U-Dud: Who is driving UD's anti-bicycling sentiment?

From the Newark Post article:

"[McBride] added that another key component to improving cycling in Newark is working with the University of Delaware, which he said has fallen behind competitors like Penn State and the University of Maryland as it relates to cycling infrastructure. McBride said UD “hasn’t been all that interested in helping us,” noting that UD’s interest in cycling waned after a student was fatally struck by a bike outside the Trabant University Center in 2015."

It is no secret that Earl "Rusty" Lee of  the University of Delaware's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty is anti-bicycling. We have heard it from past students and overheard U.D. alumni saying as much. It was objectively obvious during the Shared Right Turn-Only Lane project 12 years ago. DelDOT tasked U.D. with conducting field and human factors testing and providing the data necessary to have this vital modification added to the Delaware MUTCD.

Surely, we cannot prove Mr Lee's complicity in UD's attitude in the Post article above. But their unwillingness to help Newark move toward a green sustainable transportation future is repugnant at best. Apparently, it is based this on a single bike-ped accident at Trabant Student Center that resulted in a fatality.

The University and Mr Lee should be reminded that bike collisions with pedestrians (resulting in death or serious injury) are exceptionally rare compared to cars. People dependent on cars result in 38,000 road deaths per year in the U.S. (this includes in Newark) and costs everyone many billions of dollars in medical services and property damage. There are also the health implications of driving costing 10s of thousands of lives every year. These include respiratory illness, noise anxiety/stress, obesity etc. Instead of holding a grudge, U.D. should be at the forefront getting people out of cars and into active (pdf) modes like bicycling. They should also provide a car-share system instead of minimum parking requirements for students.

The revolution in e-Bike and scooter technology alone all but mandates U.D. to act, as hundreds if not thousands of their students depend on these modes to get to class. Needless to say, oil-dependent transportation accounts for the largest share of heat trapping emissions, ultimately dooming our planet. U.D. should also provide multi-modal education and provide a monthly stipend to the Newark Bike Project. NBP is a huge asset, helping their students fix and maintain their bikes while teaching them self-reliance in this manner.

Shame on the University of Delaware for waving the environmental baton while jamming it in the spokes of people on bikes, those trying to be "one less car".

Delaware slips to #7 in Bicycle Friendly States ranking

While still an honorable top 10 ranking with the League of American Bicyclists, Delaware's slip to #7 comes as no surprise.

Delaware drops a few spots this year, despite passing the Bicycle Friendly Delaware Act. This reflects the incongruity between Delaware’s federal data on ridership and safety and its recent efforts to improve bicycling. Federal data for Delaware shows that not many people bike to work and that Delaware is one of the 10 least safe states to bike. While the safety data in particular can be scrutinized because it does not account for recreational riders, these two data points comprise a significant headwind for this coastal state.

While many of Delaware’s roads were designed for high-speed car and truck traffic, neighborhoods were built as isolated communities. Delaware needs to focus on connectivity between neighborhoods, such as bikeway networks, so that walkers and bicyclists have safe and comfortable routes to destinations.

Below is a sampling of problem areas, with comments:

This undeserved high ranking comes as quite a surprise. While Delaware does have anti-distraction laws on the books, they are rarely if ever enforced. It is to the point that motorists are routinely seen holding the phones in clear view of other road users, including the unresponsive police. This behavior is far more obvious and dangerous to bicyclists and other vulnerable road users, with vehicles drifting in and out of shoulders and bike lanes, across lanes, and through stop signs and red lights, while drivers look down at their devices. The few of us that do bike must be totally vigilant, monitoring what goes on behind as much as what's ahead, and adjusting our line in defense. Until Delaware begins strictly penalizing motorists for reckless endangerment and putting other's lives in danger, it will be extremely difficult to increase bicycling mode share.

The Guardian published an excellent article, with this brilliant follow-up to our original post Why bicycle mode share is less than 1%. There are several reasons why bicycling is stuck at 0.2% of mode share, and the big push to fund separate infrastructure does not guarantee any tangible increase. Rock bottom gas prices reduce the incentive, while monster pick-up trucks, hulking SUVs and a return to the 70s muscle car era all contribute to the meanest of streets.

Driver education is all but worthless unless testing is redundant, i.e. a re-test with every re-registration or at the very least, license renewal. As it stands now, DMV won't even distribute multi-modal educational materials or post PSAs. Once a juvenile receives their license for the first time, everything they've learned at DMV is all but forgotten within the first year or two. Like most everyone else, they start using their smart phones behind the wheel, and making up the laws as it suits them. Defensive driving also falls at the wayside -- very few Delaware motorists drive defensively.

Bike Delaware's 15/15 ranking reflects just how out of touch the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) is with advocacy in our State. Bike Delaware has a proven track record of non-support and even undermining efforts at road bicycling infrastructure, education and enforcement. With a pro-development Executive Director, it's obvious why; the very notion that we can retrofit the built environment is a threat to TOaD (transit oriented development) and non-motorized pathways connectivity "for everyone". The organization has their followers believing that this can happen, even throughout New Castle County's auto-dependent suburbs.

A significant part of any plan is shoring up the legal code with legislation. A Pedestrian Council subcommittee, under the direction of Bike Delaware's James Wilson, thwarted an attempt at a major overhaul of the State's vehicle code. The bill had legislator support and would have significantly increased pedestrian's rights and safety under the law. It also would have defined the laws of movement for bicyclists on pathways, and placed more onus on motorists to yield at intersection crossings.

Even with LAB's vision of what makes a bicycle-friendly State (BFS), it will be difficult for Delaware to maintain a top-10 ranking -- never mind #1 -- unless we unite around a balanced and pragmatic approach to bicycle advocacy. LAB has been formally told on several occasions that serious problems exist with their sanctioned State organization, in that advocacy must focus almost exclusively on trails and pathways. We at 1st State Bikes prefer a more balanced and inclusive approach, one that recognizes that there are many different bicyclists, but that all deserve access to facilities that accommodate each cyclist's unique needs, whether they ride for recreation, transportation, or both.

How can we "retrofit" the suburbs?

While Stevenage England has demonstrated that even the best of separated networks is no guarantee for "build it and they will come", multi-modal safety should still be top priority in any civilized society. The chance to enrich one's community, care for the environment, and live sustainably must be put in the hands of the people, regardless how they choose to travel. That is a moral imperative.

Again, relative to other States, DelDOT has made enormous strides in this area, in spite of a challenging budget. They know that, in spite of the numbers, many people do in fact bike for many different reasons -- not just transportation. They realize we have an indigent population whose only transportation is the bicycle. They know that many fitness and recreational clubs exist, and they sponsor rides whose only arena is the public roads. They understand that folks are out there now trying to consolidate trips and reduce or eliminate auto usage in favor of more Earth-friendly means of transport. Then there are the economic benefits that bicycling brings to the State, and its role in building local and regional economies. Governor Markell famously embraced bicycling, knowing full well that our future depends on making Delaware more attractive for education and commerce. Finally, there are the grim statistics that place Delaware as a consistent top 10 in bike/ped fatalities, and the dire need to improve safety.

Above: As a case study, we took this Google Earth snip of the 4 Seasons (north of Glasgow) region of New Castle County, and traced out a crude bicycle-friendly network. The area enjoys excellent proximity to retail, employment, schools, dining, trails, parkland, and has several low stress connections to these features. If we really wanted a test case for "retrofitting the suburbs" in Delaware, there may not be a better place to try it out at reasonable cost.

Regardless of what has been achieved in terms of road paint, signage, and a few pathways projects, DelDOT can't do it all. As mentioned previously, making bicycling attractive takes a holistic approach, all of which can be found in the 6 "Es" of advocacy. This includes getting New Castle County on board, and having a pragmatic and effective State advocacy organization that is willing to work within the built environment. Sadly, both are lacking at this time.

Bicycle-Friendly Delaware Act featured in Bicycling Magazine

 Governor Markell signs into effect the Vulnerable Road Users Law in 2010

Surrounded by cycling fanfare, Governor Carney signed the Bicycle-Friendly Delaware Act into law this afternoon in Newark.

Our critical analysis of HB-185, both pro and con, was posted on June 21. We will not discuss it any further here, except to say that at least one valuable opportunity was lost. In their usual secretive manner, Bike Delaware crafted something with zero input from fellow advocates or anyone else in DE's bicycling community.

Sad -- but expected -- it takes another source or article (here, Bicycling Magazine pens Carney's signature a day early) for some of the finer and more sought after details to emerge. Clearly, the Idaho Stop (rolling, yield stop) provision was the main goal of the bill, with most of the rest intended to diversify the language and limit discussion on the floor. The best chance at passage came by circumventing a prolonged debate that killed the Idaho Stop in other States. It was a brilliant move and it worked.

From Bicycling's article, these excerpts reveal a pleasant surprise, something advocates thought they could only ever hope for, and doubted would even be considered with the passage of HB-185:

None of the new rules will have an impact, however, without public awareness. Bike Delaware aims to launch an educational campaign across the state, while Whitmarsh said officers will get a chance to read the new laws and ask questions at upcoming training sessions. He also said the department will promote the changes to the press.

