New VDOT Bike Policy Adopted!

[levy.dave at epamail.epa.gov]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 25, 2004

Virginia Bicycling Federation
PO Box 5621, Arlington VA 22205-1659
http://vabike.org

CONTACT: Allen Muchnick, President
703-271-0895; vbf at vabike.org


NEW VOOT BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN POLICY SUPPORTS "COMPLETE STREETS"

On March 18, Virginia's Commonwealth Transportation Board adopted a new
bicycle and pedestrian policy that commits the Virginia Department of
Transportation (VDOT) to routinely accommodate bicycling and walking "as
fundamental travel modes and integral components...in the planning,
funding, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of Virginia's
transportation network".

The policy statement broadly defines "accommodation" as "any facility,
design feature, operational change, or maintenance activity that
improves
the environment in which bicyclists and pedestrians travel" and explains
that "bicycling and walking are successfully accommodated when travel by
these modes is efficient, safe, and comfortable for the public."

The Virginia Bicycling Federation largely instigated this new policy by
repeatedly promoting its March 2001 position paper recommending six
changes to VDOT's previous 1990 bicycle facility policy  (see
http://vabike.org/vbfposition.htm).  The new VDOT policy, which fully
achieves three of VBF's six changes and promises to address a fourth,
departs significantly from the old policy in four key respects:

* Support for "Complete Streets": "VDOT will initiate all highway
construction projects with the presumption that the projects shall
accommodate bicycling and walking".  By routinely building "complete
streets" that adequately support bicycling and walking and not just
motoring, this provision conforms to USDOT guidance issued in 2000 that
"bicycling and walking facilities will be incorporated into all
transportation projects unless exceptional circumstances exist" (see
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/Design.htm).  Under its old
policy, VDOT generally required that any bicycling accommodation be
clearly identified in an adopted local plan, specifically requested by
the
local governing body, and substantially funded with local tax dollars.

* Standalone bicycle and pedestrian projects and retrofits, independent
of
concurrent highway construction, are now broadly allowed under the same
procedures as other highway construction projects. (This change first
became effective in December 2002 in response to state legislation
enacted
earlier that year).

* Bicycle and pedestrian facilities will now be funded in the same
manner
as other highway features, ending VDOT's previous requirement that
counties agree to pay 50% of the cost of construction.

* Accommodations are specifically promoted in conjunction with
access-controlled highway projects, operation and maintenance
activities,
long-distance bicycle routes, and tourism and economic development
initiatives.

The Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) significantly influenced the new
policy by actively participating in a VDOT-appointed task force that met
ten times between July 2003 and February 2004 to develop the six-page
statement.

Allen Muchnick, VBF president, expressed strong approval of the new
policy.  "By clearly committing to build 'Complete Streets' in urbanized
areas, VDOT has substantially elevated its consideration of bicycling
and
walking as legitimate transportation modes." "However", Muchnick
continued, "the Virginia Bicycling Federation is not sitting on its
laurels. When it comes to effectively accommodating bicycling, the devil
is usually in the details.  VBF will be vigilant to ensure that VDOT
promptly and properly implements and evaluates the new policy through
appropriate highway design guidance and other mechanisms.  We're already
working on our 'top ten list' of follow-up recommendations to present to
senior VDOT officials.

Muchnick also expressed his appreciation for Virginia Secretary of
Transportation Whitt Clement's strong and clear April 2003 directive to
VDOT for developing the new policy (see http://vabike.org/aa_clement.htm
).
 "The firm and clear top-down direction from the Warner Administration
was
clearly instrumental in ensuring that such a remarkable and
comprehensive
policy statement was developed and adopted so promptly."


For more information on the Web:

VDOT Policy for Integrating Bicycle and Pedestrian Accommodations:
http://www.virginiadot.org/infoservice/bk-policyinfo.asp

VDOT Press Release Dated March 18, 2004:
http://virginiadot.org/infoservice/news/newsrelease.asp?ID=CO-0414

VTrans2025, Virginia's statewide, comprehensive multimodal long-range
transportation policy framework and plan now under development:
http://www.sotrans.state.va.us/VTrans/home.htm

VDOT Bicycle Program:
http://virginiadot.org/infoservice/bk-default.asp


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