Advocacy

Giving you the tools to be a bike-ped advocate in your community

There are 3 leading roles in civic change: 1) advocates, 2) elected officials, and 3) government staff. If all three are working together, great things happen. As an advocate, you will raise the issue profile, activate other advocates, engage the public, shape the initial plan, give voice as public leaders to elected officials, lobby elected officials, create messaging, and engage the media in that messaging.

– Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Tips for Local Advocates, from Bike Lanes to Sidewalks

The Bike/Ped Coalition of York County (BPCYC) has information and strategies to share with York County residents to help you pursue your priorities.

  • Do you hope for a bike lane, path or sidewalk in your neighborhood?
  • Are you trying to draw attention to a local traffic safety issue?
  • Do you want your city, town or York County to adopt a complete streets policy?

We also can point you to advocacy efforts supporting York County and its communities becoming more pedestrian, bicycling, and roller friendly.

  • Parents advocating for safe routes to their local high school
Community members advocating for safe routes to local schools and rails to trails

All see our directory of like-minded local and national groups with helpful resources.

From our Strategic Planning

How can the BPCYC engage York County residents to support and further bike/ped projects of municipalities/counties/government entities/organizations?

BPCYC Advocacy Opportunity: Mobilize Public Support for Existing Plans

The coalition can help share information from municipalities and the county with residents to help mobilize public support for project prioritization. Some plans and policies already exist (e.g., Comprehensive Plans or Bike/Ped Master Plans) that would support York County and its communities becoming more bicycle and pedestrian friendly[1]. Government planners prioritize work based on city/town/county council feedback; in turn, councils prioritize work based on public (citizen) feedback[2]. So to get the projects implemented, the public need to vocalize their support! The BPCYC provides a means for:

  1. Local governments to create awareness in residents about what bike/ped-related projects exist and are attainable.
    • Government coalition members would, by jurisdiction, identify relevant existing goals and objectives within plans
      •  The York County Comprehensive Plan has a list of plans including short-term low- or no-cost strategies (see below).
      •  The City of Rock Hill list projects in “Connect Rock Hill” that include low-cost safety improvements.
  2. Residents to gather data supportive of bike/ped projects.
    • Government coalition members would identify metrics supportive of those relevant objectives that they would like the group to help quantify through such means as field research, data gathering, or surveys.
    • Coalition members would identify community groups and neighborhood associations most likely to benefit from individual bike/ped projects.
  3. Residents to recruit other residents supportive of bike/ped projects in support of the above efforts.
    • As the coalition grows, members would attend community events to promote awareness of planned bike/ped projects, completed projects as well as of coalition activities.
    • Coalition members would educate neighborhood leaders and other interested parties to the benefits of implementing identified projects.
  4. Citizens to communicate with city/town/county councils and other relevant entities their support for bike/ped projects, including testimony at meetings and public hearings, encouraging prioritization of those projects.
    • Government coalition members would identify opportunities in which members can promote funding or sponsorship of bike/ped projects.
    • Coalition members and interested neighborhood and community groups would focus attention to the beneficial design of those projects.

Attainable Bike/Ped Projects in York County Comprehensive Plan

These York County Comprehensive Plan projects are identified as ready for public engagement and support:

  1. Require pedestrian facilities to be constructed in industrial developments and along existing or proposed arterial and collector road frontage for all developments. (Action type – Development Regulations; no funding required)
  2. Establish design standard details and definitions for pedestrian and bicycle facilities for use by developers. (Action type – Development Regulations; no funding required)
  3. Develop and adopt a County-wide bicycle and pedestrian master plan to improve the feasibility of walking and cycling to local destinations and increase opportunities for physical activity. (Action type – Study/Plan; funding may be required)
  4. Incorporate municipal & RFATS bicycle and pedestrian master plans into County Bike/Ped Plan. (Action type – Study/Plan; no funding required)
  5. Survey locations and conditions of existing facilities and identify where maintenance and new facilities are needed, with an emphasis on facilities in the urbanized Area (Bike/Ped). (Action type – Study/Plan; funding required)
  6. Identify underserved areas of the county (Quality of access to recreation/open space) and encourage partnerships/agreements between the School Districts and municipal/nonprofit agencies to provide recreation opportunities that will promote physical activity. (Action type – Coordination/Study/Plan/Grant; funding required)
    • Establish a funding mechanism for open space conservation and programming.
    • Build partnerships with other municipalities, agencies and non-profit organizations to provide funding by utilizing the recreation tax.
    • Continue to pursue multi-pronged open space grant funding opportunities.
  7. Promote the planning and construction of a connected trail network of open space properties throughout York County. (Action type – Study/Plan/Public Outreach; funding required)
  8. Implement the Carolina Thread Trail Master Plan through coordination with municipal partners and facilitate initiatives that will support Carolina Thread Trail dedication, acquisition, and purchase of trail and greenway easements. (Action type – Coordination/Grant; funding required)
  9. Continue to support the Nation Ford Greenway effort. (Action type – Coordination; no funding required)
  10. Explore possible rails to trails network connection opportunities. (Action type – Coordination; funding required)
  11. Continue to implement and expand the bicycle-pedestrian plan. (Action type – Study/Plan; funding required)
  12. Encourage developers to create and provide public access to open space areas to include parks, greenways and trails. (Action type – Coordination/Development/Regulations; no funding required)

Footnotes

[1] Projects could include bike-related facilities need to be located and designed; maybe a large project is being proposed and we can promote bike/ped connectivity within the project; maybe we need funding for trails (e.g., a grant, or sponsors such as healthcare providers or bike stores). Maybe a project will come through that is more walkable in design; we can identify it and recognize that it needs community support, so we can mobilize the public to attend related public meetings.

[2] Public support can remind decisionmakers of unfulfilled goals and objectives in approved plans. (Note that Comprehensive Plans include public engagement; but when the public does not then push for implementation, the plan remains “on the shelf.”) Staff can’t push elements of a plan without public and council support. When organizations are implementing plans and policies, bring local residents/advocates “to the table” to support the process and weigh in on plan development. Raise awareness in citizens that some existing comprehensive plans have bike/ped components. If citizens were aware of existing documented plans, then they could push for implementation.