Response from City to Ward One Cycling improvements letter

Our letter to the city regarding some improvements to cycling infrastructure in Ward One got a quick response from the councillor, followed shortly by this response from city cycling staff:

TLC, 

Thank you for these ideas, much appreciated. 

The City is currently updating the Cycling Master Plan/Transportation Master Plan so I have shared your original attachment with Steve M who is managing this update.  Bike lanes on Emerson St have been added to the list of ideas.  Also, we are currently adding additional route signage along some of these connections mentioned, so some improvements are already underway. 

Finally, McMaster University is reviewing their Master Plan as well, so we will share any of your relevant connectivity suggestions with them. 

Regards, 

Daryl Bender B.E.S.
Project Manager, Alternative Transportation
Public Works, City of Hamilton
905-546-2424 x 2066
www.hamilton.ca/Cycling

So, what do you think?

cycling staff

CATCH Articles:

Cycling job made permanent

Nov 16, 2009

Economic Development and Planning Committee REPORT 09-023 Tuesday, November 3, 2009 It’s taken nearly three years, and is still opposed by more than a third of city council, but Hamilton now has a permanent alternative transportation coordinator. The position has been temporary since June 2007 and serves to direct improvements to the city’s cycling infrastructure as well as pedestrian initiatives. Economic Development and Planning Committee REPORT 09-023 Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The city started allocating one percent of its road budget to cycling initiatives at the beginning of the decade, but didn’t hire anyone to oversee the spending. That led to the allocation being suspended in 2003 and again in 2007 by which time $772,000 had accumulated unspent.

The 2007 funding cancellation was bitterly denounced by Brian McHattie and also led the volunteer Hamilton Cycling Committee to suspend its activities in protest. That led to the June 2007 decision to establish a temporary two-year position using some of the accumulated capital dollars.

Two years later, in June of this year, coordinator Daryl Bender unveiled a $51.5 million cycling master plan and senior staff proposed making his position permanent. Their report pointed to successful implementation of a number of cycling projects since Bender’s hiring as evidence of the “great value in having a cycling coordinator” position.

“Integral to delivering the plan is the requirement for a full-time staff member dedicated to delivering the program,” argued the staff report. “In order that the cycling infrastructure in the master plan is implemented, it is recommended that this position be made permanent.”

The master plan was approved, but only in principle without any funding commitment, and a decision on Bender’s position was deferred. The proposal returned to the committee on November 2 and was debated in camera and approved by a 5-1 vote.

That brought it to last week’s city council meeting where it was questioned by Brad Clark and Terry Whitehead. The latter pointed to “budget pressures” and moved to defer it again.

“I think this should be deferred to the budget process, quite frankly, so we can have a fulsome discussion and understand all the different pressures,” said Whitehead. His motion was backed by Clark, along with Chad Collins, Scott Duvall, Dave Mitchell and Robert Pasuta but it was defeated 10-6.

The same six councillors then voted against the decision to make the coordinator position permanent. A decision on funding for the cycling master plan may come next month when councillors debate next year’s capital budget.

http://www.hamiltoncatch.org/view_article.php?id=652

Crowning Queensdale with Bicycle Lanes?

FYI :
1) The public meeting for the bike facility on Queensdale is TONIGHT. Residents are being shown a plan that proposes to consolidate all parking to one side of the street. The two area Councillors are hopefully going to attend as well.

Please share this info with others.

A community meeting (drop-in format) has been arranged to present more details and answer any questions. The meeting details are as follows:

Monday November 16, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Eastmount Community Centre (on East 26th Street, just north of Queensdale, beside Eastmount Park Elementary School)

Should you have any questions regarding these plans, please contact Daryl Bender, Project Manager of Alternative Transportation (Daryl.Bender@hamilton.ca or 905.546.2424 x 2066


2) I understand the Alternative Transportation job position has been approved by Council.
The minutes from the meeting are not posted yet - only the agenda:
http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/CorporateServices/Clerks/AgendaMinutes/Council/2009/November11CouncilAgenda.htm

cycling staff up for renewal tonight

Dear Mayor and Council,

As cycling advocates in the city, we are looking forward to council approving the renewal of the cycling coordinator position tonight; as you know TLC has been strongly in favour of having this position in place, especially now that the Shifting Gears plan is updated and in need of ongoing action from the city.

