The message at the 2011 National Bike Summit was: bicycling is good for business. Thanks to data from Bikes Belong and the America Bikes coalition partners, we were able to back up those words with numbers. America Bikes assembled fact sheets for every state and Congressional District.
They first list the amounts of federal investment in bicycling and walking using Transportation Enhancements since 1992 and Safe Routes to School since 2005. Then they show the gross revenue of bicycle retail stores for 2009 and the number of retail stores in the district or state. In the majority of the districts, the entire federal investment since 1992 is matched by retail revenue in just a few years.
The fact sheets were a new addition this year to address the priorities of the current Congress. “Given the current focus in Congress on budget cuts and job creation, the fact sheets were developed as an important tool for Summit attendees to educate the many new Members of Congress, as well as some of the more skeptical Members, on why the federal government must continue to invest in bicycling infrastructure,” says Walter Finch, League Advocacy Director.
“People know bicycling is good for health and the environment. The fact that biking is good for American businesses is not as intutitive, and people need to see the numbers to understand that,” says Daniel de Zeeuw, campaign coordinator for America Bikes, who created the fact sheets.
The hundreds of bike advocates encamped at the Grand Hyatt for the National Bike Summit have been armed with fact sheets for their foray to the Capitol. Just like Sarbanes, members will be told precisely how many stores sell bikes in their districts and how much their constituents spend on two-wheelers.
They appear to have been extremely effective. ”We have found in our meetings with the Members and staff that the fact sheets have been very well received,” the League’s Finch says. “Many have told us that they are quite enlightened when they see the economic impact that bicycling has meant for their specific districts and communities.”
“In every office I visited, regardless of which side of the isle they were on, eye brows raised when I began to talk about the dollars and cents our industry brought into each district,” says Dan Thornton, president and owner of Free-Flite Bicycles in Georgia. ”In every case when I offered to leave behind the fact sheet, the staffer or actual Member excitedly accepted it. In all my meetings over the years it was the first time I felt the materials left were actually reviewed upon our departure.”
Here are the fact sheets, prepared by America Bikes, for each state and district: (more…)
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
The bike buzz that New York City, a Bicycle Friendly Community, has created with the Bicycle Access to Office Buildings Law and the creation of new bike lanes all around the city has spilled over to the business community. The Empire State Building, one of the world’s and NYC’s most famous buildings, announced today the completion of its dedicated bicycle storage room for its tenants. NYC has been active in sustainable living practices and bicycle-initiatives lately. The new facility supports Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s initiative to encourage more New Yorkers to bike to work — part of the city’s PlaNYC strategy.
Meghan Cahill League Director of Communications
Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.
Last week, Advocacy Advance – a partnership between the Alliance for Biking & Walking and the League of American Bicyclists – announced the start of its 2011 grant cycle. This year, a total of $125,000 in awards will go towards organizations with campaigns aimed at maximizing transportation spending on biking and walking at the state, regional, and local levels. Learn more about our three types of grants at www.AdvocacyAdvance.org.
Join us this afternoon, March 29th at 3 p.m. EST, for a question-and-answer session for prospective applicants of the Model Grants. Model Grants provide multi-year support to state and local advocacy organizations with efforts to significantly increase federal investment at state, regional, and/or local levels for biking and walking infrastructure and programs. Click here for a detailed outline, including guidelines, criteria and other requirements.
Contact Brighid at Brighid@AvocacyAdvance.org for the conference call number and access code. A second question-and-answer call about Capacity Building Grants will be held on April 7th. Stay tuned for the details.
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Guest blogger:Virginia Tech cyclistLyndsay McKeever, intern for Transportation and Campus Services at Virginia Tech,is guest blogging fromVelo-City Sevilla, Spain.
Yesterday’s Ciclovida, “el cyclo de la vida” or “the cycle of life” in Sevilla concluded Velo-city 2011. And what a spectacular way to end the week’s long conference! Riding along side thousands of Sevilla citizens in the bike parade with a handful of conference goers, we felt nostalgic and part of Sevilla’s rich bicycle culture. European Cycling Federation colleagues Nastja Kocevar and Velo-city event organizers agreed it was in fact the largest bike parade they had participated in. A few miles loop through the old city center to the scenic Parque del Alamillo (park), the city-wide bike ride claimed the streets over car traffic.
Citizens gather at the start of Ciclovida
Ciclovidas originated in Latin American cities and are said to “provide the opportunity to exercise and prevent illness, to recover and enjoy public spaces, to promote peaceful co-existence, respect, social cohesion and environmental awareness, and to help citizens to acquire healthy habits, to improve air quality and to reduce noise in cities.”
With a traditional Spanish start, costumed rollerbladers excited the crowds until police gradually halted car traffic, paving the way for safe cycling through the city. My first large-scale bike parade, participating in the ride was fascinating and empowering. I felt alive. I felt like I belonged. Just as the Sevici bicycles belong to the Sevilla people, I felt like my Sevici bicycle and I were one, celebrating health and cycling.
Gazing into the parade, it was inspiring see citizens biking from all walks of life. Mothers with baby carriages and small children on trikes cycled gleefully along side club cycling veterans and enthusiastic teenagers. Of note was the number of professional and competitive cyclists participating in Ciclovida, something you don’t normally see (especially in the US). One cycling club paraded along side everyday citizens waving their team’s green flag and yelling “una cerveza!” when coming to stops. In Sevilla, competitive cycling evidently has a growing understanding of bicycle mobility as sustainable urban transit.
