Teaching Kids Safe Cycling - The Example from the Netherlands

The Netherlands provides an excellent example of both the need for teaching children safe cycling skills and the Dutch solution to that problem.

In Fort Collins, City Council has adopted the "Bicycle Safety Education Plan."   The plan has a goal of reaching 11,000 school children in the community every year.

The following videos suggest both a rationale for doing this and a means to achieving that goal.

This first video shows a bit of the history behind Dutch bike paths and bike culture.

The second video describes the education program that teaches Dutch children how to ride safely. At age 12 200,000 kids per year take a safe cycling exam that allows them to bicycle to school once they get into middle school.
How the Dutch got their cycle paths 

Bicycle training in the Netherlands

Bike Co-op to Hold Bike Town Meeting to Wrap up Community Listening Sessions

When: Wednesday, May 5 from 7 – 9 p.m.
Where: New Belgium Brewing, 500 Linden St. Fort Collins

In order to provide input into the Plan Fort Collins process the Bike Co-op has completed a series of eight community “listening sessions.” About fifty citizens, including cyclists, hikers/pedestrians and motorists came out to express their concerns and visions for a better bicycling community.

Among the concerns expressed for the near-term was a desire for better connections in the existing trail and bike lane system and more and better educational outreach to cyclists in order to reduce conflicts with other users, especially on sidewalks and trails in parks and natural areas.

For the long term the wish list includes increasing the numbers of over- and under-passes along trails like the Mason Trail and the Powerline Trail, including over or under Harmony Road. It was pointed out that grade separated crossings benefit both cyclists and motorists as it eliminates wait times at street crossings for both.

A consistent theme at several of the meetings was the idea of reducing speed limits throughout the City to 35 miles per hour or less. The point was made that if we really want to encourage biking and walking, speed limits should be reduced.

Other ideas brought forward include the concept of “bicycle boulevards” that give cyclists preference to use some neighborhood streets as thoroughfares. Streets nominated for such use included Swallow, Columbia, Stover, Canyon, Oak and Loomis. Bicycle Boulevards encourage cyclists to use through neighborhood streets while motorists might be discouraged through the use of traffic calming devices, signage, and other traffic control features. Stop lights, for example, might default to green for through cyclists while requiring motor vehicles to trigger lights through actuation devices, the opposite of how most City intersections now operate.

A community bike town meeting will be held Wednesday, May 5 from 7 – 9 p.m. at New Belgium Brewing to finalize citizens’ input from these listening sessions. Everyone is encouraged to attend, whether you ride a bicycle, drive a car, or limit your movements to walking. The goal of the meeting will be to review all the suggestions presented and vote on priority actions for the short and long term. A similar bike town meeting was held in November 2007 and resulted in the placement of 35 “share the road” signs throughout the community. Organizers of this meeting hope that new innovative ideas will emerge to present to City planners and to City Council through the City’s Bicycle Advisory Committee and the Transportation Board.

For information about the meeting call 310-5238. Or visit the Bike Co-op web site.

Bike Co-op Sponsors Bike Town Meetings

To provide input for Plan Fort Collins the Bike Co-op will hold a “listening sessions” or “Bike Town Meetings” to identify issues and opportunities for the future of bicycling in the city.    

Since Plan Fort Collins includes major updates to both City Plan and to the Master Transportation Plan this is an opportunity for cyclists to share their thoughts on what will it be like to ride a bicycle in Fort Collins twenty years from now.

The Co-op will hold nine public meetings over the next seven weeks.  The meetings are open to the public and everyone - cyclists and non-cyclists - are encouraged to attend. 

Meetings this week are:

Tuesday, March 30^th;  12 – 1:30 p.m.

Home State Bank Community Room

303 East Mountain Avenue

Topic:  Planning for the Future of Bicycling in Fort Collins

A general discussion and introduction to Plan Fort Collins from the bike seat.  

Thursday, April 1^st: 12 – 1:30 p.m.

REI

4025 South College Avenue

Topic :  Bicycling in Mid-Town Fort Collins: Prospect to Harmony:  Mason Trail, Foothills Fashion Mall, and back and forth across College Avenue

This will be a very interesting discussion about issues and opportunities along the Mason Corridor, College Avenue and the area of the Foothills Fashion Mall.