On behalf of TLC, our thanks for your support for cycling in the city,

Randy Kay

--
Transportation for Liveable Communities
(TLC) Hamilton
tlchamilton.org
tlchamilton@gmail.com
905-525-9140 ext. 26026
PO Box 19, 1280 Main Street West
Hamilton ON L8S 1C0

city cycling staff

Dear Mayor and City Councillors,

We are writing to ask that you support cycling in Hamilton by continuing to fund the Cycling Coordinator position, currently held by Daryl Bender.

As you may recall, TLC has advocated for this city staff position in the past, and after the initial experience with the staff position in place, we think our advocacy was justified.

Prior to the hiring it was our experience that programs and infrastructure for cycling were continually falling years behind schedule, while frequent changes to part-time city staff for cycling issues made follow through difficult. This situation left TLC with the clear perception that there is a strong correlation between having a staff person, and the ability to move cycling support forward.

The position of cycling coordinator fulfills the goals set out in the Transportation Master Plan, "intended to move the City towards the achievement of the objectives of Vision 2020 and are reflective of the 9 Strategic Directions to guide development decisions...identified as part of the GRIDS process, including Direction #6 - Expand transportation options that encourage travel by foot, bike and transit and enhance efficient inter-regional transportation connections," where it specifically states the need for a "permanent full-time staff position for Cycling and a permanent full-time position of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Coordinator."

TLC strongly believes that this position should be made a permanent staff position, especially at the time when the city is poised to begin implementation of the significant improvements outlined in the Shifting Gears Cycling master plan.

Transportation for Liveable Communities
(TLC) Hamilton
tlchamilton.org
tlchamilton@gmail.com
905-525-9140 ext. 26026
PO Box 19, 1280 Main Street West
Hamilton ON L8S 1C0

A volunteer working group of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group - McMaster

how many more years?

Cycling plan sees bike path every 2 kilometres TheSpec.com - Local - Cycling plan sees bike path every 2 kilometres

John Kernaghan, The Hamilton Spectator, (Jun 15, 2009)

Bike shops are reporting more people selling second cars and buying commuter bicycles.

And Hamilton is trying to meet that growing interest with a master cycling plan that would quadruple annual budgets for bike paths.

But even that $1.25 million wouldn't complete a recommended network in 20 years.

And the plan, to be presented to the city's public works committee today, offers a more aggressive alternative that would ramp up investment to $2.5 million each year.

That would complete the urban network in 10 years and the rural web of bike paths in 20 years.

The plan prepared by Hart Solomon notes Hamilton would have to match per capita spending in Burlington and Toronto, of $5.25 per person per year, to achieve that. A lower amount of $2.50 per capita "reflects the reality of our limited capital budget for road improvements."

The plan updates the Shifting Gears plan devised by the former region of Hamilton Wentworth.

It suggests a middle ground between no real cycling network and the ideal -- an upgrade of all city streets for cycling use.

It seeks the "satisfactory" concept of a cyclist travelling less than a kilometre to access a formal cycling route. That means a grid with two-kilometre spacing for urban areas.

The total cost to upgrade about 270 links to create that grid would cost $51.5 million over time, split $22.6 million urban and $28.9 million rural.

In asking the plan to be adopted, the report recommended that the position of project manager, alternative transportation, be made a permanent job.

The plan follows a series of six public meetings that left two people in the bike business optimistic.

"It's moving slowly," said Sam DiBussolo, of All The Right Gears cycle shop. "But it is moving forward and I think they'll get it done."

And Elaine Pierik, of Pieriks Cycle in Westdale, said she was hopeful, "as long as they keep moving forward. In the past it's been one step forward, two steps back."

She said customers in her store are increasingly giving up cars and using bikes for work.

"We have a number of people buying folding bikes, so they can cycle to the GO station, then collapse the bike and carry it on the train to work."

http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/583607

more than ready for cycling stuff

Cycling in Hamilton: updates and ideas with City Cycling Coordinator Daryl Bender

Begins at November 26th 19:00 PM ending on November 26th 21:00 PM

MDCL 3024

Transportation for Liveable Communities (OPIRG), MacGreen, MaCycle, ACT office

The City of Hamilton is updating their Shifting Gears Cycling plan, and they want your input - McMaster gets a chance to meet with Daryl Bender, the city's alternative transportation coordinator, to hear about suggested updates to the cycling network, and to provide input.

