Archive for April, 2012

In 2007, Leonard Wright weighed more than 250 pounds and could barely bicycle a quarter-mile before lying in the grass, gasping for air. Now, the 66-year-old Florida resident is slim, fit and every morning he gets up and rides more miles than his age. What’s Wright’s motivation? The Get Up & Ride National Bike Challenge.

The National Bike Challenge is a new, nationwide initiative to inspire and empower millions of Americans to ride their bikes for transportation, recreation and better health. The friendly, online competition — sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, Bikes Belong, Endomondo and the Kimberly-Clark Corporation — kicks off tomorrow, May 1, and runs until August 31, 2012.

The goal: To unite 50,000 bicyclists to ride 10 million miles in communities across America.

The Challenge is simple, free and open to everyone. Sign up as an individual or as a team, log your miles, share your stories and encourage others to join you. Smartphones users can download the free, GPS-enabled Endomondo mobile app to record travel distance and automatically upload their miles. Riders will compete for prizes and awards on the local and national level, including a Grand Prize trip through California wine country from Trek Travel.

Even before the official start, the Challenge has engaged thousands of participants. During the warm-up period from February to April, more than 12,000 residents from more than 500 cities nationwide registered. Collectively, they logged more than 1 million miles and burned nearly 30 million calories. By encouraging healthy living and active transportation, the Challenge provides an innovative tool to address the nation’s obesity epidemic and save American families money as gas prices skyrocket this summer.

Leonard Wright is certainly leading the way – the retired General Motors worker won the warm-up period with the most miles logged. “I’ve been riding for years, and I was looking for something to get me motivated,” he says. “When I saw the National Bike Challenge, I thought, ‘This is something I can do.’ And anyone can do it. I’m involved with a number of other senior physical fitness groups and I always encourage people to try biking because it’s so easy.”

In addition to encouraging individual riders, the Challenge provides a free and engaging wellness tool for businesses. It’s already proven successful: During the pilot run last year, employees from the Kimberly-Clark Corporation embraced the Challenge and logged more than 182,000 miles. Recognizing the tremendous resource to boost employee health, more than 3,000 companies and nonprofits have already signed up for the 2012 Challenge, including Facebook, Verizon, Mars, Harley Davidson, IBM, Texas Instruments and National Geographic.

“Verizon Wireless is a leader in promoting a healthy culture for our employees,” says Melissa Worley, Health and Wellness Coordinator for Verizon’s Bellevue, Wash., campus. “We offer bike lockers and showers for commuting employees and also advocate bicycle education by hosting safe riding classes on campus. Participating in National Bike Month and the National Bike Challenge is part of that healthy culture and a great forum for creating community, health and friendly competition between our campuses nationwide.”

“The National Geographic Society supports biking both for recreation and as a part of our daily commute, so we’re proud to participate in the National Bike Challenge,” said National Geographic Society CEO John Fahey. ”The Society provides resources and incentives for employees who bike to work, and a number of staff, including me, enjoy a regular lunchtime ride.”

Cathy DeLuca’s research sprung from personal curiosity. A long-time transportation cyclist and bicycle advocate, she was surprised to learn that her local bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee lacked a single female representative. Is my county unique, she wondered, or are women equally underrepresented in other communities in California? Then a graduate student at San Jose State University, she decided to find out.

DeLuca’s report — “An Examination of Women’s Representation and Participation in Bicycle Advisory Committees in California” — started buzzing within advocacy circles earlier this year, putting data behind the suspicion that not nearly enough women are at the table when decisions about bike/ped planning take place.

Last week, Deluca’s study was published by the Mineta Transportation Institute, but, before her study spread to a national audience, she shared some of her insights with advocates at the League and Alliance for Biking & Walking.

What’s your background in bicycling?

On a personal level, I’ve been riding my bike for transportation for about 10 years. On a professional level, I have a master’s degree in urban planning, with a specialization in transportation planning. As a part of this specialization, I’ve focused on bicycling planning through two internships. In my internship at the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, I worked with their bike coordinator to develop a bike route signage system for the county. In my internship with the City of San Jose’s bike/ped coordinator, I researched bicycle parking programs.

What inspired you to take this on as a research topic?

I’m a woman who bicycles, and I live in a community where a lot of women ride bikes. When I learned that our 11-member county-level bicycle advisory committee did not have one female member, I was shocked. I was then interested in knowing whether this lack of women members was common in other cities and counties.

