==
Bike-Walk Alliance of NH == 
August 2009 : "3-Foot Rule" and Rail Trails in the news
If you bike or walk in New Hampshire, there is something on this Bike-Walk Alliance of NH web site that should be of interest to you! There is so much activity here in the Granite State involving biking and walking it is difficult to write about all of it. However, let's get started!
Awareness and enforcement of the "3 Foot Rule" and related laws underway
The new laws created by HB-1203 last year are in effect and are now reaching the public via 15, 30, and 60 second PSAs being aired by 28 radio stations in southern NH. (Click the one you wish to hear via this web site.) BWA-NH also participated in several radio talk shows. TV PSAs for the NH cable networks are being produced thanks to the Concord TV and TPAC, the Concord-based Transportation Policy and Advisory Committee. Various printed materials are being made available as well. Our unique BWA-NH "3 Feet Please" T-shirts are available in four sizes -- see the Merchandise page. BWA-NH is working with NH DMV to help spread the word via the driver education instructors who are being informed during their monthly workshops conducted by NH DMV. To view the bill click here.
To further the awareness and enforcement of the "3 Foot Rule", BWA-NH is working with the NH Police Standards and Training Council (commonly referenced as the NH Police Academy) to ensure all the new bicyclist/motorist interaction laws are covered in their 14-week training program. In addition, a joint letter from PSTC and BWA-NH will make all State Police and the 236 local police departments aware of the current laws and stress their enforcement. A direct mailing to all Police Chiefs will include the updated Road Hog/Road Warrior brochure printed by NH DOT with a cover letter providing contact info and web site references. The support of PSTC Director Donald Vittum and Lt. Mark Bodanza is highly appreciated! See our Bike-Ed page for additional information, links, and downloads.
Progress on Rail Trail projects
Considerable progress is being made on rail trail design, coordination, and development around the state. Our NH Rail Trails section on this web site has been expanded to capture more of this activity.
On
July 22, a review of the projects completed, underway, and planned to create
a continuous paved rail trail/transportation corridor from Salem at Route
93 Exit 2 to Londonderry at Exit 5 was conducted by NH DOT and the local trail
trail groups. The former Boston and Maine Railroad corridor known as the Manchester-Lawrence
branch provides the backbone for this rail trail. When completed, the trail
is planned to extend from Methuen MA to Concord NH per the 2003 Rizzo I-93
Bikeway Study. The
group consisted of Larry Keniston and Jerry Moore from NH DOT Bureau of Rail
and Transit, Matt Caron from the Southern NH Regional Planning Commission,
and representatives from the Salem, Windham, Derry, and Londonderry rail trail
organizations. The rail trail representatives are part of the Southern NH
Rail Trail Alliance which is currently seeking Transportation Enhancement
funds to connect the corridor from Salem to downtown Derry. All participants
bicycled on the completed and nearly-completed sections of the rail trail
while using motor vehicles in caravan fashion to access key points of interest
and ride starting locations.
A lot was seen and learned by all participants. Photos were taken, reporters
from the Eagle Tribune met the group in Windham (see attached article), and
various business people encountered along the route offered suggestions. Coordination
of the tour and various handouts were provided by the Bike-Walk Alliance of
NH.
In the southern area along the old Manchester-Lawrence rail corridor, the towns of Salem, Windham, and Derry are working together on a Transportation Enhancement grant application valued at $1.3 million. Representatives from the three rail trail groups formed the Southern NH Rail Trail Alliance with Bill Scott, Salem's Community Development Director, taking the lead. Preliminary reviews held with the rail trail groups, town officials and NH DOT were very positive.
Meanwhile, the Derry Rail Trail Alliance and the Town of Derry constructed their first phase and privately-funded section heading toward the completed 3.5 mile section of the Windham Rail Trail. The paved trail now extends from downtown Derry to Bowers Road. Their project was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from Bikes Belong. The tri-town TE grant would allow a box culvert to be installed under the Bowers Road crossing in Derry, completion of the Windham Rail Trail 0.6 mile section to the Salem town line, and for Salem to build their first section of 1.1 miles going from Windham to the urban compact area at Old Rockingham Road. This will create approximately ten miles of paved rail trail from Salem to downtown Derry. However, grant applications take time so funding, if approved, would not be available until October 2010.
