We have previouslycovered the proposed harsher penalties for careless drivers who kill or inflict serious injuries on bicyclists and pedestrians. At yesterday’s Minnesota Bicycle Summit, many participants spoke to their legislators to support the bills, SF201 and HF68.
Minnesota cyclists and pedestrians (which means EVERYONE, because even if you’re in a wheelchair you count under pedestrian laws) are encouraged to contact their state senator to encourage passage of this measure. The measure steps up the penalty for careless driving that results in injury or death from a misdemeanor (up to $1,000 fine/90 days in jail) to a gross misdemeanor (up to $3,000 fine/365 days in jail).
I’ve discussed how to contact your legislators before, but here’s a review:
Write a brief message referencing the bill at hand (SF201 in this case!).
Be direct and ask your senator to support it, and why you think it important.
Thank them for considering your position.
Include your name and postal address/zip code, regardless of if you’re sending e-mail or a postal letter, as it helps establish your constituent cred.
Send it — e-mail is quickest in the modern age.
Calling your senator’s office is also an option for expressing your support of this bill and asking for your senator’s similar support. This bill is revenue-neutral, and offers a common-sense enhancement of penalties to those who do harm to vulnerable road users via careless behavior. Thankfully, Minnesota is not a state that allows the defense “I didn’t see them” as a release from all charges of negligence, but current penalties are toothless compared to the damage a driver can do to a bicyclists or pedestrian. Distracted driving is only increasing as cars acquire more and more new electronic features.
Contact your senator today to request support for this bill!
Today was the first ever Minnesota Bicycle Summit. Based on attendance, it is unlikely to be the last. More than 175 people attended the event, absorbing information about cycling in Minnesota and learning to be effective citizen lobbyists on behalf of bikes.
A key theme of the event was the economic impact of cycling on Minnesota, and its positive impacts on employment, revenues, health costs, productivity and quality of life. The need to introduce children to cycling via Safe Routes to Schools programs and other outreach was another big theme throughout the event.
Because there was so much information provided, I’ve split my recap into three still very large posts:
In the coming days, I’ll be posting additional thoughts and information on how non-attendees can help keep the momentum of this event going with their legislators. Stay tuned!
February 28, 2011
by julie Comments Off on Lunch & Afternoon Sessions: Minnesota Bicycle Summit 2011
At lunch and in the afternoon at the 2011 Minnesota Bicycle Summit, the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota and more than 175 attendees were excited to welcome several additional speakers on the subject of cycling in Minnesota, including Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede, and former US Representative and former Chair of the House Transportation Committee James Oberstar.
Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede
Rochester, Minnesota is one of two Bicycle Friendly Communities in Minnesota, and is the 3rd largest city in the state. Mayor Ardell Brede came to discuss how Rochester has created such momentum for cycling in their city.
Rochester was the first community in Minnesota to pass Complete Streets legislation, and has 92 miles of trails, bike paths and bike lanes, with an additional 237 planned in the next 25 years. The system is being organized around rivers and streams, with the intention of linking parks, neighborhoods and the central business district.
Rochester has four League Certified Instructors, including two from the law enforcement community. Rochester also has strong community partners, including the Mayo Clinic, and IBM — one of Minnesota’s 21 Bicycle Friendly Businesses.
Mayor Brede also says that the support of the city’s public works department has been vital.
He was quite enthusiastic about the work of local advocates and the Rochester Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
By creating public-private partnerships backed with strong government support, Rochester has been building an excellent local bicycle network, and serves as a case study for other small cities and even counties and suburbs how to proceed to achieve similar result.
Former Congressman James Oberstar
Former Congressman James Oberstar, in his more than 30 years in Congress, was responsible for considerable progress for cycling as a mode of transportation. In past interviews, he has expressed his pride in such programs as Safe Routes to Schools, the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program, and the many ways in which alternative transportation projects can be funded. He spoke both at lunch and later in the Capitol Rotunda, stressing many of the same themes in each speech.
Congressman Oberstar said that when he started in Congress, the bicycle caucus could have met in a phone booth. Forty-two years ago, a man was able to land on the moon, changing transportation history, but that same man would have been unsafe trying to ride his bike to work. This was a big shift from the end of the 19th century, when the League of American Wheelmen started a petition drive to create paved roads for horseless carriages, which were creating ruts in the roads used by bicyclists. So in 1991, he worked to introduce measures to encourage cycling in the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). It helped allocate a small part of the highway trust fund to alternate projects. Since ISTEA was first passed, more than $40 billion has been used to build bicycle and pedestrian access projects.
