SRTS – GEARs

Category: SRTS

ACT NOW- Call to Save Bike & Pedestrian Funding in Transportation Bill

Posted on January 31, 2012 by RideCoordinator

We’ve been riding on extensions of the Transportation Bill for over two years, waiting for a new one to come out. We’ve been through waves and cycles of thinking it was actually going to happen. Well it’s happening now! It may not make it all the way through the process but it’s the first time that something real has come out as “the next transportation bill”. However, that new bill has the look and feel of a 1970 Highway bill more than a 21st century transportation bill that considers active transportation and well funded transit as key pieces of the transportation system! The new bill takes out funding for Transportation Enhancements (where A LOT of our local bike/ped projects have been funded from), Safe Routes to School (SRTS), and pretty much takes out any program or project that mentions bicycles or pedestrians, including state ped/bike coordinators at DOTs.

That’s why it’s essential that you call or write to urge DeFazio to take on the leadership roll of making sure active transportation dollars are dedicated as part of the next transportation bill! Do this before noon on Wednesday!

Currently there are three amendments already in motion for the bill. Those include an amendment that would restore Transportation Enhancements and SRTS back into the transportation bill, one that would add funding for “transit operation assistance” and another that would include funds for bridge repair (the draft bill doesn’t even require bike/ped projects on new bridges which the old bill did). Ask DeFazio to support these amendments that create a more complete transportation bill and ask him to take a leadership roll in insuring bicycle, pedestrian, and transit funding are included in our next transportation bill. He needs to hear from his local constituents! Contact him now!

You may have heard a ‘call to action’ a month or two ago… this is another, even more important one, and I won’t say it will be the last. This fight to keep funding for cycling and walking infrastructure is going to go on until the new bill is voted in (maybe this session, maybe not). But THIS is a pivotal moment. Call now.

Rep. Peter DeFazio

Phone:(202) 225-6416

Fax:(202) 226-3493

or:

Maximizing Our Transportation Dollars

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Paul Adkins

Surface Transportation Program- Urban (STP-U) funds; where we’re getting it right and where we might be missing the boat.

On Thursday the Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) met at the Eugene Public Library and the main item on the agenda was the STP-U funds allocation for 2011-2013. For more information on the MPC you can visit the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) website, though it gives no great description of who makes up the MPC or what it does so we’ll have to do a separate story on that sometime. According to the LCOG website STP-U funds “are the only revenue source allocated and programmed for eligible projects solely at the discretion of the MPO” (Metropolitan Planning Organization, that is LCOG). They also state that the “Surface Transportation Program (STP) provides States with flexible funds which may be used for a wide variety of projects on any Federal-aid Highway including highways, bridges on any public road, and transit facilities. Bicycle and pedestrian improvements may also be eligible activities under the STP.” The funds have to be met by a local match (minimum 10.27%) . These applications next move to the Citizen Advisory Committee for comments (they are meeting on March 18th 5:30 p.m. at the Eugene Public Library) then it goes back to the MPC for final approval on April 8th (11:30 a.m. at the Eugene Public Library). If you’d like to see the complete packet of applications see this PDF file from the LCOG site. You can submit comments until April 5th at the contact information at the bottom of this post.

So what are some of the projects for the upcoming cycle and are we using these ‘flexible funds’ to their highest potential? You can see the list of projects and how they meet “Regional Priority Criteria” on this PDF. We’ll do a breakdown of the projects here (based on the jurisdiction) and look at where they make some great strides for active transportation and where we might be missing the mark. Continue reading “Maximizing Our Transportation Dollars” →

Fun & Important Gatherings Over the Next Two Weeks!

Posted on January 8, 2010 by RideCoordinator

Winter in the Willamette Valley doesn’t mean hibernation for cyclists. Recreational rides are happening and important advocacy projects are still prevalent. There are several GEARs rides happening each week. Check out the Rides section of the site to see those or download this months ride list here.
The coming two weeks hold even more fun events for the local cycling scene.
Here’s a run down on some of them:

January 16th:

The Tweed Ride has happened a couple times in Eugene already. This winter bundle up in your finest for this dapper ride. Leave from Wandering Goat and wander around town showing off your cycle chic style.

Street Skills for Families is a bike course directed at students living in the 4J school district and is part of the Safe Routes to School program. Class attendees will not only learn about basic traffic skills but also learn how to perform a bicycle safety check, how to properly fit a helmet, how to size a bicycle for a child, and how to properly carry things on a bicycle. The class will be held at McCornack Elementary from 12-3 pm. A light lunch will be available beforehand (11:30 AM) and afterward we’ll meet up with the Kidical Mass group for Soup and a Unicycle show (see below). More information and registration at the Eugene SRTS site.

