INCOG bicycling advisory group meeting

[Ed W]

Yesterday, we had the first meeting of the new Indian Nations Council of Governments bicycle advisory group. Since this was the preliminary meeting, it included introductions and a brief discussion of goals and brought us up to date about on-going projects. This group may be meeting once a month, so there should be more to report shortly.

==============

INCOG BAG Meeting

17JAN2008 1130A

Members
Ed Wagner
Monica Barczak
Josh Gifford
David Darcey
Chris Zenthoefer (not present)
Tom Brown
Lisa Frankenberger
Patrick Fox
Mark Brown (not present)
Glen Sams (not present)


The Big Picture
The subcommittee is composed of people with diverse backgrounds in cycling.  There are current and former racers, tourists, and commuters representing a variety of occupations.

We share a common goal – to get more people on their bikes in the Tulsa region – and we realize that the vast majority of existing cyclists are recreational riders rather than transportation cyclists.  However, it's critical to recognize the impact of infrastructure, particularly traffic lights and bridges, when it comes to transportation riders.  For a recreational cyclist, a road or bridge closure is a nuisance, but easily avoided.  For a transportation cyclist, it can represent a major problem if it prevents riding to a destination like work.  As the plan evolves, it must encompass the needs of all cyclists.

Naturally, we embrace the traditional five E's of bicycling advocacy: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Encouragement, and Evaluation.  We support the development of a comprehensive master bicycling plan, that includes elements from Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School.  



The Nagging Little Details
It's easy to get bogged down in discussions about plan details.  A perfect illustration: Patrick showed the group one of Portland's blue bike boxes, and we were sidetracked for a few minutes talking about it.  Anyone familiar with the email advocacy groups will be aware of what I've called how-many-bicycling-advocates-can-dance-on-the-head-of-a-pin arguments.  The people involved care passionately about their positions, but to the vast majority of readers, the discussion is a waste of time.  Unfortunately, I'm one of those people who bite hard on such arguments.

(As an aside, be aware that I use the word 'argument' in its primary definition, a reasoned discussion.  If I want the other kind of argument, the knock-down-drag-out kind, I need only say the wrong thing to my spouse.)

Monica yanked us back from that fruitless pursuit and I thanked her for it.  For the present, we need to focus on that big picture up above and use it to set our goals, then develop a plan to reach those goals.  The plan is a series of steps, some interlinked and some independent, almost like a road map.  And the nagging little details are the individual steps necessary to achieve those goals.

Some of those steps may include:
   Public service announcements modeling safe and proper bicycle use, both from a cyclist's viewpoint and that of a motorist.
   Funding for BikeEd in an effort to reach school children, adult cyclists, and motorists.
   Include knowledgeable cyclists in street planning as a normal part of the process.
   Efforts to change building codes to incorporate bicycle parking.
   Encouraging employers to promote bicycle commuting.
   Promoting Bike To Work events.
   Comprehensive Bicycling Master Plan, a larger document that includes the Trails Master Plan and much more.

Most of that list is nothing new, but they are popular efforts that have met with some success.  As always, the devil is in the details.  Another way to phrase that is the large print giveth and the small print taketh away.  A plan can have glowing, laudable goals, yet if it lacks supporting details, it will never come to fruition.    
   

Trail Projects and Updates
The locally infamous 'FEMA' bridge project over Little Haikey Creek should start moving dirt this month.  The bridge was backordered.  It's a pre-fabricated construction.

The Mingo Valley Trail is in negotiations with ODOT over bridge placement at 71st Street.

The Osage Prairie Trail Extension is looking for funding to continue trail construction north of Skiatook.  Ultimately, the plan is to extend it to Barnsdahl, or if possible, Pawhuska.

The River Park Trail will be re-located west of the Creek Nation Casino, possibly funded by the Creek Nation.  An astounding information tidbit – the new dual trail costs $290 per linear foot!


