We are currently discussing a city bike plan that was written in 2005 with a 6 year outlook. Somewhere in that document, it declares that the city's goal is to have 15% of Walla Wallans utilizing cycling and walking as a major source of transportation in six years. FIFTEEN PERCENT. Isn't Portland at 7 or 9%? Right.
So, naturally, I ask, "have we been keeping track of how many people are cycling and walking?"
"Well, the state did a count this year."
"Right, but the STATE did a count, and that's just a coincidence. Did WE do a count?"
No.
Okay, we're not taking measurements. Are we at least taking steps to improve our cycling and walking infrastructure?
Looking at this list of 22 items of improvement that were desired for cyclists and pedestrians, what did we get done? Oh, a sidewalk, a sidewalk, one audible intersection, a sidewalk, a chunk of bike lane that disappears into 4-lane strip mall madness.. I can appreciate that it is great to have more sidewalks, but I'm much more of a cyclist than a pedestrian and I feel left out. So getting a few sidewalks while the bike lanes hardly see BASIC MAINTENANCE, I am not encouraged.
So what I want to know is-- why even bother writing 15% into the document? Is it a joke? Is it to placate me? WHYYY???