A family takes Sevilla’s cycle tracks to the start of Ciclovida
During the conference, the workshop “Urban cycling and sport cycling, linking two worlds” sought to bridge this gap between bicycle advocates for sustainable urban transit and competitive cyclists. The concept holds much potential. Competitive cyclists are often times not connected to the idea of the bicycle as a social vehicle of change or means of sustainable transportation. Serious sport cycling is geared around intensive training, dedication and highly competitive races, but these races could also provide a venue and space to encourage others to cycle.
Not everyone may be capable of Tour de France champion, Alberto Contador’s cadence, but competitive cycling allows a space for conversation. Competitive cycling draws fans who look up to professionals as role models.
If cycling races contained advocacy events throughout the day, professionals could act as agents of change and educate the masses with their extensive bike mechanic knowledge and combined role model status. The very idea of linking the two worlds is being worked on by an Italian PhD cyclist who hopes he can ignite a relationship at a competitive African bike race.
Just think if the League could join up with USA Cycling during the National Cycling Championships that take place all over the nation and started working together towards bicycle advocacy! What a great way it would be to reach thousands of US citizens about bicycling for health, sustainability and our future with a taste from team velocity.
– Lyndsay McKeever
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
A different kind of bike map. Click on image for larger version courtesy of WeBikeEugene.org
This one is for our visual learners. Kory Northrop, a master’s student in the Environmental Studies program at the University of Oregon studying GIS and bicycle transportation, has used available public data, ArcMap, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to create this bicycling infographic.
The graphic shows the ACS bicycle commuter mode share and the number of female and male bike commuters in each state. The ratio of female to male bicyclists is considered an important indicator of bicycle-friendliness. In several of the cities with the highest bicycle mode share in Europe, female bicyclists outnumber male bicyclists. That is not the case in any state or large city in the US.
The graphic also highlights the 10 cities with the largest bicycle mode share (among the largest 70 US cities) and indicates their Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) status. At the bottom of the visual, Kory graphs the per capita and total federal spending on bicycle and pedestrian projects since 1990.
Kory chose bicycle commuting as the topic for his design project because he is a bike commuter and “wanted to produce something to raise awareness for bicycle transportation.” The graphic will serve as a reference in his thesis research on bicycle transportation modeling.
He says he learned a lot about the extent of the regional differences in bicycle commuting while doing the project, especially the relatively high mode shares of Alaska and Montana. “Another thing that struck me was how quickly things changed between 2004-2009: roughly 300,000 more people started commuting by bicycle, government spending more than doubled, and the number of bicycle-related fatalities decreased by nearly 50 percent, if you factor in the increases in ridership,” Kory wrote in an email. [Ed. note: the rate of fatalities per ten thousand bike commuters was cut in half in that period.]
While planning the project, Kory reached out to us in an effort to make the graphic useful for advocates. “My hope is that advocates and bicyclists can use this to reach out to more people and continue to raise awareness about bicycle transportation issues,” he said. “There are still areas within bicycle transportation that need a lot of work, such as the disparity between male and female bicyclists, and it is my hope that this project can be used to rally support and make the case for these issues.”
Nice work, Kory.
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Guest blogger:Virginia Tech cyclistLyndsay McKeever, intern for Transportation and Campus Services at Virginia Tech,is guest blogging this week fromVelo-City Sevilla, Spain.
Yesterday at the Annual Meeting of the Network of Spanish Bicycle-friendly Communities in Velo-city Sevilla, the League signed an important agreement. The success of our nation’s bicycle friendly communities will be shared globally in order to exchange best practices, expertise, develop relationships, and identify concrete actions to promote cycling in our communities. Four key players have agreed to work together to promote bicycle mobility internationally.
The Network of Active Communities managed by Velo Quebec (Canada) which is working with 60 municipalities in 16 regions of Quebec
The Bicycle Friendly Community program, coordinated by the League of American Bicyclists (USA), which connects 450 communities in the United States
The Club of Cycling Cities and Territories (France) which comprises more than 1000 communities – cities, metropolitan areas, departments and regions, and
The Network of Spanish Cycling Cities (Spain) which comprises more than 100 cities, transport operators and communities
With the common objective of promoting bicycle use for all purposes: personal mobility, the transport of goods, recreation, competition, travel and tourism, the four networks declared their commitment to:
- Share knowledge and best practices among the communities they represent
- Promote the benefits of bicycling for sustainable and equitable transport, recreation, sport and tourism
- Meet regularly to encourage bicycle research, innovation, projects, policies and laws
Like keynote speaker, Gro Harlem Brundtland emphasized, the slogan act globally, think locally is equally as relevant as think globally, act locally. The League agrees. “The agreement is a perfect example of the benefits of international information exchange that events such as Velo-City facilitate,” said League President Any Clarke.
In a globalized world, the threats we face are interconnected, thus it is imperative we work together towards global equity and sustainability. The bicycle is this simple solution and plays a key role in achieving sustainable mobility, but only if we work together. In order to grow as a global community, we must inspire change across all countries. League is committed to sharing our U.S. successes and lessons to further ignite global bicycle success.