2007 Enhancement Grant Awards
   South River Parks Extension
   Fry Ditch Creek Trail (Bixby)
   Mingo Valley (Admiral to I-244)
   Osage Trail Trailhead (Skiatook)
   Sand Springs, Visual Detection

A word about Sand Springs – the city is looking to attain LAB Bicycle Friendly City status.

[Wingnut]

Ed,
Thank you for the update on cycling in the city, and thank you for being on the committee. I would ride my bike to work, from 21st & Mingo to 169 & Pine area, but there just aren't paths for that. Garnett is 2 lane passed Admiral and 169 isn't acceptable either. There is no really safe way for me to do it. We do ride on the path from 41st down to 11th when the weather is nice and plan to ride further when the paths are complete and join each other. We didn't get out as much as we would have liked last summer, but plan to this year. The paths are really nice!

[sgrizzle]

You group contains many kinds of bicyclists but did you consider having people who don't currently bike on a regular basis? Just seems like if you want to make something more attractive, you shouldn't only ask the people already doing it. See what it takes to get the "everyman" excited about bicycling.

[tulsasignnazi]

Cyclists with diverse backgrounds on the INCOG committee?  NOT.  Where da bicycling homeless vet at?  Where da bike cop at?  Where da Santa at?  Where is State Senator John Trebelcock, recently busted for DUI and watching his sub-prime SafeAuto insurance go through the ROOF?  And, NO Biker Fox?  

With a bunch of spandex-clad bike weenies mulling over a lame agenda like that, I'm liable to crash the party next month with a snide and snarky sign.  But, I'll spare you.  I'll be busy kicking down ILLEGAL signs like they just cross the BORDER.

I suppose the committee is a start.  In the meantime, I'd write a nice letter invite to this guy.



Tulsa Energy Czar calls for more bicycling, walking
By JASON WOMACK World Staff Writer
1/11/2008

America can curb its reliance on foreign oil if the country can do away with traffic jams.

"Congestion has been the biggest cause of gasoline demand for the last 20 years," Tom Kivisto, president and CEO of SemGroup LP, said Thursday during the Tulsa Press Club Page One Luncheon.

Tulsa-based SemGroup and its subsidiaries move energy products from the wellhead to the wholesale market place. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides services to the crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, refined products and asphalt industries.

Kivisto, who co-founded SemGroup in 2000, advocated policies that encourage fuel-efficient vehicles, energy conservation and roads that cater to people rather than SUVs.

"I would love to see every highway in this town . . . have a bicycle and walking path," Kivisto said. "We have to stop the madness."

The endorsement may seem strange for the head of one of the nation's largest privately held energy companies. But Kivisto maintains that the right energy policies and incentives are a matter of national security.

The U.S., he says, demands about 40 percent of global gasoline supplies and is made up of households that boast more vehicles than licensed drivers.

The country is also facing the rapid industrialization of China, a nation that could surpass America as the largest consumer of refined fuel.

"We are not going to compete well for transportation fuels," Kivisto said following his speech.

Kivisto advocates tax incentives for fuel-efficient cars, mopeds and even bicycles rather than providing more money for ethanol, an alternative fuel often blended with gasoline. The fuel takes more energy to make than it ultimately produces, Kivisto said.

"Crude oil and the products associated with crude oil will still meet 80 percent of our transportation demand," he said. "We are just not going to get away from it."

Kivisto said money is better spent on improving the nation's transportation system, much of which is in "poor or worse condition."

"It is wearing down faster than we can repair it," he said.

He contends that the development of mass transportation is rarely effective and that energy prices will eventually cause people to move closer to their jobs.

Kivisto also favors the development of public spaces to make people want to choose other modes of transportation.

"We have to build walking opportunities," he said, adding support for pedestrian-friendly development of the Arkansas River corridor.

"We are going to put water in that river," he said. "It's going to happen."

[Ed W]

quote:Originally posted by Wingnut

Ed,
I would ride my bike to work, from 21st & Mingo to 169 & Pine area, but there just aren't paths for that. There is no really safe way for me to do it.

