M
Matt O'Toole
Guest
We just got this from Allen of the Virginia Bicycling Federation today. I'm
passing it on to y'all.
Matt O.
Allen J. Muchnick wrote:
> Below is my recent statement to the Arlington County delegation to the
> Virginia General Assembly. Many state legislators will hold similar
> local public hearings for constituent input shortly before the
> January 12th start of the 45-day legislative session, and statements
> supporting bicycling issues are helpful and encouraged.
>
> We will need the strong support of bicyclists throughout Virginia to
> pass the four bills mentioned in my statement, particularly the one
> calling for regional VDOT bicycle advisory committees. None of these
> bills have actually been filed to date, so there are no bill numbers
> yet, but you can refer to them by their likely patron: Delegates
> Ebbin, Hargrove, and Suit.
>
> Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks.
>
> Allen Muchnick, President
> Virginia Bicycling Federation
> PO Box 5621, Arlington VA 22205
> [email protected]
> 703-271-0895
> http://vabike.org
>
> ==========
>
>
> PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE ARLINGTON COUNTY DELEGATION
> FOR THE 2005 SESSION OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
> ARLINGTON COUNTY BOARD ROOM
> JANUARY 4, 2005
> REMARKS OF ALLEN J. MUCHNICK, PRESIDENT
> VIRGINIA BICYCLING FEDERATION
>
> Good evening and happy new year. I'm Allen Muchnick, president of the
> Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) and a Legislative Contact Team
> volunteer with the Virginia Conservation Network and the Virginia
> League of Conservation Voters.
>
> VBF deeply appreciates the strong and long-term support of Arlington's
> legislators for better bicycling and walking conditions, including the
> effective work of former Delegates Almand, Darner, and Connally. Even
> when not passed, several bicycle-related bills that Senator Whipple
> patroned in 2002 and 2003 soon produced the reforms intended,
> including recent VDOT policies that allow standalone pedestrian and
> bicycling improvements with highway construction funds and that
> dedicate 10% of Virginia's Hazard Elimination Safety funds to a new
> pedestrian and bicycle safety program. Also, nearly all of the
> bicycling law reforms that Senator Whipple patroned for us in 2003
> were successfully enacted in 2003 or 2004.
>
> Last March, the Commonwealth Transportation Board adopted a
> far-ranging _Policy for Integrating Bicycle and Pedestrian
> Accommodations_. While this new policy is significant as a statement
> of explicit intent, VDOT still lacks the robust bicycle and
> pedestrian program needed to create a state highway system that
> adequately supports bicycling and walking.
>
> A month ago, the Virginia Bicycling Federation wrote to Transportation
> Secretary Clement to ask that VDOT establish both statewide and
> regional bicycle advisory committees that a) meet regularly, b) are
> comprised mostly of representatives selected by bicycling
> organizations, and c) have strong citizen leadership. Bills to
> require bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees for each VDOT
> districts were introduced in 1997 (SJR 311, Norment) and 2002 (HB
> 806, Almand), but only the Hampton Roads District has voluntarily
> established such a citizen advisory committee. Meanwhile, the
> statewide bicycle advisory committee that VDOT established
> voluntarily in 1989 has met very infrequently over the past decade
> and has held only two regular meetings since October 2000.
>
> I am happy to report that Delegate Ebbin has prefiled a bill to
> require VDOT bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees and that
> Secretary Clement has replied to our letter by writing "we would be
> favorably disposed to consider such legislation". We consider such
> legislation our top bicycle and pedestrian priority for the 2005
> session.
>
> I'm presently aware of three other bicycle-related bills that may be
> filed for the 2005 session. Delegate Ebbin has prefiled a bill to
> prohibit opening a motor vehicle door in a manner that endangers or
> impedes oncoming traffic. This provision from the national Uniform
> Vehicle Code would help protect bicyclists, especially as Arlington
> and other localities create bike lanes within the door zone of parked
> motor vehicles.
>
> Delegate Hargrove was prefiled a bill to require tail lights on
> bicycles operated after dark on highways posted for more than 30 MPH.
> This measure should reduce the incidence of nighttime rear-end
> cycling crashes, a crash type with about a 25% fatality rate.
>
> Delegate Suit will reportedly file a bill to provide a Virginia
> income tax credit for bicycle commuters. Under federal law, bicycle
> commuters do not receive any tax-exempt subsidy for employer-paid
> commuting expenses such as for parking fees or for transit or vanpool
> fares.
>
> We ask that you support these bills and consider becoming a co-patron.
