Volume 4, No. 4
WINTERTIME, 1998
Newsletter of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.![[BFW Logo]](/images/bfw1.gif)
Wisconsin BicyclistVolume 4, No. 4WINTERTIME, 1998Newsletter of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. |
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Here is Vol. 4, No. 3, of Wisconsin Bicyclist (Dogdays, 1998).
by Jim Haraughty
Track racing as a whole is seen as a small group of hard core fanatics who like to ride bikes without brakes. There was a time when bicycle racing was track racing. The turn of the century was a boom time for track racing, with more than 100 velodromes scattered across the nation. Today there are sadly only 17 velodromes in operation in the United States. The oldest operating velodrome in the states just happens to be in Kenosha's Washington Park.
The "Bowl" as it is affectionately referred to by the locals, has lighting for night time racing, as well as a hill that runs the length of the north side of the track that provides a natural amphitheater for viewing. The bowl is open to riders of all ages and levels of talent. On any giving day you may find children racing around or high-wheelers gracefully carving elegant circles out on the track. The track itself is 333.3 meters long with 23 degrees of banking in the corners. It has played host to the national championships in 1928, 30, 48, 57, 59, 72, 78, 82.
Track racing is seen as a great training tool that sharpens your skills on the bicycle. That is why almost every great rider has spent time training or racing on the track. Names like Greg LeMond, Connie Carpenter and others have all spent time racing on the velodrome. Track racing is on the verge of a renewed popularity in the United States with riders like Marty Nothstein and Rebecca Twigg taking World Titles in recent years. The EDS track series has brought this form of bicycle racing back into view for the media.
The Kenosha Velodrome is open to the public 7 days a week, with two nights a week reserved for racing. Tuesday night is USCF racing with mass start events making up the majority of the racing. Wednesday nights are ABR racing for the master classes. The Timed events are the main format for this night of racing.
So next time you are looking for something to do on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening drive on over to Kenosha and take in some of the racing or better yet bring your bike and go for a ride.
Jim has been a fixed-gearhead since he first hopped on his tricycle. His regular gig is doling out equal measures of advice and abuse (good natured, of course!) from his repair stand at Cronometro bike shop in Madison. Jim is also heading up a campaign to bring a v-drome to Madtown; he can be reached at (608) 243-7760).
by Jeanne Hoffman, Executive Director
...But only if you ask nicely! The new federal transportation bill, Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), has the potential for being the biggest and best thing ever for bikes, but it requires citizen involvement. The big deal about TEA-21 is just that. It is big. TEA-21 is the biggest public works bill in the history of the United States. TEA-21 authorizes $217 billion over 6 years, which is a 40% increase over the previous 6 years. Wisconsin could see an increase in surface transportation of $140 million per year, a 40% increase. TEA-21 also closed a major loophole in federal transportation funding. Previously, federal gas tax revenues could be used to offset the national deficit. With TEA-21, the National Highway Trust Fund is tied directly to transportation. This means that states now have a better idea of how much funding will be allocated to them over the next six years. States like Wisconsin can no longer use this loophole as a way to raid Enhancements (bike/pedestrian) funds to pay for highway expansion.
Know This. Do This.
Now that bike advocates have won so big on the federal level, we have one big task before us: Convey to our state legislators the need for bicycle and pedestrian facilities in our communities throughout Wisconsin. Please help me with this. In the weeks to come I will be meeting with state legislators to educate them on the changes in TEA-21 and how these changes can bring more bicycle and pedestrian projects to their districts. But I cannot do this alone. Won't you join me by meeting or writing your state legislator to express your desire for a bicycle friendly Wisconsin? As Senator Brian Rude said recently at the State Bicycle Conference held in La Crosse, Wisconsin, "State legislators hear all too often about the need to expand roads. What they need to hear from constituents is that there is a need for bicycle and pedestrian facilities to make our communities more livable." Success in building livable, bikeable communities depends on your involvement. If you have any questions, please call our office at (608)251-4456.
Details, Details
You can find some wonderful information on TEA-21 at the Surface Transportation Policy Project's web site at http://www.tea21.org. This site will give you information about TEA-21's funding, programs and opportunities. Another site http://www.transact.org contains general information about transportation policy. To review specific sections of TEA-21 you can look through the Federal Highway Administration web site at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov.
by Amy Kinast
When forward-thinking biking fanatics wanted to found a statewide advocacy group a few years ago, where did they go for start-up funds? Answer: the Dane County Bicycle Association. In total, BFW has reaped $15,000 in assistance from DCBA - a respectable piece of the $120,000 the association has given out over its 18-year lifespan.