Bare, who took the lead on crafting the legal language of the bill, said making sure drivers, cyclists, and police understand the law is essential to its success.

“There is no limit to the number of ways that something like this can fail,” Bare said. Starting the conversation before the rollout, he said, gives the state a head start.

We hope Bike Delaware stays true to their word above. But in order to do so, they will need to break from their usual pattern of secrecy and provide regular updates on how their PR campaign is progressing. Laws and changes to laws are completely useless if the public is unaware of it, except maybe after a crash (if the victim is still alive, knows about it, and can cite it to the judge). If an effective PR campaign is achieved, Bike Delaware will deserve much in the way of kudos for moving the State forward in a more bicycle-friendly direction. 

A look at Bike Delaware's "Bicycle Friendly Delaware Act"

Bike Delaware may be well on their way to a major legislative victory. The "Bicycle Friendly Delaware Act", or HB-185, includes five significant improvements:

• Allowing DelDOT to use bicycle-specific traffic signals
• Making it illegal to honk at bicyclists without legitimate cause
• Requiring motor vehicles to change lanes when passing bicyclists in a sub-standard width lane
• To better define the bicyclist's correct position on the roadway in the vehicle code
• Allowing bicyclists to either stop or yield to other vehicles at stop signs

If the language of this bill survives as written, it would be significant and might push Delaware even higher than #3 in the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle-Friendly States ranking.  It would also make Delaware only the second State after Idaho to legalize rolling stops for bicyclists.

Unfortunately, a major opportunity is missing from HB-185: Bicyclist Anti-Harassment. In 2011, the City of Los Angeles CA passed such an ordinance, citing five hostile actions that commonly occur toward bicyclists. Below is a capture from their actual code, found under "Prohibited Activities":

Even though HB-185 (if passed) will see little to no public education -- never mind enforcement -- strong language is still critical for incident reporting. As it stands now, even if you bike with full time video surveillance and capture the tag number of an offender, going to law enforcement is a lesson in futility. For example, the Delaware State Police insist that shouting at bicyclists and pedestrians from an open car window is protected under 1st Amendment free speech. This bill could have been the opportunity to fix that, and allow charges to be filed. In the long run, it could send a strong message that such behavior will not be tolerated.

Below is a short 7 second clip of one such incident, which is not uncommon, that was much louder than the camera recorded. Had it not been for the use of hearing protection, the bicyclist might have been startled into loss of vehicle control.

Despite this deficiency, and Bike Delaware's usual fail at consensus, HB-185 is worth supporting as an attempt to bring road bicycling into modern times.

Advocacy opportunities in the coming weeks

Civic League of NCC Annual Meeting 
All are welcome. Keynote speaker will be Jennifer Cohan, DelDOT Secretary of Transportation. This is an excellent opportunity to raise bike-ped infrastructure safety issues and concerns.  Date: Tuesday May 16. Time:  7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Location: Christiana Presbyterian Church, 15 North Old Baltimore Pike, Christiana, DE 19702.

Glasgow Avenue Main Street Study
WILMAPCO, DelDOT, and New Castle County have kicked off a year-long transportation and land use study for Glasgow Avenue, between US 40 and SR 896/Porter Road (about 1.3 miles).  The study is intended to create a “Main Street” vision plan to guide transportation improvements and land use along Glasgow Avenue. You are invited to this final community workshop. During the meeting, project partners will share the study recommendations and collect your input. Date: Monday, May 22. Time: from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Location: Hodgson Vo-tech High School Cafeteria.

Blueprint for a Bicycle-Friendly Delaware
The State and other organizations are working on a bicycle policy plan to support the development of a safe, connected, and equitable network of bicycle facilities throughout the state! Your input will help planners better understand where people want to bike and problematic locations and corridors for people trying to bike. It's easy; simply input a valid email address, and start marking your trouble points and recommended routes. You can also comment on what others have already submitted.

Have you taken the survey yet? If not, please do ASAP. Your responses are very important. Completion of this survey takes less than 5 minutes and will help DelDOT set priorities for the Statewide Bicycle Policy Plan.

Important: DelDOT Bicycle-Friendly Public Workshops

Don't forget to mark your calendar, and attend a DelDOT public workshop for bicycle-friendliness and safety in the First State!

