I think Eric's post is right on point. I'm not sure how productive it is to get mad at BFW for what they are or aren't doing at the moment. They are in transition and the state budget process and the stimulus money are both fairly complicated issues. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be working on it or communicating better about it...but I can understand if these issues are hard for them to address at the moment.
And in any case, the main part of what BFW can do is encourage its members and the public to contact their elected officials and ask for the things that Eric has outlined below. I don't precisely know how the stimulus money is going to play out process-wise...but the state budget won't be final until summer. There are plenty of junctures between now and then to let our voices be heard. Why not spend our time making those contacts rather than complaining? -Dar Message: 6 Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:38:48 -0800 (PST) From: Eric Sundquist <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Bikies] Fw: BFW Agenda Item 2: Increased funding for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure To: bikies <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" There are several places to lobby for greener, bike-friendlier Stim projects. 1. WisDOT and the legislature's Joint Finance Committee, on state projects. 70 percent of Wisconsin's Stim "highway" funds will be spent by WisDOT. ("Highway" is in quotes because even though it is commonly labeled that way, federal Surface Transportation Program funding is in fact very flexible and can be used for buses, bike facilities, rail, planning, demand-reduction programs -- pretty much anything transportation related except air and maritime stuff.) WisDOT's first $300 million has been devoted to highways, and though the quickie budget legislation involved does allow that to be changed, there's a lot of momentum behind those projects and they would be really hard. There will be another $250 million or so, however, and that's not yet spoken for. It could go to high-speed rail or state bike paths, to name two options. There may be some organizing around this, but it can't hurt for individuals to let WisDOT know now that people want a greener Stim with something for bikes. And if BFW (or any other organizer) knows of a state bike corridor where the land has been acquired, i.e. is shovel ready, then now's the time to rally support for construction with Stim money. 2. Local governments and MPOs. The other 30 percent of the state's "highway" money will go to the locals. Local governments will propose projects to MPOs, which will decide among competing projects. Madison city staff presented their pre-Stimulus list of proposed road projects tonight to LRTPC, but they acknowledged the Stim would change things, and Larry Nelson spoke a bit about that. He said staff viewed it as a chance to move up some big-ticket construction projects, specifically County Highway M expansion, and that even though STP money could go for buses, transportation demand management, etc., nobody in the city was looking at it that way. So if you want to green the Stim locally, maybe an alder or the mayor should know. Nelson was friendlier, however, to some particular bike projects. The city engineering staff wants to speed up work on the Aberg Aveneue overpass for the Starkweather Creek Path, for example. And when LRTPC members asked about two other potential bike projects -- the Cannonball/Miliatry Ridge Path overpass at the Beltline near Fish Hatchery, and a link across the Beltline on the west side to Junction Road -- Nelson said both were possible with Stim money. So if the local bike community could rally around those or other similar projects, that might help move them into consideration. I know there is some interest in Fitchburg on the Cannonball Path, which might bring more support when it gets to the MPO level. I don't know about allies on the Junction Road link. Eric
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