DCBA is unique in the state - and certainly a shining example nationally - for its strong financial support of bicycling. It is a nonprofit foundation dedicated to improving the quality, scope and effectiveness of bicycling education, usage and advocacy. Besides BFW, causes that have benefited from its largesse are groups devoted to racing and touring, Bike Month and Bike To Work Day, Wheels For Winners, city bike coordinators, and many more.
The money didn't drop from the sky. It has been raised sprocket by bracket, tube by tire. In 1979, Yellow Jersey Bicycle Cooperative was privatized and became Yellow Jersey bike store, retaining its State Street address. The co-op members-turned small business own ers agreed to pay $100,000 plus interest over 20 years to the co-op, which later became DCBA.
The old co-op board of directors smoothed the transition by staying together, assuming the new name and adopting this mission. Faces on the seven-member board have changed, but to this day, the board presides over the endowment.
Longtime Madison bike advocate and volunteer Jay DeNovo is treasurer of DCBA, a post which he's held throughout most of the association's history. His day job is Director of Information Systems for Home Savings in Madison. He's also a liberal arts graduate who is back at the UW-Madison these days pursuing a business degree.
This is an edited transcript of an interview BFW's Amy Kinast conducted with DeNovo in September.
AK: How did you initially come upon Yellow Jersey Co-op?
JD: Almost from the beginning, Yellow Jersey (Co-op) was a full service bicycle store. ... I was a customer, who became a member, and then a director.
AK: How did it become a private venture? Whose initiative was it to change the ownership?
JD: Most of the people who were involved in the co-op were interested in running a bike store, and there were only a handful of us who were interested in the educational and political aspects of cycling. ...Today we would call it a leveraged buy-out: People who worked at the store bought it from the co-op. That transaction transformed us into either buyers or sellers. ... I was a seller.
AK: Does the DCBA give money to bicycling causes outside of Dane County?
JD: We have considered and we will consider requests from outside of Dane County. ... I know there were a couple of small grants this past year that went outside Dane County, but typically the bulk has stayed close to home.
AK: I've heard you study the financial profile of applicants very thoroughly. What do you look for?
JD: The board asks that organizations seeking funding supply a balance sheet and income statement. ... An organization that makes a large funding request, but has a really limited track record is one we would want to ask more questions about, to see what their organizational capability is. We just want to make sure that they can do what they say.
AK: Do you anticipate either an increase or a decline in the annual average grant amount once this 20-year agreement ends?
JD: It's my hope that the association can hold steady or have a modest increase in grants. I think our investment strategy stands a good chance of making that possible.
AK: Was it obvious that the money (from the sale of Yellow Jersey Cooperative) was going to be invested?
JD: No it wasn't. ... We sold the store without a down payment, so it took afew years before we started to have a significant amount of money. ... We really didn't have an investment strategy. One of the early treasurers,Paul Malischke, was the prime mover in coming up with an investmentstrategy for the DCBA. ... This was mid-80's.
AK: And it's in a mutual fund now?
JD: Yes, the main asset of the association is in a socially screened mutual fund. It's called the Calvert Social Investment Fund Managed Growth.
AK: How much is the fund worth right now?
JD: Total assets are in the low six figures.
AK: The stock market in the '90s was pretty lucrative until about a month ago. How has the endowment been affected by the recent turmoil on Wall Street?
JD: Because we're long-term investors, the same way an individual might invest in a child's college fund or for retirement, the day-to-day fluctuations in the market are not something we pay a lot of attention to. So we try to look at year-by-year return, and we've been pleased with the annual returns that we've gotten.
AK: The association has been in trouble with the IRS in the past for not doling out enough money fast enough. How have you remedied that?
JD: The tax code for exempt organizations like the association is very, very complex for lay people such as ourselves; and we've worked with the IRS to understand what the requirements of the code are, and it's been kind of hard to understand. ... Being tax-exempt doesn't mean you don't have to pay taxes.
| WisDOT Report |
by Gary Schultz
We would like to thank bicyclists and other Milwaukee County Oak Leaf Trail users for their patience during the Highway 100 (South 108th Street) resurfacing project in Greenfield. The trail users were unable to get across Highway 100 during the resurfacing, therefore, the Oak Leaf Trail segment between Highway 100 and Cold Spring Road was closed. WisDOT worked with Milwaukee County Parks to establish a detour route using Highway 100 and Cold Spring Road. Also, as part of the resurfacing, we closed the median, and have provided a refuge area for trail users crossing Highway 100.
Bike to the Ballpark.
