Volume 4, No. 1
Springforth, 1998
Newsletter of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.![[BFW Logo]](/images/bfw1.gif)
Wisconsin BicyclistVolume 4, No. 1Springforth, 1998Newsletter of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. | |
Here is Vol. 3, No. 4, of WisconsinBicyclist (Fallcolors, 1997).
by Marcia Miquelon, Bike to Work Week Coordinator
Madison's Bike to Work Week, May 23-29, 1998, is a celebration ofthe city's vibrant bicycling culture. Its goals are to raise awarenessof bicycling as a viable, environmentally friendly and fun commuteroption, to recognize the thousands of Madisonians who already bicycleto work, and to encourage everyone to give bicycling to work atry.
Last year, over eight hundred individuals (three times the previousyear's number) registered as Bike to Work Day participants. Over fiftyMadison businesses and agencies participated, offering recognition,raffle registration, free breakfast and other incentives to employeeswho bicycled to work. The arrival of Mayor Sue Bauman, the event'sofficial ³spokes²person, at the capital square, was covered bynearly every major newspaper, TV and radio station.
Building on last year's success, this year's vision includesinvolving 100 businesses and registering 2000 participants.
Exciting events planned for Bike to Work Week 1998 include:
Generous financial and in-kind support from the business community are making this vision a reality. Titanium Spoke Sponsors (>$2,500) include Budget Bicycle Center, Williamson Bicycle Works, and the Dane County Bicycle Association. Golden spokes in our wheel (>$1,000 contribution) include the Willy St. Coop and the Trek Store and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. Our silver spokes (>$500) are thus far provided by Signs by Tomorrow, Isthmus newspapers, TDS Net, Whole Foods, the League of American Bicyclists, and the City of Madison Transportation Dept.
The Madison Bike to Work Committee is looking for worksitecoordinators to help make this year's event a success. Worksitecoordinators promote Bike to Work Week to their coworkers, disseminateinformation on getting to work by bike, and register and recognizeparticipants. If you work in Madison and would like to see yourbusiness, agency or department participate in Bike to Work Week,please let us know. Information and resources are available to helpyou in your efforts.
We are also seeking volunteers to help us with planning andcarrying out our city-wide events. Volunteer tasks range from officetasks to fiesta or parade coordinator.
For more information about participating in Bike to Work Week,1998, please contact: Marcia Miquelon, Bike to Work Coordinator, 104King St. #204, (608)251-4456; btw1@madison.tds.net.
Marcia is BFW's highly esteemed Executive DirectorEmeritus.
by Robbie Webber, BFW Geographer
A few years back I attempted to plan a bike trip from Madison toBayfield. Besides being way too ambitious for my skills at the time,I discovered that the state bike map had only "suggested routes," noneof which would provide a satisfactory route for our planned week ofriding. I knew there were perfectly good roads all through the statewhich were not on the map. Why were only a few roads selected, makingchoosing your destination each day so difficult? Although otherresources probably could have provided me with road information, Ilonged for a map just for bicyclists which would cover the state andgive me lots of riding choices. Well, no more my friends! The NEWWisconsin State Bike Map, printed and distributed by BFW, will let youdecide where and how you want to ride. Whether you want to ride onlyon quiet, lightly traveled rural roads with your friend who has neverbeen off a bike path, or whether you are willing to brave a bit oftraffic to make a direct approach into the town with the bestcommunity festival this week, the new map will give you theinformation you need. Every state and county road in the state will berated for bicycle suitability, and every town road will be on the mapand named. In addition, sponsoring bike shops will be on the map, sothat you will know where to turn (north, south, or straight ahead) fora fresh pair of gloves, a new tube, a good mechanic, or just a restockof energy bars. To understand how this map was developed, we must lookback at the old map- the one I couldn't use for my trip. The old maphad some advantages: it was free, and it guided you along roads andtrails which were especially suited to a pleasant, safe, quiettrip. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) andDepartment of Tourism developed, printed, and distributed the map formany years. But the era of free bike maps from the state isover. Although the Dept. of Tourism still has its Bike Guide and otherbike publications, the state has decided to forgo a comprehensive bikemap.
Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin to the rescue! Last year, as partof the state bike plan, the Department of Transportation rated theroads throughout the state for their suitability for bicycling.Traffic volume, sightlines, road surface, and shoulder width weretaken into consideration. The state bike plan committee alsorecommended that a new map of these rating be developed. Since theDept. of Tourism had chosen not to publish and distribute a map, BFWapproached WisDOT with a proposal to take on the project. JeanneHoffman offered me the opportunity to guide the project through tocompletion. It has been a long but quite rewarding process. The newmap will not look like any you have ever seen before. The map set willbe in eight panels printed on four sheets. Although the sheets will bequite large, and perhaps difficult to use while zipping down the road,the information will be invaluable. The first sheet will cover thesoutheast portion of the state; on one side will be Milwaukee toMadison, and on the other side will be north of Milwaukee up to theFox Valley, Lake Winnebago, and Door County. And for those who preferto really get away from the cars, yes, the mountain bike locationswill be on the map as well. This map should be available in April,with the other sheets to follow in late spring.
Coming Soon to a Bike Shop Near You!