• 4–7 pm, Feb. 22, Sussex County Council Chambers (2 The Circle, Georgetown)
• 4–7 pm, Feb. 27, Middletown HS Commons (120 Silver Lake Rd, Middletown)
• 4:30–7:30 pm, Feb. 28, Dover Public Library (35 East Loockerman St, Dover)
• 4–7 pm, March 1, Wilmington Public Library (10 East 10th St, Wilmington)

Balanced advocacy includes supporting on and off the road bicycle-specific infrastructure, as long as they are designed to best practices. Though we are seeing better quality as time goes by, it would be a serious mistake for advocates to assume equal level of service with vehicle drivers. Many are still being designed to relegate bicyclists to little more than wheeled pedestrians. Equal road rights and access cannot be ignored, because bicyclists will always depend on them for virtually every trip we make.

In any comments you make at these workshops, it is important to stress this fact. For example, a nearby bike path should never trump safety considerations on the roads they parallel. Failure here will lead to increased bullying from motorists, who see it as confirmation of "their" road given the nearby facility. In a worst case - as seen in some States now - the road itself may even go off limits to bicycling with mandatory use laws. Visit the workshop page HERE, and stand up for bicyclists as legitimate road users, facilities or no facilities. See you there!

DPM: Delaware wants to lead the peloton of bike friendly states

Anthony Aglio

Delaware is currently the nation’s third most bike friendly state, according to the League of American Bicyclists. But state officials aren’t satisfied with that ranking. So Delaware’s Department of Transportation is hosting a series of public meetings in late February to find out how it can make the state even more bike friendly.   

The workshops will be opening listening sessions, according to Anthony Aglio, a bicycle planning manager for DelDOT. “We’re trying to pull people in to ask them why they aren’t bicycling, what do they like about bicycling, how can we make it better for them?” he said.

The state has also created an online survey to learn about people’s cycling priorities. “Is it safety, is it convenience, is it access to schools?” Aglio said.

DelDOT will use the input from the meetings and surveys to determine if they should be building more bike lanes, trails or safe routes to schools.

DelDOT will present a draft plan in another round of public meetings this fall. And then will use that input to craft a final plan to be released in early 2018. [Full article, including meeting details . . . ]

A lovely Sunday morning for Anthony Aglio, as he rides Route 9 en-route to Wilmington for the 2010 Delaware Bike Summit.  The Industrial Track Rail Trail, if completed, will (mostly) eliminate the need for non-motorized commuters to travel this normally congested, high speed corridor.

NJBWC's Cyndi Steiner on Biking and Walking Communities

Jill Horner interviews Cyndi Steiner, Executive Director of the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, about Biking and Walking Communities. NJBWC was created to address on-road safety issues, mainly a safe passing law. Currently, they are going for 4 feet, which is already the law in Pennsylvania.

NJ remains the only State in the NE without a safe passing law. Thanks to the efforts of the Delaware Bicycle Council, Governor Markell signed SB-38 in July of 2011, giving Delaware bicyclists 3 feet.

Newark Bicycle Committee's 20 Greatest Hits for 2014

A HUGE tip of the helmet to Mark Deshon and the Newark Bicycle Committee for another stellar year:

1. Launched a Facebook page.
2. Bicycle Friendly Community application was submitted to the League of American Bicyclists (LAB).
3. Newark City Council approved NBC-crafted Newark Bike Plan.
4. Pomeroy Trail was designated a National Recreational Trail.
5. Four Bicycle Safety Checkpoint events were held on UD campus (two each semester).
6. UD and Newark Bike Project partnered to present bike-commuting workshop.
7. UD's HealthyU Employee Wellness hosted bike-safety event.
8. Heals & Wheels Delaware Walk & Bike Summit was held at UD's Clayton Hall in March.
9. Walkable/Bikeable Delaware Summit was held in May in Dover.
10. Bike to Work Day event was held in Newark on May 19.
11. In May, LAB announced Newark again had received Bronze status as a Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC).
12. Dialogue began on setting project goals for our committee; a cycle track on Delaware Avenue emerged as a key project.
13. Newark City Council approved its sending a partnership request letter to DelDOT for a cycle track project on Delaware Avenue.
14. Newark Bike Project (NBP) opened a new shop location on South Main Street.
15. NBC displayed at Newark Community Day.
16. UD Parking announced that plans for a BikeShare program for UD and the community are being developed.
17. NBC made recommendations for adjustments to UD's STAR Campus master plan with respect to improving bicycle accommodations.
18. Committee discussed LAB's post-BFC award feedback.
19. Plans have begun for a Mayor's Ride event in Newark.
20. NBP has started discussing ways to encourage local businesses to apply for Bicycle Friendly Business status through the LAB.

