The Two Faces of Montgomery County

An article in the Bucks County Courier Times states that a Municipal Transportation Task Force of the Suburban Horsham Willow Grove Chamber of Commerce is looking at ways to fund road projects outside of the PENNDOT/Federal Funding process. Since locally or privately funded roads are clear of federal guidelines bicyclists and pedestrians could easily be left out of the decision making process.

Generally this blog praises Montgomery County. Clearly their trails and open space policies are a national model. And in fact they opened more trails last year.

But when you take your bicycle on the road in Montgomery County it is a different story. Montgomery County has the most aggressive roadbuilding policy in the region and conditions for cyclists continue to worsen. The Lafayette Street project which may revitalize downtown Norristown could just as easily choke it in through traffic. Tthe county has also commissioned a study to widen the Schuykill Expressway in the rugged and narrow Schuylkill Valley in the vicinity of Gulph Mills and a 4 lane 202 Parkway. Cyclists have had negative comments about Horsham Road widening to 4 lanes late last year.

The county has an on road bicycle plan, yet after nearly 8 years after adoption next to nothing has been done and the plans simply lay on the shelf.

Ben Franklin Bridge Reopens

Ben Franklin Bridge Reopens

Effective immediately, the north walkway on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge is open. The north walkway had been closed since December due to inclement weather and security upgrades. The walkway will resume its normal hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily, weather permitting. The south walkway remains closed. For updated travel information visit www.drpa.org.

Trenton Fatality: Big Trucks and Bikes Don't Mix

Trenton Fatality: Big Trucks and Bikes Don't Mix

A 31 Year Old Trenton Woman was struck and killed on South Olden Ave on Thursday afternoon. The driver was not even aware that he had struck the bicyclist until police stopped him a half mile down the road.

Article in the Trentonian

Safe Routes to School E-News

Safe Routes to School E-News

Safe Routes to School E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, a fast-growing network of non-profit organizations, government agencies and professional groups that are working to set goals, share best practices, secure funding, and provide detailed policy input to implementing agencies for advancing the Safe Routes to School national movement.

Issue #2
January 4, 2006

In this issue:

1. FHWA releases guidance on Safe Routes to School

2. SRTS National Partnership Resources for “Getting Started Locally”

3. Strategic Highway Safety Plans being developed in States

4. News from the States

5. School Wellness Policies must be adopted by Fall 2006

6. National Conference of State Legislatures: Resources on SRTS bills

7. Full Scholarship Opportunity to the University of Colorado

8. Help Publicize the Safe Routes to School National Partnership

9. Send us Your Safe Routes to School News: saferoutes@bikesbelong.org

Please keep us posted with news for your local, state and national SRTS work

1. FHWA releases guidance on Safe Routes to School

http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferoutes/srtsguidance.htm

On January 3, 2005, the Federal Highway Administration released its guidance on Safe Routes to School. The 23 page document can be found on the web at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferoutes/srtsguidance.htm

The website states, “Since this is a new program, additional guidance will be provided throughout the first few years of the program as questions are asked, clarifications are needed, experienced is gained, and various approaches are tried and evaluated. To provide your feedback, send your comments to tim.arnade@fhwa.dot.gov.”

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership send our thanks to the Federal Highway Administration and its SRTS Program Manager Tim Arnade for utilizing a public process to create the guidance, and for getting the recommendations out so quickly. Many states have been waiting to develop their programs until after the guidance was released, so this guidance provides a great launch for the start of Safe Routes to School in all 50 states in 2006!

2. SRTS National Partnership Resources for “Getting Started Locally”

http://bikesbelong.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=294

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership continues to be asked by community members, parents, and advocates for information and resources on how to work with cities and school administrations on developing Safe Routes to School programs. To help, we developed a short “Getting Started” primer and Powerpoint presentation which can be downloaded and customized for local use. Find the documents at: http://bikesbelong.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=294

3. Strategic Highway Safety Plans being developed in States

This is an avenue for additional Safe Routes to School funds

Under SAFETEA-LU, there is a federal requirement that each State Department of Transportation (DOT) must develop a Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). The SHSP is a major part of the core Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP).