The maps will be available to purchase at bike shops and bookstoresthroughout the state. We will also have a number set up to purchasethe maps by credit card over the telephone. (We know not everyonebiking in Wisconsin LIVES here.) At the fall and spring Midwest BikeDealers Consumer Shows in Chicago our neighbors to the south werequite enthusiastic about the map, so expect to see it in storesthroughout Chicagoland as well. If you are a member of BFW, you willbe getting notification when the maps are available. If you are not amember, please join! (You can also send us a postcard, and we will putyou on the list to receive a notice.) Happy biking!
Robbie is one of BFW's super volunteers involved in building agreat bike advocacy organization. A.K.A. the World Wide Webber, shecan be reached at ewebber@facstaff.wisc.edu.
| WisDOT Report |
by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member and President, WE BIKE
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will soon be offeringEffective Cycling (Road I) courses to staff in at least six of itseight district offices. Funding for the training has been provided bythe Bureau of Transportation Safety working with DOT Central OfficePlanning and the Division of Districts. Up to 20 employees from eachsite can be trained.
This course will emphasize subjects which DOT staff needs to knowto incorporate bicycles into the transportation system. However,enrollment will not be limited only to persons with bike-relatedpositions. Other staff members with an interest in improving commutingskills and traffic knowledge as it relates to bicycling will bewelcomed. This is the same Effective Cycling - Road I course which isnow available to bicyclists throughout the state through BFW. Info:Peter Flucke - Project Coordinator at (920) 497-3196.
Effective Cycling Classes for DOT District Offices Personnel
by Tom Huber, WisDOT, Pedestrian and Bicycle Coordinator
Registration materials can be obtained from law enforcementagencies, school principals, and JoAnne Pruitt Thunder of WisDOT at(608)267-3154.
Almost all types of bicycle projects are eligible, but the moretransportation benefits that the project offers the greater the chanceof funding. Cities, villages, towns, and counties can apply for fundsuntil April 3, 1998. A similar program for the eastern Wisconsin ozonenonattainment area- the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program-has a deadline of April 10, 1998. Info: WisDOT (608)267-7757.
| |||
| Pam Aerts | Green Bay (De Pere) | (920) 983-1566 | |
| Michael Barrett | Madison | (608) 245-1059 | |
| Peter Flucke | Green Bay (Ashwaubenon) | (920) 497-3196 | |
| Mike Gerke | Green Bay (De Pere) | (920) 983-1566 | |
| Jim Guthrie | Milwaukee (Glendale) | (414) 967-9699 | |
| William Hanson | Marinette | (715) 735-3648 | |
| Steve Huss-Lederman | Fort Atkinson | (414) 563-2782 | |
| Kit Keller | Cedarburg | (414) 375-3180 | |
| Bob Mack | Mequon | (414) 243-7900 | |
| David Peterson | Madison | (608) 271-6931 | |
| Amy Resnick | Milwaukee (Fox Point) | Call BFW office | |
| Arthur Ross | Madison | (608) 266-6225 | |
| Eric Schramm | Madison | (608) 244-6328 | |
| Tom Sipin | Milwaukee (West Allis) | (414) 327-1819 | |
| Kathy Thompson | Madison | (608) 244-6328 | |
by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member
For almost a year now the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin has beenworking diligently to make quality bicycle education available tobicyclists in Wisconsin. BFW selected a quality bicycle educationprogram, Effective Cycling (EC) from the League of AmericanBicyclists, and obtained a grant form the Wisconsin Department ofTransportation to pay for the administration of the program and thecertification of more Effective Cycling Instructors. Now, thanks tothese efforts, quality bicycle education is available to everybicyclist in Wisconsin who wants it. THE REST IS UP TO YOU! Peopleoften ask me, "Just who should take an EC course?" Well maybe the bestway to answer that question is to take a look at some of the peoplewho have taken the EC - Road I course in the past year. There was a 70year old retired gentleman, a 16 year old high school student, aperson who couldn't change a flat and a guy who rebuilds free hubs"just for fun." There was a trail rider, a commuter, a woman who hadnot ridden a bike in 20 years, and an ultra-athlete. The diversity hasbeen simply amazing. But what has been even more amazing to me is thatthey all loved the course and they are now better bicyclists and theyenjoy bicycling more because of it. So, no matter who you are or whyyou ride, do yourself a favor this year and take an EC course, youwill be glad that you did. We did our part by making quality bicycleeducation available now, THE REST IS UP TO YOU!
To find a course near you, look in the 1998 Wisconsin BicycleEvents Booklet (available at bicycle shops in the state), call one ofthe EC instructors listed or the BFW office at (608)251-4456.
More EC courses are being scheduled all the time. If you would liketo be notified about upcoming courses in your area or if you wouldlike to sponsor a course please feel free to contact the BFW office orany of the instructors listed.
The Second Annual Effective Cycling Instructor Course is scheduledfor May 15, 16 and 17, 1998 at MATC in downtown Milwaukee. If you orsomeone you know is interested in becoming an Effective CyclingInstructor please contact Peter Flucke - Project Coordinator at (920)497-3196 or webike@aol.com.
"Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles"
John Forester - Creator of Effective Cycling"Balancing Ain't Bicycling!"
Effective Cycling - Road I"Don't just ride, ride smart"
Mike Gerke - Effective Cycling Instructor"The Effective Cycling course I took opened my eyes to another level of bicycle awareness."
