Voters are agreeing to more proposals to add bike lanes and other alternative transportation infrastructures such as bike parking racks, pedestrian walkways and connected pathways

One of the true indications of serious support for improving bicycling infrastructure such as adding more protected bike lanes, connected paths to different areas and bike parking racks can be seen by the voter support in this past election.

When a proposition to fund bike infrastructure generates the required number of signatures and is placed on that ballot sheet, then you know there are citizens committed to making their communities better for bicycles.

Several propositions were on state and city ballots this past election day.

Most passed.

That is quite an accomplishment because in many cases, people voted for increases in taxes or diversion of funds from one project to a bicycle and pedestrian project instead.

But that's the key. If communities are going to get serious about encouraging more bicycling and less driving, sometimes generating a proposition on a ballot is the only way to get it done.

The momentum is building all over the country. Many cities such as New York City, Seattle and Los Angeles have committed millions to make it easier for people to bicycle around town. Those citizens want to make roads safer for cyclists, get more cars off those roads and reduce smog and air pollution.

Voters say "Yes" to several bike-related propositions on the ballot

Here are a few bicycle-related propositions that passed (or survived), as reported by PeopleforBikes.org.

1. Texas - Austin voters say "yes" to dedicate a whopping $925 million in bonds for various capital improvements around the city. Part of the money will go for parks, new and improved trails and greenways and sidewalk improvements.
2. Arizona - residents of Tucson voted to commit some big dollars, about $225 million in bonds for capital improvements which includes more bike paths.
3. Colorado - residents of Denver agreed to a .25% increase in the sales tax. Those funds would be spent on parks, trails, open spaces and waterways - about $45 million per year.
4. Florida -people in Sarasota County approved the use of bonds to generate $65 million to acquire land and extend the existing Legacy Trail. That trail is an eleven-mile path built on an old railroad bed - a perfect route for bicyclists.
5. Florida- Doral residents were asked to approve $150 million in bonds for park and recreation improvements, including many new paths and trails. They passed the measure.
6. Georgia - this amendment would divert sales tax revenue from sporting goods stores and bicycle shops to fund trails, parks, water quality and wildlife projects. The voters passed it and now there will be an estimated $20 million annually available for improvements. Great news for bicyclists.
7. Rhode Island - passed a proposition statewide to issue $47.3 million in bonds for various projects. Those projects include $5 million to a state bikeway program, $5 million for local recreation projects and $2 million for open spaces.
8. California - bikes won by a "no" vote as citizens defeated a bill to cut a state gas tax that generates $5.2 billion in funding for transportation projects, including $100 million for a fund to build infrastructure for bicycles and pedestrians. That fund will stay intact. Agreeing to higher gas prices is never pleasant but shows many Californians are committed to fixing their transportation and bicycle infrastructure.

Not only is it great to see voters stepping up and agreeing to these major improvements, but their success can be encouraging to other cities and states that want to take the same steps and make their areas better for bicyclists.

Ideas on how to improve bicycling in your town

If you or a local group of citizens want to pass a bicycle infrastructure project in your area, here are a few tips from the League of American Bicyclists:

1. Timing is Key - make sure you are placing your measure on the ballot when it is appropriate. For example, you probably don't want to add it if there are several other funding proposals out there or if you think voters heading to the polls are not likely to vote yes.
2. Specific Plan - this is very important. People will vote for minor tax increases or approve bonds if they know exactly where that money is going to go. So many amendments out there are confusing and frankly, vague in their wording.
3. Simple Issue - ditto for keeping your proposal simple and to the point, so it is easy to understand.
4. Clear Benefits - this is probably the key point. You must answer this question that voters will pose: "How will this benefit me and why should I vote in the affirmative?"
5. Public Involvement - even a great proposal with an obvious benefit needs to be promoted as heavily as possible to overcome voter aversion to anything new or with a price tag. Have a plan to get as many people involved as possible. Contact various bicycle groups. Promote to bicycle-oriented people on social media. Get word out in the press and on television.
6. Champions for the Cause - regarding public involvement, persuade some key personalities in your town to back your cause and promote it. Get all the key stakeholders involved - local transportation departments, bicycle planners and elected politicians.
7. Listen Carefully - watch for the reaction to your proposal. You might think your idea is great, but keep on eye on social media, comment sections, forums and letters to the editor for any pushback that may take place. Perhaps people don't fully recognize the benefits of your proposal or they have come up with an objection you did not anticipate. Unfortunately, not everybody likes bike lanes.
8. Regional Balance - see how your proposition ties in with other transportation initiatives, not just locally but on the county and state levels as well.
9. Include Clear Accountability - be specific with your proposal and make a checklist of projects to be funded so you can show the public the plan and then inform them of the progress. That ensures that all parties are implementing the plan as promised.
10. Creative Use of Space - do the research and come up with a clever proposal. For example, many cities are revitalizing old abandoned rail lines. Residents appear to love these ideas. The government basically takes these useless and old rusty railroad tracks and turns those rights-of-way into fun multi-use trails that can be used by pedestrians, runners and cyclists. Plus, many of the projects such as the High Line in NYC, the Beltline in Atlanta and the soon to be built Underline in Miami are adding interesting amenities such as public art and beautiful landscaping. Events can also be created that tie in these new open spaces. More importantly, these types of projects have a history of attracting millions of dollars in development nearby and increasing the taxable value of properties.
11. Sufficient Funds - this is where the rubber meets the road. Nothing is cheap. Be sure the project will have plenty of money behind it to get it done. A half-finished project is worse than a project that was never started because people will question how the funds they were asked to approve were used. Or in a worse-case scenario, people will start to criticize the project and claim those funds were wasted.

The timing is right. Citizens are tired of spending billions to add more roads and bridges that just add more cars, pollution and congestion.

Instead, people want to see the building of alternative forms of transportation - protected bike lanes, bike share programs and plenty of bike parking racks throughout town to safely park their bikes.

This works in Europe. It is working in America as bicycle commuting is on a major upswing. You just need to get the public to support more bicycle infrastructure in the voting booth.

Note: The Park and Facilities Catalog has been designated a "Bicycle Friendly" business by the Leauge of American Bicyclists. We have sold bike parking racks to municipalities nationwide since 2001 and are strong advocates for improving bicycle safety and increasing the number of protected bike lanes.