Welcome to the Alliance's weekly roundup of state & local biking & walking advocacy news. Every week, we crawl the blogs of our member organizations and bring you the most interesting tidbits.  

MARK THOSE BENCHES!

The 2014 Alliance Benchmarking Report will be released on April 16. Get a sneak peek at this webinar. 

APRIL FOOLIN'

An Austrian study found that wearing costumes vastly improves bicyclist safety. Chicken suits are especially effective. 

The Active Transportation Alliance will launch Skivvy, a bike sharing system for riding in your underpants. 

Seattle doctors reported the first known instance of bi-pochondria, a condition wherein sufferers become fixated by imaginary hardships on their bicycles. 

Mayor Byron Brown will make Buffalo, NY the most bicycle friendly city on Planet Earth. 

INFRASTRUCTURE NEWS

SF's Portrero Avenue will get wider sidewalks, buffered bike lanes, and improved transit by 2015.  

There might be good news on the horizon in Hennepin County, MN, judging by their new bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. 

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association reports that the DC Department of Transportation has not made any significant infrastructure progress under its current leadership. 

Arlington, VA will install the first real-time bicycle counter on the east coast. 

New York City's Atlantic Avenue will be among the first priority corridors for Vision Zero infrastructure improvements. 

PROGRAMMING

Bike Pittsburgh hosted a sold-out Women and Biking Forum. 

Silicon Valley advocates will host a Bike to Shop Day. 

THE BIG PICTURE

Bike Easy welcomes new Executive Director Naomi Doerner. 

On the 20th anniversary of Bike to Work Day in the Bay Area, the SF Bicycle Coalition interviews its first member. 

A report on transit in Chicago demonstrates a severe lack of funding and expansion. 

Roadway fatalities are down in Georgia, except for people on bikes. 

ADVOCACY AVENUE

Four-time Olympic speedskating medalist Denny Morrison supports protected bike lanes in Calgary. 

Local Motion held the first-ever Vermont Walk/Bike Summit. 

The inaugural Southern States Caucus Regional Retreat and the Texas Trails and Active Transportation Conference were great. 

Bikes need access on Shenandoah National Park administrative roads. 

Greenville, SC advocates posted answers to a candidate survey for a county council seat. 

LEGISLATION LANE

Wisconsin passed a vulnerable user law, but without more severe penalties for drivers who kill or seriously injure someone.  

Meanwhile in Connecticut, a vulnerable users law passed in the Transportation Committee. 

California advocates are pushing for a vulnerable road users bill, too.

In Missouri, advocates are fighting an amendment to remove biking & walking from the state transportation bill.  

IN THE NEWS

The Shenandoah valley is gaining national recognition as a biking destination. (Virginia Business)

Pittsburgh may build protected bike lanes downtown (Trib; Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Competitive walking was serious business in the 1870's and 1880's. (NPR)  

Middletown, CT has adopted a Complete Streets policy. This Wesleyan alumna is pleased! (Hartford Courant)

TRAILER 

The Bicycle Lady of Bidwell is a colorful character in Buffalo, NY.