Laurie Lata - Spokes & Folks Bicycle Club, Marinette, WI
Effective Cycling (EC) is a series of courses designed to makebicyclists of all ages and abilities more comfortable and safer in avariety of traffic conditions. Created by John Forester and theLeague of American Bicyclists, EC has been helping bicyclists ridesafely for over 20 years. EC is the only bicycle education programtaught by certified instructors and is endorsed by the BicycleFederation of Wisconsin (BFW) and the Wisconsin Department ofTransportation.
Road I- This nine-hour course covers the principles ofvehicular cycling, bicycle selection and fit, basic bike handlingskills, traffic rules and responsibilities, and minor maintenance. The$35.00 fee includes all materials.
EC courses are listed below, but new courses are always beingscheduled. For more information or to sponsor a course, pleasecontact the BFW office at 608/251-4456 or any of the instructorslisted.
| Around the State |
by Michael D. Barrett, BFW Board Member
Bikes-On-Buses Victory! In December, bike advocates wereable to persuade the Madison Transit Commission to direct MadisonMetro to apply for Bikes-On-Buses funding in the 1999 fundingcycle.
Madison Bicycle Commute Project is off and running! ProjectCoordinators Angela Graf (BFW Board Member) and Marcia Miquelon (BFWExecutive Director Emeritus) have signed on three downtown corporateparticipants, St. Mary's Hospital, WHEDA, and Home Savings Bank. Theyare currently courting Wisconsin Power & Light. The project isfunded by a Dane County Bicycle Association grant, a WisDOTTransportation Demand Management grant, and participatingcorporations.
Year-round bike commuting becomes a reality for the secondyear in a row, thanks to City of Madison Parks Department's timelysnow plowing. The current snow plowing policy was written by BTAmembers Tim Wong and Michael D. Barrett. Overtime funding was securedthrough the hard work of their Alder Judy Olson.
Sprawl continues to decimate escape routes: A favoritecycling route out of town to points south, Rimrock Road, was recentlyslated by the Ped/Bike/Motor Vehicle Committee to be expanded to afour-lane divided highway. Bicycle and neighborhood advocates see thisconfiguration as serving long distance, single occupant (motor)vehicle commuters from out of town at the expense of city residentsand bicycling countywide.
Similarly, the commission voted to approve a suburban-style fourlane highway for Park Street in the heart of the city, between Regentand Johnson Streets. Bicycle, pedestrian and neighborhood advocatesfear that the new construction will encourage speeding, increasedowntown traffic volumes and make pedestrian and bicycle travelexceedingly hazardous.
Another favorite escape route, Old Sauk Rd., is threatened by yet another mega-box store proposal. Bicycle advocates foresee that the quick jump to the open countryside on this quiet rural road would be obliterated by this development as car driving customers would soon use the Co. M - Old Sauk route to cut time off the trip from points southwest.
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance of Dane Co. sent a letter ofprotest in January to the Dane Co. Sheriff's Departmentconcerning a series of incidents which indicate a blatant disregardfor the safety of cyclists. No response has been received.
by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member and President of WE BIKE
Howard- On January 15th, citizens and community leadersgathered in the Village of Howard for the first meeting of the newlyformed Bicycle/Pedestrian/Inline Skating Committee. The Committee wasstarted by Village Trustee Henry Luxem to create a village-wide planfor accommodating bicyclists, pedestrians and inline skaters. Howardis the fastest growing community in Brown County having experienced a30% population increase since 1990. Luxem said, "We need to takeadvantage of this opportunity (to create safe and enjoyable bicycleand pedestrian facilities) now, before we paint ourselves into acorner." Peter Flucke, a BFW Board Member who serves as a technicaladvisor to the committee commented, "This type of committee should bein each community to ensure that the needs of bicyclists, pedestriansand inline skaters are being met."
Brown County- The Brown County Planning Department is in theprocess of updating the 1994 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for BrownCounty. According to Cole Runge - Principle Planner, "What we aretrying to do is come up with a method of implementing as many safebicycle facilities as possible. We're not saying that this is going tobe a cost-free plan, but we do want to minimize the cost." Pastcriticism of the plan have included concerns that some of therecommended routes were impractical either from a physical or afinancial stand point and that there was a lack of connectivitybetween routes. The new plan hopes to correct these problems byrelying more heavily on existing roadways which currently havesufficient width to safely accommodate bicycle travel. The updatedplan should be completed by late summer. Info: Cole Runge, (920)448-3400.
by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member
On Saturday November 8th, 1997 the Wisconsin Department ofTransportation closed the north bound on-ramp of the Hoan Bridge fromCarferry Dr. to I-794 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The purpose ofthe closure was to allow the Advisory Committee of the Bay View toDowntown Milwaukee Bikeway Study to bicycle over the bridge so thatthey could experience, first hand, conditions on the bridge such aswind and grades. The Committee's job is to advise whether to includeany bikeway alternatives involving the Hoan Bridge in the detailedplanning phase of the study. Approximately 30 people includingcommittee members, study staff members, their acquaintances andchildren participated in the ride. Notable attendees includedMilwaukee Mayor John Norquest and his son and Peter Flucke - Presidentof WE BIKE and BFW Board member. According to Mike Maierle of theDepartment of Transportation, there were no concerns raised during theride which would warrant removing the bridge from consideration.Three bicycle route alternatives, including the Hoan Bridge have beenforwarded by the committee to the DOT for further consideration. Info:Mike Maierle, (414) 548-8767.
