Morristown passes its own Complete Streets Policy

Our good friend, Kendra Arnold of Bike and Walk Morristown informed us just a few minutes ago that Morristown has passed its very own comprehensive Complete Streets Policy.

One of the most telling parts of a government entity's commitment to it's Complete Policy is in the Exceptions.  While the policy is otherwise very good, the exceptions are a little vague and could be manipulated to scrap otherwise worthy / needed complete street projects. "d" is particularly concerning as there is no definition of "disproportionate cost." The standard is that bike/ped improvements not exceed 15% of the total project cost.  The vague exceptions of concern are below.

c) Detrimental environmental or social impacts outweigh the need for these accommodations.

d) Cost of accommodations is excessively disproportionate to cost of project.

e) The safety or timing of a project is compromised by the inclusion of Complete Streets.

Putting that aside another mutual friend, Gerald points out that the policy places emphasis on planning for future bicyclists and pedestrians.  A good cool point.  Also the checklists are pretty neat and make it simple for implementers in the future to follow the policy.

Good job Morristown!

Atlantic City's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Comes on the Heels of a Tragedy

This blog has reported (here and here) on the deplorable walking and biking conditions in Atlantic City. On Monday July 9th this concern rose to the top of the local news when wheelchair bound Daniel Tavarez was killed trying to cross US 30 at Pennsylvania Ave by a hit and run driver.



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This tragedy has put the issue of traffic safety fresh on people's mind, but maybe this time the call for change won't disappear with the next news cycle.

LAB: Finding a Route Forward Under MAP-21

Originally published on the League of American  Bicyclists blog.

Last week (in June), Congress did what many thought impossible – they passed a new transportation authorization bill. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law on Friday (July 6). Unfortunately, that achievement came at the cost of a balanced bill that keeps strong dedicated funding for biking and walking projects.

The new bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21), weakens and cuts dedicated bicycle and walking programs.

This is certainly going to slow progress towards a bicycle friendly America. Many people are asking “What do we do now?” The answer is in the language of the bill itself and, perhaps, in an advocacy model we’ve been developing over the past several years.

Despite the best efforts of some extreme members of Congress – and thanks to the efforts of our congressional champions (Rush Holt here in New Jersey) – bicycling and walking projects are still eligible for federal transportation funds. This means bicycling and walking projects can be built with some of the largest pots of money, like the Surface Transportation Program (STP) and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), as well as the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). This critical point is the key to making the most of the new bill.

But this is not new. Bike/ped projects have been eligible project types in those programs for 20 years. We have long known that creating a transportation network that includes active transportation infrastructure will require more than the 1.5 percent that was set-aside for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School (now combined into “Transportation Alternatives”). That’s why the League and the Alliance for Biking & Walking, with funding from SRAM, created Advocacy Advance.

The Advocacy Advance program holds Action 2020 workshops for advocates and transportation agency staff to share best practices for maximizing funding under the eligible funding programs. We’ve been to Texas, Connecticut, Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania and we have upcoming workshops in Missouri, Virginia, and New York. Learn more about the workshops and consider applying to bring an Action 2020 workshop to your community.

We’ve already seen the tactic of fighting for eligible funds paying off.

Bike Delaware recently scored a major win and set an excellent example for advocates in other states. They teamed up with Nemours Health and Prevention Services (a health group), several bike-friendly members of the General Assembly, and Delaware’s bike-friendly Governor, Jack Markel, to pass and fund Walkable Bikeable Delaware an initiative to dedicate state funding to vastly expand the state’s trail network. After securing $5 million in the state budget last year, the Assembly recently passed next year’s budget which included a whopping $13.25 million for walking and bicycling.

This is in and of itself a major win. But the leadership in Delaware has the vision and ambition to use the state dollars as a match for federal funds. They have already used Walkable Bikeable Delaware funds from last year’s budget to secure the first ever Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds for a bike project in state history. Delaware is pointing the way forward for bicycling both in its state-level commitment to funding infrastructure and in its use of federal funds that have bicycling eligibility, like CMAQ.

Read article on the LAB blog HERE>>>

Driver attempts to kill Bradley Beach Bicyclist in hit & run

News 12 New Jersey is reporting that the driver of a black four door Mercedes tried to kill a bicyclist on Ocean Park Avenue late in the evening of July 4th.  Tom Bowker was riding his bike when he observed the Mercedes driving at excessive speed and yelled at the driver to slow down.  


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The driver then put his vehicle in reverse and struck Bowker.  After striking Bowker the first time, the driver of the Mercedes then put his vehicle into drive and struck Bowker again head-on, as Bowker was trying to get up and get out of the roadway. 

This time Bowker was thrown onto the hood and windshield of the Mercedes and dragged for more than a block and a half.  All the while Bowker and the female passenger in the Mercedes were yelling at the driver, "Stop!  Your going to kill him!"  Bowker said that while he was hanging onto the car the driver was smiling, seeming to enjoy horror he was inflicting on Bowker.

Bowker was lucky and escaped the assault with relatively minor injuries in the form of cuts and bruises on his feet and legs.

If anyone has any information regarding this incident that are encouraged to contact Bradley Beach Police at 732-775-6900. 

The suspect is described as a:

• White male
• In his late 20s
• Thin build 
• Thin beard with short dark jelled hair

Little Delaware to spend $13.25 Million on Walking & Biking

The following comes to use from our friends at Bike Delaware.  Delaware ups the ante in the bike/ped arms race in the Bicycle Friendly States rankings.  Can New Jersey keep up to little bitty Delaware?