As part of the Miller Park project, WisDOT is doing its part to provide access to the proposed Hank Aaron State Park Trail. A multi-use path located parallel to Highway 41 and a bridge over the Menomonee River will lead users to the Miller Park parking area, where connections would be made to the proposed Hank Aaron State Park Trail.
Lock 'em up!
For the first time in almost 20 years, bike lockers are appearing at park and ride lots in southeast Wisconsin. The first set of lockers is located at the new State Fair Park and Ride lot. Additional lockers will appear at selected park and ride lots in the future. The lockers should be ready for use by the end of 1998.
Bikes are special.
As part of our efforts to relieve congestion during the I-94 resurfacing in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties this summer, bicyclists were legally allowed to use the special use lane along Bluemound Road in Waukesha County. Initially, the special use lane was restricted to buses. Transit operators were concerned about potential conflicts between buses and bicyclists in the special use lane. We are happy to report that to date, we have not received any reported incidents of conflicts between bicycles and motorists, including buses.
Gary isWisDOT District 2 Ped/Bike Planner.
by Tom Huber
The State Bicycle Plan is currently being tweaked for its final printing. Enhancement to the plan's graphics and some technical corrections are being made. The final printed copy is not expected until January, but a limited number of photocopied versions are available. A statewide bicycle use survey is being conducted to establish a baseline count of bicyclists in the state, thus permitting the measurement of future bicycling in the context of the plan's goal of doubling bicycle use.
Over 30 WisDOT engineers and planners recently went through training on bicycle facility planning and design. Almost another 20 individuals from local governments and consulting firms attended as well. Attendees gave the Northwestern Traffic Institute course high marks and will improve WisDOT's ability to provide well-designed bicycle accommodations.
The third statewide bicycle conference is now history. About 75 people attended the conference, which featured some very good Wisconsin talent. Both Wisconsin Senator Brian Rude and Keynote Speaker Randy Neufeld gave inspired presentations on the need for bicyclists to stay involved in the political process. Randy (from Chicagoland Bicycle Federation) was likely to have made the funniest comment when he declared that it was finally good to be presenting in a place where Illinois bicyclists are riding their bikes. Much thanks goes to Larry Kirch, Mike Dudkiewicz, Jeanne Hoffman, Jean Rygiel and Garry Burman who formed the conference steering committee.
The popular WisDOT Bicycle Planning Guidelines will soon undergo an update. More significantly, the guidelines will include new chapters on rural bicycle planning guidelines and design. If you are aware of any good Wisconsin planning and design bikeway practices (state or local) to be featured in these guides, please let me know (Tom Huber, 608-267-7757 or thuber@mail.state. wi.us).
Tom is the WisDOT's bicycling superhero.
by Bill Moorman
Several trail projects of interest to Wisconsin bicyclists are taking shape. Progress has been made recently on the Capital City State Trail, which runs through Madison, and will eventually connect the Military Ridge and Glacial Drumlin State Trails. This trail is a cooperative venture between the Cities of Madison and Fitchburg, Dane County, and the Department of Natural Resources. The four partners cemented their relationship at the April State Trails Council meeting with the signing of a cooperative agreement.
Meanwhile, Dane County has been making excellent progress on their portion of the trail, through the E-way. They have base materials down on about six of the seven and one-half miles of their portion of the trail. Thanks to a $320,000 ISTEA grant, they will soon be paving the entire seven miles. Look for this portion of the trail to be open next summer.
Recently, the Department of Natural Resources acquired one of the remaining gaps at the west end of the Capital City Trail, the former railroad property between Verona and Madison. A gap of only a few hundred feet now remains, and the Department will be working with the Department of Transportation to close that gap. The remaining challenge is to find a suitable connection between Madison and the beginning of the Glacial Drumlin Trail in Cottage Grove. That gap is still an operating railroad. The Department continues to explore various options, but there is nothing eminent at this point.
Planning continues on the potential Madison to Freeport, Ill. Trail. The Department held two public meetings on the draft feasibility study in August. Many bicyclists, as well as those advocating "speeder cars," and other user groups attended the meetings. The Department should have a recommendation by the end of the year.
DNR to the Rescue!
The Wisconsin State Parks system continues to be a national leader in rescuing abandoned rail grades and converting them into recreational trails. We have twenty-one active trails with over 680 miles available for varying uses, with 545 miles surfaced suitably for bicycling. In addition, several other trails are in the acquisition stage, and others are being planned. Wisconsin has been able to be very aggressive in preserving these grades for several reasons. We have a good working relationship with the Department of Transportation. We also have the State Stewardship Fund to help with acquisition. At the same time we have been able to forge partnerships with counties to develop and operate the abandonments we are able to acquire.
