DOT Puts Bike, Pedestrian Projects on Par with Roads, Transit

[marmar]

DOT Puts Bike, Pedestrian Projects on Par with Roads, Transit
E&E News PM

Josh Voorhees, E&E reporter


The Obama administration officially announced a "complete streets" policy today that puts bicycle and pedestrian projects on equal footing with road and transit work.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has previously hyped the need for transportation planners to incorporate sidewalks and bike facilities into their transportation planning, but today's policy statement officially puts that stance on the books.

LaHood hailed today's announcement as a major policy shift that marks "the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized."

"We are discouraging transportation investments that negatively affect cyclists and pedestrians," LaHood said in a statement. "And we are encouraging investments that go beyond the minimum requirements and provide facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities."

The department released formal guidance for state and city transportation departments, encouraging them to adopt their own complete streets policies that facilitate the "development of fully integrated active transportation networks." .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/web/online/Top-Transit-News/DOT-Puts-Bike--Pedestrian-Projects-on-Par-with-Roads--Transit/3$10991

[NYC_SKP]

1. Meet the New Boss...

Not so much like the Old Boss.

:toast:

[nebenaube]

2. about (expletive deleted) time n/t

[taterguy]

3. Great news. Thanks for sharing it.

Or maybe I should write something really inflammatory to ensure lots of replies and give this issue the attention it deserves.

[pipoman]

4. Good idea

but a bit ineffective IMO. The fed is usually responsible for US highways and interstates outside of cities, no? This would make a lot of sense in towns and cities, but do we want to promote additional cost of accommodating the relatively tiny number of people who bike outside city limits? Maybe some parts of the country where urban sprawl has swallowed up rural areas between towns and cities, but there are plenty of miles of US highways and interstates out here in flyover country that will cost a fortune to add bike paths for the very few people who ride long distance. There are already designated cross country bike routes...maybe this will insure they are maintained and upgraded as road projects come up?

[Hannah Bell]

5. the rich people are now going to live in the cities with nice yuppie amenities.

which is why they're shipping the poor out.

the middle class will live in the decaying burbs with the poor.

[pipoman]

6. Maybe this is what you were trying to say

but, in the back of my mind, I I had visions of the peasants being the pedestrians and bikers and the elite demanding the pedestrians and bikers stay out of the way of their Hummers while they commute.

[taterguy]

9. My city gets lots of federal money for roads and I suspect most municipalities do

This money will talk and make people listen.

Here's one concrete (no pun intended) change it will bring about:

In my city, cut-outs are a popular method of traffic calming. The road suddenly narrows and cars have to slow down. The problem is that there isn't room for a car and bicycle in a cut-out. When a cyclist goes through one they just have to hope that they don't get overtaken from behind.

I was at a meeting and a city traffic engineer responded to concerns by saying that some roads just aren't suitable for bicycles. I accept that some roads will never be safe for bikes. However, it annoys the hell out of me when planners create hazards for bicycles.

I suspect that engineers will be more sensitive in the future, since their greatest fear is losing funding.

If we're really lucky it will inspire someone to invent a traffic signal that recognizes bicycles.

[pipoman]

11. Or maybe?

If we're really lucky it will inspire someone to invent a traffic signal that recognizes bicycles.

Or maybe a bicyclist whom recognizes traffic signals? :hide:

I don't bike much...well, not at all. I live on a 2 lane county blacktop road which connects 40 miles away with a turnpike. This 2 lane road with no shoulder is on one of the main east/west suggested bicycle roads through Kansas. Traffic is fairly low but there are occasional bike vs. car accidents...maybe this will fund a shoulder.

[taterguy]

12. The laws of physics outweigh the laws of man

I never, ever, go through an intersection unless it's safe to do so, which is why I'm still alive after a lot of miles on the roads. (I did blow through as a stop sign as a teenager, got hit, learned my lesson).

However, if I'm absolutely sure it's safe, I might treat stop signs as yield signs, especially if it's before a daunting hill, or go through a red light once I'm sure it's based on a trigger that my bike hasn't tripped.

Some enlightened areas make allowances in the laws for these differences between traveling in a car vs. bike.

As for other cyclists, I can't speak for them. However, it's interesting to note that in general the transgressions of folks that aren't in your "tribe" are more noticeable than the transgressions of people that are your kind.

ps: Shoulders are a bike's best friend. Unless of course they're filled with debris that tears up tires, which is why a a lot of cyclists avoid them.

[Lance_Boyle]

7. If it helps get bicycles off of the roads I'm all for it. n/t

[taterguy]

8. I'll take the bait

Why?

[fishwax]

10. excellent

:toast: