Project Catapult Update and Timeline
(February 9, 2009)

For the original project description and report, see http://www.lobv.org/catapult/pc1.pdf

To volunteer for any of the working groups listed below, e-mail info@lobv.org

Update

After our Jan. 31 meeting and subsequent conversations with COA bike/ped staff, Project Catapult is proceeding with the following working groups. Each working group will draft a report, which will be submitted for review to the City of Austin and other area entities as needed.

1. Nueces Bike Boulevard
The group will provide a vision of how the boulevard should enhance bicycle transportation by outlining key components to the facilities (e.g. removal of stop signs, removal of parking, limiting auto access, signage and striping, possible phases for implementation, etc.)

COA has just started initial planning for what a Nueces Bike Boulevard would look like, and so a report at this juncture from the bicycling community is timely and welcomed by the city.

2. Downtown Bike Zone Plan
The group will re-evaluate the LOBV Downtown Bike Zone plan to provide recommendations for “first steps” toward implementation. Additionally, the group will develop more comprehensive recommendations for the “Commuter Club” concept.

3. Public Education
The group will pull recommendations from the Street Smarts Task Force and outline steps and projected costs for implementation for the next fiscal year.

4. South Austin “bikeway” facilities on Congress Avenue
The group will inventory past proposals for bicycle/pedestrian improvements and will examine such issues as reverse angle parking, possible separated facilities inside of parking, climbing lanes, and short-term solutions to enhance safety.

Additionally, the group will examine past “roadblocks” toward changes on South Congress, such as concerns from businesses over parking.

5. Analysis/Recommendations for Bike Parking Downtown and at Major Activity Centers
COA currently is finalizing plans for removal of parking meters and retrofitting some meters as bike racks. However, converting some of the meters has been deemed infeasible due to cost and location, and COA has ordered some 400 “U racks” for placement around the city. The group will examine current proposals and develop recommendations for both bike racks and other possible “bike stations” downtown and at other major activity centers.

6. Transportation User Fee Allocation
The group will examine the feasibility and develop recommendations for allowing COA utility customers to designate their transportation user fee (which varies, but runs about $5 a month for residential users) to bicycle programs. Currently, those who do not own or use a car can request a waiver to the fee. The designated fee could help track bicycling and provide revenue for public education and “Commuter Club” projects.

Working Group Requirements
Volunteers should be willing to communicate with group members extensively via e-mail/phone and should try to attend meetings if possible. Working group coordinators will be responsible for delegating tasks to group members, providing weekly summaries to LOBV and drafting final reports.

Weekly Summaries
Weekly summaries of all working group efforts will be submitted to LOBV by the group coordinator. Summaries then will be publicized on the LOBV site and to area bicycling organizations and blogs.

Reports
Working groups will submit a written report that outlines:

1. Project/Program Description
2. Benefits for Bicyclists and the Region
3. Relevant Past Planning Work
4. Costs and Possible Funding Sources
5. Steps to Implementation

A note on reports: Project/Program reports are by no means intended to be detailed planning (or engineering!) efforts. Rather, the reports will serve to highlight key issues, benefits and desired facilities.

Timeline
Draft reports will be completed by February 27, 2009. Submission of reports to COA likely will occur in mid March.

Apologies for the late post. It’s been a crazy week. But the good news is that a large number of interested people showed up for LOBV’s Project Catapult meeting on Jan. 31, including many  fresh faces. First, thanks to Bike Texas (http://www.biketexas.org) for the meeting space, equipment and support. Austin Bike Blog also has a short report on the meeting.

First…No wait seond, if you’re not familiar with Project Catapult, take a gander here. The objective of the meeting was to better define what five big projects would be presented to the City of Austin and other entities and what the final “deliverables” would be.  I’ll cut to the last part first. The deliverables will be reports that detail the particulars of what the bicycling community envisions for major investments in five significant projects.

Here’s what we’re looking at so far:

1) A bike boulevard on Nueces Blvd.
2) Bicycle facilities to create a South Austin Bikeway from Ben White to the River.
3) Implementation of LOBV’s Downtown Bicyle Zone Plan.
4) A substantial public education campaign
5) A significant investment in bicycle parking downtown and at major activity centers.

Additionally, it should be noted that a bikeway along the Waller Creek Tunnel Project alignment, the MoPac bridge over Barton Creek, and a bike rental program are also in the mix of projects that need serious attention.

There was a significant amount of discussion on each of the five projects above, and at the meeting we agreed to break out into working groups to develop more specific proposals. If you would like to be involved in any of the projects above as part of a working group, email damico@lobv.org.

Time frame? We’re looking at working group meetings for the next month, another group meeting in early March, and then presentation of reports to the city by the end of March.

