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The Michigan Department of Transportation recently released a glossary of Bicycle and Pedestrian Terminology, a must-have resource for transportation advocates, citizens, and planners. Many non-motorized terms are similar, and some tend to be confused or misused. For example, could you state the difference between a bike lane, bike boulevard, and bike route? This glossary brings clarity to non-motorized discussions and when used, will help improve the conversation around pedestrian and bicycling issues.
From Safe Routes to School National Partnership: Contact your members of Congress to push for Complete Streets!
Around the country, more than 600 communities and states have adopted local Complete Streets policies—helping ensure that transportation plans and projects address the needs of all users.Now you can ask your Members of Congress to join the push for Complete Streets. Senators Begich (D-AK) and Schatz (D-HI) have just introduced the Safe Streets Act (S. 2004), joining Reps. Matsui (D-CA) and Joyce (R-OH) who previously introduce the Safe Streets Act (H.R. 2468) in the House.
The legislation would ensure that state Departments of Transportation and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) implement complete streets policies and laws for federally-funded projects—making the streets safer for everyone using the streets, whether walking, bicycling, driving or taking public transportation.
The bill does not require any new federal funds, and takes a common sense approach to planning transportation projects and systems for all users from the start—rather than having to go back after a project has been built to add sidewalks, crosswalks and other accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Bicycle and pedestrian fatalities continue to increase, and now make up 16.3 percent of all traffic fatalities. It’s time to ensure that our transportation systems are designed and built to be safe for everyone.
Please contact your Senators and Representative to ask them to co-sponsor the Safe Streets Act.
Thank you for your support!
Transportation for Michigan and the League of Michigan Bicyclists (LMB) have partnered together to launch Share MI Roads! The campaign continues to develop educational resources that will reduce bicyclist injuries and fatalities, foster goodwill between drivers and bicyclists, and create a greater understanding and awareness of the rights and responsibilities that drivers and cyclists need to know to make our roads safe for all users.
“We are really excited for this new campaign and the opportunity to engage Michigan motorists and bicyclists from across the state about roadway safety. The goal is to fill the void in the training roadway users receive about how to safely share the road with one another,” said John Lindenmayer, Advocacy and Policy Director for LMB.
Michigan bicyclists are involved in less than 1% of traffic crashes, yet proportionally they represent a much greater number of fatalities compared to other roadway users. In 2012, there were 20 fatalities from bicycle-vehicle crashes and 1,636 injuries. While Complete Streets policies are creating safer roadways through engineering and planning solutions, more must be done to educate drivers and bicyclists on how to safely interact on the road.
The Share MI Roads team is actively building education and outreach resources not just for bicyclists and drivers, but also for driver’s education instructors and law enforcement. Resources range from general skills and tips, essential bicycling knowledge, and rules and regulations relating to bicycling. More are being developed for driver’s education instructors and law enforcement, Lindenmayer said. Team members include transportation experts, bicycling advocates, and state agency representatives. The diversity of the team provides unique perspectives and innovative ideas on how to best educate drivers and bicyclists to safely share the road.
In addition to educating yourself through the campaign’s resources, you can make an immediate impact by taking our Share the Road Safety Pledge. It is a great way to show others you are serious about making Michigan’s roads safe for all users, provide input on what you think is the best way to achieve safer roads, and stand with others in your community who want to foster goodwill between drivers and bicyclists.
Visit the Share MI Roads website, educate yourself with the campaign’s resources, and take our Pledge. Check back often for updates and new material as we continue to build the campaign.
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By Jeff Prygoski, Fellow, Transportation for Michigan