The legislature also asked the Department to prepare a report examining the pros and cons of paving its bicycle trails. We will be looking at cost, as well as the impact on all users. Bicyclists should consider both the advantages and disadvantages of paving. Paving may mean smoother, quieter riding, and perhaps reduced trail maintenance. It may also mean many other kinds of trail users, and increased speeds may not bode well for families with children. Some bikers may simply not want to lose the "rustic feel." If you have any thoughts, suggestions, or ideas on this issue, please feel free to e-mail me at moormw@dnr.state.wi.us.
Bill is Wisconsin DNR's mustachio'ed Trails Coordinator.
| The Educated Cyclist |
by Michael Barrett, BFW Board Member
Last year BFW launched the highly successful "Effective Cycling" campaign to make quality bicycle education available to Wisconsin bicyclists. In 1999 the "Enforcement for Bicycle Safety Campaign" (EBSC) will focus on the very important role that law enforcement plays in ensuring bicyclist safety and enjoyment.
"Police officers are the only ones who can enforce laws, both for bicyclists and motorists, which will improve bicycle safety but its just not being done on a widespread basis" says Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member and author of the state's "Enforcement for Bicycle Safety" curriculum. Police are very important to a quality bicycling environment but most police officers have never received any bicycle specific training.
Wisconsin police officers currently receive 400 hours of recruit school training but nowhere in this 400 hours do officers receive any bicycle specific training, not even about bicycle laws.
EBSC has two main goals: 1) To educate police about bicycling and encourage them to take action that only they can take and, 2) To educate bicyclists about their rights and responsibilities under the law.
The campaign is already underway. BFW members received a postcard in their annual appeal mailing which can be sent to the Department of Justice to encourage more bicycle training for police officers at the recruit school and Field Training levels. If you are a BFW member please send in your postcard. If you are not a member contact the BFW office to receive a card and consider joining BFW to support this campaign.
Watch for more information about EBSC in future issues of the Wisconsin Bicyclist or call BFW for more details.
by Jeanne Hoffman, BFW Executive Director
On June 1, 1998, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin (BFW) was awarded a $26,406 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) through their Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Program to assist with the development and distribution of a state-wide bicycle commuting newspaper column. The grant will allow BFW to develop 52 articles over the next two years which will be distributed to newspapers throughout the state for possible publication.
Project Coordinator Peter Flucke, President of WE BIKE", puts it like this, "Most potential bicycle commuters are not currently heavily involved in bicycling. They are just average people who have a bike that they only ride occasionally. Most people have probably never even thought seriously about commuting by bicycle. Why not? Lack of knowledge and encouragement is the simple answer. "A regular, informative newspaper column about bicycle commuting will hopefully result in more people giving bicycle commuting a try." Flucke says, "I wouldn't consider myself to be a gardener but I do occasionally read the gardening section of my local paper. I am a better gardener and I enjoy gardening more because of what I learn in the paper."
Articles for the grant will focus on eliminating barriers to bicycle commuting and encouragement. Topics may include such things as; choosing the right bicycle, riding in traffic, night riding, parking, riding with a friend, commuting as training, winter riding, dressing for work, combining transportation modes, parking security, etc. Anyone interested in writing an article for the grant is encouraged to send submissions, via e-mail or disk to WE BIKE, 1144 Hawthorn Rd. Green Bay, WI 54313-5812 or e-mail: webike@aol.com Submissions should not exceed 750 words in length. Articles will be chosen by the grant editorial board. Authors will be paid $50.00 for accepted articles.
Flucke Wins Effective Cyclist of the Year AwardPeter Flucke has been named the Effective Cycling Instructor of the Year by the League of American Bicyclist. The plaque says, "The League of American Bicyclists is proud to present Peter Flucke (ECI #327) with the ECI of the Year 1998 in honor of meritorious service as an Effective Cycling Instructor". Peter is the project coordinator for BFW's Effective Cycling grant, a BFW Board Member and the President of WE BIKE. Congratulations Peter and WAY TO GO!!! | 
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More Effective Cycling courses are being scheduled all the time. If you would like to be notified about upcoming courses in your area or if you would like to sponsor a course please contact BFW at 608-251-4456 or any of the instructors listed above.
| Around the State |
by Peter Flucke, BFW Board Member
Green Bay - The proposed Fox River Trail is not a done deal yet. Despite a recommendation form the county Education and Recreation Committee and despite a strong phone campaign led by Bay Shore Bicycle Club Political Advocacy Chairman Sean Ryan (Which according to one County Supervisor was running 3 to 1 in favor of the trail), on August 19th the Brown County Board voted to send back to committee a proposal to enter into an agreement with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to manage the proposed multi-use Fox River Trail. This action effectively killed the trail for the time being.
