Bicycle Board Members,
Of the 9 members that responded to my message below, 5 said they wouldn't come to this Thursday's Bicycle Board meeting and 4 said they would come. Since more than half of the respondents said they wouldn't come and 7 members didn't reply to the message below, it appears we wouldn't have a quorum. Therefore, I am canceling the meeting.
Attached are the minutes from our September meeting. Thanks to Hugh Kierig for recording them.
*Good News* We have had some good news since the last meeting:
*Mon Blvd Bike Lane and Share the Road Signs *Damien Davis, Assistant City Engineer did a wonderful job creating a presentation package of the Bike Lane including superb drawings. He delivered the presentation to the MPO TAC which included 3 members of the WVDOT. Damien, David Bruffy, Bill Austin (new MPO Director) and Terry Hough all spoke very strongly positively for the bike lane. Both Damien and David emphasized that cyclists have a right to ride on Mon Blvd whether or not there is a bike lane. The DOT resisted the bike lane saying that since MUB's closing the rail trail, MUB should put in the bike lane. Terry Hough clearly stated to the DOT that the idea of a bike lane on Mon Blvd has been discussed with DOT for 15 years; it was actually approved at one time but got tangled up in consideration for pedestrians and the state money got spent on the sidewalks on Patteson Drive instead. The DOT agreed to evaluate Damien's package and notify the City if it satisfies technical standards. After the MPO meeting, Terry Hough asked me if the Bicycle Board would agree with applying to the bike lane and Share the Road signs $13K of the $35K that was budgeted for Shared Lane Markings. I responded that we would probably be OK with the City's borrowing $13K for the bike lane and then restoring it when we have an approved SLM plan. My conclusion is that the bike lane satisfies technical standards and the City's committed to do the bike lane and Share the Road signs whether the State pays for them or not.
*Downtown Parking* Thanks to the persistent efforts and negotiation skills of Chip Wamsley and the Parking Committee, today we received a letter (attached) from the Mainstreet Morgantown Board of Directors approving the Mainstreet Morgantown Design Committee's recommendation "that bike racks be located in offsets and setbacks that do not interfere with pedestrian traffic. This recommendation has three goals:
1. Provide a safe, secure and convenient place for bicycles to be parked. 2. Do not interfere with pedestrian traffic. 3. Do not take up motor vehicle parking spaces.
The Design Committee asks that the Bicycle Board to present to the Design Committee locations that support these goals."
A couple weeks ago, I received from Terry Hough detailed drawings showing bicycle parking locations that for the most part are exactly what we recommended to the Design Committee months ago. If the Design Committee agrees that the City Engineer's drawings satisfy their goals, the next step will be for the Public Works Dept. to purchase and install the racks. The funds for them have already been budgeted.
See you in November. Go Mountaineers.
Frank /Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles/
-------- Original Message -------- Subject: WVU football game next Thurs night Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:32:59 -0400 From: Frank Gmeindl fgmeindl@verizon.net To: Bicycle Board bikeboard@cheat.org
Bicycle Board Members,
Will next Thursday's 7:30 pm WVU home football game affect your attendance at the Bicycle Board meeting?
Frank