- Lyndsay McKeever
Bike rack in Sevilla, Spain
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
I never met Mark Bixby in person, but during his campaign to convince officals to include separated bicycle and pedestrian paths on the new Desmond Gerald Replacement Bridge at the Port of Long Beach, I came to know him as a dedicated, passionate, and savvy advocate. Despite the daunting challenge of getting bicycling and walking paths included in a $1 billion bridge project, I always came away from phone calls with Mark feeling more confident and optimistic about the future of bicycling in Long Beach and beyond. Every community in America would be lucky to have an advocate like him. Therefore I was enormously sad to hear that Mark had been killed in a plane crash on March 16th.
Mark Bixby. (Photo source: cdmcyclist.com)
Mark’s death came just two days after he had achieved his long-sought goal: general contractors bidding for the Gerald Desmond Bridge replacement project will be required to include both separated bicycle and pedestrian paths in their proposals. ”The bike path is a mandatory requirement. When the bid is received it must include those elements in order to be a responsive bid,” said Dr. Bob Kanter, Environmental Planning director for the Port of Long Beach, according to a press release from Bikeable Communities. Mark had been tirelessly working for this requirement and had been chronicling his campaign at As The Wheel Turns.
According to Dr. Bob Kanter, Environmental Planning director for the Port “the
solicitation package to the design-build team bidders will require their bid include a Class
One bike and pedestrian path on the Gerald Desmond Bridge. The bike path is a
mandatory requirement. When the bid is received it must include those elements in order
to be a responsive bid.”
There is a memorial, including a bicycle ride to the top of the Gerald Desmond Bridge, scheduled for 8:00 a.m. this morning starting at Leeway Sailing Center on the Peninsula in Long Beach, according to the Long Beach-bsaed President of Bikestation, Andréa White-Kjoss.
Our hearts go out to Mark’s family, friends, and the entire Long Beach community. He will be missed.
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
On Tuesday night, conference goers of Velo-City Sevilla arrived at the Barcelo Renacimiento hotel, collected their Sevici bike share bikes (Sevilla-bici) and jumped on the city’s green cycletracks towards the historic El Real Alcazar palace for the official welcome cocktail. The intermingling of hundreds of international bike advocacy geeks provided a precursor for the start of the conference.
Riding the green cycletracks in Sevilla
Sevilla’s flat geography, warm weather, cobblestone streets and a slew of active people running, roller blading and biking next to the Lora del Rio river revealed Sevilla’s healthy cycling culture. Biking along side Andy Clarke, we compared Sevilla’s transformative cycling successes in just a few short years with that of Copenhagen, Denmark, the longstanding cycling capital of the world. Often times in America we are overwhelmed with the magnitude of what needs to be done to increase bicycle mobility in our cities. A bicycle dream world like Copenhagen taking hold in the U.S. is a long way away, however this year’s selected Velo-City in Sevilla, Spain presents real opportunities.
Silhouettes of Andy Clarke and Lyndsay McKeever in Sevilla, Spain
“There has been a increase in cycling of 2% in Barcelona and 4% in Sevilla in the past two years”, announced Jesus Huertas Garcia, Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs in the government of Spain during the opening plenary.
Less than five years ago, Sevilla was characteristic of most U.S. cities with heavy car dependency and much air pollution. It had always been said Sevilla was a perfect city for cycling, but it was never conceived possible. No one dared to implement bike policies and infrastructure, until recently when a hard working group of people in town council prioritized urban bicycle mobility. Winning the hearts and minds of Sevilla citizens and helping them overcome fears and reluctance to bicycling was a difficult battle. Through ambitious political will to prioritize bicycle transit as safe mobility, Sevilla has achieved great reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. People now feel bicycle infrastructure such as Sevici bike share bikes belongs to them and is part of Sevilla culture. Today, the city of Sevilla has become a benchmark in Europe on how we can make cycling possible in cities in just a few short years.
The Mayor of Sevilla, Spain at the opening session of Velo-City
“Cycling has been a fast level tool that goes well beyond cycletracks. Promoting cycling as urban transportation has been key to leading people to a sustainable world and has transformed millions of citizens who never considered bicycling”, said Mayor of Sevilla, Alfredo Sanchez Montesseirin. “Thanks to cycling in Sevilla there has been an extraordinary change in mindset towards sustainability.”
Sevilla’s successes reveal realistic, attainable goals U.S. cities can also strive towards. We have much to learn from our neighbors across the Atlantic Ocean. During the conference, I hope we can learn from Sevilla’s ambitious bike policies that led to the city’s bicycle transportation revolution.
Here’s a fun video promoting bike share in Sevilla:
– Lyndsay McKeever
Photos courtesy of Lyndsay McKeever
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Portland Mayor Sam Adams and US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood (photo: Portland Mercury)
Speaking to a small group of bicycling advocates at Oregon’s Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA), Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood acknowledged that times are tough for infrastructure investment. ”Do you know how hard it is to find $100 billion [to cut out of the budget]? It’s not easy,” LaHood said in response to a question, according to the Portland Business Journal.
But bicycling advocates made it clear that we’re not going to stop fighting for a share of the budget to support bicycling, a cost-saving and economy-boosting form of transportation. ”Our national partners have been talking with members of both delegations to focus on the business side of bicycling,” Rob Sadowsky, BTA’s executive director and League board member, told the Business Journal, referring to the messaging at the National Bike Summit. ”The $100 million biking industry in Portland — it includes people who make parts and accessories — can be shared throughout the state.”
The intimate reception held for 70 transportation officials, congressmen and staff, and staff of the US Department of Transportation discussed ways that local, state and national partners can work together to reduce fatalities through partnering on big bold visions such as FHWA’s Toward Zero Deaths.
