Here is Vol. 1, No. 2, of Wisconsin Bicyclist (Summer 1995).
I'm proud to be writing the introduction to what I believe is our best issue yet. I am also a little sad, as this issue will be my last. In October, I am leaving my part-time position with the Bicycle Federation. We are currently seeking my full time replacement. The move from part- to full-time staff is much needed, as there is enough work in this office to keep at least a half-dozen people busy!
In order to make the move to full-time staff, we have a fundraising goal of $5,000 by October 15. We need your support, memberships and other contributions more now than ever before.
But back to the news about bicycling in Wisconsin.
The news of the hour is that bicycling is big business. As the season of summer vacations and warm weather joyrides, organized bicycling events, tours, and races draws to a close, it's hard to ignore bicycling's potential to generate revenue, revitalize small town economies, and promote tourism. Even Governor Thompson agrees, bicycling is good for Wisconsin business.
Yet, if bicycling is such an obvious key to a healthier, wealthier Wisconsin, why is funding for bicycle facilities under attack in the state transportation budget? Why, after a decade of trying to gain for the bicycle the legal recognition due its status as a vehicle, are our legislators still reluctant to pass such a simple housekeeping measure as AB 96, the Bicycle Bill? Why, considering bicycling's obvious popularity as a form of recreation, is it not more actively encouraged as a form of transportation in our increasingly congested metropolitan areas?
I fear that it is all too easy for those of us who enjoy bicycling in Wisconsin to become complacent. Blessed as we are with an extensive system of quiet rural roads and a premiere network of recreational trails, we believe that bicycling will always be this safe and enjoyable.
However, our current land-use and transportation planning patterns promote sprawl and auto-dependency, and our towns and cities are steadily expanding (at current growth rates, the U.S. population will double by the year 2050). If these patterns do not change, we will soon find it impossible to enjoy bicycling through the gridlock we've created.
Nor is our safety guaranteed, especially as the numbers of motor vehicles, the frequency with which they are driven and the overall pace of life increases. How many of you have been cut off, passed too closely, or forced off the road, had a car door opened in your face or been hit by a motorist who was barely aware of your existence? If we do not educate motorists and cyclists alike about safe driving and bicycling practices, if we do not assert ourselves as legitimate roadway users, we will find our safety increasingly threatened.
The only way we can effectively preserve what we have already or see any improvement in bicycling conditions in the future is to get organized and to get involved. Please preserve your place on the road, and join the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin today.
by Marcia Miquelon
This issue of the Wisconsin Bicyclist is dedicated to Larry Schmalz, of Cedarburg, and to Margaret Eichers, of Grafton, who died on Aug. 8, 1995 when they were struck by a runaway trailer outside of Neillsville while bicycling across the state on the SAGBRAW ride. It is also dedicated to Linda Schmalz, Larry's wife, who was seriously injured in the accident.
The cyclists were on a safe route, chosen after careful consideration and planning by the event's organizers, and recommended by local police. The trailer came unhitched due to the truck driver's and owner's negligence, and struck the cyclists due to tragic circumstance. It is clear that there was nothing the event's organizers or the cyclists themselves could have done to prevent this tragedy from happening. Nevertheless, the incident serves as a reminder of how vulnerable we are as bicyclists.
Every year in this country, approximately nine hundred bicyclists die in collisions with motor vehicles. When several tons of steel and glass tangle with a couple hundred pounds of lightweight metal and human flesh, one is at a clear disadvantage. Linda says that her life was probably saved only by the fact that she was wearing a bicycle helmet.
As cyclists, we must do whatever we can to protect ourselves. This includes riding defensively, wearing a helmet and most of all, seeking to educate motorists as to our legal right to the road and the importance of safe driving practices.
Several memorial funds have been established on behalf of Larry Schmalz and Margaret Eichers. Those wishing to make a donation should contact Wheel and Sprocket at (414) 247-8100, or send a check to the Cedarburg H.S. Benefit Fund, c/o Family Energy Credit Union; 231 W. Wisconsin Ave. Suite 1102; Milwaukee WI 53203-2368.
by Marcia Miquelon
I live on an obscure island of this city, ironically cut off from the mainland by two broad rivers of pavement. It's ironic because many who live here don't even own the cars which would grant them access to these thoroughfares. In order to grocery shop, see a doctor, or go to the library they ride the infrequent bus or walk a winding mile through a park littered with broken glass, up a steep hillside and across a pedestrian bridge which spans the concrete river.
From the bridge it's hard not to notice the relentless streams of metal and glass roaring in from neat bedroom communities ten miles out to jobs, education, and discount shopping in other far-flung corners of town. Meanwhile, the few who do have cars in my neighborhood drive mostly junkers which eat up hard-earned cash with repairs, insurance and gasoline. Around here, though, it is considered the price of freedom.