Want to know more? The Newark Bicycle Committee gives ongoing advice and support to the City of Newark and the Delaware Department of Transportation. Meetings are held at WILMAPCO on the 3rd Thursday of the month, at 4 p.m. Visit their webpage for complete details, and how you can become involved!

Mark Deshon, NBC Chair, addresses throngs of bicyclists at the 2012 Bike to Work Day event in Newark, as does Cleon Cauley of Wilmington's DPW (below) in 2011.

Newark's LAB Report Card for 2014: Almost Silver

The League of American Bicyclists just released Newark's Bicycle-Friendly Communities (BFC) ranking . This program provides a roadmap to improve conditions for bicycling and the guidance to create a distinct vision for a better, bikeable community a reality. Building such a community can translate into a more connected, physically active, and environmentally sustainable citizenry that enjoys increased property values, business growth, increased tourism, and more transportation choices. Among the recommendations made to Newark:

• Continue to work with DelDOT to expand the bike network and to increase network connectivity, especially through the use of trails, protected bike lanes and bicycle boulevards. On-street improvements coupled with the expansion of the off- road system will encourage more people to cycle and will improve safety. Ensure smooth transitions for bicyclists between the local and regional trail network, and the street network.Implement the Newark Bicycle Plan. To move Newark ahead, focus especially on the more ambitious projects in the plan, including a protected bike lane for Delaware Avenue in downtown Newark.
  
• Ensure that all bicycle facilities conform to current best practices and guidelines.
• Bicycle-safety education should be a routine part of secondary education, and schools and the surrounding neighborhoods should be particularly safe and convenient for biking and walking.
• Offer bicycling skills training opportunities for adults more frequently and encourage the White Clay Bicycle Club and Newark Bike Project to help. There are options from short videos and 1-2 hour courses to more in-depth training incorporating in-classroom and on-bike instruction.
• Ask police officers to target both motorist and cyclist infractions to ensure that laws are being followed by all road users. Ensure that bicycle/motor vehicle crashes are investigated thoroughly and that citations are given fairly.

It appears Newark was oh so close to achieving a "Silver" award designation. Among the City's weaknesses is an advocacy group who's main focus is bicycling in Newark. Nonetheless, according to the report card, it won't take much to tip the award to Silver!

Introducing the Newark Residents Alliance Project

From NRAP's "About" page -- The Newark Residents’ Alliance Project was founded in 2014 with the goal of supporting and encouraging civic engagement by providing residents with useful resources and information. The Project was created by Jen Wallace and Amy Roe. Including Jen and Amy, there are a couple other contributors to the site (with plans to add more) who share posts in their particular areas of interest and expertise on topics of importance to Newarkers.

The idea for this project came out of the recent power plant/data center controversy in Newark, which highlighted the need for more transparency on the part of our City government and more engagement on the part of Newark residents. This site is not about the power plant/data center project, instead it will focus on many topics facing our town. [Continue reading ...]

Poster's note: I will be writing for NRAP at least once per month under the Transportation Issues category. There is much to cover in the City of Newark, especially with the implementation of a robust Bicycle Plan and the quest for a Bicycle-Friendly Community designation. The enactment of anti-idling laws, defeating a proposed WaWa on South Main Street, and rallying against a proposed gas Power Plant on the STAR Campus have all been remarkable victories for sustainability. Easy to forget, however, is that carbon based transportation is 2nd only to power generation as the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. By U.S. standards, Newark's bicycle modeshare is a respectable 4.7%. We have a long way to go, however, if we're to match other cities around the world that have truly sustainable transportation systems.

Visit our Newark category for all past and present articles related to the City of Newark.

Newark Bike to Work Day Photos and Recap

By Angela Connolly -- One of  Bike Month's most significant events is Bike To Work day, celebrated in communities all over the country. Newark's event was held today, May 19. Postponed from its original date due to heavy rain, the beautiful cool day encouraged many bicycle commuters to gather on the patio of of the University of Delaware's Trabant Center. For those who wanted to ride to the event in a group, six captain-led “bike trains" were offered  from strategic locations around Newark, all leading to the festivities. Bicyclists were treated to light breakfast food, drink, and raffle prizes, provided by the Event's generous sponsors.

Newark Bike Committee Member Heather Dunigan announced that Newark has kept its Bronze level award as an LAB designated Bicycle-Friendly Community. She also revealed that Newark "was very close to a Silver designation" based on our accomplishments during the past four years. Highlights include completion of the Pomeroy Trail and sharrow bicycle markings on Main Street by the City, and South Main Street bicycle lanes by DelDOT. Although the Bronze designation is effective until 2018, Newark can re-apply earlier for consideration to Silver status if more improvements are made sooner.

