Action Need to Pass: NYS Assemby Bill A01863 Titled: Enables safe access to public roads for all users
cyclotour
(also runners & walkers)
The New York Bicycling Coalition (www.nybc.net)
The only State Wide Bicycling Organization Representing Your Interests in Albany
Needs Your Help! Yeah! Your help!
With your help, during the 2010 NYS Legislative session the Vulnerable Road Users and Safe Passing bills were signed in law.
In 2011, the New York Bicycling Coalition has already helped to defeat the Bicycle Licensing Bill before it even reached the Legislative Transportation Committees.
Once again we need your help to pass
The Coalition, AARP, Transportation Alternatives (NYC), Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Sierra Club etc. are advocating for the passage of the bill A01863: A Bill/Law Enables safe access to public roads for all users commonly called the Complete Streets bill, during the NYS Legislature’s current Session
Assembly
bill A01863 is NOT EVEN OUT OF THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE and
Assemblyman Gantt is A01863's Primary Sponsor & Chair of the
Transportation Committee!
TELEPHONE Assemblyman Gantt in Rochester 585 454-7680, in Albany 518-455-5606, and request him to have the Transportation Committee report out a positive vote for "Assembly Bill A01863, Enables safe access to public roads for all users" to be voted "for" on by the entire Assembly.
Call Assemblyman Joseph Morelle, 585 467-0410 & in Albany 518-455-5373, Ass't. Chair of the Assembly Ways & Means Committee & Chair of the Monroe County Democratic Committee. Ask Assemblyman Morelle (or his aide) to request Assemblyman Gantt to favorably (positively) report out Assembly Bill A01863 for a vote by the entire Assembly.
Assemblyman Morelle's district is Irondequoit & the north western part of the City as well as a bit of Webster & Penfield (I think).
For good measure call Assembly Speaker Silver's Offices too: in NYC: 212-312-1420; In Albany: 518-455-3791
DO NOT forget to tell the aide your name and city where you live.
This sounds complicated but it isn't. Just call both the Rochester offices & the Albany offices of Gantt & Morelle.
Email the NYBC, br...@nybc.net after contacting your legislators.
We will follow up your telephone call with another set of calls as well as personal visits to your legislator in Albany or locally.
These bills specify that:
1. Transportation improvement plans are to consider the safety, access, and mobility needs of all users, regardless mode of transportation (bicycles, feet), age, and ability when planning new or improving transportation facilities (roads, bridges, trails, sidewalks, railroads, buses, ferries, terminals, etc.)
2. No allocation of State or local funds is needed for implementation of these bills when they become law.
These bills, if enacted, will help bicyclists by having transportation agencies routinely consider:
1. The need for bicycle lanes; bike racks; stop lines at cross walks (i.e., the so called but unmarked in NYS, green box at lights), sidewalks, crosswalks, curb cuts, bus shelters, share the road signs; etc.
2. Bicycle carriage (unboxed) facilities in plans for passenger railroad & inter-city bus service in NYS.
3. Bicycle parking facilities are considered when planning for public (partially tax funded private) building projects.
4. Bicycle racks on municipal buses, Etc.
Other important information:
A. The NYS Department of Transportation does not object to the provisions of these bills. For the NYS DOT and the MPOs (Metropolitan [Transportation] Planning Organizations) these bills are a codification of current policies considering bicycling and pedestrian facilities when making transportation plans.
B. Bicycling has 2 three sentence paragraphs in the 2009 NYS DOT Transportation Plan).
C. These bills will encourage counties, local villages, towns, & cities to include bicycle and pedestrian improvements in their local transportation plans. (Canandaigua City just passed such a plan.)
D. These bills, A01863 & S1332 have exactly the same language, important for swift passage of these bills into law.