Following Up on Steve Clark’s Visit

Nationally recognized bicycle and pedestrian safety advocate Steve Clark recently spoke in Northfield. Bill Ostrem of RENew Northfield‘s Transportation Committee was the guest on Locally Grown and discussed some of the ideas generated by Steve’s visit.

Hear how we can help make Northfield more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. You can listen to it via the podcast on locallygrownnorthfield.org or tune into KRLX (88.1) today (Tuesday) at 4:30 pm.

At his afternoon session with Northfield’s “leaders”, Steve presented 12 steps that we could take, following the actions of other communities, that would move us toward a more bicyle and friendly community. Read them below:

1. Create short-cuts for bikes and pedestrians (incentives)
2. Assure access everywhere (alternate transportation must be possible)
3. Wide lanes and paths for social interactions (family and friends)
4. Lower speed limits for vehicular traffic (18 miles per hour)
5. Safe refuge islands on highways (much bigger than the thin strips on Highway 3)
6. Ample bike parking (love those bike racks!)
7. Short signal cycles (nobody waits long)
8. Advance boxes (bikes go in front of vehicles)
9. Mixed-use development (home, work and shopping are all close together)
10. No free right turns (dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians)
11. Good signage and marking (hey, we’re working on it right now)
12. Public awareness campaign (Eric Johnson told us so…)