by Bill Waldron, Milwaukee County Parks
The Milwaukee County Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture iscontinuing in its efforts to expand and improve its bike trailfacilities. Construction of the Hoyt Park to Milwaukee County StadiumBikeway is underway. This 3.3 mile section of trail will be routedalong the Menomonee River between Swan Boulevard and the southeasterncorner of Doyne Park (48th & Wells near the Milwaukee CountyStadium). The trail is intended to facilitate non-motorizedutilitarian and recreational travel modes between the central andwestern portions of the county. The trail will be located almostentirely on off-road paths or on parkway drives. The Hoyt Park toMilwaukee County Stadium Bikeway is also part of a larger initiative:the State of Wisconsin's proposed Henry Aaron Trail. That project calls for a trail to run from Hoyt Park, through the Menomonee RiverValley, and connect with the County's Oak Leaf Trail in theDowntown/Lake Michigan area. Construction of the Root River Bikeway, athree mile trail from Drexel Avenue to Ryan Road, is expected to beginshortly. The trail will be routed through the County-ownedenvironmental corridor along the Root River and will connect withFroemming Park at South 51st Street before continuing south throughthe Milwaukee County Sports Complex to Ryan Road. The trail willsupport a wide variety of recreational activities and will serve as acommuter route to the Franklin Industrial Park. The projectrepresents an important first step toward the implementation of long-range plans to extend the Oak Leaf Trail through the Root Rivercorridor in Milwaukee County. Planning for the Oak Creek Bikeway -Phase II will continue with construction possibly taking place in thespring of 1998. Phase II will include a 1 mile long trail routedalong Oak Creek between Pennsylvania Avenue and Drexel Avenue. TheParks Department has redesigned and updated its Oak Leaf Trail SystemMap. The new map is larger and easier to read. In addition, itcontains various informative features such as mileage, scales, trailtype differentiation, and public facility locations. The MilwaukeeCounty Parks Department is working with the City of Milwaukee on theinstallation of bicycle storage lockers in the O'Donnell Park parkingstructure. The lockers are intended to serve commuters to theMilwaukee Downtown area. The Milwaukee County Parks Department isparticipating in the "Downtown Milwaukee to Bay View Bicycle Route"study. The goal of that study is to enhance the use of bicycles as analternative mode of transportation between Downtown Milwaukee and theBay View Neighborhood for both commuter and recreational purposes,with an emphasis on commuter travel. A device for counting bike trailusers was recently purchased by the Milwaukee County Parks Department.It is portable and the data it will generate will be useful forplanning improvements and for justifying funding for newtrails. Lastly, as directed by the Milwaukee County Board ofSupervisors, the Milwaukee County Parks Director has appointed anadvisory committee to examine various aspects of mountain biking as itpertains to Milwaukee County. Currently the group is developingcriteria and guidelines for the possible selection and development ofa site in Milwaukee County. The criteria and guidelines should befinished sometime this fall.
| Planning for Bicycles: The ISTEA Edition |
Congressional Record- February 25, 1998
Mr. GRAMM: What Senator Byrd and I have been working to do is
guarantee that the money is spent on highways. We are in the process
now of looking at the highway bill coming up perhaps as soon as
tomorrow. Our position in principle is simple, straightforward, and is
not going to change.
...
All we are saying is, from this day forward, the amount of new money
coming into the trust fund ought to be spent on highways. Not that it
be promised to be spent, not that there be obligations that it be
spent in the sweet by-and-by, some time between now and the second
coming, but that it actually be spent where the dollars actually go to
the States and where the States actually pour the concrete and lay the
asphalt.
...
But today we want to thank the 53 cosponsors we have. We would like to
have more. If Members have not signed on, we could be on this bill
tomorrow and you have one more opportunity to have your name on this
list. When you get to the Pearly Gates, Saint Peter will look down at
this bill and see your name on it as a cosponsor if you sign on
today. As of tomorrow, it will be too late. I think if the Lord struck
Ananias dead, in the Book of Acts, for claiming he was selling his
worldly goods and giving them to the church-not only struck him dead
but also struck Sapphira, his wife, dead, too-then maybe there are
Members who will want their names on this list.
by Michael D. Barrett, BFW Board Member
ISTEA 2, the huge federal transportation bill is being debated even as this goes to press. Bicyclists should be aware of the importance of this legislation to bicycling. What it comes down to is this: There are strong forces at work in congress to make this a highways-only bill; a return to 1950's funding formulas (see sidebar). That would mean we would never again have a chance to have another wonderful program such as Effective Cycling funded with federal transportation money. No more bike/walk trails. No bikes-on-buses. No more planning dollars for bicycling. No Transportation Demand Management programs for congested areas.
Legislating Barriers to Bicycling?
Though it is true that several members of our congressional delegation have voiced tepid support for bicycle, pedestrian & transit funding, most are refusing to commit to anything approaching balance. In fact, in a recent phone conversation with a staffer at Senator Kohl's office, there was an indication that the Senator would support a bill which would increase highway funding (by tens of billions) while freezing bicycle, pedestrian and transit funding. This is a recipe for sprawl and other impenetrable "limited access" barriers to bicycling.
Give & Take
Our congressional delegation is preoccuppied by Wisconsin's putative status as a "donor state," i.e., we supposedly pay more in the way of gas tax than we get back. This is a bogus argument a) because last year we got back 98% of our gas tax money (we basically broke even) and b) even if in the past we have not broken even, it is largely due to the fact that federal transportation dollars allocated to Wisconsin have gone unspent by WisDOT due to their obstinacy in not wanting to spend on anything other than highways. For example, there is approximately $40m in enhancements money (read: bike/ped stuff) that has piled up in our state's enhancements account.
