Florida Congressman Mica Introduces Bill That Kills Bicycling/Walking Funding

Seriously, John Mica? You're a congressman from Florida -- home of too many bicyclist and pedestrian deaths in this country -- and you just introduced the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.

This proposed bill eliminates dedicated funding for bicycling and walking, and it goes much further and systematically removes bicycling from the Federal transportation program.

It basically eliminates our status and standing in the planning and design of our transportation system -- a massive step backwards for individuals, communities and our nation. It's a step back to a 1950s highway- and auto-only program that makes no sense in the 21st century.

The bill reverses 20 years of progress by:

•destroying Transportation Enhancements by making it optional;
•repealing the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school;
•allowing states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles;
•eliminating bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs; and
•eliminating language that insures that rumble strips "do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled."

On Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee will mark-up the bill and Representatives Petri (R-WI) and Johnson (R-IL) will sponsor an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Representatives Petri and Johnson can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their representative today.

Because of these urgent new developments, and the vital importance of a HUGE turnout on Capitol Hill in March, the National Bike Summit early bird registration deadline has been extended to Feb 20. We need every single cyclist in Washington, D.C. that the city can hold (and that's thousands ...). Register today!

Stay in touch by visiting bikeleague.org and americabikes.org for background and breaking news.

SWFBUD Contacts Congress To Save Enhancement And Safe Routes Funding

This morning SWFBUD called a local congresswoman -- Kathy Castor -- at both her Washington, DC and Tampa offices and urged her staffers to please advise Kathy to fight for bicyclists and walkers this week because House leadership is pressing to eliminate bicycling and walking funding in a transportation bill to be released today called the American Energy and Infrastructure Act.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, this bill:

•Destroys Transportation Enhancements by making the program optional
•Repeals the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school
•Allows states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles
•Eliminates bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs
•Eliminates language that insures that rumble strips “do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled”

This week in the Transportation Committee, Representative Petri (R-WI) will stand up for bicycling and walking by offering an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School.

Mr. Petri can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their Representative on the Transportation Committee again today to urge them to vote YES on the Petri amendment!

Kathy Castor, please help bicyclists and walkers in the Tampa area. Tampa lags behind the rest of the nation when it comes to bicycle infrastructure and we need all the help we can get.

Please call Kathy in Tampa at 813-871-2817 and in DC at 202-225-3376 and tell Kathy to support bicycling by supporting Rep. Petri's efforts to restore dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School.

SWFBUD Thanks Tampa For Adding Bike Lane On Bayshore Blvd.

For years,SWFBUD has asked the city of Tampa to improve Bayshore Blvd., including reducing downtown-bound Bayshore from 3 to 2 lanes and adding a bike lane from the point where an existing bike lane ends.

Well, it's time to retire this "bike lane ends" sign. The Bayshore project offers this new bike lane and the reduction of lanes from three to two.

Helping SWFBUD With Sharrows and the BAM

Our local politicians should know there are many people in the Tampa Bay who care deeply about improving bicycling and who act on their concerns. One of those folks is Michael Ploch of Riverview, who created the Sharrows reflective design for vests and jerseys, including this one. Here's Michael at the Flatwoods park seven-mile loop.

He is also behind the creation of a regionwide paved trail system that SWFBUD is calling the BAM -- for Bicycle Area Mobility.

Michael will be selling very cool BAM T-shirts he designed showing the BAM map on the front at the Feb. 19 Swap Meet at the Taco Bus St. Pete on Central Avenuer. Fellow bicyclist Nico Stearley designed the BAM map.

Thank you Michael and Nico for supporting BAM.

Gasparilla Childrens' Bike Rodeo Needs Volunteers Saturday

It's time again for the Gasparilla Childrens' Bike Rodeo Saturday and they need volunteers along Bayshore, between Albany & Nance (near Rome Ave.)

The Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Rodeo, presented by the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee of Hillsborough County and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, is a chance for you to help teach the children of Tampa Bay the important bicycle/pedestrian safety skills they need to know in order to be safe biking and walking members of our community!

If you volunteer you'll either be helping with passing out and fitting helmets, or leading kids through one of the stations in the safety obstacle course!

This event is free to all children, and each child participating in the safety course will first receive a free bicycle helmet to keep (until they run out)!

Volunteers should arrive between 9:30 - 10am for training and to help set up. The actual event is from 11am-2pm. Breakfast and lunch will be provided for USF volunteers!

SWFBUD Welcomes A New Sight On Bayshore Blvd: A Bike Lane!

Great to see the city of Tampa install bike lanes on Bayshore Blvd. starting from Platt Street.





The bike lanes run from Platt Street to Rome Avenue. How more bike lanes extended from Rome Ave. to Gandy?

SWFBUD Likes City of Tampa Agreeing To Maintain U-Path Trail Near Airport

One of the unheralded paved trails in Tampa Bay is the U-path that allows bicyclists from points north of State Road 60 to circumvent Tampa International Airport on its west side to reach locations south of the airport. It was nice to hear Karla Price of the city of Tampa tell us members of the Tampa-Hillsborough Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee this week that the city of Tampa has worked out a deal with the Tampa International Airport for the city to maintain the trail.

It's an essential link that allows bicyclists to bike south on George Street to a city park where the trail starts and heads to State Road 60/Causeway and continues south of SR 60 past the Hyatt, around the airport and to Cypress Avenue. Make a left on Cypress and you can head to downtown Tampa and other Tampa locations.

I use it all the time when I cross the Courtney Campbell Causeway from Clearwater to Tampa and pick it up off SR 60 starting at the Hyatt.

Here's an overhead map of the U-Path.


You might recall that I also took photos of roseate spoonbills hanging out in a watery hideaway between the U-path trail and the Hyatt.


You also get a pretty good view of landing jets when biking the U-path.

Sprinkle Consulting To Start Study Next Month of Tampa Bypass Canal Trail Crossings

BAM Network Update -- I learned tonight that Sprinkle Consulting will start next month on a six-month consulting job for the Hillsborough MPO on the Tampa Bypass Canal Trail crossings.

SWFBUD is pushing for the BAM Network -- a regional three-trail system of the Tampa Bypass Canal Trail, the South Coast Greenway and the Selmon Expressway Greenway.

The Tampa Bypass Canal Trail is a 17-mile trail from New Tampa along the Bypass Canal Trail to State Road 60. It's grass now. But we want the trail paved to allow more bicyclists to use it.

SWFBUD Swap Meet -- Feb 19, 11 am to 3 pm at Taco Bus St. Petersburg

SWFBUD is proud to announce its inaugural SWFBUD Swap Meet at the Taco Bus parking lot on Central Avenue in St. Petersburg on Feb 19 from 11 am to 3 pm. We will also have live music while you shop for cool bike gear and parts at the Taco Bus in St. Pete.

SWFBUD Says Bicycles and Buses Can Work Together

SWFBUD participated in a HART video explaining the great connection between bicycles and buses.

Tampa's city TV station -- CTTV -- aired it as part of "Spotlight Tampa" this month, says bicyclist/CTTV cameraman Brian Sullivan.

SWBUD Agrees: Cities Are Happier When They Embrace Bike-commuting

Another great benefit of why cities should embrace and encourage bicycle commuting.

SWFBUD's BAM Network Proposal Featured In City Times

SWFBUD's BAM Network idea was featured in the Sunday St. Pete Times, which focused on local commumity leaders outlining their goals for 2012. On behalf of SWFBUD, I advised the city of Tampa and Hillsborough County to partner on building the BAM Network in 2012.