Better Biking. Better Walking. Better Being.
Bike Walk Alliance of New Hampshire 2020 Survey
QUICK SUMMARY
Our 2020 survey provided lots of good data. The only surprises were the many great ideas submitted through the comments. Here’s a quick snapshot of some of the most important bits of feedback:
- BWANH should continue advocating for increased funding and assisting groups seeking to expand and/or improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
- BWANH should keep using both social media and email for communication
- BWANH should continue to focus on funding, constructing and improving bike-ped infrastructure projects, rail trails, bike lanes and non-motorized pathways.
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ALL THE DETAILS
To help Bike-Walk Alliance of New Hampshire (BWANH) stay engaged and connected with advocacy groups and individuals statewide, a 9-question survey was administered in August 2020. The purpose of the survey was to help BWANH focus on the efforts and activities that were important to the survey audience to enhance their quality of life by improving bicycling and walking throughout New Hampshire.
The survey was advertised primarily through social media and via email distribution groups and kept open for 3 weeks. Responses from 281 survey participants were collected and are summarized in this report. Many of the questions allowed for comments or were open-ended and all those responses are included in this report as they were entered, with no edits or corrections made. While only the comments that were made by multiple respondents are summarized in this report, all comments will be read and considered by BWANH.
The survey was completed primarily by people who are active bikers and/or walkers, with 62% members of a bike group or club. While the survey was distributed through social media, the day with the largest number of responses entered was August 18th, when Granite State Wheelers put out an email blast asking its members to take and share the survey – 30% of the responses were received that day. Elected officials made up 2% of the respondents but it should be noted that several planners and members of various local commissions also participated.
Advocating for Increased funding and assisting groups seeking to expand and/or improve bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure came out as the top two advocacy efforts that BWANH should focus on, with advocating for laws to protect bicyclists and pedestrians coming in a close third. Several comments were made regarding enforcement of existing laws and advocating for paved shoulders.
The survey asked which of BWANH’s educational activities/initiatives where thought to be most effective. The training sessions lead by BWANH, such as the Bike Friendly Driver and Safe Cycling classes, were at the top and providing information on national and statewide advocacy efforts was also recommended as a focus area. While developing printed brochures, posters, public service announcements and other educational materials was also thought to be effective, several comments were made about moving away from printed materials and using more digital media. The addition of bike safety information in drivers’ education classes was also suggested by several respondents, as was organizing group rides for younger riders and families. Educating and working with those who design roadways to ensure that all modes are considered when roads are built or reconstructed was also suggested by multiple people.
Maintaining and publishing a state-wide Events Calendar was selected as the most important event-related activity, with hosting bike and walk events as second most important. Several comments suggested encouraging participation at public meetings at the state and local level where bike/walk topics are (or should be) discussed and organizing annual events that focus on alternative transportation, such as a day of advocacy in Concord. Fifty-six percent and sixty percent of respondents thought that BWANH participates in/hosts/partners on the right number of biking and walking events, respectively. However, less than 2% thought BWANH is involved with too many events (both biking and walking), meaning about 40% thought we were involved with too few.
When it comes to effective communication, 55% of respondents thought social media was very or extremely effective. Fifty-three percent thought the same of email, which is supported by the high number of survey responses that came following email blasts. Just under 50% thought in-person events were very or extremely effective but only 22% thought video/phone conferences were highly effective.
Many people commented when asked what specific activities or initiatives BWANH should focus on in the areas of enforcement (85 comments), infrastructure (118), and legislation (83). With respect to enforcement, educating motorists, cyclists, off-highway recreational vehicle users and police departments on current laws was frequently suggested as key to improving both safety and enforcement on roads and off-road trails. Specifically, the 3-Foot Law was mentioned several times as a law that needed more education and enforcement. Stricter laws and penalties for crashes involving motor vehicles and bicyclists or pedestrians were recommended as were citations for drivers and cyclists who do not adhere to the rules of the road. Several commenters noted that enforcement needs to be equitable.
Constructing and improving rail trails, bike lanes and non-motorized pathways were the top infrastructure initiatives that survey respondents want BWANH to focus on. Advocating for Complete Streets policies at the state and local level was another highly cited initiative as was working to improve signage to inform drivers and cyclists of rules (i.e., 3-Foot Law) and location of designated bike routes. Several comments related to providing route maps and working with communities, advocacy groups and private landowners to connect trails together to provide for longer, safer routes. Participating in public meetings on roadway improvements was recommended to ensure that bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure is incorporated into design; while bike lanes and separated paths were preferred, narrower travel lanes and consistent, paved shoulders were also mentioned frequently.
Based on the comments regarding legislation, BWANH should focus on advocating for funding to fix, maintain, and expand bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. This includes helping local clubs and communities secure funding and working to see funding for non-motorized infrastructure is mandated at the State level. Advocating for equitable laws that protect vulnerable road users and promote cycling and safety was encouraged, with several commenters requesting BWANH revisit the Vulnerable Road User Bill it supported in 2014. Better communication with the public and elected officials about existing laws and opportunities to provide comment on proposed legislation was encouraged. There were several comments regarding support for E-Bikes.
When asked if there was anything else they wanted to share, respondents expressed similar sentiments to those expressed in the previous, specific questions: the need for more education, funding, enforcement, and paved trails. BWANH received many shows of support and appreciation and were encouraged to continue supporting, promoting, and partnering with other advocacy groups. Several commenters stated they had never heard of BWANH and others had suggestions for improving future surveys. Negative interactions with motorists while bicycling on roadways were also shared and not surprisingly, may comments talked about the need for off-road trails. This is only a summary of frequently made comments and all are provided under “Question 8” in this document.
Finally, 21 respondents indicated they were interested in partnering with BWANH to improve biking and walking in New Hampshire and provided their contact information. Thank you
