matt@icycle
User
Junior Boarder
| Posts: 7 |   |
Karma: 0
|
Re:Francisco Rios was struck by van and killed on old - 2008/01/03 03:36
I intend to address City Council on Tuesday when they have public comments time.
I'd also like to investigate the procedure for getting an initiative on the ballot, maybe for the November election, calling for a comprehensive bikeway plan.
It's a transit/mobility issue, it's an environmental issue, and a quality of life issue for all the residents of Houston. Even if you don't or won't ride a bike for transportation, if the infrastructure is there and other do ride then that's fewer cars on the road and less pollution.
Your challenge is valid and I do want to do more to make Houston a more bike-friendly place. It seems an exercise in futility to try to get thing done.
I recall attending public meetings where the city/txdot/metro unveiled the current bikeway plan and thinking that things were getting better for cyclists in Houston. That was over ten years ago ! They did manage to build a 5.2 mile long bike path on White Oak Bayou and I'm thankful for that. Now let's see that path finished all the way into downtown as promised and see that effort duplicated on every bayou in town.
Why has the city let the bicycle/pedestrian coordinator position sit vacant for almost a year ? Do you think the city would go without a police chief or IT Director for that long ? Of course not. It's simply not a priority for them and we've let them slide by doing nothing by not lobbying intensively enough.
I'm sure Lilibeth Andre (former bike/ped coordinator for Cof H) probably quit in disgust at the glacial pace of progress on bike issues. She probably hated to hear me on the other end of the phone asking about the MKT path, although she was always gracious and polite.
I bet a bunch of you guys out there helped assemble and dole out 18,000 free bikes for kids over Christmas for Elves and More. What a great gift for a child- a free bike ! Let's give them another great gift- safe places to ride those bikes throughout the city.
Next Tuesday, I'll be a city hall to address City Council. I'll have to think of intelligent, persuasive things to say to make the case for bikeways when I'd really just like to curse and yell.
Go to Portland, Oregon. They have bike lanes all over the place, most with a curb between you and the cars, and it all connects with the commuter rail.
We can do that here.
|
Forums 