On his blog, Secretary LaHood called BTA a group that is ”working hard to enhance livability in Portland through transportation innovations.” We’re glad to see they are effectively spreading the message that bicycling is good for the economy and good for communities.
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Last month we told you about our new colleague on the Advocacy Advance team, Brighid O’Keane. During the National Bike Summit, we announced the new Advocacy Advance webpage. Today, we are pleased to tell you about an update to that site and an exciting opportunity.
State and local bicycling advocacy organizations can now apply for an Advocacy Advance grant to support their efforts to increase bicycling and walking investments by tapping into underused federal funds.
Model Grants provide multi-year support to state and local advocacy organizations with efforts to significantly increase federal investment at state, regional, and/or local levels for biking and walking infrastructure and programs. Click here for a detailed outline, including guidelines, criteria and other requirements.
Rapid Response Grants help state and local organizations take advantage of unexpected opportunities to win, increase, or preserve funding for biking and walking. Click here for a detailed outline, including guidelines, criteria and other requirements.
Capacity Building Grants support the development and professionalization of state and local advocacy organizations to increase rates of biking and walking. Click here for a detailed outline, including guidelines, criteria and other requirements.
Along with our resources and trainings, we hope these grants will super-charge advocacy efforts to take advantage of latent opportunities in key federal funding sources like CMAQ, HSIP, and Section 402 safety grants.
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Having passed through both the New Mexico Senate and House, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez now has twenty days to sign SB 124 in order to make this bill into law. This would be the first statewide 5 foot Safe Passing law in the nation.
SB 124 clarifies to motorists what a safe passing distance is, provides a safe operating space for cyclists across the state and creates another tool for law enforcement when responding to aggressive drivers and crashes; as well as an opportunity to educate motorists and cyclists on how to share the road safely.
Cyclists in New Mexico should contact Governor Martinez through our Advocacy Center and urge her to sign SB 124 into law.
Jeff Peel State and Local Advocacy Coordinator
Peel joined the League in March 2008 as a Program Specialist for the Bicycle Friendly Communities program. Peel has a BA in American Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi.
A February proposal before the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s Transportation Policy Council (TPC) called for cuts to bike, pedestrian and transit funding in the region’s Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for 2011-2014. Under the proposal, CMAQ and STP MM funds that were previously programmed for active transportation projects and livable centers would be reallocated for road expansion in the region.
Upset that the TPC would stray from language in the 2035 Transportation Plan, stating that roadway spending should make up no more than 55% of regional transportation infrastructure spending, advocates in the Houston area organized. Houston Tomorrow started an online petition and joined Bike Houston and other area cyclists at the TPC’s February 25th meeting to present the petition and insist that this funding be preserved.
Thanks to these hardworking advocates there has been a temporary reprieve. City of Houston Council member Sue Lovell motioned for a delay of 30 days so that TPC members could further investigate options and hear from their constituents. See Houston Tomorrow’s ongoing blog coverage here.
While significant progress has been made, pressure on the TPC and Houston-Galvelston Area elected leaders is still needed.League President Andy Clarke has written this letter to TPC members asking for the preservation of these funds for bicycling and other active transportation projects. Houston area cyclists can still help save this critical funding by signing on to this petition. Cyclists are also encouraged to attend the TPC’s next meeting March 25th at 9:30 am in the H-GAC building at 3555 Timmonson the 2nd floor in Conference Room A.
Jeff Peel State and Local Advocacy Coordinator
Peel joined the League in March 2008 as a Program Specialist for the Bicycle Friendly Communities program. Peel has a BA in American Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi.
[Note: As a board member of Bike Walk Mississippi I had the honor of joining advocates from my home state during the Thursday lobby day of last week's National Bike Summit. With the week centered around the economics of bicycling, we decided to let James Moore, bicycle shop owner and National Bicycle Dealer Association Treasurer, take the lead in our meetings with legislators and their staff. What he presented was too good not to share with a wider audience. Similar stories exist in all of our communities- learning and sharing them should be an integral part of all of our work to create a Bicycle Friendly America. -- J. Peel]
In 1984 I opened Moore’s Bicycle Shop in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. As with any new business, I struggled the first few years getting off the ground. In fact, for the first 16 years it was a one man operation with the occasional part time employee. Things started to change in 1994 after our region received a Transportation Enhancement grant of just over $2.5 million and another in 1999 for $2 million to create the Longleaf Trace multi-use trail.
Since the trail’s opening we have seen a significant increase in bicycling – and business. In the years leading to the opening of the trail, my business struggled to average $220,000 in annual sales with my one part time worker. When the trail opened in 2000, annual sales doubled and have remained at that level since.
Because of this investment into bicycling facilities in our community, my workforce has grown from one part time staff to two full time employees and three to four part time workers overnight. My part time staff are all working to put themselves through school at the local university. In the decade since the trail opened I’ve been fortunate enough to have employed over 30 such students, some of whom stayed with the business through graduation. This increase in staff has generated over half a million in additional payroll because of the increase in our business due to the Longleaf Trace.
As a direct result of this federal investment in our local community, my small business has generated an additional $175,000 in sales tax for the state of which $31,500 (18%) was returned to the city of Hattiesburg.