For a complete list of meetings through May 5th click here. 

Fort Collins City Council Asks for a Bike Safety Education Plan

City of Fort Collins resolution 2010-019, reproduced below, calls for City Manager Darin Atteberry to "pursue the writing" of a bicycle safety education plan.  The need for the plan has come up again and again over the past year and came to a head with the approval of the 2010-2011 FCBikes Program which was approved at Council meeting March 16th along with this resolution. 

The City's 1997 Bike Plan called for the creation of a city-wide bicycle safety education plan but the plan was never written and the 2008 plan failed to address an education plan.  Hopefully this resolution will get us back on track to create a City bike safety plan.  

RESOLUTION 2010-019

OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS

DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO PURSUE THE CONCEPT

OF A “MASTER CYCLIST” PROGRAM AND A “BIKE SAFETY TOWN”

IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BIKE SAFETY EDUCATION PLAN

            WHEREAS, at the March 2, 2010 meeting of the City Council, the Council requested that the Congestion Management and Air Quality Grant (“CMAQ”) for the City’s FC Bikes Program be amended to utilize $15,000 to $20,000 for the issuance of a request for proposals (“RFP”) for the purpose of hiring a coordinator to assist with the development of the Bike Safety Education Plan, among other things; and

            WHEREAS, the proposal of engaging through an RFP process a coordinator for that purpose has met with concerns on the part of the North Front Range MPO and the Colorado Department of Transportation and would, at the least, cause delay in the City’s ability to obtain the CMAQ grant; and

            WHEREAS, the City Bicycle Advisory Committee has recommended that the CMAQ grant be executed without the proposed amendment for the issuance of an RFP but that the City Manager pursue the work suggested by the Council, as a part of a future project of the staff of the City; and

            WHEREAS, the Council has determined that the approach recommended by the Bicycle Advisory Committee is in the best interests of the City and that the City Manager should be directed accordingly.

            NOW, THEREFORE,  BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS that the City Manager is hereby directed to pursue the writing of the Bike Safety Education Plan, and in connection therewith to develop the concept of a “Master Cyclist” program and to also explore the use of annual “Building on Basics” revenues to potentially assist in the construction of a “Bike Safety Town” in one of the City’s parks and, finally, to coordinate the Bike Safety Education Plan Project closely with the Safe Routes to School program.

           

            Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the Council of the City of Fort Collins this 16th day of March A.D. 2010.

City Director of Planning, Development and Transportation Responds to Budget Questions about Fort Collins Bike Plan

The City's Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) met last night and heard from Jeff Scheick about the City budget. The question and and answer session with Mr. Scheick and his staff (Bike Coordinator, Dave "DK" Kemp and Kathleen Bracke, head of Transportation Planning) was especially informative.

Questions were ask by a number of members on the BAC. The focus was the 2010/2011 City budget with specific reference to bicycle services, the bicycle program, and the bike plan implementation. Answers were provided by Scheick, Kemp and Bracke.



(The photo shows a bike education class with second graders in Commerce City. See questions h and m below for responses to questions about the City's priorities for bike education, the bike library and the FCBikes program).

This section is from the Draft minutes of the BAC meeting. Complete minutes will be posted on the City web site in the near future.

a) What about snow plow operations? These are funded at past levels.

b) Street sweeping? Cut to twice a year on collector streets. Eliminated in residential areas.

c) Are contractors required to sweep drag-out from construction sites? Could we enforce that? Scheick: Good point, we can and should do that, yes.

d) Parks has had significant cuts. What cuts there will impact bicycles? Scheick: $2M cut from Parks and Rec. Since this is not my area I can’t say how that will impact bikes.

e) What use might be made of Natural Resource dollars in our natural areas? Scheick: Open space dollars are dedicated. Skutchan: Yes, but they are being used creatively.

f) Can you speak to the two BFO offers from FCBIkes and the Bike Co-op that we heard about last meeting? DK: I can’t speak to the Bike Co-op offer (I don’t know if it was funded). FCBikes offer was above the line. Price: the Co-op offer was not even acknowledged by the City. It was not funded.