Don't miss this opportunity to contribute to cycling in Hamilton!

Wednesday, November 26, from 7-9pm in the MDCL room 3024.

tlchamilton.org


The City is hosting a round of Public Information Centres in November 2008 for this study. Your review of information presented at these centres is encouraged and the submission of your comments is welcomed.

DATE: Tuesday, November 11, 2008
TIME: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, 100 Main St. W, Hamilton/Downtown

DATE: Tuesday, November 18, 2008
TIME: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Stoney Creek Municipal Service Centre, 777 Jones Road, Hamilton/Stoney Creek

DATE: Tuesday, November 25, 2008
TIME: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Ancaster Rotary Centre, 385 Jerseyville Road West, Hamilton/Ancaster

DATE: Thursday, November 27, 2008
TIME: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Sackville Hill Seniors Recreation Centre, 780 Upper Wentworth Street, Hamilton/Mountain

gearing up

Ron Albertson, the Hamilton Spectator

City eyes new cycling master plan TheSpec.com - Local - City eyes new cycling master plan

Rob Faulkner
The Hamilton Spectator

(Oct 2, 2008)

Hamilton is about to update the "modest" 1999 Shifting Gears plan for cycling in the city, to inject new life on two wheels.

Daryl Bender, city project manager handling cycling, said the months ahead will collect public input on how to improve routes, signage, promotion and more.

"Shifting Gears is modest by today's standards," said Bender. "The past 10 years have seen a big increase in the interest paid to active transportation." The sessions for input are not yet scheduled.

The new cycling master plan, to be done by spring, grows out of studies such as the 2007 Transportation Master Plan and 2006 West Hamilton Bicycle Network Review.

The Transportation Master Plan's near-term goal was to make bikes a choice for 10 per cent of trips (from 6 per cent currently); long term, the goal is 15 per cent, with better routes, shorter home/work distances, education and better urban planning.

Bender said the new plan will also satisfy some environmental assessment rules for a list of projects, so they don't spend years each in separate assessment processes.

Coming soon, Bender says, are improvements at Aberdeen and Longwood, King from Nash to Centennial, and the trickier CP Rail-Main Street West connection, where the city is about to submit an offer to purchase so it can negotiate cyclists across the 403 rail bridge.

It comes as regional transportation agency Metrolinx is also plotting an ambitious course for the future of Toronto and Hamilton.

In the region, Metrolinx estimates 17 per cent of all trips are walkable (less than two kilometres) and 40 per cent are bikable (less than five kilometres). But walking and cycling make up just 5 per cent of work trips and 32 per cent of school trips in the region.

Fifteen years into the Metrolinx transportation plan, the agency plans to invest up to $300 million in new walking and cycling infrastructure in the region, creating up to 4,500 kilometres of dedicated on- and off-road facilities.

From 16 to 25 years from now, a further $200 million will be invested in walking and cycling for an additional 3,000 kilometres.

Jill Stephen, city manager of strategic planning, said Metrolinx already sent $190,000 to Hamilton for bike racks on buses and secure storage at the York Boulevard parkade.She said the city will study its nodes and corridors -- major stops and lines in its network -- to see where more storage makes sense, possibly at GO stations, for example.

The city plans to open the next secure bike locker at the Hamilton Convention Centre in spring 2009. Without Metrolinx help, the city's annual budget for cycling initiatives is $300,000.

rfaulkner@thespec.com

905-526-2468

For more information see:

hamilton.ca/cycling

metrolinx.com

lake lanes

No media showed up to the official opening of the extended Waterfront Trail linking Confederation Park with Niagara Region, but the weather was great, and alternative transportation staff Daryl Bender (pictured, left) and Hart Solomon, head of traffic department (right) were there to officiate for a small assemblage of cycling citizens, including Councilors Bob Bratina (ward 2, downtown) and Maria Pearson (ward 10, the area with the cycling improvement being celebrated).

"North Service Road - a well defined cycling route, comprised of a combination of on-street bike routes, on-street painted bike lanes, and off-road multi-use pathways, between Confederation Park and Fifty Point Conservation Area"

Sure enough, enjoy the lake breeze!

THE job we've been fighting for...

