WI Non-sanctioned racing calendar set

Wisport announces 2013 racing schedule

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The moment many Wisconsin cycling fans clamor for all winter has arrived — the unveiling of the upcoming racing season schedules.

Recently, Wisport, the state's non-sanctioned racing organization, released its schedule.

The calendar opens April 20 with a traditional "friendly century" in Willard, and finishes with Wisport Worlds events in western Wisconsin Sept. 15.

Wisport's calendar includes several traditional races such as the Brice Prairie Time Trial and Holmen Y-30 Road Race, June 29, and 30, respectively, and Cleghorn road race Sept. 8.

The new list does include a few first time events, and the return of a race.

New to calendar are a time trial in Park Falls the same day as the Flambeau 40 road race Aug. 31, and the Ashley For the Arts road race in Arcadia, Aug. 10.

The Blue Mounds Classic road race is back on the calendar, after a year hiatus.

Wisport is defined as non-sanctioned because it does not require riders to have a USA Cycling racing license to participate. The Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) one of Wisconsin's other racing leagues does require a USA Cycling license, thereby being a sanctioned racing organization.

For more on the non-sanctioned racing season please visit, www.wisport.org.

Source: www.wisport.org

Day	Date	Race & Flyer	Website	Location	Scoring	Type
Sat	Apr 20 2013	Wisport Friendly Century		Willard WI	WISport	Ride
Sat	Apr 27 2013	Pedal for Proceeds		Whitewater WI	WISport/Menzel	RR
Sat	May 4 2013	Dar's Midwest TT Championships		Willard WI	WISport	TT
Sat	Jun 1 2013	Rib Falls Time Trial	Site	Rib Falls WI	Wisport	TT
Sat	Jun 8 2013	Frederic Lions Club Time Trial	Site	Frederic WI	WISport	TT
Sat	Jun 29 2013	Brice Prairie Time Trial	Site	Brice Prairie WI	WISport	TT
Sun	Jun 30 2013	Y-30 Road Race	Site	Holman WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Jul 6 2013	Greenwood dairy Days Road Race	Site	Greenwood WI	WISport/Menzel	RR
Sun	Jul 7 2013	Get the lead out Time Trial	Site	Greenwood WI	WISport	TT
Sat	Jul 13 2013	Blue Mounds Classic RR	Site	Blue Mounds WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Jul 20 2013	Penokee Range RR Classic	Site	Mellen, WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Aug 3 2013	Grand View Firehouse 50 RR	Site	Grand View WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Aug 3 2013	Grand View Firehouse 50 TT	Site	Grand View WI	WISport	TT
Sat	Aug 3 2013	Fantasy Fifty Road Race	Site	Grand VIew WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Aug 10 2013	Ashley For the Arts RR (New)	Site	Arcidia WI	WISport	RR
Sun	Aug 11 2013	WISport World Championship RR	Site	Fountain City WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Aug 17 2013	Kirke Vei TT	Site	Cottage Grove WI	Wisport	TT
Sun	Aug 18 2013	Real Wheelin' Bike race	Site	Mauston WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Aug 31 2013	Flambeau 40 Road Race	Site	Park Falls WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Aug 31 2013	Flambeau Time Trial (New)	Site	Park Falls WI	WISport	TT
Sun	Sep 8 2013	Cleghorn Harvest Fest Race 42	Site	Cleghorn WI	WISport	RR
Sun	Sep 8 2013	Cleghorn Harvest Fest Race 21	Site	Cleghorn WI	WISport	RR
Sat	Sep 14 2013	Held	Site		WISport
Sun	Sep 15 2013	Held	Site		WIsport
		WISport Awards Celebration		Fountain City WI	WISport	Ride

From the Federation

Bike Fed delves into bike statewide bicycle project funding

The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin occasionally shares content with Spin Daily. Enjoy.

More than $$: understanding transportation funding

POSTED ON JANUARY 8, 2013 BY DAVE SCHLABOWSKE, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

A couple of days ago I published a blog post in which I tried to give readers some idea of what sort of funds for bicycle programs might be available in our next state budget. I did my best to put real numbers with dollar signs into a spread sheet that compared what we used to spend, with what is now available from the feds and what the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources and the Dept. of Transportation have in their biennial budget requests for 2013-2015. I also asked the budget folks in each department to look over my numbers to see how accurate they are. I have since heard back that while nothing is final, my numbers are accurate enough for discussion purposes. You can see them in the spreadsheet below:

Click image for a larger view.