Why is research into women’s cycling issues important?

When we look at bicycling in Germany and the Netherlands, where women bicycle at the same rate as men, we can see that there is no intrinsic reason why women would bicycle less than men. So the disparity in the US is likely a social/cultural phenomenon based on a variety of factors. Without women helping to identify these factors, it is hard to imagine that the conditions to make biking more women-friendly will come about.

What surprised you most as you were compiling your data and conducting interviews?

When interviewing the women committee members, I was surprised that so few had ever thought about the gender composition of their committees, especially the women who were the sole female member.

What were the most-compelling results from your research?

1. Women are underrepresented on bicycle (and pedestrian) advisory committees in California. While they represent one-half of the state’s general population, they only make up 19% of the members on bicycle advisory committees in the state and 27% of the members on bicycle and pedestrian advisory committees.
2. A large percentage of women in the California bicycle community know about these committees, which is a great starting place for recruiting women to become involved.

What are the biggest take-aways, in your opinion, for advocates?

Advocates can have a substantial impact on the gender composition of bike committees. Many local advocacy groups are already helping advertise bike committee openings to their membership. If these groups made a targeted effort to encourage their female members to seek committee membership, I think we’d start to see an increase in the number of women serving on bike committees.

On a more basic level, advocates can do a great deal to help increase the number of women on bicycles. If advocates are aware that fewer women than men bike, and they understand the reasons why (safety concerns, family obligations, etc.), they can develop effective programs and campaigns to target women (family rides, women-only rides, bike skills training for women, bike buddies, etc.).

What are your top recommendations in getting more women involved in these political bodies — and get more women out on bikes in general.

To get more women to participate in the political process surrounding bicycling, I think the most effective action would be for governments/agencies to directly reach out to women when recruiting for open committee positions. Advocates can also help by emphasizing to their membership that bike committees are in need of women members.

In terms of getting more women to ride, I believe the two most important strategies are:

1. Encouragement, support, and bicycle education targeted at women.
2. An increase in the number bike lanes, including buffered lanes. The first is less expensive and therefore much easier to implement, but I believe that the second would have a much larger impact on the numbers of women riding.

Has doing this study inspired you to get more involved with bike/ped issues?

I was already committed to bike/ped issues before I did the study, but the study has helped solidify my interest in getting more women involved in bicycling. Bicycling is so beneficial to our communities, our planet, and our personal health and happiness – that’s something women should have a chance to be a part of!

Have you had a positive response to to your study?

It’s been amazing how interested people have been in my study. For example, I distributed the online survey to 16 bike groups, but their individual members spread it in a way that I never expected. In the end, women from over 150 California cities took my survey!

The response to my results has been really widespread as well. The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals mentioned my study in their recent webinar on Women and Bicycling, and several bicycle advocacy groups and transportation research groups have asked to post the study on their websites. Even more than that, I’ve been thrilled at how interested both male and female bicycle professionals and advocates have been in this topic. That gives me great hope that someday soon we’ll all get to experience the joys of biking, no matter our gender!

Click here to read DeLuca’s full report.

Thanks to Lisa Seyfried, former intern at the Alliance for Biking & Walking, for her help with this blog post!

 

The National Bike Challenge is a great motivational tool for riders returning to cycling. Some of those riders are posting their stories and goals in the home page comment feed, if you want an inspiring read. If you’re already riding regularly, logging your rides makes you eligible for some great prizes, and may inspire you to a few more miles or another trip each week.

But some cyclists I talk to say that cycling is already a major part of their lives, and they don’t need the motivation of the prizes to get them on the road. Why then should they bother to sign up, and take the time to log miles on a regular basis? Here are a few of the answers I give:

The National Bike Challenge is a great opportunity to make a statement about the impact of cycling nationwide. We’ve already logged nearly a million miles in the warm-up period. Our four-month Challenge goal is 10 million miles, which would be an awesome testament to the role of cycling in transportation and recreation, one that cycling advocates can use in advocating for better laws to protect cyclists, or new investments in infrastructure. If cycling is already a major part of your life, your miles will help us get to our goal more quickly, and make our case more forcefully.