Though WisDOT claims that we never return transportation dollars to the federal account, we still rank about 48th in enhancements spending - yes indeed, right down there with Arkansas, Alabama & Mississippi. Transit has similarly been strangled.
According to our US Senators' staffers, neither Senator seems to want to take much of an active, leadership role in ensuring that pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users are treated equitably. We have much education to do.
Write NOW or Forever Hold Your Peace: The MEGA Bicycle Bill
It is very important that we all contact our representatives in DC. In fact, according to Senator Feingold's staff, they "simply have not heard from many people at all on ISTEA 2 - EXCEPT THE ROAD BUILDERS!" (And that is a direct quote from a Feingold staffer.) So please get the word out far & wide. Get your friends, enemies & relatives to write. IT IS NOT TOO LATE! But the letters, calls &/or emails need to go out now, or forever hold your peace - even after Wisconsin starts looking like New Jersey ("what exit?") or Phoenix, "brown sky city" Arizona.
A sample letter follows. Personalize/cut/paste/adapt it in any way you see fit. If you do email or call, make sure to include your home street address. If you do write, please forward a copy on to Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, 104 King St., Suite 204, PO Box 1224, Madison, WI 53701; bfw@mailbag.com (just a request, but not absolutely necessary).
|
[Sample Letter]
Dear Senator/Representative_______: Please take a leadership role in ensuring that the federal transportation legislation currently being debated includes critical, dedicated funds for transportation programs that reduce air pollution and promote bicycling, walking and public transit programs that benefit the environment and can help to reduce global warming. I understand that you are concerned about Wisconsin's share of federal transportation funds. However, much of this predicament can be explained by Wisconsin Department of Transportation's reluctance to invest in transportation enhancements (walking and bicycling) and transit. Hence, the problem lies less in funding formulas at the federal level than it does in project decisions by WisDOT. Please ensure that the balance of funds is not skewed even more heavily toward highway spending than the first ISTEA. Apparently, the transportation bill (S1173) faces a number of alarming attacks on the environment in the form of amendments; changes that would devastate public transit services nationwide, permit state transportation departments to eliminate funds for bicycling and walking facilities, allow highway expansion projects to be funded from the air quality program, in addition to an outright assault on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Senator, I urge you to stand up to these attacks on the environment, and vote against these harmful amendments. Sincerely, |
Addresses:
Senator Russell Feingold, 1716 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510-4904; (202)224-5323; (fax) (202)224-2725; contact: Ed An.
Senator Herbert Kohl, 330 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510-4903; (202)224-5653; (fax) (202)224-9787; senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov; contact: Eileen Hatten.
Mark Neumann, 1725 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515-4901; (202)225-3031; fax (202)225-3393; Lmneumann@hr.house.gov
Representative Scott Klug, 1113 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515-4902; (202)225-2906; fax (202)225-6942; badger02@hr.house.gov
Representative Gerald Kleczka; 2301 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515-4904; (202)225-4572; fax (202)225-8135; jerry4wi@mail.house.gov
Representative James Sensenbrenner, 2332 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515-4909; (202)225-5101; fax (202)225-3190; sensen09@hr.house.gov
Representative Thomas Barrett, 1224 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515-4905; (202)225-3571; fax (202)225-2185
Representative Ron Kind, 1713 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515; (202)225-5506; fax (202)225-5739; ron.kind@mail.house.gov
Representative Jay Johnson, 1313 Longworth HOB, Washington, DC 20515; (202)225-5665; fax (202)225-5729; jay.johnson@mail.house.gov
Representative Tom Petri, 2262 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515-4906; (202)225-2476; fax (202)225-2356
Representative David Obey, 2462 Rayburn HOB, Washington DC 20515-4907; (202)225-3365; fax (202)225-3240
by Henry Luxe, Howard Village Trustee
The village of Howard is a fast-growing community with more than 12,000 residents. Situated to the northwest of Titletown, Howard is proud to be the community at the eastern terminus of the newly developed Mountain-Bay Trail. We are only now learning the value the trail represents to our community.
The Good Life Doesn't Just Happen...
Along with Howard's recent robust growth has come congestion for the village. In the last five years, for example, the village's largest employer, American Medical Securities (2,000 employees) moved from downtown Green Bay to Howard. Howard has gone from a rather "rural" village to a metropolitan community. As a village trustee, addressing the many growth-related issues that come before the village board, it has become apparent that we cannot take many quality-of-life issues for granted anymore. A proactive approach will be necessary to assure that our present high quality-of-life continues. We want to continue the attributes that makes Howard a highly desirable place to live, to work, and to raise a family. The ability of our residents, especially our kids, to safely bicycle from place to place in Howard is no longer assured. With increased traffic has come "crowding out" of bicycle travel on far too many streets. It has become obvious that something must be done to assure continued safe alternative travel.
