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The dogs days of summer haven't slowed down the active transportation movement. This week we witnessed a dramatic mobilization to end street deaths in New York City; followed Tweets from diverse leaders with powerful perspectives at a national gathering in Minneapolis; cheered legislative successes in the Pacific Northwest, and so much more.

Guest post from Blake Trask, state policy director for Washington Bikes The longest legislative session in Washington state history turned out to be the best for bicycling, as Washington Bikes got some big wins last week before the Washington State Legislature adjourned, including historic high levels of funding for bike/ped projects.

"Whether we’re focusing on safety, law and enforcement, public health, livability, economic development or social equity, walking often overlaps with bicycling." That was the realization staff at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine brought to their board at the start of a strategic planning process in 2013. Now, as the organization begins the implementation of its new five-year plan, they have a new multi-modal mission.

In our work on the Open Streets Project, we've seen ciclovias transforming communities across the country. And at the 2015 National Open Streets Summit we want to hear from you. What innovative ideas are making your Open Streets initiatives engines of community engagement, physical activity and civic pride? Submit your proposal for a Pecha Kucha session convened by the TransitCenter!

On our June Distance Learning Webinar, Dave Campbell from Bike East Bay in California, Ian Sansom from the PEDS in Atlanta, Georgia, and Yvette Lopez-Ledesma from Pacoima Beautiful in California discussed how to engage neighborhood residents and leverage the success of temporary "pop-up" bicycle and pedestrian projects into long-term solutions for safer and healthier communities.

"We're at a tipping point," Gil Penalosa told us this week. The Colombian ciclovia visionary and founder of 8-80 Cities was talking about the Open Streets movement, but, as this week's Roundup showcases, advocates are tipping the scales for safer streets in myriad ways — from more equitable bike share practices to better access for bicyclists on public transit.

Take it from Gil Penalosa: The Open Streets movement in the United States is at a tipping point. The former parks commissioner for the city of Bogota who grew the city's spectacularly successful ciclovia to a weekly initiative that engages more than 1.3 million Colombians,, Penalosa is the leading expert on the importance and impact of closing streets to cars and giving the pavement back to the people. So we couldn't be more delighted that Penalosa will be a keynote speaker at the 2015 National Open Streets Summit this September.

From the Washington Post to Refinery29, there's a Summer Reading list for just about every intellectual persuasion. Novels or non-fiction, biographies or fantasy, we read to broaden our perceptions of the world and reimagine what's possible. Here at the Alliance, we've been thinking a lot about how we can help the movement expand its vision and consider biking and walking in the context of wider social issues.

The urgency of safe streets for all has been amplified in recent months with high-profile fatalities in a number of communities. From Portland to Houston to Vermont, advocates are elevating the life or death issue with strong statements and direct action demanding civic leaders prioritize bicyclist and pedestrian safety — now. In this week's Roundup, we share news about Vision Zero, the importance of thorough police investigations, bills aimed at improving (or undermining) bike/ped safety... and more.

For years, we were on the outside looking in. But, thanks to advocates like you, times have changed. The Alliance is here to make sure that, when you step up to the microphone or pull a chair up to that decision-making table, you’ve got the best resources and strategies of the movement at your back. But more importantly, the Alliance is committed to moving your advocacy forward — and, like the movement itself, we’re changing with the times, too.