>
> Thank you for this opportunity to speak, and best wishes for the
> legislative session.
passing it on to y'all.
Matt O.
Allen J. Muchnick wrote:
> Below is my recent statement to the Arlington County delegation to the
> Virginia General Assembly. Many state legislators will hold similar
> local public hearings for constituent input shortly before the
> January 12th start of the 45-day legislative session, and statements
> supporting bicycling issues are helpful and encouraged.
>
> We will need the strong support of bicyclists throughout Virginia to
> pass the four bills mentioned in my statement, particularly the one
> calling for regional VDOT bicycle advisory committees. None of these
> bills have actually been filed to date, so there are no bill numbers
> yet, but you can refer to them by their likely patron: Delegates
> Ebbin, Hargrove, and Suit.
>
> Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks.
>
> Allen Muchnick, President
> Virginia Bicycling Federation
> PO Box 5621, Arlington VA 22205
> [email protected]
> 703-271-0895
> http://vabike.org
>
> ==========
>
>
> PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE ARLINGTON COUNTY DELEGATION
> FOR THE 2005 SESSION OF THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
> ARLINGTON COUNTY BOARD ROOM
> JANUARY 4, 2005
> REMARKS OF ALLEN J. MUCHNICK, PRESIDENT
> VIRGINIA BICYCLING FEDERATION
>
> Good evening and happy new year. I'm Allen Muchnick, president of the
> Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) and a Legislative Contact Team
> volunteer with the Virginia Conservation Network and the Virginia
> League of Conservation Voters.
>
> VBF deeply appreciates the strong and long-term support of Arlington's
> legislators for better bicycling and walking conditions, including the
> effective work of former Delegates Almand, Darner, and Connally. Even
> when not passed, several bicycle-related bills that Senator Whipple
> patroned in 2002 and 2003 soon produced the reforms intended,
> including recent VDOT policies that allow standalone pedestrian and
> bicycling improvements with highway construction funds and that
> dedicate 10% of Virginia's Hazard Elimination Safety funds to a new
> pedestrian and bicycle safety program. Also, nearly all of the
> bicycling law reforms that Senator Whipple patroned for us in 2003
> were successfully enacted in 2003 or 2004.
>
> Last March, the Commonwealth Transportation Board adopted a
> far-ranging _Policy for Integrating Bicycle and Pedestrian
> Accommodations_. While this new policy is significant as a statement
> of explicit intent, VDOT still lacks the robust bicycle and
> pedestrian program needed to create a state highway system that
> adequately supports bicycling and walking.
>
> A month ago, the Virginia Bicycling Federation wrote to Transportation
> Secretary Clement to ask that VDOT establish both statewide and
> regional bicycle advisory committees that a) meet regularly, b) are
> comprised mostly of representatives selected by bicycling
> organizations, and c) have strong citizen leadership. Bills to
> require bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees for each VDOT
> districts were introduced in 1997 (SJR 311, Norment) and 2002 (HB
> 806, Almand), but only the Hampton Roads District has voluntarily
> established such a citizen advisory committee. Meanwhile, the
> statewide bicycle advisory committee that VDOT established
> voluntarily in 1989 has met very infrequently over the past decade
> and has held only two regular meetings since October 2000.
>
> I am happy to report that Delegate Ebbin has prefiled a bill to
> require VDOT bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees and that
> Secretary Clement has replied to our letter by writing "we would be
> favorably disposed to consider such legislation". We consider such
> legislation our top bicycle and pedestrian priority for the 2005
> session.
>
> I'm presently aware of three other bicycle-related bills that may be
> filed for the 2005 session. Delegate Ebbin has prefiled a bill to
> prohibit opening a motor vehicle door in a manner that endangers or
> impedes oncoming traffic. This provision from the national Uniform
> Vehicle Code would help protect bicyclists, especially as Arlington
> and other localities create bike lanes within the door zone of parked
> motor vehicles.
>
> Delegate Hargrove was prefiled a bill to require tail lights on
> bicycles operated after dark on highways posted for more than 30 MPH.
> This measure should reduce the incidence of nighttime rear-end
> cycling crashes, a crash type with about a 25% fatality rate.
>
> Delegate Suit will reportedly file a bill to provide a Virginia
> income tax credit for bicycle commuters. Under federal law, bicycle
> commuters do not receive any tax-exempt subsidy for employer-paid
> commuting expenses such as for parking fees or for transit or vanpool
> fares.
>
> We ask that you support these bills and consider becoming a co-patron.
>
> Thank you for this opportunity to speak, and best wishes for the
> legislative session.