We’ll also be tracking miles by state and community. Your miles logged for Springfield will help keep Shelbyville humble. (Here are a few real-life rivalries to watch — Pittsburgh vs. Cleveland, Georgia vs. South Carolina, and Wisconsin vs. all comers.)

Participating in the Challenge will reconnect you with the thrill you felt when you first started riding regularly. You can read the stories on the homepage, or follow other news arising from the challenge as we highlight people who are changing their lives one ride at a time. If you join the Challenge, then bring friends or co-workers on board, you can play a direct role in changing both individual lives and the transportation culture of your community. Think of it as Bike to Work Day extended to four months – enough time for lasting change in commuting habits to take hold.

You can use the Challenge leaderboard to connect with other cyclists at your level. You can see who has a similar number of points in your state or community, and connect through the Endomondo platform. You can then ride together or just trade stories about how you rode to 1500 points, or how you inspired three co-workers to become regular bike commuters.

So even if you don’t need any motivation to get up and ride, please join the Challenge and play a part in this four-month celebration of cycling.

On Tuesday, he Senate released the names of the lawmakers from that chamber who will sit on the conference committee for the transportation authorization bill. The committee, made of up Senators and Representatives from both parties, will have to negotiate the differences between the Senate’s MAP-21 and the modified extension of the current transportation authorization, SAFETEA-LU, passed by the House last Wednesday.

UPDATE: On Wednesday April 25, the House named its conferees.

America Bikes has listed the names of all of the conferees along with a link to more information about their records on bicycle and pedestrian issues:

SENATE

Democrats

Barbara Boxer (California)
Max Baucus (Montana)
Jay Rockefeller (West Virginia)
Dick Durbin (Illinois)
Tim Johnson (South Dakota)
Chuck Schumer (New York)
Bill Nelson (Florida)
Robert Menendez (New Jersey)

Republicans

Jim Inhofe (Oklahoma)
David Vitter (Louisiana)
Richard Shelby (Alabama)
Orrin Hatch (Utah)
Kay Bailey Hutchinson (Texas)
John Hoeven (North Dakota)

There are no big surprises on this list.

HOUSE

Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Republicans

John Mica (FL-7)
Don Young (AK-AL)
John Duncan (TN-2)
Bill Shuster (PA-9)
Shelley Moore Capito (WV-2)
Rick Crawford (AR-1)
Jaime Herrera-Beutler (WA-3)
Larry Bucshon (IN-8)
Richard Hanna (NY-24)
Steve Southerland (FL-2)
James Lankford (OK-5)
Reid Ribble (WI-8)

Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Democrats

Nick Rahall (WV-3)
Peter DeFazio (OR-4)
Jerry Costello (IL-12)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL)
Jerry Nadler (NY-8)
Corrine Brown (FL-3)
Eljah Cummings (MD-7)
Leonard Boswell (IA-3)
Tim Bishop (NY-1)

Here are the Representatives from other committees.

(more…)

The League’s Smart Cycling curriculum is a great tool for creating safe, confident cyclists. One of the greatest aspects of the program is the way it can be adapted to meet an educator’s needs. A great example is Programs to Educate All Cyclists (PEAC), a Michigan group helping individuals of all ages with cognitive, physical, and emotional disabilities reach their cycling goals.

John Waterman and his staff are serious about what they do. “We believe everyone can ride,” Waterman says. “That’s our motto and we take this stuff personally.” Waterman is a League Cycling Instructor, and all of the staff has graduated from Traffic Skills 101. More importantly, everyone has a degree in special education and a passion for working with cyclists with disabilities. PEAC has developed a number of programs to address the variety of goals set by their students.

Rather than approaching cycling education only as a set of skills, PEAC staff focus on a student’s level of independence. “Student goals can last years,” says Waterman. “What cyclists face the first time they pick up a bike or ride in traffic can be overwhelming for our students.” Students are required to demonstrate the necessary skills as they progress towards their goals and become more independent cyclists. Practice venues range from parking lots to trails to urban streets. Transitions between practice venues are done on a tandem bike to slowly introduce the new skill set to students.

The highest praise anyone can offer of PEAC is to share stories from their students and families.