One of the long-term impacts of ISTEA is that bicycling facilities are no longer an afterthought in roadway planning. The AASHTO have formal standards for bike lanes and bikeways in their planning standards.
Congressman Oberstar notes that investment in cycling can drive economic activity. Comparing Minneapolis and Atlanta, he notes that there are seven times the bicycle sales in Minneapolis than in Atlanta, chiefly because of the ease of access via bicycle. Bicycling is good for America, good for Minnesota, and good for the quality of life.
One statistic he offered was very interesting: One mile of 12′ paved bicycle trail costs approximately $128,000. One mile of urban freeway, by comparison, costs $47-100 million. The ROI for the bicycle projects can have large impact for lower investment.
Like Gary Sjoquist earlier, Congressman Oberstar emphasized that bicycling is under fire. He says that cycling must be treated as a mode of transportation, and not as a nice-to-have element in planning. Cycling investments are not a reason for other infrastructure crumbling, and we need to reassess our infrastructure in general to address dependency on foreign oil and community health.
In both speaking opportunities, Congressman Oberstar got a warm standing ovation of thanks for his past work for cyclists, and for the strong words he offered to advocates.
Capitol Hill
Additional programming was offered in the Capitol Rotunda during the afternoon. There was an expo of Minnesota companies and tourism, as well as several speakers. These speakers included:
Bernard J. Arsenault, Deputy Commissioner of Transportation — Deputy Commissioner Arsenault shared MnDOT’s vision for Complete Streets. He explained that it is revenue neutral, and may even lead to cost savings, because it encourages a different way to delivering projects. Planning is done on the front end to account for all users of a project. Complete Streets allows planners to create integrated solutions and improve quality of life.
He also mentioned an intention to extend the Share the Road Minnesota program. To date, it has chiefly spoken to adults, and they believe they need to better address younger road users as well.
Steve Flagg, Quality Bicycle Products — Steve Flagg of QBP spoke of the impact bicycling has on the state economy. Bicycling creates jobs in Minnesota as investment is made to allow people to choose cycling in the face of rising gas prices. More than 5,000 jobs in Minnesota come from the cycling industry. Cycling investments also generate local and regional tourism dollars.
State Senator Tony Lourey (DFL – District 8) — Senator Lourey discussed Complete Streets. He said that more than 58 groups signed on to the bill, representing business, health and the environment. Complete Streets is about process: considering the local context of road projects before the streets are built. By considering all users of a project, good decisions can be made at the front end of the project. He encouraged attendees to “ride Minnesota into the future” and to continue to show up and be a part of the local context.
State Senator Mike Jungbauer (R – District 48) — Senator Jungbauer also discussed Complete Streets and what it means. He stressed that Complete Streets is nonpartisan and is really about offering appropriate access to everyone. It can be very simple, from just widening lanes or shifting lanes to better allow for cyclists and pedestrians to take advantage of a roadway. He believes Complete Streets encourages better engineering.
He believes that motorists today are less tolerant of cyclists on the road than they used to be, and that there is a different mindset among motorists today than there was 20 and 30 years ago. He believes Complete Streets is a way to help address this and reintegrate the roadways.
The afternoon program closed with the presentation of an award from the Minnesota Complete Streets Coalition to Rochester’s Ardell Brede and others in the Rochester delegation, recognizing them for being the first Minnesota community to pass a Complete Streets bill.
Many attendees at the Summit then went to visit with their State Representatives and Senators, or to drop off literature concerning the Bicycle Alliance legislative agenda.
Edited March 14, 2011 to correct facts about Rochester — it is the 3rd largest city in Minnesota, not the 6th, and the bicycle plan is over a 25-year period. Thanks to Charlie Quigg for corrections.
February 28, 2011
by julie Comments Off on Legislative Agenda: Minnesota Bicycle Summit 2011
A key component of the 2011 Minnesota Bicycle Summit was advocacy. The event served as an opportunity for citizen advocates and community organizations to learn about current cycling issues in the state of Minnesota and federally, and whip up knowledge and enthusiasm for pushing the agenda of cycling as a mode of transport.
