While it is unclear whether the Salem City Council will be deciding tonight, May 23, on what to include in a $300 million bond measure to be voted on by citizens in the November election, it still would be a good idea to urge them ASAP (before 5 pm today, if possible) to include $15 million for protected bike lanes in the measure.
Email your testimony to [email protected]
Say you heartily support the proposal to use existing infrastructure to create the protected bike lanes, and want to see money for this in the bond measure. I described the proposal by Salem Bike Vision in an April blog post, "Protected bike lane network proposed for Salem."
This photo from the Salem Bike Vision web site shows how much safer and pleasant a protected bike lane is than mere painted lines on the edge of a busy street.
Today I got an email from Salem Bike Vision saying in part:
Tonight is the night! The City Council is expected to finalize the project list for the community infrastructure bond in their meeting tonight. This is what we have been building towards this last couple months and we need your help to get this across the finish line!
There is still time for Council to add funding for protected bike infrastructure into the bond. We have asked for 5%, or $15M, to be set aside for these projects to help build a livable and climate-resilient community over the next 10 years.
It appears that Council may only be able to set aside $10 million. In either event, please submit public comments by 5pm today, if you want more bike infrastructure in Salem. Personal experiences are powerful so please do not shy away from sharing your experiences riding in Salem.
That public comment link doesn't lead directly to how comments are submitted if you don't testify via Zoom at the meeting itself. Again, email [email protected]
Tonight's City Council agenda includes an item to be voted on that calls for public opinion research to be conducted before what's included in the bond measure is finalized. So that implies the project list won't be finalized tonight, but maybe it could be, if the public opinion research isn't approved by the council.
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