Any filmmakers out there want to participate in the latest Brewster McCracken gimmick for the “Your City - Your Vision - Your Ad” contest? Burnt Orange Report notes that Brewster is enlisting Robert Rodriguez and Richard Linklater to judge contest entries for a film displaying a vision for Austin. The winner will air as an ad paid for by the campaign, although the campaign says the winning entry will not mention or show any candidates.

I see tailpipes, lots of them, then maybe a moonlight ride with Elvis’s “Little Less Conversation.” If anyone is interested in doing something bicycle heavy, let me know.

For those abbreviation impaired: The League of Bicycling Voters will give a presentation at tonight’s Austin Cycling Association meeting on Project Catapult. More on the project at http://www.lobv.org.

This will be a good opportunity to hear the latest since LOBV’s meeting on Saturday to discuss the project. There will also be a “SHOW-N-TELL.” Bring your bike lights: Long-lasting, super-bright, front lights, rear lights, monkey lights, backup lights, etc.

Essentials:
ACA Meeting
Monday, Feb. 2
7 p.m., LCRA Redbud

LCRA’s Redbud Center, 3601 Lake Austin Blvd (map), Room 108. The parking entrance is immediately west of the intersection of Redbud Trail at Lake Austin Blvd. Room 108 is on the lower level on the south side (lake side) of the building.

5 Projects
5 Months

Would you like to see five significant bicycle projects/programs put in the works in five months? The League of Bicycling Voters would, and we’re going to make it happen.

Attend the first Project Catapult meeting of the year:

Saturday, January 31, from 1-4 p.m. (or however long you can stay)
Bike Texas (Texas Bicycle Coalition), 1902 E. Sixth Street, 78702

Be sure and take the Project Catapult Survey II if you haven’t already. The survey will close on Friday, January 30 at noon. You can find a link to the survey, along with more information on the project, at http://www.lobv.org

Meeting Agenda

I. Project Timeline and Key Dates
II. Review of Survey I and Survey II
III. Review of Proposed Projects
a. Downtown Bike Zone
b. South Austin Bikeway
c. Nueces Bike Boulevard
d. Public Education Program
e. Bicycle Parking Project
IV. Implementation Process
V. Free Beer

All you need to bring is yourself, and a #3 pencil.

Chris Riley’s campaign kickoff drew a huge crowd that packed the back room at Threadgill’s last night and spilled outside into the courtyard. Bicycle Sport Shop provided racks for the many bicyclists on hand. We had representation there from LOBV, ACA, Yellow Bike and many of the shops around town. Additionally, Robin Stallings from Bike Texas (Texas Bicycle Coalition) brought Enrique Peñalosa–the former mayor of Bogota, Colombia–who had spoken at the “Shifting Gears Luncheon” Wednesday. (You can see extensive coverage of this event, which I found extremely inspiring, at Austin Bike Blog. (See: Part 1 and Part 2)

The campaign asked me to say a few words about Chris and his work in the bicycle community. I was one of only two people speaking–apart from the campaign staff–which is an indication of how much importance the campaign is placing on connecting with the bicycling community. Hopefully I can post some links to video and/or photos later.

Jason at ATXBS coverd this immediately, but I thought I’d chime in now to keep this at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts and vision. Our favorite Austin Chronicle bike issues reporter, Dan Mottola, had his Bianchi stolen. See the ATXBS post for the photo and info and be on the lookout!

I’ll be attending this, so expect a comment or phrase reporting back. The Texas Bicycle Coalition is hosting a luncheon with State Senators Rodney Ellis, Jeff Wentworth and Wendy Davis, featuring Enrique Peñalosa, former mayor of Bogotá, Colombia.  A free ride also kicks off at 3 p.m. Buy your $60 tickets and find out more here. TBC’s notes:

Mr. Peñalosa accomplished amazing things as mayor: he built or reconstructed more than 300 kilometers of bike paths, pedestrian streets, and greenways, as well as hundreds of kilometers of sidewalks; created a bus rapid transit system, TransMilenio, that serves 500,000 customers daily; built or improved more than 1,200 parks. He is a true visionary in the field of transportation and urban development, and he made his vision of a Bogotá energized by alternative transit, enhanced public spaces, and sidewalks, bike paths and pedestrian streets a reality.

Mmm…Chew on this. Bicycling continues to be a topic of conversation on the local political scene. We’re seeing more and more discussion in other places (besides LOBV) on the impact of bicyclists on local elections. If you haven’t checked it out before, be sure to keep tabs on Burnt Orange Report, which covers the entire political spectrum from a progressive slant. It has a significant amount of coverage on local elections (including this recent post on Chris Riley and the Bicycle Advisory Committee) and promises more leading into the mayoral and council elections in May.

Also, we’re going to try and keep tabs on the impact bicyclists have on campaign contributions, which comments on this post address.