Economic Advocacy
Advocating for a Bike Friendly Community
By gmw
Jan 16, 2008 - 2:29:53 PM

ROANOKE BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

More than 70 local planners, engineers, community leaders, and bicycle enthusiasts attended a lively and informative “Bicycle Friendly Community” workshop presented by the League of American Bicyclists on January 8 in Roanoke.   The forum was hosted by the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club and the Roanoke Chapter of BikeWalk Virginia, and concluded with a series of action items that will propel Roanoke Valley communities toward official designation as Bicycle Friendly Communities.

The four-hour workshop explored actions taken by communities across the country to encourage bicycling, including strategies from striping bike lane, building trails, installing bike parking and signing popular bike routes, to education and encouragement programs that get more people riding safely. Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists, led the workshop and praised regional efforts to develop a greenway network in creating a great base from which to start. He also recognized the work of the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club and BikeWalk Virginia for creating a strong culture of bicycling in the area.

The group then identified critical issues preventing progress in Roanoke and surrounding communities, as well as a series of action items that will overcome those obstacles, which include:

·         Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission establishing a Bicycle Committee

·         Each local jurisdiction establishing a Bicycle Advisory Committee

·         Each local jurisdiction adopting the regional bike plan of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission

·         Encouraging local interest groups to include non-motorized transit issues in their platform

·         Hosting a candidate forum

·         Creating an awards program to recognize government officials or agencies that are instrumental in improving conditions for cycling

·         Organizing a community bike ride series

·         Organizing a “big ride” with a large number of participants including elected officials

·         Notifying businesses of the availability of free bicycle racks through the bicycle rack give-away program of the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, information for which is at:   http://www.ridesolutions.org/bikewalk/bikerack.asp

·         Launching a bike education program this spring  

·         Airing television public service announcements to educate bicyclists on how to ride safely and motorists on how to share the road

·         Promoting bicycle rodeos, helmet give-away programs, and Safe Routes to Schools projects

·         Participating in VDOT and National Park Service public meetings

·         Each attendee participating in his or her Neighborhood Plan update process

·         Determining outcomes of action plan