Heading north along the M&L corridor, Manchester Moves, Inc. gave a public presentation on June 17 highlighting the many projects in and around New Hampshire's largest city. Trails within the city, the Hands across the Merrimack Bridge, and trails going west to Goffstown, south to Londonderry, and east to Auburn and the existing Rockingham Trail were all discussed. Some are completed while others are under construction or planned. Visit the new Manchester Moves web site for details.
Other Rail Trail News
The NH Rail Trail Alliance (NH-RTA, actually a division under the BWA "umbrella") with Alex Bernhard as the spokesperson had a very productive meeting at NH DOT on April 1. What started as a simple meeting with Director Jack Ferns actually involved key personnel from at least five bureaus or departments. All questions were answered and several action items were agreed upon. A follow-up meeting is planned in about four months. Have a look at some of the happy participants!
BWA
is becoming better known throughout NH as the voice for bicyclists and pedestrians
concerning advocacy and education. By working with the NH-RTA Steering Committee
and staff members at the Department of Resources and Economic Development
(DRED), BWA now has a vote on the Statewide Trails Advisory Committee (STAC).
While interest in rail trail development and management prompted BWA to seek
membership on DRED's STAC, all off-road facilities of interest to bicyclists
and walkers are of prime concern to BWA. By sharing information and ideas
between all users of the NH trail systems, BWA sees our involvement in STAC
to be a win-win story for everyone.
Statewide bicycling awareness ride planned for 2010
Picking up an idea from NH First Lady Dr. Susan Lynch, BWA-NH plans to be a key partner in organizing and supporting a statewide bicycling awareness ride next year. Some of the other organizations expected to be involved are the Regional Planning Commissions, NH DOT, the Foundation for Healthy Communities, the Healthy Eating-Active Living (HEAL) committee, Granite State Wheelmen, and other supportive groups around the state. The benefits of cycling are well known, and this event will highlight safety, health, obesity, economy, pollution, rail trails, on-road facilities, new laws including the "3-foot rule", and the sheer enjoyment of cycling. Multiple routes converging on Concord have been proposed so as to attract cyclists from around the state for this multi-day event. A steering committee is being formed with more plans expected to be released later this year.
Our Concord office has been relocated!
After
being at 163 Manchester Street for three years, our BWA-NH Concord office
has been relocated to a newer facility at 57 Regional Drive, Suite 6, right
near the Concord Airport. We wish to thank Executive Director David Henderson
of the Safety and Health Council of Northern New England for allowing BWA-NH
to rent space and services of his office.
Safe Routes to School
This federally-funded SRTS program for children in grades K-8 living within
two miles of their schools provides for both infrastructure and non-infrastructure
projects, up to $100,000 each for the third round projects. Round 3 applications
were reviewed by the SRTS Statewide Advisory Committee (SAC) and were forwarded
to NH DOT Commissioner George Campbell for approval. Nearly $740,000 was awarded
in grants to eight communities and 14 schools in Round 3. Round 4 applications
will be accepted late this year. See the June/July
SRTS newsletter for details.
BWA-NH is pleased to be one of ten voting members on the SRTS Statewide Advisory Committee. For more details about this reimbursement program, please visit the NH SRTS web site http://www.nh.gov/dot/org/projectdevelopment/planning/srts/index.htm
Bike-Ed in the schools
Bicycling education programs were conducted in Brookline, Concord, and Hopkinton
for both students and teachers. Seven presentations based on the LAB "Kids-I"
programs were given to students in grades 3 to 8. A "Train the Trainers"
program covering six hours was conducted for five staff members of the Hopkinton
Middle School. Plans are underway to implement a more comprehensive "Train
the Trainers" program statewide so that standardized bicycling education
will become a routine and sustainable component of the school curriculums.
Bicycling education is supported by the SRTS program. There are five LAB-certified
bicycling education instructors in NH who will provide the expertise for these
programs. BWA-NH is pleased to coordinate the efforts and to help meet the
SRTS goals.
Note:The
NH BikeSmart program
featuring 45-minute presentations aimed at students in grades 3-5 now completed
its third season. The program is owned and managed by Roger Lohr of Hanover
NH, 603.643.0920, email Lohr21@myfairpoint.net. Details will be found on this
web site as a courtesy to promote all levels of bicycling education in our
schools, but BikeSmart is not a BWA or LAB supported program nor does BWA
have any control or management of NH BikeSmart.
