Make Our Roads Safe For Bicycles! [RCA] NYS Complete Streets Assembly Bill w/ your help it will be out of Committee this week

Complete Streets:
http://www.completestreets.org/
............................................................................................................
Rochester Cycling Alliance
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=150642517226&ref=ts
Rochester, NY
Bike Week
May 21 – 28 2010

The RCA is an organization which works to create better cycling infrastructure and a stronger voice for cyclists in Rochester, NY.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=150642517226
....................................................................................................................

'Complete Streets' bill would aim for more livable communities

The Complete Streets slogan refers to the idea that roads should also accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users, in addition to cars. Cities like Seattle already have complete streets ordinances, but House Bill 2911 would establish a similar policy for the state Department of Transportation and how it designs and builds highways through cities and towns.
The streets of our cities and towns are an important part of the livability of our communities. They ought to be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper. But too many of our streets are designed only for speeding cars, or worse, creeping traffic jams.
.....................................................................................................................
Now, in communities across the country, a movement is growing to complete the streets. States, cities and towns are asking their planners and engineers to build road networks that are safer, more livable, and welcoming to everyone.

Instituting a complete streets policy ensures that transportation planners and engineers consistently design and operate the entire roadway with all users in mind - including bicyclists, public transportation vehicles and riders, and pedestrians of all ages and abilities.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/transportation/archives/191741.asp
.........................................................................................................

A National Network Of Bike Trails? It Could Happen

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126263488
A quiet revolution is starting in the world of transportation.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently announced what he's calling a "sea change" in transportation policy: He wants to make biking as important as driving.
"We’re elevating it to the point where as we develop new road systems, as we develop communities where people can use light rail or street cars or buses, bike trails and walking paths will be equal partners, if you will, and equal components of those kinds of transportation opportunities in communities across America," LaHood tells NPR's Guy Raz.
.........................................................................................................................................
email from Harvey Botzman:

I returned to Rochester on Wednesday evening after meeting with
members of the Assembly bill writing committee, Assemblymember Gantt's
Aide, and Assemblymember Paulin's aide. Ivan Vamos and Terry Burke of
the NY Bicycling Coalition also attended this meeting.

The NYS Senate Transportation Committee approved and sent their
Complete Streets Bill, S5711, to the full NYS Senate for a vote.

The Assembly's bill is in the Transportation Committee, chaired by our
Assemblymember David F. Gantt (representing parts of Gates, Chili, &
Rochester.) Assemblymember Gantt and Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz
(the Bronx) co-sponsored the Assembly's Complete Streets bill A8587.

THE NYBC NEEDS YOUR HELP to bring the Complete Streets bill A8587 out
of the Assembly Transportation Committee for a vote by the entire
Assembly. We need you to fax, telephone, and email Assemblymember
Gantt in Albany and here in Rochester, yes, 2 faxes, 2 telephone
calls, and 1 email requesting the Transportation Committee to vote for
sending Assembly bill A8587, with a recommendation for approval by the
full Assembly, to the full Assembly for a vote by the entire Assembly
(very complicated explanation of the process.)

Assemblymember is in Albany & the Transportation Committee meets in
Albany on Tuesday, April 27, 2010. Why fax? It is a record, a paper
trail, that someone sent something of importance.

Albany Phone: 518-455-5606
Albany Fax: 518-455-5419
Rochester Phone: 585-454-3670
Rochester Fax: 585 454-3788
Email: GanttD@assembly.state.ny.us

After contacting Assemblymember Gantt send a fax to Benjamin Ferris,
AARP NYS Legislative Coordinator at 518-434-6949 Why? To monitor and
show the legislators the number of New Yorkers who believe Complete
Streets is important.

The process of making an idea into a bill into a law is:
Assemblymembers Gantt & Dinowitz sponsored Complete Streets --> Bill
number assigned and sent to the Transportation Committee by the
Assembly Rules Committee (Speaker Silver, chairs the Rules Committee --
> Transportation Committee reads and modifies (if necessary Bill No.
A8587 and makes both the Assembly & NYS Senate's bill language
congruent --> Transportation Committee votes to send A8587 to the full
Assembly for a yea or nay vote [this is where we are now] --> Assembly
votes YEA (hopefully) & the bill if also approved by the NYS Senate
goes to the Governor for a signature to make Complete Streets a law.
Wow! And you thought Bike Week was complicated!

Thus, fax, phone, & email Assemblymember Gantt (Chair of the Assembly
Transportation Committee & A8587's co-sponsor) to send this bill to
the full Assembly for approval vote.

Harvey Botzman