In this and neighborhoods all over this city, however, a quietly growing group of people are learning that freedom and mobility can take on an entirely different form.
It is Saturday morning, and in a south-Madison neighborhood Patricia Bowman is watching her three children and two nieces scoot up and down the sidewalk on their new bikes. Her own new bicycle sits beside her on the grass as she describes how the family worked together, through a non-profit program called Wheels for Winners, to earn the bikes.
First they went to the Wheels workshop, a donated warehouse in the back of a large nearby shopping center, and chose the bikes they wanted to earn. Next, working with a community organization called FAST (Families and Schools Together), they each spent about 15 hours doing community service projects, cleaning up and planting a garden on the school grounds, and cleaning a local church. Finally, they and about twenty other kids and adults who had earned them were presented with their bikes, along with helmets and locks, at a Saturday morning bicycle safety workshop.
Since 1992, Wheels for Winners has been collecting used bicycles, refurbishing them in a workshop staffed primarily by retired volunteers, and distributing them, along with locks, helmets and safety training, to children and adults who earn the bikes through community service. They work with a number of community organizations to identify individuals who would benefit from bicycle ownership but who don't have the means to buy one. So far, Wheels has provided bicycles for over four hundred children and adults in Dane County. In the future, they hope to establish satellite workshops in neighborhood centers throughout the city, with the aim of teaching youths maintenance and repair skills.
In the vision of Wheels for Winners, the bicycle is a means to an end: an incentive for community service, an opportunity for developing skills and self esteem, a means of strengthening the family, and a means of transportation independence. As kids learn life lessons along with their mechanics lessons and service work, the bikes they earn become vehicles for empowerment.
With a few last pedal strokes, I top the ramp and start across the bridge which links me to the city. The morning flood of traffic clogs the pavement below me, but up here I don't have much company. Often as I cross this bridge I find myself thinking of China, where traffic noise means the whirring of bicycle wheels, and only one in 74,000 people owns a car. Then I think of those 400 new/old bicycles out there in neighborhoods like mine, and of bicycling's potential for providing low-cost mobility, and I hope that I won't be alone up here on this bridge for long.
For more information about Wheels for Winners, call the Wheels office at (608) 238-7787 or Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin board member Arthur Ross at (608) 266-6225.
by Bill Hauda
Bicycling boosts tourism in Wisconsin, Gov. Tommy Thompson said this summer as he participated in the 10th Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River (GRABAAWR).
"Wisconsin is a beautiful state with beautiful scenery and there is no better way to see it than on a bicycle," the governor said as he prepared to cycle out of Boulder Junction as this year's GRABAAWR got underway.
"GRABAAWR was started 10 years ago by a friend of mine, Bill Hauda, and it has continued to grow and expand," Thompson said. "It's wonderful for Wisconsin to have 1,200 to 1,500 bicyclists and a good share of those, almost half, come from outside the state of Wisconsin to our wonderful state."
"It gives us a great opportunity here in Wisconsin to once again promote and have the opportunity for people all over this country to see what a beautiful state we have," Thompson added. "GRABAAWR is the kind of tour that people love to do because people are into good healthy techniques and exercise and this is all part of it. It makes me very proud as governor to have something like this in the state of Wisconsin."
Thompson's comments came as GRABAAWR celebrated its 10th birthday with a one-man band for entertainment and huge birthday cakes at the start in Boulder Junction. Most of the participants had been bussed to the start the previous day from the staging area at Prairie du Chien, where they would end up after a week of riding about 70 miles per day. Others made their own way to the start, just shy of the upper Michigan border.
It took 20 motor coaches to transport the group to the start. Their bikes were packed in six semi-trailers. Two semis followed the ride, hauling baggage between over-night stops. Participants either slept in school gyms or camped out on the school grounds.
On their way down the river, the group overnighted at Rhinelander, Wausau, Wisconsin Rapids, Mauston, Portage and Spring Green. The route also took them through Wisconsin Dells, where the Family Land water park was a popular attraction as temperatures soared into the 90s.
GRABAAWR officially began in 1986 with 295 riders. It has grown over the years and the 1995 ride was the largest. To ensure facilities are able to handle the crowd, the number of riders is limited.
While GRABAAWR traces its history back to 1986, it was recently discovered that there had been a precursor. In the 1970s, two Wisconsin Valley Bicycle Tours were held along the course of the river, attracting about 20 participants.
Cycling the 500 mile length of the Wisconsin River is popular for a number of reasons. It is a challenge to cycle along a natural feature like a river. It's also fun, because the river is highly populated, has many attractions and provides many opportunities to swim along the way.
GRABAAWR cyclists have visited Consolidated Paper Company's mill, the Wisconsin Dairy State Cheese Factory in Rudolf, Point Brewing Co. in Stevens Point, the Wollersheim Winery in Prairie du Sac, Circus World Museum in Baraboo, American Players Theater and Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesen in Spring Green.
