Frank – I too strongly support the development of a comprehensive bicycling plan, but I do have some reservations about the applicability for the Greater Morgantown area of what I understand the Kanawha and Putnam County Plan to be.

I think that it is prudent for us to proceed with an organization of the plan which continues to gives prominence to the SIX E’s. The framework of the K&P plan is essentially three large chapters which contain lots of different types of information but does not give a structure which would likely increase an understanding of the issues by our policy makers or many other readers. Other important uses for a plan are 1) creating a means for communicating with the League of American Cyclists; 2) orienting/providing-a-reference our own new Bicycle Board members as new members continue to join the board each year; and 3) providing clear background for on-going, changing media personnel as to WHY we are doing each of type of things that is being done. I do not think that the K&P Plan organization would effectively serve each of those purposes for us.

1.                    We certainly would need an overview and executive summary.

2.                    We also need state-of the-art explanations on the importance of cycling: its benefits, the priorities in creating bicycling friendly communities, and an explanation of our existing conditions in the Morgantown area.

3.                    We need a description of local cycling’s government environment and the relationship of cycling in the Morgantown to the WVDOT, GMMPO, city and county government. Included with this could be an explanation of the background of the planning process.

4.                    We need an explanation of recommended national and state standards or policies for infrastructure, signage, bicycle law, parking, inter-modal interface, and bicycle driving and/or any other matter relating to streets, roads, greenways or other classifications of thoroughfares.  

5.                    We need a section which, in light of the priority standards and policies presented, provides a ranked list of recommended changes for infrastructure and engineering.

6.                    We also need overall policy goals/objectives/projected action steps with rationale relating to education, enforcement, environment, evaluation, and equality.

7.                    We also need a plan for developing safe cycling to middle schools and high schools as well as a description of collaborative planning with WVU.

8.                    We need a discussion of our state and local bicycle law environment and plans/priorities for change and advocacy.

9.                    We need a financial plan for implementing priority cycling improvements.

10.                 And we need an ongoing plan which will describe a) on-going role of the Bicycle Board, b) means by which infrastructure will be maintained, c) ways by which education and training can be continued, d) methodology by which progress of community cycling will be measured, and e) method by which new planning will be continued.

Appendices: List of governments participating in planning – including MPO, Morgantown Traffic Commission and Bicycle Board; Vision/mission/guideline/membership of Bicycle Board; MPO/City of Morgantown Complete Streets Policy; Street Design Guidelines prepared by Dan Burden; MPO Non-Motorized Transportation Plan, WVU Bicycle Plan Summary; County/City Transit Routes and Planning Summary; Bicycle Accident Data; State Code information on bicycles; City codes on bicycles; Copy of DOT Grant Award for Education to City of Morgantown; report on program implementation to date; MRTC rail trail information; overview of League of American Bicyclist’s Bicycle Friendly City Awards Program; list of cities and states which have received League Bicycle Friendly City/State recognition; summary of status of other municipal bicycle development in West Virginia, 2000 charrette survey results; other research reports; newspaper articles, brochures; maps, pictures, illustrations, graphs; pocket with folded Bicycle Map of Greater Morgantown prepared by the Morgantown Bicycle Board; pocket with folded map of Rail Trails of North Central West Virginia; etc.

These are some suggestions for a comprehensive foundation document. Hopefully this may help with the planning for comprehensive planning; perhaps a committee can look this over along with other ideas and responses from others. I am willing to help with the preparation of a draft plan if requested.

Don

Hugh, Nick, Chet,