Welcome to the Alliance's weekly roundup of state & local biking & walking advocacy news. Every week, we crawl the blogs of our member organizations and bring you the most interesting tidbits.
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RIDE OF SILENCE
This week, many bike advocates silently pedaled the streets to commemorate people who were killed or seriously injured while riding their bikes. Chris Phelan organized the first Ride of Silence in 2003 in Dallas after his friend Larry Schwartz was struck by a school bus driver and killed. Originally organized as a one-time event, the ride has spread to hundreds of cities internationally. During the ride, people travel no faster than 12 mph, follow the rules of the road, and remain silent during the ride.
As Barb Chamberlain of Washington Bikes wrote, "The Ride of Silence reminds us how much more we have to do."
Image by Blake Larsen
In Pittsburgh, a little boy who survived a debilitating crash encouraged people behind the wheel to remember that "It's not a race. It's just driving."
Nearly 200 people participated in one of three rides in Lee County, FL, where five people have lost their lives while biking in 2014.
In Lebanon Valley, PA, a bagpiper marked the event with "Amazing Grace."
Philadelphia advocates remembered Antonio Sandoval Aparecio, who was killed on May 10th while riding home from work.
The mayor joined the ride in Hawaii County.
INFRASTRUCTURE NEWS
DC advocates held a ribbon-cutting for the new protected bike lane on First Street NE.
Vermont advocates Local Motion push for a protected bike lane on North Avenue in Burlington.
How to use an Atlanta bike box. Y'all.
The developer who planned to replace part of a Miami bike/walk path with a drive-through (!) has backed down.
Red light cameras in Philly are paying for bike lane improvements.
The Delaware DOT installed a bunch of rumble strips that really rattled people. The agency has now pledged to fix them.
The Massachusetts DOT released a nifty 3D model video of a new multi-use path in Somerville. Or, in other words, WE LIVE IN THE FUTURE.
THE BIG PICTURE
Congrats to Bike Newport for winning the 2014 Smart Growth Leadership Award!
Tyler Frisbee, former Senior Legislative Assistant for bikey congressman Earl Blumenauer, is now Policy Director with the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. Welcome, Tyler!
ADVOCACY AVENUE
The California Bicycle Association has endorsed Suja Lowenthal and Joe Krovoza for CA Assembly.
In California, Bike Advocacy Day was a success. Side note: every legislator got a Protected Bike Lanes Mean Business report!
Bike Walk Lee held a successful bike audit; rhyming organization Bike Walk KC held a successful walk audit.
Washington state advocates are ramping up to provide feedback to the state on outdoor recreation.
PA advocates give feedback to the state DOT as part of a public input process for long-range planning.
Bay State Bike Week was awesome!
PROGRAMMING
Biking to work is so two weeks ago. Try Biking to Workship in San Francisco, or Biking to the Ballpark in Cleveland.
Congrats to team Bike East Bay and team Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition for finishing the California Climate Ride.
LEGISLATION LANE
The city of Portland, OR is considering a transportation users fee.
A Pennsylvania State Senator has introduced a bill to authorize speed cameras on US1 in Philadelphia.
Meanwhile, California advocates are working to direct $50 million from cap-and-trade revenues to the state's Active Transportation Program ... because the program currently has waaaaay more applications requesting dollars than it has dollars to give. Observe:
TRAILER
Huffy struck a chord in this communication director's heart with their new spots. Kid bike evangelist Grace convinces moms to ditch boring stuff and ride bikes instead:
