter rail from outlying areas, and reduced need to transfer (i.e., more one-seat destinations). Yet the overwhelming majority of the funding is allocated to highways and roads. Even within highways, there is no specific focus on the 1.2 percent of roads where 35 percent of the congestion occurs. We recognize that safety, particularly of failing bridges and other essential infrastructure, prevents immediate overhaul of budget priorities. Nevertheless, SAFETEALU does allow re-shuffling of funds; at least 60 percent of each core highway dollar can be used for any project eligible under the law. We ask that DOT and state planning listen to the public’s stated wishes and begin considering how to more effectively combine programs to achieve outcomes that are more than the sum of pots of money.
- We are in this dire situation because of the failure to adequately fund maintenance and even more because of the lack of a vision for what a successful 21st century system could be. What is lacking is boldness and an appreciation that this moment of skyrocketing gas prices and economic downturn is also a moment for change. If we cannot take advantage of this moment now, when the public is fed up and ready to support leaders with ideas, when will we? By the plan’s own analysis, every program is in the “sink” category. Transportation systems and their impacts arguably have more direct and indirect impact on our environment, economy, and quality of life than any other investment we can make. We can choose to operate more strategically — looking at desired outcomes, not programs — recognizing that promoting less vehicle use has the immediate advantage of increasing the life of existing infrastructure while also providing breathing space to shift to other modes, reduces the pollutants responsible for health and environmental impacts, improves overall safety, and begins to offer true choice to citizens. Rhode Island is small and dense enough to build a truly integrated system. It’s beautiful enough for us to care to make that happen — if not for us, then at least for our children.
TIP
- The bicycle program, with the exception of earmarks, will essentially disappear between 2008 and 2011 — this despite the fact that rising gasoline prices and other contributing factors are encouraging more and more commuters to take up cycling as a preferred transportation alternative. Moreover, even the earmarks are heavily oriented to suburban and recreational trails rather than ensuring safety of cyclists on city streets.
- The TIP’s insistence on looking at mass transit as the mode targeted at EJ and ADA communities only perpetuates its stereotype as the alternative of last resort. A system that works for these communities will work for everybody! SPO, RIPTA, and DOT should improve the system to accommodate all users in order to engender widespread public support.
- See comments above regarding lack of consideration for cycling/walking as viable and necessary transportation alternative. For example, the ~$50 million repair and rehab of the Henderson bridge should be re-evaluated. Is this highway to nowhere necessary? Does the bridge need to be configured exactly as it is at present? Current design does not even improve bicycle access.
- Also see comments above regarding disconnect among programs. The example of the I-195 realignment is telling. India Street along the waterfront will have been torn up and re-paved at least 3 TIMES during this process — for the highway construction itself, for the burial of the power lines, and for the construction of the Narragansett Bay Commission CSO interceptor and outfall. How can this happen? Surely the TIP should be the way these infrastructure activities can be coordinated.
- As PBC requested in the TIP discussion last fall, we request that every road project going forward include bicycle and/or pedestrian accommodation. This is the only way to begin shifting the priority from moving cars to moving people. In the interim, we want more signage, more bicycle racks, and more education of drivers and police about the rights and responsibilities of cyclists on the roads.
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06.25.08
Posted in Advocacy, Events
by Mark Dieterich at 9:12 am
| June 26, 2008 |
| 1:00 pm | to | 2:00 pm |
| 6:30 pm | to | 7:30 pm |
From Barry Schiller off the advocacy list:
Reminder that on Thursday, June 26 at 1pm and at 6:30pm in Room 300 of DEM (off Promenade St just west of I-95 in Providence) there are public hearings on both the 4-year Transporation Impriovement program (TIP) and the long-term Transportation 2030 plan. I hope some wil speak for both the bike paths and for on-road bicycling.
My take on the draft is that it puts most of the bike program (except for Congressional earmarks that cannot be used for anything else) on hold. Thus finishing the Blackstone, and bike paths/routes in Tiverton, Cranston, Jamestown, North Smithfield, Charlestown, Warwick and East Greenwich are all put off for the indefinite future after 2012. Once the earmarks are finished and Providence finally does the share-the-road signing and some striping, there will be no (Federally supported) bike program scheduled.
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06.20.08
Posted in Advocacy
by Eric at 7:53 pm
As gas prices continue to rise, it’s time to think outside the box…
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Posted in Advocacy
by Mark Dieterich at 11:40 am
I was curious what the RI Driver’s Manual had to say about bicycles. Not surprisingly, there wasn’t much in there. They have one small section, which oddly enough spends the majority of the time telling cyclists how to behave, rather than discussing how motorists should interact with bicycles. I think it could be helpful to have a RI Cyclist’s Manual, but this document isn’t that, it’s supposed to be a driver’s manual. So let’s have a look at what they say (with my comments intermixed):
Bicycle riders are given the same rights and must obey the same laws as drivers of automobiles. In addition, they should follow these rules:
- Bicycle riders should ride as close to the right of the road as they can safely do. They must cross the lane of vehicle travel to make a left turn.
