Supporters, who continue to post notes of adulation and thanks on Mr. LaHood’s Facebook page, say the acknowledgment of biking and walking as legitimate modes of transportation is long overdue.

Critics, conversely, believe the secretary is taking the country in the wrong direction.

Mr. LaHood, formerly a Republican congressman from Illinois, spoke with Green Inc. about his reasons for introducing the new policy, the impact it will have on transportation financing, and why bike paths are a good bang for the buck.

Q:  Bicycling and walking advocates had a very positive reaction to the policy change. But here at Green Inc., we heard mostly from critics who said it showed you were “delusional” or reflective of some sort of “Maoist” bent. What’s your response to the response?

A: My response is that this is what Americans want. Americans want alternatives. People are always going to drive cars. We’re always going to have highways. We’ve made a huge investment in our interstate highway system. We’ll always continue to make sure that those investments in the highways are maintained.

But, what Americans want is to get out of their cars, and get out of congestion, and have opportunities for more transit, more light rail, more buses, and some communities are going to street cars. But many communities want the opportunity on the weekends and during the week to have the chance to bike to work, to bike to the store, to spend time with their family on a bike.

So, this is not just Ray LaHood’s agenda, this is the American agenda that the American people want for alternatives to the automobile.

What’s happened around America is people are buying bikes and they’re using them for recreational purposes on the weekend and there’s no better family way for people to spend a weekend than riding their bikes on these biking trails.

This is what Americans want and we’re accommodating their needs to really find places to recreate. And what could be healthier than taking a 30-minute walk, which is recommended by every doctor in America, or hopping on your bike and riding four, five or six miles and enjoying the great outdoors?

Look, this is a win-win. This is a way for people to get out of their cars, a way for people to recreate, a way for people to get good exercise, and it’s what Americans want to do.

Q: In announcing the new policy, you used pretty forceful language, saying it was a “sea change” and “the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of nonmotorized.” The actual policy, however, is more benign in tone, saying, “well-connected walking and bicycling networks is an important component for livable communities, and their design should be a part of federal-aid project developments.”

Do you stand by your initial characterization of the policy?

A: I think that livable and sustainable communities is a game changer. It’s a game changer because it’s what Americans want. It’s a game changer because people do want to get out of congestion, they want to get out of their cars, they want to be able to enjoy the outdoors, they want to be able to recreate with their families.

And so it’s a game changer from the point of view that it’s a major component of livable and sustainable communities that provide alternatives to automobiles. And some of it is transit, some of it is light rail, some of it is street cars, some of it is good buses. But certainly a big part of it is the opportunity to bike or walk to the grocery store, to work, to the drug store or just spending time with the family and getting some good exercise.

Q: In terms of the way federal transportation dollars will be spent on the ground, is this a zero sum game? Does more money for biking and walking mean less money for motorways?

A: We’re always going to take care of our highways. As I said, we have a state-of-the-art interstate system that’s been developed over three or four decades. We’re not going to give up on our roads. We know people are always going to drive cars. They’re going to use their cars for long distances.

But as we develop our livable and sustainable communities program, biking and walking paths will be a major component of it. And they will get some significant dollars.

Q: In response to the policy change, a member of Congress said he didn’t understand how you get a bang for the buck out of a bicycle project. Why do you think they’re a good investment?

A: You don’t have to get a bang for the buck in every form of transportation. Certainly, transit, it provides a good bus or light rail or other kinds of transportation services. But, they don’t make money doing it.

This is a good bang for the buck because it provides alternatives to people, and good exercise, and for people who are very health conscious and for people who want to spend time with their families.

This is a win, win, win. It incorporates a lot of different opportunities for people and it’s a good bang for good health, and a good bang for a different form of transportation, and it’s what the American people want.

Q: Was there any particular reason you wanted to introduce the new policy now?

A: It has more to do with the fact that we’re rolling out our livable and sustainable communities as we travel around the country and I also was at a huge bikers’ conference in Washington,  D.C.,  and we wanted to give them the chance to really understand that all of their hard work over a long period of time has finally paid off. There’s an administration in place now that has taken to heart their request for more walking and biking paths.

And you probably know that Chris is a long-time transportation bicyclist and bicycling advocate.

