NCBC meeting notes - April '00

Scott Lane, administrator of the Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, spoke to a group of 13 club members at the April meeting. Club president Ted Korab presided.

Triangle Greenways Council proposal discussed

Member Bruce Rosar opened the business part of the meeting. Bruce has been discussing a proposal by Sig Hutchinson of the Triangle Greenways Council for Bicycle Transportation Corridors into Research Triangle Park. Mr. Hutchinson would like to include NCBC as a sponsor of this proposal. Bruce has suggested the following four improvements:
- Wide (14 feet minimum)outside through lanes
- Traffic signal timing & actuation (include bicycles as a design vehicle)
- Pavement as free of irregularities as practicable
- Replacement of any hazardous drainage grate covers

Bruce requested that the club withhold its approval pending the incorporation of these improvements into the proposal. After discussion, Bruce agreed to make his proposal to TGC and bring its response back to the NCBC membership for a decision.

Club out of financial trouble “for now”

Club president Ted Koreb and treasurer Henri Thomas reviewed the March financial report. (See box.) Ted pointed out that Spring Rally director Jack Powell had personally solicited $362.50 in donations to the club for Spring Rally expenses. These donations, combined with other income, have taken the club “out of financial trouble for now,” said Ted. Ted and Henri said that in the future a budget will be required for all club expenses, including rallies, the web site, and the newsletter.

CAMPO administrator explains local transportation needs, plans

Ted introduced Scott Lane, administrator of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), as the April speaker. Lane handed out copies of a recent newsletter that explains the Transportation Plan Update 2025, which addresses the future growth of the Wake County transportation network. The plan is the work of CAMPO’s Transportation Advisory Committee. According to the committee, “Triangle residents can expect:
- high growth in population;
- high growth rate for jobs;
- land use patterns that result in increasing reliance on cars; and
- more single-occupancy vehicles.”

Describing the types of transportation used in Wake County, Lane said that “this area is one of the most one-sided areas I’ve ever worked in in the country.  94% of the trips made are made by automobile, and 70% of those trips are by a single rider.” The committee has been informally surveying Wake County residents about their perceptions of transportation needs and solutions. Lane said they had gotten some surprising results. “The number 1 issue is the environment, followed by mobility,” he said. “The majority of the people surveyed said that they would spend $100/year per household for transportation improvements. Even with additional funds, it will still be hard to make improvements because of the county’s rapid growth rate.

Lane suggests a Bicycling and Walking Advisory Committee and “Cyclists/Pedestrians Bill of Rights” The bad news is that biking and walking improvements ranked near the bottom of the survey results. Also low were bicyclist and pedestrian safety improvements. Lane pointed out that CAMPO needed the services of a volunteer Bicycling and Walking Advisory Committee as cycling and walking advocates. This group would be responsible for administrative work such as setting up meetings and would bring cycling and walking issues to CAMPO.

Jack Powell spoke forcefully about the need for changes to the way housing subdivisions and shopping centers are built. “My work takes me to a lot of homes where I see adults’ and children’s bikes hanging unused in the garage,” Jack said that, when asked, most people say that there’s nowhere they can ride safely. Their subdivisions all exit onto a big highway and there are no connections to other subdivisions. Local shopping centers are only accessible from busy roads, never from the rear.

In response, Lane suggested that we write down what needs to be done – a “Cycling/Pedestrian Bill of Rights” - and then get the club members and others to sign the proposals. He said he could get 80% Federal matching funds for a project like this, so $500 from the club would get $2500 in matching funds, enough to pay for 50 hours of his staff’s time. This time would be spent writing the “Bill of Rights” in a form such that ordinances could be easily derived. “The time may be right for something like this,” he said. Lane promised his help if the club wants to proceed with this suggestion.