OTHER PARTS OF THIS REPORT:

• Part I can be found here
• Part II can be found here

Over the next couple of weeks, I am going to be writing a section-by-section summary and info on the City of Austin Street Smarts Task Force 2008 final report, which is Austin’s updated bicycle plan. I will add comments and links to other related news articles where needed.

The Street Smarts Task Force Final Report can be downloaded here:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/downloads/sstf_final_report.pdf

The City of Austin’s main page on bicycle resources is here:
http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/

Global Recommendations

This section is more a statement of overall goals than any specific order. Here are the highlights (and my comments) of this section:

• Austin should build a bicycle network that makes us “world-class” (this is one of those semi-vage descriptors you could apply to almost anything… perhaps if we do nothing at all we could make a declaration that we are “third-world-class”) where bicycling becomes easy, attractive, and safe for every citizen.
• Austin should provide safety education and promote cycling. I feel like this paragraph is extremely important, and I wish it had been a little more specific. I would say that the absolute biggest needs we have here are:
  • Mandatory driver education of how to interact with cyclists, and cyclists’ right to the road
  • FREE, let me repeat that… FREE AND FREQUENT road cycling safety training provided by the city at MULTIPLE LOCATIONS in each quadrant of the city, so that access to knowledge on how to get around Austin using a bicycle is available to everyone.

• Safe behavior and law enforcement: The City of Austin should embrace cycling as a safe and legitimate form of roadway use through its law enforcement policies and procedures. Thorough data reporting, reviewing of law enforcement policies, and implementation of additional traffic safety regulations will enhance the goal of providing a safe and accessible bicycle network.

First, I suppose bicycling does need a hug, so sure, let’s embrace it. Second, I have been trying to find out what kind of training the Austin Police Department undergoes at this time for dealing with cyclist issues. I found this training video via the San Francisco Bike Blog, below, a very pro-cyclist police resource:

• Establish a board or commisison – Austin should establish a permanent council-appointed advisory Bicycle and Pedestrian Board or Commission to make on-going recommendations regarding bicycle and pedestrian issues to the Mayor and City Council. These recommendations would be based on citizen input and the status of on-going implementation of the City’s Bicycle Plan. The focus for the commission should be viability, safety and effectiveness of bicycle transportation in Austin.

OK, sure. This is good, yep. No real comment on this part.

Recommendations for Infrastructure and Facilities Improvements

We’re getting more specific…

Summary of this section:

• Austin should develop a substantial partnership with the TxDOT Austin District to facilitate the implementation of all Task Force recommendations that involve state roadways. (fine, but why “substantial?” – just wondering)
• Austin should use the “Barrier Categories and Rating Criteria” spreadsheet developed in a Street Smarts Task Force sub-committee. This sounds good, but I can’t find this document. Can anyone point me in the right direction here? It’s indicated in the report as “Appendix A” but not included in what the city has put up for downloading.
• Not quoting this bullet point directly, but basically, we should have, where needed, cyclist-specific lights, and, additionally, make sure that cyclists can always trigger normal lights where they need to.
• Austin should continually review and keep its bicycle network map up to date.
• Austin should develop policies to keep bicycle infrastructure in good condition. (I was happy to see this here)
• The City of Austin shall assess the progress and re-evalute the update of the 1998 Austin Area Bicycle Network and Attractor System. As well, the City of Austin shall develop a program to systematically provide bicycle route continuity, to and from the identified and prioritized Attractors per the Network planning process.

That last bullet has something to do with a gigantic electromagnet…I think. No, in all seriousness, this plan is good, and you can see it yourself here: http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/bicycle/bi_plan2.htm (See Chapter 3, Austin Area Bicycle Network, Attractor System – PDF)

In Part IV, we will cover signage and markings, Inter-modal transportation, and the trails system.

No related posts.