My biggest bicycle worry -- the U of M
Today, a reporter from the Minnesota Daily asked me if I was worried about the recent drop off in bicycling commuting according to the latest Census estimates. I told him that I’m more worried about what is happening right now at the U of M.
The U of M is where I learned to bicycle for utility. And I’m not alone. It is a huge generator of present and future bicyclists. If we make it harder to bike at the U, we lose bicyclists now and in the future.
A few weeks back, Lesley posted a blog here about the challenges of east-west biking through the heart of the U of M campus after new signs made clear what has actually long been true–you can’t bike on most of the main paths in the heart of campus.
Well, things have gotten worse. $115 worse to be precise. Police are now ticketing bicyclists who bike 4 mph through the dismount zone rather than walk it or go 4 blocks out of their way. I believe that’s a bigger punishment than the last 6 drivers who killed bicyclists in Minneapolis received.
I think that something is wrong with that picture.
Bill Lindeke offers an amazing satirical, but too-true assessment of the situations in two parts on his blog (part 1 and part 2).
I think that the U needs to immediately figure out a legal way for bicyclists to get through the heart of campus. I know campus is a mess with LRT construction. But they put in new roads last year to make sure that everyone can still drive to campus. I think they should make this a priority too. They have made some good bicycle improvements this year (green lanes on Pleasant), but this overshadows those good things in many ways for me. Even some signage to nearby legal routes on Church Street would help a lot.
Oh, and too much of their “safety is easy, the pavement is hard” campaign seems to be saying “it is really not very safe to bike. It’s mostly really safe to bike, especially at the U. It can and should be made safer, for bikes and peds. But we shouldn’t be working to convince students that they should really be driving to campus because biking isn’t safe.
Don’t get me wrong, I do think we need to do more to get bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists to be safer and more aware as they get around the U. I just would rather the focus be a little more balanced and a little less focused on bicyclists on the Scholars Walk. And if you are going to crack down there, why not a $30 ticket that is more in line with the relative size of the crime? I would like to see a crack down on drivers failing to yield to peds/bikes or passing too closely or speeding on University Ave. Maybe that’s happening. Anyone know?
Am I too sensitive? Is this bicycle access enough through campus? Are students made of thicker skin (and wallets) than I imagine? Let me have it in the comments!
(Note: the Bicycle Coalition has not yet taken a position on this issue; these comments are my own.)
Seeking Board Applicants
Do you want to help Minneapolis become more bicycle friendly?
The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition is seeking applicants for its Board of Directors. See after the jump for more information.
If you are interested, please send to [email protected] a resume and 1-2 pages that answer at least the following questions:
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Why are you interested in serving on the Board? -
What areas of expertise and what experience would you bring to the Board? -
What contributions do you feel that you can make on the Board?
Application Deadline: Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Process: A subset of the Board will review applications, interview candidates as needed, and make a recommendation to the full Board to consider at the November Board meeting. All candidates will receive final word in early November.
Thank you for your interest!
What it means to be a Coalition Board member
The Coalition has a “working board,” which means that Board members help drive much of the work of the organization. The current Board has 18 members, 4 of whom will be stepping down after the November meeting. The maximum size we consider for the Board is 21.
Board members make governance decisions and perform tasks in the best interest of the Coalition in fitting with the mission, vision, and core values. Board members perform at least the following tasks that are expected to take a minimum of 8 hours a month:
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Regularly attend a Board meeting once every other month (likely to continue to be on the first Tuesday from 6-8pm) and review related materials; -
Actively participate in at least one work group beyond the standard Board meetings; -
Work to help update and implement the Coalition’s strategic plan, which will be updated with 2012 work focus areas with the help of new and existing Board members; -
Support key Coalition initiatives as needed; and -
Offer personal outreach as appropriate to stakeholders and generally further the reputation of the organization. -
Board members serve two-year terms, with an option for a one-year term upon request. Terms will begin at the January 4, 2012 Board meeting.
Some key 2012 Board decisions include deciding on 2012 priority work areas, budget, fundraising goals, and if or when to hire any paid staff to support the Coalition’s effort. This is an important year.
Specific Skills and Qualities the Coalition is Seeking
The Coalition is looking for people who have a positive passion for bicycling in Minneapolis and are ready and willing to get to work. Some skills or connections we are especially looking for at this time include:
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fundraising and marketing; -
organizing and volunteer management; -
event planning; -
finance and tax; -
nonprofit governance and legal; -
connections to bicycle businesses or bicycle-friendly businesses; -
connections to large Minneapolis companies; -
connections to immigrant communities; -
connections to low-income communities; -
connections to youth or college student communities; and -
residents from North and Northeast Minneapolis.
