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Letter to Gov Hobbs

The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, along with the Rob Dollar Foundation, was well as national organizations People For Bike, and the League of American Bicyclists sent a letter to Gov. Hobb’s Transportation Policy Advisor today regarding certain pending legislation, which we believe would have a negative impact on bicyclists and the traveling public.

More details about the individual bills now pending can be found here.

You can read the letter to the Governor here.

April 20, 2023
Julieta Cruz
Transportation Policy Advisor to Governor Katie Hobbs
via email

Dear Ms. Cruz,

We are calling on Governor Hobbs to veto certain transportation related 
bills -- should they reach her desk -- that would limit the ability of 
the Arizona Department of Transportation and Arizona counties, cities, 
and towns, to make our streets and roadways safer for all road users. 
Governor Hobb's veto will preserve safe options for all Arizonans who 
walk, bike, and roll, as well as protecting Arizona’s environmental future, 
and keeping our state from financial risk.

Details are in the attached letter; can you pass along to the Governor?

Please feel free to reach me via email or by calling me at xxx-xxx-xxxx

Thank you,

Ed Beighe
President
Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists

Co-signed by
Lisa Langfoss
Board of Directors
Rob Dollar Foundation

As well as national organizations:
Kyler Blodgett
State & Local Policy Analyst
PeopleForBikes Coalition

Ken McLeod
Policy Director
The League of American Bicyclists

.

Arizona Legislation 2023

[The Coalition sent a letter to Gov. Hobbs’ office on April 20, 2023 regarding some of these bills]

Arizona’s 56th Legislature – 1st Regular Session is now in full swing. Below is a brief guide to following legislation in Arizona… For the nuts-and-bolts of how a bill becomes law, the multiple “readings”, and the COW, and so forth, see e.g. this document from azleague.org

Continue reading Arizona Legislation 2023

Meet Michael Kuzel

Mike joined the Coalition board in 2022:

Mr. Michael Kuzel has lived in the Phoenix metropolitan area for over 34 years, having moved to Tempe to attend Arizona State University. One of the most important items he brought with him was his road bicycle. As a teenager, he began riding for transportation and Mike has continued his lifelong love of bicycles and bicycling, riding for exercise, transportation, to spend time with his family, as well as participating in sanctioned races and citizens rides.

Mike has obtained degrees in bioengineering, industrial engineering and applied psychology. He has obtained the professional designations of Professional Engineer, Certified Human Factors Professional, and Road Safety Professional. Mike is a League of America Bicyclists Certified Instructor (LCI) and an American Bicycling Education Association Cycling Savvy Instructor.

Mike has found ways to incorporate aspects of bicycling into his education and his professional career. The research he conducted for his master’s degree in Applied Psychology involved using a driving simulator in studying driver overtaking maneuvers of cyclists with different types of facilities and road conditions. Mike has also been a member of the City of Scottsdale Transportation Commission (3 years) and Paths and Trails Subcommittee (six years).

Currently, Mike manages his own safety engineering consultancy, is a faculty associate at Arizona State University in the Ira A Fulton School of Engineering and is a Safety Program Associate for the Maricopa Association of Governments. Since 2011, Mike has participated as the human factors expert on teams conducting safety assessments of intersections and roadways throughout the State of Arizona. His role on these teams often involves providing insight relating to the needs and experiences of bicycle riders. Mike’s current work with MAG involves providing his expertise to the See Me AZ program that promotes bicycle and pedestrian safety, involvement in conducting safe routes to schools studies, and conducting road safety assessments.

Mike believes that cycling safety is best increased through education of riders and drivers alike. Infrastructure changes, such as bike lanes, are slow and costly, while modifications to behavior, based on principles founded in safety education programs can have an immediate and lasting effect to reduce risk of crashes for cyclists of all types and ages.

Meet Billy Boyles

Billy Boyles joined the Coalition board in 2022:

First and foremost, I’ve been a biker since I was ten years old. I was the first kid in my school to own a ‘road’ bike, with ten speeds and the drop-down handlebars. Later, I would work as a bicycle courier in Washington D.C. Now I’m 65 and I don’t own a vehicle, most of the time I convey myself on a ten-year-old Specialized Rock Hopper.