Federal Issues
Gary Sjoquist of Bikes Belong and Quality Bicycle Products provided an update on cycling issues at the federal level. Gary pulled no punches and declared the federal situation “a mess.” More than 500 amendments have been proposed in the House of Representatives to reduce spending, and while bicycling has not yet been targeted… it’s probably just a matter of time. The goal of Bikes Belong and other national organizations is to build a “firewall” around the enhancements category in transportation spending. However, it is possible that everything but roads may be considered for cuts.
There are more than 85 new representatives in the House, many of whom have little political experience, may come from rural districts, and lack history on federal transportation funding. Bikes Belong and other organizations are trying to educate these new representatives quickly.
Meanwhile, the Senate is to introduce the new transportation bill next week. It is expected that Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) will propose an amendment that will make funding and spending on enhancements — basically, anything not a straight-up road — optional.
Gary emphasized that the federal situation is hour-by-hour, and that if citizen voices are needed organizations like the League of American Bicyclists and Bikes Belong will put out the word to request immediate phone calls and e-mails to legislators to try to protect cycling at the federal level. It’s a challenging situation, and still developing.
State Issues
As part of the introduction of the state legislative agenda, Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota Executive Director Dorian Grilley welcomed Patience Caso of the MN Environmental Partnership to discuss how to represent the issues at the Capitol. Patience emphasized the importance of being involved throughout the year, and not just during elections. Citizen voices can have a significant impact on dialogue at the Capitol.
Patience had 12 tips for dealing with legislators. Highlights include:
Legislators are people too — be respectful, be polite, be punctual, and be direct.
Treat legislative staff with respect, as their opinion is also important.
Do not lie, make up information, or otherwise be a doof. If you don’t know something, say so and offer to follow up.
Be as specific as possible — if there is an active bill, let them know its file number and status, if you know it (find out).
Allow the legislator to ask questions and respond.
Thank legislators for their support if it is offered or has been committed; be understanding if it is not.
Be sure to follow up after the meeting with any information you promised, or with a thank you for the meeting and recapping the conversation and your position.
Dorian reviewed the key legislative priorities for the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota for 2011:
Increase Careless Driving Penalties — Per previous coverage, the Bicycle Alliance is encouraging the passage of House File 68 and Senate File 201, which would increase the penalty for causing a death while committing a careless driving offense to a gross misdemeanor, which carries a maximum $3,000 fine and up to one year in jail. Present penalty is a misdemeanor, which carries a $1,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail. The Bicycle Alliance also supports increasing penalties for causing great bodily harm and substantial bodily harm while committing a driving violation to a gross misdemeanor.
Authorize the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) State Bikeway — MnDOT’s 2005 Bicycle Modal plan calls for a state Scenic Bikeway System, and estimates that 88% of the proposed 3,750 mile system is already suitable for bicycling. The system would require only minor improvements and signage to be complete. Authorization of the MRT would allow MnDOT to plan the route and work with other units of government on implementation of the system. There is strong public support for this system as demonstrated by public meetings, and the system will encourage bicycle tourism and recreation.
No specific bill is in place for this, but the system will be a part of MnDOT’s legislative proposal.
Reauthorize Minnesota’s Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) — Minnesota’s Statewide Health Improvement Program includes projects and programs to encourage and increase physical activity and reduce health care costs in the state. SHIP is implemented chiefly by city and county health departments via grants from the Minnesota Department of Health. Many grantees have used funds to encourage cycling and walking. The program was created in 2009 with a $47 million allocation; without reauthorization it will expire June 30, 2011. The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota urges the reauthorization of the program, with funding of $20 million/year for the next biennium.
Fund Safe Routes to Schools Grants — Minnesota’s Safe Routes to Schools program is funded by federal program dollars. Approximately $1.5 million in grants are made to school districts each year to enhance local infrastructure and encourage children to bike or walk to school safely. MnDOT receives many more grant requests each year than can be funded. The Bicycle Alliance would like to see Minnesota provide additional program funds to meet more grant requests; however, in the absence of a boding bill this may not occur during this legislative session.
Multiple speakers emphasized the need to tie cycling investments to measurable return — increased tourism and industry revenues, reduced congestion, reduced health costs, and improved quality of life. Many attendees planned to call on their state senators and representatives in the afternoon to advocate for cycling. Others, unable to secure appointments, plan to write and call their legislators to do the same, and non-attendees are also encouraged to consider such action.
