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FUTURE ADVOCATES WALK TO SCHOOL
Wednesday, October 8 was international walk to school day! This annual event, promoted by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, unites parents and school organizers all around the country around using people-power to get to school. This year, USDOT Secretary Anthony Foxx even visited his hometown of Charlotte, NC to celebrate.
Walking to school is about a lot of things. It's about reducing car congestion around schools. It's about helping kids get some exercise before the school day starts. It's about empowering parents and students to become advocates for walkability in their neighborhoods. And it's also arguably about helping kids be a little more free: 42% of children walked or biked to school in 1969, but by 2009, that number had fallen to 13%.
Here are some of the ways that Alliance member organizations are helping schools, parents, and pint-sized advocates get their walk on.
Fifteen Philadelphia schools registered for walk to school day this year.
Sacramento kids at over 17 schools earned prizes for walking their morning trips.
Over 200 Oregon schools participated in walk to school day this year.
Minneapolis has a new walking routes for youth map.
Don't forget to thank the grown-ups who help littler folks cross streets on the way to school! October 22 is Crossing Guard Appreciation Day in Pittsburgh.
This summer, Pittsburgh kids organized to improve bike and walking safety in the West End.
INFRASTRUCTURE INLET
Buffalo is instituting a bike and pedestrian-only ferry between the inner and outer harbors!
Nine new bike corrals are coming to San Francisco Streets.
A cycletrack is on the way on King Street in Honolulu!
New Orleans will build buffered bike lanes on Baronne Street in the central business district.
California will replace chip seal with sand seal on Highway 35.
BIG PICTURE BOULEVARD
Speaking of chip seal, Scott at Bicycle Colorado wrote a post about why their state is using this lower-cost pavement stuff that gives bicyclists the shakes.
What's your big idea for biking and walking advocacy? Applications for Advocacy Advance's Big Ideas grants are due by 5:00 PM eastern today.
3 advocacy lessons from a door-to-door salesman: listen, know the community, and knock.
Bruce Shank in the BikeSD blog: "I never imagined being in a position where I’d get more flak for being someone who prefers to ride a bicycle than I would for a being a gay man."
The Active Transportation Alliance responds to an editorial suggesting a bike ban to improve pedestrian safety.
Influence the future of bike advocacy in Maine: the Bicycle Coalition of Maine is collecting survey responses as part of a strategic planning process.
The Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition proposes amendments to their bylaws.
Bike Florida announces their Share The Road award winners.
Congratulations to Bike Houston for receiving a big grant from the Houston Endowment! The grant will help the organization in its transition from an all-volunteer to a staffed organization.
In celebration of World Dictionary Day, BikeTexas wrote a dictionary for bike advocates.
ADVOCACY AVENUE
Does your organization have a crisis communications plan? Here are some suggestions about how to communicate in the wake of a tragedy or unexpected media moment.
A new Chicago area campaign called Safe Crossings will raise awareness for pedestrian safety at dangerous intersections.
Advocates will hold a summit this weekend to discuss economic development and tourism along New England's first interstate rail-trail.
San Francisco advocates are pushing for parking relocation along the Marina so that walkers and bikers can access the waterfront.
Bike San Diego opposes One Paseo, a mixed-use development project that would add a cycletrack but widen vehicle travel lanes.
Over 1,000 Pittsburghers sent notes to Mayor Bill Peduto to thank him for new protected bike lanes.
The Wisconsin Bike Summit was awesome.
Los Angeles Walks is raising money for a new pedestrian wayfinding system in the city. Sweet!
LEGISLATION LANE
The DC Department of Transportation has released final regulations for bike and pedestrian accomodations during construction. Soon, construction projects that use public space must maintain access for people traveling by foot or bike.
The California Bicycle Coalition summarizes the wins, losses, and "meh"s of the most recent legislative session.
The City Council in Bonita Springs, FL passed a complete streets policy.
ELECTION ESPLANADE
Ed. note: It's get out the vote season! (Or, as my favorite political training network likes to call it, GOTMFV.) Lil Jon thinks we should all get ready to go vote.
Folks who renew their Washington Area Bicyclist Association membership this week also get an "I Bike, I Vote, & I'm a WABA Member" t-shirt. Advocate of the Year Nelle Pierson models the threads:
PROGRAMMING PROMENADE
BikeTexas helped out with the 5th annual Texas NAACP bike ride.
High school mountain biking is growing in Lebanon Valley, VA.
The next Streets Alive in Lee County, FL is set for November 2.
Youth Bike is accepting proposals for the 2015 Youth Bike Summit, which will be held in Seattle.
A Minneapolis exhibition will display lowrider bikes built by American Indian youth, artists, and college students.
GET A JOB
The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is hiring a Business Fellow.
The Edmonton Bicycle Commuters Society is hiring a Program Mechanic.
The Active Transportation Alliance is on a hiring spree! They're looking for a Director of Events and Marketing, an Events Manager, a Development Director, and a Volunteer and Office Manager.
Executive Director positions are open at Bike Walk NC, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Trailnet (St. Louis, MO), Bike Miami Valley (Dayton, OH), and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.
USPIRG is hiring a 21st Century Transportation Campaign Director.
The state and local biking and walking advocacy movement is growing. Check out the Alliance for Biking & Walking job board for listings all over North America.
TRAILER
UberPEDAL lets you summon cars with bike racks.
