Auto-Free New York

Veep To Target Beeps
At a meeting of the Democratic Leadership Council in December, Vice President Al Gore unveiled the issues he will prominently feature in his all-but-declared presidential run. High on the list of objectives singled out by Mr. Gore were "containing suburban sprawl and reducing the traffic jams that induce road rage."
-The New York Times

Canadian Report: Cyclists Should Come First
Toronto's Regional Coroner has recommended that Canada's highway laws be changed to give cyclists precedence over drivers. In a report reviewing 38 Toronto cycling deaths over an 11-year period, Dr. William Lucas concluded that "the concept of motorized vehicles yielding to non-motorized vehicles seems to be a common sense rule which should be accepted by all road users. Entrenching this principle [would] likely significantly reduce risk of injury and death." Dr. Lucas also urged the installation of "side guards" on large trucks and buses to prevent cyclists from being pulled under the vehicles' rear wheels. Such guards are mandatory on large vehicles in several European countries. The Lucas report is Canada's first epidemiological study of cycling casualties. U.S. officials have ignored demands for similar studies.
-The Toronto Star

You've Got Bad Air
Some southern California residents will soon be alerted to dangerous air pollution conditions via beepers. Officials plan to issue Stage 1 smog alerts over free personal pagers to 50 Los Angeles-area residents, warning them to stay indoors during bad air episodes. They seek to learn if the system is useful for coaches, joggers and those who have respiratory problems. If the pilot program is successful, the service will be offered for a monthly fee of about $8 to pager users.
-The Los Angeles Times

San Francisco Backs 'Clean' Transportation
Bike commuting in San Francisco just got more refreshing. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a plan to amend the city's building code to guarantee bike commuters a place to shower, change and park their bikes. The new law requires all parking garages to provide bike parking. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition estimates that 14,000 commuters cycle to work each morning. SFBC credits sustained pressure on decision makers, including regular Critical Mass rides.
-San Francisco Chronicle & SFBC

Where Walking Shoes Pay
The Aberdeen, Scotland, City Council is considering paying its staff members to walk. Currently, the council reimburses staffers traveling on official business 13 pence per mile if they ride a bike, 16.1 pence per mile if they travel by motorcycle, and 51.9 pence per mile if they use a car. Said Peter Cockhead, the council's director of planning: "We are flagging up a whole series of options to encourage people to travel green and to cut down on congestion on our roads . . . [a] walking mileage allowance could be considered for short journeys." A sharp increase in the bicycle allowance is also being proposed. The council already has a bike pool for staffers who need to borrow a bike.
-Pednet

Grand Canyon Minus the Grand Cherokee
It's becoming easier and easier to view the nation's most famous natural attraction from something other than a car window. U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater recently announced funding for a new 5-mile hiking and biking trail along the rim of the Grand Canyon. The new trail will complement a planned light-rail transit system designed to curb vehicle congestion at Grand Canyon National Park.
-The Salt Lake Tribune

Plan-full in Seattle
The City of Seattle, Washington, recently adopted its Transportation Strategic Plan (TSP), a long-range collaborative document designed to achieve the City's goal "to make Seattle a city where streets and bridges are well-maintained, where transit, walking and bicycling are convenient and attractive, and where we are less dependent on cars for transportation needs." The TSP will also play a lead role in protecting the character and livability of Seattle neighborhoods. Copies are available from the City's Strategic Planning Office, 600 Fourth Avenue, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98104 or by calling 206/684-8080, or on the web at www.pan.ci.seattle.wa.us/seattle/td/tsp/strategy.htm.
-City of Seattle

A Real 'Park Avenue'
An engineer has proposed that the Washington State city of Lacy's Woodland "pave" one if its streets with grass to help spare salmon from storm-water runoff. Thomas Holz estimates the natural surface would decrease the amount of pollutant-carrying storm water runoff by 70 percent to 80 percent. "It really fits into everything that's happening now," agreed City Council Utilities Committee Chair Jim Weber. "We were thinking, 'What an identity-the first community in the country to have a grass boulevard.'"
-Portland Oregonian

Share-a-Bike Is Revived
Amsterdam, often called a cycling paradise, is employing a modern technology to revive an idealistic 1960s program. Starting in 1999, 750 white bicycles will be available for shared use. Commuters will borrow a bicycle outside one establishment, pedal to a destination and leave the bike there for the next cyclist. Back in the 60s a similar program ended when thieves took advantage of the goodwill. This time around, though, the bikes will be released from electronic locks only when riders insert "smart cards," which will automatically register the bikes in their names.
-The New York Times

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