Legislative Update
The Session Continues
We continue to track transportation and safety bills, as some bills progress and others have not made it out of committee.
- S1283 - Distracted Driving, electronic devices. We supported this bill because it banned hand held cell phones and other electronic devices while driving. This bill includes texting, searching the internet, wearing headphones, social media, talking on a cell phone, and taking pictures. S1283 did not pass the Senate floor.
Here is how the Senate voted:
AYES – Agenbroad, Brackett, Buckner-Webb, Burgoyne, Hagedorn, Hill, Jordan, Keough, Lodge, Martin, Nye, Stennett, Ward-Engelking
NAYS – Anthon, Bair, Bayer, Crabtree, Den Hartog, Foreman, Guthrie, Harris, Heider, Johnson, Lakey, Lee, Mortimer, Nonini, Patrick, Potts, Rice, Siddoway, Souza, Thayn, Vick, Winder
Contact your Senator if you don't like how they voted.
- H508 - The electric-assist bicycle bill did not make it out of the House Transportation & Defense Committee. This bill, which would have defined e-bikes in Idaho Code, goes no further this legislative session.
- H396 adds back in trails, paths, greenways or other ways for walking, running, hiking, bicycling or equestrian use so cities are able to use eminent domain for these purposes. This bill still awaits a hearing in the House Ways & Means Committee. We Support.
- H469 removes the language that permits a school safety patrol member to properly report a violation to any peace officer. Passed both the House, 68-0-1 and the Senate 35-0-0, and now heads to the Governor.
- H471 States that no person shall drive a motor vehicle in the extreme left-hand lane in a controlled access highway at such a slow speed as to impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic except when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation. This bill has passed both the House 41-28-0 and the Senate 22-13-0. It heads to the Governor.
- HB0058 (Utah State legislature) - Allows bicyclists in Utah to follow the Idaho Stop Law. This bill has passed the House and the Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy and Technology Committee. The Senate did not vote on this bill and the 2018 Utah session has now ended.
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Walk Bike Summit Early Bird Registration Ends April 1st
Idaho Walk Bike Summit
Keep Moving On, Idaho!
May 16 - 18
Thursday morning Keynote Speaker Russ Roca
The Idaho Walk Bike Summit is May 16 - 18 at the Idaho State Capitol building. Don't miss this exciting event that brings advocates, city staff, transportation professionals, planners, and elected officials from all over the state together to share information, learn from one another, and get to know each other. Our goal is to provide education and training to a diverse audience through a selection of relevant topics on bicycle and pedestrian design, advocacy, land use, funding options, health and wellness, and more!
Early Bird registration (only $50!) deadline is April 1st.
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Summit Workshops you won't want to miss
Safe Routes to the Summer Food Service Program
Erin Bacon, Moscow Safe Routes To School
Dutch Approach to Bicycle Infrastructure Design
Jaap Vos, Director of Urban Design Center at U of I
Advocacy and State Leaders
Representative Melissa Wintrow (D) District 19
If You Don't Count It, It Doesn't Count
Tom Laws, City of Boise Planner
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Attendance At "Filmed By Bike" A Huge Success!
400+ Fans Watched 20 Short
Bike-Themed Films
 
Over 400 Treasure Valley bike enthusiasts turned out at the Egyptian Theatre in downtown Boise on Thursday night February 22nd for the 2nd Boise engagement of Filmed By Bike: World’s Best Bike Movies. Bike fans watched 20 short films from around the world that included a movie about a single-track trail loving dog, a mobile bike library, a bike builder, trick riding, mountain biking, trail building and more.
Filmed by Bike, Portland, Oregon's famed bicycle-themed film festival is held every May in Portland. The Boise film tour stop was hosted by the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance and Boise GreenBike and it raised funds for bike advocacy and equity. Thank you to local Olympian Kristin Armstrong for stopping by!
We would like to extend a hearty thank you to this year's sponsors: ASWB Twilight Criterium and the Downtown Boise Association, Boise Aeros Multisport Club, the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association (SWIMBA), Biz Print, BSU Cycle Learning Center, Boise Co-op, Precision Engineering, Shu’s Idaho Running Company, Bauerhaus Bikes, Bike Touring News, Dirt Dart Mobile Bike Service, Reed Cycle, Valley Regional Transit and Sun Valley Resort.
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Pedestrian Fatalities Remain At 25-Year High For Second Year In A Row
From National Public Radio (NPR) by Camila Domonoske
After two years of marked increases, the number of pedestrian fatalities in the U.S. is holding steady with nearly 6,000 pedestrians killed in 2017, according to estimates from the Governors Highway Safety Association.
Click here to read further
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Idaho Walk Bike Alliance Welcomes Two New Board Members
Idaho Walk Bike Alliance welcomed two new board members in the month of February. We would like to welcome Alexis Pickering of Boise and Michael David of Ketchum. Alexis will serve a 2 year term and Michael David will serve a 1 year term. Alexis and Michael will join board members Pat Riceci and Don Kostelec of Boise, Bret Tinker of Eagle, Nora Locken of Moscow, Molly O'Reilly of Sandpoint, Chris Staley of Idaho Falls, Jamie Morgan of Coeur d'Alene and Niki Richards of Victor.
 Alexis is a Health Policy Analyst for Central District Health Department serving Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties. Growing up in with one foot in Bellevue, Washington and the other in Kooskia, Idaho, she quickly saw the stark contrast between each community and the health of its population. As a teenager she didn’t know what public health was, but knew what it felt like to not have safe sidewalks in one town and access to great services, well-stocked grocery stores and safe, walkable routes to school in the other.
(Read more about Alexis here)
Michael David is the Bicycle Pedestrian Program Coordinator for Mountain Rides Transportation Agency. David enjoys the opportunity to promote the benefits of riding bikes and walking in our community through our Safe Routes to School and Walk/Bike to Work and School events. Michael is 2 years into his second 4-year term on the Ketchum City Council, and finds there is no better way to talk with the constituents and local business people than walking or biking around town.
(Read more about Michael here)
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Bob Anthony Joins Idaho Walk Bike Alliance
As Communications Director
Former state government public information officer, television meteorologist, and radio personality Bob Anthony has joined the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance as Communications Director. Bob has been a familiar face and voice to Treasure Valley TV viewers and radio listeners for 40 years. Bob is also a long time cyclist, daily bike commuter and former mountain bike racer. "I'm thrilled to join the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance to combine my media experience, passion for cycling and work for a cause I really believe in to improve conditions for walkers and cyclists statewide," said Anthony.
(read more about Bob here)
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Pedestrian Crash Survivability
This chart demonstrates that speeding cars cause more severe crashes than slow moving cars. For example, a person walking or biking has a 90% chance of surviving a crash with a car moving 20MPH but only 10% if the car is moving at 40MPH.
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