One goal of any bicycling advocacy group is to get people like you onto their bikes in a way that develops confidence and skill.  And we have to acknowledge that the majority of bicyclists ride for recreation, not transportation.  That will change this summer when gasoline prices are expected to exceed $4/gallon.  Many occasional cyclists will use their bikes to run errands or ride to work.  In my house, we call it the bread-and-milk-and-eggs run.  

You may be surprised to learn that - for the most part - Tulsa motorists are very accommodating toward cyclists, particularly commuters that they see every day, and those who ride legally and predictably.  What works for us, and what produces the fewest conflicts is remarkably simple.  Drive your bike just as you would your car.  Ride in the right-hand tire track.  Stop at stop signs and redlights.  Signal your turns.  These are the principles of vehicular cycling.  If you could learn them and apply them, you'd find that getting around Tulsa on a bicycle is relatively easy.

Sure, you'll still encounter the occasional horn-blaring fool, but he'll still be a fool whether you're on two wheels or four.

I'm an instructor with the League of American Bicyclists.  We'll probably offer the Road1 classes again later this year, and they include all that I mentioned above.

[Ed W]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

You group contains many kinds of bicyclists but did you consider having people who don't currently bike on a regular basis? Just seems like if you want to make something more attractive, you shouldn't only ask the people already doing it. See what it takes to get the "everyman" excited about bicycling.

It's a good point.  What would it take to get our hypothetical 'everyman' on that dusty bike out in the garage?  My thought has been that economic forces have more influence than any others.  When gasoline gets too expensive or if the family needs to save money, John Doe turns to walking or cycling for short trips.  That's the stick, but is there a carrot?

I had nothing to do with the selection of people for this committee.  I'm just a foot-soldier.  But I do think it's important that they have some experience as cyclists because they'll be asked to apply their knowledge and expertise.  INCOG has a flow chart somewhere that shows the steps in developing one of their projects, and at some point there's always an opportunity for public input.  

As I see it, the subcommittee will churn out a bunch of ideas, select some that are attainable and decide on the steps necessary to achieve them.  Then we'll have to figure out how to measure the results.  I could be wrong.  I frequently am.  Fortunately, I know that Patrick is reading this over my shoulder (in a figurative sense) so if I screw up too badly he'll undoubtedly offer corrections.

[dayzella]

quote:Originally posted by Ed W

I'm an instructor with the League of American Bicyclists.  We'll probably offer the Road1 classes again later this year, and they include all that I mentioned above.

I would take that class.

And if ever there were such a thing as group commuting rides, I would be very happy.  Is that something that might be part of a Bike to Work event?  A little OT - but is there such a thing as Critical Mass in Tulsa?

Thanks for the update, Ed.  I especially appreciate the updates on the trail projects.

[Ed W]

When we have a class schedule worked out, I'll be sure to post it here.  Last year, classes were offered through Tulsa Parks.  I hope we can do that again.

As for Critical Mass rides, I generally oppose them.  Despite good intentions at the beginning, they've devolved into lawless, anti-car demonstrations.  Favoring bicycle transportation on a personal level doesn't require hating or fearing motor vehicle traffic.  In fact, cyclists need motor vehicle traffic to sweep the road free of debris and to keep its surface smooth.

There is another group ride called a Courteous Mass, but it doesn't have the notoriety of Critical Mass, probably because they observe the rules of the road.  It doesn't generate nearly as much press attention.

[dayzella]

quote:Originally posted by Ed W

When we have a class schedule worked out, I'll be sure to post it here.  Last year, classes were offered through Tulsa Parks.  I hope we can do that again.

As for Critical Mass rides, I generally oppose them.  Despite good intentions at the beginning, they've devolved into lawless, anti-car demonstrations.  Favoring bicycle transportation on a personal level doesn't require hating or fearing motor vehicle traffic.  In fact, cyclists need motor vehicle traffic to sweep the road free of debris and to keep its surface smooth.

There is another group ride called a Courteous Mass, but it doesn't have the notoriety of Critical Mass, probably because they observe the rules of the road.  It doesn't generate nearly as much press attention.