Support for the ride comes from local church, civic and community groups, who serve meals at overnight sites as well as food and beverages along the way. For many of these groups, GRABAAWR is a major fund-raiser.
Estimating the economic impact of an event like GRABAAWR is difficult. The registration fees ($135 or $160 with the motorcoach ride to the start), are returned to the economy via payments for buses and semis, school rental fees, T-shirts and other merchandise, vendor services, salaries and other expenses.
In addition to a budget of more than $150,000 for the event itself, GRABAAWR participants also generate spending of their own. Some participants fly in and out of the state, stay in motels at some or all of the overnight cities and dine out. Others camp out at the overnight sites and utilize the low-cost food service that is provided by community groups.
It is conservatively estimated that participants spend $25-50 per day. When multiplied by 1,200 persons, this is $30,000 to $60,000 a day- about $250,000 for the event. The total economic impact of GRABAAWR may be about a half million dollars for the state and the communities selected for the overnights.
GRABAAWR XI is slated June 29-July 6 of 1996. For information, write GRABAAWR, P.O. Box 310, Spring Green, WI 53588, or call (608) 935-RIDE.
by Deedric Bauer
Bike Action 2000, an advocacy workshop designed to teach successful methods of formulating and executing bicycle plans, will be held in Madison Sept. 16 and 17 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
The event is being sponsored by the Governor's Bicycle Coordinating Council and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin (BFW). It is part of a series of regional action weekends run by the Bicycle Federation of America (BFA), the League of American Bicyclists, and the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
The workshop's objective is to teach bicycle supporters effective techniques to implement the long-range bicycle and pedestrian plans developed under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) also known by the acronym "Ice Tea."
"The program will show how to get results," said Denise McCormick, project coordinator for the workshop. "Practical sessions led by local advocates will highlight 'how-to' techniques."
These techniques include: working with bureaucrats and politicians; obtaining funding for projects; using the media; saving critical federal transportation legislation that supports bicycling.
Organizers of the conference point to the 1976 Pennsylvania Bicycle plan as an example of what they do not want to happen with newly constructed bicycle plans. This 200-page document was an amazing tool for its day, and could have allowed many developments for Pennsylvania cyclists.
Upon its release, however, it was all but forgotten, leaving bicyclists in Pennsylvania no better off today than they were almost 20 years ago.
"The workshops will help advocates bring their local bicycle and pedestrian plans to life," said Charlie Gandy of the BFA. "Every state and metropolitian area is supposed to have a long range plan for bicycling and walking and we want to make sure these documents don't simply sit on a shelf and gather dust for the next 20 years."
There will also be workshops on bicycle facility design and planning to educate as to what types of improvements to ask for and why.
The cost of the workshop is $60 in advance, or $75 at the door. A limited number of scholarships are available. Volunteers to help with the event and to provide housing in Madison are needed.
For more information call the BFW office at (608) 251-4456 or send email to bfw@mailbag.com.
by Steve Clark
Editor's note: Several months ago we asked those in attendance at a BFW meeting to introduce themselves by describing their favorite place to ride. Not surprisingly, nearly everyone described areas in Wisconsin - even Steve Clark, who spent 4 years as the bicycle coordinator for Boulder, Colorado. The enthusiasm generated by the question convinced us that readers would also enjoy learning about what Wisconsin has going for it in terms of bicycle touring - region by region. Steve volunteered to introduce the series by describing his own criteria for a Great Bicycle Destination.
I just got back from a twenty mile ride to and from the Village of Luck. I was passed by two cars. I rode by more people fishing than driving.. Nobody was catching anything but everyone said "hi." I saw two deer, a fox, and even an eagle. And I didn't see a single McDonald's, Hardees, Burger King or any other fast-food or chain restaurant. I didn't have to dodge any potholes or stop at any traffic lights. The air was clean, the sun bright, the water pure and the hills steep enough to make the sweat evaporate.
I live in biketopia.
There is no better place to ride a bike _ for me.
But when you're telling thousands of readers the best place to ride, you've got to be objective. I have my biases when it comes to favorite places to ride a bike, but I think they are reasonable. They are based on two emotions or desires: ecstasy and righteousness. In other words, on a bike I want to feel the opposite of how I generally feel when I'm in a car.
So I've created an index which defines for me the ultimate road experience.
Polk and Burnett Counties that border the St. Croix River in the northwestern corner of the state consistently rate high in all these categories. Stay tuned for more specifics on touring this scenic region in part I of Great Bicycle Destinations in our next issue.
by Tom Huber
by Michael Barrett
One of the great dilemmas of the commercial world is figuring out how to get potential customers to (a) notice your business and (b) stop there. In order for (a) to happen, people must be travelling slowly and must be unpreoccupied enough to allow for a diversion of attention. Similarly, (b) will only happen if there is a true need or desire for the product offered.
