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Your Friday t(w)o do list:
- Sign up now to get the early-bird rate on our National Training — Organizing, Leadership, and Digital Strategy for a Stronger Movement — July 29-31 in Milwaukee.
- Submit your best photos for inclusion in the 2016 Benchmarking Report.
No more victim blaming: Safe streets for all
In a provocative piece that spurred thousands of comments, the Bike Snob argued in The Washington Post this week that "mandatory helmet laws and glow-in-the-dark spray paint just show who really owns the roads." In his thoughtful editorial, Eben Weiss traced the history of American roads and the way automobiles have elbowed their way to the top of the priority list and pushed to the periphery the rights of other road users. The result? The all-too-common perception that car crashes are accidents and generally the fault of a jaywalking pedestrians or helmetless bicyclist. "We’ve long since sublimated any outrage over death-by-auto into victim-blaming," Weiss wrote,
The same day the article appeared, a new campaign was launched to flip that script. Spurred by a proven track record in Europe AND the work of Alliance member organizations in key U.S. cities, the Vision Zero Network is aimed at increasing the number of cities that publicly commit to prioritize human life over the quick movement of cars and adopt a goal to eliminate ALL traffic fatalities by a certain date. From early adopters like New York City and San Francisco to the more recent commitments from Seattle and San Mateo to the growing campaigns in Chicago,Portland and Philadelphia, a movement is certainly afoot to shift the paradigm on road safety so all stakeholders understand that "accidents" are not inevitable.
INFRASTRUCTURE INLET
As part of its push to Make Big Streets Safe, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance celebrated new bikeways slated for Beaverton, a suburb of Portland, this summer.
Charleston Moves applauded the installation of a new 22-bike corral at in the city's Marion Square.
Local Motion succeeded in getting the first BikeLink lockers in the Northeast.
The San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition shared exciting progress on the soon-to-be-open Morro Bay bike and pedestrian path.
Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates highlighted their city seeking funding to build a two-way protected bike lane on a major thoroughfare.
Advocates in the Hawkeye State announced that the University of Iowa will bring bike share online this fall.
And Boise is now on the bike share map with GreenBike launching this week.
ADVOCACY AVENUE
The Active Transportation Alliance launched an effort to save the Kinzie Street protected bike lane — Chicago's first protected bike lane and one of the most popular bike routes in the country — while also mobilizing for a Vision Zero action plan.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia mourned the tragic death of two young pedestrians killed in separate traffic crashes on the same night — and called for a Vision Zero approach to street safety. The BCGP also proved Twitter haters wrong by working with Trader Joes and the Philly police to place "awareness cones" in a bike lane consistently clogged with traffic and seeing immediate results. #unblockbikelanes
Advocates in the Twin Cities celebrated the passage of a strong county bike plan with key goals including quadrupling bike commuters; ensuring 90% of residents live within a half-mile of a bikeway or 1 mile of "enhanced" bikeway; and moving toward zero bicycle fatalities and halve crashes per capita by 2040.
Bike Calgary is rallying members to get car2go to offer bike racks on their rides.
Advocates in Tennessee are gearing up for their state Bike Summit next week.
LEGISLATION LANE
The California Bicycle Coalition and thousands of Golden State cyclists successfully turned back a mandatory helmet law.
Bike Cleveland and other Ohio advocates are pushing for the passage of a state 3-foot passing law.
The Washington State House of Representatives passed a bill that includes recommendations from the Governor’s Task Force on Parks and Outdoor Recreation, a group co-chaired by Barb Chamberlain, Executive Director of Washington Bikes.
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine testified at the state capitol in support of two bills that would improve transit and public transportation.
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto issued an executive order for a municipal Complete Streets policy #StreetsForAllPeeps
PROGRAMMING PROMENADE
Following on the heels of the San Francisco Unified School District’s adoption of Vision Zero, Walk SF has launched a two-week long, after-school program to train youth on pedestrian safety.
The Des Moines Bicycle Collective is provided refurbished bikes for staff at the headquarters of a major dental company. #BikeAtWork
The Virginia Bicycling Federation presented Bicycle Friendly awards to its top supporters during the 2015 legislative session.
Bike San Gabriel Valley is opening a Bicycle Education Center and Cooperative.
Active Transportation Alliance in Chicago is teaming up with a shopping district association on a series of workshops to make the retail area more bike and pedestrian friendly.
The HUB's Bike Month campaigns tells residents that Happiness Happens on a Bike.
COMINGS AND GOINGS
The Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition and Birlington-based Local Motion merged!
Dan Favre was hired as the new Executive Director of Bike Easy in New Orleans.
And we interviewed Julie Harris, the first ED of the Nebraska Bicycling Alliance.
GET A JOB
Walk/Bike Nashville is looking for an Executive Director...
And WALKSacramento is, too!
The Alliance is looking for a research intern.
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
PeopleForBikes released a new video highlighting the way bikes transform our everyday lives. #ShedTheMonster
