ATTENTION CONNECTICUT EQUESTRIANS - TIME SENSITIVE

Connecticut’s Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

Meetings have been scheduled for this week - October 1^st-7^th for public comments to the update of Connecticut’s Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. (See dates & time below). The Update will result in a Plan and a Map providing Connecticut’s residents and visitors with information on bicycle and pedestrian policies, facilities, and needs. 

It is important that equestrians respond to this plan.

UPDATE: The Bike-Ped Plan is for improvements to roadways, not trails. Funding is from the Surface Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). 

Off road trails are funded through DOT under the Recreational Trails Program (RTP).

Ø As you know, traveling by road on horse or carriage is often times a dangerous situation. The STIP will use millions of dollars to improve roads for bikes and pedestrian use. It will include a state map with alternate routes of transportation that include connections to trail systems on public lands such as open spaces, Greenways and state land. We need the DOT to recognize that equestrian use on our roadways is in need of recognition of safe travel also.

Make sure this plan includes Equestrians.

Below are some points to make when discussing this plan:

Ø The Bike-Ped Plan forms an integral part of a state-wide system. The goal of the Plan is to improve access on roads for bikes and pedestrians for safe travel that ultimately will connect to trail systems on public lands such as open spaces, Greenways and state land.

Ø Horses are Pedestrians and need safe routes to travel on roads. They use roads for carriage driving, riding point to point for long distance travel and to access trail systems as do human pedestrians.

Ø The Connecticut State Statutes for Riding Animals on Highways [14-293a] and Responsibilities of Motor Vehicle Operators when Approaching Equestrians [14-29b] addresses the right of equestrians on highways. As roads are fast traveled by motorists, the standards and guidelines for the DOT should include equestrians.

Ø There is a need to educate motorists when encountering carriage drivers and equestrians on our road ways. The Plan can provide for education of all road way users - "Share the Road."

Ø The DOT STIP Projects are built with tax payer's money from federal, state and local monies and should include safety for all non-motorized travel. The DOT Bike-Ped Plan should include safe improvements to our roadways that include equestrian use. 

Ø The Updated Plan and Map needs to be revised to include equestrians. The first "Pathways through CT" publication did not accurately display where equestrian use was allowed and the new map/plan/book needs to be more accurate and "horse friendly".

Ø It is important for the DOT and Steering Committee to recognize and implement in this plan, the recognition of equestrian's needs for safe travel, alternate routes and multiple use-trails as this will be the initial step for Town Planners and Regional Agencies to follow suit in providing policy, consistent guidelines and designs.

Ø DOT engineers working with such planners need to be informed of the importance of consistent guidelines and designs in order to provide a statewide system that provides the opportunity for a variety of users that would include equestrians.

Ø DOT engineers and trail planners need to know that pavement is NOT a requirement for funding. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) laws and regulations allow equestrians on shared use paths and trails that use Federal-aid transportation funds. Stone dust surfaces have proved to hold up to heavy use and are hard enough to accommodate bicycles, baby carriages and wheel chairs. This should be considered with the fact that asphalt is not environmentally friendly and a natural surface reduces the cost of projects significantly. Pedestrians also prefer natural surfaces when walking or jogging. Natural surfaces allow the slower traveled users a place away from the fast traveled lane of bicyclists.

Ø A representative of the CT Horse Council should be involved with the Bike-Pedestrian State Plan.

Please attend one of the meetings below and speak up for Equestrian use.

Thank You

Meeting dates are:

· Wednesday, October 1, 2008 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Bristol Public Library, 5 High Street, Bristol, Connecticut

· Thursday, October 2, 2008 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

J. Eugene Smith Library, Johnson Community Room, Second Floor, Eastern CT State University, 83 Windham Street, Willimantic, Connecticut

· Monday, October 6, 2008 from 5:30 – 7:30 PM

New Haven Free Public Library, 133 Elm Street, New Haven, CT

· Tuesday, October 7, 2008 from 5:30 -8:30 PM

Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Boulevard, Stamford, CT

(Note:  This meeting will be one hour longer to accommodate commuters and include two brief presentation periods.)

All meetings will have the same content and format. Each will begin at 5:30 PM with an informal interactive open house session. A brief presentation will begin at 6:30 PM, followed by a question and answer period.  

More information and directions to the meetings can be found on the project website:  www.ctbikepedplan.org.