The Gantlet Thrown Down Last year
My first year as an elected "official" - I fought what might aptly be termed a "battle" to assure a currently rural segment of our roads, which was due for repaving, be rebuilt wide enough to allow for bike lanes as well as automotive traffic. At that time, I had no more than a notion that the road needed to be built wider to assure safety of our citizens. Consider the following: the road led from neighborhoods to the Mountain-Bay Trail; the road segment included a short sight-distance hill crest which was a known hazard for both bicyclists and motorists; just beyond the bike trail, the village had just bought some 67 acres, and work was about to commence on our major recreational complex (plans included parking for 500 cars with softball and soccer providing the main attractions). The need for a road wider than the minimum needed for cars seemed obvious to me, yet the outcome was in doubt. I was put on notice as to what was to come. When I proposed building the road wider to allow for safe multiple-uses, the village president turned to me and said "We're going to go nose-to-nose over this [issue]". My surprise was palpable, yet I did recover by saying, "I look forward to the debate!" Only later did I find it was not the village president who was opposed to spending for bicycle safety (he in fact has been very supportive of kid's issues) but instead opposition came from another board member as well as spirited dissention coming from the audience, from none other than the three-term incumbent who I defeated in the previous election. After considerable debate, a wider road was approved by majority vote. The extra eight feet of road width will contribute to safety for each year of its 25 year design life, will allow kids to safely bike to our new park and trail, and ended up adding only about 10% to road construction costs for that segment. I look back on that now and realize that was the initial "skirmish" in developing a truly "bike-friendly" community.
Dusty Plans Revived
Much work remains to be done. Brown County developed a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan in 1995. Only recently did I find out that document exists. Recent controversies in a nearby community, stemming from the failure to follow the agreed upon bicycle plan, alerted me to the existence of the document. In examining the plan, I found that the road which we had fought over and finally decided to build wider, was designated on the county plan as a "bicycle route." Never again will the Howard Village Board make a decision relative to road repair or replacement without knowing full well how that road "fits into" the Brown County Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. Recently, I contacted a Howard bicycle advocate and BFW member, Jeff Wentworth (owner of J and B Cycle and Sport) and requested he ask key bicycle advocates to join me for a meeting at our village hall to discuss bicycling interests in Howard. That meeting (I feel) was a huge success! Attendees included Jeff, several local bicycle enthusiasts, our Howard Park and Recreation Director, a local civil engineer and head of Howard's own Community Engineers, Inc. (who is also an avid bicyclist and is very knowledgeable about our village), the regional safety program manager for Wisconsin DOT, as well as Peter Flucke (BFW Board Member). We had an excellent gathering of expertise and I am very encouraged by the results of this initial meeting. At the next meeting of the village board, I have placed on the agenda the subject of bicycle/pedestrian plans for Howard. I will initiate discussion on the development of bicycle, inline skating, and pedestrian lanes and routes linking our neighborhoods with our schools, our new western Green Bay area YMCA, our soon to be built library, the Mountain Bay Trail and many other "trip generators." I will propose the establishment of a committee with an initial task of developing a Village of Howard Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.
Envisioning a Bikeable Future
I am optimistic that we, as an elected board, have the will to move forward and develop safe on and off-road routes as part of a bicycle friendly community. Phenomenal growth does not allow us to maintain the status quo. We must become proactive. As a result of growth along some major transportation arteries, we actually need to re-establish safe routes for alternative transportation. We have much to do. The initiative need not become a "budget buster." The results must be right for Howard. What is right for Howard is a genuinely intermodal transportation "system." Howard is the "bay" community of the Mountain-Bay Trail, proud of that fact, and, I believe, prepared to move forward linking our community as well as our neighbors to the excellent Mountain-Bay Trail. Please watch for further articles in this series as we in Howard debate, decide, and develop.
by Pamela S. Barrett, PT, ATC
Ahhh.... you can almost smell it! Spring is right around the corner and cyclists of all stripes are thinking about riding longer and faster. Whether commuting, touring, or racing, spring marks a significant increase in mileage and intensity. But don't throw caution to the wind and attempt to kick off your season with a century in under six hours. Your body will revolt! Attempting to rapidly increase intensity and mileage may result in "overuse" injuries such as joint pain, tendinitis or even "burnout" before the season is half over.
First, let's define a number of factors which may contribute to overuse injuries:
Hammerheads Beware! Or, Whoahhh, Nellie!
So, what can you do to avoid overuse injury? First, if you have been doing nothing except sitting on the couch all winter, realize that the muscles you use for cycling have become deconditioned. Even if you have been cross training (skiing, running, etc.), your muscles need to "re-learn" how to most efficiently move your feet though that circular motion.
Early each season, cyclists should focus on short rides of low intensity. This will allow your body to become reaccustomed to your bike.
Also, ensure adequate recovery time is allowed between rides. If you are still sore from your last ride you should consider taking a break. If you feel as though you aren't able to move with the same ease and intensity the next time you hop on your bike, it might be your body's way of saying "slow down."
The Marriage of Figaro & His Colnago
Bicycling is a marriage of a human and a machine. The match must be perfect, since bicycling restricts whole body movement more than almost any other sport: The cyclist's ischial tuberosities (sit bones) rest weightily on the saddle; hands grip handlebars; feet are firmly attached to the pedals. The slightest misalignment between the points of contact gets magnified over thousands of pedal strokes.
If you have felt that minor adjustments to your bike fit are needed, make them now, while your per ride mileage is relatively low. If you have been suffering from nagging injuries year after year, you should consider seeking out a professional bicycle fitting. This may help you eliminate biomechanically stressful body positions.
The Bob & Weave
Spring is the best time of year to concentrate on technique. Mistakes in form will increase your chances of sustaining "overuse" injuries as mileage and intensity increase. Each pedal revolution should be an exercise in minimizing lateral and oblique movements of the entire body. This means, don't bob side-to-side or up and down; concentrate on a relaxed, relatively motionless torso.
