The City of Winston-Salem is planning to hire a consultant to assist with their Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program and their bike/ped programming and marketing for FY15-16. For further information about this opportunity refer to: Request for Letter of Interest
News
BIG Seeking Executive Project Manager
If you are interested in the part-time executive project manager position with Bicycles in Greensboro refer to the BIG Executive Project Manager Job Posting for more information.
Tour de Fat Durham 2015 – A Success for Bicycle Advocacy
Thank you New Belgium Brewing for hosting an incredible show and event last Saturday in Durham. Beer, music, shows, bike parade, food and costumes galore. We raised more money than last year that will go to support BikeWalk NC’s bicycle advocacy, Durham Bike Coop, and Triangle Spokes! Don’t miss it next year!
Bill Restricting Bicycle Lanes to be Resolved in Conference
LEGISLATIVE ALERT – Ask House Conferees to Remove Section 7 from House Bill 44
The House and Senate must resolve differences between their versions of House Bill 44 . Section 7 of the Senate’s version of the bill would prohibit “road diets” under certain conditions without consideration of exceptions. This provision was NOT in the House version. The bill language is overly prescriptive and may in effect reduce a community’s ability to optimize safety and congestion relief in a comprehensive manner:
(b) The number of travel lanes may not be reduced to accommodate the addition of bicycle lanes within the existing paved and marked travel lanes of any State highway system street or highway located within a municipality if either of the following conditions exists: (i) the street or highway has an average daily traffic volume of 20,000 vehicles per day or greater or (ii) the action taken reduces the projected road capacity, for a 20-year period beginning at the time the bicycle lane is established, to below a Level D, as defined by the Institute of Transportation Engineers Highway Capacity Manual.”
Would the pedestrian and cycling safety improvements been permitted on the flagship Hillsborough Street in Raleigh under condition (ii) above – the road currently may be a Level C, and Level D- at peak times. How about College Street in Asheville shown above?
If criteria is legislated, DOT should be given flexibility in the decision making process rather than a strict prohibition.
The House conferees will be – Lambeth (chair), Conrad, Ross, McGrady, Hanes, Bell, and Stam, so advocates can contact these House Representatives and express how unwise it would be for this language to remain in the bill. You could also contact Speaker Moore’s office to request that Section 7 of the bill be removed. We will let you know who the Senate conferees are as soon as we hear.
FHWA Safety Engineer talks about how Level of Service is only one of many measures and there should be considerable design flexibility to achieve community goals on streets and for road diets (9:30 to 12:30 mark of webinar). This illustrates how the H44 Level of Service elements are counter to FHWA guidance.
House Votes Down Bill that restricts “Road Diets”
LEGISLATIVE ALERT
The House just unanimously voted not to concur with the Senate version of House Bill 44 . Section 7 of the bill would prohibit “road diets” under certain conditions without consideration of exceptions. The bill language is overly prescriptive and may in effect reduce a community’s ability to optimize safety and congestion relief in a comprehensive manner:
(b) The number of travel lanes may not be reduced to accommodate the addition of bicycle lanes within the existing paved and marked travel lanes of any State highway system street or highway located within a municipality if either of the following conditions exists: (i) the street or highway has an average daily traffic volume of 20,000 vehicles per day or greater or (ii) the action taken reduces the projected road capacity, for a 20-year period beginning at the time the bicycle lane is established, to below a Level D, as defined by the Institute of Transportation Engineers Highway Capacity Manual.”
Would the pedestrian and cycling safety improvements been permitted on the flagship Hillsborough Street in Raleigh under condition (ii) above – the road currently may be a Level C, and Level D- at peak times. How about College Street in Asheville shown above?
If criteria is legislated, DOT should be given flexibility in the decision making process rather than a strict prohibition.
The House conferees will be – Lambeth (chair), Conrad, Ross, McGrady, Hanes, Bell, and Stam, so advocates can contact these House Representatives and express how unwise it would be for this language to remain in the bill. We will let you know who the Senate conferees are as soon as we hear.
