Bicycle Master Plan Meeting Recap

Last night's public county Bike Master Plan meeting was cordial and in fact very productive. The plan is laudable (yes, I did just call it laudable) in many of its suggested improvements to PAVED cycling in Nevada County. Given that Caltans has allocated significant money for PAVED cycling and impressive local efforts to target this funding, riding bicycles on PAVED surfaces in Nevada County will hopefully see some dramatically improved conditions in future years.

I and many others at the meeting still fault the plan and county for not considering trails as part of this plan. Or perhaps we would feel better about this omission if Nevada County government had a better (any?) record of planning for and accommodating trails across the county. In any case, there is a glaring hole in planning for cycling in our rural area when bicycling on trails is not acknowledged in any formal plan.

But herein lies the silver lining: Mike Woodman of Nevada County Transportation Commission (NCTC) told me that the County has allocated some $85,000 in this years fiscal budget for creation of the Non-Motorized Transportation Plan. And here, BONCers, is our opportunity to improve trail riding and target funding for new and better trails. BONC needs to be on top of this process beginning *now*. We need to contact NCTC, supervisors, whomever to let them know that we expect follow through on a plan that adequately depicts trails in this county.

Thus is see the need for to action items from last night:

• A letter from BONC that endorses the bicycle plan with some changes, specifically that it be renamed something/anything other than "Bicycle Master Plan" and that it should formally recognize the importance of trails to Nevada County's cyclists.
• BONC heavily involves itself in planning for the Non-Motorized Transportation Plan. Let me know if you want to help.