Mayor Polly Sierer addressed the crowd, saying "There are some great people and organizations pushing to make Newark a world-class bicycle-friendly community in an increasingly competitive environment. The City's adoption of the 2014 Newark Bicycle Plan this past February maps the future of bicycling in Newark and is key to making bicycling better for a competitive, livable community."

There are many people working together to make the City a more bikeable one. Newark City Manager Carol Houck said, "An amazing network of organizations and grass root efforts working together on a common goal has set Newark apart from other communities and allowed us to advance to a bicycle friendly city with great opportunities for bicyclists of all kinds."

Other speakers included Newark Development Supervisor and Bicycle Committee Member Michael Fortner, Newark Bicycle Committee Chair Mark Deshon, and Newark Bike Project Board member Thijs Lankriet.

Bike To Work Day attendees sign up for the prize drawing

Newark Mayor Polly Sierer, Newark Bike Committee Member Heather Dunigan, and Newark Development Supervisor and Bicycle Committee Member Michael Fortner

The traditional group photo of the event's attendees, including the author's dog "Midnight", who arrived by bike trailer

The Newark Bike Project and Delaware Bikes had information about their efforts on behalf of bicyclists

Read the official Press Release. Read about it in the Newark Post. View additional photos of the event on Shutterfly.

Delaware ranked 4th most bicycle-friendly State

Cross-posted from Delaware Way

Dover – Kicking off National Bike Month, the League of American Bicyclists has released its latest ranking of Bicycle Friendly States. In the seventh annual assessment, Delaware ranked No. 4 nationally, while placing No. 1 in the East and receiving 55.7 points out of 100.

Delaware ranked No. 5 in the League’s 2013 ranking, but ranked No. 31 as recently as 2008. The only states that rank above Delaware in 2014 are Washington, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

“Making Delaware a more bike-friendly state is a central piece of our efforts to ensure Delaware continues to be an attractive place to live, raise a family, and retire,” said Markell. “Today’s announcement is a testament to the seriousness with which leaders across our state, from the administration to the General Assembly to community advocates, have taken our work to extend the reach of existing trails and pathways, while constructing new trails where the opportunities are greatest.”

The Bicycle Friendly States (BFS) ranking is based on a number of key indicators, including infrastructure and funding that provide on-the-ground bicycle facilities; education and encourage programs that promote cycling; and passage and enforcement of bicycle-friendly laws that make it safe and comfortable for people of all ages to ride.  [Full article . . .]

The Top 10 Bicycle-Friendly States according to LAB

Poster's note: We have made some progress, but clearly, we have a long way to go. Among the issues most commonly cited by our followers:

• DelDOT bicycle and pedestrian policies and guidelines (i.e. Complete Streets) are weak, and opportunities missed.
• The requirement for a bike lane with new construction in NCC is commonly waived.
• Guidelines that require shoulders be maintained through intersections – not blocking them with channelizing islands – are increasingly missed.
• Bike parking that is installed by NCC code is most often a wheelbending grid rack, that provides no frame support or locking capability.
• Rumble strips are now being carved through Delaware's shoulders, well offset from the white line, leaving little or no safe space to ride between them and common debris.
• It takes huge sums of funding over several years to perform studies and collect data to approve a simple white line safety modification.
• We rarely do well signed or signalized crosswalks to increase pathway safety, as seen in other states with fewer fatalities and injuries.
• Laws designed to protect vulnerable road users have little chance of enforcement, unless advocates track individual cases and follow up accordingly.
• The State's leading bicycle advocacy organization claims to represent all bicyclist's needs, but does little to promote on-road safety through infrastructure, education, and enforcement.

"... A good example is the “new improved” intersection in Seaford that is now under construction. It is like an example of what NOT to do. Pork chops, disappearing bike lanes, turn traffic crossing bike lanes, sidewalks that connect to nothing on either end. The list goes on. This is heavily used intersection since we have allowed a major shopping area to build with no connections to population except VIA auto. There is large contingent of people, within walking distance, that could benefit from a good, non-auto way to get there. More than once I have had the pleasure to watch wheelchairs negotiate this intersection. That takes real guts."  ~ Timothy Parks

LAB, Bike Delaware skew BFS rankings in recent webinar

The League of American Bicyclists needs to reconsider their strategy and be more diligent with fact-checking.

