Wolf Administration, State Officials Discuss Bicycle Safety, Benefits and Improvements for Cyclists to Mark Bike to Work Week

Wolf Administration, State Officials Discuss Bicycle Safety, Benefits and
Improvements for Cyclists to Mark Bike to Work Week

5/15/2017-HARRISBURG

With the start of Bike to Work week, the Wolf Administration announced a
series
of improvements for bicyclists during an event featuring an executive bike
ride
around Harrisburg by several cabinet members, other officials, and staff.

Representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
(PennDOT),
the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the Department
of
Environmental Protection (DEP), the Department of Health (DOH) and the
Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) joined in the ride.

Following the ride's conclusion PennDOT announced it was redoing its
process
for establishing bicycle lanes and starting on the state's
bicycle/pedestrian
master plan to incorporate safety and mobility improvements for those modes

into transportation planning.

"We want to establish and update goals, objectives, and performance
measures
while offering guidance to local planning partners in setting priorities
and
developing bicycle and pedestrian plans," said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S.
Richards. "Our overall goal is to integrate pedestrian and bicycle
activities
into our transportation network rather than have them be an afterthought."

The improvements include:
• As part of a pilot effort, PennDOT will be constructing and maintaining
several demonstration bike lane projects in District 6 in the five-county
Philadelphia region that will help to clarify the costs of long-term
maintenance for these facilities.
• PennDOT will expand the Secretary's PennDOT Connects initiative to
include
work in our projects to widen shoulders to improve bicycle accommodations
where
planning efforts indicate it is appropriate.
• PennDOT will be issuing a policy change removing the Bicycle Occupancy
Permit
from its design manual. Moving forward, local governments will need only
provide a letter of request for the proposed bicycle lane that includes the

necessary information for PennDOT to appropriately evaluate the request.
After
a review, a letter of approval will be issued by the department. This will
replace the previous requirement for a formal agreement between PennDOT and
the
municipality.

Pennsylvania's state forestland trails were the focus of the message from
DCNR.

"Within our 121 state parks and more than 2.2 million acres of state
forestland, we are blessed with 11,000 miles of trails, all offering
unlimited
biking terrain and opportunities," said DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn.
"Biking is one of the best activities to see what these very special
outdoor
places have to offer.

"Biking is one of those activities that benefits everyone, not just the
person
in the saddle," added acting DEP Secretary Patrick McDonnell, stressing the

environmental advantages of cycling. "Not only are there health benefits to
the
rider, but there are fewer air emissions from fewer cars on the road, which

helps improve overall air quality for everyone."

Health advantages were paramount in the message delivered by DOH.

"Biking to work is a great way to go green and save money on
transportation,
but perhaps its most important benefit is to your own health," DOH
Secretary
Dr. Karen Murphy said. "Riding your bike to work is a great way to make
sure
you're getting the exercise you need every day, and Bike to Work Week is
the
perfect time to start."

"National Bike to Work Day encourages Pennsylvania's workforce to consider
biking as a mode of transportation to work, so that they can both reduce
pollution and traffic congestion, and take meaningful steps toward ensuring

their own good health. I applaud Pennsylvania's workers who take this
initiative on May 19," said Labor & Industry Secretary Kathy Manderino.

"Pennsylvania is smart to invest more in multimodal projects—like trails,
bike
lanes, sidewalks, and walking paths—to promote energy efficient and
eco-friendly means of transportation," said Rep. Madeleine Dean. "Providing

healthier transportation options will help increase Pennsylvanian's quality
of
life by creating more active, livable, and forward-thinking communities."

With a focus on safety and health, Rep. David Maloney said, "Mixing
share-the-road safety and awareness with the physical benefits of riding to

work is a win-win combination. A British Medical Journal study released
last
week found that people who bike to work have a mortality rate 41 percent
lower
than people who take public transportation or drive, and are also
significantly
less likely to develop heart disease and cancer."

PennDOT encourages riders to wear reflective clothing to be more visible to

drivers. For more information on bicycling in Pennsylvania, visit "Ride A
Bike"
under "Travel in PA" at www.penndot.gov.

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