I’m retired after 30 years from the Information Technology field and I spend my time writing crazy fiction novels and serials. I’ve got experience with many of the urban bicycle paths in Phoenix and I appreciate what was done on 3rd Avenue, where the lanes are wide and there are pylons every thirty feet. Now that’s a bicycle lane. I think it’s possible to get more people to commute via bicycle if there were more roadway designated for cyclists. I’m willing to represent cyclists everywhere in Arizona who want to improve biking conditions for everyone.

— Billy Ovid Boyles

Coalition of Arizona Bicyclist’s Annual member’s meeting 10/18/2022

This year, the annual business meeting will be held via video tele-conference.
A business meeting and election of open board of directors seats will be held.

  • Tuesday, October 18 , 2022 at 6:30PM Arizona Time.

Members in good standing who wish to attend/listen/vote please contact cazbike@cazbike.org no later than 10/13 to obtain the phone in details. Not a member? Click here to join.

Nominations, or self-nominations for the Board of Directors are still open, and as always we’re looking for volunteers in any capacity. Continue reading Coalition of Arizona Bicyclist’s Annual member’s meeting 10/18/2022

Arizona Alliance for Livable Communities

Coalition Board member Bernie Hoenle will be participating in the AALC, and reporting on items of interest to Arizona bicyclists.

Notes from Arizona Alliance for Livable Communities livableaz.org meeting 9/14/2022

1. Referenced National Recreation and Parks Association international convention being held in Phoenix 9/20-23/2022. Wide range of topics from health related to planning, security, equity… and does have a session on ebikes and other surface transportation.

2. Advocacy letter which CAZBike added their support.
Bipartisan bill supporting safe streets and the Vision Zero program, here’s a copy of the letter.

3. Prop 400 which would keep tax funds supporting AZ roads was vetoed by the Governor. Plans to resurrect are underway, but challenging timing. (Maricopa county is the only AZ County that needs to get state approval.)

4. Road Safety Action Plan incorporates Vision Zero. AZ record for large number of pedestrian fatalities. There is $10M dedicated funding. Working to align projects with focus on overall safety. Some contention based on POV. Concerted effort
to improve underserved communities.

5. Phoenix hired first Public Health Advisor, Nicole Dupuis-Witt. Starts 10/17/2022. To address city top priorities: heat response/mitigation, housing, homelessness, food systems, senior services, transportation, and more…

6. Some discussion on General Obligation Bonds. How they can be used to support multiple aspects of streets, pedestrians, cycling – tie to Capital Improvement Projects.

7. Planning and health: members reviewing municipal plans. Planning guidance and references on: liveableaz.org/general-plans/ Making connections and communications with all parties important for success.

8. Bisbee – active group advocating better biking and walking in the area.

References:
nrpa.org
apbp.org
azaep.org
phoenix.gov
bisbeebikeways.com

Meet Earl Ratledge

A lifelong bicycle rider, Earl Ratledge can be found riding around the east valley for recreation and to run errands. He rides a road bike, mountain bike, folding single speed, and an upright bike with baskets in the back. For 13 years Earl commuted between Mesa and Phoenix using a mix of bike-bus-bike, bike-bus-walk and bike-bus-light rail; and for 3 years took his kids to school in a bike trailer. Over the years he has taken part in bicycle races, multi-day rides, bike camping, and charity rides.

Earl is the editor of the Coalition’s newsletter and has published articles on the Coalition’s website. He has volunteered with CycloMesa, Recycle Your Bicycle and Tour de Fat. Earl also developed a public dashboard which maps crashes in Arizona that involve people on bicycles and identifies the most dangerous intersections and corridors.

Earl can be reached at newsletter@cazbike.org

 

Coalition of Arizona Bicyclist’s Annual member’s meeting 10/19/2021

This year, the annual business meeting will be held via tele-conference.
A business meeting and election of open board of directors seats will be held.

  • Tuesday, October 19 , 2021 at 6:30PM Arizona Time.

Members in good standing who wish to attend/listen/vote please contact cazbike@cazbike.org no later than 10/13 to obtain the phone in details. Not a member? Click here to join.

Nominations, or self-nominations for the Board of Directors are still open, and as always we’re looking for volunteers in any capacity. Continue reading Coalition of Arizona Bicyclist’s Annual member’s meeting 10/19/2021