With this growth in business, I outgrew my small 1,400 square foot store and purchased and remodeled a larger building. I transformed a vacant structure into a 4,500 square foot showroom with a 2,000 square foot warehouse. Along with the purchase were 9 overgrown lots I cleaned up and preserve as a “test ride area” that also serves as open green space for the surrounding neighborhood. At the smaller location I paid $1,400 in property taxes. At our larger facility I now pay over $8,000 in annual property taxes that benefit my city, county and local school district.
Since the trail opened the increase in payroll, property tax and sales tax totals for my small business have been over $750,000- and it’s not just me. The popularity of the Long Leaf Trace has also caused many new business start ups to launch along the 41 mile trail to cater to all of the local and out of state trail users, most of which share similar success stories.
Photo: Rails to Trails Conservancy
Even with all of this, the greatest economic development impact of the Longleaf Trace is yet to be experienced. Downtown Hattiesburg suffered an exodus of retail businesses in the mid 70’s with the opening of the malls. With most buildings sitting vacant for 2 decades, historic downtown Hattiesburg is beginning to be revitalized with restaurants, art galleries and music venues. Investors have now purchased several of the larger buildings to turn into housing that will cater to the 16,000 university students. The final key to this puzzle of success will be the next expansion of the Longleaf Trace which will link the university campus with the expansion of housing downtown. This vital 2 mile extension of the trace connecting the campus to downtown development will rely on Transportation Enhancements for its construction. The trail is critical to this success as it will allow students to live downtown yet be on campus with a 10 minute bicycle ride.
Our local leaders understand that investing in bicycling facilities is also investing in the health and vitality of our community. Without the federal and community investment none of this would have been possible. Without continued federal support, Hattiesburg will struggle in achieving its goals of becoming a more livable and economically vibrant community in which to raise a family, get an education or operate a business.
James Moore can be contacted at Moore’s Bicycle Shop, 1607 Hardy Street Hattiesburg, MS 39401 or (601) 544-1978, tracerider@megagate.com.
Jeff Peel State and Local Advocacy Coordinator
Peel joined the League in March 2008 as a Program Specialist for the Bicycle Friendly Communities program. Peel has a BA in American Studies from the University of Southern Mississippi.
But what if you could use your love of bicycling to guide your choices and possibly lead you to bracketological glory? Well, that’s where the official 2011 Bicycle Friendly America Bracket Guide comes in. Thanks to our new Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) Program, we can tell you which schools are champions of bicycle-friendliness.
The first ever Bicycle Friendly Universities were announced last week at the National Bike Summit. Five of the 20 Bicycle Friendly Universities made it to the tournament, along with four campuses that received an Honorable Mention. To make sure we had representation from each region on the bracket, for tie-breakers, and to make things more interesting, we also consider Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) status and whether the campus is a Bicycle Friendly Businesses (BFB).
We put all this data into our computers – we have a room full of statisticians on hand just for this purpose – and arrived at the dead-on, can’t miss, sure thing Bicycle Friendly Final Four.
Before we show you the results, let’s see how BFU’s are distributed across the bracket’s regions. All predictions are based solely on bicycle-friendliness. We’ll leave basketball predictions to ESPN. Note that Bicycle Friendly University status is favored over Business and Community recognition in our predictions.
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Check out the new Streetfilms video on the Congressional Bike Ride:
The National Bike Summit officially wrapped this morning, March 11, with our Congressional Bike Ride in honor of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ), a regular rider and member of the Congressional Bike Caucus, and in memory of those killed in the Tucson shooting. It was the largest turnout yet for our Congressional Ride, with over 100 riders.
President of the League Andy Clarke leads a moment of silence for all of the Tucson shooting victims | Photo courtesy of Chris Eichler
We followed tradition and met at Garfield Circle on our Bike and Roll rentals, tandems, hybrids, collapsible bikes, Capital Bikeshare bikes, and touring bikes (this list could go on forever). However, this year we didn’t immediately hop on our bikes and hit the streets. We gathered and took a moment of silence for all of victims affected by the Tucson shootings. We received Arizona flag bandannas and white and black ribbons — the white represents hope for a peaceful nonviolent society and the black is in remembrance of all who have died as a result of violence — to wear in solidarity.
A couple from Arizona rides in tandem to support Giffords | Photo courtesy of Carly Sieff
The route, created by WABA, toured D.C.’s recent bike infrastructure projects and gave us all a bit of excitement as onlookers on the streets gawked at how many people were using the Pennsylvania Ave. and 15th St. bike lanes. It truly was a sight and we were all honored to ride for Giffords, hoping she can get back on her bike real soon.
The Congressional Ride stops at a light on the Pennsylvania Ave. Bikes lanes | Photo courtesy of Chris Eichler
Groups of Congressional Riders on 15th St. Bike Lanes | Photo courtesy of Carly Sieff
Cyclists hold the Arizona state flag in honor of Congresswoman Giffords (Photo: Darren Flusche)
League President Andy Clarke, in grey blazer, and six-time national cyclocross champion Tim Johnson, in grew sweatshirt, in front of the Capitol. (Photo: Darren Flusche)
Meghan Cahill League Director of Communications
Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.
To the delight of advocates, Congressman Steven LaTourette (R-OH) has agreed to be an original co-sponsor of National Complete Streets legislation when the bill is introduced. Today seven delegates from Ohio met with the Congressman and awarded him a League of American Bicyclists award in appreciation.