g) Can you comment on the BFO offer from the Bike Co-op? Scheick: I cannot. I read the offer and understood it but do not know how decisions were made to not fund it.

h) We were hoping to hear more from you about the Bike Program and funding for FCBikes. At Council on Sept. 1 Lisa Poppaw pulled the Safe Routes to School program from the consent agenda. Questions were raised about the $38,500 for educational expenditures versus funds of $100K for the Bike Library and $192K for FC Bikes. At what point does the City or does staff begin to reprioritize these allocations given the need for educational outreach to school children in particular? Scheick & Bracke: The CDOT grant for Safe Routes is comprised of specific funds as requested in the grant proposal.

i) The bike program is funded primarily by these three grants (exclusive of engineering funds). Council expressed concern about these priorities. Do we rely on Council to review priorities or should this group be making recommendations to Council in this respect? Scheick: Joe Olson, our traffic engineer is reviewing the 40 school zones in the City. We will bring this study to Council in Feb. 2010 to discuss transportation safety, including this topic. We are also working with Poudre School District on how to partner with them on educational outreach.

j) Has the FC Moves program been funded? Bracke: this addresses metrics for all modes of transportation. We will do this as a part of our regular planning budget. Skutchan: Metrics for bicycling is appearing as one of our priorities. Will the department be able to address this? Bracke: We will work with your group on this. We won’t do this by ourselves but welcome your input. The depth at which we measure bicycling will depend on resources.

k) There are lots of City departments that impact us as bicyclists (streets, cleaning, traffic engineering, park, etc.). How does this new organizational structure of PTD impact the ability of departments to communicate and work together or with the BAC? Scheick: Tell us what you’d like and DK can have any of these programs or departments come and talk with you. Skutchan: Will the reduction in staff impact your ability to respond to our needs? Scheick: You won’t see any change based on our reorganization. On the contrary, they should be more efficient now (pavement management is a good example.)

l) Do you expect snow removal to be maintained at the same level as in the past? And will that be prioritized as in recent years, including our trails through the Parks program? Scheick: I’ll have DK follow up on this. I don’t believe there is a change in street plowing. DK: Streets is very receptive to our priority bicycle routes. Scheick: Can you follow up on this.

m) The BAC is formulating a work plan. You don’t have a large budget to work with. Among the three current CDOT grants (Bike Library, FCBikes, and Safe Routes) what flexibility do you have to shift funds around? Scheick: We have no capability to reallocate funds. Council would have to support those changes and then CDOT would have to approve them. Price: So if this group were to recommend to Council that we shift our priorities, that’s a possibility? Scheick: Yes. Bracke: As you work on your plan and create your priorities that would be very interesting for us; what are the areas that you’d like to focus on? For example, CDOT is doing the next call for projects for Safe Routes to School in December. So your timing is ideal. If you have new ideas for us this is perfect timing. Also the NFRMPO is doing a new call for CMAQ funded projects soon. So I encourage you to shape your vision and work plan and we can help seek out funding for those programs. We have been very successful in seeking funding. Your ideas and support as a board would be very meaningful in moving forward those applications. Please don’t feel that we are “stuck” by the current funds. We’re lucky to have them but there are a lot of other opportunities as well.
Scheick: Very well said, Kathleen. The transportation pie is only so big. If you can help us make that pie bigger and help figure out how to slice it differently we could do greater things across multiple modes.

n) Are the $125,000 in B.O.B. funds “ours” to spend? Bracke: That is capital funding from Building on Basics. Ballot language specifies how those funds can be spent. It is for bike plan implementation. So if you have some ideas, let us know. Cardona: The language does say it can be used for “programmatic activities, special events, clinics, and services to promote cycling and safety” at the rate of $125,000 per year through 2015. Bracke: That’s another potential funding source for your ideas. Often those funds are used for matching funds. But yes, these funds are there for you to help prioritize. BOB funds have not yet been targeted for 2010 and 2011. So your timing is good for that. This year those funds were used as matching funds for grade-separated crossings. But they get used for a variety of different things. Morrell: So for ’10 and ’11 there are no earmarks yet? Bracke: Not yet. Price: Have the B.O.B. funds ever been used as programmatic funds or just capital improvements? Bracke: Only capital improvements.
Cardona: But the ballot language allows it to be used for programmatic purposes. Bracke: That’s correct. The City attorney’s office must verify that the projects qualify under the ballot language.