Just so their is no confusion, §31-19-6 of the RI Motor and Other Vehicles law states that “Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction except where official traffic control devices (signs or pavement markings) specifically direct bicyclists to do otherwise.” The actual law covering left hand turns is a bit more complicated than the driver’s manual spells out, you can read §31-19-15 to get the full scoop.
- No more than two bicycles may ride side by side
§31-19-7 states ” Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two (2) abreast except on bicycle trails or paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two (2) abreast shall not unduly impede traffic and, on a laned roadway, shall ride within a single lane.”
- When there is a safe bicycle path near the roadway, riders should use the path rather than the road.
And this is where the problems start… there is nothing in the RI Motor and Other Vehicle Laws that state anything even remotely close to this. This statement does an injustice to the rights of cyclists to use the roads and does nothing but contribute a false legitimacy to the motorists who would like to see all bikes off the public roads. This should be removed from the driver’s manual.
- Any person 8 years of age or younger riding a bicycle or a passenger on a bicycle on a public highway, bicycle path or other public right of way must wear a certified bicycle helmet.
Time to update the manual, you got your facts wrong… §31-19-2.1 states “Any person fifteen (15) years of age or younger who is operating or who is a passenger on a bicycle or who is using or operating a skateboard, rollerskates, scooter or inline skates on a public highway, bicycle trail or path, shared use path, park and/or recreational area, school property or on any other public right of way shall wear a helmet. The helmet shall fit the person’s head and shall be secured to the person’s head by straps while the person is operating the bicycle, skateboard, scooter, rollerskates or inline skates. The helmet shall meet the standards for helmets established by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or subsequent standards. In no event shall failure to wear a helmet be considered as contributory or comparative negligence, nor shall the failure to wear a helmet be admissible as evidence in the trial of any civil action.”
UPDATE: I discovered that RIDMV has posted a Corrections to the Driver’s Manual on their webpage that corrects the helmet error. Why they didn’t just update the whole manual, I don’t understand…
- Motor vehicle drivers must be alert and cautious for bicycle riders in or near the street
Hey, something that actual applies to motorists in the driver’s manual. Of course, it would be better if they stated that bicycles should be afforded all the rights of a motor vehicle.
The final count… 2 correct statements, 2 incorrect statements, and only 1 statement that actually applies to motorists.
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06.19.08
Posted in Advocacy
by sparkjen at 10:16 am
On 3 Days in August, City Will Try No-Car Zone
Published: June 17, 2008
It has been a long-held dream of New Yorkers of a certain (greenish) stripe: the streets of Manhattan free of cars. Now, for a few hours, on a few streets, on a few weekends this summer, that dream will become reality.
Fred R. Conrad/NYT; John Marshall Mantel for NYT
Much of Park Avenue, above, will be closed to cars on parts of Aug. 9, 16 and 23. Right, Lance Armstrong joined Mayor Bloomberg to announce street closings.
Read the rest of this entry »
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06.18.08
Posted in Advocacy
by Mark Dieterich at 10:19 pm
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, RIDOT announced two more bridge weight restrictions. The Sakonnet River bridge has been reduced to 18 tons and the Pontiac Avenue bridge has been reduced to 10 tons. Keep this up and pretty soon everyone will be riding bikes, nothing heavier will be able to cross the bridges!
In all seriousness, the recent rash of bridge weight reductions seem to point to a larger trend. RIDOT, and I suspect other state DOT groups are facing the same problem, their budgets are getting to a point where they will soon be unable to afford to maintain the infrastructure. Yet, they keep building, because the roads are too crowded and this only exacerbates the problem. I have no interest in having the state continue to increase my taxes to support an infrastructure I just don’t believe we can continue to afford. If faced with similar long term budgetary issues as those that face the state, most of us would figure out a way to cut back.
Here’s a novel idea, how about we spend the funds we do have on creating a better transportation infrastructure that has a people first policy? How about we start dedicating some of the highway lanes to HOV and bus traffic? How about a really crazy idea and we start taking back some of these roadways for people, pedestrians and cyclists. I know, crazy idea, but I’m positive the long term cost of maintaining infrastructure used by pedestrians and cyclists is significantly cheaper than the costs associated with roadways for cars.
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Posted in Advocacy, Events
by Mark Dieterich at 11:05 am
The American Public Transportation Association is organizing the third annual Dump the Pump Day tomorrow.
Join in celebrating the Third Annual National Dump the Pump Day on Thursday, June 19, 2008..
The day is dedicated to raising awareness that riding public transportation helps improve the environment and conserves fuel. It also offers the opportunity for people to beat the high price of gasoline and support public transportation as an important travel option that helps reduce our dependence on foreign oil as well as reducing the amount of harmful greenhouse gases that are emitted into our environment.
On June 19, public transportation agencies from coast to coast will join together to ask you to park your cars and ride public transportation instead.
So get on board and Dump the Pump.
We can do one better than that, avoid the pump all together. Don’t rely on fuel powered vehicles, ride your bike! Yet another motivational reason to get out and try bike commuting, what are you waiting for?