In working with their campaign, we now have a page–the Campaign on Two Wheels–devoted to our community to collect donations, no matter how small, to help him get elected.

See: https://secure.piryx.com/donate/mebYIofl/chrisriley/campaignontwowheels

And for more info on Chris, see: http://www.chrisforaustin.com

And: http://www.chrisforaustin.com/issues/bicycles/

The following from Bike Texas:  
 The 2009 Safe Passing Bill, House Bill HB 827 was heard and passed yesterday by the Texas State House Committee on Transportation by a vote of 8-0.

Unfortunately, the committee amendment to HB 827 includes problematic provisions. We have been here before and BikeTexas is asking cyclists to view the bill, even in its current unsatisfactory state, as a vehicle to get us to final passage of a Safe Passing Bill with the right provisions in place. We still have a number of opportunities in the process to remove or effectively resolve the problem parts. (For the bill text, check the Bike Texas website; we’ll post it when the committee updates the language.)

Two additions are of most concern:

First is a provision inserted by the committee requiring that vulnerable road users must operate within three feet of the right edge or curb of the roadway (Proposed Section 545.428 (a)(4)).

Second is language stating that the Safe Passing law may not apply to a road without to two lanes in the same direction “with a total width not less than twenty four feet”. In other words, it would only apply on 4-lane roads (two lanes in each direction). This is in response a BikeTexas proposal to incorporate language from the 2003 “Move Over Law”, passed in the 2003 legislative session, to protect law enforcement officers on the side of the roadway (Proposed Section 545.428 (b(1)).

This language requires motorists to reduce speed to 20 mph below the posted speed limit if approaching a vulnerable user and not able to provide three-feet clearance. The “Move Over” provision did remain in the version passed by the Transportation Committee. BikeTexas had offered the “Move Over” language in response to legislator concerns and after conferring with several Texas bicycle advocacy leaders.

The prohibition against the “right-hook” was removed by the Committee. The “left-hook” provision remains in the bill (Proposed Section 545.428 (d) and (e)).

These changes appear to have been added as a result of informal input to the Committee from other legislators. BikeTexas staff is making inquiries to get more details on this development.

Many Texas cyclists understand these provisions are unworkable in the context of current Texas Transportation Code (TTC) concerning bicyclists as well as in practice of safe cycling techniques on the roadway.

The bill is still in the middle of the legislative process and BikeTexas staff sees several opportunities to get the Safe Passing bill back into a version that will benefit cyclists with its legal, operational and educational merits.

There are a number of things on our side:
1. An active and concerned number of Texas cyclists,
2. Good relationships between cyclists and a significant number of Texas legislators,
3. Existing TTC language on operation of bicycles on the roadway that is consistent with best safe cycling practices
4. A legislative process with a number of remaining options,
5. Time, albeit a modicum of time in a legislative session, and
6. Cyclists in Suits Texas Bike Lobby Day on Monday, April 20: well-timed to bring cyclists to the Capitol to bring home the message to every legislative office. Your participation is needed more than ever!

And finally, BikeTexas has great faith and confidence in the authors of the 2009 Safe Passing Bill in the House and Senate to ensure that only a bill that significantly improves conditions for cyclists in Texas roadways will pass out of the Legislature.

What Texas Cyclists Can Do
Please continue to communicate with your representatives and their staff. Their staff are so busy at this point in the session that the most effective communication is to tell them directly what you want. They can transmit that message to their bosses much more easily and effectively than a discussion or debate of what has transpired so far.

Our message is that we need a bill with workable provisions to reduce the over 1000 annual deaths of vulnerable road users, focusing on the educational value of the bill but certainly using the legal provisions.

And of course, please come to Cyclists in Suits on Monday, April 20. This event is especially well-timed in the 2009 legislative session to bring cyclists to the Capitol to deliver the message to every legislative office. Your participation is needed more than ever!

FROM BIKE TEXAS:
Today, Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) introduced the 2009 Safe Passing Bill (CSSB 488 / CSHB 827) on the floor of the Texas State Senate.

In a dialogue with Senator Ellis, Senator Dan Patrick (R-Houston) raised concerns about several aspects of the bill. Senator Ellis chose to withdraw the bill, pending additional discussion this evening with Senator Patrick to address these concerns.