Courteous Mass ... that's nifty.  I'm going agoogling.  Thanks again, Ed!

[tulsasignnazi]

quote:Originally posted by dayzella
Courteous Mass ... that's nifty.  I'm going agoogling.  Thanks again, Ed!

Soooooo yesterday.  Since it's election time in the City, why don't you spandex-clad bike weenies send every candidate an issues questionnaire, like all the other special interest mafia groups that come out of the woodworks to grovel for political influence?
[][]

[Breadburner]

quote:Originally posted by tulsasignnazi

quote:Originally posted by dayzella
Courteous Mass ... that's nifty.  I'm going agoogling.  Thanks again, Ed!

Soooooo yesterday.  Since it's election time in the City, why don't you spandex-clad bike weenies send every candidate an issues questionnaire, like all the other special interest mafia groups that come out of the woodworks to grovel for political influence?
[][]

Your the idiot that makes cycling difficult for the rest of us you half wit.....

[tulsasignnazi]

quote:Originally posted by Breadburner

Your the idiot that makes cycling difficult for the rest of us you half wit.....

Yep.  Kick 'em when they down, people![][]  Where da beef at, boy?

Help me out, people.  How can ONE person, an alleged HALF wit, POSSIBLY make cycling difficult for EVERYBODY, when the overzealous cops on the lookout for the EASY bust, the vague laws, and the IGNORANT motorists ALREADY conspire to do a bang up job of making cycling a BIG pain in the arse?[!][!]

[TheArtist]

Does anyone have any info about the bike trail that is, was, supposed to go along the I44 expansion? It runs right along my neighborhood behind the Promenade, where they have already widened the road. But then when they widened the Yale overpass, it was like they completely threw out any notion of a trail?  I thought I had read that they were going to connect all the way to River Parks with that trail. It would make a nice way for neighborhoods all along there to get to River Parks or even to the mall, movies, etc. if they wanted. Its like I have this nice little park that goes for a few blocks then dead ends.

[Ed W]

Artist....if I recall right, the connectivity of that trail to the north was effected by the planned revisions to the 41st St/I44 interchange.  Apparently it's to be a big project and until the highway and street plan are finalized it's almost impossible to route a trail through the area.  

As it is now, the signed bike route runs along 41st, then turns north just east of Promenade.  We were through there earlier today, and given the heavy traffic along 41st, I'd be a little hesitant about making that left on my bike.  A newbie would be genuinely terrified.

If I learn any more about that section, I'll let you know.

[pfox]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

You group contains many kinds of bicyclists but did you consider having people who don't currently bike on a regular basis? Just seems like if you want to make something more attractive, you shouldn't only ask the people already doing it. See what it takes to get the "everyman" excited about bicycling.

Yep. You pose an interesting dilemma, mr. grizzle.   Generally, getting someone to commit to regularly attend and participate in something like the Bike Advisory Group, who only has passing interest, is difficult.  I try to address this on a broader scale in most of my presentations.  I see four types of cyclists (or potential cyclists) out there:  The strong and fearless. These folks will ride anywhere.

The enthused and confident. Mainly club cyclists who are comfortable on the road and in group rides.

The interested but concerned. They're fearful in traffic, but the group offers the greatest potential for growth.

No way, no how! This is pretty much self-explanatory.

By far, the largest group is the interested but concerned, and so, like our Advisory Group dilemma, the bigger dilemma is how to get these folks moved from "interested and concerned" to "enthused and confident".  This doesn't mean you  have to wear spandex, as our friend Paul is suggesting (I don't), but the bottomline is if cycling, everyday cycling, doesn't gain a larger, visible presence, cycling in Tulsa will always be relegated to second tier status.  The cyclists can change this "second tier" status,  but only if we show up in mass (and I don't mean critical mass.) everyday so vehicles are forced to pay attention to us, and treat us with the respect we deserve on the road.  So, help us. Tell us what will get you on the road...