Louisville Bicycle Club Newsletter — May-June 1997 Make your Voices Heard by Emily Boone

“The Price of Freedom is Eternal Vigilance.” Even though this well-known quote is familiar to most of us, how often do we take the time to implement this with regard to our bicycling rights and privileges that we have today? Why is it even important to be aware of what is happening to the road surfaces or to do anything about transportation policy-making? A few considerations are: A democratic and/or representative government is responsive to those who make their wants known, not to those who keep their wants quiet, silent and hidden. Other interest groups in our communities and nation are strongly voicing their preference for paved surfaces that accommodate only motorized vehicles. They believe that all other means of transportation are impractical and irrelevant. The economic interests, including paving contractors, land developers, vehicle manufacturers, and the fossil fuel corporations, employ lobbyists and other articulate staff to use every opportunity to communicate with transportation policy makers their preference for transportation ONLY by the motorized single occupancy vehicle. Each of us is bicycling’s only voice. If we refuse to communicate to the transportation policy makers, how will they even know that we exist? Why should any dollars (even though the dollars are minuscule) be spent on any bicycle accommodations if an interest group of cycling citizens does not exist? There are many things that can make cycling fun or the “trip from hell.” Many of these roadway design features are small dollar items and frequently no dollars are involved. To name a few: turning drain grated so they do not catch bicycle tires (cost $0), positioning rumble strips so they do not interfere with cycling on the shoulder; implementing the American Association of State Highway and Traffic Officials (AASHTO) guidelines, which includes 13’ curb lanes. When was the last time you used your voice for bicycling? You can express your opinion to the following transportation policy makers for our region. Jim C. Codell, III (1-502-564-4890) Secretary Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Frankfort, KY 40622 John Carr (1-502-564-3730) Deputy State Highway Engineer for Intermodal Planning Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Frankfort, KY 40622 William Seymour (367-6411) Chief District Engineer District 5, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet 977 Phillips Lane, P.O. Box 37090 Louisville, KY 40233

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Copyright ©1997 Louisville Wheelmen last updated: 24 April 1997 by Duc M. Do