The Hills Are Alive... With the Sound of Spinning!
Choose your ride route carefully. Choosing a particularly hilly route and attempting to "muscle" over hills before having built up a base level of strength, endurance and skill may trigger an injury that will haunt you throughout this season. Begin hill work on easy inclines and choose a gear that will allow you to spin while in the saddle.
Early in the season, I also recommend not just spinning up hills, but also spinning in the flats. Pedaling with a slow, labored cadence quickly fatigues unconditioned muscles. This results in poor control of joint movement and increased joint stress. That is why knee pain is such a common complaint among novice cyclists. Force yourself to spin at the highest cadence you can. Many elite coaches recommend early season cadences of 115-120 rpm. Rapid cadences will feel awkward at first, but with practice you will find that your pedal stroke will become smoother.
Following a few, simple rules of moderation such as slowly increasing duration and intensity, ensuring your bike is properly fitted and avoiding maximum effort rides in the first few weeks will pay off later in the season. Using a little common sense and listening to your body will make this bicycling season a pleasant, comfortable and successful one.
Pam is a Physical Therapist at the UW Sports Medicine Clinic. Her year-round 16 mile bike commute keeps her primed for early season hammering...hmmm....
by Jeanne Hoffman, Executive Director, Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
A lot has happened here at the Bicycle Federation since our last Wisconsin Bicyclist in November. First of all, I would like to thank all members for their support over the last year. Currently we have about 700 members - that's double our membership of this time last year! BFW is looking to grow to over 1,000 members this summer.
And, as grows the organization, so grows the newspaper! Did you notice the extra heft? Bicycle advocacy news is pouring forth from all corners of the state; so much so that we had to expand the Wisconsin Bicyclist by 50% - 12 pages and growing!
Members Get Members I ask that you all work to increase the membership of this organization. In fact, our Members Get Members Campaign has been extended until May 31, 1998! This means you have even more time to sign-up your bicycling friends. Simply send new membership dues, addresses, and telephone numbers to the BFW office. Don't forget to include your own name. BFW will track how many members you sign-up. It would be wise to spend a little time on this one. First place prize is a Waterford Frame (folks, this is a way premium frame), second a Graber Bicycle Rack, and third prize a Trek 800 Mountain Bike. In addition, for each member you sign-up you get a free Powerbar! Heck with a prize list like this, you should be signing-up your bicycling enemies too!
Annual Appeal This year's annual appeal was an incredible success. Thanks to the generous, continued support of our members, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin was able to raise over $6,000 in contributions. This funding will go a long way in continuing our push for bicycle friendly infrastructure and respect on the roads.
Board Retreat In January, the BFW staff and board traveled to the Trempealeau Hotel for a weekend of strategic planning and good food. We came away from the weekend with a list of goals and the beginnings of a plan to get there. Currently, BFW staff is working on the details of the plan. We look forward to sharing this plan with the members in May.
Extra Special Thanks! I would like to thank John Rider, Mark Shahan, and Scott Rose for their help and contributions. These three have been instrumental in helping BFW set-up another computer system and increase our modem speed. Thanks!
ISTEA Debate in Senate Heating up! Currently, ISTEA is being debated on the floor of the Senate. Numerous amendments are being offered and the Bicycle Federation is staying abreast of all current amendments. Now is the time to write a letter! The basic message is still the same. That bicycling deserves dedicated funding for bicycling education and facilities and that any increase in overall transportation funding should include proportionally increased funding for bicycling and walking and transit. Faxing in your letters works great! Remember to include your address. For detailed information on the ISTEA debate, look-up the Surface Transportation Policy Project's web site at http://www.istea.org/. This site outlines all the amendments and allows you to see how our senators would vote.
| Open Forum |
by Heather Putnam
For the last four years, my husband and I have enjoyed living an almost car-free life. Our only car is a 1939 MG, a British sports car we maintain out of historical interest. During the six months of the year it is not in storage, it emerges only for an occasional road trip and a couple of vintage races, totaling less than 1000 miles each year. On the other hand, my husband and I each ride our bicycles more than 4000 miles each year, much of this commuting around town. Many people admire our commitment, but many also think we are crazy. The folks who think we are crazy inevitably inquire about how we manage to grocery shop. Their foreheads wrinkle in disbelief as we convey to them how well it works to make regular stops on our way home from work at the neighborhood grocery store, supplemented by a bigger trip with our bicycle trailer once a month to stock up on staple goods.
Still not believing it is possible to lead a happy or fulfilling life without a car, the grocery question is typically followed by a comment that goes something like, "Well, you are young and you don't have kids. You will have to get a car when you have kids." Feeling frustrated that I can neither deny our age or lack of children, at this point I am forced to shrug my shoulders and reply, "We will see."
We are excited that soon we will have a comeback to this question as well. Our first child is due on Halloween. Initial excitement about our announcement and outbursts of congratulations are often soon followed by, "So, when are you getting a car?" Mouths drop to the floor at our response, "We still have no plans to get a car. We don't need one."
We carefully selected where we bought our house so we have no need to own a car, even with a child. Every place we regularly want/need to go to is accessible by walking, bicycling or bus. For example, the park and lake are two blocks away. The pharmacy and post office are a 10 minute walk away. The neighborhood grocery, the library and the zoo are a 10 minute bicycle ride. And the doctor's office, hospital and Children's Museum are readily accessible by bus.