According to Ryan, "We had the votes going in but when only ten people showed up to support the trail and 50-75 showed up to speak against it, many Supervisors got nervous and backed out". To save the trail, supervisors in favor of the agreement referred it back to committee to buy supporters more time.
The proposed trail runs along the east side of the Fox River 13.9 miles from the City of Green Bay south to the Town of Greenleaf.
For more information about the proposed trail contact Sean Ryan (920) 405-8109, Mike McFarlane - Director of Parks for Brown County, (920) 448-4465 or Gary Hanson - District Trails Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, (920) 492-5823.
Green Bay - The new Ray Nitschke Bridge over the Fox River in Downtown Green Bay is now open for business and bicycles are welcome. Approximately three years ago the old Main St. Bridge was closed due to structural weaknesses and remained closed until October 2nd when the new bridge opened amidst great fanfare. The reopening of the bridge is significant for motorists but even more so for bicyclists.
Bicycle access to the old Main St. bridge was prohibited by local ordinance due to its narrow lanes and twisting design. The new bridge, lovingly called Route 66 after former Green Bay Packer player Ray Nitschke's jersey number, now includes bicycle lanes and a wide sidewalk with observation decks making it by far the most bicycle/pedestrian friendly bridge in the Fox River valley.
However, despite the bridge's bicycle/pedestrian friendly design, bicyclists were almost prohibited from using the bridge. Bicycle access to the bridge was almost denied because politicians had neglected to lift the former bicycle ban. Fortunately, BFW member and local bicycle commuter Jim Trauttmann discovered the oversight and brought it to the attention of government officials who corrected the error.
Manitowoc - On September 24th, 1998 Officer Dale Ten Haken of the Manitowoc Police Department was shot and killed in the line of duty while making a "routine" traffic stop. Officer Ten Haken was a bicycle patrol officer and a 1995 graduate of the State's "Enforcement for Bicycle Safety" Course. He was 27 years old.
Peter is also the President of WE BIKE
by Joyce Harms, BFW Board Member
The of Milwaukee Bicycle Task Force will be serving as an advisory body to the Milwaukee Department of Public Works as it administers a TDM education grant in 1999. With the new grant, the City will be hiring a consultant to develop a publicity and education plan to outline methods and techniques for communicating bicycle programs and facilities to city residents.
The need for a targeted communication effort became evident when the Task Force developed its goals and action plans for 1998. Though many organizations and agencies currently sponsor a host of bicycle programs, it became apparent that the success of these efforts was limited due to the lack of a coordinated publicity campaign within the city.
Consequently, the consultant will first inventory the variety of programs that deal with bicycle safety, routing, parking, events, licensing, training, etc. that are coordinated or administered by city agencies, bike clubs, and other organizations within the city of Milwaukee. Current communications efforts will also be evaluated as to their effectiveness, audience, and cost. From this information, the consultant will formulate a communication strategy and appropriate funding resources and implementation workplans. It is expected that the consultant will present final recommendations by December of 1999.
Joyce is also the City of Milwaukee Bicycle Task Force Chair.
by Michael Barrett, BFW Board Member
Bikes-on-Buses - After years of heated debate between bicycle advocates and Madison Metro transit officials, letter writing campaigns and petitioning, the transit company has finally agreed to put bike racks on all buses in Madison by summer of 1999. Thanks to local advocates who collected over 500 signatures, the bus company realized that there is, in fact, demand for bike racks on buses. And thanks to BFW's executive director, the transit manager was apprised of the federal funds available to pay for 95% of the total cost of the racks. A subcommittee consisting of citizens, bus drivers and university representatives will be formed soon.
Old Sauk Road Threatened - This key route out of town to some of the most scenic cycling in the state is threatened by city plans to expand it into a mini-expressway. Approximately 16 people showed up to the October Ped/Bike/Motor Vehicle Commission meeting to express opposition to the plan. Citizen comments indicated that this is the last bikeable route west out of the city; that expansion would cost the city a lot of money for maintenance and upkeep; and that the costs of more sprawl and traffic generated by the 4-lane road would be detrimental to the livability of the city.
Commissioners agreed that the project needed to be looked at closer and voted to postpone a decision on the road plans.
