Everyone –

 

Thank you for participating in the WV Bicycle/Pedestrian Network.  This network is for people interested in bicycle/pedestrian issues in West Virginia, particularly as they relate to the West Virginia Division of Highways.  The WVDOH set up the network and have used it before, but it has been a while and I thought a word of explanation would be in order.  Since the last time it was used, some new people have been added and we are always looking for more participants.  If you know someone who would like to be added to the network, please have them E-mail me and I would be happy to add their E-mail address to the network.  If anyone wished to be deleted from the network, please let me know as well.

 

One of the primary reasons for this network is to help the WVDOH determine where road biking activities are taking place so that we can properly provide bicycle/pedestrian accommodation in connection with roadway projects.  In the past, it always seemed that the bike/ped community wanted accommodation, but there was no corresponding project to trigger changes to the roadway, or the WVDOH found out six months, or a year, too late, that a project could have had features that would have been beneficial to the bike/ped community.  Consequently, this network is an attempt to make the bike/ped community aware of projects and questions that come up and allow the public to have another method to communicate with the WVDOH.

 

The couple of time we have used the network, we have received some very useful information used to make decisions on bike/ped situations.  We also anticipate using it more in the coming few months; over the last year we have been putting a lot of time and thought into how to more comprehensively consider bike/ped in our projects; hopefully this about to come to fruition and we will be receiving regular advanced engineering studies about where new bridges and major road upgrades will be occurring and be able to pass that information to the bike/ped community.

 

Today the project for examination is a bridge project on US 33 in Pendleton County.  The WVDOH is interested in the level of bicycle/pedestrian traffic in the area.  The attachment contains maps showing the project area.  If you are aware of riders, or clubs, using this route to ride on a regular basis, please let me know.

 

On other bike/ped issues, we are preparing the 2010 bicycle survey for the League of American Bicyclists.  It is due in mid-February and we cooperating with the bike community to formulate West Virginia’s reply.  As you may be aware, West Virginia moved from the ranking of 50 to 42 with the work of the WVDOT and some very motivated members of the WV biking community.  Let’s hope that the 2010 survey will move us even further up in the rankings.

 

Our map of road routes containing recreational and transportation routes that was available for viewing at the 2009 Bicycle Symposium, still remains in draft form;  however, it has morphed into two additional efforts.  The first effort is a new WVDOT Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan.  This plan is in its second draft and is still being review in-house in the WVDOT.  However, the plan, authored by WVDOH staffer Jim Hudson, has impressed everyone with its comprehensive coverage and ideas to improve the bicycle/pedestrian atmosphere and infrastructure in WV.  When the plan is reviewed and acceptable to officials within the WVDOT, it will be released to the public for comment.  We anticipate distributing copies for comment through the internet and through public meeting around the state.  This network will play a role in that public comment phase.

 

The second effort, based upon the draft map and in conjunction with the draft plan, has been to identify 15-20 bike routes for designation and signage.  Some of these routes are submissions from the bike community, some are routes we have developed here in the WVDOT.  We are now attempting to find funding to develop these routes.  If we are successful with these first routes, we realize that it is a system that will evolve and other routes will be added as the WVDOT becomes aware of them and funding for development is available.

 

Please send any information you have on the Pendleton County bridge area tome as quickly as you can – I will pass it on to the design engineer.

 

Bill

William C. Robinson

State Trail Coordinator

Progam Manager, Recreational Trails Program

WVDOH Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator

Chairman, West Virginia Recreational Trails Advisory Board

 

West Virginia Department of Transportation

Division of Highways

Program Planning and Administration Division

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East

Building 5, Room 863

Charleston, West Virginia 25305-0430

(304)558-9615 Fax – (304)558-3783

bill.c.robinson@wv.gov

 

"The life of the artist is, in relation to his work, stern and lonely. He has labored hard,

often amid depravation, to perfect his skill. He has turned aside from quick success in

order to strip his vision of everything secondary or cheapening. His working life is

marked by intense application and intense discipline." - John F. Kennedy, 1962