Bike trails create a demand for a variety of goods and services which small towns along the way are uniquely suited to providing. Their human-scaled environs permit easy access for the tired, hungry bicycle traveller. What's more, bicyclists are moving slowly and are generally carefree enough to notice even the smallest mom & pop operation.
Many a small town in Wisconsin has experienced a revitalization due to the construction of the state's rail-trails. The stream of two-wheeled dollars is not lost on small-town chambers of commerce. From Reedsburg to Sparta, from New Glarus to Brodhead, from Minocqua to Tomahawk, Chambers of Commerce have sponsored the restoration of the old rail depots to serve as local business/public information headquarters.
The coming of a rail-trail is a big event in these small, struggling ex-whistle stop towns. Reedsburg (the southern terminus of the 400 Trail), for example, planned its downtown renovation in conjunction with the opening of its rail trail.
Cyclists spend about nine dollars dollars per person, per day at businesses along recreational trails. This may not sound extravagant, but it supports a myriad of small, efficiently run businesses.
Steve Hoelscher, Ph.D. candidate in cultural geography at UW-Madison (focusing on New Glarus, Wisconsin) points out the far-reaching effects of rail-trails: "A gift shop owner commented that cycle tourists don't always buy when they are using the Sugar River Trail in the summer. But the idea of unique gifts is planted in their heads and they drive all the way back (from Chicago) in December to buy Christmas gifts."
The coming of the railroad built these towns; when tracks were pulled up, the situation looked bleak. Rail-trails are a second chance at boom-times. As one bed & breadfast proprietor in Lanesboro, Minnesota (home of the Rush River Trail) puts it: "Before the trail went in you'd be lucky to find even one car moving around downtown at rush hour."
by Jeanne Dosch, St. Marys Hospital Medical Center
An Alternative Transportation Challenge: Both sides are winners!
When Meriter Hospital challenged us at St. Marys to see which facility could recruit the larger number of employees willing to participate in an Alternative Transportation Summer for 1995 , we were a bit skeptical. We wondered how many of our employees would actually forsake their cars for a summer of biking, walking, busing, or carpooling to work.
Believing that we could rally some hardy folks, we accepted Meriter's challenge. And we quickly realized that both hospitals - as we encouraged people to try healthy, economical, environmentally sound and fun alternative transportation - would be winners no matter what the final count.
Results were pleasing. Over 90 of St. Marys 1,800 employees, and over 140 of Meriter's 3,000 employees said "I Do" to the challenge that got them out of their cars for the summer.
Both hospitals provided incentives to participate: eligibility to win cash prizes, and a grand prize offered by both hospitals of a free round-trip airline ticket to anywhere in the continental United States.
How else did we get people to sign up? We encouraged them with messages about the environmental impact of cars, and how biking, walking and using other transportation would benefit all. We focused on the expense of operating a car vs. biking, we discussed the health aspects of physical exercise, we promoted the fun aspect of coming to work on two wheels instead of four, and we noted that it just sets a darn good example for others.
We also presented our own pseudo list of David Letterman's Top reasons to bike instead of take the car this summer:
by Peter Flucke
The Greater Green Bay area has been selected by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation as the pilot site for the Bicycle Road Hazard Identification Project. The project, sponsored by the Village of Howard and subcontracted to WE BIKE, is designed to increase bicyclist safety and enjoyment by identifying and reporting hazardous road conditions.
Bicyclists can report road hazards such as potholes, overhanging vegetation, road debris, and unsafe drain grates and railroad track crossings by simply filling out a postcard and mailing it in. Trained volunteers then check the information, enter it into a database and report the hazard to the proper jurisdiction for repairs. Hazards are tracked via computer to ensure repairs are made. Postcards are available in the Green Bay area at bicycle shops, recreation departments, village, city and county offices, the Bay Shore Bicycle Club and other locations.
After the pilot project is completed in early October, the system will be available state wide through the DOT.
For more information contact Peter Flucke at WE BIKE (414) 497-3196 or Joanne Pruitt Thunder, Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety Program Manager, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Office of Transportation Safety (608) 267-3154.
by Kit Keller
Employees in Southeastern Wisconsin can look forward to improved conditions for bicycle commuting in 1996.
The Bicycle Federation of Southeastern Wisconsin (BFSEW) recently obtained funding from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) for a Bicycle Commuting Project designed to familiarize Transportation Management Associations (TMAs), employers, and their employees with effective bicycle commuting policies and practices.
BFSEW is scheduling presentations with each of the TMA's groups of employers in Southeastern Wisconsin. Then, a dozen employers will be selected for facilities assessment (bike parking, lockers, showers, site accessibility) and employee education programs (lunch seminars covering equipment, routes, skills training, maintenance).
