Tomorrow is Transportation Advocacy Day in Olympia — a great day to get up to speed on bike/ped related legislature and write to your state rep.
Tons of Washingtonians are heading to Olympia to learn about the issues, meet with legislators and network with other advocates. Two hearings are scheduled for tomorrow on biking-related bills. Here’s the breakdown from Bike to Work Spokane, including what’s being talked about tomorrow in Olympia and more.
January 28: Transportation Advocacy Day in Olympia, House Transportation Committee Hearings on Bike Bills
This Thursday, Jan. 28 at 3:30pm, the House Transportation Committee will hold hearings on two bills that relate to biking, both of which are actively supported by the Cascade Bicycle Club, Bicycle Alliance of Washington, Transportation Choices and other groups working on active transportation issues.
HB 2911: Creating Complete Streets Grant Program
HB 3001: Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education in Traffic Schools
A list of House Transportation Committee members: http://bit.ly/WaHTransp. Local legislators Alex Wood (3rd District), John Driscoll (6th District), and Matt Shea (4th District) serve on the committee.
If you’d like to submit comments, contact your state representatives: http://bit.ly/WaReps
The bills are being heard on Transportation Advocacy Day, when people from around the state descend on the capitol to meet legislatures and lobby for transportation policy that addresses the needs of all users, not just some.
Vulnerable User Bill in Legislature
Introduced in the 2009 session by the Cascade Bicycle Club but not passed into law, the Vulnerable Roadway User Bill would make it easier for prosecutors to hold drivers more accountable in collisions where they kill or seriously injure cyclists and pedestrians. The bill is supported by the Bicycle Alliance of Washington and other organizations.
It has been introduced in the House as HB 2774, and in the Senate as SB 5838.
Spokane County Street Connectivity Issue Open for More Comments
Spokane County Commissioners held a hearing Tuesday, Jan. 26, concerning a policy on connectivity.
Connectivity provides for walkability and bikability within a neighborhood and for adjacent neighborhoods. It also makes providing services to these neighborhoods such as police, transit and fire much easier and cheaper.
Commissioners Todd Mielke and Mark Richard voted to hold the topic open for further comment. You can submit an email through this link provided by Futurewise. The wording they developed for the form will give you an idea of the importance of the issue for cyclists and neighbors.
You can rewrite it to be in your own words, or just send an email yourself to commissioners Todd Mielke (tmielke@spokanecounty.org), Mark Richards (mrichards@spokanecounty.org), and Bonnie Mager (bmager@spokanecounty.org).
