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Thank you to all the people who attended the Governor’s Proclamation Signing for Bike Month and Bike to Work Week. There were 15 individuals representing
Here is the proclamation that was signed:
Bike Month Proclamation
WHEREAS, for more than a century, the bicycle has been an important part of the lives of many Americans, and today residents of all ages throughout Nebraska engage in bicycling for transportation, recreation, physical activity, environmental preservation, and fun; and
WHEREAS, increased bicycle usage will promote health and wellness in Nebraska and is an important part of encouraging all citizens to develop habits of physical activity to become or stay fit, avoid overweight and obesity, and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases and conditions; and
WHEREAS, increased bicycle usage will promote the development of livable communities and foster policy changes at all levels to incorporate Complete Streets that provide the opportunity for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers to share the road; and
WHEREAS, the education of cyclists and motorists about the proper and safe operation of bicycles is important to ensure the safety and comfort of all users; and
WHEREAS, bicycling offers a unique perspective from which residents and visitors may discover
WHEREAS, Nebraska’s vast network of scenic rural roads, multi-use and rail corridor trail systems, and pleasant weather conditions make the Cornhusker state a favorite destination for bicycling enthusiasts; and
WHEREAS, May is Bike Month and Bike to Work Week is May 17 through the 21 and provides an opportunity to increase public awareness of the many benefits of bicycling, to promote bicycle safety, and to encourage bike riding through organized events such as Bike-to-Work events, club rides, family rides, and bike rodeos for children;
Thanks again for your efforts, passion, and energy!
Brian Coyle, Michelle Stryker, and Tim Montgomery
PUBLIC NOTICEThe Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will be in Omaha March 15 and 16 for a federal certification review of the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA), which is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Omaha-Council Bluffs region. The review will cover MAPA’s transportation planning process and the effectiveness of that process.A public input meeting has been scheduled for Monday evening, March 15 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the MAPA offices, 2222 Cuming Street in Omaha.Major elements to be discussed include organization and management of the planning process, planning agreements and the cooperative process, planning factors, public involvement, project selection, and financial constraint. Products of the planning process – The Long Range Plan, TIP, and Unified Work program – will also be discussed.If you are unable to attend this meeting and would like to comment, please send written comments to Paul Mullen, MAPA Executive Director at:Metropolitan Area Planning Agency2222 Cuming StreetOmaha, Nebraska 68102-4328ore-mail paul_mullen@mapacog.org
"Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!" :)
Check out this interesting article in Bicycling Magazine that ends with "Let the competition begin!" with regards to the race to overtake Portland as the most bike friendly city in America.
Here (below) is one interesting nugget from the article. I wonder what Omaha's numbers would look like if we conducted the same survey? How does this inform us on where we need to concentrate our efforts?
To accomplish its goal of increasing ridership, (Portland) has to do more
to make cycling a viable option for those people who would like to ride, but
don’t. The city’s research has shown that when it comes to cycling,
Portland’s population breaks down into four distinct categories:
“The strong and fearless”: .5 percent of Portland’s population
“The enthused and confident”: 7 percent of Portland’s population
“The interested but concerned”: 60 percent of Portland’s population
“No way no how”: 33 percent of Portland’s population
Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: 2010 Benchmarking Report is an essential resource and tool for government officials, advocates, and those working to promote bicycling and walking. The Benchmarking Project is an on-going effort to collect and analyze data on bicycling and walking in all 50 states and the 51 largest U.S. cities. This second biennial report reveals data including: bicycling and walking levels and demographics; bicycle and pedestrian safety; bicycle and pedestrian policies and provisions; funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects; bicycle and pedestrian staffing levels; written policies on bicycling and walking; bicycle infrastructure including bike lanes, paths, signed bike routes, and bicycle parking; bike-transit integration including presence of bike racks on buses, bike parking at transit stops; bicycling and walking education and encouragement activities; and public health indicators including levels of obesity, physical activity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The report is full of data tables and graphs so you can see how your state or city stacks up. Inside you will find unprecedented statistics to help support your case for increasing safe bicycling and walking in your community. Bicycling and Walking in the U.S.: 2010 Benchmarking Report was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and made possible through the additional support of Bikes Belong and Planet Bike.
Turner Boulevard Trail at Harney Street
Keystone Trail at College of St. Mary, just north of Mercy Road.
Bridge crossing on Keystone Trail at College of St. Mary
Bridge crossing on Keystone Trail south of Pacific Street.
Sidewalk connection totally blocked on Keystone Trail at 72nd Street. Note plowed path through the grass connection to shopping center parking lot.Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed at these sites are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Omaha Bikes.
In the last 15 years, more than 76,000 Americans have been killed while crossing or walking along a street in their community. More than 43,000 Americans – including 3,906 children under 16 – have been killed this decade alone. This is the equivalent of a jumbo jet going down roughly every month, yet it receives nothing like the kind of attention that would surely follow such a disaster.
Streets are designed to get PEOPLE (and stuff) from point A to point B. In the United States, the average person has chosen to use an automobile on those streets to get from A to B. In fact, most US cities are designed in such a way that people are almost required to use an automobile to cover the large distances from A to B. This is a city DESIGN CHOICE and not a necessity. The way the average US city is designed has encouraged the wide spread use of some sort of “fast transport” to get from A to B in a reasonable amount of time (Urban Sprawl comes to mind).
The fact is, that there are other ways to design a city AND much more efficient ways of getting from A to B. The bike is just one of those more efficient methods. When a city is designed correctly, cars don’t have to travel at 55+ mph to get from A to B in a reasonable amount of time. In fact, in a properly designed city, the average person lives within a few miles of almost all of the destinations they might want to visit in a typical day. At that point riding a bike or walking becomes more feasible. But that’s not CURRENTLY how Omaha is designed.
That being said, the people in Omaha that choose a bike to help them get from A to B will sometimes need to share these high-speed roads to get where they are going. Don’t think for a moment that they WANT to ride with high-speed automobile traffic, but sometimes they need to. Bikes are nothing special. Bikes are just a tool, that some of us use, to get from point A to point B. Bikes do belong on the road, and with proper facilities on Omaha’s shared streets, everyone will get along just fine. Right now, Omaha is just in the beginning stages of adding those facilities that will help bikes and automobiles co-exist. In the coming years, we will see more bikes riding in Omaha for transportation/utilitarian reasons. As the facilities improve, it will be less difficult for automobile traffic to coexist with bike traffic. Until that time, please be considerate and pass bikes with care, because we are just people, like you, using Omaha streets to get from A to B.
Also, a challenge to those of us that are already riding bikes on Omaha streets for transportation/utilitarian/health/recreation reasons. Please obey ALL traffic laws. Don’t be the 1% that gives the other 99% a bad image.