• Shawn has been part of PEAC for about twenty years, coming to the group just as he started learning to ride a bike. What he found was the excitement and joy of riding with his family. This was difficult for Shawn due to a cognitive and visual impairment and the multitude of decision points required while cycling. PEAC worked with him to become independent by making sure he understands the decisions he has to make and knows the area he is riding. Shawn is living independently with two jobs and cycling is how he gets to work and connects to the community.
• Rachel is part of a very active family that loves to ride. Her mom knew including Rachel would be a challenge, and reached out to PEAC. Together they helped outfit “Rachel’s Chariot,” a trailer that holds all of her necessary medical equipment. While she faces a lot of physical challenges, cycling has given her independence and family time her parents never thought would be available.
• Chris learned to ride a two wheel bike at PEAC, but suffered a tragic accident and had to relearn how to walk and bike. Today his bike is his sole method of transportation to work (Chris works for a hardware store and runs his own business). He now volunteers with PEAC and teaches children to ride. Chris’ current goal is to ride a tandem with his girlfriend.

One of the biggest lessons John has learned is that “our students are our best advocates.” PEAC students met with Michigan state senators to discuss complete streets and the value of accessibility and bicycling in their lives. “What our students face is really what complete streets is meant to address,” notes Waterman. The complete streets legislation passed the Senate unanimously and has since become law.

PEAC students and staff have also realized the benefit of a cycling community like Michigan. “Michigan is the most inclusive [cycling] community you’ll meet, from the League of Michigan Bicyclists [LMB] to the local clubs,” praises Waterman. “Everyone is part of PEAC. Local rides are reaching out to us, wanting our input on how to make their ride available to everyone. And the LMB has gone out of its way to ensure students with disabilities are included in its SRTS literature.”

To learn more about PEAC, email John Waterman at jwaterman@bikeprogram.org. Also consider riding in PEAC’s Annual Celebration of Cycling Ride on September 8, 2012 or get up/get down at the Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan. Both events help fund PEAC programs and activities throughout the year.

Elsewhere in cycling advocacy…

• A project installing rumble strips on several key bicycle routes in Vashon Island, Washington is on hold after concerns were raised by cyclists.  Advocates have noted that WSDOT isn’t following it’s own policy to leave at least four feet of clear space for cyclists.  Bike Vashon and the Cascade Bicycle Club are working with WSDOT and King County DOT to stop the rumble strip project if cyclist concerns cannot be addressed.

Do you have news from your advocacy organization? Let me know: matt@bikeleague.org

 

Events are already planned. The buzz is beginning to build. The media is getting interested. But how can you make your 2012 National Bike Month efforts have a lasting impact in your community and beyond? Invite your members of Congress.

With Bike to School Day, Bike to Work Week and the announcement of Bicycle Friendly Communities, there’s no better time to showcase the support for cycling in your community than National Bike Month. And, with the U.S. House of Representatives threatening to eliminate funding for biking and walking in the next federal transportation bill, there’s no better time to make an impression on your members of Congress.

Thanks to YOUR efforts this spring, the U.S. Senate passed a transportation bill that maintains important programs, like Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. But we still face a tough battle in the House. The current extension expires on September 30 and local advocates will play a critical role in making the case that biking and walking projects and programs are popular and cost-effective uses of federal dollars. Bike Month is the perfect opportunity to do just that!

Whatever great events you have planned for Bike Month, please consider inviting your members of Congress. Extending that invitation will allow you to cultivate your relationships with key elected officials; provide positive media exposure for your organization and your members; and clearly show the support for biking and walking in your member’s district.

To help you in that effort, our partners at America Bikes have compiled a helpful toolkit with all the guidance and templates you need. Visit americabikes.org/show_congress for a sample invitation, a script for talking to your member’s scheduler, media tips, messaging advice, a congressional calendar and more. Please reach out to your members of Congress today!

For questions or further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me: (202) 822-1333 or carolyn@bikeleague.org.

 

He may work for the American Automobile Association, but Paul Gaffney likes getting around on two wheels, too. In the latest issue of VIA magazine, the president and CEO of AAA Northern California, Nevada, and Utah dedicates his entire column to cycling promotion and share-the-road safety. 

“While I do work for an auto club, I still ride a bike,” Gaffney writes. “I’m happy to report that I’m not alone. Cycling is on the rise in most parts of the country. People ride for fun, for exercise, and, increasingly, just to get from here to there. According to a Rutgers University study, the number of bike commuters in the United States grew 64 percent over the past two decades.”