VICTORY FOR CYCLING: Delaware General Assembly Votes $13.25 Million for Walking and Bicycling

Senator Robert Venables (left), Governor Jack Markell (center) and Representative Helene Keeley (right)

Both the Delaware House and Senate voted unanimously last night to approve a capital budget for the state of Delaware, including an unprecedented $13.25 million for walking and bicycling, a 90% increase over last year’s state commitment to walking and bicycling.
Ironically, the unanimous vote in the Delaware Senate at around 8PM came just a little more than 24 hours after the United States Congress voted to eliminate the main federal programs for walking and bicycling.  As there was not enough time to amend the bill, Delaware’s capital budget also still includes authorization for a state contribution (a much smaller sum of $388,000) to the Transportation Enhancements program, even though that program now no longer exists.
Governor Jack Markell, Senator Robert Venables (D-Laurel) and Representative Helene Keeley (D-Wilmington) all played key leadership roles in this victory for walking and bicycling.  Senator Venables was recognized last year as the 2011 Bike Friendly Elected Official for his leadership.

“Our Governor, his Cabinet, and both sessions of the 146th General Assembly have made historic progress for Delaware in improving the built environment of Delaware,” said John Hollis of Sussex Outdoors and Nemours Health and Prevention Services.  ”These nationally recognized improvements will give all Delawareans opportunities for a healthier lifestyle through walkability and bikeability.”
Calling last night’s vote an “historic accomplishment”, Bike Delaware Vice President Bill Osborne said it “would not have been possible without the confluence of several independent forces. First and foremost is the vision and leadership in both the Executive and Legislative branches of Delaware. Add to that the passion and commitment of the consumers/constituents who evidenced their support. Plus we had the essential benefit of an improved economic forecast that made this a decision of inclusion rather than substitution.”
The $13.25 million total commitment by the state is made of up two separate line items, $10.25 million in the Delaware of Transportation and $3 million in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.  Both Departments are cooperating to create an interconnected network of shared-use trails and pathways that will support non-motorized travel and recreation opportunities for Delawareans and visitors.

The Delaware General Assembly approved $10.25 million for DelDOT to make “Bike and Pedestrian Improvements”

Fort Lee police ticketing legal turning cyclists at GWB

A member of the New York Cycle Club is reporting being ticketed for making what most cyclists would consider a perfectly legal left turn at the approach to the George Washington Bridge at Hudson Terrace. 

BHafkin reports:

My friend and I were ticketed on the NJ side of the GWB today (along with at least 2 other cyclists). We were heading south on Hudson Terrace. Shortly before the GWB underpass we got to the left side of southbound traffic to make the left after the underpass. We were NOT salmoning. We're still trying to understand what the correct way to make that turn is. The way we understood it from the cop, we were supposed to stay all the way to the right until the turn?!?! So, um, we were supposed to make a left turn from the right lane? If possible, we're going to fight this, mostly to try to get some clarity. For the record, he was ticketing the salmoners also.

From his description, it would appear the BHafkin made a legal left turn is exactly the way the League of American Bicyclists teaches and in 100% compliance with New Jersey Statute 39:4-14.2. Section "a".  That law states:

Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable... however, that any person may move to the left under any of the following situations:

(a) make a left turn from a left-turn lane or pocket;

If one looks at the intersection in question below via Streetsview you will see that the 4 lane road has no signage prohibiting left turns onto the access road to the GWB and the south side walk/bikeway.


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Since left turns are not prohibited at the intersection, the left lane is a legal left turn lane and using it by bicyclists to make a left turn is therefore legal under New Jersey Statute 39:4-14.2. Section "a".

Beyond just NJ 39:4-13.2. bicyclists under New Jersey Stature 38:4-14.1.Section "a" , "shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by chapter four of Title 39 of the Revised Statutes..."  This law gives bicyclists the right to operate just like a motor vehicle as long as they are in compliance with other sections of Chapter 4 of Title 39.

Unfortunately this is not the first time cyclists have reported being ticket by Fort Lee Police for operating their bicycles in compliance with New Jersey law.  Several years ago a cyclist told WalkBikeJersey that he was issued a ticket by Fort Lee Police for riding two abreast while he and his wife were riding side-by-side in the shoulder.  Obviously not "impeding" motor vehicle traffic they were still issued the summons despite the fact that Section "e" of the same New Jersey Statute 39:4-14.2.  explicitly allows "to travel no more than two abreast when traffic is not impeded."

In their defense, Fort Lee Police is not the only police department reported to have a weak understanding of the rights and duties granted to cyclists by New Jersey law.  While better outreach and education are needed to teach New Jersey police departments the finer points of traffic law with regards to both bicyclists and pedestrians, a big part of the problem may be due to the greatly abridge handbook officers are given to carry on their person.  I've seen parts of this handbook and the extreme truncation of the laws in this book is confusing and leads well meaning police officers to issue tickets to bicyclists who are actually in compliance with the law.  It would not be surprising if that is what happened here.

WalkBikeJersey would gladly work with state and local officials to help rectify this problem.

New Jersey Opens Up Round Of Transportation Enhancements

The following originally appeared on the Greater Philadelphia Bicycle News:

While the doomday clock on Transportation Enhancements (TE) is ticking, New Jersey has announced one more round of TE that can fund bicycle and pedestrian projects including Circuit trails.

Funds are available for design, right of way acquisition, and construction. Selection of TE projects involves the participation of civic and environmental groups, the transportation community, and other government organizations such as the state’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations. The solicitation letter from Commissioner James Simpson invites those with construction-ready projects.

The application deadline is July 17th. For more information, go to the New Jersey DOT Transportation Enhancements web page.