While I did my best to pull back the emerald curtain, the issue of transportation funding is more complicated that just reporting about the dollar amounts. Some readers still had questions and asked that I take a step back and define some of the terms I used and give a higher level view of how our transportation funding system works. Well, I’m game if you are; who wants to get wonky with me?

Before we really get into it, one reader asked that I define some of the terms in the chart above. I hear that request and raise you one. Below I give a comprehensive definition of the most commonly used and misunderstood terms in the world of transportation funding:

Allocation:	An administrative distribution of funds for programs that (usually) do not have statutory distribution formulas. Allocations usually are for discretionary programs. However, the National Recreational Trails Funding Program allocated funds to the States in FY 1993, 1996, and 1997 by statutory formula. There were no funds in FY 1992, 1994, or 1995.
Apportionment:	The distribution of funds as prescribed by a statutory formula.
Rescission:	A federal rescission of funds reduces the amount of federal funds provided through previous federal legislation. Rescissions typically target unobligated funds and allow states to choose what programs to cut to meet the rescission. Bike and ped programs are usually rescinded at a much higher rate than highway programs. There were rescissions in FY 2001-2011, but no additional rescissions in 2012.
Obligation:	The Federal government’s legal commitment or promise to reimburse the States for the Federal share of a program or project’s eligible costs.
Obligational Authority:	The total amount of funds that may be obligated in a year. For the Federal-aid Highway Program this is comprised of the obligation limitation amount plus amounts for programs exempt from the limitation.
Obligation Limitation:	A restriction, or “ceiling” on the amount of Federal assistance that may be promised (obligated) during a specified time period. This is a statutory budgetary control that does not affect the apportionment or allocation of funds. Rather, it controls the rate at which these funds may be used.
Obligation Rate:	Percent of obligations compared to the amount available (apportioned and allocated) to the State. Wisconsin’s obligation rate for bicycle programs is lower than its obligation authority, which means the State is spending its bicycle funds at a lower rate than allowed by Federal-aid highway program.
Programed:	The amount of money in projects actually scheduled for a program in a given year. Sometimes the programmed amount is more or less than the budgeted amount because either planned projects were delayed or old projects finally did get completed.
Budgeted:	The amount of money the state plans to make available for a program in a given year. Sometimes the programmed amount is more or less than the budgeted amount because either planned projects were delayed or old projects finally did get completed.

These terms and definitions are key to understanding how we spend our money, or don’t spend our money on bicycle programs. For instance, Wisconsin’s obligation rate for the Transportation Enhancements program is about 48%, one of the lowest in the nation. That means we have traditionally spent less than half of the money the feds gave us in one of the most important funding programs for bicycle and pedestrian projects. To compound that, our obligation rate after rescissions is 91%, which means when the feds come calling for any unobligated funds to try to balance their books, we give back the bike money at a much higher rate than highway money.

The definitions will also be useful if you are looking at any of the charts that rate or compare how well different states fund bicycle and pedestrian programs. Like this one that compares state spending onRecreational Trails Program, or this one that compares Transportation Enhancement spending.

Feds first

The first thing you need to understand is that virtually all of our money for bicycle programs and projects comes from the federal government. The most recent federal transportation bill is called Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). MAP-21 is a two-year bill that made quite a few changes to how bicycle programs were funded. You can learn more about those changes in this blog post, but the top-down system in which most bike money comes from the federal government remains unchanged.

In Wisconsin, pretty much the only state dollars spent on cycling comes from our state trail passes, and that only amounts to between $1 million and $1.3 million annually, a proverbial drop in the bucket.  You can see in the pie charts below, the amounts are in the thousands of millions of dollars, and our total state transportation budget request is for $6.6 billion.

Source: WisDOT 2013-15 Biennial Budget Highlights Department Budget Request, p. 5

Note the bicycle slice of the pie is so small, the good folks at WisDOT don't put it in their chart.

Here is a slightly more colorful chart I made that includes all requested bicycle and pedestrian program funds.

As you can see by the more colorful, but depressing, chart I made, bicycle and pedestrian programs only account for about 1.3% of all state transportation dollars. Remember that trips made by biking and walking account for about 12% of all trips taken in Wisconsin and 9% of all fatal crashes. Of those fatal crashes, the majority are the fault of the person behind the wheel of the motor vehicle involved. Given those statistics, why are walking and bicycling getting such a disproportionately tiny piece of the transportation funding pie? And why is our piece 30% smaller this federal budget than last?

