The WWBPA is advocating that a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Old Bear Brook and Bear Brook Roads be made more bicycle friendly so it is can better suit the needs of all skill levels of cyclists. On their website they have even created a specific webpage highlighting their advocacy efforts on this particular road project in their town. What is most impressive about their advocacy efforts is their correspondence to their mayor and town council which they again have posted on that special webpage. The letters are very professional and show a high degree of political savvy. They even included a diagram of a ideal bicycle "friendlier" roundabout, which I'm dying to know the source of (Yes I know; dangling participle).
View Larger Map - Site of the proposed roundabout.
When many of us left Denville at the end of the NJ Bicycle Summit back in February, we were told to go out and make a difference in our local communities by every one of the national advocate leaders that came and spoke with us that day. Well, if you want to see a superb New Jersey example of how a local advocacy group stumps for bicycle and pedestrian innovation in their own towns, I can't think of a better group to emulate than WWBPA.
I just hope the Bike&Walk Montclair folks don't take too much offense to my saying that (I hear they have a "bike lane fairy").
I just hope the Bike&Walk Montclair folks don't take too much offense to my saying that (I hear they have a "bike lane fairy").
Nicely done WWBPA! This is why we wanted highlight the WWBPA at the summit. Community advocates take note--This is local advocacy in action!
ReplyDeleteAndy, no offense taken at your compliment to WWBPA. (The BLF reference is another story - but I suppose I set myself up for that.)
ReplyDeleteWWBPA has been Bike&Walk Montclair's inspiration - as has everyone working so hard to make NJ bike-friendly. That's part of our job, right? To encourage each other.
All I can say is thanks for setting the bar - well deserved kudos to WWBPA!
LT
From the WWBPA, thank you very much for your kind words, we do our best and walk in the large footsteps of those preceding us.
ReplyDeleteThe roundabout diagram came from a web search yielding California's design standards - the main difference from the national diagram is the angle of the ramp between the bike lane and the shared use path.
JF
I'm not surprised that that diagram came from California. Like with many other things, California is (in my opinion) a leader in bicycle facility design.
ReplyDelete