Jim Oberstar on Transportation

GGW points us to a town hall discussion with Jim Moran and James Oberstar. It's entitled "From Roads to Rails," but it will be a discussion on the future of Transportation in Northern Virginia. A future that should include cycling. Oberstar is a strong cycling advocate.

Who: Featuring  Special Guest Speaker: Rep. Jim Oberstar,  Chairman of the House Transportation Committee

When: Monday,  July 7th
          7:30PM to 9:30PM

Where: Freddie  Mac Headquarters
          1551 Park Run Dr.
          McLean,   Virginia 22102
          Building 4 – the Pavilion  Room
  Map

What: Congressman Moran to host a town hall discussion on transportation issues facing Northern Virginia. Rep. Jim Oberstar will provide his perspective as the highest-ranking member of the House of Representatives on matters involving transportation.

Unfortunately, it's on the same night as both Arlington and Alexandria's BAC meetings, but it would nice if some cyclists showed up. Asked a few questions.

Comments

[Pete]

I'll certainly be there. It's only a couple blocks from my job so I can just ride my commuter bike over there. Really interested to see if there's any more momentum for improving cycling is the US with gas prices where they are (the only thing that'll get us off our lazy butts).

[Lee Watkins]

can someone get him a copy of this? http://research.cibcwm.com/economic_public/download/sjun08.pdf

"Our updated oil price forecast of
$200 per barrel oil by 2010 points to Americans paying
as much as $7 per gallon for gasoline within the next
two years."

"Over the next four years, we are likely to
witness the greatest mass exodus of vehicles
off America’s highways in history. By 2012,
there should be some 10 million fewer
vehicles on American roadways than there
are today—a decline that dwarfs all previous
adjustments including those during the two
OPEC oil shocks"

[Jacob Kosoff]

I am a member of the Freddie Mac Bicycle Commuter group and I will be there on Monday night. I actually work in the building that is hosting the event and that building has very good cycling facilities. Bike racks available for employees and visitors on the P2 level of the parking garage, but showers and lockers just for employees I can ask some cycling questions. Do you have any suggestions for questions?

Jacob

[washcycle]

It's hard to suggest a good question since both are such strong advocates (both part of the bike caucus, both support most of the bills). here's a list of legislation LAB is pursuing.

http://capwiz.com/lab/issues/bills/

An open-ended "where, in your mind, does cycling fit into NV transportation" will at least let them know people are interested in it.

I might invite Jim Moran to bike to work on Bike to work day and stop at one of the stations to talk.

Or, if I wanted to be wonky, I'd ask why Congress is setting up its own bike sharing program instead of joining and expanding DC's.

[Ren]

I have class that night and I may be blurring my governmental lines here, but what about bringing up some of the following:
Mt. Vernon Trail south (NPS) is scary to ride after dark and the W&OD is technically closed…options for people who ride to work year round are lousy.
NPS could do a better job of dealing with cyclists on the Mall too.