If this was a Thanksgiving and I was served that little piece of pie, I’d either think I need to go on a diet or grandma doesn’t love me any more. Given how little money is allocated for bike stuff, it is a wonder we have it as good as we do in Wisconsin. The secret is that bike and ped projects are incredibly inexpensive compared to highway projects and have a much higher return on investment. Consider that Portland, arguably the best major city for bicycling in the country has only spent about $60 million on all their bike projects combined over the last decade. Meanwhile, it is going to cost $350 million to re-deck the 2.2 mile long the Hoan Bridge. So for $60 million, you can buy an international reputation as the best city for cycling in the United States, but $350 million only gets you a new deck on an old bridge most people outside of Milwaukee have never heard of.

There are a number of reasons finding money for walking and bicycling programs is like squeezing water from a stone. Since the advent of the automobile, traffic engineering programs have been biased in favor of moving motor vehicles rather than people. Then there are the large lobby groups for highways. Recently the most (but not all) TEA Party members have argued that the federal government has no business building facilities for bicycling or walking since those trips are all local or perhaps state at best. Perhaps the biggest reason bike and ped programs are being squeezed is that our transportation infrastructure for motor vehicles has been underfunded for so long, that our roads and bridges are literally falling apart.

Despite the hunger for more and wider highways, there is just no appetite for raising gas taxes are the federal or state level. The federal gas tax has not been raised since 1993 and Wisconsin froze our gas tax in 2006. Meanwhile, motor vehicles are getting better fuel economy,  people are driving fewer miles and at the same time, the cost of building and maintaining highways keeps getting more expensive. This sort of quadruple wammy has forced the governments to borrow more and cut back on maintenance at the expense of expansion. But don’t take it from me, listen to what Governor Walker’s Wisconsin Transportation Finance and Policy Commission has to say about our transportation funding crisis in Wisconsin:

Since 2006 when motor fuel tax indexing was repealed, inflation has reduced the buying power of the state motor fuel tax by nearly 13 percent.

The state’s decision to issue bonds to address the loss of revenues led to debt payments of $762 million in the 2011-13 biennium. Assuming a similar level of bonding over the next 10 years, debt service will consume one-quarter of all state transportation revenues by FY 2023.

In light of the difficulty politicians have raising any taxes these days and their traditional reluctance to tell lobbyists and constituents we can’t afford to maintain the transportation system we have now, let alone increase capacity, everyone from Washington to our town boards are looking for every penny they can cut from politically expendable programs and put those pennies into highways. Guess what, even though every trip involves some walking and about half of the adults in the US ride bikes, we don’t squawk much when we don’t get our fair share of the pie. I guess people who ride bikes and walk a lot just aren’t complainers and the squeaky wheels seem to get the grease.

Had enough? Ready to tap out of the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) fight for funds?  I think I’ll give it a rest at this point, and wait for questions and comments. Once readers digest this, I will give it another go in a few days and write a post about the Bike Fed’s suggestions for how we might create a more balanced, equitable and sustainably funded transportation system. Until then, I look forward to your comments and I will do my best to answer any further questions.

Bicycling deaths statewide down slightly in 2012

10 deaths on Wisconsin roads this year, 12 in 2011

By Andrew Hellpap

spindailynews@gmail.com

Dane County had the highest concentration of the state's 10 bicycle rider fatalities in 2012.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) recently released statistics on traffic fatalities in the state compared to 2011.

Dane County had two bicycle rider fatalities 2012, according to the DOT numbers, and each occurred within five days. The first death occurred Oct. 3, the second Oct. 8.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Transportation

In 2011, both Milwaukee and Waukesha counties had two deaths.

Of the 10 fatalities in 2012, most were male, seven, while three were female.

There was no discernable pattern as to where and what time of day the deaths occurred, according to the data.

The first traffic fatality in 2012 took place at 11:03 a.m., May 23, on Highway KK in Marathon County in central Wisconsin, the data said.

Six of the deaths took place on urban roads, while four were in rural regions, the DOT numbers show.

The state couldn't provide details on who was determined to be at fault in the incidents, said Larry Corsi, state program manager for the DOT's Bureau of Transportation Safety.

If determined, that information is made at the local level by area law enforcement, he said.

The bureau is active in providing safety awareness for drivers and pedestrians, Corsi said.

The agency holds Teaching Safe Bicycling (TSB) courses each spring in about five locations around the state, he said.  The TSB course teaches people how to instruct safe bicycling to elementary-aged children. 

The bureau is currently working on a project called Share and Be Aware, with the Wisconsin Bicycle Federation, Corsi said. 

"This project provides ambassadors in a number of areas around the state, assisting with both bicycle and pedestrian training, information and assistance to local groups and organizations," he said. 

The agency also plans to hold a couple of Designing for Pedestrian Safety workshops each year, educating engineers, planners and advocates on pedestrian safety and design, he said. 

"This information covered in this two-day course also increases safety for bicyclists," Corsi said.

Share and Be Aware

The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin started the Share and Be Aware campaign in 2011, according to the federation's website.

The general mission of the program is as a safety education program not only for bicyclists and pedestrians, but also the driving public, according to the Share and Be Aware campaign's 2011 annual report.

The program trained six ambassadors, which Corsi mentioned, and created educational materials.

The ambassadors worked in half of the state's 72 counties, the report said.

Part of the plan of Share and Be Aware campaign is putting the federation's message in front of the public through media outlets and advertising.

In 2011, more than two million media impressions were made, and 11,891 people were individually educated, the report showed.

The federation's team devoted to the Share and Be Aware program anticipates meeting its goals for 2012, according to the report.

A brief amount of development time in 2011 meant the federation couldn't develop all its law enforcement training materials, but in 2012 "the materials needed to meet these goals have either been created or are in production," the report said.

Wild weather welcomes state, regional champs

Snow and cold follows spring-like warmth and sun in Verona

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Abby Strigel retained her Wisconsin Cycling Association state cyclocross championship Saturday, Dec. 8, in Verona.

Strigel (Cyclocrossracing.com) Madison, topped Amber Markey (My Wife Inc.) Monona, who took second in the Pro 1/2 field, and Linda Sone (Cycle-Smart Inc.) Northfield, Minn., on a warm and sunny Badger Prairie Park course just hours before winter arrived in Wisconsin.

                                                                   Photo by Julie Phelps
Snow finally arrives for one of the last races on the 2012
Wisconsin cyclocross calendar. Riders like Nate Phelps
(Big Ring Flyers) De Pere, who raced Dec. 8 and 9 at
Badger Prairie Park, Verona, saw two very different
sets of conditions. The previous day featured sun and
temperatures near 40 degrees.

Badger Prairie would soon be transformed into a stereotypical Belgian 'cross dreamworld of snow, mud and cold on Sunday.

But, before fall was virtually ushered, out the mens Pro 1/2 field took to the future site of the USA Cycling national championships.

Isaac Neff (Trek Cyclocross Collective) Madison, took the top step after finishing off the podium in fifth place in 2011.

In 2012, Neff came in ahead of Corey Stelljes (Cyclocrossracing.com) Madison, and Tom Burke (Midwest Cycling Group) Grand Rapids, Mich.

Snowy regionals

While racers enjoyed temperatures near 40 degrees and sun Saturday at Badger Prairie, things changed quickly overnight as up to three inches of snow fell Sunday near Verona, and high temperatures climbed only into the low 30s, under cloudy skies.

In that winter wonderland, Stelljes flipped his Saturday podium position with Neff in the Pro 1/2 race to claim a regional championship.

Burke again took the third step on the mens podium.

On the womens side, Strigel chose not to race, according to results posted on USA Cycling's website, leaving the door open to Corey Coogen Cisek (Cyclocrossracing.com) Minneapolis, to claim a regional title.

Corrie Osborne (Team Extreme) Mequon, finished behind Coogen Cisek, while Sone, again rounded out the womens podium.

The sloppy, wintery race might have been an ideal preview of essentially the same course to be used at the USA Cycling cyclocross national championships Jan. 9 to 13.

Last season, cold weather and snow gave way to fall-like conditions just before the race in Verona turning the course into a muddy track.

This past weekend allowed racers who took part in both events to get a feel for the course in two distinct sets of conditions, dry and hilly, and wet, slippery and — hilly.

For a complete list of state championship results visit,

http://www.usacycling.org/results/?year=2012&id=3999&info_id=58689

For a complete list of regional championship results check out,

http://www.usacycling.org/results/?year=2012&id=3999&info_id=58697

Time to shine in Verona

Badger Prairie Park hosts state, regional championships

spindailynews@gmail.com

Top state and regional cyclocross racers could use this weekend to prepare for the national championships in January at Badger Prairie Park in Verona.

The site, 6720 Highway 151, will host the Wisconsin Cup championships, Saturday, Dec. 8, and the Badger Cross Midwest regional championships, Sunday, Dec. 9, according to the Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) website.

The 1.9-mile hilly racecourse has about 100 feet of elevation change, steep run-ups, fast road section, barriers, and other obstacles, according to Badgercross.com.

