Bicycling Advocacy in New Hampshire 2010

Bike-Walk Alliance of NH Update - September, 2010

BWA-NH promotes bike-ped programs and activities throughout NH

Visit the BWA-NH web site for more details

BWA-NH Membership Application

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Bridge access a major “Win” for those of us on two wheels! For nearly a year, BWA-NH has been quietly working with NH-DOT and FHWA to remove the restriction of bicycles, mopeds, and scooters on two key bridges crossing the Merrimack River. Using two wheels for transportation is highly supported at the Federal level, especially after the announcement in March by US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood. Locally, the Sagamore Bridge connecting Route 3 (DW Highway) in Nashua to Route 3-A in Hudson and the soon-to-be-completed MAAR bridge (the $200 million Manchester Airport Access Road including the Pearl Harbor Survivors Bridge) connecting Bedford to Manchester no longer restrict bicyclists. Both bridges connect to roads commonly used by bicyclists with alternate routes not practical in terms of time and distance. Small bike-ped sidepaths were provided, but they are not maintained for travel year round, are not illuminated, go through wooded areas that are a security hazard, and do not accommodate mopeds and scooters. For those who use efficient two wheels as a true vehicle for transportation year round, the only viable solution is to utilize the bridges for their intended purpose: transportation. Daytime recreational cyclists, families with kids, and those not competent in vehicular cycling will still have the opportunity to use the sidepaths – they are not expected to share the road with 50 MPH traffic. For commuter cyclists including those on electric bikes, mopeds, and scooters, lifting this restriction not only grants access to these two bridges but sets an example for the entire state. Bicycles are vehicles and access to roads and bridges for transportation must be considered by Federal guidelines. BWA-NH wishes to thank the many people within NH-DOT including Commissioner George Campbell, MAAR Project Manager Alex Vogt, and Bike-Ped Coordinator Larry Keniston who helped lift the bridge access restrictions.

New Hampshire has been rated as the sixth most " Bicycle Friendly State" in the country for 2010 by the League of American Bicyclists! The ranking system started in 2008 when NH was rated as #10. In 2009, the rating went up to #8, and now we are at #6. (We may be biased, but we believe BWA-NH helped NH attain the higher scores.) However, our #6 level cannot be maintained or improved unless action is taken to address several areas that need attention. BWA-NH expects to work with the very active Central NH Bicycling Coalition based in Concord plus many state departments to help improve the NH score for 2011. For a listing of all 2010 states rankings and comparisons to prior years, please visit the BWA-NH and LAB web sites.

BWA-NH helps local bike-ped and rail trail organizations generate income by utilizing BWA-NH as their 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. Not every group wants the overhead and cost of attaining the IRS tax-exempt status to accept grants and donations. As the statewide “umbrella” organization with a mission of bike-ped advocacy and education, BWA-NH affiliates can obtain most 501(c)(3) benefits at minimal cost and inconvenience. Two organizations have taken advantage of this offer (Friends of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor and the Central NH Bicycling Coalition) with a third expected late this year. If interested, contact BWA-NH at 603.898.9926 or email info@bwanh.org.

New England Bike-Walk Summit, Providence RI, October 7, 2010 offers an excellent chance for advocacy groups, clubs, state departments, cyclists, and walkers to learn about what is being (and can be) accomplished by working together and sharing ideas. NH-DOT and BWA-NH are two of the NH sponsors and will have representatives participating in the panel discussions. Tickets are $40.00 and include lunch and closing reception. For more info visit www.newenglandbikewalksummit.org.

Rail trail funding continues to make news not only with the $1.272M grant from the Transportation Enhancement program for the communities of Derry, Windham, and Salem but with ten rail trail groups each receiving a $2,500.00 grant from the Granite State Wheelmen. The formal presentation of the GSW grants was made at the BWA-NH Concord office on July 29. Follow-up publicity at local levels acknowledged the grants and how the money will used to support rail trail development.

Implementation of sustainable and standardized bicycling education in public schools will get a boost starting this fall when the Safe Routes to School $42K grant awarded to BWA-NH becomes available on October 1. Publicity and training the BWA-NH staff will take place in the late fall and winter with the “Train the Trainers” courses starting about March. The NH schools which previously received some SRTS funding will be contacted first. PE teachers, coaches, nurses, and long-term school personnel are the likely candidates for this LAB-supported bike-ed program – and they have been asking for it! A separate pilot “TT” program was held in Hopkinton and Concord by BWA-NH prior to the SRTS grant being awarded.

Other Bike-Ed activities included a series of six free “Orientation Rides” conducted in Salem during this season. Aimed at cyclists unfamiliar with group cycling, dealing with motorists on our shared roadways, lane usage, proper shifting techniques, or making the most of their energy, the instruction period of an hour in a parking lot followed by a 10-mile practice ride was very well received. Some people drove up to 1.5 hours one-way to attend, and then raved about what they learned! These “O” Rides and more complete training will be offered again next year by Certified LAB Cycling Instructors.