What Does City Council Have to do With a Platinum Bike Plan?

Everything. City Council sets policy in 2-4 year increments. They approve plans (like the Parks Master Plan that was just approved or the Bike Plan approved last Oct. 7, or the Bicycle Advisory Committee created by Council also last October 7th.)

Some people seem to like bike lanes, bike trails and paths, others think they are "extras," or childish, or even wasteful.

We've got several candidates running in Council districts 1, 3, and 5. We think you should support Ben Manvel in district 1 (that's Ben with the "One less car" on his shirt in the photo), Dale Lockwood in Distruct 3, and Kelly Ohlson in district 5.

Keeping incumbents, Manvel and Ohlson on Council is absolutely critical. Adding Lockwood would be a great touch to a supportive Council.

If you want a great summary about all these races, read Eric Fried's latest piece in Fort Collins Now. Pay special attention to his comments about Kelly Ohlson's opponent, Andrew Boucher: "all his columns rehashed the same points. Ready? Regulations, fees, taxes: bad! Nanny state: bad bad! Free market, Realtors, entrepreneurs: good! Open space, bicycles, transit: childish. Cars, roads, development: grown-up. Unions: bad. Poppaw, Manvel, Roy: badder. Ohlson: baddest."

Do us all a favor: Send Kelly Ohlson $25 today to help with his campaign, and vote for Kelly Ohlson, send Dale Lockwood another $25 and vote for him too. And send that last $25 contribution to Ben Manvel and vote for him if you're in District 1. Your vote, of course, depends on your Council district. But they all need your $25!

Bicycle Advisory Committees at Platinum and Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Communities

Platinum Level Communities

1) City of Davis, California - Bicycle Advisory Commission
• Develops options to achieve the goals of the city's Comprehensive Bicycle Plan, and recommends changes to the plan, as necessary, to achieve its purposes.
• Makes recommendations on any matter of bicycle safety
http://www.cityofdavis.org/meetings/agenda.cfm?c=29

2) City of Portland, Oregon - Bicycle Advisory Committee

The thirteen-member volunteer Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) meets monthly to review projects of interest to cyclists and discuss bike issues. The committee advises City Council and bureaus on all bicycle-related matters.

http://www.portlandonline.com/TRANSPORTATION/index.cfm?a=71962&c=37401

3) City of Boulder, Colorado – NO bicycle advisory board ; Transportation Advisory Board (TAB)

Boulder held a Bike Summit Sept. 7, 2007
At the City Council retreat in January 2007, Council identified conducting a Bike Summit as an initiative, with a goal of achieving Platinum status from the League of American Bicyclists. The summit was held at the Boulder Outlook Hotel on Sept. 7, 2007.
http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7693&Itemid=3068


Gold Level Communities

4) Corvallis, Oregon - Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Commission ( BPAC )

Advises Council on bicyclist and pedestrian issues; analyzes operation, routing, and safety concerns; recommends projects for bike facilities (paths, lanes, and racks); designs education and public outreach opportunities; and develops bike and pedestrian systems within the community. The Commission is comprised of 6 members who represent bicycle and pedestrian issues, one representative from the Associated Students of OSU, and one City Council representative.
http://www.ci.corvallis.or.us/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=388&Itemid=1393#BPAC

5) Fort Collins, Colorado – NO bicycle advisory board; Transportation Board

The Transportation Board advises the Fort Collins City Council on transportation issues. The Board examines issues relating to financing; the development and implementation of master plans pertaining to pedestrian, streets, transit, bicycles, automobiles, congestion, traffic signalization, and transportation facilities; the use of technology; and education of the public and private industry on transportation topics. The Board acts as a forum for the citizens to express their needs and concerns. The Board coordinates with other city boards and commissions on projects and issues that are of mutual interest. The Transportation Board works with other municipalities in the region to identify and develop solutions to key transportation issues.
http://www.ci.fort-collins.co.us/cityclerk/transportation.php

