Thursday, April 1, 2010

Bicyclist Have A Posse

[I'm reposting this from another site of mine]

It is the Federal Department of Transportation.

See FC: Transportation Secretary Announces "Sea-Change" for American Transport: Bikes!
LaHood's announcement... is backed by a set of eight guidelines, which will be sent to state DOT's and communities:

* Treat walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes.
* Ensure convenient access for people of all ages and abilities.
* Go beyond minimum design standards.
* Collect data on walking and biking trips.
* Set a mode share target for walking and bicycling.
* Protect sidewalks and shared-use paths the same way roadways are protected (for example, snow removal)
* Improve nonmotorized facilities during maintenance projects.

Which frankly all sounds rather dull, but here's the important thing: LaHood, as Transportation Secretary, is essentially saying, "If you want federal DOT dollars, you better think more seriously about adding bike paths to the projects you propose."