Tag: cycling

To make progress on our roads

To make progress on our roads

The Boston Herald article “Shattuck: Marty Walsh, IndyCar dare us to think fast” (5/22/2015) had one excellent quote, challenging Boston “To make progress on our roads, like they do in other first-world nations.”

Here are three examples of progress on roads in other first-world nations.

Sweden:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/02/economist-explains-16

“With only three of every 100,000 Swedes dying on the roads each year, compared with 5.5 per 100,000 across the European Union, 11.4 in America and 40 in the Dominican Republic, which has the world’s deadliest traffic, Sweden’s roads have become the world’s safest.” … “Planning has played the biggest part in reducing accidents. Roads in Sweden are built with safety prioritised over speed or convenience. Low urban speed-limits, pedestrian zones and barriers that separate cars from bikes and oncoming traffic have helped. ”

Netherlands:
http://www.northeastern.edu/studyabroad/programs/netherlands-sustainable-urban-transportation/ (Northeastern University does summer study abroad in the Netherlands, led by Professor Peter Furth.)

“While the Netherlands is as affluent a country as the US, the Dutch drive cars half as much as Americans, ride trains 10 times as much, and ride bikes 40 times as much. They also have the world’s best traffic safety record, with a traffic fatality rate 67% lower than ours. Dutch bicycling infrastructure makes it safe for everyone – children and elderly as well – to ride bikes anywhere, and is a major reason that more than 25% of trip nationwide, and more than 40% in cities like Delft and Amsterdam, are made by bike. The goal of this program is learn Dutch principles for planning cities and for designing bikeways, roads, and transit networks that make ABC (all-but-car) transportation so attractive, and that make cities livable and safe.”

France:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11586802/Large-chunk-of-the-river-Seines-Right-Bank-to-be-cut-off-to-cars-in-Paris.html

“‘This is an urban, almost philosophical project, which consists of seeing the city in another way than through the use of cars,’ she said, citing as examples the French cities of Lyon and Bordeaux, whose riverbanks have been successfully reclaimed for pedestrians.”

New wayfinding signage is on the way in Dorchester. This project was made possible through Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center with support from Citizens Bank, Boston Moves for Health, Mass in Motion / Healthy Dorchester & WalkBoston!

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HANDOUT: A More Robust DCR

HANDOUT: A More Robust DCR

This is an informational handout that was part of the 2014 Bike/Walk Summit presented by MassBike and WalkBoston.

The Issue – The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) owns and manages off-road paths and on street facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians throughout the Commonwealth. These facilities serve as essential active transportation corridors for local residents. As bicycling and walking continue to grow statewide, more residents are utilizing these facilities year-round and not just during warmer months.

DCR has been an active and positive partner in recent conversations with the advocacy community about how to bring agency policies around maintenance and snow removal into alignment with the use of their facilities as essential corridors for non-motorized transportation.

DCR’s budget has been cut by approximately 20% since 2008. These deep budget cuts have led to park closures, unstaffed campgrounds and unmaintained facilities.* DCR has committed to making bicycle and pedestrian transportation a priority on their facilities year-round, but the agency needs additional resources and investments to make this commitment a reality.

Ensuring that bicyclists and pedestrians can utilize our on- and off-road transportation infrastructure year-round is an essential component of achieving statewide mode shift goals.

The Ask – Funding decisions for the FY15 budget are being made right now, and we need our legislators to make sure that DCR has the resources to maintain its facilities in a manner suitable for year-round transportation.

Please ask your legislator to support increased funding for DCR parks in the FY15 budget, and urge them to provide DCR with adequate funding for its day-to-day operations and seasonal staffing so Massachusetts residents can safely use on- and off-road paths and parkways.

If you use a DCR path or parkway for your daily transportation or recreational needs, tell your legislator how increased funding for DCR would improve your ability to safely and conveniently access your destinations throughout the year.

*Source: Environmental League of Massachusetts (http://environmentalleague.org/)

HANDOUT: Funding for Healthy Transportation Options (Mass in Motion)

HANDOUT: Funding for Healthy Transportation Options (Mass in Motion)

This is an informational handout that was part of the 2014 Bike/Walk Summit presented by MassBike and WalkBoston.

The Issue – Active transportation plays an essential role in achieving important public health outcomes like lowering obesity rates and reducing chronic disease and health care costs associated with a sedentary lifestyle. More than half of adults and 1 in 4 high school and middle school students in Massachusetts are overweight or obese.*

In recent years, there have been increasing opportunities to use public health funding to support local efforts that improve biking and walking safety, and encourage education and awareness of biking and walking as transportation.

