Advocacy & Safety - Advocacy: If You Could Sit Down With Someone in Power...

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Glenn1234
06-06-08, 11:09 AM
If you could sit down with someone and talk about advocacy in terms of planning routes for MUPs or other "trails" planning, what points would you bring up with them? I think I might have the chance to do that soon, and I have my ideas, but I'm wondering how some of the more experienced folks would approach a chance like this - or already have?

Bekologist
06-06-08, 11:19 AM
MUPs can serve as a part of a valuable transportation network for bicyclists. MUPs do NOT substitute for bicyclist friendly streets, they should supplemment them.

There should be good connectivity from MUPs to on road bike routes and bike laned roads.

look at cities like Denver for a good example of an American MUP path network that serves transportational cycling well.
genec
06-06-08, 11:20 AM
Tell them to remember bikes can and do reach 20MPH easily... make MUPs 10 feet wide for bidirectional traffic and ease of maintenance and police patrol. Use wide radius turns. Make sure they go somewhere. Trails to nowhere tend to be underused.

Tell them to go to Oulu Finland in the summer and rent a bike.