Some employers in SE Wisconsin are already promoting bicycle commuting by using incentives. For instance, Amity Leather in West Bend had teamed up with a local bike shop and Trek to offer discounts on Trek bicycles plus free and discounted items, like helmets and lights. Employees join the program by paying a small rental fee and can opt to buy the bike at the end of the ozone season. BFSEW is working with three employers, including Amity, to road-test elements of the Bicycle Commuting Project.
For more information, contact Kit Keller at 414-375-6180.
Assembly Bill 96 cleans up a number of muddy, unclear or inconsistent statutes in the Wisconsin Vehicle Code in an attempt to give bicyclists a safer, stronger position as legitimate roadway users.
In late April the bill was passed by the Transportation and Highways Committee with only one dissenting vote (Rep. Ryba from Green Bay). The bill did not make it to the Assembly floor prior to summer recess, but it could be scheduled for a vote as early as Sept. 19. Now is the time for bicyclists throughout the state to contact their legislators and voice their opinions.
For the better part of a decade, the Governor's Advisory Bicycle Council, Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin members, and other concerned cyclists have been attempting to clear up the confusion in the current statutes and bring them into compliance with the Federal Uniform Vehicle Code. This year, bicyclists are better organized and the bill is in better shape than ever before. There is no reason, apart from lack of awareness of bicycling issues within the legislature, why this housekeeping measure should not pass.
For copies of AB 96, or to get your legislator's phone number and address, call the legislative hotline at 266-9960 (in Madison) or (800) 362-9696.
The Bike Cops Bill, which recognizes bicycle police as emergency vehicles, is still in the Transportation, Agriculture and Local Affairs Committee.
Before becoming law, the bill needs to pass out of the senate committee, pass vote on the senate floor, and then go through a similar committee and voting process in the assembly.
For further information about the bill or to register your vote of support, contact Alan LaSee, chair Transportation, Agriculture and Local Affairs Committee, at (608) 266-3512.
The Crime Victims Bill, which makes pedestrians hurt in hit-and-run accidents eligible for assistance from the victim compensation fund, will not include bicyclists.
Paul Rusk, legislative aid to Senator Potter, the bill's author, explained that the bill was purposely limited to pedestrians because "adding bicycles would increase the fiscal estimate and increase the chances the whole bill would go down in defeat."
Given the bill's current narrow wording and small financial impact for the state, Rusk said passage looks favorable. He recommended that bicyclists consider introducing another narrowly written bill which would add bicyclists to the law.
In September, the State Legislature will again take up the debate on the transportation budget. In late June, just prior to the legislature's summer recess, Assembly Republicans made a budget-cutting proposal which would include a thirty-percent reduction in the amount of money available for bicycle facilities not tied to highway and street projects.
Currently, many facilities such as bicycle paths, underpasses and overpasses are funded by the State Transportation Enhancement Program (STEP), the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) and the Surface Transportation Discretionary program (STD-P). These programs are funded with flexible federal money, and are intended to promote non-highway/alternate transportation projects. Unfortunately, these federal funds are not specifically earmarked for alternative transportation.
The Assembly Republican proposal would shift approximately 11 million dollars over the coming two years from these programs into the State Highway Rehabilitation program. This, they hope, will reduce the need for state revenue generated by an oil company franchise fee.
While this is a small percentage of the overall transportation budget (approximately 1 billion per year), it represents a substantial sum to bicyclists, and one for which there is considerable demand. Thirty-three million dollars worth of bicycle projects were recently reviewed by a DOT committee for funding over the next two years. The committee's decisions as to which projects will actually be funded are on hold pending funding availability.
The Legislature is scheduled to complete its work on the transportation budget between mid-September and mid-October. Concerned cyclists should contact their senators and representatives immediately.
Editor's Note: See Open Forum for related editorials: Endangered Bicycle Funds and Keep Me Safe.
Disclaimer: The Point/CounterPoint and Open Forum sections of Wisconsin Bicyclist were created to allow for consideration and discussion of a variety of issues and opinions related to bicycling. The views expressed therein are the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the goals or mission of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
by Arthur Ross
This question is often debated by bicyclists, planners, engineers and others concerned about making their community bicycle friendly. Each is "best" under different circumstances, and often the best solution is both.
Bike paths got both popular and a bad reputation during the early 1970's bike boom. Many of the people who were just beginning to bicycle liked the idea of being away from traffic. This was often a false sense of security due to poor design, location and maintenance of these early bike paths. Combine this with laws that required bicyclists to use these paths instead of the nearby street, and it's clear why many "serious" bicyclists were against paths. Fortunately, we have learned from these mistakes. Bike path design, location and maintenance criteria have been improved, and laws requiring bicyclists to use paths have been repealed in most states.
