BikeWalkNC

North Carolina’s advocate for safe cycling and walking

Lisa Riegel

In the Spotlight: Evan Brigham



Evan Brigham joined the BikeWalk NC team two years ago as a replacement for his roommate Dylan Horne, a former BWNC member who left for a cross-country bicycle trip. Evan’s passion for bicycling originally came from an environmental standpoint, but it grew as he became involved with more bicycling organizations.

Outside of BWNC, Evan served as president of Oaks and Spokes, a Raleigh-based nonprofit, and was commissioner for Raleigh’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission (BPAC). His interests in transportation extended into his day job as a traffic engineer, but he also enjoys hobbies like gardening in his spare time.

Originally hailing from Denver, Colorado, Evan realized that as long as he was close to his destination, he didn’t need a car. “By the time I was 16 or 17, I realized that I had a bike this whole time, and I could get around just fine with a bike.” Evan hopes to never need an automobile.

Earlier this year, Evan left Raleigh to travel for three months in Central America, after which he plans on returning to Denver to be close to his family. “Evan provided a youthful perspective as the millennial member on the BWNC board, and it was a pleasure working with him the last few years,” said Lisa Riegel, BWNC executive director. “We hope he returns to North Carolina in the future.”

During his time with BWNC, Evan became most passionate about the organization’s legislative work. “I didn’t know there was so much going on at the state level,” said Evan. “All of these attacks on bike laws have amazed me. To find out that, with the right push or with the right pressure from a group of people, you can make a change, is really cool.”

HB232 Bicycle Safety Law Study Working Group Discusses Safety Benefits of Riding Two Abreast – No Legislation Recommended to Limit This Existing Right

The Working Group brought together by NCDOT pursuant to House Bill 232 to study bicycle safety laws held their final meeting November 18th. After approving last meeting’s minutes, the group focused on the legislative directive to look at whether cyclists should be required to ride single file or allowed to ride two or more abreast. The committee unanimously approved a motion to recommend no new regulations on riding abreast (there was consensus that two abreast is often safer than single file), and instead for NCDOT to develop an education and outreach program (with funding) to promote safe group riding practices, safe cycling, and safe motoring, including advice spelled out in the resolution drafted by NCDOT that the preferred method of passing bicyclists is a lane-change pass.

Here are some points made during the discussion.

  • UNC HSRC (James Gallagher) and enforcement representative Chris Knox both scoured general statutes and reached out to experts and did not find anything that prohibits riding two or more abreast
  • Absent law against, cyclists riding two or more abreast is legal.  Steve Goodridge (BWNC) pointed out that a few municipalities in NC have traffic laws that may conflict with state law as they require riding single file
  • James Gallagher also searched research and found none that suggested riding single file is safer.
  • Each person on the committee was asked to share their view for the record on riding two abreast. No one thought it was safer or provided rationale to support requiring single file.  Virtually all shared thoughts that supported riding two abreast such as:
    • No recorded hits from behind when riding two abreast. Single file riders have been hit from behind.
    • Riding two abreast makes the bicyclists more visible, appear “bigger”
    • Riding two abreast makes motorist pass in other lane, which is safer (most crashes are from same lane passing)
    • Riding two abreast tightens group and thus facilitates passing for motorist
    • James said based on above points, riding two abreast is “probably” safer and added that only 3 states restrict it (39 states specifically allow it)

The committee had previously taken action on some of the other legislative directives – here is a summary of actions taken from previous meetings. These included recommended legislation

  • Allowing crossing of double-yellow line to pass bicyclists when safe
  • Requiring rear lighting or reflective clothing

Thank you to our cycling supporters that attended the meeting; some came in from Charlotte.

NCDOT will now assemble the committee recommendations into a report document, and write its official legislative recommendations into that document. The draft report and recommendations will be made available for public comment and likely revisions before being provided to the legislature. BikeWalk NC and the cycling community will need to pay close attention to the report document, but even more important is what the legislature decides to do with it.

