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The Best Advocates in the Nation: Submit your Nominations!
It’s that time of year again: Please nominate stand-out advocacy leaders in your community for the 2016 Advocacy Awards! To recognize excellence in the bicycle and pedestrian advocacy movement, the Alliance has held the Advocacy Awards since 2009 — and this year we’re donning our sparkles alongside the League of American Bicyclists, co-hosting an Awards Gala on the opening night of the 2016 National Bike Summit & Women’s Forum.
Nelle Pierson and Laura Solis took home some well-earned hardware in the 2014 Advocacy Awards!
Advocacy Avenue
WalkBoston called attention to an alarming rise in pedestrian deaths in the first month of 2016.
In response to a lack of access for bicycling attendees to Super Bowl 50, the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition launched a petition to "provide and promote sustainable transportation at the most-watched television broadcast in the nation."
The Active Transportation Alliance elevated the inclusion of Chicago as one 10 Vision Zero Focus Cities — an effort from the Vision Zero Network to promote and share best practices around the initiative to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
And the Washington Area Bicyclist Association applauded the Montgomery County Council publicly endorsing a resolution in support of Vision Zero.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia cheered the appointment of a city Complete Streets Commissioner — "something for which [they]’ve been advocating, and part of a major priority in [their] Better Mobility 2015 platform."
Bike Austin launched an online campaign asking the Mayor to "fully fund the Bicycle Master Plan and all high- and very-high priority sidewalks in the Sidewalk Master Plan through Austin’s 2016 Mobility Bond."
The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition continued its campaign, in partnership with Investing in Place and other groups, to get a ballot measure for $20 billion in funding over 20 years to make LA walkable and bikeable.
Local Motion is mobilizing against a measure on the March ballot that would allow Burlington residents to vote against a pilot reconfiguration of North Avenue, saying "this ballot item is not about the democratic process or about people being able to participate in decisionmaking. It is about saying no preemptively to change of any sort."
The Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition supported the addition of a bond issue to the November ballot that would result in "$35 million to extend bike paths, preserve open space, reduce water pollution and carry out other work to protect the environment in Rhode Island."
The California Bicycle Coalition engaged in an energetic media exchange with state officials over active transportation funding in the state budget.
The massive snow storm couldn't stop Transportation Alternatives' advocates from continuing outreach for its #FixAmsterdam campaign — which won approval in a contentious vote Community Board vote this week!
TA advocates determined to #FixAmsterdam
Equity Intersection
The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota hosted a phenomenal Winter Cycling Congress — with a wealth of discussion about equity issues. (More on our blog next week!)
Bike Pittsburgh invited input on the programming for its third annual Women & Biking Forum to be held in April.
The Alliance announced its upcoming webinar in partnership with Rutgers addressing "Active Transportation & Anti-Displacement." Join us!
Cycles for Change released a call for proposals for the 2016 Youth Bike Summit to be held in Minneapolis this May. Submit your proposals here!
Infrastructure Inlet
Advocates nationwide took notice of Portland, Oregon's move to become the first U.S. city to make protected bike lanes their default bicycle facility.
Bike East Bay shared its excitement at the reveal of design plans for the Bay Bridge West Span Bike Path, which will connect to San Francisco and serve an estimated 10,000 daily riders once it's complete.
Transportation Alternatives in New York City helped to win approval for a protected bike lane on a dangerous stretch of 6th Avenue.
Bike Pittsburgh applauded a move by the City Council to legalize riding bicycles on wooded trails in city-owned parks.
City Fabrick shared its ideas for what the city could do with an abandoned Wal-Mart in Long Beach.
Bike/Walk Central Florida applauded the installation of sharrows to connect two popular trails in Orlando.
Bike Austin applauded the approval of $3.5 million for a variety of bike infrastructure projects, included protected bike lanes.
C.I.C.L.E. in Los Angeles mobilized its supporters to oppose a move by neighborhood residents to remove a bike lane in Highland Park.
It's now legal to ride on wooded trails in Pittsburgh parks
Legislative Lane
Bike Maryland is pushing for a revision to the state's three-foot passing law, which currently exempts roads where lanes are less than 14-feet wide (i.e. most roads!).
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition is mobilizing to support a "Change Lanes to Pass Bicyclists" bill in the Iowa State Senate that would require motor vehicles to use the opposite side of the road or an adjacent travel lane to pass people on bicycles."
Bike Delaware is helping to lead an impressive, collaborative effort to pass the "Healthy and Transit-Friendly Development Act."
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition came out in support of a resolution sponsored by three City Supervisors to urge California State lawmakers to authorize the use of Automated Speed Enforcement.
Green Mobility Network in Miami urged support for an expansion of Florida's three-foot passing law through a bill that would broaden the provision "to also protect pedestrians, highway workers, and certain others — and specify a hefty fine for a driver whose failure to pass safely results in someone’s injury."
The Wisconsin Bike Fed lifted up an effort from a Milwaukee middle school class to make bicycling the official state exercise — which earned a hearing this week!
The Virginia Bicycling Federation shared updates on the progress of a dooring bill in the state Senate, "which requires drivers to wait for a reasonable opportunity to open their vehicle door on the side adjacent to moving traffic."
The New York Bicycling Coalition hosted a successful Advocacy Day at the State Capitol in Albany, the fifth year it has partnered with Tri-State Transportation Campaign and Parks & Trails New York on the annual effort.
Programming Promenade
The California Bicycle Coalition announced its 2015 CalBike Award winners, including the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition for "The Most Important Strategic Shift" in recognition of its integration of social equity as a guiding value in its work.
Trailnet in St. Louis introduced 12 new Walk Bike Ambassadors who completed a advocacy training and will work with staff on priority campaigns.
Living Streets Alliance in Tucson celebrated receiving a grant from Park Tool, which will "provide tools for a Mobile Bike Repair service it plans to launch this spring, as part of its Safe Routes to School Tucson program in partnership with the City of Tucson Bicycle and Pedestrian program."
GO Bike Buffalo launched a new partnership with Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to "assist with managing and promoting alternative transportation options for employees and visitors."
Bike Calgary and other advocates are gearing up for International Winter Bike to Work Day on February 12, while hundreds of cyclists showed up for the Winter Bike to Work Day festivities hosted by Active Transportation Alliance in Chicago.
The Iowa Bicycle Coalition partied with hundreds of riding enthusiasts during the route announcement for this year's RAGBRAI event.
BikeWalkLee presented the Southwest Florida Community Foundation with its annual Complete Streets Champion of the Year award.
Trailnet's new Walk Bike Ambassadors
Comings and Goings
Welcome to new Alliance member organization, Sandoval County Cycling Club!
WALKSacramento has a new Executive Director, Candace Rutt.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia announced Sarah Stuart as its new Executive Director.
Mode Shift Omaha introduced its new Program Coordinator, Michaela Brown.
MassBike announced its move to a new co-working space aimed at being "a hub of active and sustainable transportation advocacy."
Candace Rutt, new WALKSacramento ED
Jobs
Bike Newport is seeking a Development Director.
Queen City Bike is seeking an Executive Director.
BikeHouston is seeking an Executive Director and Community Relations Manager.
Old Spokes Home & Bike Recycle Vermont is seeking a General Manager.
The Boston Cyclists Union is seeking an Executive 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
Who knew Austin looked so good in polka dots!?
