The Street Smarts Task Force–a group of some 30 people designated by the mayor and city to make recommendations for promoting bicycling and making it safer–recently concluded its work. The final report is now circulating through city boards and commissions and will be presented to the City Council on February 28. (You can see the final report at the bottom of http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council/streetsmarts.htm, although it’s the not the pretty version, which hasn’t been posted yet.)

The task force members had a lot of talent and expertise, although I wonder a bit about the woman who asked pointedly during the second meeting, “Why are we talking so much about bicycles?” I do think the final product is worthy of commendation, which is just the other side of China from condemnation, although it did give men like me a pause to think of a condom nation, with everyone playing it safe. Unfortunately, this report–like so many created by task forces–faces the prospect of withering away in a file drawer, thousands of words carefully crafted just to be laid to rest in a morgue of type, with words questioning themselves in eternity. “Oh why was I born with an ‘i’ instead of an ‘e,’” laments “insure.” Until it’s neighbors “need to” and “the focus” yell, “Shut up ya whiner!” and  the tenant above–”tht”–screams, “At least you didn’t end up a typo!” and “must also focus,” the phrase with the split infinitive cries to be reunited…until the chorus of words and syllables and utterances realizes that it is making no sound at all. Then one day, little Larry Leonard lisps in alliteration “Street Smarts … Street Smarts … Street Smarts ….” as he pulls a copy of the final report from a city library shelf and wonders what they were thinking when they came up with the tagline, “Different Spokes for Different Folks.” Then he wonders why his father wasn’t more like Mr. Drummond, instead of an abusive dullard with callouses (sic) on the undersides of his fingers from six-pack rings, which tugged against the flesh while he waited behind lotto ticket buyers in convenience stores.

Where was I? Anyway, I thought it would be good to take a look at the highs and lows of this 10-month process.

Highs

1) The mayor cared enough to even name a task force.
2) Task force members realized they could throw in the word “connectivity” if they weren’t exactly sure what they were aiming to recommend, and then everything would be all right. This strategy likely would work for any transportation-related effort they were called in to tackle.
3) A recommendation banning cell phone use in moving vehicles, including bikes (with further study of hands-free use before banning that method). A lot of people questioned whether a ban that doesn’t include hands-free is worth it, since studies show it’s the lack of attention due to the call, not necessarily that punching of buttons that is the problem. But at least this confronts the no-brainer of prohibiting text messaging. The city public safety task force recently looked at this issue as well, with Mike Martinez coming out tentatively supportive of a ban.
4) My recommendation for getting the city to fund a contractor to immediately develop and submit an application to the FHWA for the required sharrow pilot project. OK, I’m being self-centered here, but my gut was telling me that we needed to try something completely different–at least for Austin–and we need to try it now.  I was adamant about not having any more “study” words being attached to recommendations. This recommendation will be a focal point for LOBV follow-up to ensure that it is embraced, funded and implemented.
5) The thought and work put into the recommendations from the “infrastructure subcommittee.” The subcommittee developed a matrix for project listing, evaluation and eventual prioritization and outlined a healthy series of recommendations for improvements. OK, they call it a “Barrier Categories and Rating Criteria Spreadsheet,” but check it out sometime and you’ll see what I mean.
6) Sara Krause, the task force chair, was the workhorse for Bruce Todd’s ill-advised helmet law crusade. LOBV was content to have the enemy at the helm, where she could be watched. Regardless, Sara proved to be a great chair, demonstrated that she could keep things organized and moving, and also related enough personal anecdotes about her bicycling experiences to show that she really cares about spurring significant changes in our city to promote bicycling and make it safer.

Lows

1)  The infrastructure committee not getting more specific. You’ll note they got a “High” above, but they get a “Low” too for remaining so general about everything. I can understand the reasoning for not getting to specific. Can you imagine getting bogged down in discussing specific intersections and patches of road? Then again, a handful of high-profile recommendations for specific facilities or fixes would have been nice.
2) The debate over the three-foot passing law. The Texas Bicycle Coalition has been working at the legislature to get a three-foot passing law established. More at their Web site at: http://www.biketexas.org/content/view/883/72/ . That particular bill isn’t really a priority for the yahoos at the Capitol, and it failed again this last session. When task force members suggested making a recommendation for a city ordinance mirroring the state law proposal, TBC balked, saying an Austin law actually would be detrimental to getting a state law passed. The theory goes: Austin is wacky and liberal. Let them swim in their hippy dippy shit and we’re not going to do something just to appease them…in fact, let’s punish them for doing this crazy shit on their own. It’s a valid point, but in retrospect, we should have been more vocal about doing our own thing. Times are changing under the dome. Austin bashing is waning, and we can’t always be worrying too much about “what ifs” from politicians who don’t give a damn about this issue one way or another.
3) No free coffee for task force members. While city council aides drifted in and out of meeting with trips to the coffee pot, many of us were left stranded with nothing to juice us, unless we ducked out and went through he metal detectors to the cafe. We were working for the love of our city and didn’t even expect cold bagels with strawberry cream cheese, but for the love of God, give your working citizens some coffee.

LOBV will be sponsoring a 6-month and 1-year get-together on Monday afternoons at 1:34 p.m. to  review recommendations and monitor progress. We’ll provide beer, veggie Slim Jims, and a list of contact numbers for city officials. We’ll drink, dial, and check up on how things stand.  May I have a word with your mother!