This months Kidical Mass ride will meet at its usual spot (Monroe Park) at 3:00 p.m. and then ride West to meet up with the group from the Street Skills for Families class. Then the group will ride back to McCornack Elementary to enjoy some free hot soup and a Unicycle show from the McCornack unicycle team. See the Kidical Mass site for more information on those rides.

January 20th

The City of Eugene will be holding a hearing on the Riverfront Research Park Conditional Use Permit that has been approved but which has been appealed. Come to this hearing to give your input on the importance of this area as a vital connection for cyclists from the University area to the river path system. You can find more information at the Connecting Eugene website.

January 24th

The Fourth Annual Eugene Walking & Biking Summit!!!
Why go?! How about:
Free Off the Waffle breakfast & Full City Coffee
Free Child Care
Great speakers
Important input on Eugene’s first Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
An awesome Fashion Show
Informative and interesting booths
Raffle Prizes
…Need you more?!
Join the event on Facebook

As we reach these events we’ll be doing more in-depth stories on each event and some wrap-up as well.

Bike Day wrap-up & Meet in the Street Meeting

Posted on June 15, 2009 by RideCoordinator

The GEARs table was hopping at Bike Day with the main focus being the Flat Tire Fix-Off. Folks stopped by to see how fast they could change a flat. The top three finishers took the stage at the end of the day and to make it more exciting they competed blind folded!
Paul (GEARs President) stomped the competition by changing the flat in just over 2 minutes. David Roth, from the City of Eugene Transportation Planning department came in second, and Andrew from Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life came in third.
There were a lot more great events and items to wrap-up but for now I’ll pass on some links to some photos and videos from various Bike Day participants and also pass on the word that a Meet in the Street meeting is happening tonight.

Flickr set of Bike Day from Katura
and
YouTube videos of Bike Day from Katura

Here’s the latest from Heidi on MITS:

Meet in the Street is moving along in it’s organization. We have a
date (10/4), a time (8 am -2 pm), a route, and a nearly complete
budget (about $20k), an approved parks permit, dialogue with the
university, outreach to the Whiteaker neighborhood, and more.

We’ll meet on Monday evening to finalize some more details and move
the event organizing along. Hot topic is the deadline to meet
sponsorship application with Point2Point. And discuss the event
theme…how do folks feel about Makin a Splash (in case it’s rainy
that day)? Of course we’d like it to be hugely successful. 🙂

Please come help! Monday evening (6/15) at Keystone Cafe from 7-8
pm…we’d love to see you there.

Thanks!
Heidi

Local Alice Award Winner- GEARs Advocacy & Education Director

Posted on March 9, 2009 by RideCoordinator

Last night at the Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s Alice Awards our
local award nominee brought home the hardware and was recognized as a
leader in bike advocacy this past year.

Shane Rhodes was the final recipient of the Alice Awards last night in
Portland, where four other recipients were recognized. We had a table
of 10 folks up from Eugene to help represent GEARs, the City of
Eugene, and the energized bike culture here. Shane is the Safe Routes
to School program coordinator in the 4J School District as well as a
member of the City’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Council, and the
GEARs Education and Advocacy Director.

We will celebrate his success and achievement with Cake and Coffee,
during the GEARs Member Meeting on Monday March 9th,
at 8pm at the Keystone Cafe at 5th and Lawrence. The GEARs Board
Meeting with preceed this Member meeting at 7pm.

Here is the profile for Shane that the BTA provided.
http://www.bta4bikes.org/btablog/2009/03/03/alice-award-nominee-shane-rhodes/

Congratulations Shane! Thanks for all your hard work to make Eugene a
better place to bike.

Eugene's 2009 Walk and Bike Summit

Posted on February 2, 2009 by RideCoordinator

This years summit was a great success! More than 2o tables from community groups, bike shops, bike builders, and city organizations lined the perimeter of South Eugene High School’s cafeteria and more than 150 people showed up to hear from the Rails to Trails Conservancy, City Council Member Alan Zelenka, Congressman Peter DeFazio, the Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), and city officials about the state of biking and walking in our community and the plans and hopes for the future.

A great lunchtime entertainment break provided a debut performance of a Bicycle Tango by the local bike dance troupe, The Bottom Brackettes and an amazing bike fashion show with models from Revolution Cycles, Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life, Human Powered Machines, Bike Friday, Proletariat Cycles, UofO’s Bike Loan Program, and Cetma Cargo Bikes. The fashion show is a must repeat for next years event and really showed some great local builders, bikes, and styles.

The day wrapped up with workshops on Bike Commuting, an update on the Bike & Ped Strategic Plan, Car-Free Recreation, Safe Routes to School, and a basic Bike Repair class.

Here’s a bit from KLCC with an interview with David Roth:
[audio:walk-bike-summit-on-klcc.mp3]

Leave a comment on what your favorite part of the conference was.

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