The San Antonio Business Journal: San Antonio campaign urges cyclists, drivers to share the road
Date: Monday, October 3, 2011
San Antonio wants to help drivers and bike riders to share the road.
The City of San Antonio Office of Environmental Policy has unveiled a new bicycle safety and awareness media campaign that is designed to educate drivers and cyclists about the rules of the road.
The “Enough to Go Around” campaign will be featured on posters and bumper stickers. San Antonio-based KGBTexas .communications designed the art work.
Some San Antonio drivers may not realize it, but the city’s three-foot passing ordinance — which requires motorists to leave at least three feet of space between them and vulnerable road users — includes cyclists.
“By law, bicyclists and pedestrians have the same rights as motorists to use the roadway in Texas, but they also must follow traffic laws,” says Julia Diana, the office’s senior management analyst for sustainable transportation. “This campaign encourages respect and cooperation between both drivers and cyclists. There truly is enough road to go around.”
The campaign will coincide with City Council’s recent approval of the Bicycle Master Plan, which proposes a 1,700-mile network of bike facilities across San Antonio. The city also will invest in dedicated bicycle lanes, wider shoulders, shared lane markings, marked bike routes and multi-use paths.
The plan could be funded through Advanced Transportation District funds and future bond funds. Also, as the city spends money on street renovations and maintenance, there will be opportunities to add bike lanes and markers. (The Advanced Transportation District is funded through a fourth-cent sales tax.)
More information on San Antonio’s Bike Plan can be found here.