Job Description

Job Title: Proj Mgr Alternative Transportation

Job ID: 4738

Location: Traffic


Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Temporary
Org Marketing Statement

CITY OF HAMILTON

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
(OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE – TRAFFIC ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS - LOCATION – 77 JAMES ST. N., SUITE 320)

PROJECT MANAGER, ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION – CUPE 1041
(1 TEMPORARY FULL TIME POSITION)

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

Reporting to the Manager, Traffic Engineering & Operations acts as the central focus for all issues related to on-street cycling and manages specific projects, whether they relate to new development, off-road trails, cycling promotion, spot repairs and maintenance and cycling facility rehabilitation.

GENERAL DUTIES

Act as the central focus for all issues related to on-street cycling.

Manage specific projects, whether they relate to new development, off-road trails, cycling promotion, spot repairs and maintenance and cycling facility rehabilitation.

Support the rewrite of Shifting Gears by managing the consultant assignment, and coordinating the Environmental Assessment process with Capital Planning and Implementation.

Advise Council of programming and to work with CPI and other external agencies such as the Ministry of Transportation, Waterfront Regeneration Trust, Hamilton Conservation Authority, and City of Burlington to implement projects as per the Shifting Gears list and then, in the future, revise and adjust priorities as projects are implemented and as demands change.

Design, plan, implement, and coordinate all aspects of projects on the priority list as defined by the revised Shifting Gears.

Define and document project requirements, scope, deliverables, timelines, resource requirements, and identify project risks.

Responsible for project plan development and project resource planning along with the following:
• identification of project tasks
• estimated costs
• project schedules
• milestones and budget
• identification of project resources and skill requirements
• recruit project staff, coordinate and assign work
• determine allocation of financial resources to project tasks

Promote teamwork and provide direction to cross-functional and cross-departmental teams, provide clearly defined goals and objectives, function as a mentor to project staff, motivate, coach and provide advice to staff on project issues and problem resolution.

Negotiate with vendors and contractors for supply of services.

Prepare oral and written presentations to management and Council and report regularly on the status of projects, milestone achievement, fiscal status, change and risk management. Prepare recommendations and outline preferred course of action.

Administer and monitor the budget for projects in accordance with established Corporate and Departmental procedures, ensuring that project expenditures are within budgeted levels.

Conduct project evaluations. Evaluate project success and submit process improvement recommendations to manager.

Identify organizational problem areas and prepare background research. Prepare Requests for Information (RFI) and Requests for Proposals (RFP) to access external expertise when required. Prepare letters of agreement with external consultants and manage contracted work.

Investigate, develop, recommend and implement policies and procedures that enhance organizational effectiveness and create a supportive work environment.

Provide professional consultation to the Manager and Director as required. Act on behalf of the Manager in his/her absence on the divisional management team and for other assignments as required.

Maintain professional competence in the discipline of project management.

Review incoming neighbourhood plans to ensure that bike facilities and pedestrian facility continuity are an integral part of neighbourhood design.

Consider the current cycling infrastructure and determine those locations requiring repairs or rehabilitation such as poor pavement and deficient catch basins.

Undertake and promote activities on behalf of cycling such as reviewing the current cycling maps, city webpage and other opportunities to promote the use of cycling as an alternative to automobile use.

Act as the central focus for all issues related to pedestrians, mobility and "walkability."

Assist in coordinating pedestrian infrastructure planning and implementation as per the guidelines / criteria as identified in the Transportation Master Plan.

Act as staff support to the proposed Pedestrian Sub-Committee, both in a direct support role and in a coordination role where the City already has current capacity and expertise.

Provide general expertise in promoting walking as an alternative transportation form.

Perform other duties as assigned by the Manager or Directors on Senior Management Team which are directly related to the normal functions of the job as defined.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Demonstrated competence in bicycle facility design and operations and pedestrian facility design and operations, normally acquired through a degree in traffic engineering, geography or parallel disciplines; or suitable experience in a related discipline pertinent to the job functions combined with project management experience.

2. Progressive experience in project management, budgeting and fiscal control in a unionized public or private sector organization. Project Management designation and experience in transportation sector an asset.

3. Proven organizational skills and the ability to work with very tight deadlines and competing priorities.

4. Demonstrated ability to challenge, lead and inspire others to excel in an environment that fosters innovative approaches to problem-resolution.

