State bike/walk advisory committee seeks two new members

With a new transportation bill in the books, this is an important time to get engaged and influence where the money goes.

Check out the press release below for info on two openings on the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (or OBPAC as the wonks say):

SALEM – The Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee is seeking two new members: one local government/land use planning member and one at-large member. The eight-member volunteer committee, appointed by the governor, acts as a liaison between the public and ODOT. It advises ODOT in the regulation of bicycle and pedestrian traffic and the establishment of bikeways and walkways. Members serve four-year terms.

The committee was first formed by Oregon Statute 366.112, a bill passed in the 1973 Oregon Legislature. In 1995, the Oregon Transportation Commission officially recognized the committee’s additional role in pedestrian issues, and the group became the Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, or OBPAC.

Throughout the year, the committee gathers input from residents, officials and ODOT staff as it considers bicycle and pedestrian transportation-related issues. The committee meets up to six times per year, with several of those meetings in locations outside of the Salem area; travel expenses are reimbursed. Upcoming work items include input on the new Safe Routes to School program, ODOT’s Active Transportation Section, and the department’s multimodal policies. Interest forms are available online.

For questions about the appointment process, contact Judge Kemp, Boards & Commissions manager, 503-378-2317.
For questions about the committee, contact Sheila Lyons, ODOT Bicycle & Pedestrian Program manager, 503-986-3555, sheila.a.lyons@odot.state.or.us.