Thursday, July 24, 2008

Over 20 participants offer ideas on bike and ped planning at DOTD hearing

Here's a copy of Alex Kent's story for the Times. The similar Shreveport Blog story is here.

Residents tell road officials to include pedestrians, cyclists

By Alexandyr Kent
akent@gannett.com

Cyclists and pedestrians shared their ideas about transportation safety Wednesday. During a public meeting at the Broadmoor branch of Shreve Memorial Library, they brainstormed and presented their ideas to state officials and consultants.

"We recognize that we have a need to move vehicles, but that cannot come at the cost of personal safety" of pedestrians and cyclists, said Nick Jackson, of the Toole Design Group.

The Maryland-based consulting firm has joined Burt-Kleinpeter, a New Orleans-based firm, to help the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development establish a statewide transportation master plan that's more inclusive of nonmotorists.

"From the very beginning of the project, it is the presumption that it will include bicycles and pedestrians," Jackson added.

Policy priorities will be outlined in the Louisiana Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, which will be released in 2009. The public meetings, which are being held in cities around the state, are part of the group's 18-month effort to gather information from residents, plus city planners and transportation officials.

"We think that some of these roads are too fast for pedestrians and cyclists," said Tamila Allen, of Shreveport, as she addressed the group. She termed biking to work "a short and dangerous journey."

She later added the 20-plus residents who attended the meeting should organize.

"This group needs to get back together and form a fairly cohesive group to present (ideas) to the city," she said.

Jeff Wellborn, who works with the local chapter of the Sierra Club, urged the state officials and consultants to listen closely to local concerns.

"We're the ones who need to steer the ship and not them," he said.

Emma McCarty, a physician living in the Highland neighborhood, attended the meeting because she wants to bike to work. She's tried it but found auto traffic prohibitive.

Her group suggested city officials take a firsthand look at the problem.

"Make them all bike to work once a month so they at least understood the issues," McCarty said.

Residents also expressed a general frustration that traffic plans, like those implemented at the Youree Drive shopping corridor, made areas inaccessible to cyclists and pedestrians.

Brian Parsons, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for La. DOTD, spoke briefly about the idea of taking a "Complete Streets" approach to road planning. If implemented, it would mean that new road or improvement projects would balance the needs of motorists, pedestrians and cyclists alike.

"We have lip service to it, but we're not doing it," Parsons said. He and the consultants hope the Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan — strengthened by citizen input — ultimately will help make roadways safer for everyone who uses them.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

DOTD planning meet open to public input: Wed, July 23, 5 pm, Broadmoor Library

Loren Demerath writes, "I´ll be in the air flying home as this meeting happens, but I sure wish I could go. Hopefully Maurice´ll be there, and maybe you, April, Ian, Sally and others too."


In response to increased interest and demand for walkable and bikeable transportation options, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has begun a planning effort to update their Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.

The purpose of this effort is to review and recommend POLICY changes to address the needs of all the users of the transportation system, and by doing so, to reduce pedestrian and bicycle crashes across Louisiana. While this plan is not intended to result in a map of a statewide network, or a list of projects, the goal is to lay the groundwork to facilitate a statewide system which accommodates everyone who uses it.

You are invited to participate by attending one of our upcoming Public Meetings:

Shreveport
Wed, July 23rd, 5 - 6:30PM
Broadmoor Library
1212 Captain Shreve Drive

Thursday, July 3, 2008

All Pedal, No Gas blog

SHREVEPORT TIMES REPORTER ALEXANDYR KENT TRIES BIKE COMMUTING:

"I’ve gone live with the All Pedal, No Gas blog, which will be featured on shreveporttimes.com.

First, please bookmark the following blog URL and visit it daily. Please invite your friends to check it out!

http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=ALLPEDAL