Conservatives continue to be on the wrong side of the cycling revolution, this time Donald Lambro, conservative political commentator at the Washington Times, held up two bike trail projects as examples of projects that "raise question of need". Out of $100 Billion in spending these are the ones he thinks deserve note:
I probably wouldn't have mentioned this except that the article led me to stimuluswatch.org
You can vote for or against spending at StimulusWatch.org
This site contains a wish list of items that local governments want. Not what is actually being funded. Still it is instructive. The local, direct bike projects are all in Alexandria
- the purchase and installation of bike racks for Dash buses
- a two mile trail in Potomac Yards
- rehab of the Mount Vernon Trail
- and Phase 1a of the Eisenhower Avenue path underpass
It doesn't appear Arlington or any Maryland cities outside of Baltimore and Annapolis responded. There are hundreds of other bike projects nationwide. And there are other projects that have bike elements that aren't mentioned in the description. Of DC's 8 projects, one could expect the 14th Street Bridge Rehabilitation, and most road and intersection improvements to have bike elements (there are no descriptions for the DC projects). One of the projects listed is the intersection of Florida and New York Avenues. It's not a very bike friendly intersection and though the Met Branch Trail should let a lot of people bypass it, it is going to get some attention from planners.
The grant will be used for technical design services, wayfinding, and safety around the intersection, as well as making over the area into a sustainable space.
[Personally I'm shocked the Wendy's is still there. It seems that land would be too valuable for such a low-intensity use.]
For a more official listing of projects, one can hope that Recovery.gov will have a similar database on actual expenditures. Perhaps sometime after March 3rd when Federal Agencies begin reporting the use of funds.
WAMU covered the Active Transportation Town Hall I covered last week. There's not much new to the 53 second story, but if you listen closely at the beginning when the chain is spinning, you can hear me watching them recording a chain spinning. You have listen really closely.
Below, by the way, is the list of stimulus package projects that Arlington County bike staff proposed to the department head, so these are real things - though the list will probably be whittled down - that are being pursued:
Energy
Block Grant Projects:
(Priority
#1) On-Street Bikeways and Bicycle Racks – $400,000
Refurbish
and upgrade Arlington’s
on-street bikeway system with installation of new
(Priority
#2) Trail System Enhancements - $800,000
Trail
resurfacing and improvements to address safety problems, improve drainage, accommodate
greater usage, and increase maintenance capabilities. Implementation to
RSTP
Project:
N. Glebe Road Pedestrian Improvements - $800,000
Supplemental
funding for upgrade of three major intersections along
Transportation
Enhancement Grant Projects:
(Priority
#1)
Installation of a pedestrian and bicyclist bridge across Four Mile Run to improve the safety and connectivity of the Four Mile Run and Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) trails. Installation likely to occur in the year 2010.
(Priority
#2) Washington Boulevard Trail – Phase 2 - $200,000
Supplemental
funding for project currently late in the design phase. Project is currently in
the design phase and can be constructed in the year 2010.
(Priority
#3) Route 110 Trail - $600,000
Paving and upgrading of an established trail alongside Route 110 in the Pentagon to Arlington Cemetery area. Project is currently in the design phase and can be completed in the year 2010.
Photo by M.V.Jantzen
The habit some Conservatives have for pointing to bike improvements as examples of pork spending is absurd to me. What could be more of a fiscally responsible method of getting around than on a bicycle. C'mon.
A million here and there is small change in the world of transportation spending, and these improvements serve to increase (rather than decrease) the quality of life and property values of the neighborhoods they are built through.
Posted by: Daniel | March 06, 2009 at 11:41 AM
I am equally flabbergasted by this vilification of spending on bike and pedestrian programs. The benefits of walking neighborhoods and easy access to safe and enjoyable bicycle paths are obvious.
The lack of such facilities has contributed to a 32% obesity rate in schoolchildren (add the number of overweight and it must be well over 50%). That is a tragedy and why not make an effort trying to get kids out of cars and onto the sidewalks and bicycle paths to improve fitness and *watch out* reduce costs to society by dramatically decreasing health care spending (suddenly we are talking about billions of dollars saved).
In the extreme (but not so rare) cases, some of these obese kids have required organ transplants! Not even talking about all the other issues like early diabetes etc.
This republican stonewalling is just what we do not need. It is indeed counter-productive.
Posted by: Eric_W. | March 06, 2009 at 04:48 PM