Gaffney goes on to applaud the growth in bicycling in major cities, like New York and San Francisco, and encourages folks to get out and ride, whether its pedaling to work or enjoying one of the region’s many bike trails. And, at the very end, he poses a particularly exciting question.

May is National Bike Month, but don’t let the calendar limit when you ride. With the current price of gas, cycling is good for your wallet. It’s also good for your health and good for the environment. It might even put you in a better mood. There’s something liberating about hopping on a bike that brings back a freewheeling sensation of childhood and learning to fly without training wheels…

More cyclists on the road makes me hopeful about a healthy future. We still think of biking as alternative transportation, like taking the bus or riding the train. Wouldn’t it be interesting if bicycling became as mainstream as driving?

Click here to read Gaffney’s entire column.

 

When Sarai Snyder started mountain biking in 1995 she felt like the only woman on the local scene. A few years later, when she managed a local bike shop in Newport, Ky., she noticed the same lack of ladies: The vast majority of store customers and weekly ride participants were male.

“I said to myself, ‘I don’t understand; this has got to change,’” she says.

So Snyder got to work. She took a critical eye to the merchandising and atmosphere of the shop — and how it could be more appealing and inviting to women. She got involved in local advocacy and co-founded Queen City Bike, which represents cyclists across northern Kentucky. And, slowly but surely, she started to see more women. More female customers patronized the shop. The number of women riders on the weekly rides grew from 10 to 70.

Now, Snyder has taken her energy and advocacy to a much larger scale by launching Cyclofemme: a global day of women’s rides on May 13.

But that’s jumping ahead in the story.

More than two years ago, Snyder moved to Boulder and started thinking about ways to mobilize and educate women nationwide. At the 2010 Sea Otter Classic — a massive gathering of the bicycle industry — she started a social media campaign that would blossom into Girl Bike Love, a website geared specifically for women who ride.”The goal of Girl Bike Love is getting more women on bikes, creating a larger community and giving women a place and opportunity to connect,” Snyder says.

As soon as the site launched in late 2010, she was flooded with messages from women thanking her for the new, welcoming resource. “Most of the women reading this stuff are beginners, they’re moms, they’re not athletes,” she says. “They’re coming to Girl Bike Love because they realize the importance of riding bikes for their health, their community, their kids.”

The next logical step: Cultivating that sense of community out on the streets and trails.

To build solidarity and create new connections among women face-to-face, Snyder launched Cyclofemme. The tagline is inspirational — Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Empower the Future — but the event is simple. On May 13, women will come together for more than 80 rides in 10 different countries. And that’s just the events registered thus far.

“My goal with Cyclofemme is to unify the voice of women in cycling and bring women together,” she says. “It doesn’t matter if you ride a mountain bike or a road bike, if you commute to work or ride to the store — it’s about starting that conversation that we need to be working together.”

Click here to find a ride in your area — or organize one to put your city on the map.

 

By Lindsay Plante, BFA Communications Intern

Last week, American Family Insurance in Madison, Wisconsin and AstraZeneca in Wilmington, Delaware, were among the 67 new companies added to the ranks of more than 400 Bicycle Friendly Businesses nationwide. While they both earned a Bronze designation, the two companies operate in different areas of the country and deal with different challenges in becoming bike-friendly. But employee feedback proves that biking to work has nationwide appeal.

For employees at both businesses, fitness was the main goal when they started biking to work. An American Family Insurance employee noted that, while commuting to work was a weight-loss strategy, cycling now remains a regular part of an overall healthy lifestyle. AstraZeneca employees pointed out that, with such busy schedules, it’s a great time-saver to both commute and exercise simultaneously. Other motivations for commuting by bicycle included savings on gas and environment responsibility.

Though bicycle commuting does require some investment and commitment (maintaining equipment and being aware of road safety), employees at each business believe that commuting by bicycle is doable in their area. They also feel that if other local businesses promote the benefits of cycling, from fitness to savings, and provide adequate facilities for their cyclists, they too can achieve the League’s bike-friendly designation.

AstraZeneca goes above and beyond to make cycling achievable for their employees by offering flexible hours and on-site shower and locker room facilities, while American Family Insurance also offers bike paths and a supportive environment for any employee bicycling to work.

Click here to read the cycling stories from four employees at Rockwell Collins, which received a Bronze BFB designation last week, too.

 

We’ve talked before about ads that dis on bikes (see the revoked GM ad), but let’s talk for a minute about companies that use biking in their ads to give them a “cool” factor.