Michael is the Executive Editor for the Wisconsin Bicyclist.
| Point/Counterpoint |
by Michael Barrett, Irritant-At-Large
Let's - not - ask - for - what - we - really - want - because - we - might - offend - motorists - bureaucrats - and - politicians
-Frequent refrain sung by "reasonable" cyclists the world over.
For the longest time I bought into this rationale and kept my true views about motorist and official treatment of cycling and cyclists under wraps. A truly pro-bike perspective can't but sound obnoxious to the motoring public.
I soldiered on by joining "reasonable" bike organizations - touring, racing, mild-mannered advocacy - at the local, state and national levels. I followed the dictums of the leadership; be nice to rude motorists, don't offend politicians or the highway bureaucrats.
After fifteen or so years of witnessing a rising wave of motorized violence and bureaucratic complicity (particularly in building violence-friendly transportation infrastructure), I recognized that the don't-rock-the-boat thing wasn't working.
Ask for Nothing, Get Nothing
Being fearful of what the motorist/bureaucrat/politician thinks means that we ask for nothing simply because anything cyclists ask for is, in the minds of motorists, a waste of money. The only good transportation spending is highway expansion.
And motorists get what they ask for because they ask for it loudly and obnoxiously by holding daily critical mass drives. Of course, motorists and their engineer allies euphemize it by calling it "rush hour," but if it looks like a critical mass drive, smells like a critical mass drive, and sounds like a critical mass drive then it probably is a critical mass drive. And look at the results: $300-400 billion spent annually in this country to support their speed-addicted culture.
Yet "reasonable" cyclists decry the "obnoxiousness" of critical mass rides as "counterproductive." The evidence proves the contrary.
The Truth is Often Unpleasant
From my observations, cyclists only make progress when they bluntly ask for what they really want and then let the politicians (i.e., not us) do the compromising. Will the language always be pleasant? Heck no! But will they understand what we want? Absolutely. Obfuscation behind pleasant words only invites polite rebuff. Plain, pointed language leaves no room for doubt as to where we want transportation policy to go.
Yes, the politicians and the bureaucrats will get blustery. They will complain that cyclists are mean. They will bemoan the radical-ness of cyclists' requests. But guess what? When it comes time for bicyclist support in elections or for particular bike projects in their neighborhoods (in the case of politicians) or for a particular road/trail design (in the case of engineers), who do they come to? Yup, the big mouths with those hoary, evil, radical, bike-friendly ideas expressed in obnoxious terms.
Why would they have anything to do with us? Because they need us to make them look reasonable and moderate. Without us out there pushing at the edges of transportation policy, the few bike-friendly bureaucrats and politicians would look like radicals themselves.
I think that this is just the point that is missed by so many people in bike advocacy. We aren't in this to make friends with bureaucrats and politicians content with motor-mania. We are in this to make life better for bicyclists and pedestrians (i.e., everyone) then we can be friends with the highway bureaucrats. In my advocacy book, friendship is earned not given.
Mike can be found rabble-rousing at various transportation-related meetings on any given evening, except Fridays which find him arguing with Dave over bike advocacy strategies and chewing on beers.
by David Schmidt
When you are out riding on the city streets, do not taunt motorists. It makes you look like a jerk, it makes them angry, and you might just get run over by a five-thousand pound sport-utility vehicle.
I would like to suggest that the same strategy applies in political advocacy as well as on the road. I recommend that we appeal to legislators and the driving public using a moderate platform and non-confrontational strategies. If we are obnoxious, we risk creating politically powerful enemies.
We are currently a political minority, working our way towards majority. We will succeed by winning over the driving public. However, if we make asses of ourselves, we will only annoy them. We should instead emphasize those points that are likely to appeal to everyone: bicycling is clean, environmentally friendly transportation; bicycling is healthy and fun; bicycle commuting is a good way of reducing car traffic; bicycling is an important way for children to get around. These points are going to appeal to everyone-cyclists or non-cyclists. This is the way to go from a minority to being a majority.
Consider the fact that most cyclists are drivers and many drivers are also cyclists. By using aggressive and obnoxious political methods we risk offending people who would be very sympathetic to our political cause. Even those drivers who do not see the use of cycling are our potential converts and not necessarily our political enemies. These motorists may not have tried bicycle commuting or may not be recreational cyclists. Yet they could still be persuaded if they were reminded of how they biked in their childhood, of how much fun it was, of how great it could be if they got back into it. Lets not make enemies of these motorists.