February 28, 2011
by julie Comments Off on Morning Session: Minnesota Bicycle Summit 2011
Nearly 175 people from throughout the state of Minnesota joined the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota at the inaugural Minnesota Bicycle Summit on February 28, 2011. Featuring a mix of politicians, industry organizations, and interest groups, the Summit highlighted current successes and challenges for cycling in Minnesota. The current economic climate puts funding for cycling projects at risk both in-state and federally. Summit attendees learned valuable facts to help stand up for bikes in policy discussions, seasoned with a healthy dose of cheerleading from Summit speakers.
Mayor RT Rybak, Minneapolis
We kicked off our morning with Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak at the podium. Minneapolis was named Bicycling’s #1 city for cycling in 2010, and has benefitted from participation in the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program — as well as from strong support from Minneapolis’ mayor and other politicians!
Mayor Rybak is an engaging speaker, and with a crowd with a significant mix of Minneapolis citizens, the group was receptive to his messages: Saluting the economic power of cycling, and the need for cyclists and friends to keep pushing government officials for infrastructure and investment.
Per Mayor Rybak, cycling is economic because it reduces traffic congestion, which reduces productivity and is a critical business issue. It also is a quality of life issue — left unsaid is the suggestion that quality of life improves productivity, because it attracts talent to live within desirable metro areas. It is also economic because it can create jobs and attract tourism dollars — he cites his upcoming trip to Amsterdam to promote Minneapolis tourism to the Dutch, as there are direct flights between MSP-AMS. The cycling culture and bikeshare system can help attract Europeans used to using cycling as a common transport mode.
Cycling is an example of people leading government in a citizen movement. Programs like Complete Streets encourage the rethinking of infrastructure, and programs like Safe Routes to Schools speak to values, not just transportation options.
Closing on a favorite note, Mayor Rybak exhorted the crowd to continue to push the agenda and make known the views of cyclists and citizens. As ever, he made the popular observation that “Portland is just an avenue in Minneapolis!” to bring his part of the Minnesota Bicycle Summit to a close on a note of laughter.
Senator Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont)
Following Mayor Rybak, State Senator Julie Rosen of Fairmont addressed the Summit. Senator Rosen is Chair of the Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee, Vice Chair of the Health & Human Services Committee, and is also a member of the Capital Investment Committee. An avid cyclist, she told the crowd that while many might ask why they would ride their bicycle on a day like today, she’d ask “Why wouldn’t you ride your bicycle on a day like today?” with its bright sun and reasonable temperature.
Senator Rosen told stories about purchasing her bike (a Serrotta), and riding RAGBRAI multiple times (not a piece of cake — there are hills and wind, but it’s a great party, she says). She also talked about key policy issues facing cyclists and the Legislature. She said that there was “unlikely” to be a bonding bill this biennium, but that ongoing use of Legacy funds would be good for cycling in Minnesota. A key concern for her is Minnesota’s obesity rate. She feels there is a tremendous amount of work to be done for both cycling and health in the state. She loves Complete Streets and says that while it’s been confusing to some, it’s progress for all users of streets. She is concerned by attempts to roll back smoking bans in Minnesota, and encouraged cyclists to speak out against these attempts, as it’s an issue health-oriented cyclists should care about as well.
Her tips for presenting cycling to legislators on either side of the aisle? Zero in on return on investment. Cycling and cycling infrastructure is an investment that creates jobs, reduces health costs, and improves overall quality of life in Minnesota in measurable ways. Such messages will have ongoing merit during budget discussions, even as the economy improves.
Barb Thoman, Transit for Livable Communities
Barb Thoman, Executive Director of Transit for Livable Communities, followed Senator Rosen to discuss the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program and Bike/Walk Twin Cities. She recapped how the pilot came to be in 2005 under the leadership of Representative James Oberstar, and the vision of accelerating bicycle network growth via targeted investment, and evaluation of that investment. Minneapolis is one of four pilot sites nationally, and has received more than $10 million in federal dollars for the program.
As part of the pilot, TLC do regular cyclist counts — monthly in many cases, with daily automated counts on some corridors. Other study has been done throughout the project to quantify results for communication to legislators. Per Ms. Thoman, the pilot is more than an infrastructure program: It includes bicycle education for cyclists, law enforcement, public works officials, and elected officials to better understand cycling, as well as funds to enhance enforcement of bicycle and vehicle law. The goal is to drive a mode shift and encourage cycling as a valid modal choice.
At the same time, much of the money has been spent on infrastructure. The Hiawatha bikeway to downtown will be completed in 2011, and other funds have been used on a variety of on- and off-road routes, sidewalk connections, enhanced pedestrian crossings, and more. A variety of studies to support planning are also underway, including studies of problem intersections.
