Thought the linked video below was interesting because it talks about some of the goals that Chicago has for its bike plan, but also a bit about the process. http://www.treehugger.com/bikes/how-can-we-make-chicago-more-bike-friendly.html
NACTO is a fairly new organization of transportation officials in cities. Cities have very different transportation needs than rural areas or suburbs, so it's great to have a group of people thinking specifically about urban transportation. NACTO has come up with a great guide to bicycle facilities. I also like the idea that people already biking have a wealth of knowledge about what the needs are in their communities, and that knowledge should be tapped when developing plans. At the same time, we want to plan for people that aren't biking yet, and try to figure out how to get more people on bikes. Sometimes the facilities that make people feel safe getting on a bike might not the same ones that make it easy for experienced bicyclists to get where they are going quickly. How do we balance those goals? Finally, the journalist makes a good point about the need to get the ideas out there well in advance of implementation. We want all those people that don't bike - and may be confused, frustrated, irritated, or just uninformed - to feel they know what is happening and why. Many innovations get poor public reception because people feel these things are spring on them. (Many people still feel that way about roundabouts, although they are becoming much more common.) So, in watching this video, what lessons can we bike advocates, as well as staff, and regular citizens, take from our friends in Chicago? Robbie Webber Transportation Policy Analyst State Smart Transportation Initiative www.ssti.us 608-263-9984 (o) 608-225-0002 (c) [email protected]
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