Safe Routes to School is an eligible expenditure for the SHSP, and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership encourages local and state advocates to get involved with the SHSP process at the State level to make the most of this opportunity. We suggest that you start by contacting your State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator to learn who at the DOT is managing the SHSP process. The approved plans must be adopted by October 1, 2006. You can find a list of the State Bike/Ped Coordinators at: http://www.bikewalk.org/contacts_links/state_bikeped_coord.htm The federal guidance for the development of the SHSP is at: http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/safetealu/toc.htm

4. News from the States

Update on our state survey, Colorado, Illinois, and California

In December 2005, the SRTS National Partnership received survey responses back from 12 states regarding our inquiries about program implementation. The sampling indicated a wide array of readiness for Safe Routes to School, with about half of the states having hired their SRTS Coordinators. Those states that are furthest along have active coalitions of health, bicycle and pedestrian groups working together with their State DOTs to provide input on program development.

The State of Colorado appears to be the first to roll out application guidelines for Safe Routes to School. Deadlines for the infrastructure and non-infrastructure grant proposals are due on February 15, 2006. The Safe Routes to School National Partnership is pleased that Colorado separated the infrastructure and non-infrastructure project applications, as this was a key recommendations in our SRTS guiding principles. You can read the Colorado guidelines at: http://www.dot.state.co.us/BikePed/SafeRoutesToSchool.htm

In Illinois, since July 2005, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation has convened the Northeast Illinois Safe Routes to School Task Force, a group of regional stakeholders interested in the issue of Illinois' new SR2S program. Their first goal was to create a set of locally-derived recommendations for the Illinois DOT to compliment the national guidelines. You can view their recommendations for the Illinois SRTS program at: http://www.biketraffic.org/downloads/SR2S

In California, since the year 2000, State legislation has required that one third of federal safety funds go to Safe Routes to School programs each year. While $22 million/year for SRTS capital projects has been distributed over the past five years, the passage of SAFETEA-LU has changed everything as the State legislation now points to an obsolete code reference. Thus, the future of additional state funding (to supplement the new federal SRTS funds), lies with the development of the State’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). Partnership member groups including the California Bicycle Coalition, California Walks, America Walks, the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, and Walk Sacramento are hard at work with this process, attending Caltrans meetings to make the case for Safe Routes to School, as the federal funds being received over then next four years will be substantially less than the $22 million/year that the state has utilized for the past five years. Some good news for California, however, is that during the 2006 fiscal year (a transition year for the development of the SHSP), the 1/3 rule will still apply, providing $43 million for SRTS projects statewide.

5. School Wellness Policies must be adopted by fall 2006

Get SRTS included as a physical activity strategy in local schools

The National PTA, a member organization with the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, has let us know that all schools that receive federal funding for their school lunch programs must put a Local School Wellness Policy in place by the start of their 2006-2007 school year. This requirement is a result of the Childhood Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. The School Wellness Policies must include strategies for improved nutrition and physical activity.

This new school requirement provides an excellent avenue to introduce Safe Routes to School as a physical activity strategy for schools across America. The Safe Routes to School National Partnership encourages our partner member groups to publicize this opportunity so that more local parents can get involved. Our new Powerpoint on Safe Routes to School is an excellent resource for school advocates to use when introducing the SRTS concept to School Wellness Committees. You can find the Powerpoint at: http://bikesbelong.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=294, at the end of the text.

6. National Conference of State Legislatures: Resources on SRTS bills

Search their databases and make sure bills from your state are included

The National Conference of State Legislatures is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. NCSL provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues – including Safe Routes to School. NCSL is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of state governments before Congress and federal agencies, and they help to craft legislation.

The NCSL website provides an opportunity to keep current on policy concerns and perform comprehensive searches on key public policy issues, legislation from across the country, statutes, constitutions, audits and other legislative and historical documents.

NCSL has two legislative databases with information relevant to Safe Routes to School. The Traffic Safety database can be accessed at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncsl/ and the Healthy Community Design database can be accessed at http://www.ncsl.org/programs/environ/healthycommunity/healthycommunity_bills.cfm. NCSL staff will be tracking safe routes to school legislation during the 2006 session. If a bill from your state is not included in the database, please email douglas.shinkle@ncsl.org.

7. Full Scholarship Opportunity to the University of Colorado

For Ph.D. candidate researching children, youth and environments

The Ph.D. Program in Design and Planning in the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado will provide full funding, including tuition, to a qualified applicant seeking to undertake research on some aspect of children, youth and environments. The College hosts the journal Children, Youth and Environments <http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/> and houses the Children, Youth and Environments Center for Design and Research, in whose activities the applicant will be expected to be involved.

