StreetFilms has posted another really interesting video (below) showing improved bicycling infrastructure in cities like Portland, New York, and San Francisco. These cities have made huge investments in bike lanes, and now physically separated bike lanes. The result has been a large increase in choosing to bike for transportation.

One great quote from Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

It’s important that people have choices. They shouldn’t have to burn a gallon of gas to get a gallon of milk. Half of the trips that are taken everyday in America are within 20 minutes on a bike. A quarter of them are a 20 minute walk.

If you’ve ridden Mt. Elliot on the east side of the Chevy Volt plant during the warmer months, you’re probably familiar with the serious asphalt ridge in the right lane. This ridge is likely the result of heavy truck traffic “shoving” the asphalt.

Apparently in the winter, this asphalt ridge prevents snow plows from clearing half of that travel lane.

The result? A seasonal road diet with bike lanes.

This seasonal reduction in road capacity — and the apparent lack of any negative impacts on vehicle travel — suggests this change could be made permanent with a little paint and some signs.

Streetfilms recently documented a similar situation in New York City where snow piles are acting like curb extensions.

The Oakland Press is reporting that the Village of Oxford Council has passed a Complete Streets resolution.

“In the past year or so, [Complete Streets] has really caught fire with the legislation. We want more traffic signals, more bike lanes and landscaping to slow down the traffic into town so people feel safer crossing the street,” said Village Manager Joe Young.

This is great to hear, especially in northern Oakland County, which isn’t known for embracing bikes on the roads.

One of the key points made in the article is the economic prosperity of a downtown is tied to the quality of traffic, not the quantity. Road agencies often focus on the latter. Complete Streets can help increase the quality of traffic.

Anna Taylor, Downtown Development Authority member and owner of boutique Pink and Charlie, said: “We’ve blocked out our pedestrian communities in our small towns, and granted, we’ve gotten a tremendous boom because we have traffic. However, I will say, that not one time since I’ve been a business owner have I had a gravel hauler pull up to the back of my shop, come in and tell me that he’d like to buy something.

“We’re glad we have traffic. We don’t want the traffic to go away. But we have to do something because a healthy, vibrant pedestrian community is our future. It means the difference between surviving and prospering.”

With a little luck, this Complete Streets resolution will catch fire in some of the surrounding communities.

Clawson's Main Street design with bike lanes

Back in early December, Clawson’s city council passed a resolution supporting a Complete Streets policy.

According to the minutes, City Manager Mark Pollock provided this background prior to the vote.

Complete Streets is a design or planning principle to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. ?The City of Clawson already incorporates many of the goals of the Complete Streets philosophy into the projects it undertakes. This is evidenced by the recent renovations of the downtown main intersection and streetscape projects. ?The resolution supporting a Complete Streets Policy pledges the City’s continued commitment to the complete streets philosophy and may assist the City in applications for funding available under the revised statutes. My recommendation is the resolution supporting a Complete Streets? Policy for the City of Clawson be approved and forwarded to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and State Transportation Commission (STC).

City council passed the Complete Streets resolution unanimously. That resolution is below the fold.

Clawson now joins Berkley, Ferndale and Novi as Oakland County municipalities that have adopted Complete Streets ordinances or policies — or have good intentions.

Now perhaps it’s time to revisit those bike lanes planned for Main Street that never got constructed.

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The city of Novi has posted the initial draft of their non-motorized master plan.

The City of Novi is now poised to take its bicycle and pedestrian facilities, policies and programs to the next level. This document, funded by the Federal Energy Efficiency Block Grant program, lays out a systematic way to support non-motorized transportation.

It is anticipated that the environmental changes will result in a greater number of individuals choosing walking and bicycling as their preferred mode of transportation for many local trips. These choices will lead to healthier lifestyles, improved air and water quality, and a more energy efficient and sustainable transportation system.

We haven’t had a chance to fully review the plan, but it looks very impressive so far.

This plan and more will be discussed at their Walkable Novi Committee meeting this Thursday at 6pm. The meeting is at the City of Novi Administration Building, 45175 West 10 Mile Road.

The meeting originally scheduled for 1/20/2010 has been moved back a week to January 27th.