Another form of bicycling education is available in the form of videos linked from the BWA-NH web site. On-road vehicular cycling techniques, handling a mountain bike in rugged terrain including how to fall, and multiple videos on bike maintenance are all just a few clicks away at www.BWANH.org.

Focus on Distracted Driving continues with funding expected from the NH Highway Safety Agency to purchase two portable computerized simulators which should help increase public awareness of this deadly action. The Injury Prevention unit at Dartmouth is working with BWA-NH to obtain and use the simulators. When not in use, one will be stored in Hanover and the second at the BWA-NH Office (SHC-NNE suite) in Concord for easy access. Funding is expected in early 2011.

Enforcement ofthe “3 Foot Rule” has taken another step forward via a reporting system offered by BWA-NH. Any cyclist who is harassed, threatened, or hit by a motorist should obviously report the incident to the local police department. (A listing of NH police departments with non-emergency numbers is available on the BWA-NH web site.) In many cases such incidents are not witnessed and certainly not by a police officer so the matter could be one person’s word against the other for what really occurred. However, across the country, if the same offending motorist is reported three times to the police they will take action without them actually witnessing the incidents. Often a motorist with a grudge against bicyclists or some who think cyclists don’t belong on “their road” will harass cyclists again and again, almost like a game because they can get away with it. Even if the police are willing to take action after three reports about the same offending motorist, the plan fails when the incidents and subsequent reports occur in different towns. For example, on Memorial Day a regular GSW rider was hit with a full beer can thrown by the passenger in a car speeding down a 30 MPH country road at about 60 MPH. Reportedly several teenagers in the car howled with delight when they saw the cyclist crash into a ditch. They appeared to be “high” on alcohol or drugs as the car careened down the road into the next town where another cyclist could be their next target. The report filed with the first town is not likely to ever be seen by police departments in surrounding towns. Our BWA-NH initiative is to request that cyclists provide us with the same incident report filed with the local police department. Once a pattern of three incidents is recorded, regardless of what towns where the incidents occurred, then action can be taken at the county or state level. Cyclists should not attempt to take direct action against a motorist as you will not win either physically or legally. Two tons of steel against a cyclist on a 20 pound bike is no match, and if the cyclist happens to catch a car after a “dust-off” (say at a stoplight) and the cyclist hits the car with his fist or foot, the cyclist will be in more trouble than the motorist who provoked the action. Let’s see if better logging of harassment incidents will get some of the motorist “clowns” a day in court and a nice fine which, if repeated, could lead to loss of license.

Looking Ahead
We encourage all interested parties, cyclists or not, to speak up in favor of improved bike-ped policies, education, and facilities. GSW members can renew their membership for just $20.00 more than the basic GSW rate of $15.00 if they wish to help financially with a tax deductible donation as our organization is 501(c)(3) certified.

Together we can make a positive difference!

Want to help the Bike-Walk Alliance?

Join the Alliance as an individual or a sponsor, help with the bike-ed programs, and get involved with local planning issues affecting bicycling in your area. The more people who know what is going on in our NH bicycling community, the sooner the better, then everyone can express their opinions in a timely manner to help make a positive difference for all bicyclists.
Did you know that by joining the Alliance your payment includes a full GSW membership with all the benefits? Present GSW members are encouraged to join the Alliance when your current membership is due for renewal. For more details

Please visit our web site at www.bwanh.org or to join now use the membership application on this web site.

BWA-NH Focus

The Bike- Walk Alliance of NH is the only statewide advocacy group for bicyclist and pedestrian activities including legislation, safety and education programs.

BWA-NH Goals

To be the voice for bicyclist and pedestrians in New Hampshire.

To promote bicyclist and pedestrian safety, education, and access.

To ensure streets are bicyclist and pedestrian friendly.

To provide resources and support for bicyclist and pedestrians of all ages.

To act as a clearinghouse for bike/ped literature, resources, and curriculum.

To promote bicycling and walking as a means of transport, physical activity and exercise.

To be a statewide liaison for all bicycling and pedestrian organizations.

Walking and bicycling instead of taking short trips in the car improves air quality, increases rates of physical activity, and may help people to maintain a healthy weight.

Making bicycling and walking safer and easily accessible to more people, may reduce the burden of chronic disease and injury and improve the health of New Hampshire citizens.

Please check this advocacy page frequently as new developments and announcements will be posted here even if not in our newsletter. Time and space contraints prevent everything from appearing in print. Use of this web site to convey detailed information in a timely manner for those interested seems like a good idea to us, and we hope you agree. As always, comments are welcome!

Granite State Wheelmen