Some of us looked forward to the new Bicycle-Friendly State (BFS) application and webinar. It was disappointing, therefore, to see inaccuracy in the section about Delaware’s progress towards becoming bike-friendly. Not only is it a simplistic portrayal that ignores all efforts outside of Bike Delaware’s Walkable Bikeable Delaware initiative, but the history of rankings that support this portrait are inaccurate. Delaware was ranked 31st in 2008, not in 2010. We rose to 9th place in 2009, in good part due to the Complete Streets policy and the Bike Summit. We fell to 10th place in 2010, and then to 18th place in 2011. After that we rose to 10th for 2012 and now 5th for 2013 (TBA), in agreement with the webinar/power point.

This page from the webinar, found on You Tube HERE, is not the reality. It became obvious when we pulled the magazine archives and checked. For one, Delaware ranked #31 in 2008, not 2010.

There is no doubt that Walkable Bikeable Delaware has had a substantial impact, but the more accurate history of the State’s rankings below illustrates a much different sequence of events than the presentation leads us to believe. Delaware made the initial 22 point leap based in good part upon Complete Streets and other on-road improvements, and Delaware’s first bike summit. This was before Walkable Bikeable Delaware.

2008: Ranked #31

Common sense tells us that the road to becoming bike-friendly is not as simple and easy as the Delaware presentation implies. Even with our bike-friendly Governor Jack Markell, it is not a smooth downhill coast, but a long, winding, rocky road full of ups and downs. As with all efforts towards progress, that is the reality. And it has been and will continue to be true in Delaware as well as in other states over the years to come. Most of us, therefore, look to the LAB, a venerable organization with much experience, to guide us through these bumps and not to provide us with an unrealistic impression that is bound to disappoint.

LAB should promote an upbeat, you-can-do it attitude and serve as a cheerleader for advocates who are making an effort in all 5 Es. It is possible

2009: Ranked #9

to accomplish this while maintaining a realistic and inclusive approach. Not only cyclists, but non-cyclists who are in a position of responsibility, look to the LAB for guidance. In Delaware, these folks are well aware of the specifics of the Walkable Bikeable initiative which has centered almost exclusively on off-road bike path facilities. Unfortunately, most do not have the bicycling experience to recognize that such a simplistic vision is incomplete.

It’s true that Delaware is behind a number of other States in the construction of off-alignment pathways, and therefore, it’s very nice to see us making up ground. Some wonderful projects are underway, and Delaware has a number of realistic and progressive people in government agencies and organizations throughout the State. We don’t need to promote the notion, however, that a State can become bike-friendly

2010: Ranked #10

solely through funding of off-road projects.

Although combined efforts continue to help our State move forward and we are making progress in most areas, without support it becomes an uphill battle to work on other areas that are necessary to make a state truly bike friendly, including: On-road infrastructure, education, legislation, enforcement, and encouragement. By promoting a misleading impression of our efforts and progress, the LAB makes it that much more difficult for the rest of us Advocates in Delaware (and perhaps in other states as well) to continue to pursue improvement in all of the other necessary areas.

2011: Ranked #18

There is no question that the Trails and Pathways initiative - and thus a more Walkable Bikeable Delaware - is worth supporting. However, off-road paved bike paths are the most expensive, highest hanging fruit of all when it comes to time and money well spent. The recent workshop and tremendous turnout surrounding the Newark-Wilmington Pathway is very encouraging, however, I give this project 15-20 years to complete - and that relies on future administration's support and preservation of its funding. The Pomeroy Trail in Newark, under 2 miles in length, took over 10 years to complete, despite most of its ROW readily in tact. Now up and running for almost 10 years, and very popular indeed, it becomes immediately apparent that our existing roads are still necessary to reach our final destination, hence the Newark Bicycle Plan - all inclusive.

2012: Ranked #10

While serving on the Board at Bike Delaware for 5 years, I received numerous inquiries about a fully marked on-road bike route with well designed bike lanes between the two cities. I had few suggestions to offer, other than watch for repave/rehab activity in coming years, and consider joining forces in Advocacy. Only then could our Complete Streets policy be encouraged, perhaps on a direct connect like Kirkwood Highway, some of which was already scheduled for 2013 (we will soon report what we know about DelDOT's pave & rehab schedule for 2014.)

As the Wilmington-Newark pathway and others like it crawl forward in future years, or decades, there remains no additional funding set aside for even the lowest hanging fruit, which could include road re-striping for the purpose of traffic calming and bicycle safety measures in the present. But with a passive President, a Vice President that abhors bike lanes and shoulders, and an Executive Director that openly quotes bike pocket lanes (through intersections with right turn-only lanes) as human meat grinders, don't count on Bike Delaware for support. It is their ED's opinion that bike lanes are especially dangerous and inappropriate on the very higher speed arterial roads on which most of us depend - and has even written letters and emails to that effect.