New
Hampshire ranked 8th most "Bicycle Friendly State" in the country!
In May the League of American Bicyclists posted their 2009 Bicycle Friendly State rankings for all 50 states. We are very pleased to note that NH moved up two slots from 10th in 2008 to 8th this year, due in part to the implementation of the laws updated by "our" HB-1203 effective on January 1, 2009. For more details please visit the LAB web site; a summary of the ranking for all 50 states follows.
List shows 2009 ranking, state name, 2008 ranking, and change in rank from 2008. Thanks to Dr. Brent Hugh, LCI #1335 and Executive Director of the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation for compiling this list.
1
Washington 1 –
2 Wisconsin 2 –
3 Maine 6 3
4 Oregon 4 –
5 Minnesota 5 –
6 Iowa 21 15
7 Arizona 3 4
8 New Hampshire 10 2
9 Delaware 31 22
10 New Jersey 9 1
11 Wyoming 18 7
12 Illinois 8 4
13 Colorado 22 9
14 California 7 7
15 Michigan 12 3
16 Maryland 35 19
17 Missouri 28 11
18 Utah 11 7
19 Massachusetts 16 3
20 North Carolina 13 7
21 Vermont 17 4
22 Hawaii 14 8
23 Virginia 23 –
24 Mississippi 47 23
25 Nevada 19 6
26 South Carolina 15 11
27 Kentucky 29 2
28 South Dakota 41 13
29 Indiana 24 5
30 Louisiana 26 4
31 Georgia 49 18
32 Florida 20 12
33 Kansas 25 8
34 Idaho 37 3
35 Rhode Island 27 8
36 Texas 30 6
37 Nebraska 33 4
38 Arkansas 39 1
39 Ohio 32 7
40 Pennsylvania 38 2
41 New York 34 7
42 West Virginia 50 8
43 Tennessee 36 4
44 Connecticut 42 2
45 North Dakota 46 1
46 New Mexico 45 1
47 Alaska 40 7
48 Oklahoma 43 5
49 Montana 44 5
50 Alabama 48 2
US Secretary of Transportation supports bicycling
Secretary
Ray LaHood has repeatedly spoken very favorably about bicycling and how some
ARRA funds should be spent in support of bicycling facilities. Check out some
details on the page devoted to this subject.
BWA-NH organizational structure enhanced
At
the December 2008 BWA-NH Board meeting, the foundation for an Executive Committee
consisting of ten divisions or committees was created. With all the bicyclist
and pedestrian advocacy and education programs now underway or planned, BWA-NH
simply needed more talented people devoting more time to make things happen.
The organization chart and listing of people filling the positions will appear
soon. BWA-NH is very pleased with the progress to date. The expertise and
commitment being devoted to the primary BWA-NH goals is very significant and
will result in a "cross-over" of support between the divisions and
committees. Established groups and organizations are encouraged to join BWA-NH
as affiliates with everyone retaining their own identity and internal structure.
Groups just forming are welcome to join BWA-NH as members or sponsors in order
to derive the benefits which can be provided by a state-wide "umbrella"
organization - and that is us!
BWA-NH attains IRS non-profit status
In
conjunction with the enhanced structure, BWA-NH is now a fully-certified IRS
501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. This allows tax deductable donations and
grants going back to our name change on April 10, 2006. All donations, memberships,
and sponsorship are deductable less $15.00 a year which pays for the GSW newsletter
and membership benefits. Our new Fundraising Committee will be seeking grants
to fund expenses such as PSAs for implementation of HB-1203 and "train
the trainer" programs to have bike-ed taught in public schools on a sustainable
basis. And this is just a beginning!
National Bicycle Commuter Act
While the year ahead promises plenty of challenges, there are also incredible opportunities. One is that people need to get on their bikes now more than ever - and thanks to the Bicycle Commuter Act, this will be first year you can actually get some credit from Uncle Sam for riding your bike!.
Many
details are now available. If you are interested,
read on!
Video
awareness tests posted
See
the "How Smart are
You?" page for new videos from Peter Warner of Transport for London
(TFL). Motorist often don't see bicyclists just because they are not looking
for them. Distractions like cell phones and texting are major problems, but
if a person is concentrating on one item the changes in surroundings (which
might include a bicyclist) are often not seen. How about you? Take the video
awareness tests to see if you notice details!