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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Thursday, February 18, 2010 5 GUEST COLUMN HPER Mall construction needs to facilitate bikes S tudents excited by the prospect of the first dedicated bicycle path on campus are going to be disappointed by the torturous bicycle route proposed for the HPER Mall. For those of us who appreciate the healthy exercise provided by walking and bicycling, care about air quality and the environment, want to minimize our collective carbon footprint and are committed to reversing global climate change, this presents a major step backward. With all of the bicycle route enhancements such as zigzags, abrupt turns, speed-breaking walls, landscaped barriers and forced intrusions upon the pedestrian plazas, bicyclists better hope that the "to be installed" HPER Mall shuttles will have ample bicycle racks to hurry them to their destinations. According to the HPER Mall design group, the decision to not provide a direct path for bicyclists was made at the outset because of "speed concerns." Rather than maintaining a safe, practical bicycle path that enabled bicyclists to traverse the Mall corridor in an efficient manner in the past, the HPER Mall design group's priority for non-motorized transportation on the HPER Mall is "engagement, not transportation." The design proposal fulfills that design objective with sharp 9o-degree turns to check bicyclists' speed before entering spaces designed as public gathering places. This failure to treat bicycling as a viable means of transportation on campus represents a major setback. " CHAD MULLINS / H.B. Go Student The dedicated bicycle path is chopped up into six short segments to allow bikers to meander through the numerous pedestrian plazas. These design parameters conflict with the 2008 Campus Master Plan: "Master Planning Guidelines...as a connective landscape, it (the Mall) should be designed to facilitate movement" and "discourage the use of pedestrian plaza areas by cyclists and skateboarders." As a precedent for future attempts to enhance bicycle and non-motorized circulation on campus, this failure to treat bicycling as a viable means of transportation on campus represents a major setback. In contrast, a direct route for shuttle vans is being incorporated into the HPER Mall, clearly reflecting the "old school" bias for motorized modes of transportation. The feasibility of expanding the shuttle lane to accommodate bicyclists and provide an alternative bicycle route for bikers needs to be explored. Combining a secondary bicycle path with the shuttle lane might resolve the snow-removal concerns expressed by facilities management for the proposed bicycle path, which probably would not be cleared of snow. Most importantly, the HPER Mall design group's failure to provide a practical bicycle route and accord bicycling a meaningful role in campus transportation conflicts with efforts to make the campus more sustainable. The "Vision" section of the Campus Master Plan sets forth campus planning principles for "functional and sustainable transportation systems" which include "promote alternative modes of transportation," and "enhance routes to better support bicycling on campus." The Office of Sustainability, engaged in a campus-wide effort to develop a Climate Action Plan setting forth the university's strategy for reaching climate neutrality, targeted transportation as a major area of focus. Transportation represents one the largest consumers of fossil fuels and contributors to pollution and green- R A "Health care opt-out bill progresses" (Jake Hibbard, Feb. 17, 2010) News WILLUS BRANHAM/The Daily Utah Chronic! house gas emissions. Campus objectives include reducing automobile usage while promoting alternative modes of transportation, including bicycles and public transit. Good bicycling infrastructure complements the use of public transit and facilitates movement on campus. Included in the transportation task force's recommendations for the Climate Action Plan is this hopeful statement: "As a strategy for changing behavior to encourage letters@chronicle.utah.edu N T S "Silent LGBT protest sparks crude comment" (Mohammad Allam, Feb. 16, 2010) News Anonymous Nick Bayne posted 2.7.10 @ 7:45 A.M posted 2.16.10 @ 4:51 A.M. Thank goodness this state isn't listening to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid who are determined to bankrupt the U.S. We all want health care reform, but it needs to be moderated and (God forbid!) bipartisan...something the Congress just doesn't get. alternative transportation modes, we hope to create a green norm on campus—the expectation that the entire university cares about air quality and the environment, wants to minimize our collective carbon footprint, and is committed to reversing global climate change." A non-functional bicycle path does not contribute to a more sustainable campus. Why isn't the HPER Mall design team on board? I can't wait to regain my California citizenship so I may not be embarrassed by comments like this. On the other hand, maybe I ought to remain an absentee Utahn, so I can do everything I can to stick it to asinine legislators like this. How is this man in office? AIL Ak Greg Mom posted 2.17.10 @ 9:46 A.M. posted 2.16.10 @ 10:48 A.M. Hey Jonesy, you can see the mess that Medicare has created and they are on the verge of running out of money but hey, let's pour more fuel on the fire. Hey Patricia, it's not against the law to send in more money with your taxes. If you are such a firm believer in your nonsense, have you send in a little extra? My guess is no. So then you are a hypocrit, Patricia. Put your own money where your mouth is. Not ours. Bob posted 2.17.10 @ 10:23 A.M. Okay, even IF this really was socialized medicine—I've lived in 2 different socialist countries for a very long time. And you know what? They work fewer hours. They spend more time with family. They take the entire month of August off—because they actually have that many days off. And you know what they don't do? Go bankrupt because they can't afford important surgery. Get told by their insurance company that they can't have the medicine they were just prescribed. They don't choose to suffer or simply die because they can't pay to see a doctor. And we pay almost as much taxes as they do—and the difference? Yeah, it goes to our insurance premiums. So again, if—IF—this whole thing were socialism in any way? Maybe we could USE a little of that. Anonymous I I love my lesbian daughter and her partner so much (they live here in Salt Lake City and attend the University of Utah) and am saddened (and brought to tears) that someone could say such a hurtful statement when they don't even know what wonderful, respectful, loving, charitable, sensitive to other's feelings, productive and law-abiding citizens they are. Anonymous posted 2.16.10 @ 10:03 A.M. Total ignorance. As a public figurehead, you DO NOT get to make such horrible comments. He sounds like a rebelious 15-year-old teenage boy with a secret in his closet. I am surprised that he isn't already immediately relieved of his civic duties...only in Utah...another reason I am glad I don't live in that Godforsaken state any longer. Mr. Jerk posted 2.16.10 @ 12:51 P.M. Oh BOO HOO. Cry about it. Yes Votaw was out of line with his coment, but give me a break. He does not speak for the whole state of Utah. I am so dang sick and tired of hearing all of this anti Utah bull crap every time ONE idiot shoots their mouth off. Quit pissing and moaning about and do something. Either that or SHUT UP. posted 2.17.10 @ 11:25 A.M. So long Utah...I've enjoyed my time living here, but this is the straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back. Too bad our state government doesn't want to pay for the poor camel's health care. And Greg, please use spell check next time you post your idiotic conservative ramblings. "Court protest to support DeChristopher" (Jake Hibbard, Feb. 17, 2010) News Anonymous posted 2.17.10 @ 9:19 A.M. Wow, this is a one sided article and the side they took is anarchy. We have many legal methods of protesting and changing laws in this the freest country in the world. To decided to break a law because you know your cause is just is anarchy and will lead to less freedom not more and thus breaks down the very system that allows for legal ways to protest injustice. This man is not a hero but a ego driven person that just thinks he is above the laws that protect him. Mesaman posted 2.17.10 @ 11:06 A.M. Hey take a clue from the "Sea Shepherds", they seem to think they're winning as well. The bottom line is simply that DeChristopher chose an act which was criminal, regardless of his personal ideals and agenda, and he should "man" up and accept the penalty for his bad judgment. It has now turned into a circus high wire act with "funsy" protests, lots of media coverage, a chance to appear on American Idol, and lawyers, all in a row. If he had stood tall, he would have already served a good portion of his prison time. Anonymous posted 2.16.10 @ 5:20 P.M. According to Out Magazine, Utah doesn't even make the list of The Least Gay-Friendly States in America which are: "1) Texas—Sure, Dallas and Austin are cool, but the governor basically told gays that if they wanted to get married they should get lost. 2) Florida—South Beach is cool, and gay seniors—and even a few younger guys—love Ft. Lauderdale, but the laws governing gay adoption are some of the worst in the nation. 3)Alabama—The place where high officials routinely make homophobic statements and where, according to a January 2005 story in Out magazine, 44% of gay residents have been beaten or assaulted—by their own family members! 4) Kansas—This year, voters in this heartland state overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that bans same-sex couples not only from marrying but also from entering into civil unions. 5) North Dakota—If you have to ask why this state's on the list, you've never tried to hook up in Fargo on a Saturday night." Looks like the passing of gay rights are a slow transition for more states than just Utah. "U needs to set idle-free example for Legislature" (Joseph Simmons, Feb. 16, 2010) Opinion Anonymous posted 2.17.10 @ 9:19 A.M. I've been going idle-free since high school in 1998, if only for the gas savings.l think part of the reason why people don't do it is that it's just too "weird." I got/get comments all the time, like, "why are you turning the car off? That's weird. That's dumb."Get over it, people. It saves the air, and it saves the gas. |