Ms. Thoman was able to announce three new TLC grants today totaling more than $1 million:
$62,000 to the city of Minneapolis for improvements to Franklin Avenue through the Seward neighborhood, including crosswalk countdown timers, marked crosswalks, and curb extensions. The project may also include bicycle lanes.
$110,000 to the city of Fridley to fund new sidewalks and bike lanes on Main Street from 57th Avenue to 61st Avenue. This will help connect the surrounding community to the Fridley North Star commuter rail station, and is part of Fridley’s new comprehensive bicycle/pedestrian plan. Fridley will be contributing an additional $67,000 to the project, and an additional program will implement bicycle parking through the enhanced corridor.
Finally, an additional $1 million grant will be made to the Nice Ride Minnesota program. With matching funds of an additional $500,000 from Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative, the funds will be used to expand Nice Ride to north Minneapolis, and across the river in St. Paul.
Ms. Thoman ended her segment on a somber note, noting the interconnectedness of transit, cycling, and pedestrian access. Transit funding, including funding for buses, is under threat at the state and federal levels. She encouraged the audience to speak up for these funds, as they provide important links for alternate transportation and help enable the total network.
Nick Mason, Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota
Nick Mason, Education Director and Technical Program Associate of the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, gave a presentation chock full of facts that advocates can use to argue for bicycle investment. Key to his presentation is the notion that bicyclists are NOT a special interest group — more than 2.6 million Minnesotans have ridden a bicycle in the last year, and cycling has an economic impact of more than $1 billion annually in the state.
Some key facts offered included:
Minnesota has two recognized Bicycle Friendly Communities — Minneapolis and Rochester.
Minnesota has more Bicycle Friendly Businesses than any other state, employing more than 38,000 people.
Twin Cities bicycle retail, wholesale and manufacturing is worth more than $300 million annually.
Minnesota is home to the largest bike tool manufacturer in the US (Park Tool), the largest bike parts distributor in the world (Quality Bicycle Products), and more than 160 small business bicycle shops.
A recent University of Minnesota Tourism Center study determined that cycling creates more than 5,000 jobs in the state, and generates more than $1 billion in annual revenue — more than hunting and snowmobiling combined. Due to study limitations, it is believed that the study actually understates economic impact!
Minnesota was named the Best Trails State in 2010 by American Trails.
Nick also mentioned a study in Wisconsin that suggested that more than $318 million in health costs could be saved if just 20% of all trips under 2 miles in Madison and Milwaukee alone that are now made by automobile were replaced by bicycle trips. Given that 40-60% of all trips made in the US are under 2 miles, this suggests the potential for massive cost savings in health and traffic congestion should mode shift be encouraged and occur.
Another topic Nick discussed were findings that 60% of transport cyclists are interested in cycling more, but concerned about safety, compared to 32% of people who are not interested in using bikes for transport, and the 8% of cyclists who are either strong and fearless, or enthusiastic and confident — the core cycling community. He discussed the challenge of describing benefit of cycling investment to the 32% while investing in infrastructure and programs to enable the 60% who are interested but concerned.
Nick’s statistics helped lead in to the portion of the program focused on the legislative agenda, and how to be an effective citizen lobbyist — summarized in a separate post.
Representative Leon Lillie (DFL-North Saint Paul)
State Representative Leon Lillie of North Saint Paul closed out the morning. He told his personal cycling story — how he bought a bike at a pawn shop in early 2009 and became hooked, upgrading his bike and then riding across the United States in the fall of that same year. He feels that cycling is a lifestyle, and believes that we can all play a part in instilling the lifestyle and its values in Minnesota’s youth. He feels a key goal for him in encouraging cycling is to get more kids on bicycles and to start them on a life of better health.
After Representative Lillie finished, the group lined up for lunch, which would include speeches by Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede, and a pep talk from former US Representative James Oberstar.
We have previously covered the proposed harsher penalties for careless drivers who kill or inflict serious injuries on bicyclists and pedestrians. At yesterday’s Minnesota Bicycle Summit, many participants spoke to their legislators to support the bills, SF201 and HF68.
Today was the first ever Minnesota Bicycle Summit. Based on attendance, it is unlikely to be the last. More than 175 people attended the event, absorbing information about cycling in Minnesota and learning to be effective citizen lobbyists on behalf of bikes.