6) Jackson, WY – NO apparent bicycle advisory committee

7) Madison, Wisconsin - PLATINUM BIKING CITY PLANNING COMMITTEE

Platinum Committee Draft Report, November 29, 2007
In the fall of 2006 Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz formed the Platinum Biking City Planning Committee with the overall goals of
1) achieving the Platinum designation level through the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Communities program, and
2) putting forward a roadmap - or bike path - for Madison to become the best city in the country for bicycling.
Platinum Biking Committee Final Report
Adopted by the City Council April 8, 2008 (PDF 1.3 MB)

For more information on the Platinum Biking City Planning Committee, see the links below, or contact Arthur Ross, Pedestrian-Bicycle Coordinator at bicycle@cityofmadison.com
Platinum Biking City Planning Committee:

8) Palo Alto, California - Bicycle Advisory Committee

The Palo Alto Bicycle Advisory Committee is a citizen advisory committee which reports to the Chief Transportation Official. Members have interest in or knowledge of bicycling issues. The Committee's role is to review all issues related to bicycling in the areas of engineering, enforcement, education and encouragement. The types of activities include, but are not limited to the following:
• Review and comment on the design of Capital Improvement Program projects, street improvements, traffic signal projects, and parking facilities projects.
• Review and comment on changes and updates to the Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, Municipal Code and other policy documents which relate to bicycling.
• Review and prioritize the City's annual Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 list of pedestrian and bicycle projects and report the Committee's recommendations to the City Council.
• Provide liaison between the City and the community and community groups on issues related to bicycling.
• Promote bicycling as a viable form of transportation.
• Assist in the development and dissemination of bicycle safety awareness and education materials to the community.
• Review and comment on private development plans, which include bicycle facilities or have impact on bicycle safety and access.
• Initiate requests to City staff on issues of concern to the Committee related to bicycling.

http://www.city.palo-alto.ca.us/depts/pln/news/details.asp?NewsID=497&TargetID=107

9) San Francisco, California – Bicycle Advisory Committee

The Bicycle Advisory Committee meets to consider bicycle transportation projects and policies and to make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, the Department of Parking and Traffic, and other City and County of San Francisco agencies. Our projects include oversight and facilitation of the five-year Bicycle Plan Update, improved transit access for bicycles, and funding for bicycle improvements to increase road safety.

http://www.sfgov.org/site/bac_index.asp

10) Seattle, Washington – Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board

The Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board was created through Resolution 25534 on May 11th, 1977 to advise the city on the concerns and needs of the growing bicycling community. It is composed of 11 Seattle residents that serve for a 2-year term and in 2001 added an additional position for the YMCA Get Engaged Program that serves for a 1-year term.
Mission Statement: Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board advises the City of Seattle on all matters related to bicycling.
Vision: Make Seattle a world-class City for Bicycling. Make bicycling a viable transportation choice by encouraging active participation in policy and planning efforts through all levels of government. Build a more inclusive bicycling community by representing the needs of the diverse population of bicyclists in the City.
To fulfill this Mission and to achieve the Vision, the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board will concentrate its efforts on the following five principles as outlined by the League of American Cyclists as key elements of a bicycle friendly community:
 EVALUATION & PLANNING
 ENGINEERING
 EDUCATION
 ENCOURAGEMENT
 ENFORCEMENT


11) Stanford University, California – NO bicycle advisory committee

Stanford has an Alternative Tranportation Divison under the Department of Parking and Transportation.

http://transportation.stanford.edu/alt_transportation/AlternateTransportation.shtml

12) Tucson/East Pima County, Arizona – -Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee

The Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee (TPCBAC) was established to serve in an advisory capacity to local governments on issues relating to bicycle recreation, transportation, and safety.
The TPCBAC is involved in promoting the development of a safe bicycling environment in the City of Tucson and Pima County.
Members of the Committee include representatives from:
• each of the Wards of the City of Tucson,
• unincorporated Pima County,
• the Arizona Department of Transportation,
• the Pima Association of Governments ("PAG"),
• the City of Tucson Department of Transportation,
• the Pima County Department of Transportation,
• the City of Tucson Police Department,
• the Pima County Sheriff's Department,
• the University of Arizona,
• the Town of Oro Valley,
• the Town of Marana,
• the University of Arizona,
• Davis-Monthan Air Force Base,
and other representatives from local governments and other constituencies.