Congressman Steven LaTourette (R-OH,) at right, meets with Jeff Stephens of Consider and Lois Moss of Bike+Walk Cleveland Biking
“He is certainly a friend to our cause,” says Jeff Stephens of Consider Biking. When asked for a commitment to defend Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to Schools funding from cuts, Rep. LaTourette said, “Safe Routes to School is under attack by some people, which is unfortunate. I will do what I can.”
The Congressman also shared his thoughts on what to expect. “We had a valuable discussion about the realities of the future funding system,” says Stephens. LaTourette was skeptical about the chances a new authorization bill would pass saying that for a robust program you need robust funding. In the meantime, we look forward to working with the Congressman to make sure our streets are build to accommodate all users.
Read more about Congressman LaTourette’s eventful history with bicycling advocates: here, here, and here.
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
First of all — woah. It seems like almost every Summit attendee is using Twitter to communicate all the action that is taking place on the Hill today. We are wowed by your Twitter commitment. Plus, we love getting the deets from your tweets. For those that aren’t familiar with Twitter or would rather follow the Twitter Summit updates on our blog, keep the below Twitter widget in your browser to watch the live feed. For those that are tweeting with the #bikesummit11 hashtag, keep up the good work!
Meghan Cahill League Director of Communications
Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Janette Sadik-Khan, New York City’s transportation commissioner, looked out at several hundred bicyclists gathered here on Wednesday morning and allowed herself a smile.
“It is wonderful to be here,” she said, “with so many friends.”
The past few days have not been easy for Ms. Sadik-Khan. A lawsuit filed on Monday accused her agency of misleading the public about a bicycle lane on Prospect Park West; last week, she withdrew a proposal to install a pedestrian plaza on 34th Street in Manhattan that had been attacked by neighborhood activists (and tabloid columnists).
But on Wednesday, in an appearance scheduled months in advance, Ms. Sadik-Khan spoke in front of a more supportive crowd: the National Bike Summit, an annual gathering put on by the League of American Bicyclists, an advocacy group. The buzz around the hotel ballroom was that Ms. Sadik-Khan — described by attendees as innovative, inspirational and a role model — was not a speaker to miss.
For example, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) will learn that his district is home to 51 stores that sell bikes and that those stores grossed more than $20 million in 2009. Bikes, he’ll be told, are sold by small-business owners, and those sales create jobs.
And, by the way, if you’re looking to develop transportation alternatives in these tight times, bike paths and bike lanes are a whole lot less expensive than new highways and commuter rail lines.
With mountains of debt being circled by budget hawks on the Hill, preaching the bike gospel of good health benefits and a green alternative to carbon-belching autos seems so 2007.
In 2011, bikes are small business and cheap transportation.
The hundreds of bike advocates encamped at the Grand Hyatt for the National Bike Summit have been armed with fact sheets for their foray to the Capitol. Just like Sarbanes, members will be told precisely how many stores sell bikes in their districts and how much their constituents spend on two-wheelers.
It has already been a year since the last National Bike Summit, and this year’s edition is starting today in Washington DC at the Grand Hyatt. The organizers write: “There are more people riding bikes than ever. Yet half of all U.S. trips are three miles or less, and more than 90 percent are made by car. The National Bike Summit has improved bicycle-friendliness and livability in many communities, but the need and opportunity to improve physical activity, safety and livability in the U.S., while reducing congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on oil – remains greater today than a decade ago. These issues seem difficult to solve but the answer is simple. The answer is the bicycle. “
“We are very fortunate that, in these hard economic times, the President knows the economic importance of investing in transportation,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, blogging in advance of his opening presentation at the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Summit, March 8-10, 2011 inWashington, D.C. LaHood is the first of many impressive speakers at the Summit, from Janette Sadik-Khan (commissioner of the NYC Department of Transportation) and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to Robin Schepper, Executive Director ofMichelle Obama‘s Let’s Move Campaign.
“Summit attendees will be reminding their representatives about the direct value of enhancements, safe routes, recreational trails and other Federally-funded projects,” said League President Andy Clarke. “More than 700 cycling advocates, supporters and industry executives are coming to D.C. to emphasize the importance of bicycling to new and current members of Congress. Bicycling offers an excellent return on Federal investment, in terms of jobs, economic growth, and a healthier America.”
Each year, the League of American Bicyclists orchestrates a convergence of hundreds of bike advocates from across the country. For three days we network with other grassroots leaders, learn about federal transportation issues and deliver our bike-partisan message directly to our members of Congress.
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
It started with one bike rack at one school. Robin Schepper was “just your basic type-A mom” when she found out that her son’s school had a no-bikes policy. First, she asked around and found no good reason for the policy; no one could tell her why it was in place. Next, she asked and received permission to have a bike rack installed — if she could get one. She did. Easy. “And it wasn’t just filled with kids bikes,” she says, “it was filled with teacher’s bikes too.” Over the next few years she worked with the Safe Routes to School to promote healthy travel options for kids.
Today, Robin Schepper is the Executive Director of the First Lady’s Let’s Move Campaign, an initiative with the goal of “solving the problem of obesity within a generation.” Schepper was introduced by IMBA‘s Jenn Dice, who pledged to get 30,000 children moving on Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. Schepper spoke to the National Bike Summit audience today about how education programs and infrastructure to increase physical activity can address critical problems such as diabetes, children’s performance in school, and community development.
On a humorous note, she did let it slip that the White House might not be winning a Bicycle Friendly Business award anytime soon: “I don’t bike to work now because there isn’t a shower in the White House.”