For more information, contact:

Willem van Vliet-

Director, PhD Program

College of Architecture and Planning

University of Colorado,

Boulder, CO 80309-0314

USA

Tel: 303 492-5015

Fax: 303 492-6163

Email: Willem.vanvliet@colorado.edu

8. Help Publicize the Safe Routes to School National Partnership

Logos available for use at: http://bikesbelong.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=274

The Safe Routes to School National Partnership now includes more than 120 active partner members! We hope that you will publicize your affiliation with our growing coalition through including a copy of our logo on your website, with a live link to our website: http://bikesbelong.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=249

Membership with the Safe Routes to School National Partnership is free. Please help us to continue to expand our diversity and reach by encouraging other organizations, businesses, professional groups, and government agencies to join us. Please forward this issue of Safe Routes to School E-News to your lists.

9. Send us Your Safe Routes to School News: saferoutes@bikesbelong.org

Please keep us posted with news for your local, state and national SRTS work

We want to hear from you! Please keep us posted on news, activities and successes with Safe Routes to School in your state, your county, your city, and at your school, as well as national efforts. We’ll publish some of the news in this monthly email publication. Other items may be utilized on our website. While we can’t publicize everything, all news received will help us to keep informed about progress with Safe Routes to School nationwide, so that we can better assist communities and states in getting their programs started.

Help Expand the Partnership!

Membership with the Partnership is free. Please encourage other organizations, schools, businesses and government agencies to join the Safe Routes to School National Partnership at: http://bikesbelong.org/site/page.cfm?PageID=252

Initial funding for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership has been provided by the Bikes Belong Coalition.

For More Information Contact

Deb Hubsmith, Coordinator

Safe Routes to School National Partnership

saferoutes@bikesbelong.org

www.bikesbelong.org

(415) 454-7430

A Rebuttal to the DRPA FAQ

A Rebuttal to DRPA's Ben Franklin Bridge FAQ

Thanks to Jim Kriebel for this analysis of DRPA's Ben Franklin Bridge Statement

From:Kriebel, Jim
Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2006 11:53 AM
Subject: RE:

Why can’t the walkway be extended for easier bike access?
Several years ago, DRPA engineers conducted a feasibility study for extending the walkway on the south side of the bridge for bike access by eliminating steps. The findings indicated cost, grade and other logistical issues that make it difficult to consider building an extended walkway along bridge abutments in Camden. While the Philadelphia approach to the walkway is at grade level, the structural conditions are quite different in Camden due to the location of PATCO’s yard and underground tunnel, the bridge maintenance yard, abutment sidewalks, and Camden’s 5th Street pedestrian tunnel. Extending the walkway poses engineering challenges, community challenges and architectural challenges.

We would have to cut off access to the 5th Street pedestrian tunnel,
Not true, a ramp could end right at the 5th street tunnel.

create a structure to span the underground PATCO tunnel,
No reason to do this if both sets of stairs are eliminated (north and south walkways)

extend the width of abutment sidewalks, eliminate metered parking along Pearl Street – cutting off revenue for the Camden Parking Authority and cutting much-needed parking for Rutgers-Camden University,
Not true – Pearl Street is very wide. It could be narrowed by a few feet with no problem. In fact the sidewalk exists right next to where the stairs touch down.

and design and build a structure that would match the granite facade at the bridge abutment.
Not true – none of the walkway has a granite facade. It’s all exposed metal (except at the anchorages).

This is purely a case of asking engineers to come excuses, not solutions. And since the DRPA is paying that’s what the engineers do.

Birds Eye View of the Bridge Walkways (Click S on the compass for the North Walkway)

Southwest Airlines Improves their Bike Policy

Southwest Airlines Improves their Bike Policy

Finally some good news to report!

Southwest Airlines now has the most bike friendly airline policy in the the US, generally airlines charge a minimum of $50 each way to carry your bike, even if it is folder.

"Non-motorized Bicycles, including Bike Friday and Co-Pilot, will be accepted as checked baggage at no additional charge provided the limit of three checked bags is not exceeded; the bicycle is properly packaged; and the box containing the bicycle fits within the 62-inch sizing limit and weighs 50 lbs or under. The handlebars, kickstand, and pedals must be removed and placed inside the box. A $50.00 each-way charge applies to bicycles that don’t meet the above criteria. Bicycles packaged in a cardboard box or soft-sided case will be transported as a conditionally accepted item."

Comparison policies can be found on the bikesontransit.org website

Another Fatal Hit and Run

Another Fatal Hit and Run

A 15 year old girl was struck and killed in Bordentown last night on Burlington St at the PA Turnpike Extension (I-295) Underpass. Only Channel 3 has the story online.