We have also learned that there is no one option that will be best for all bicyclists in all situations. We will never be able to replicate the extensive road network in the US with a system of separated bicycle facilities. Existing roads will be the backbone of our bicycle network.
There are many roads which are perfectly acceptable to most bicyclists, especially in older areas developed with a grid street system. Unfortunately, cul-de-sac residential development breaks the grid, and forces all traffic, including bikes, onto busier streets. Most destinations for work, shopping, and professional services are also located on these busier streets.
Given this scenario, bicyclists should take a multi-faceted approach to create bicycle friendly communities. The first step is to realize that bicyclists have the same needs as motorists. We need to be able to travel through the community (mobility), and we need access to all destinations within the community.
Since so many destinations are located on busy streets, there needs to be enough space in these streets for bicyclists. There will be little choice of facilities for access, at least in already built up areas. New development could be designed to provide more options for bicycle access. Building a bike path along a busy street is asking for trouble. There will be too many cars crossing the path at intersections and driveways for it to be safe. This is one of the lessons of the 1970's.
More options will be available for providing mobility. In older areas with grid street systems, there will likely be several routes that bicyclists could use. A bicycle boulevard could be established along one of these routes. This is a process of making changes to the street to favor bicyclists, with few stops, while discouraging car traffic. In cul-de-sac developed areas connect the grid by building paths between cul-de-sacs and bike lanes on the major streets surrounding these developments.
Mobility can also be enhanced with carefully located and designed bike paths. Bike paths should only be used where there are few intersections or driveways. Lakefronts and rivers, rail corridors, utility rights of way, parks and greenways, and drainage corridors are typical locations where bike paths make sense.
The best network for bicyclists is one where all destinations are accessible and there are options so each bicyclist can chose his/her preferred routes based on his/her own needs and desires. We need to work together to ensure that the needs of all bicyclists are met.
by John Forester
All arguments for bikeways, even those saying that bikeways encourage cycling, ultimately rely on the assertion that bikeways make cycling significantly safer. For the last twenty years we have had sufficient scientific data to analyze the effect of bikeways. The result: bikeways reduce overall accident rates due to motorists overtaking cyclists by 0.2%. Meanwhile there is a 30% higher incidence of car-bike collisions due to turning and crossing movements, bike-bike collisions and falls. In a scientific sense the subject is not even controversial; no study has demonstrated that bikeways make cycling significantly safer.
There are three reasons why bikeways are promoted:
Almost without exception bike safety programs have been created by the motoring establishment - traffic police, automobile clubs, highway safety organizations, etc. These programs create a "phobia of the overtaking car." For obvious reasons, active bikeway advocates tend to exhibit strong characteristics of this phobia.
Naturally, people who hate traffic are most likely to possess bad cases of cyclist-inferiority phobia; one feeds on the other. They frequently expose their attitude by labeling competent cyclists as "professional cyclists."
Bikeways are more dangerous than well-designed roads. The increased danger means higher accident rates, slower speeds, and more delays. Given the added dangers created by bikeways, cycling safely and efficiently in a system with bikeways requires more skill, not less.
People who believe the false bikeway promise of more safety for less skill limit their cycling to the bikeways. They fail to learn proper cycling behavior because they think that it is unnecessary on bikeways. They also believe that no training can compensate for the dangers of the roads. That attitude encourages the menacing idea that cyclists should be prohibited from roads with significant traffic.
A better policy would be to increase the competence of cyclists, their pride in skill and status, and the social acceptability of competent cyclists. American adult cyclists used to have this pride, even though they were an even smaller minority than now. It was only in the 1970s, when a new generation - brainwashed by bike-safety programs - became adult cyclists, that the cyclist-inferiority phobia took over. We must not acquiesce to that disaster. We must recover from it and become cyclists again.
I have a job that demands a lot of car travel. I live in a rural area and sometimes I find myself driving just to meet family business needs. I have four children and they often convince me that if I don't drive them to their friends or to soccer practice, it's akin to child abuse and they'll call social services on me. What I am trying to say is that I drive a lot.
This is a problem because I have spent much of my life cursing cars. I went for many years without a car. I know too much about the problems of cars. And I hate being a hypocrite.
According to the World Resources Institute, for every mile I drive, society pays about 15 cents in damages and to help me support this terrible habit _ above and beyond any money that I'm paying through gas taxes, registration fees and other "user fees." This figure takes into account the need for additional police security, free parking, pollution, and other externalities. It's all in the Institute's book, The Going Rate: What it Really Costs to Drive. Since it's all very technical and the researchers were bonafide economists I'm not going to argue with it.
There are three ways to deal with guilt: rationalize it away as if it really doesn't matter, change your behavior or try to compensate for it.
Since I know what I do does matter, and since I don't seem to be strong enough right now to overcome my dependency on the automobile, I'm pursuing the third strategy.
I've joined the Guilty Motorists Association.