BikeTexas had provided bill language and other information to all Senators’ offices since the start of the session and had not been made aware of any concerns by Senator Patrick. BikeTexas staff are now preparing additional documents to submit to the offices of Senators Patrick and Ellis in preparation for tomorrow’s session.

What you can do:

Please contact your State Senator no later that 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, April 8th!

Click here to find your senator, then:

If you live in the district of an “Unconfirmed” Senator, including Senator Patrick: Call or email his office immediately to ask him to support Safe Passing. The list of senators is below.
If you live in the district of a “Supporting” senator: Call or email his or her office immediately to express your thanks for his or her support for Safe Passing. The list of senators is below.
As always, please be sure to be polite and professional in your communications, whether your legislator supports or opposes CSSB 488.

Unconfirmed
Kip Averitt (R-Waco), Dist. 22
Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls), Dist. 30
Troy Fraser (R-Horseshoe Bay), Dist. 24
Chris Harris (R-Arlington), Dist. 9
Glenn Hegar (R-Katy), Dist. 18
Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-Mission), Dist. 20
Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville), Dist. 3
Steve Ogden (R-Bryan), Dist. 5
Dan Patrick (R-Houston), Dist. 7

Support Safe Passing
John Carona (R-Dallas), Dist. 16
Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth), Dist. 10
Robert Deuell (R-Greenville), Dist. 2
Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock), Dist. 28
Rodney Ellis (D-Houston), Dist. 13
Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler), Dist. 1
Mario Gallegos (D-Houston), Dist. 5
Joan Huffman (R-Houston), Dist. 17
Mike Jackson (R-La Porte), Dist. 11
Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville), Dist. 27
Jane Nelson (R-Lewisville), Dist. 12
Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), Dist. 31
Florence Shapiro (R-Plano), Dist. 8
Eliot Shapleigh (D-El Paso), Dist. 29
Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio), Dist. 19
Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio), Dist. 26
Kirk Watson (D-Austin), Dist. 14
Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio), Dist. 25
Royce West (D-Dallas), Dist. 23
John Whitmire (D-Houston), Dist. 15
Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), Dist. 3
Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo), Dist. 21Unconfirmed

PLEASE FORWARD TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!

UPDATE: WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW

The 2009 Safe Passing Bill, Committee Substitute Senate Bill 488 will be heard by the Texas State Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security on Monday, March 30, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. in Hearing Room E1.016 in the Capitol Extension. If you’re in the Austin area, please plan to attend!

Last Tuesday, March 24, we attended the House Transportation Committee hearing on the bill. Those testifying included tow truck operators who would be protected by the bill, Mike Emmons from Plano on behalf of his friend the late Anthony Mungioli, and Robin Stallings, BikeTexas Executive Director. A representative of Austin Police Chief planned to testify but was not able to wait – originally slated for 8:00 a.m., the Committee didn’t hear the bill until noon!

Committee members asked some tough questions but ultimately seemed satisfied by the answers they received. As per usual practice, the bill is now pending and should come to a vote within a few weeks

What you can do for Monday’s hearing.

If you live in the Austin area or can easily travel to Austin, come to the hearing at 8:00 a.m. (More details are below.) Please wear business attire including coat and tie for men. Even if you do not have a Senator on the committee who represents you, your presence is very important. RSVP to Mark Stine at mark@biketexas.org or 512-476-7433 is appreciated.  We also appreciate cc’s or forwards to Mark of email communication sent to and received by you from your Senator.

The committee session will start on Monday, March 30, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. in Hearing Room E1.016. You can expect to spend most of the morning there. The Chair often switches agenda items so we never know exactly when our bill will come up for action.

Click here for maps of the Capitol area, including the public parking garage, and the Capitol Extension.

Please contact Mark Stine (mark@biketexas.org) at 512-476-7433 if you have questions. Call Mark at cell 512-921-0581 the day of the hearing if needed.

We’ve been working and waiting long for this.

All of us know how important this bill is for the overall safety of cyclists in Texas. We are optimistic that we will have success but we all must still work every step of the way in this laborious process. Our sincere thanks to all of you who have stepped up to support BikeTexas in this effort.

Please forward this to friends!

 Help us make sure CLEAN-TEA makes it into the climate bill this year. Send a letter to the Chair of the Energy Committee today! 

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