Awkward stalker photo from another community’s bike/ped count
In early September, Provo City joined other communities around the US to count people biking and walking as part of the National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project. The goal of the project is to provide estimates of people biking and walking in a certain area as well as track changes over time.
We hope to work with Provo City on this next year (and the year after, and the year after…) and see an increase in the number of people biking and walking as our community builds more compact, mixed-use development as well as quality bike infrastructure.
If you’re a data nerd, you’re going to love this data.
We have a vision for a new 300 West: a low-stress bicycle boulevard that connects people on bike and foot with UTA’s Provo Central station, Amtrak, Franklin neighborhood, Provo City Hall, downtown, Timp neighborhood, Provo Rec Center, IHC’s Utah Valley Hospital, Provo River Trail, and so much more.
To bring it about, we will be making temporary changes to the street to show Provo City and its residents how safe and friendly this street can be. This is called tactical urbanism.
But we can’t do any of this without your help. Here’s what you can do:
The project will begin at 8pm on Friday, July 26 and we will paint through the night. Please attend and invite your friends! Together we can demonstrate a low-speed bikeway that safely connects people on bike and foot to major destinations and show the city how good it can be. Join us!
According to US Census Bureau, about 15% of all trips to work and school in Provo are done on foot or on bike–the highest percentage in the state by far (the average is 4%). However, our streets are designed primarily for the rapid flow of motor vehicles. Provo needs safe streets designed for people–adults and children, including those with disabilities–walking, biking, and rolling to their destinations.
Our ask is simple–that $100,000 of Provo City’s streets budget be dedicated to small street design changes that make it safer to bike and walk. With the new quarter-cent sales tax increase going to transportation, that will be less than 3% of the current streets budget.
These projects will literally save lives. After 14-year old Caleb Lane was killed walking to the Rec Center, Provo City installed a safe crosswalk that cost about $50,000. $100,000 will allow Provo to do two similar projects per year, this time beforetragedies happen.
On September 26, 2018 Mayor Kaufusi sat on a panel of mayors and county comissioners that talked about their successes in promoting active transportation. Mayor Kaufusi showed this great video about UVX.
Kaufusi noted that UVX ridership has increased by 400% since BYU’s fall semester started. Over 9,000 people rode it to the BYU football game right before the summit!
She then doubled-down on her support of active transportation:
Yesterday Donald Shoup (aka Shoup Dogg) came to the Salt Lake Valley to speak about our current parking issues and how we can solve them.
Shoup suggests two main things:
Abolish minimum parking requirements
Charge the right price for parking
He argues that if cities can do these two things, there will be enough parking where people need it; not too little where they want it and too much where it’s not needed.
See this wonderful video to learn more! If you want to get really nerdy, buy his book with the same title.
A month or two ago, we told you about the major improvements that were being planned for Bulldog Boulevard. These improvements would dramatically improve safety for a road that is seven times more deadly than average, beautify this ugly street, and, as council member Dave Sewell put it, save lives. However, those improvements may not happen without your voice.
Sadly, many residents intend to keep this street the high-speed, wide-open road is now is. This would maintain the high level of traffic crashes–more than seven times the state average–and continue to discourage cycling. These people have already blasted the city council with messaging in opposition of the project. What do they oppose? An increased car travel time of only four seconds in one direction and forty seconds in the other during peak traffic hours. That’s a small price to pay for safety.
Because of that opposition, the council is split on the decision to fund the project. Currently, three of the seven council members are opposed to the project and one is still undecided. This is too close to call.
We need your voice!
Tomorrow, the city council will be discussing this project and potentially making a decision on wether it should go through or not. Here’s what you can do:
Attend the City Council Work Meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, June 19) and voice your support. We estimate the City Council will begin talking about Bulldog Boulevard at 2:20pm.
Email the City Council to voice your support of the project if you cannot attend. Send your message to council@provo.org. Key talking points in support of the project include safety improvements and city beautification. If you drive a car on that road, please mention how unsafe it feels in a car currently.
Don’t wait!Your inaction could cause this project to fail. Join us in voicing your support today!
We’re starting off the new year by welcoming Provo’s new mayor, Michelle Kaufusi.
Last month (despite being extraordinarily busy after taking office early) Mayor Kaufusi took the time to sit down with representatives of the Provo Bicycle Committee. We’re delighted to report that she invited us to continue our role as the mayor’s official committee.