As a member of GMA I pay a green tax of 15 cents for every mile I drive. The money can only be used for the following purposes: 1) To help innocent victims of car crashes (e.g., bicyclists or pedestrians who have no car insurance). 2) To promote policies and programs to reduce our dependency on automobiles and 3) to fight against unneccessary highway projects that will only perpetuate auto-domination.
The organization has no paid staff, so members themselves distribute their "taxes" to worthy causes. The GMA supplies members with a list of potential tax recipients.
Here's my challenge to all of you that think a hefty tax on gasoline is a good idea, or to those of you who wish the government would do more to improve options for pedestrians and bicyclists or mass transit. You be the government. Start taxing yourself. Skip all the red tape by sending your money directly to those organizations or individuals that are working to make changes.
Organizations like the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
The potential is enormous. Think of how huge certain religious institutions became over the years through their effective use of guilt. Be part of this revolutionary, populist movement.
For your official membership card and list of suggested organizations, please send a SASE to GMA, 2780 230th St. Cushing, WI 54006.
by Bill Putnam
This year the state assembly is attempting to shift money from bicycle-related projects to road rehabilitation. These funds are critical since funding sources for bicycle projects are limited. If the assembly does shift these funds away from bicycles, many bicycle projects will not have funds available for implementation, including a project that I am working on as a consultant to Shorewood Hills.
The Shorewood Hills project will put a bicycle/pedestrian path next to the railroad tracks which extend westward from the UW campus along University Avenue, providing a vital direct and safe link from Madison's west side to the campus and downtown. University Ave., although an undesirable bicycle route due to heavy, fast moving traffic, is currently the only direct route available through this corridor. As a result, many bicyclists now wind their way through parking lots and self-made dirt paths.
The village has already invested significant time and money to plan and implement this path. ISTEA assistance is crucial if this important link in Madison's bikeway system is to be implemented. As a fellow bicyclist and as a consultant trying to fund and implement bicycle enhancement projects, I urge you to contact your State Assembly Representative and your State Senator to let them know how important this funding is to improve bicycling conditions in Wisconsin.
by Robbie Webber
If the Assembly Republicans have their way, I'm eventually going to get hit by a car on my way to work. I bicycle an especially treacherous route to get to my job, and despite the fact that I am a fairly aggressive rider, it's touch and go every time.
I have to cross two entrance ramps, two exit ramps, and negotiate many left-turners who are in a great hurry to go somewhere and aren't paying attention to safety. Then it's 1 mile on the highway before I turn into the industrial park. The truth is, it's pretty hairy in a car, but on a bike I feel like a turtle trying to cross the interstate.
There is a solution- a safer and more enjoyable route. The alternative route could take cyclists under the highway and keep them on lightly traveled roads. Currently the underpass is just a couple of ruts, accessible only by mountain bike. There is a plan to make this a pedestrian and bicycle underpass, but funding is threatened.
The State Assembly's transportation budget proposals shift vital funds away from projects like this simple, effective underpass and into highway rehabilitation projects. In the interest of avoiding a dreaded (but justified) oil tax, legislators are willing to axe any alternative transportation initiatives which might reduce our very dependence on that gas.
There is hope however. The budget has not been set in stone. The Assembly will be back in session in September, and they could still restore the money. I'm sure many of you have routes or intersections similar to mine. Let's see if we can get that dribble of money restored, or visit me in the hospital.
by Peter Flucke; Event Director for the Railroad Heritage Bicycle Tour
Bicyclists supporting bicycling is what it's really all about. Organized bicycling events throughout the state are helping to keep us all on the road by sponsoring the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin and its advocacy efforts.
The goals of the Bicycle Federation, bicyclists and bicycle event organizers are much the same. We all support the increased use of the bicycle for daily transportation, recreation and fitness. To encourage this the Bicycle Federation is working for better bicycle facilities, education for bicyclists and motorists, bicycle friendly legislation, awareness and much more. These efforts will make bicycling better for everyone.
Do you support these efforts? You should! They affect you! They are very important but they are not free.
One vital way for bicyclist to support the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin and it's efforts is to become a member. Another is to just go for a bike ride.
This summer and fall six organized bicycle tours throughout the state agreed to donate part of the proceeds from their rides to the Bicycle Federation. In effect, participants in these events work to improve bicycling while bicycling.
If you work with a ride that is interested in sponsoring the BFW please give us a call at (608) 251-4456.
If you are interested in supporting the BFW by riding your bike, your last opportunity this season is on Sunday, September 17 at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay. Ride the Railroad Heritage Bicycle Tour.
This tour highlights the unique connection that exists between Wisconsin's rich railroad heritage and bicycling. The ride features an all you can eat pancake breakfast before the ride, routes of 4, 12, 25 and 60 miles which highlight points of historical railroad significance and admission to the National Railroad museum including a train ride, "Rails to America" Theater Show, model railroad display and museum exhibits.