Matt Shriver, Madison, took the mens state championship last season, while Abby Strigel (Cyclocrossracing.com) Madison, won the womens race. Both races were held in Hales Corners in 2011.

In about a month, Badger Prairie will also host the USA Cycling national championships, Jan. 9 to 13.

Last season, Jeremy Powers (Rapha-Focus) and Katie Compton, then riding for Rabobank-Giant Off Road, rode away from their respective fields for easy wins.

Both Compton, who switched teams to Trek Cyclocross Collective, and Powers have had a very successful domestic cyclocross racing seasons in 2012. And, if both riders choose to defend their titles at Badger Prairie in January, each could be seen as the favorites.

If you go

WCA state championships, and Badger Cross regional championships

When, Dec. 8, 9

Where Badger Prairie Park , 6720 Highway 151, Verona

Time, 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. each day

Race flyer,

http://www.usacycling.org/events/getflyer.php?permit=2012-3999

Notes: WCA points will be scored in the state championship, according to the race flyer listed on the organizations' website.

State doles out $3.3M in aid for bike projects

WDOT grants part of Safe Routes To School program for 2013

spindailynews@gmail.com

                        Google Images

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation recently announced $3.3 million will be awarded, in part, for bicycle projects.

Ten municipalities will share the $3.3 million for Safe Routes to School projects ranging from signage and bike racks in Wauwatosa to a multi-use path and bicycle shop supplies in Omro, according to the Department of Transportation's (DOT) website.

Here is a list of the grant recipients and their amount, according to the DOT:

La Crosse County                                                                         $318,600

East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission              $908,000
City of Wauwatosa                                                                       $166,940

City of La Crosse                                                                          $50,000

Brown Deer School District                                                         $299,866

Milwaukee Public Schools                                                           $383,000

Madison Metropolitan School District                                          $153,583

City of Omro                                                                                $59,181

Town of Three Lakes                                                                   $229,172

City of Green Lake                                                                       $244,240

City of Greenfield                                                                         $172,962

Village of Prairie du Sac                                                               $296,023

In 2010, the state awarded 29 municipalities a total of $5.9 million for the Safe Routes to School program for 2011-12.

Madison, the Milwaukee Public Schools, the City of La Crosse, Omro, and the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission also received grants in the 2010 award, totaling $1.8 million. The East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, which represents 10 counties, received the largest grant in 2010 with $908,294.

Strigel strikes in Schneider's absence

Booty Cross brings an end to the WCA regular season

spindailynews@gmail.com 

MADISON — Abbey Strigel took full advantage of her nemesis' no-show at Booty Cross Sunday, Dec. 2.

Strigel (Cyclocrossracing.com), Madison, had a series of close races with Samantha Schneider, Milwaukee, throughout the Wisconsin Cycling Association (WCA) cyclocross season. Having only beaten Schneider once, according to results from USA Cycling's website, Strigel finished second on more than one occasion.

                                                                    Photo by Nate Phelps
Strategically placed barriers greet riders at
the top of two climbs at Hiestand Park, Madison. The park,
which also serves as a disk golf course
on Madison's east side, hosted Booty Cross
presented by the Magnus team Sunday, Dec. 2. 

Strigel didn't mess around this week topping Amber Markey (My Wife Inc), Monona, who took second.

Youngster Emma Swartz (Junior Dropouts), Madison, fresh off three victories at Jingle Cross in Iowa City, Iowa, took third on the day.

Pro 1/2 Men

Madison swept the mens podium, as Matt Shriver got the win, with Isaac Neff (Trek Cyclocross Collective) and Mark Lolonde (Twin Six) finished second and third, respectively.

To some on Saturday, the weather for Sunday's race at Hiestand Park on Madison's east side could have been an issue. Light rain and drizzle filled most of the Saturday evening sky. Come Sunday morning, the roads around town were still wet.

But, the sky cleared and 50- to 60-degree temperatures and warm sunshine greeted racers.

The sun also dried out the course, even for the early morning categories.

Despite, the spring-like weather, the course was as Luke Bachelor-Clark, Magnus race director, advertised earlier in the week.

Steep hills had many of the lower categories racers walking them — even in the first laps.

Cyclocross racing continues in Wisconsin with the state and regional championships Dec. 8 and 9 at Badger Prairie in Verona.

The site will also host the USA Cycling national championships, Jan. 9 to 13.

For complete race results from Booty Cross click here,

http://www.usacycling.org/results/?permit=2012-3543