Florida Congressman Mica Introduces Bill That Kills Bicycling/Walking Funding

Seriously, John Mica? You're a congressman from Florida -- home of too many bicyclist and pedestrian deaths in this country -- and you just introduced the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act.

This proposed bill eliminates dedicated funding for bicycling and walking, and it goes much further and systematically removes bicycling from the Federal transportation program.

It basically eliminates our status and standing in the planning and design of our transportation system -- a massive step backwards for individuals, communities and our nation. It's a step back to a 1950s highway- and auto-only program that makes no sense in the 21st century.

The bill reverses 20 years of progress by:

•destroying Transportation Enhancements by making it optional;
•repealing the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school;
•allowing states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles;
•eliminating bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs; and
•eliminating language that insures that rumble strips "do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled."

On Thursday, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee will mark-up the bill and Representatives Petri (R-WI) and Johnson (R-IL) will sponsor an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Representatives Petri and Johnson can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their representative today.

Because of these urgent new developments, and the vital importance of a HUGE turnout on Capitol Hill in March, the National Bike Summit early bird registration deadline has been extended to Feb 20. We need every single cyclist in Washington, D.C. that the city can hold (and that's thousands ...). Register today!

Stay in touch by visiting bikeleague.org and americabikes.org for background and breaking news.

Tell You Local Congressional Member to Support Transportation Enhancements

This morning I called my local congresswoman -- Kathy Castor -- at both her Washington, DC and Tampa offices and urged her staffers to please advise Kathy to fight for bicyclists and walkers this week because House leadership is pressing to eliminate bicycling and walking funding in a transportation bill to be released today called the American Energy and Infrastructure Act.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, this bill:

•Destroys Transportation Enhancements by making the program optional
•Repeals the Safe Routes to School program, reversing years of progress in creating safe ways for kids to walk and ride bicycles to school
•Allows states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles
•Eliminates bicycle and pedestrian coordinators in state DOTs
•Eliminates language that insures that rumble strips “do not adversely affect the safety or mobility of bicyclists, pedestrians or the disabled”

This week in the Transportation Committee, Representative Petri (R-WI) will stand up for bicycling and walking by offering an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School.

Mr. Petri can only be successful if everyone with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bikeways contacts their Representative on the Transportation Committee again today to urge them to vote YES on the Petri amendment!

Kathy Castor, please help bicyclists and walkers in the Tampa area. Tampa lags behind the rest of the nation when it comes to bicycle infrastructure and we need all the help we can get.

Please call Kathy in Tampa at 813-871-2817 and in DC at 202-225-3376 and tell Kathy to support bicycling by supporting Rep. Petri's efforts to restore dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School.

Sierra Club Holds Bicycle Safety Program Feb 8

The Tampa Bay Sierra Club February Program is Wed Feb. 8 at 7 pm /6:30 social time

Program: Rules of the Road: Bike Smart/Drive Safely
Speakers: Karen Kress and Jason Jackman
Walk Wise/Bike Smart Campaign
Hilton Garden Inn
1700 E. Ninth Ave. (Ybor City) (813) 769-9267

Marcia Biggs says more bicycles are sharing the road with motor vehicles than ever before.

As a bicycle rider, do you know proper signaling when riding a bike on a roadway?

What about turning left at a major intersection or riding against traffic. What about helmets, riding on sidewalks or riding at night? Did you know you can be ticketed for riding a bicycle after sunset without a white light on the front visible from 500 feet? Or riding and wearing a headset? Or running a stop sign? As a motorist, do you know the rules when encountering bicycles? Even you can be ticketed for reckless driving if you come too close to a bicyclist.

This program will be of interest to both motorists and bicyclers with a refresher on Florida bicycle laws, practical tips and techniques for safe commuting in our city streets, tips for choosing a route, carrying gear, fitting your bike/helmet/appropriate attire. All attendees will receive free bike safety gear and a copy of the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide.

General meetings are free and open to the public. For more information, call 727-797-6261. Contact is Marcia Biggs. Chair, Tampa Bay Sierra Club

New Bike Lane On Bayshore Blvd. In Tampa

For years,SWFBUD has asked the city of Tampa to improve Bayshore Blvd., including reducing downtown-bound Bayshore from 3 to 2 lanes and adding a bike lane from the point where an existing bike lane ends.

Well, it's time to retire this "bike lane ends" sign. The Bayshore project offers this new bike lane and the reduction of lanes from three to two.

Let's Ride Over The Bridge To St. Pete

Today's weather in the Tampa Bay was so nice and cool and dry that it felt like that first nice spring day in the northeast, when the warmness of the afternoon gives you an energy jolt. There was an extra spring in my legs this afternoon and a natural ride was to head over the Gandy Bridge to St. Pete's waterfront from Seminole Heights.

I was cycling in the Gandy Bridge shoulder when I took a look next-door and saw the shut-down Friendship Trailbridge. What a pathetic shame -- a bridge offering amazing access to thousands shut down for structural problems and for lack of political will to repair.


It was a joy to bike today and downtown St. Pete and its waterfront were abuzz. Check out the Dali -- the new museum is a must visit in St. Pete.


Baseball is back -- University of Miami was at the downtown St. Pete ball park.


From The Hangar restaurant-- great perch to see the downtown St. Pete airfield.


Uh-oh -- looks like someone with a penchant for mischief had a little fun with this church sign.

Let's Paddle The Hillsborough

Today Bicycle Stories traded the bicycle for the kayak this afternoon and paddled the waters of the Hillsborough River from Lowry Park underneath Florida and Nebraska Avenues and I-275 to the Park Circke neighborhood in Seminole Heights.

Here's the most humble home I saw on the river today.


Back on land, let's face it, Florida and Nebraska Avenues are not exactly the stuff of a garden city. Lots of car lots, repair shops, thrift stores. But on the water, it's a whole different world. Check it out.






This vessel has seen better days.

Supporting Sharrows and the BAM

Our local politicians should know there are many people in the Tampa Bay who care deeply about improving bicycling and who act on their concerns. One of those folks is Michael Ploch of Riverview, who created the Sharrows reflective design for vests and jerseys, including this one. Here's Michael at the Flatwoods park seven-mile loop.

He is also behind the creation of a regionwide paved trail system that SWFBUD is calling the BAM -- for Bicycle Area Mobility.

Michael will be selling very cool BAM T-shirts he designed showing the BAM map on the front at the Feb. 19 Swap Meet at the Taco Bus St. Pete on Central Avenuer. Fellow bicyclist Nico Stearley designed the BAM map.

Thank you Michael and Nico for supporting BAM.