For event information contact WE BIKE at: (414) 497-3196, Fax (414) 499-8492, E-Mail webike@aol.com.
The following rides have sponsored the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin this year:
| Oregon Trail Ride | Oregon | June 3 |
| The Capital City Classic | Madison | June 10 |
| GRABAAWR | Boulder Jct. to Prairie du Chien | July 8-15 |
| Cloverleaf Century | Amherst | July 23 |
| Wright Stuff Century | Madison | September 3 |
| Railroad Heritage Bicycle Tour | Green Bay | September 17 |
by Marcia Miquelon, Jeanne Dosch and Sherri Faust
As the numbers of bicyclists increase, so do health care provider's concerns for their safety. Hospitals, HMOs and clinics are in a powerful position to communicate the importance of bicycle safety to their patrons and to the general public via their community relations programs. Two health care providers in the Madison area, St. Mary's Hospital and Dean Medical Center, have designed highly successful campaigns highlighting two diverse elements of bicycle safety.
Five years ago, Dean Medical Center launched its Crash Helmet program to promote bicycle helmet use. The program features Crash Helmet, an animated character who appears in the media, on children's television, and makes presentations at schools and community events to educate children and parents about the importance of bicycle helmets. Dean also involves the community by getting local retailers to honor coupons worth $5.00 off the cost of any ANSI or Snell approved helmet in their store.
Dean launched the program because its physicians felt that many of the head injuries they were treating due to bicycle accidents were preventable. After five years, program organizer Sherri Faust notes that "helmet use in South Central Wisconsin is definitely on the rise. Parents recognize that Crash Helmet is teaching important lessons in a gentle manner. More importantly, children are wearing helmets because they want to."
The St. Marys' Equal Rights, Equal Responsibilities campaign, conducted in the Spring of 1995, focused more on adult cyclists. This theme was selected because most bicycle/motor vehicle collisions in Dane County involve adults, and because research showed that while in general most Dane County adults felt bicycles and motor vehicles had equal responsibilities, fewer felt they had equal rights.
"We tried to get across the idea that bicycles, cars and trucks are all vehicles," says Steven Sparks, St. Marys' Director of Community Relations. "Bicycling is a very healthy activity and can be a very safe activity. We wanted area residents to know that most bicycle/motor vehicle collisions can be prevented by careful observation and defensive driving."
The campaign included television, radio, print, and outdoor advertising, as well as wide distribution of brochures, posters, bumper stickers and restaurant place mats. Free safety and first-aid kits were also available upon request. According to Sparks, the response has been excellent, with pre- and post-campaign surveys showing an increased level of awareness on the part of both bicyclists and motorists.
Anyone interested in learning more about the St. Marys campaign may call Steve Sparks, (608) 258-6654. To learn more about Dean's Crash Helmet program, call Sherri Faust at (608) 252-8376.
We're Working for You
Recently, the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin has worked to make Wisconsin a better place to bicycle by:
Our Mission
The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin pledges to work hard to reverse these trends. We promise to:
We Need You!
As Wisconsin bicyclists, we will gain respect and build strength through organization, a clear agenda and a united voice. Our success depends upon you.
Invest in yourself, fellow bicyclists and Wisconsin. Show your commitment to making Wisconsin a great place to bicycle by becoming a Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin member today!
Wisconsin Bicyclist is published four times per year by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
Executive Editor: Marcia Miquelon
Production Manager: Heather Putnam
Copy Editors: Michael Barrett, Deedric Bauer
Layout Editors: Emil Rose, Deedric Bauer
Calendar Editor: Steve Cayford
Photography: Marcia Miquelon
Artwork: Dieter Bingemann
Ad Sales: Marcia Miquelon
Contributors: Michael Barrett, Deedric Bauer, Steve Clark,
Jeanne Dosch, Sherri Faust, Peter Flucke, John Forester,
Bill Hauda, Tom Huber, Kit Keller, Marcia Miquelon, Bill Putnam,
Heather Putnam, Arthur Ross, Robbie Weber, Julie Weier.Submission Guidelines
Wisconsin Bicyclist welcomes your opinions, news, features, artwork and photograph submissions. Editorials should be no more than 300 words. News and feature stories should not exceed 600 words.
Please submit text both on disk (we have no paid typists on staff) and as hard copy. Artwork and photographs should be black and white prints. Please include name, phone number and address. We reserve the right to edit or reject all submissions. Mail to the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, P.O. Box 1224, Madison, WI 53703. Email: bfw@mailbag.com.
Deadlines:
Winter Issue Nov. 15
Spring Issue Feb. 15
Summer Issue May 15
Fall Issue Aug. 15
Here is Vol. 1, No. 2, of Wisconsin Bicyclist.