BWNC Seeking New ED as Lisa bids Farewell

BWNC is seeking a new executive director (click here for job posting) as I am leaving to join AARP. Those of you who attended the 2017 Summit in Wilmington know what a great partner AARP is for BWNC with their livability/age-friendly community work, so I hope to continue to support BWNC in my new role. The past three years with BWNC have flown by. I’ve enjoyed getting to know many of you and appreciate the great work you do and the support you’ve given me. NC is poised to make great strides – the BikeWalk “movement” has momentum. It helps that companies like Amazon specify they are looking to locate in a place that has transportation options since 20% of their employees don’t drive to work.   New leadership at NCDOT like Hannah Cockburn (see article below) will be instrumental in the next few years. Hannah, along with now Deputy Secretary Julie White, understand the importance of our state’s Complete Streets policy and the need to put more teeth in it, along with the need for more funding for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.   NCDOT’s rescission of $4 million back to the federal government of unspent Transportation Alternative (TAP) funds this past year shines a spotlight on the issue. NC couldn’t spend the funds most likely because small towns either don’t have the technical capacity to drive the bicycle and pedestrian projects and/or can’t provide the 20% required matching funds. BWNC is working to support NCDOT’s initiatives to improve their policies and promote enhanced funding. The conflict level on our roads is too high – many of us have been hit or had near misses and too many have been seriously injured or killed. We need roads that encourage walking and biking. That’s why BWNC’s work to improve safety on our roads is critical. For the past year or so BWNC (staff and expert board members and volunteers) have been meeting regularly with NCDOT as a follow-up to House Bill 959’s Bike Safety Law Study Report to gain consensus on best practices (taken in part from our website). Our next step is education and outreach in the coming year. Please support BWNC’s role in all this upcoming great work by joining BWNC and donating to the movement!

Support Bicycling & Walking in NC – Make a Year End Donation to BikeWalk NC

 

Please make a year-end donation to BikeWalk NC (BWNC)  –  your statewide voice to our NC legislature and NCDOT.This year we worked with our partner organizations, heard from many of you and talked to our state representatives and senators about what matters to us – safe infrastructure for walking and cycling near our homes and businesses.  Whether you walk or cycle for commuting, exercise, social or recreational purposes, we need our roads to be as safe as possible.    With your help, we’ve had many successes:

  • Protected the NCDOT Bike & Pedestrian Planning Grant Program;
  • Legalized motorist’s crossing the double yellow line to pass bicyclists with 4′ berth;
  • Simplified cyclists’ right turn signal;
  • Provided technical guidance to NCDOT DMV statutorily enabling e-bikes to use roads legally;
  • Energized our community with our annual Bike Summit in Wilmington and Tour de Fat in Charlotte, and
  • Began work with NCDOT on a comprehensive statewide new safety education program aimed to reduce tensions between motorists and cyclists and prevent pedestrian and cyclist crashes and fatalities.

But, there is much more to do:  Our state returned over $4 million dollars to the federal government that could have been used for bike and pedestrian infrastructure, most likely due to a lack of state/local matching funds. We want to get the state funding back that was eliminated in 2013 for stand-alone bike and pedestrian projects and advance other strategies to improve our streets for walking and bicycling.

We hear there could be new challenges in the upcoming legislative session that could reduce our biking freedoms and access. Statistically NC is among the worst in the country for pedestrian and bicycling crashes and fatalities. It is our goal to lower the number of crashes to zero through education, enforcement and better infrastructure.

Please consider becoming a member and/or making a donation to BWNC today!  Your membership is tax deductible – please consider donating prior to December 31st! Membership and sponsorship are easy with our newly streamlined process. Mail a check to BikeWalk NC, P.O. Box 531, Cary, NC 27512 or contribute online at http://www.bikewalknc.org/join/ to know that you are helping the human-powered transportation voice of NC do its best to make your NC roads as safe and fun as they can be.

Thank you for your ongoing support and wishing all of you safe riding and walking during the holiday season and into 2018.

Carol Stein

Membership Director, BWNC

 

SRTS Conference – Save the Date March 21, 2018

 

Safe Routes to School Conference – Building a Path to the Future

March 21, 2018 8 am – 4:30 pm

Koury Convention Center

Greensboro, NC

 Save the date for the  NC Safe Routes to School Conference. Hear inspiring success stories and leave with new ideas to amplify and sustain your own work. Sessions will feature: school, community and state action including Active Routes to School Project successes; collaboration with other transportation and health priorities; and the process for changing the physical environment for walking and biking.  Registration is $35 and will open in early 2018.

Continental breakfast and lunch provided. APA credits may be available for attendees.
Sign up to be notified when registration opens.

Sponsored by: The North Carolina Department of Transportation

For questions, please contact ncsrtsconference@unc.edu