==
Bike-Walk Alliance of NH == 
January 2009 : BWA-NH expands services for the NH bike-ped community
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!
BWA-NH organizational structure enhanced
At the December 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!
NH
Rail Trail Alliance formed
A Steering Committee as appointed by some 40 rail trail activists at the November 8 meeting in Manchester has agreed upon the name NH Rail Trail Alliance (NHRTA) which is actually a division of BWA-NH. Some 24 New Hampshire rail trail groups have been invited to join NHRTA which, in turn, falls under the BWA-NH "umbrella" for the benefit of all rail trail users, bicyclists and walkers included.
Senate Bill 20 submitted
For
a stronger voice in the development and maintenance of rail trails and off-road
trails in general, BWA-NH is seeking representation on the Statewide Trails
Advisory Committee (STAC) within the Department of Resources and Economic
Development (DRED). With many thanks to the leaders of the NH Rail Trail Alliance
Steering Committee, Senate
Bill 20 has been submitted. Hearings started on Thursday, January 22,
8:45 AM in Concord and will be continued on February 5, 8:30 AM. See the Legislative
page on this site for more details.
Most of the trail systems in NH and rail trails in particular are managed by DRED. Organized groups with representation on STAC include ATV users, snowmobilers, mushers, equestrians, private land owners, and several State of NH departments including the Department of Transportation, the owner of most rail trail corridors. Via Senate Bill 20, BWA-NH is seeking a seat on STAC so that one vote will be for the NH bicyclists and walkers using these precious public resources. We expect the primary representative to fill the seat will be a member of the NH Rail Trail Alliance which is a division of BWA-NH.
House Bill 191 support requested
Landowner
liability in NH is limited by the recreational use statute, RSA 508-14. Another
statute, RSA 212:34 is known as the "Duty of Care" statute, which
essentially absolves landowners from liability for allowing people to use
their land at no charge.
Representative Gene Chandler from Bartlett has introduced legislation to include bicycling as a named activity in RSA 212:34 via House Bill HB-191. Gene has asked for some folks to testify in favor of the bill on Tuesday, January 27 at 11:30 AM in room 208 of the Legislative Office Building in Concord, NH. If you are unable to attend, please send letters or emails of support to the House Judiciary Committee. See the Legislative page on this site for more details.
National Bike Summit, Washington DC, March 11-13, 2009
This year Greg Bakos of the BWA-NH Programs Committee will represent NH bicyclists and pedestrians at this annual League of American Bicyclists event. Many workshops and meetings with the US Reps and Senators from NH make the summit a very worthwhile event. Representatives from other NH organizations including GSW President Bill Kennedy are expected to attend but BWA-NH will be in the lead as the only state-wide bike-ped advocacy and education organization. For details about the Bike Summit and LAB in general, please visit http://www.bikeleague.org/.
While
writing about the LAB, BWA-NH Director Dave Topham was appointed by LAB President
Andy Clark as the LAB NH Ambassador. This is a title change of sort as Dave
was the LAB NH Rep for about 20 years anyway, but all LAB positions were under
review by their Board and a new round of resumes had to be considered. Training
by the League is now underway to fully explain the responsibilities that go
with the new title - all for no pay, of course!
NH
Safe Routes to School, Round 3 applications due February 2, 2009
The new year offers Granite State communities another opportunity to apply
for reimbursement grants under Safe Routes to School (SRTS).
This 100 percent federally funded program encourages and enables students
in kindergarten through 8th grade to safely walk and/or ride bicycles from
home to school. SRTS is designed for children, including those with disabilities,
who live within approximately two miles of school.
Applications for the Round 3 cycle of grants must be filed with both the N.H.
Department of Transportation (NHDOT) and the Regional Planning Commissions
(RPCs) by the end of business on Monday Feb. 2, 2009. See
the complete January SRTS e-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/bureaus/planning/SRTS_home.htm.
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!
New
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!
Other rail trail news
Activity
around NH concerning rail trails continues in high gear. A steering committee
was formed as a result of the Nov. 8 rail trail activists meeting. The committee
first met at the BWA-NH Concord office on Nov. 20 with many emails and long
phone calls since then. General plans call for the various rail trail groups
to work together to share information and address problems of mutual concern.
Details will be announced in January and they will be posted on this BWA-NH
web site.
Meanwhile, the five-mile Salem Bike-Ped Corridor project along the old B&M
Manchester to Lawrence line is moving ahead. A survey of town residents along
the corridor indicated an 85% approval rate. The Board of Selectmen was given
an update on December 1 which was well received. A drawing for survey participants
resulted in the winner giving two bicycles from Buchika's Ski and Sport Shop
to the Salem Boy's and Girl's Club, just in time for Christmas. The next project
step is to develop engineering plans and to meet with residential and commercial
abutters along the corridor. Many challenges await but with community support
and not asking for tax payer dollars, the project should move ahead. The Salem
Depot building restoration is well underway with exterior work to be completed
by spring. Check out the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor web site at www.bwanh.org/sbpc.
The Derry Rail Trail Alliance is doing a great job finding private funds to
pave a section of their trail to connect to the Windham Rail Trail. Having
a continuous trail from Massachusetts state line in Salem to Broadway (Route
102) in Derry is a major step toward completing the entire Salem to Manchester
rail trail. Usage by walkers and bike commuters, shoppers, residents, children,
and tourists will literally explode given results of similar trails in other
parts of the country. Please visit the DRTA web site at www.derryrailtrail.org.
Another section of the Manchester-Lawrence rail corridor is likely to be made
into a rail trail, this in Methuen, Mass. It will connect the planned Salem
section to the Methuen Depot thus adding another 1.5 miles to the overall
rail trail. The MBTA, owner of the Massachusetts section of the corridor,
agreed to give the City of Methuen a long-term lease to develop a rail trail.
As with all such efforts, motivated volunteers are needed to make it happen.
For details visit
www.MethuenRailTrail.org.
Further north in the Lakes Region, a lot of activity has been underway concerning the "W.O.W. Trail" in the Lake Winnipesaukee area. A new web page has been added to our BWA-NH NH Rail Trail section to highlight the work being done by this well-orgainized and energetic group. For details see their web site at www.wowtrail.org/index.html.
For
more details about rail trails around New Hampshire, please check our NH
Rail Trails listings via the index provided on this web site.
NH
Bike Bill HB-1203 implementation underway
Now that HB-1203
was officially signed into law at the ceremonial signing by Governor John
Lynch on July 18, BWA-NH is working on the implementation phases with media
coverage to start spreading the word of what this bill entails. The public
needs to be informed of this new law and how it should improve the interaction
between motorists and bicyclists. We are now in the "phase-in stage"
of HB-1203 before it is effective on January 1, 2009. BWA-NH has supplied
inputs to NH DMV, NH DOT, and a source of cable TV PSAs to help spread the
word. Driver education instructors will be informed during their monthly workshops
conducted by NH DMV while BWA-NH will help when and where possible. Further
information will be coming soon to help everyone be aware of the "3-foot
rule" and all the other points covered in this bill. To view the bill
and for additional details, please see
the legislation page
on this web site.