5. Ability to plan, organize and lead project and project teams.


6. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, facilitation skills and presentation skills, a team leader and mentor possessing highly developed negotiation and conflict resolution skills.

7. Must possess thorough knowledge of the current suite of Microsoft productivity tools, including PowerPoint, Excel and Word. Microsoft Project and web-based applications an asset.

8. Must be able to work in an independent and confidential manner, making sound judgements based on results of research and/or fieldwork.

9. Ability to deal effectively with management, peers, staff and the general public.

10. Working knowledge and understanding of statutes, regulations and by-laws affecting the department/section.

11. Must have above average analytical and problem solving skills.

12. Demonstrated knowledge of the Health and Safety Act and applicable regulations as it relates to the position.

13. Experience in supervising a unionized workforce would be an asset.

SALARY:

Salary Grade 5

$34.783 - $36.716 - $38.648 per hour ($32.851 probationary rate)

HOURS:

35 per week

NOTE:

This vacancy is due to a project with a term of approximately two years.

THE INCUMBENT SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR THIS POSITION AND THE WORKPLACE.

LUCY MCGREAL: WORKFORCE PLANNING SPECIALIST

Please apply on or before:

29/08/2007

Scoop: CATCH reports "cycling and pedestrian coordinator approved"

The public works committee today approved hiring an alternative transportation coordinator to guide the city’s cycling and pedestrian projects. The move was opposed by Ancaster councillor Lloyd Ferguson who argued that existing bike paths aren’t being used.

Staff recommended the hiring of the coordinator earlier this year, but the proposal was turned down by councillors as an unaffordable additional cost to the city’s operating budget. They also cancelled the annual capital allocation for 2007, something that also took place in 2003.

The city allocates about $300,000 a year for improvements to cycling, but the budget has not been spent because there was no specific staff person assigned to direct such projects. As a result, the cycling account had accumulated $775,000 by the end of last year.

Today’s staff report says the promotion of cycling and walking should reduce air pollution, promote a healthier lifestyle and thus reduce heath care costs, and “create a city which is viewed as liveable, thereby attracting new residents and, businesses, with the attendant positive impact on the economy.” It acknowledged that the cycling program has never had regular staff support.

“Program implementation has primarily been by the previous project director of the Red Hill Valley Project, prior to amalgamation and by the Manager of Traffic Engineering and Operations subsequently, with whatever staff support could be freed up intermittently from other projects,” it notes. “The overall effect of the lack of staffing has been irregular implementation as staff attempt to find time for cycling projects amid competing priorities.”

Today’s proposal was apparently engineered by Brian McHattie and Chad Collins. McHattie had bitterly opposed the budget decisions that turned down the coordinator position in April and cut the capital allocation. Monies for the new coordinator will now come from the capital account and support a temporary two-year position, after which the need for it will be reviewed.

Ferguson didn’t take issue with the creative financing approach, but contended that existing bike lanes aren’t being used.

“We’ve gone and built these bicycle paths all through the city, and Golf Links Road is someplace I travel a lot, and never see a bicycle on it, never,” he declared. “I just wonder whether we shouldn’t be putting our resources somewhere else until it starts to implement and starts to get traction and we start to see more bicycles using the systems that have already been put in place.”

Ferguson cast the only vote against the proposal. The decision still needs to be ratified by the full council on June 27.

Staff say using some of the capital monies to pay the new coordinator will still allow planned projects to proceed on York Boulevard, the North Service Road in Stoney Creek, and the west Hamilton rail trail. Plans include updating of the city’s master cycling plan, and the installation of more bicycle racks. The coordinator is will also work with the city’s new pedestrian sub-committee “to improve the walkability of Hamilton”.

This year’s $300,000 capital budget allocation remains cancelled. It was originally pegged at one per cent of the roads budget, but that has climbed to $42 million this year, not including the Red Hill Expressway, with no increase in the cycling allocation.

The city’s new transportation master plan says a capital budget of $700,000 to $1 million a year will be needed to expand the bike lane system in Hamilton over the next fifteen years.

(From Citizens at City Hall aka CATCH)

Alt Trans Axe Falls in Hamilton: Make some noise

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Transportation for Liveable Communities PO BOX 19, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton ON L8S 1C0 905-525-9140 ext. 26026 tlchamilton(at)gmail.com

Transportation Advocacy Group says Hamilton is Driving Away Sustainable Transportation Options.
TLC opposes move to pull funding for cycling, walking and transit.

