Jeffco Commissioners bash cyclists, don't know the facts.

I'm in favor of segregated lanes for bikes. They are safe, and a great way to encourage people to ride. Unfortunately, the idea of even slapping some paint down on roads garners increased contention.

Some amazing quotes from the article.

Commissioner Rosier said he was not supportive of adding bike lanes on Bowles and questioned the validity of public meetings, saying, "They will be weighted." He said, "I receive way too many complaints, especially from Deer Creek on 'Why are we putting lanes in for cyclists?' "
He said, "It's taking away from motorist capacity. We don't have the bike commuter traffic. This is spending money to address an issue that doesn't exist."

[Commissioner] Griffin said, "I get tired of the fact that bicyclists are telling us what to do with the roads that they don't help pay for."

This is an argument that  is used often, and typically are used incorrectly. Yes, there are registration fees, and gas taxes. Yes, these taxes are used in part for road construction and maintenance. But to say that cyclist don't pay is simply ridiculous and provably incorrect. Just from the 2012 Jeffco Budget (as posted here), we can find the following sources of funding for roads.

• Jeffco allots a percentage of property tax to roadway construction and repair, regardless of your ownership or use of an automobile:
• Road & Bridge Fund - 110
  The Road & Bridge Fund accounts for monies generated by property taxes and other sources and expended for highway and street maintenance and repair.
• Jeffco allots a percentage of their sales tax to roadway construction and repair, regardless of your ownership or use of an automobile.
• South East Sales Tax-Capital Projects Fund - 381
  The South East Sales Tax - Capital Projects Fund accounts for the financial resources used for the construction of street improvements within a portion of the southern unincorporated boundaries of the County.
• Jeffco pays for roadway construction and repair from it's general fund, which is made up of taxes collected that have nothing to do with automobile ownership or usage.

Add this to the fact that studies have shown:

• That the damage done to roadways by 1 automobile is roughly equivalent to that done by 10,000 bikes.
• People who exercise 30 mins a day reduce their chances of heart disease by 50%, exercise reduces the levels of cholesterol in one's blood, decreases the chance of having a heart attack or stroke, and reduces the possibility of needing bypass surgery.
• This has the side effect of lowering health premiums for both the cyclist and the rest of the pool of insured people.

• People who regularly exercise also take less sick days, are more efficient at work, and cyclists are better shoppers.

Despite all this we are still supposed to believe that cyclists don't pay for roads. In fact, recent studies in other cities have shown that cyclists and pedestrians OVER-pay for road expenses as compared to automobile users.

303cycling and bikejeffco have been two of the groups calling for people to show up to the town halls and voice their displeasure with the commissioners. I hope they can get through to the obvious anti-cyclist commissioners and move forward with more and improved cycling infrastructure.