El Paso puts cars before people

The City of El Paso will spend $8.8 Million to "beautify" overpasses and pillars near downtown. TxDOT will do the work. This is according to a report filed by Denise Olivas of KVIA: Latest freeway beautification project to focus on downtown. In other words there will be more eye candy. But will there be better transportation?

In other words, El Paso will put cars before people. 

"Nationwide study on biking and walking shows El Paso lags far behind peer cities. El Pas has among the highest bicycle-pedestrian fatality rates, lowest biking and walking levels, dead last in bicycle infrastructure per square mile."

Where are our priorities?

The Friday Video: Dear Motorist

Take the PLEDGE at dearmotorist.com.

Bicycling: How El Paso Ranks

Check out a report by the League of American Bicyclists: Where We Ride - Analysis of Bicycling in American Cities.  See how El Paso is ranked. A fast way to get to the data about El Paso is hit Ctrl-F. Type in "El Paso". We are among the top 70 largest cities and ranked... well...ranked at number 69. Hmmm...

Thanks to Charlie Wakeem for sending me the link to this report.

The Friday Video (on Sunday): Portlandia Bike Rider

Do read the Guardian article that also embedded this funny video. It's by Elly Blue: For the price of a mile of highway, you too can have a bike-friendly city. Of course, if the preference continues to be to pay for more border patrol programs to fight a losing drug war but score political points, El Paso may never see a dime to become bike-friendly.

Hat tip to Marshall Carter-Tripp for the article and the video. 

The Friday Video: BikeSwell Smart Movement in Arlington Virginia

People from coast to coast are getting it. Don't expect TxDOT, Bob Bielek, Ted Houghton or the El Paso sprawlers ever to get it. We the people must insist that our elected officials act in spite of these Neanderthals. We the people must act in spite of these Neanderthals especially if our government does not.

Here's the Friday video with a hat tip to Maria Trunk and Judy Ackerman. Keep sending them in, folks:

Bicycling and Walking Make Sense

Our friends at TxDOT, City Planning, City Manager's office, City Council, the CPC, the Transportation Policy Board of the MPO, etc. should watch the videos below. In fact, all El Pasoans should see these. Together both will take just 31 minutes of your time. Watching them beats a sitcom re-run. The first came to me from Judy Ackerman via Fred Eiland. The second I learned about from the speaker himself in an email. He was a key speaker at a city planning workshop over a year ago.

The question is why are we so backwards when it comes to urban design including more opportunities for pedestrians and bicyclists? There is so much to be gained as the videos will show.


Upon reviewing some documents relevant to TxDOT's refusal to allow CMAQ funds to go where they were intended to go (an El Paso bike share program), one expert told me: "They [TxDOT] don't see bicycles as a form of transportation!  So for them the only way to reduce emissions is to enable/encourage more people to drive, then make them more efficient (which actually adds, not cuts emissions).

Speck speaks to the question of walkability/lifestyle versus more efficient gadgets:

New Hike, Bike and Birding Events

The Sunrise Hikers group of the El Paso Hikers is back (although they are hiking a bit after sunrise).

Join veteran hiking legend, John Moses, on Tuesday, May 15^th, at 7:40 a.m. at the Franklin Mountains State Park headquarters in McKelligon Canyon.  (Map)  We will leave most vehicles there and then carpool to the Stoney Hill Trailhead for a hike up the Stoney Hill Arroyo over the ridge into McKelligon Canyon.

On Thursday, May 17^th, do the Schaeffer Shuffle in the Tom Mays Unit of the Franklin Mountains State Park. Plan to meet at 7:00 a.m. sharp at the park entrance (map). Pay your $2 Sunrise Hiker fee. We will go to the trailhead and do the shuffle. This is a moderate hike on good trails and can be enjoyed by the beginning hiker. Expect 2 hours. The toughest part is ascending the hill back to the parking lot/picnic site at the end of the hike. We will not be in a hurry and nobody will be left behind. Hikers will be able to identify some plant species and perhaps see Mule Deer. Any geocachers may want to do a quick side trip to find the geocache along the way. 

The El Paso Ridgewalkers, the  El Paso Hiking Meet-up and the Las Cruces Hiking Meet-up  have some great hikes coming up as well including a Tramway Trails hike and a Geocache Hike this Saturday as well as a difficult Palisades arroyo hike this Sunday.

By the way, consider purchasing a Texas State Park Pass for just $70. When we return to the park headquarters on Tuesday is a good time to do so. Also consider a donation to help your parks.

Join the Audubon Society this Saturday, May 12^th  for a birding trip to Memorial Park and Arroyo Park.  The Warbler migration is in full swing and Warblers, Vireos and Orioles have been seen at Memorial Park.  Meet at 7:00 a.m. at the Garden Center at 3105 Grant and  bird Memorial Park first.  Then move on to Arroyo Park where you might see Flycatchers, Gambel's Quail and possibly Tanagers.  Nonmembers and beginners are always welcome.  Contact Mark at 637-3521 or mperkins4@elp.rr.com for more information.

May is National Bike month and the City of El Paso has a number of activities to honor the month. (Fortunately, elpasonaturally has posted these events as you will search in vain on the City web site for anything about it.)

The Adventure Cycling Association has blogged about some great trails in Far West Texas. Be sure to visit Texas Mountain Trails and their daily photo blog and see some great videos. Bicyclers: learn about the El Paso Uplands Loop.

Of course, there is great biking (and walking and jogging) on Scenic Drive since it is closed every Sunday morning from 6 to 11 a.m.  It’s a 4.1 mile hike from one side to the other.

The El Paso Bicycle Club is now a meet-up site.

The Guadalupe Mountains National Park wants your input on enhancing the usage of the Salt Basin Dunes Area.

Check out the American Hiking Society.  They offer Volunteer Vacations – 3 this summer in New Mexico. Get all the facts and details.

Finally, we may need to change the name of this e-letter from El Paso Hikers to something that suggests what we are truly becoming – a publication that gives information about a myriad of ways to enjoy our great El Paso region outdoors including hiking, walking, biking, birding and more. Any suggestions?

Excelsior!