Bicycling has so many great benefits that it should be possible to build a very broad coalition in support of bike issues. We should recruit both liberals and conservatives to help. We can appeal to local neighborhood groups who want to cut down traffic and noise and improve recreational opportunities. Cities may want to encourage cycling to reduce traffic congestion. We may attract parents who want their children to have a safe ride to school. We may find friends among older people who enjoy riding as exercise. We can find lots of drivers who we can convert to our cause - as long as we don't alienate them first.
Eat in moderation, drink in moderation, and advocate in moderation.
Dave's regular gig is at the UW-Madison where he philosophizes about Mechanical Engineering.
by Michael Barrett
[Michael was a member of the WisDOT State Highway Plan External Advisory Group as BFW's representative. A draft version of the plan was released in June of 1998. Due to heavy criticism by transportation choice advocates and environmentalists, the plan is now on hold. The following is the first half of a critique submitted to WisDOT in July of 1998.]
WisDOT's State Highway Plan proposes a massive highway building spree. Most of the building plans focus on the state's urban areas. The basis for this decision is traffic congestion.
Recent WisDOT presentations show conclusively that most congestion is in Wisconsin's cities. This, of course, begs the question of just what makes a city a city. As an urban historical geographer, I would be happy to provide an answer: Cities are by nature, congested. Yes, that's right, the city is the place where people come together to work, play, volunteer, relax, party, intellectualize, pontificate, babble, do nothing, etc. If the city weren't congested, it would not be a city, it would be the country. This is obvious to most people. But this is not at all clear to the highwayman.
Case in point: Detroit. The State of Michigan's Highway Department embarked on a long and vicious campaign to rid the City of Detroit of its congestion problem. They succeeded. They stabbed that city so many times with so many highways that it finally died. There is no congestion problem in Detroit. There are hardly any people left. Hundreds of entire blocks have no structures whatsoever on them (and these aren't parks). The prairies are making a comeback on vast acreages - once healthy neighborhoods - radiating out from the Central Business District.
The city of Detroit has no congestion problem; the city is now the country.
According to the State Highway Plan, Milwaukee, Madison, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Stevens Point, Green Bay and many other smaller cities must submit to the same fate.
The Death Spiral
What does this plan mean for the bicyclist and the pedestrian? In terms of bicycle & walking transportation, destroy the city with highways and you destroy the proximity between a multitude of destinations that makes bicycle and walking feasible as a transportation choice.
....In terms of recreational cycling and walking? Destroy the city with highways and people will flee those ugly highwayscapes, go 60 miles out into sprawland, buy their 35 acre horsey-doggie farmette and put up a 6000 sq. ft. monstrosity. Suddenly, all those peaceful country roads that were once ideal biking habitat become nightmarish narrow arterials, clogged with Suburban-Blazer-Explorer-Trooper-Jeep Grand Cherokees driven by speed-crazed sprawlites (they are always in a hurry because they always have so far to go).
And of course the marketers at Sprawlmart are not far behind - they can smell disposable income at a hundred miles. Suddenly, every country corner has a box store or two, or three on it. Traffic nightmares multiply around the boxes, and hence, the pressures for bringing on the great big highways, and everything the sprawlites moved to get away from. The process then repeats itself, much as it has over and over again since WWII.
Will WisDOT ever wake up and realize that it cannot build its way out of congestion? Next issue, Part 2: The State Highway Plan as Sprawl Subsidy, Northern Jim Crow, and Bicycle Thief.
by Amy Kinast
Almost 300 people attended two open houses in early September to learn about and comment on a proposed 45-mile rail-to-trail from Madison to the Illinois border. The events were hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and took place in Fitchburg and Monroe.
"We received an overwhelming response. . . hundreds of comments," said Danielle Valvassori, the WDNR park and recreation planner spearheading the proposal. She received the feedback by mail, by email and from drop boxes at the open houses.
The project has been dubbed the Badger Trail. If all goes well, it will be on its way to the Natural Resources Board for a vote in early 1999. The trail would connect Madison to Freeport, Ill. along the former Illinois Central Gulf Railroad corridor. A feasibility study completed in August is available online at http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks reports/madfree.html.
Biking and hiking would be the trail's primary uses. Other potential uses are cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and horseback riding. All-terrain vehicles would probably be banned, the study says, because they are not compatible with the other uses.
It could be one of the most popular trails in the state because of its connection to Madison. An estimated 200,000 people would use it annually. Strategically located, the route would help sew together the existing patchwork of trails in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. It would link up with Cheese Country Trail, Military Ridge Trail and Capital City Trail, then over to Glacial Drumlin State Trail.
