SWFBUD Says Thanks To Tampa For New Bike Lane and Removing Bike Lane Ends Sign

Come and witness a fun moment when the Tampa public works department removes a "Bike Lane Ends" sign tomorrow at 1 PM on Bayshore. SWFBUD has asked the city foryears to improve Bayshore for bicyclists and the city extended the bike lane on Bayshore as part of its Bayshore improvement project and can now remove the bike lane ends sign.

I'll be meeting the public works guys at 1 PM Wednesday for the fun moment and for some photos.

SWFBUD Thanks Michael Ploch For BAM T-Shirts

Michael Ploch shares his enthusiasm and support for cycling by backing SWFBUD and SWFBUD's BAM Network plan. Here's a T-shirt designed by Michael to support the BAM -- Bicycle Area Mobility -- in Hillsborough County. The T-shirt shows the BAM map designed by HOK architect Nico Stearley.

Please contact alansnel@yahoo.com if you want a T-shirt. They're $10 each.

Thank You Rep. Janet Cruz of Tampa For Supporting Bicycling and The BAM Network

My Fellow Members of the Hillsborough Legislative Delegation:

I am writing to express my support for the expansion of the “BAM Network” for Bicycle Area Mobility. Aside from the inherent road safety benefits, the BAM Network promises to provide significant benefits in health, the economy and jobs, and tourism.

Attached is information about BAM and contact information for the director, Alan Snel of the South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers (SWFBUD) organization. Also attached is a letter of support.

I urge you all to write a letter of support for the BAM network so that our local government can see that the State is in support of this initiative. Alan is collecting letters from each Representative and Senator to submit in a packet to Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, The Hillsborough County Commissioners, The Tampa City Councilmembers and the local MPO.

Janet Cruz

Here is Janet's letter of support:

January 11, 2012

Alan Snel, Director
South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers

Dear SWFBUD:

I am writing to express my support for the expansion of the “BAM Network” for Bicycle Area Mobility. The construction of the three multi-use trails in this project will tremendously improve Hillsborough County and the city of Tampa. The project will add 30 miles of safe, paved trails, creating an integrated and cohesive network for riders, and more effective transportation for all. Aside from the inherent road safety benefits, the BAM Network promises to provide significant benefits in health, the economy and jobs, and tourism.

Studies have shown large correlations among the amount of developed bicycle, and pedestrian trails in a city, and better health, higher rates of creativity, and more job opportunities and successful small businesses. Expanding the trails will also promote exploration and appreciation of our local gems of culture, heritage, and history by tourists and residents alike. I believe that the BAM Network will holistically improve our community and will contribute to a higher quality of life for all of us who call Tampa Bay home. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle agree that the BAM Network has the potential to help reenergize our city. I hope you will stand up with me for the BAM Network and Tampa Bay as we move our community forward.

Sincerely,

Janet Cruz
Florida State Representative, District 58

CC: The Honorable Bob Buckhorn, Mayor
Tampa City Council
Hillsborough County Commission
Hllsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization

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.