Mass in Motion is a statewide program that promotes active living and healthy eating in the places people live, learn, work and play. MassBike and WalkBoston have both been working alongside Mass in Motion coordinators in the 52 Mass in Motion communities to get more people walking and biking. Please review the enclosed Mass in Motion info sheet for program highlights.

Mass in Motion is funded through a unique partnership among leading health organizations in the Commonwealth, five major health foundations, and, most importantly, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s Community Transformation Grant Program (CTG), which was defunded by Congress in January 2014. The CTG program was scheduled to continue until September 2016, but instead will end this September. This loss of funding will leave many communities and organizations without the resources to continue working for more active transportation and healthier food options.

The Ask – We need our legislators to know that funding for active living programs like Mass in Motion have real benefits for individuals and communities, and that investing in these programs will save money in the long run by reducing future health care spending. Mass in Motion has already achieved real outcomes that will be jeopardized by a premature end of the program.

We ask that legislators connect with their local Mass in Motion programs to learn what is happening in their communities. Please also consult your legislators for advice about opportunities for state funding to ensure that Mass in Motion can continue beyond September 2014.

*Source: Mass in Motion (http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dph/programs/community-health/mass-in-motion/)

HANDOUT: Vulnerable Road Users, Senate 1639 & amp; Bike Lane Protection Bill, Senate 1640

HANDOUT: Vulnerable Road Users, Senate 1639 & amp; Bike Lane Protection Bill, Senate 1640

This is an informational handout that was part of the 2014 Bike/Walk Summit presented by MassBike and WalkBoston.

Vulnerable Road Users, Senate 1639 – This bill defines “vulnerable users”, including bicyclists, pedestrians, wheelchair users, and other non-motorized road users, and will encourage motorists to exercise greater care when operating around vulnerable users. Specifically, when a motorist kills or severely injures a vulnerable user, the legislation would require them to:

  • Pay up to double the fines currently defined by statute;
  • Attend a traffic safety class;
  • Perform up to 100 hours of community service directly related to improving interactions of motorists and vulnerable users of the road.

The bill also addresses the problem of motorist harassment of vulnerable users by creating both criminal and civil liability for motorists who use their vehicle to physically harass a vulnerable user, and civil liability for motorists who engage in other forms of harassment of vulnerable users.

Co-sponsors: William Brownsberger,  Denise Provost,  David Rogers,  Jonathan Hecht,  Kay Khan,  John Scibak,  Frank Smizik,  Gailanne Cariddi,  Carl Sciortino, Jr.,  Lori Ehrlich,  James Eldridge,  Sonia Chang-Diaz,  Kate Hogan,  Carolyn Dykema,  Peter Kocot,  Kenneth Gordon,  Denise Andrews.

Bike Lane Protection Bill, Senate 1640 – This bill protects bicyclists by prohibiting motor vehicle operators from parking in on-street paths or lanes designated by official signs or markings for the use of bicycles, or placing the vehicle in such a manner as to interfere with the safety and passage of bicyclists. Motorists frequently endanger bicyclists by parking in bicycle lanes, forcing bicyclists to merge into traffic. There is currently no applicable state law, and communities are passing local ordinances that will result in inconsistent rules and enforcement unless statewide action is taken.

Co-Sponsors: William Brownsberger,  Denise Provost,  David Rogers,  Jonathan Hecht,  Kay Khan,  John Scibak,  Frank Smizik,  Patricia Jehlen,  Carl Sciortino, Jr.,  Lori Ehrlich, Kenneth Donnelly,  Elizabeth Malia,  Sonia Chang-Diaz,  James Eldridge,  Kate Hogan, Carolyn Dykema,  Peter Kocot,  Kenneth Gordon,  Denise Andrews.


Status:
On March 19, 2014, both bills were extended in the Joint Transportation Committee. The bill has not been reported out, either favorably or unfavorably.

The Ask: This year’s ask is the same for both bills:

  • If the legislator you are meeting with is already a cosponsor, please thank them.
  • If you are speaking to Rep. Straus or Sen. McGee, the co-chairs of the Transportation Committee, ask them to report favorably on the bills.
  • If you are speaking to any other legislator, ask them to speak to their respective co-chair on the Transportation Committee (Rep. Straus or Sen. McGee) and ask them to report favorably on both bills.——————————————————————————————————————-
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