At a clothing store I used to work at, I was told “you’re not just selling clothes, you’re selling a lifestyle people aspire to.” Biking has become the new shorthand for urban, healthy, hip, and eco-smart. I’ve had my eye on this factor for a while, but it really came to a head when I was at the gym last week and caught this little gem. Pay special attention starting at 0:51.

Really? I can only hope “American’s Power” is trying to be a little tongue-in-cheek, with a voice-over that describes “America’s most abundant, domestically-produced energy resource” over footage of a cyclist pumping his pedals. I’ve never thought I was fueling my bike with a “domestically-produced energy resource” while riding around town, but I think I’ll start to.

On further inspection of the internet, I found some other great examples of companies using bikes to give their product an edge. Blackberry seems to be trying to cut itself off from its stuffy, Capitol Hill reputation with this ad featuring fixies:

So hip! So fun! So….Blackberry?

I also found this little ditty from Kaiser Permanente. We already knew the insurance company loves bikes; they generously support bicycle advocacy in communities across the country. And, while some of the riders could benefit from taking our Traffic Skills 101 class, this ad perfectly captures how biking can be a fun, effective travel option for folks (and animals!) of all ages.

At the end of the day, it’s great to see companies realizing the power of the bicycle. The more we can normalize biking in American culture the better, and double points for us if part of this normalization is putting cycling in such a cool and healthy light.

Anyone out there have some links they’d like to share in the comments?

 

Yesterday, the House passed a 90-day extension of the current transportation authorization law. Unlike past extensions, this one includes amendments related to “environmental streamlining,” harbor maintenance, and the disposal of coal ash. Environmental groups oppose these changes. The issue that has received the most headlines is the Keystone Pipeline, which was included in the extension. This is a hot button political issue with potential implications on the presidential race.

But the news for cyclists is what didn’t happen.

There had been fear that the Republican leadership would strip out bicycling and walking funds, like Transportation Enhancements. That did not occur. Nor did they gut the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, another important source of bicycling funds. These cuts, proposed in H.R. 7, had become controversial among Republicans as well as Democrats. Bicyclists at the National Bike Summit also sent a strong message to Congress about the importance of these programs.

The passage of the extension now sets up the possibility that the House and Senate will conference in an attempt to reconcile the differences, which are many, between the House’s extension and MAP-21, a two-year bill that was passed by the Senate in March.

“The purpose of this extension is that we can hopefully bring about resolution and conference legislation to complete our transportation bill,” said Rep. John Mica (R-FL), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. To do this, the House would have to send their extension to conference and the Senate would have to take it up and ‘deem it in order.’ And both Chambers would have to appoint conferees. Majority Leader Harry Reid  says that he expects to appoint the Senate’s conferees today. After all of that, the difficult work of resolving the differences between the pieces of legislation would begin.

Secretary LaHood is on record saying he does not believe a law will be passed before the election.

The League and America Bikes are asking Congress to maintain dedicated funding for biking and walking, such as Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and the Recreational Trails Program.

Click here for a great update from the America Bikes blog (on their new, updated website).

With annual sales of nearly $5 billion and 20,000 employees worldwide, Rockwell Collins is among the top manufacturers of aviation electronics and communication systems globally. But, at their Cedar Rapids, Iowa, headquarters, the Fortune 500 company has its wheels firmly on the ground, making bicycling an appealing and efficient option for its 9,000 local employees.

This week, Rockwell Collins was awarded a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Business designation and we wanted to hear from some of the folks who have capitalized on the company’s improvements and made a commitment to bike to work. Why do they ride? How have they benefited? What company facilities and encouragement have proved most helpful? Read on for the insight of four Rockwell employees — and cyclists.

Why did you start commuting to work by bicycle?

Nikki- Rockwell Collins had a number of employees who biked to work on occasion. In 2008, during the flood and the very high gas prices, a concerted effort was launched to focus on biking initiatives. A few like-minded people gathered, sought and gained executive sponsorship, and promoted biking to work in 2009 — not just to the greater Cedar Rapids Rockwell Collins employees, but also to the enterprise at large.

Richard- I began regular commuting by bicycle during the gasoline price spike in the summer of 2008, primarily over frustration about gas prices, but also out of frustration about continued inaction on climate change.