Mayor Kaufusi was particularly interested in listening to our stories and finding ways that she could best help Provo become a safer, more welcoming place to ride a bicycle or walk.
A few weeks later, we were tickled when one of the new mayor’s first videos featured her taking the lane on two wheels…
When Mayor Curtis first took office eight years ago, bicycling was almost never mentioned. Now, it’s taken seriously in Provo and throughout the state as a way to encourage quality of life, improve our air, and create great neighborhoods for our families. Mayor Curtis took bicycling into the Provo mainstream, and we have high hopes that Mayor Kaufusi will be able to make Provo one of the best cities for cycling in the West!
Thank you for your (almost magical) advocacy for Provo residents who walk and ride bicycles in the city.
Eight years ago, a small group approached you and asked if they could work towards making Provo more bicycle-friendly. You invited us to become the mayor’s Provo Bicycle Committee.
Since then, you’ve worked in public and in private to make our streets safer for all road users, including kids headed to school, bicycle commuters, moms pushing strollers, and BYU students.
As you’re headed to Washington, we just wanted to let you know one thing. We remember.
Remember when you made it a priority to understand our concerns by riding your bicycle to work on Provo’s streets for 100 days in a year? We remember.
Remember when state agencies told us there was no way of getting bike lanes on University Ave? But, just before the project was finalized, the lanes showed up in the plan anyway? We remember.
Remember when you were willing to stand up (in spite of push-back) for trying new things? Like the city’s first bicycle-friendly intersection or the buffered bicycle lanes soon coming to Bulldog Boulevard? We remember.
Remember when your family rode a bicycle in the Independence Day Parade and invited community cyclists to join in the fun? We remember.
Remember when you hosted Bike-to-School Week, Clear-the-Air Challenges, and all of the Bike-to-Work Weeks. We remember.
Remember when you always heard us out, even when we weren’t the most patient? We remember.
Remember when you took a Taco Crawl throughout downtown on a tandem? We remember.
Remember all the little and big risks you took to make streets safer for all of us? We won’t forget.
Thank you, Mayor Curtis.
Sincerely,
So many families, students, children, seniors, and people who enjoy Provo’s streets.
This month, the League of American Bicyclists announced that Provo has improved its ranking as a Bicycle Friendly Community to silver up from bronze, which we achieved four years ago. Of the 103 communities recognized in this round, Provo was just one of four to move up in rank. Provo now ranks among around 100 communities ranked at the platinum (5), gold (25), and silver (about 70) level.
Notably the League highlighted the leadership of Mayor John Curtis and the advocacy of our committee in its press release:
“Several communities stood out for the on-bike examples of their mayors and for their recognition of how bicycling can bring people together. Provo, UT, moved from a Bronze to a Silver award. Mayor John Curtis has become an avid road cyclist and a regular bike commuter since he was elected mayor — committing to ride 100 days during the year. Through his commitment and the efforts of the Provo Bicycle Committee, there has been a sharp increase in political and community support of bicycling in Provo.”
In the coming weeks, I will share some of the feedback we received from the League about how we can continue to make Provo even more bicycle-friendly, but for now let’s celebrate this recognition and thank everyone who helped make Provo a better place to live, beginning with Mayor Curtis and the folks in Public Works, Community Development, Parks, and the Police Department, as well as you, the members of the Provo Bicycle Committee!
Grab your bikes, trikes, boards, skates, and scooters and ride on down to the grand opening of Provo’s Lakeview Parkway! The new westside connector is about to open and to celebrate we’re hosting a non-motorized All-Wheels Festival! This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the open road and take advantage of the brand new corridor. Pedal on over to 1100 West and 1560 South on Wednesday, October 12 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm for a once-in-a-lifetime event!
Grant opening celebration with giant inflatable arch, candy cannon shooting off delicious treats, countdown from the crowd, and an official ribbon cutting.
Decorate your ride contest with prizes forthe most creative, craziest, cutest, and best decorated forms of transportation.
Free hot chocolate for the first 200 riders.
Food truck round-up… so come hungry!
Bounce house madness with a Challenge Obstacle Course, 25-foot Dual Lane Mega Slide, and Castle Bounce House.
Free bike tune-ups and registration. Everest Bike Repair, Provo’s newest bike repair shop will be offering free bike tune-ups to anyone who brings their bicycle to the event. Provo City will be offering free bicycle licensing (to help track down your bicycle should it get lost or stolen).
