Thanks to the speakers!
May 27th, 2010 | By Us Open-Cycling | Category: Bike-to-Work DayJust a quick thank you to those who spoke at last Friday’s Bike-to-Work Day here in Providence including two opportunistic Providence Mayoral candidates who saw an open microphone and wasted no time getting to it. Thanks to you all:
Mayor David Cicilline
John Robitaille – Candidate for Governor
Ken Block – Candidate for Governor
David Gifford – Head of RI Department of Health
Angel Tavares – Candidate for Mayor of Providence
John Lombardi – Candidate for Mayor of Providence
Mark Dieterich – Executive Director of RI Bicycle Coalition
Be well,
Richard Durishin
Thanks for posting the list of candidates and officials who spoke at Bike to Work Day. I don't think it is quite fair to disparage mayoral candidates Lombardi and Tavares as "opportunistic" for speaking, we should be glad of their interest. Having been a candidate for office myself, a rather grueling experience for serious candidates, how else can they get the word out about their interests and meet potential voters? I see nothing wrong with this. John Lombardi has indeed been at most bike to work days.
Tvares, who stayed around to talk with some bike advocates, indicated he was not an experienced bicyclist, but did bike with the help of a more experienced friend. He indicated an interest, should he become Mayor, in having his administration reach out and work with the bike community on various problem locations and intersections.
Ken Block, the long-shot Moderate Party candidate for Governor seemed to be an experienced bicyclist, and he and his staff also stayed around to talk with some of us.
David Cicilline outlined city plans for biking, including the upcoming striping of Broadway, and hopes for a more ambitious plan for a riverside off-road trail from India Point Park to the Henderson bridge (not currently funded.
Interesting that another Providence project came up at the meeting with RIDOT Director Mike Lewis, who indicated RIDOT was applying for a competetive "TIGER" grant to fund the idea of a pedestrian/bike bridge upon the abutments of the old I-195 across the Providence River, with some kind of connection to the Redman Linear Park across to East Providence. I think besides the nuts and bolts of sweeping, pothole repairs etc there also needs to be some visionary thinking about significant projects.
"there also needs to be some visionary thinking about significant projects."
Well, duh! What have I been saying for 12 years? A STATEWIDE BICYCLING NETWORK with on-road continuity for cycling (just like roadways for motorists that don't just suddenly disappear).
You know what? I'm not going to bother any more. It's like talking to a wall. If you so-called bike advocates still don't get it, it's because you don't want to.