The proposed Jane Addams Trail, a 14-mile continuation of the Badger Trail into Illinois, would open a gateway to the 500-mile Grand Illinois Trail system. Federal TEA-21 funds and state stewardship monies could help pay development costs, which could easily reach $1 million.
by Michael J. Maierle
Three bikeway alternatives connecting downtown Milwaukee with the city's south-side neighborhood of Bay View have been approved for further study by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). The existing indirect route passes through an old industrial and port area on streets with narrow travel lanes. Miles of off-road, paved bikeways extend north and south of this corridor through a series of lakefront and river front parks composing a major portion of Milwaukee's Oak Leaf bikeway.
An advisory committee, meeting throughout the first phase of the study, looked at 20 different concepts before recommending these three alternatives which were then reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration and accepted by DOT.
Alternative 3 would largely follow the existing route, but 2nd Street would be converted from a 4-lane street to a 2-lane street, providing space for a striped bike lane. Other enhancements would also be considered.
Alternative 9 would utilize an abandoned railroad right-of-way running parallel to, and two blocks east of, 2nd Street for part of the route.
Alternative 15T would comprise two routes. A bikeway barrier-separated bikeway would be located on the existing northbound outside shoulder on the Hoan Bridge, I-794. The number of northbound driving lanes on the Hoan Bridge would be reduced from 3 to 2. If selected, the bikeway would be implemented early in 2001, after the Lake Parkway, which will connect to the south end of the Hoan Bridge, is open for a year. The bikeway is temporary in that it could be removed at a later date if unanticipated problems occur. Improvements on Second Street are also part of this alternative because the Hoan bikeway will likely need to be closed during the winter and on some other occasions.
According to the DOT, all of these alternatives are viable and have some advantages and disadvantages. The question ultimately comes down to which alternative will be the most popular after specific plans are developed. The Bay View bikeway and study are funded in part by a federal grant of $1.5 million. The non-federal share of project funding will be addressed in the next phase of study.
Michael J. Maierle is the Project Manager for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation District 2 (Southeast Wisconsin)
By Leon J. Fiegel
The Hoan Bridge - a subject on which almost every Milwaukee area bicyclist has an opinion. It is important to point out that the "Bay View to Downtown Bicycle Route Study" dated December, 1997 states "ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALSO WERE OF THE OPINION THAT AN ALTERNATIVE SURFACE ROUTE SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR RIDERS WHO DO NOT WANT TO USE THE BRIDGE DURING PERIODS OF HIGH WIND, ICE OR SNOW." [capitalization is mine]. So while the so-called advantages of the Hoan Bridge route are touted, we will still need a surface route for backup! With such a route having to be made available, why can't the funds planned for the Hoan Bridge be used to improve the surface routes?
There are several reasons for using surface streets for a bikeway connecting Bay View and Downtown Milwaukee:
Finally, the most recent report on this subject also cites so-called problems with the current bikeway but fails to think creatively about solving them.
Leon is a former president of the Cream City Cycle Club.
by Pamela S. Barrett, PT, ATC
Trying to balance work, family and community obligations can be a challenge. Many of us regularly skip meals or end up "eating on the go." As a result, what we end up eating is often a result of convenience and not good planning. Improper eating habits may lead to loss of energy (feeling tired), and in turn, poor mental and physical performance.
How Many Blocks Does it Take to Build a Pyramid?
In the world of nutrition, the graphic of choice has been the Food Guide Pyramid. It can be a helpful tool in determining if you are eating the right amounts of the right foods. But in order to understand how to use the pyramid you need to know a few details.
For example, the guideline for carbohydrates is 6-11 servings. What's a serving? The amount you eat at one meal may be more than one serving. In the carbohydrate group, one serving equates to a slice of bread or 1/2 cup of cooked rice.
Next, you may be wondering why recommended serving amount for carbohydrates vary between 6 and 11 servings (a seemingly large range). The wide range is because this recommendation encompasses a large spectrum of people from women, to men, to children (generally, the rate of metabolism varies for each category). There are also significantly different vitamin and mineral demands between the sexes and different age groups. Also, caloric intake demand is activity level dependent.
Eat Like an Egyptian
Good nutrition is simply a matter of balancing your caloric intake and expenditure by eating a variety of good foods. The accompanying graphics will provide you with guidelines for determining your proper caloric intake. If you are meeting these guidelines in a general sense, you are doing a good job. Bon appetit!
Pam, 1998 USCF Category IV Wisconsin Cup Champion, also wants you to know that she isn't really a doctor, but she plays one on TV.
Wisconsin Bicyclist is published four times per year by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
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