Comments on: Bicycling safety in Oakland County: It’s not about the money http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2008/06/27/bicycling-safety-in-oakland-county-its-not-about-the-money Promoting safe and convenient bicycling in Metro Detroit Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:23:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Paul Eddleston http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2008/06/27/bicycling-safety-in-oakland-county-its-not-about-the-money#comment-527 Paul Eddleston Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:52:32 +0000 http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=211#comment-527 Safe accomodation, 1% of this or that, it's all pretty irrelavent. Basically the road system and it's lack of suitability for cycling is just one more reason for the best and brightest NOT to live in Michigan. I think if we get that argument on the Governors desk something might get done. Safe accomodation, 1% of this or that, it’s all pretty irrelavent. Basically the road system and it’s lack of suitability for cycling is just one more reason for the best and brightest NOT to live in Michigan. I think if we get that argument on the Governors desk something might get done.

]]> By: Steven Dunn http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2008/06/27/bicycling-safety-in-oakland-county-its-not-about-the-money#comment-526 Steven Dunn Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:44:27 +0000 http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=211#comment-526 It would be nice if the Road Commission were to take the initiative w/r bike lanes or even paved shoulders that allow for cyclists to share the roadways without danger or invconvenience. The Free Press just published an article about cycling. The author (name not known) is a committed cyclist (got a Trek Madrone for Father's Day). There was also an article about one of the recently completed bike routes in Macomb Township. It might be worth working with this writer to develope a series of articles that deal with bike safety, bike commuting and the adequecy of the roads . At the end of each article there could be a survey that you ask the reader to complete - one question or two, yes or no (i.e., Do you feel the roads are adequet for safe bike commuting???). One could set up a rating system for all mile and similar roads that would look at various aspects - from road repair issues, to existence of a paved shoulder/cycling lane, to frequency of use. I suspect the local cycling clubs (formal) and some of the groups that cycle out of the various bike shops (informal) could assist in this rating. If it were done annually it would provide valuable information for riders and would also be information that could be published (embarrasing some road commissions into action). It would also provide some solid data to present to road commissions (from the road assessment and newspaper survey) to argue for a more proactive role and to set up a priority system to look at which roads are being used most frequently and deserve attention first. It would be nice if the Road Commission were to take the initiative w/r bike lanes or even paved shoulders that allow for cyclists to share the roadways without danger or invconvenience. The Free Press just published an article about cycling. The author (name not known) is a committed cyclist (got a Trek Madrone for Father’s Day). There was also an article about one of the recently completed bike routes in Macomb Township. It might be worth working with this writer to develope a series of articles that deal with bike safety, bike commuting and the adequecy of the roads . At the end of each article there could be a survey that you ask the reader to complete - one question or two, yes or no (i.e., Do you feel the roads are adequet for safe bike commuting???). One could set up a rating system for all mile and similar roads that would look at various aspects - from road repair issues, to existence of a paved shoulder/cycling lane, to frequency of use. I suspect the local cycling clubs (formal) and some of the groups that cycle out of the various bike shops (informal) could assist in this rating. If it were done annually it would provide valuable information for riders and would also be information that could be published (embarrasing some road commissions into action). It would also provide some solid data to present to road commissions (from the road assessment and newspaper survey) to argue for a more proactive role and to set up a priority system to look at which roads are being used most frequently and deserve attention first.

]]> By: Christine Walden http://www.m-bike.org/blog/2008/06/27/bicycling-safety-in-oakland-county-its-not-about-the-money#comment-525 Christine Walden Sun, 29 Jun 2008 21:01:14 +0000 http://www.m-bike.org/blog/?p=211#comment-525 ...Not to mention that adding a reasonable and safe path for cyclists might unclog some of the congestion that the Road Commission uses as a reason to NOT put in bike lanes. The answer, however, is going to lie with the Oakland County board of Commissioners -- they appoint the members of the RCOC, even though the RCOC sometimes acts like they own the roads or something!?! They don't. We do. It's our tax dollars -- every step of the way. For local road issues, find out who owns it, who controls it and who controls who controls it. In Oakland County, it's the board of comissioners. If it's MDOT, good luck. They DO own the roads and act like it. Government is so used to thinking automotive around here that they can't even consider any other kind of transportation as an alternative. The Michigan Department of Transportation, not the Michigan Department of Automotive Transportation. They need to step to the plate. Parked in every garage, right beside the gas guzzler, is a free to use two wheel vehicle. Government needs to get with it, change gears and start addressing the future, not clinging to the past. Enough said from this party. …Not to mention that adding a reasonable and safe path for cyclists might unclog some of the congestion that the Road Commission uses as a reason to NOT put in bike lanes. The answer, however, is going to lie with the Oakland County board of Commissioners — they appoint the members of the RCOC, even though the RCOC sometimes acts like they own the roads or something!?! They don’t. We do. It’s our tax dollars — every step of the way. For local road issues, find out who owns it, who controls it and who controls who controls it. In Oakland County, it’s the board of comissioners. If it’s MDOT, good luck. They DO own the roads and act like it.

Government is so used to thinking automotive around here that they can’t even consider any other kind of transportation as an alternative. The Michigan Department of Transportation, not the Michigan Department of Automotive Transportation. They need to step to the plate. Parked in every garage, right beside the gas guzzler, is a free to use two wheel vehicle. Government needs to get with it, change gears and start addressing the future, not clinging to the past.

Enough said from this party.

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