Since our inception in 2000, Transportation for Liveable Communities has been engaged in addressing a dysfunctional traffic system that prefers cars to cycling, walking and transit.

TLC's long awaited hopes for the city to take positive steps to improve infrastructure for alternatives to the private automobile have been devastated by the Committee of the Whole's decision to raise bus fares, drop the modest annual allocation for cycling improvements ($300,000), and to turn down a proposal for an alternative transportation coordinator position.

This is the second time in recent memory that the cycling budget has been dropped because previous year's money was not spent: TLC understands that the lack of spending has more to do with the absence of a staff position than anything else, since there is an obvious and urgent need for spending on a multitude of cycling projects.

In our experience, programs and infrastructure for cycling are continually falling years behind schedule, while frequent changes to city staff for cycling issues make follow through difficult. This situation leaves TLC with the clear realization that there is a strong correlation between the two. Hiring an alt trans coordinator would be the most efficient way to support cycling initiatives in the city.

The Transportation Master Plan, "intended to move the City towards the achievement of the objectives of Vision 2020 and are reflective of the 9 Strategic Directions to guide development decisions...identified as part of the GRIDS process, including Direction #6 - Expand transportation options that encourage travel by foot, bike and transit and enhance efficient inter-regional transportation connections," specifically states the need for a "permanent full-time staff position for Cycling and a permanent full-time position of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Coordinator," as well as recognizing that "that planned population and employment growth over the next 30 years can be accommodated without the need for major new Escarpment crossings provided that viable alternatives to single occupant vehicles are fostered and developed"

By failing to pay the price in the budget (despite the fact the salary was to come from the annual cycling budget), we can expect more lip service to sustainable transportation when what we need is action.

Council's approach to the HSR: raising fares rather than taxes to support public transportation, hurts the city's potential to escape the jam we're in regarding traffic, air pollution, poverty, and pragmatic economic development in these global warming times. A serious look at area rating is long overdue. Making users pay the majority of the costs is not the answer.

In the big budget picture we're talking about small amounts, but amounts likely to deliver a huge payoff in terms of liveability and sustainability. For less than it costs to resurface a kilometer of four-lane road ($700,000) we could have the cycling budget and a staff position ($300,000) and still have half a million dollars to put toward transit; yet a majority of city councillors don't seem to recognize the value they would get.

By comparison, the City of Toronto has just allocated $3 million for next year's cycling budget.

"It's ironic that they made their decision to cut support for sustainable transportation during a poor air quality alert (March 28, 2007, Downtown Hamilton AQI 53), with pollution largely generated by roads and traffic" notes TLC. "We fail to see any logic in council's votes and we want the issues reconsidered."

Hire Some Cycling Staff!

September 20, 2006

E-Mailed to Ed Switenky ; Ron Gallo ; Hart Solomon and copied to Hamilton City Council


Transportation for Liveable Communities would like to take this opportunity to draw attention to an ongoing problem.

The issue is a follows:

1. The city cycling staff keeps changing
2. There is no notification that there is a change
3. We don't know if the last person (Brian Applebee) was replaced and who the new contact is
4. As a result, our inquiries go unanswered and
5. it is extremely difficult to follow up on outstanding projects and issues.

As a result TLC requests that the city hire a full-time cycling coordinator, as recommended in the transportation master plan:

"Create a senior staff level pedestrian and cycling coordinator position to monitor and assist in the implementation of the policies until such time that the policies are integrated into the everyday practises of the City administration." (Development of Policy Papers for Phase Two of the Transportation Master Plan for the City of Hamilton WALKING AND CYCLING POLICY PAPER)

Transportation for Liveable Communities has been a leading stakeholder on bicycle issues in the city for several years, and has consistently sought to develop and maintain positive and cooperative relationships with city council and staff on alternative transporation issues. The failure to keep us informed sends a negative signal about the city's commitment to its cycling plan, and shows a lack of consideration towards an organization that has provided valuable information and support for the implementation of the city's cycling policies. This breakdown in communication around the change in cycling staff is emblematic of the need to develop our relationship on a new footing.

In the meantime, TLC would appreciate being kept informed about changes to city cycling staff so that we can communicate our concerns and ideas directly.

For TLC,
Randy Kay www.tlchamilton.org