|
Advocacy News
National
Bike Summit
By Dave Janis
Bicycle Alliance of Washington
The
2007 National Bike Summit was held March 13-16 in Washington DC and
brought together a record 430 stakeholders. It is organized by the
League of American Bicyclists. While there were a variety of
workshops and presentations, the primary focus was on lobbying
congress on several issues. I made appointments and coordinated
visits with all nine Washington congressional officials. Seven
people from Washington attended.
The focus of the lobbying was on several issues, one which needs
public support at this time. The Bicycle Commuter Act would extend
the transportation fringe benefit, currently available to transit
users and car drivers, to bicycle commuters. The legislation would
provide a tax benefit to employers who offer cash reimbursements to
an employee who commutes by bicycle, while helping defray the costs
of commuting for the bicyclist.
Legislation in
the House and Senate is still in the respective committees (Ways and
Means in the House and Finance in the Senate). It is hoped that
this legislation will be added as an amendment to a larger tax
package which is expected to be voted on during a Finance Committee
hearing on June 20. Contact your Senator and Congressman in support
of this bill.
Bicycle
Rider Found at Fault
By Gary J. Strauss, Attorney
Bicycle Alliance of Washington Board Member
In an April
decision on Borromeo v. Shea, No. 58221-6 (April 30, 2007) the
state Court of Appeals found a cyclists at fault for an accident in
which the bicyclist was riding in a bike lane but in the direction
opposed to the flow of traffic. He was injured when he was hit by a
car turning onto the roadway from a parking lot. The jury found the
driver not negligent.
The Court of
Appeals holds that, although the statutes pertaining to the duties
of bicyclists are not a model of clarity, the trial court properly
instructed the jury as to the duties of both driver and cyclist
under the statutes and the evidence supports the verdict.
Under state law,
a bicycle is a vehicle. A roadway is "that portion of a highway
improved, designed, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel,
exclusive of the sidewalk or shoulder even though such sidewalk or
shoulder is used by persons riding bicycles."
Thus, unlike a
multiuse trail or a crosswalk, a bicycle lane adjacent to regular
traffic lanes is both designed and ordinarily used for vehicular
travel, and is thus part of the roadway.
|
|
Mercer
Island Police Patrols
By Mercer Island Police Department
Better weather brings out more bicyclists and Mercer Island police
officers are seeing an increase in dangerous car/bicycle
interactions. Two of the more common violations observed are
bicycles not stopping for stop signs or lights and cars passing
bicyclists in unsafe areas. The Mercer Island Police Department will
be stepping up education and enforcement efforts throughout the
summer.
Bicyclists and
motorists are reminded that when a bicycle is riding on the roadway,
the cyclist has all of the rights and responsibilities of a vehicle
driver (RCW 46.61.755). Additional information regarding applicable
laws can be found at
http://www.bicyclealliance.org/safety/rcw.html.
Trail
News
Construction Near Interurban Trail
The County’s
portion of the Interurban Trail corridor along I-5 in south
Snohomish County is located on easements through, or across, private
properties not owned by Snohomish County Parks or Public Works.
At 160th
St. SW & Meadow Road (just north of 164th
St. in South County) the Interurban Trail crosses one of these
private ownerships which is scheduled for development into
condominiums this summer.
County Parks is
currently working with the property owner & developer, Sundquist
Homes, in exploring alternative routes of travel to keep the trail
connection open for the public. The designated routes of travel will
be signed with directional and instructional messages for the trail
users. For information, contact Patrick Kenyon, Senior Park Planner,
pkenyon@co.snohomish.wa.us,
(425) 388-6620.
Trestle
Trail Part of Detour Route
The
State Department of Transportation closed the bike path under the
trestle for two days in May to “keep bicyclists safe while we pave
eastbound 20th Street SE.” The road under the trestle will be used
as a detour route during construction this summer and it was paved
to hold up under the extra traffic.
During the majority of Hwy. 2 trestle work this summer,
the bike path will be open in both directions.
You can find more information at:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/US2/EbeyIslandBridge Repair.
You can also
sign up for updates on WSDOT projects in Snohomish County:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Northwest/Snohomish/Emailupdate
|
