Biking makes sense therefore planning and infrastructure improvements should follow.

My boys and I participated in the 7 mile Bike Ride Around Dunwoody presented by the Dunwoody Preservation Trust and the proceeds from the ride were donated to the City and held in a special fund that will be used to designate bike lanes here in the City of Dunwoody.

With a little planning and wise infrastructure improvements the City of Dunwoody could be a much improved walkable and bikeable community which could connect us to our neighboring cities and the world beyond. The City of Dunwoody is still in its infancy but long term goals are being set and now we also need to be planning on how these goals will be fulfilled.

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Ray LaHood has made bicycle transportation a priority and he details on his blog the financial backing that this administration is putting towards the issue. The City of Dunwoody has already put forward a $500,000 grant application with Kingsley Elementary on the related issue of Safe Routes to Schools and will be exploring the issue of Complete Streets in the coming months as part of our Comprehensive Planning Process which will assist us in applying for bicycle related infrastructure improvements.

Ray LaHood blog entry...

Bicycling was one of the earliest beneficiaries of stimulus funding, with portions of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act explicitly devoted to bicycling, and this department has been very active in getting that funding out the door. States must spend 3 percent of their allocation on the Transportation Enhancements program, which is a primary source of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure funding. The remainder of the “highway” money also creates an opportunity to build complete streets. All of the highway funding is flexible, and bicycle and pedestrian projects are eligible. The 3 percent in Transportation Enhancements is a floor not a ceiling. 30 percent of a state’s allocation is sub-allocated to urbanized areas, where commuting by bicycle is most likely.

$3.1 billion is provided for the Energy Efficiency and Block Grant Program, which provides formula funding to cities, counties, and states to undertake a range of energy efficiency activities. One eligible use of funding is for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. $1 billion is provided for the Community Development Block Grants program, which provides formula funding to cities and counties that meet certain criteria to undertake community improvement activities. One eligible use of funding is for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

Safety and connectivity are also large goals of the biking community therefore I am happy to promote the following two items.

• Georgia Bike Sense: A Guide for Cyclists and Motorists Safety

The Guide is intended to teach cyclists and motorists how to safely and legally share the road. It provides guidance on technique, rules of the road, trail etiquette, safety and also contains a listing of local, state and national bicycle resources.

To receive a booklet in the mail, please e-mail bikeped@dot.ga.gov, or call the State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator at (404) 631-1778. Due to budget constraints, the Department requires that you arrange to pick up large quantities of the guides at one of our depositories around the state. http://www.dot.state.ga.us/travelingingeorgia/bikepedestrian/Pages/Safety.aspx

• Connecting Dunwoody to Roswell with a bridge

Proposed Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge at Morgan Falls
Public Meeting: Thursday, April 30, 2009
7 - 9 PM Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell