A more formal day-long bikeway design seminar was hosted by the NYC Dept. of Transportation on November 23. Welcoming participants, NYC Transportation Commissioner Elliot Sander told approximately 75 planners and engineers from his department that bicycle transportation was to be taken seriously and advanced as a mode of transportation in a professional manner. Most valuable from the cycling advocacy perspective, represented by Transportation Alternatives, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign and the Bicycle Federation of America, was an afternoon sit-down with roadway design and construction engineers. This enabled detailed debate and discussion over important real-world issues of roadway design, including safe bicycle accommodation, motor vehicle capacity and cyclist interaction with buses and curbside activity. The seminar was held as a part of NYC's ongoing Bicycle Network Development Project, run jointly by DOT and Dept. of City Planning. The project will use the seminar discussion as input for establishing clear NYC bicycle lane design guidelines. The goal of the project is to identify and implement a several-hundred mile network of bicycle lanes on NYC streets. Contact Transportation Alternatives at 212-475-4600 or the NYC DOT Bicycle Program at 212-442-7686.

Meanwhile, the New Jersey Dept. of Transportation announced the release of its ISTEA-mandated state-wide bicycle and pedestrian master plan. Although cycling advocates have not yet seen the document, NJ DOT is holding five meetings around the state during December to present its findings and solicit input on the plan's recommendations and gather ideas for projects (see Calendar section below for meeting dates and locations). The New York State bike/ped master plan is also reported to be nearing completion, though no formal release and review procedure for the document has been announced. Contact NJ DOT's Bureau of Suburban Mobility at 609-530-4578 and the New York State Bicycle Program at 518-457-8307.

The Coalition of New Jersey Cyclists published Number 1 of its newsletter New Jersey Bicycle Advocate this fall. The to-be-quarterly publication describes cycling issues around the state, including recent bridge and transit station access gains made recently by the Coalition. Contact the Coalition of NJ Cyclists at 609-665-8234 or via rons@cnct.com.