Here’s some footage of the presentation:
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
The first‐ever Bicycle Friendly University designations were announced today at the National Bike Summit. Among the 32 universities that applied, 20 are receiving designations, with Stanford University earning the only platinum‐level award. The program recognizes colleges and universities that create exceptional environments where bicycling can thrive and provides a roadmap and technical assistance to create great campuses for bicycling.
“Universities have long served as incubators for developing bike‐friendly cultures and practices, and that has a big impact on the expectations that students bring to the workplace and beyond,” said Bill Nesper, director of the League’s Bicycle Friendly America Program. “With the launch of the Bicycle Friendly Universities program, we’re able to highlight the crucial role that academic institutions play in shaping a more bike‐friendly future.”
2011 Bicycle Friendly University Winners
Also, 55 new Bicycle Friendly Businesses from restaurants to law firms will be receiving awards at this year’s summit. USAA, which is receiving the silver‐level designation, has experienced how bicycling can transform a workplace and surrounding community.
“USAA promotes safe cycling as an element of our overall sustainability and wellness strategies. The remarkable results we have seen in positive environmental impacts generated by our employees are mirrored by the positive wellness gains made.” – from their 2011 application.
To find out more about the winners and the programs, read the press release here.
Meghan Cahill League Director of Communications
Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.
The second day of the National Bike Summit has officially kicked off with the opening plenary and inspiring words from Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation Janette Sadik-Khan, and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. The rally energized and prepared attendees for a “Capitol Hill unlike any before,” said Blumenauer in the plenary’s welcome. However, he reminded all that bicycling has many supporters in D.C. ”US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood…is an ally like we’ve never had before.”
Blumenauer makes the point that in order to make livable communities and bicycling infrastructure a reality, that we need to help people connect to the facts. “Our message is different, and people like it,” said Blumenauer. ”If we can do it on Pennsylvania Avenue, maybe we can do it with some of our national treasures.”
Blumenauer closed with reminding Summit attendees to remind their representatives to “not cut what you haven’t visited.”
Keynote speaker Sadik-khan has been busy lately in NYC creating a city that all road users can be safe using. She referenced all the great cities in America that are implementing lanes and infrastructure on their streets, including Pennsylvannia Avenue in D.C., Broadway in NYC, Market St. in San Francisco, and Spruce St. in Philidelphia. She pointed out that “none of this was there five years ago…well maybe in Portland,” but that it takes courage and the tools to make it happen. ”It’s painstaking work…there are setbacks but that is to be expected when you are in the business of change.” Luckily, NYC has a mayor that understands the importance of being a bicycle-friendly city. “We have Bloomberg and the political courage.” New York now has 250 miles of new bike lanes.
However, it was Sadik-khan’s big news that wowed the whole crowd — the release of the new NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide. ”We would like the FHWA to recognize these as national standards and for AASHTO to do the same,” said Sadik-khan. “We will make cycling safe and excessible for everyone.” And that is exactly what this guide will do. For cities that do not have the courage of Bloomberg or Sakik-khan, they will now be able to readily provide for their streets and users — backed with standard guidelines.
Secretary Salazar closed the plenary with a fundamental message for Summit attendees to remember when they visit Capitol Hill on Thursday. “I encourage all of you to put a focal point on all the economics that are involved in bicycling…bicycling is essential.”
Meghan Cahill League Director of Communications
Cahill joined the League in December 2008 and has a BA in Media Communications with a concentration in Italian Studies from the College of Charleston.
At the opening plenary of the National Bike Summit, New York City’s Janette Sadik-Khan announced the release of the new NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide:
NYC's Janette Sadik-Knan and DC's Gabe Klein at the National Bike Summit
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood arrived at the National Bike Summit ready to go. In an interview before entering the conference ballroom where he will give the the Summit’s opening remarks, the Secretary said that now is the time for investing in bicycling. The re-authorization law is being written and President Obama has a strong vision for active, livable communities — and it’s what American’s want.
The Secretary gave a rousing speech, sharing plenty of credit with President Obama, “When you see me exhibiting this kind of energy it’s because of the man I’m accountable to.”
Now, the transportation budget President Obama proposed to Congress is a big, bold vision for the next generation of American transportation. And walkable, bikeable, livable communities are a central part of that vision. The President’s 2012 budget would boost funding for pedestrian and bike-friendly communities to $4.1 billion. And the Administration would like to see these essential resources included in the next six-year transportation legislation.
But that process is just beginning, and it won’t happen without the energy of the terrific community gathered at the National Bike Summit. So I wish them well as they meet with their legislators and educate them about the tremendous value of bicycle and pedestrian transportation options.
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
The League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking & Walking have launched a new website to support their Advocacy Advance partnership. For the past two years, the Advocacy Advance team has been working with state and local advocates to tackle pressing issues like bridge access, rumble strips, and distracted driving. In 2011, Advocacy Advance will continue with renewed focus and ambitious goals to double investments in biking and walking projects and boost the capacity of advocates to access critical dollars.
The website provides advocates, agency staff, and elected officials with a host of resources for accessing funds for bicycling and walking, including original reports, information on trainings, workshops, and grant opportunities.
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
If you are looking for someone significant in the world of bicycling policy, advocacy, or industry, you will probably find them at the National Bike Summit. The halls of DC’s Grand Hyatt and other buildings around town are filled with board members and advisory committee members from many of the country’s national bicycling organizations.
