On February 4, 2022, C4C published its 2022 Program Service Goals. Here’s a mid-year update on C4C’s progress towards those goals.
Donate $30,000 to Boulder County to help pay down the community match segment of the grant for the Boulder – Lyons bikeway study.
In June, 2022, C4C donated $10,000 to Boulder County to help pay down the community match portion of the grant. That leaves a balance of $20,000 for C4C to reach its goal.
C4C’s intention is to donate the $20,000 balance. A disbursement of that size has to be weighed against C4C’s budget and finances. The executive committee and ultimately the board will do that planning work starting now.
Staying involved in the North Foothills (Boulder – Lyons) Path process.
Currently, C4C has reviewed a draft of the request for proposal by Boulder County to contractors interested in doing the feasibility study for the path. C4C’s staff person intends to stay involved throughout the process. The County and C4C share the opinion that if such a hard surface separated path is not sufficient, then Boulder’s large and skilled population of cyclists will not use the path and end up back on US 36 which would defeat the purpose.
This work is ongoing.
Proposing an updated road signage safety standard.
Beginning in 2018 with the case of confusing signage on Lefthand Canyon Drive, C4C has inquired to Boulder County about signage specifically and more generally about safety interventions where the data indicates the need but engineering fixes are costly or impossible.
Boulder County shared an outline of a potential signage update for Lee Hill Drive and Olde Stage Road with C4C in early 2022. It’s not clear what’s happening with that idea. C4C continues to work with the County on ways to turn safety data into actionable improvements.
This has been a slow, hard process.
Exploring an annual donor system for C4C.
After publicizing an annual donor opportunity (see the related slider on the homepage), and thanks to Wholesome Masters Racing for being the first partner to join, this program has not progressed. With new officers on the board of directors who are proposing a reexamination of C4C’s mission and goals, this program will remain in place for the time being until it can be part of that reexamination.
Governmental summary of State laws regarding cycling.
Thanks to Boulder County D.A. Michael Dougherty, C4C and Boulder County are examining current language displayed on the County’s website about cycling related laws and asking if that language could be improved. C4C is proposing to feature cyclists’ rights and duties under the law. Then, to follow with a summary of the special protections and privileges cyclists have as vulnerable users.
Supporting the extension of the 2003-23 Boulder County Transportation Sales Tax to appear on the 2022 November ballot.
C4C would love to see the tax amount go up to $0.0025 or even $0.0075 from its current $0.001, but polling shows support for the tax to stay at its current rate. This tax is not to be fooled with. It covers the basics or the “baseline” funding category in the County. Without it, routine transportation items would become complicated. Let’s get this November’s transportation sales tax renewed.
The reason for C4C wanting more is that the County’s Transportation Master Plan has multiple good or very good improvements that are unfunded. The challenge is to figure out how to fund the valuable improvements for the benefit of everyone in Boulder County. But, first let’s renew the existing tax in order to cover the basics.
Supporting Bicycle Colorado’s SHIFT Driving program.
C4C is excited to see this high quality online educational content emerge from development under the guidance of Bicycle Colorado. Once it does, C4C intends to help spread its use and application. Stay tuned.
Statewide path connectivity.
C4C’s staff person spent a few months exploring the coincidental path construction and planning that’s happening in the region and State. On one hand, there was no way at the time to coordinate the planning meaningfully. On the other hand, a look at Boulder County’s grant application plans shows that hard surface path connectivity is emerging naturally along major commuter roadways.
Imagine separated paths from Longmont to Boulder, Boulder to Westminster, Boulder to Lyons, Lyons to Longmont, Boulder to Louisville/Lafayette, and a path along US 287 too. With JeffCo planning a Golden to Boulder County line path, one could connect to Golden and the Peaks to Plains Trail too.
Alternatives to financial citation penalties.
One thing that would aid enforcement of traffic law is to make citation penalties less punitive but still meaningful. C4C has ongoing discussions with D.A. Dougherty’s office, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, and Boulder County government about this idea. Not an easy fix, this would most likely require legislation too. With elections coming this fall, these discussions are ongoing.
Reviewing C4C’s events.
With its largest single event being Crank It Forward (C4C’s annual fundraising gala) and lots of events in the form of Wednesday Morning Velo, C4C’s board and officers are deliberating, again, about how best to raise funds and serve the community.
Staying involved in Vision Zero.
The City of Boulder started community Vision Zero meetings, that was good. The City handed them to the County, that was better. The pandemic interrupted them but these meetings are really valuable. With the County running these meetings, there are now dozens of entities in the area all coordinating on the topic of safety standards in our built and policy transportation environment. C4C’s staff person attends these meetings but the meetings by themselves, the participants, and the agenda are all a great improvement.
A method to C4C’s madness.
There’s an intention behind C4C’s agenda. Let’s start with education and help drivers and cyclists understand the laws for safety on our shared roads. That’s SHIFT Driving and it should reach people at scale. Let’s be clear about our laws. That’s partnering with the D.A.s office. Don’t be naive, enforcement is needed but it can also be constructive and less punitive at times. That’s supporting the Sheriff’s office and law enforcement.
Engineering outcomes are great but at millions or tens of millions of dollars, let’s support funding but know its limits. Don’t forget though, our transportation environment is a big part of our toughest challenges; land-use, livability, and emissions. If we continue with status-quo roadway policy, our problems are going to get worse.
Safety is important. That’s Vision Zero and being accountable to the data on serious injuries and fatalities. Livability is more important. That’s building a network of paths that are safe for all users and that connect to ways to be active in nature. That’s good living for everyone.
