Boise elects pro-bike leaders

According to Talyn Brumley over at the Boise Weekly, yesterday's election keeps pro-bicycle leaders at City Hall.

Wow! Do those 12% of voters who made the effort, realize what they've done?!!?

"[Reelected Mayor] Bieter told Citydesk that he believed bicycle transportation would become a higher priority in the near future."

"[Newly-elected Councilman] Quintana said that he was eager to begin improving alternative transportation such as bike paths."

That's all hunky-dorky [SIC], but ACHD, not the city, does the roadways in these parts. (Although I acknowledge City Hall surely wields heavy influence.)

If our city fathers seriously want to make our community more bike-friendly, IMO the place to start would be at the police station. The stated position of the BPD is, "Bicycle violations are not a prioroty for the department." When yokels on bikes are breaking the law all over town, it fosters resentment as well as making bicycling less safe. Surely Bieter and Quintana could be more effective than I am, at encouraging a little more vigorous enforcement and education effort by our law enforcement people.

(By the way, I voted. Mostly for the non-winners. And I've gotta admit I paid no attention to their viewpoints on bike issues, figuring that's a function of ACHD.)