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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.
- Make that money! Sign up for our next Distance Learning Webinar on "Earned Income Strategies for Biking and Walking Organizations" coming up on May 20.
The Key to Boost Biking? More Families Riding.
This week, more than 2,400 events marked National Bike to School Day, and thousands of kids learned firsthand the sheer joy and sense of community when they get out of the car and into the fresh air. But, as the Safe Routes to School movement has gained incredible traction for America's children, bike advocates are also recognizing the other side of the equation: empowering more parents to keep riding or incorporate bicycling after they have kids.
That recognition was evident in the result of our Xtracycle Cargo Bike Contest this week. The winner Local Motion gained more than 2,500 votes for its Everyday Bicycling Project proposal, which focuses on... yep, you guessed it. "Families are one of the most important groups we want to draw into the Everyday Bicycling Project, since we see a very large drop-off in bicycling as transportation when people have children," Mary-Catherine Graziano shared. "We want to help people choose to ride, even when they have children — and cargo bikes make this possible! They can provide families with the capacity to ride safely and are essential for larger jobs like grocery shopping."
Local Motion plans to loan out their new Edgerunner so families can experience the cargo bike in their own daily life — and share their experiences on social media. And the Vermont advocates certainly isn't alone. Look at the local Bike Month calendar for your community and you'll probably see events like the Active Transportation Alliance's Family Biking Education Series in Chicago or Bike East Bay's Family Bicycling Workshop in Oakland. So here's to all the kids who pedaled to class on Bike to School Day — and all the parents (and organizations like Kidical Mass) who are dedicated to maintaining their cycling lifestyle and sharing those skills and strategies with others.
Active Trans is partnering with Kidical Mass for a three-part series to empower more families to ride
Infrastructure Inlet
The Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage celebrated the striping of the city's newest bike lane — one they've been advocating for since 2010.
The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is abuzz about progress on a new protected bike lane on 10th Street, which is another key link in the growing cycletrack network.
The Hawaii Bicycling League was on hand with Mayor Kirk Caldwell for the installation of the first bicycle specific traffic lights in Honolulu.
More than $100,000 in grants from REI and PeopleForBikes will advance advocates' efforts in Seattle, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Boston, Denver and Indianapolis in installing, evaluating, extending and gathering input on protected bike lanes in their communities.
Bike Maryland applauded a $13.1 million proposal to add 40 miles of bike facilities in the Anne Arundel County budget.
Advocates in the Bay Area are excited San Francisco will soon become "one of an elite few cities" with raised bike lanes.
It's only May, but GObike Buffalo lifted up a proposal from the Mayor to proactively budget for snow removal on "city-owned property, bus routes and high-pedestrian areas."
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance in Portland delivered more than 720 signatures to the Oregon Department of Transportation demanding sidewalks and protected bike lanes over the Barbur Bridges.
According to one member of the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, a six-month pilot road diet in the city of Morgan Hill is bringing back a sense of community (below).
Advocacy Avenue
Walk San Francisco released Street Score 2015: An Annual Report Card on Walking, evaluating agencies progress toward nearly 40 metrics, spanning engineering, enforcement, education, evaluation, and policy and legislation.
Bike Walk Glendale is painting street utility boxes with mobility themed art.
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association is using the platform of Bike Month to push the city to address dangerous, illegal U turns through the popular Pennsylvania Avenue bike lane.
The Wisconsin Bike Fed galvanized Milwaukee to reexamine its permitting process for events on area trails, when the advocates highlighted an onerous provision that required permission (and a $250 application fee) to promote events on social media.
Transportation Alternatives joined the campaign for a bike/ped path on the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in Staten Island.
BikeSD interviewed Mayor Kevin Faulcone, who, not only committed to making San Diego a leading bicycling city, but doing the work to get there: "The top three challenges are safety, accessibility and opportunity. As mayor, I’ve begun to address all three."
Bike Fort Collins boasted its city had the highest number of schools participating in Bike to School Day in the state — and clearly somebody told this little guy (below)!
Legislation Lane
The Ohio Bicycle Federation is pushing for a 3-foot passing law.
The California Bicycle Coalition is working feverishly to finish out the legislative session with pro-bike bills on multiple fronts, from expanding eligibility for bicycle traffic school ticket diversion to ensuring the state’s bridges remain toll-free for people biking and walking.
GObike Buffalo and the New York Bicycling Coalition are gearing up for an E-bikes Lobby Day in the state capitol next week.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley officially proclaimed May as Bike Month.
And so did Washington Governor Jay Inslee.
In Colorado, the state Senate voted to kill funding the Safe Routes to School Program — but Bicycle Colorado pledged to "seek ways to continue helping kids across the state."
And with the city election just two weeks away, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia debuted a new website, PhillyVotes2015.BIKE, to inform voters on where the candidates stand on key transportation issues (below).
Programming Promenade
The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition welcomed its newest member club: The Wheel Women of San Diego.
First conceived by Silicon Valley advocate Janet LaFleur, Bike To Shop Day is expanding to San Francisco this year on May 23.
The Active Transportation Alliance is hosting a free, three-session Family Biking Education Series, including Biking While Pregnant and Biking With Kiddie Cargo.
And Bike East Bay is also including Family Bicycling in its series of 1-hour skills sessions during Bike Month.
And while your Roundup wrangler is a die-hard Bulls fan, she could still appreciate the excitement from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition in discovering Golden State Warrior Shaun Livingston bikes to work and getting a mid-playoff interview to discuss his cycling habits.
Comings and Goings
Liz Cornish, who has led the League of American Bicyclists' Women Bike program for the past year, is transitioning to Executive Director of Bikemore.
Upstate Forever ED, Brad Wyche, is stepping down after 17 years.
Get a Job
The Alliance is seeking an Executive Director; please share with your networks!
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), the DC region’s bicycling advocacy organization, is seeking an Executive Director.
Cascade Bicycle Club is seeking an office coordinator.
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance is seeking a manager for its Bike Commute Challenge and Women's Bicycling Initiative.
Walk San Francisco is seeking a Policy & Program Manager.
Transportation Alternatives in New York City is seeking a Policy and Research Manager.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is looking for Bike Share Ambassadors.
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
It's on in the Bay Area, as Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf throws down the gauntlet and challenges San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo to a city staff bike off during the month of May.