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06.17.08
Posted in Advocacy
by Mark Dieterich at 9:02 pm
My family and I enjoyed a great Father’s Day weekend camping, away from the hustle and bustle of daily life. It was great to spend some quality time out in the fresh air, where cars don’t rule the day and people live a “simpler” life (looking at some of the other camp setups around us, I’m not sure this is strictly true). Anyways, it gave me some time to reflect on cycling and one of the questions I’m frequently asked, “how can I promote cycling?” I’ll work on a dedicated page for this topic, but in the mean time, here are some of my top recommendations:
- Get out and ride! Seriously. It’s one of the most effective advocacy efforts. Don’t just ride recreationally; commute to work, ride to the store, ride to evening meetings, ride with your family and friends, just ride.
- Follow the rules of the road and be courteous to other users. I don’t want to start another debate about the merit of the laws as they pertain to cyclists, the matter of the fact is that the laws exist and we must obey them. We can peacefully work towards changing the laws and the road infrastructure so it’s more friendly to bikes, but in the mean time we need to work with what we have. Over the long run, it does no good to flaunt the laws. Doing so is bound to upset motorists and get cyclists killed. I truly believe that cyclists can be the upstanding citizens in the us vs. them of the bike vs. car debate.
- Learn how to ride safely. I highly recommend you read the Bicycling Street Smarts. It has a wealth of information, particularly for new riders but also something for those who have been on the road for years.
- Talk about biking with your neighbors, friends, co-workers anyone that will listen. More people will listen now that gas is over $4/gal. You might be surprised who you can convert and who might just be willing to pull that old bike out of storage.
- Interact with people you encounter during your ride. Wave to other cyclists, yes even those of us clad from head to toe in spandex and riding full carbon fiber bikes can do this! Also greet other people you encounter, a simple good morning can leave a lasting memory and that person may just hop in their car and treat the next cyclist they encounter with a bit more respect. This is one of the best benefits of commuting by bike, your commute becomes a social event.
- Offer to meet up and ride with others. Many people are scared to get back on the bike, especially now that the roads are so busy. If you have the opportunity to help convince a co-worker to try bike commuting by riding in with them the first time, do it! You’ll feel great all day knowing that you helped get one more bike on the road and they will feel more confident about starting to commute on their own.
- Be a more courteous driver. Almost all of us drive a car at times. When you get behind the wheel, remember your experience as a cyclist. Make sure you follow the rules of the road. Don’t try and save those ten seconds by running yellow lights, rolling through stop signs, and speeding (yes, there are speed limits and you should actually obey them while driving). When you approach a cyclist, do so as you would want another drive to approach you when biking; slow down and pass the cyclist with plenty of room, don’t ride up on them, etc. Perhaps, just perhaps, we can get enough cyclist aware drivers out there to make other drivers begin to respect us.
- If you have kids, get them out on bikes. The best way to ensure cycling continues to get better in this country is to ingrain good cycling habits into our future generation. Teach them how to be safe on the roads and how to behave properly.
If you have additional recommendations, please comment and I’ll role it all into a more polished static page.
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06.09.08
Posted in Advocacy
by Mark Dieterich at 2:21 pm
Perhaps it is time to take up a collection for RI Department of Environmental Management (DEM). I road the EBBP into work this morning and passed a DEM Park Department pickup truck rolling slowly along the edge of the Vet. Memorial Parkway that parallels the bike trail. In the truck were two parks employees, one was driving and the other had a long handled device for picking up trash. Yes, that’s right, they were rolling along the road, picking up trash from a pickup truck window!
Is it just me, or is this completely ridiculous? At most, they could reach about a foot away from the truck and it took two people to complete this monumental task. Had they been riding bicycles, they both could have been picking up trash, I’m sure they could accomplish the task faster, AND they wouldn’t be burning gas needlessly.
I think it’s time to take up a collection and purchase some bikes for the RI DEM! Oh… and helmets.
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06.06.08
Posted in Tales from the Trenches
by Mark Dieterich at 11:40 am
I’ve been meaning to add a new category to the blog for a while now and I had an experience on my ride home last night that finally convinced me to take action. So, I added a category called “Tales from the Trenches” and I would encourage people to write well thought out accounts of dangerous or unfair situations you have found yourself in. I don’t want this to turn into a flame war, my hope is we can use it to give motorists a better feeling for the conditions and dangers cyclists face on a daily basis. Perhaps some day, these tales will help convince non-cyclists that we can be well behaved and deserve true equality on the streets.
Without further ado, here is my experience last night…
I decided to enjoy a quiet ride home on the EBBP last night. Aside from the gnats, it was a great time and temperature to be riding. I pull up to the bike trail crossing at Rt. 114 in Barrington, push the light button and dutifully wait for the light to change. On my left is the parking lot for Coleman Realty and I notice two police cars, drivers windows next to each other. On my right, is the back exit from the shopping plaza. As the light changes to red and the walk signal comes up, this car comes whipping out of the back exit from the shopping plaza and blows through, what must have been a red light, because I had a walk signal! I’m riding across the street, pointing at the car yelling “red light”. Once I’m across I shout to the policy, “aren’t you going to do something about that car that just ran the red light?” Their response, “what red light?”. Argh… they must have been too busy eating donuts or talking to each other.
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