Each year, leaders of national bicycling organizations get together around the Summit to meet, provide updates, discuss the direction for the future, and catch up. Yesterday, the League of American Bicyclists board met. Today is the Alliance for Biking & Walking’s board meeting; The International Mountain Biking Association is holding their Public Lands Annual Workshop. And don’t forget about the National Bicycle Dealers Association board meeting: “They’re looking forward to delivering the pro-small business message to Congress and we’re thankful to have them here,” says League President Andy Clarke, who just walked out of the meeting.
National Center for Safe Routes to School uses the week of the Summit to hold the meeting of its national review group of experts in health, transportation, and safety to share what they’ve been doing throughout the year. “We’ve always held the meeting in conjunction with the National Bike Summit, because it’s held in DC and there is such a positive environment there that’s infectious,” says Lauren Marchetti, director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School, “It’s a great opportunity.”
Carly Sieff at the BFA advisory meeting at the National Bike Summit
The League uses it Summit to strategize about the future of its programs. “The Summit is a great opportunity to get together with colleagues on issues like the Bicycle Friendly America program. I’ve been coming for seven years and it’s been impressive seeing how the program has grown,” says Jim Sebastian, District of Columbia DOT Bicycle Program Manager and member of the BFA advisory group.”
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
At some trade shows, racing bikes dominate. At Urban Press Camp, a three-day media event that brings together magazine editors and the leading brands in urban bikes and accessories, commuter bikes get their moment to shine. Yesterday, about 15 editors met with a dozen manufactures, including Breezer, Cannondale, and Raleigh. This morning the event, located at the beautiful House of Sweden, is open to National Bike Summit participants. It’s well worth a visit.
The timing of the event was designed to coincide with the National Bike Summit. “Being able to coat-tail into the National Bike Summit we hugely important to us,” says Lance Camisasca, president of Lifeboat Events, which put on the show.
At events like this, Summit participants get to see what is happen in the industry, while industry folks get involved with advocacy. “You come out of that thing fired up. There’s so much energy, it’s mind-blowing,” JT Burke, brand manager for Breezer, said of the National Bike Summit, which he attended last year. He says the Summit is important for the bicycling industry because, “you can’t grow [the commuter bike] market without better infrastructure.”
“This is an opportunity to showcase bikes that are non-competitive in nature,” says Cannondale’s PR manager, Michael de Leon. “Here they get put up on a pedal, which is unusual. These bikes are about how you can better your life, the environment, transportation. Everything the National Bike Summit is trying to do.”
Schwinn bike made of environmentally friendly Flax fiber.
Urban bikes on display
Brian Fornes, whose card reads "Raleigh Marketing Guy"
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
The National Bike Summit has not escaped the attention of Washington, D.C.’s largest newspaper. The Washington Post had this to say about the biggest bicycling advocacy event of the year:
LaHood, 65, an avid bicyclist, will return to speak at the summit but promised no gymnastic repeat.
“You only do that once,” he said recently. “I’ll find some other way to get their attention.”
Proponents of urban bike lanes and expansion of bike networks that would encourage recreational and commuter cycling feel particularly vulnerable as Congress and the Obama administration propose billions in budget cuts.
The administration, with LaHood taking the lead, has promoted cycling and other programs – including mass transit and high-speed rail – that provide alternatives to automotive travel.
Congress this month extended a stopgap transportation funding bill to the end of the current fiscal year, but whether it will find the will to approve a long-term transportation bill this year is clouded in the debate over how to pay for it.
Bike advocates fear their programs may not receive adequate funding or that federal mandates requiring states to include bike lanes in construction projects will be dropped.
The bike summit, convened annually by the League of American Bicyclists, will begin with a series of meetings and seminars at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Washington on Tuesday and Wednesday before members head to lobby Capitol Hill on Thursday.
Darren Flusche League Policy Director
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
In these economic times, we can only afford to invest in solutions that solve multiple problems. Bicycling and walking programs do that and they are essential to our communities. When every tax dollar has to do the most good, it’s the right time to invest in bicycling. That’s the message at the 2011 National Bike Summit.
We are asking Congress to support continued dedicated funding for vital bicycling and walking programs such as Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and the Recreational Trails Program.
Between 1995 and 2010, the Portland region spent $4.2 billion on roadway improvements and $153 million on all active
transportation improvements.
Since 1990, the City of Portland saw an increase of 14,912 in daily bicycle commute trips and 37,006 in daily auto trips.
The cost of a new auto trip in Portland was approximately 22 times the cost of a new bicycle commute trip
Cost-effective: Between 1995 and 2010, the Portland region spent $4.2 billion on roadway improvements and $153 million on all active transportation improvements. Since 1990, the City of Portland saw an increase of 14,912 in daily bicycle commute trips and 37,006 in daily auto trips. The cost of a new auto trip in Portland was approximately 22 times the cost of a new bicycle commute trip.
By 2040, investments in the range of $138 to $605 million will result in health care cost savings of $388 to $594 million, fuel savings of $143 to $218 million, and savings in value of statistical lives of $7 to $12 billion. The benefit-cost ratios for health care and fuel savings are between 3.8 and 1.2 to 1, and an order of magnitude larger when value of statistical lives is used.
Job creating: A Baltimore study shows that for each $1 million spent, striping bike lanes and signing bike routes creates twice as many jobs as repaving and repairing roads, thank to a favorable labor to materials ratio.
Flusche joined the League in April 2009 and has a B.A. in history from Syracuse University and a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in public policy analysis from New York University.
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