Much has been written about the recent U.S. presidential election, but one question for us is, “How does this affect federal bicycling funding and policy?”

Earlier this year the bike industry met with Senator Obama:

Stan Day, SRAM’s president, said that Obama “gets it.” He pointed out that Obama understands that bicycles can be part of a solution to issues as diverse as health care, obesity, energy and environmental policy. “He does his homework and he can connect the dots,” he said.

After winning the election, Obama’s team created a web site to discuss his upcoming term, its direction, and policy.  And it does discuss bicycling among its urban policy goals:

Build More Livable and Sustainable Communities: Our communities will better serve all of their residents if we are able to leave our cars, to walk, bicycle and access other transportation alternatives. As president, Barack Obama will re-evaluate the transportation funding process to ensure that smart growth considerations are taken into account.

Yes, he “gets it.”

And, two of the names being bandied about for his Transportation Director are major cycling supporters: Earl Blumenauer and James Oberstar.  Both would be a huge boost for bicycling and Safe Routes to School advocates.

But we shouldn’t forget how absolutely awesome it was having a serious mountain biker in President George W. Bush.  That did wonders for the perception of mountain biking as a sport; it’s not just for young folks.

o how soon before Obama is riding mountain bike trails?  Certainly that question has already been asked at IMBA.

Stay tuned…

The Metro Times recently published their Best Of awards.  Detroit trails and bicycling walked away with a number of awards.

Perhaps the most unexpected was the award for Next best thing to light rail for Detroit.  The winner was the Detroit non-motorized transportation master plan.

Working quietly last month, Detroit City Council heard and approved the Detroit Non-Motorized Transportation Master Plan. That sounds deathly dull, but it’s actually exciting news for the pedalists among us. Though the state had vowed to commit funds to cycling initiatives in Detroit, and Detroit’s Traffic Engineering Department had signed off on the endeavor, the plan had never been brought before council for its approval — something MDOT needed before it would help move things forward. The plan ought to get cyclists pumped: It will track cycling destinations across Detroit with an eye to connecting them with a network of bike trails, lanes and greenways, calling for as many as 400 miles of bike lanes across the city. The plan’s organizers believe lanes could be painted down during normal MDOT road maintenance. And for groups wanting bike lanes in their neck of the woods, working in tandem with the city means it won’t be the uphill slog it used to be.

Wow!

Here are the rest of the awards.

Metro Times People’s Poll

BEST BICYCLING PATH OR TRAIL
Dequindre Cut

BEST PLACE TO ADD BICYCLING PATH OR TRAIL
Woodward Avenue

BEST MOUNTAIN BIKING
Pontiac Recreation Area

BEST ROAD TO PRETEND YOU’RE LANCE ARMSTRONG
Hines Drive

BEST DETROIT RIVERFRONT ATTRACTION
RiverWalk

Read more about each People Poll winner at the Metro Times.

Metro Times Staff Picks

DETROIT’S BEST STEP FORWARD
Detroit’s RiverWalk

BEST WAY TO SUPPORT RIVERWALK
Buy a brick

NEXT BEST THING TO LIGHT RAIL FOR DETROIT
City Bicycling Plan

BEST PROJECT OF 2008 WE’RE STILL WAITING TO BE FINISHED
Dequindre Cut Bicycle Path

BEST URBAN GETAWAY
University of Michigan-Dearborn natural area (and Rouge Gateway Trail)

Read more about the Staff Pick’s at the Metro Times.

Gasoline at $4 per gallon did wonders for promoting bikes as a lean and green solution.

The price of oil has dropped 55% since July. Local gas prices are “falling like leaves.”  Daylight is getting more scarce and the temperatures are dropping.   All these factors might mean more bike commuters will be hopping back into their cars.

We could speculate on this, but the results will come out soon enough.

The August report from the Federal Highway Administration was recently released.  In summary, vehicle travel dropped 5.6% in August (a 15 billion mile decrease.)  The culmulative vehicle miles for 2008 are down 3.3% or 67.2 billion miles.

Those decreases aren’t all attributable to more bike commuters.

According to a special report from Inrix, “While consumers react to the high costs of fuel by decreasing all driving, the most significant impact to consumers is the reduction of discretionary driving.”

Even so, the report’s survey found that higher gas prices caused 8% of the respondents to bike (and use scooters) more.  That compares well with increases in car pooling (9%) and public transit (7%).

Inrix also predicts that the drop in gas prices will not lead to significant increases in driving due to the weak economy.   Perhaps the interest in bike will continue

[Disclaimer: I work for MTGA.]

MTGA actively supports trail development in the City of Detroit

The Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance (MTGA) has been through some changes.

They started as the Michigan office for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC).  When the RTC shifted their state focus to a regional focus, the Michigan office amicably split and MTGA was the result.

One issue that MTGA had is it was always chasing grant dollars to keep the wheels turning.  That chasing took time away from the trail projects themselves.  And it was that dilemma that prompted this new partnership with the Michigan Fitness Foundation (MFF).

“The shifting of the administrative burden will allow us to take the trails movement in Michigan to the next level,” said Nancy Krupiarz, executive director of MTGA. “We will be able to more fully dedicate ourselves to advancing the development of Michigan’s interconnected trailways system.”

Marilyn Lieber, president and CEO of the Michigan Fitness Foundation, sees this partnership advancing both nonprofits’ missions.

“A connected system of trails is an essential component of active community environments. Enhancing the opportunities for MTGA staff and its dedicated board members to address trail programs, full time, supports our mission of promoting healthy lifestyles in communities designed to support physical activity.”

Link: MTGA Press Release

The Capital News Service ran an interesting article today on trails and their increased use for transportation.

The Lansing-based Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance also supports linking trails across the state.

It works with local and state agencies in organizing discussions and outlining criteria for selecting corridors to develop.

Nancy Krupiarz, executive director of the alliance, said her organization gears trail expansion toward a non-motorized network for bicyclists. Widening road shoulders for bike lanes and adding signs to alert motorists are part of the initiative.

“Urban trails get more use as a transportation aspect when they are well-connected to businesses and shipping districts,’ said Krupiarz.

The alliance is involved in a plan to add a non-motorized network of bike paths around Detroit. The system will connect neighborhoods, schools, parks, businesses and other major destinations around the city.

The article also discusses Detroit’s recently endorsed non-motorized master plan.

Link: Capital News Service article