Mike- Commuting to work by bicycle has been something I’ve done since high school.

Have you experienced any economic benefits from biking to work?

Nikki- I LOVE not having to fill up my car on a weekly basis. But I portray myself as a “fair‐weather” cyclist, and ride 2‐3 days per week, sometimes as many as five days in the summer and less than that in our winter. But, even saving a little, I feel like I’m a poster child that anyone can do it when it works out. Small steps become bigger steps. I did finally take the challenge to bike when it’s cold in the winter, and that was also a doable commute for me, as well.

Sarah- Definitely. It’s a 23-mile round trip to work, which equates to about a gallon of gas. I typically ride in to work, on average, 2 to 3 days each week, all year round, as long as it’s not raining or snowing !

Richard- Absolutely. I’ve averaged more than 1,300 miles commuted by bike each of the past three years. The savings have more than paid back the cost of the commuter bike I purchased at the beginning of 2009.

Did saving money contribute to your decision to commute by bicycle?

Nikki- It did contribute to me riding, but more importantly for me, I liked exercising and the fresh air, and mental freshness I have when commuting by bicycle.

Sarah- A little, but the overriding reason for commuting by bike was to increase my fitness level and have some mental “free time” to think and enjoy the surroundings on the way to work.

Mike- Riding a bicycle saves me about $10/week nowadays. I can usually count on biking more than half the time between March and December, so overall it saves hundreds of dollars per year.

Have you experienced health benefits?

Nikki- Yes, although I can’t quantify it. I know I’m burning more calories when cycling, and I also enjoy the mental health benefits. We do have employees here who have lost weight as a result of cycling.

Sarah- Yes. Fitness and endurance have both benefitted. I also appreciate the effects on alertness and mental focus that early morning exercise provides for the entire day.

Mike- In the 30+ years since college, my weight has only gone up 15 pounds, and my blood pressure remains low. I feel better overall on days that I can bike to work

Richard- Although it wasn’t an original goal of mine, I have experienced health benefits, and this is now a reason for continuing my bike commuting. My employer offers free cholesterol and glucose screenings annually, and after several years of seeing my numbers heading in the wrong direction, I have seen them stabilized well within the norms.

Do you feel that bicycle commuting is an achievable goal for other businesses in the surrounding area?

Nikki- YES! If more people tried it they would see it as doable, especially when they can be mentored by another cyclist. We get alot of questions about routes, so when people know there is a doable route, they are more inclined to ride.

Sarah- Absolutely. We have a number of trails which link to businesses via good roads, which do not suffer from very heavy traffic. It just takes a small amount of time to find a route that works for each individual.

Mike- Yes, for many people biking to work at least once or twice a week is very doable.

Richard- It is very achievable, especially during the summer months.

How would they advise employers to encourage bicycle commuting?

Nikki- Actively support biking initiatives. We have an executive sponsor who has believed in our endeavors, and cycling has increased tremendously. It is also talked about more as well, leading to others becoming interested. Secure parking for bikes and showers are a plus, and some of our locations have that, or some part of that. The more secure parking the better.

Sarah- Employer support should be visible, both at events and in company magazines/newsletters. In particular, facilities should be provided to encourage bicycling to work (e.g. secure parking, showers) and remove any doubts or insecurities employees may have about taking their bike to work.

Mike- Employers should place bike racks in convenient locations (CVS/Pharmacy, Barnes and Noble, others, are you listening?) Employers should consider changes to dress codes and encourage office cultures to be a little less formal on some days. Employers, employees and local government should publicize bike‐safe alternative routes that parallel busy main roads.

Richard- I would advise area employers to reach out to the city’s Bike Advisory Committee to obtain information and support.

Are there any particular features of Rockwell Collins that they feel make commuting by bicycle so doable?

Nikki- There are flexible start times at Rockwell Collins which helps. There are accessible cross streets that make our facility commute worthy, and some of our facilities are near residential areas that also increases the possibility of riding.

Sarah- Flexible start times. Parking (although not covered). Company restaurant open for breakfast. Support and encouragement from the Rockwell Collins bicycling community.

Mike- Rockwell Collins Bike Community activities; wellness initiatives; bike racks placed near building entrances; shower facilities in new buildings.

