Stay tuned…COA includes bike projects on stimulus wish list
by D'Amico ... LOBV @ 1:36 pm []A couple days ago, I asked for bicyclists to contact local officials to spell out the need for bicycle projects on the city/state wish lists for funding in an economic recovery/stimulus package likely to come out of Washington soon.
The Thursday council agenda has it’s official list–which would then be sent on to CAMPO–for approval.
It appears to be a package of projects, so I’ll try and get the specifics to report back on later. But here’s what is included:
• Bicycle Infrastructure Improvements (a package of ready-to-install bicycle lanes, sharedused
bicycle and pedestrian paths, and minor infrastructure improvements to remove
barriers on bicycle routes). $2,600,000
• Bicycle, Shared Paths, Connected Trails and Sidewalk Project. $2,500,000
You can check out the full list here. (Click on “Exhibit” and “Resolution”)
You can look at the expaned list of all projects on the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Web site. However, this list contains two bike projects that would not be submitted to CAMPO–the Pfluger Bridge extension and Bowie Tunnel–since they don’t meet CAMPO’s list criteria, which states that projects should be ready to bid by August 2009.
[...] a related note, I also recommend Rob D’Amico’s post at the Bicycle Austin Blog about infrastructure requests for [...]
Pingback by Interview with Austin Bicycle Program Manager Annick Beaudet | Austin Bike Blog — January 12, 2009 @ 1:55 pm
This strikes me as a big mistake. Building sidewalks, MAYBE. But striping bike lanes is NOT a jobs-generating project, which is the whole point of the stimulus.
We’d be better off all lining up behind an effort to get the CAMPO TWG rail plan as the #1 priority for Austin here. Helps cyclists directly and indirectly, and would actually generate some jobs rather than simply paying for paint.
Comment by M1EK — January 12, 2009 @ 3:32 pm
Any idea why the pedestrian/bike bridge/lane on Mopac over the greenbelt wouldn’t be on this list?
That’s the project that would really affect my cycling life.
Comment by dougmc — January 12, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
Doug, the Mopac/greenbelt bridge was actually brought up (by me) at the last Bicycle Advisory Council meeting, and will be investigated to see where it’s at in the near future.
Comment by JasonATXBS — January 13, 2009 @ 11:02 am
Nice. I don’t care what others say about you, Jason — you’re OK in my book!
Comment by dougmc — January 13, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
[...] But on to the stimulus news. All around the country people are like kids with a new Sears Catalog (in the olden days)–so I’m sure the wish lists for the economic recovery stimulus package due out of Washington probably total something like $679 trillion. Nevertheless, our list is most important, and you may recall us talking about the COA list with a generic bike project package. [...]
Pingback by Bicycle Austin Blog » Dead fish and dead pub won’t get stimulated, but bike projects might — January 15, 2009 @ 8:27 am