For adventures to state parks and other outlying areas, periodic car rentals are much easier and cheaper than owning and maintaining a car. When the baby is small, having everything close by will be very convenient for me - so convenient that driving a car would cause much more stress and hassle than it is worth. As the baby grows up, this convenience will translate into independence for him/her. Along with this independence will come confidence, exploration and a detailed understanding of his/her surroundings.
Having the ability to choose to walk, bicycle and bus to meet our transportation needs is a very rewarding way of life. Being able to make these choices results only from careful transportation and land use planning. If destinations are too far away and/or if bus routes are not convenient or pedestrian or bicycle facilities are lacking, these choices are not realistic.
The moral of the story: maintaining a car-free lifestyle even with kids is possible. Just expand your baby preparation planning beyond just nursery decoration and diaper brand; include careful selection of where you live as well. Make sure it is a bicycle-pedestrian-transit friendly neighborhood.
I know there are still skeptics out there mumbling under their breath, "Yeah, sure. The kid isn't even born yet. They'll break down once the baby is actually born. I can t wait to tell them I told you so." My recommendation - Don't hold your breath.
Heather (BFW Board Member Emeritus) & Bill welcomed their little Heidi to the world last fall. The trio was last seen on bikes & a bike trailer on a bright sunny February day in the Arboretum. Congratulations Heather & Bill, who remain carless!
 |
| The Wisconsin Bicyclist |
|
Wisconsin Bicyclist is published four times per year by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
| Executive Editor: | Michael Barrett |
| Copy Editor: | Michael Barrett |
| Layout Editor: | Victoria Horn |
| Production Manager: | Help Wanted! |
| Circulation Manager: | Robbie Webber |
| Ad Sales: | Jeanne Hoffman |
| Graphics: | Victoria Horn, Dieter Bingemann |
Contributors: Michael Barrett, Pam Barrett, Peter Flucke, Jeanne Hoffman, Tom Huber, Paul Lata, Henry Luxem, Marcia Miquelon, Heather Putnam, Cathy J. Van Maren, Bill Waldron, Robbie Webber
Submission Guidlines: Wisconsin Bicyclist welcomes your opinions, news, features, artwork, and photograph submissions. Editorials should be no more than 300 words. News, and feature stories should not exceed 600 words. Please submit text on disk or email (we have no paid typists on staff). Please include name, phone number, and address. We reserve the right to edit or reject all submisions.
Mail to:
Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
104 King Street, Ste. 204
P. O. Box 1224
Madison, WI 53701
E-mail: bfw@mailbag.com
Phone: (608) 251-4456
Deadlines:
Springforth March Summertime May DogDays July FallColors September
Board of Directors:
Michael Barrett Madison Peter Flucke Green Bay Angela Graf Madison Dan Herber La Crosse Chris Kegel Milwaukee Paul Lata Marinette Arthur Ross Madison Gary Sanderson Milwaukee Richard Schwinn Waterford Tracy Zafian La Crosse
BFW Members Get 10% Off* at These (WAY) Cool Businesses
Adventure Cycle and Fitness Green Bay Adventure Cycle and Fitness DePere Appleton Bicycle Shop Appleton Bahnhof Sport Mequon Bear Paw Inn White Lake Bikesmiths Milwaukee Blakley Hobbit B&B Viola BMX Megastore Madison Bodin's On the Lake Ashland Brookfield Ski & Cycle Brookfield Budget Bicycle Center Madison Competition Cycle Services Sheboygan Falls Connors Bed and Breakfast Cable Cycle Smiths, The Hartland Dyckesville Cycle Luxemburg Emery's Cyclery Milwaukee Emery's Cyclery II Menomonee Falls Fox River Sports & Spas Waukesha Free Flight Bikes Platteville Haack's Cycle Janesville Haack's Cycle Madison In Competition Green Bay Jammer Sports Wausau J.B. Cycle & Sport Green Bay KettleBrookFarm B&B New Prospect Marinette Cycle Center Marinette Maximum Performance Neenah Maxson's Inc. Eagle River Michael's Cyclery Madison Michael's Cycles Janesville Milhaupt's Bicycle Mart Appleton Mokros Cycle Waukesha Parkview General Store Campbellsport Perkins Sports Inc. Marshfield Quiet Hut Sports Whitewater Quiet Woods B & B Mazomanie Riverside Bike & Skate Eau Claire Riverside Bike & Skate Menomonie Rainbow Jersey Bicycle Shop Milwaukee Scotty's Bike Rental & Sales Tomahawk Smith's Bicycle Shop Inc. LaCrosse Stoton Cycle Stoughton Sun City Cyclery Sun Prairie Superior Sport & Bike Superior Swan Song Bed & Breakfast Tomahawk Team Sports Waukesha Trek Bicycle Store Madison Wandering Wheels Cyclery Milwaukee Wares Cycle Fitness Milwaukee Wheel & Sprocket Milwaukee Wheel & Sprocket South Milwaukee Wheel & Sprocket Hales Corners Wheel & Sprocket Milwaukee Wheel & Sprocket Delafield Wheel & Sprocket Glendale White River Cycle Iron River Williamson Bicycle Works Madison
Discount available with your Official BFW Membership card. If the
bike shops in your area are not on this list, ask them to sign up!
*Some restrictions apply.
| Back to BFW |