Cyclists from all over the country listened eagerly at the Thursday, March 11 National Bike Summit evening reception as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stood on a tabletop to thank us for being there, and lay out his vision for livable communities in America. Then on March 15, LaHood took to his blog to “announce a sea change”: “the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.”
Click here to read the Policy Statement on Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations.
In his blog statement, LaHood said:
* Ensure convenient access for people of all ages and abilities.
* Go beyond minimum design standards.
* Collect data on walking and biking trips.
* Set a mode share target for walking and bicycling.
* Protect sidewalks and shared-use paths the same way roadways are protected (for example, snow removal)
* Improve nonmotorized facilities during maintenance projects.
Now, this is a start, but it’s an important start. These initial steps forward will help us move forward even further.
It is certainly very encouraging to hear these statements from someone on the level of the Secretary of Transportation, and we look forward to seeing his bold policy prescription reflected “on the ground.”
Pictured l-r: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood; Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