So now the question becomes, is Bike Delaware an all inclusive, full service (as in the 5 Es) advocacy organization as found in other high ranking BFS states?  Sadly, LAB appears to think so.

- Frank Warnock has been an award winning Advocate, Ride Leader, and Event Director in multiple states since 1989.

How Delaware dramatically improved its bike-friendly ranking

By Amy Wilburn – Back in 2008, Delaware ranked 31st in the League of American Bicyclist’s Bicycle-Friendly States program. It was disappointing and embarrassing, and was one of many factors that helped motivate us to work harder. Our ranking shot up 22 points in 2009 to 9th place, in good part due to the Complete Streets policy (creation, as it was not yet implemented) and the first bike summit (a joint effort by representatives from WILMAPCO, Dover/Kent MPO, DelDOT, Delaware Bicycle Council, Bike Delaware, Parks and Recreation, WCBC, Sussex Cyclists and others). In 2010, we dropped slightly to 10th and then even farther to 18th in 2011.  We moved back up to 10th in 2012. This year (2013) we are 5th, in good part due to the progress we’ve made but also based on the hope that good intentions will translate into a more bike friendly state. And that is important to keep in mind. Ensuring that good intentions translate to a bike friendly environment is definitely possible, but it will not be easy. It will take the efforts of many organizations and individuals on many fronts to achieve.

Governor Jack Markell

Over the years, numerous agencies worked to build a foundation. Further progress was made once we had a bike friendly governor who initiated Complete Streets and the First State Trails and Pathways Plan. In addition to funding, legislation and infrastructure, we have made inroads in education, enforcement and encouragement. But we have a long way to go. Funding is necessary but that alone won’t do it. First, we have to ensure that whatever funding we receive is put to best use. Certainly, we should consider recreational opportunities since they impact quality of life and health. We also need to encourage more people to use their bikes for transportation, which will help our citizens, communities and environment in so many ways. That is perhaps the most difficult challenge, since it is impacted by so many factors, including attitudes, knowledge, infrastructure and land use.

In terms of infrastructure, we need to make best use of the facilities that already exist including our roads, since this is the quickest, cheapest, and in many cases, the only practical solution. It is important to create networks that include viable, best practice facilities on a combination of arterial roads, low-stress and neighborhood roads, and trails in order to allow people to travel from their homes to destinations like work and shopping and school. Bike friendly communities have discovered that providing more than one viable route between point A and point B - as we do for motorists - increases bicycle mode share. It is unrealistic to think that we can create networks with only one type of facility due to the hostile nature of some roads, the lack of land to construct trails, the length of time it will take to create trails and similar facilities, and the large amount of money needed in some cases. We need many tools in our toolbox. Maybe someday we will create a utopia. But for now, we should work on the short term needs as well as the long term goals. We should correct deficiencies, often minor, that create barriers to usable routes. In this way, for a relatively low cost and within a short period of time, we can create usable facilities that the majority of cyclists–from road warriors to the timid– will find adequate, if not ideal.

Infrastructure involves more than trails and roads, however.  Commuters, shoppers and school students need a safe and accessible place to park their bicycles.  Commuters need a place to shower and to change into work clothing.  Providing these facilities is another quick and relatively inexpensive way to make biking a practical choice.

The way we conceive of and build our environment also needs to change, to accommodate a bigger picture that makes mass transit, walking and biking feasible, safe and convenient. Our communities and counties have the biggest input into our built environment, although we the people are also an important component since we choose how and where to live.

Attitude is truly critical as well. A car culture combined with exaggerated fears and numerous misunderstandings is a serious barrier. It is important that we don’t allow fear or stereotyping to become the excuse for our choice. We need to support, encourage and educate the cyclists who are currently on the roads. Those of us who bike serve as role models and show other interested people that it is both fun and feasible to bike for transportation and recreation today.

Motorist education as well allows people to share the roads. And publicizing and enforcing our laws is critical. Only when people take driving seriously, whether by motor vehicle or by bike, will we be able to make transportation safe and comfortable. All transportation.

Progress is slow. It is a nuts and bolts, one foot in front of the other approach coupled with both a realistic vision and visionary goals, that will allow us to achieve a truly bike friendly state. It’s complex, and it feels pretty daunting. You know what, though? Change is slow, but sometimes after years of establishing a foundation, it takes off and moves far more quickly. History is replete with examples. I find it helps to think of change as more exponential than linear.

- Amy Wilburn has been Chair of the Delaware Bicycle Council since 2008.