Richard- Our bicycling group’s steering committee is relentless in organizing activities ‐‐ particularly informational sessions on commuting. The group also partners with other organizations and the city to provide information and encouragement for bike commuting. Our company’s intranet also has a fairly prominent link to the biking group’s web page.

 

Yesterday, we announced 67 new Bicycle Friendly Businesses, and, with this latest round of awards, we passed a couple of notable milestones: There are now more than 400 BFBs nationwide who employ more than 500,000 workers.

So how many BFBs are in your city or state? Lindsay Plante, the League’s Bicycle Friendly America communications intern, put together this helpful map so you could find out.

Zoom in on your community — and show your bike-friendliness by patronizing your local BFBs!

View Bike Friendly Businesses in a larger map

Get your business on the map: Learn more about the Bicycle Friendly Business program.

 

We hate to draw any of the well-deserved spotlight from the 67 new Bicycle Friendly Businesses we announced today, but we just had to take a moment to commend the efforts of the University of South Carolina. Last month, USC was designated a Bronze Bicycle Friendly University — and they sure came up with a brilliant and fun way to celebrate the award.

Yesterday, their campus streets were alive with bicyclists during the “Travel Lightly Parade.” The festive gathering was attended, not only by students, but the university president, Dr. Harris Pastides, as well. Way to go, South Carolina!

Click here to see more photos from The State newspaper.

 

More than 500,000 American employees now work at a Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB), thanks to visionary leadership in the private and public sector. Today the League announced 67 new BFBs, who joined the ranks of the 412 local businesses, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies that are transforming the American workplace.

“These leaders are at the forefront of a movement to make American businesses more competitive, sustainable and attractive to the best and brightest employees,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists. “An investment in bicycling enhances employee health, increases sustainability and improves the bottom line.”

Bicycle-friendly businesses encourage a more bicycle friendly atmosphere for employees and customers. From Microsoft in Redmond, Wash., to Pepe’s Bistro in Lincoln, Neb., bicycle-friendly businesses are improving the workplace, contributing to the community and improving their overall earnings.

Award winners in this round include:

• Fortune 500 companies like AstraZeneca and Rockwell Collins
• Major cities, like Indianapolis, Ind. and Durham, N.C.
• Government agencies, like the Federal Communications Commission
• Nonprofits, like the Nature Conservancy and Outdoor Chattanooga
• And major retailers like REI locations in Montana, California and Connecticut

American Family Insurance- Madison, Wis. (Bronze): “Our company improved safe bicycle access to our facility by adding signage to divert bicyclists onto paved bike lanes, installed covered bike parking, increased locker facilities and created a ‘bicycle resources’ intranet site that provides bike route maps, a guaranteed ride home program and other tips,” said Rita Garczynski, facilities site manager. “The company’s support for bicycle commuting has encouraged employees to make lifestyle changes that have resulted in improved health and engagement while having a positive impact on the environment by reducing our carbon footprint.”

Massachusetts Department of Transportation- Boston, Mass. (Bronze): “We’re proud to be the first DOT in the nation recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Business,” said MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey. “MassDOT’s core business is transportation and consistent with our ‘Green DOT policy’ we’re committed to promoting bicycling as a healthy and efficient mode of travel.” Among other innovations and improvements, in 2010, MassDOT launched a pilot bike pool, so employees have the option to ride a bike to a meeting or a site.

Carilion Clinic- Roanoke, Va. (Bronze): “As the region’s primary health care provider, Carilion is dedicated to working with our communities to improve the overall health of the people we serve,” said Nancy Howell Agee, Carilion Clinic’s president and CEO. “Bicycling is one way our employees can improve their own health and be role models for the importance of physical activity in a healthy lifestyle.”

Visit bikeleague.org/businesses for a full list of Bicycle Friendly Businesses and to learn more.

As a kid in California, I rode my bike to pass endless hours outside with my friends, getting wind in my hair and mud on my tires. As a college student at the University of Missouri, I rode to get to class and work — and the bluff-top winery off the Katy Trail. As a reporter in Kansas City, I started commuting by bike because it just didn’t make sense to pollute the environment, pay sky-high gas prices, and pull my hair out looking for parking when I had to cover a council meeting downtown.

I’m like many people who bike: Our motivations are many, but our solution is the same. That’s why we came up with this year’s National Bike Month theme: One Ride, Many Reasons.

Posters, fliers and web banners are now available for download: Click here.

National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride. Whether you bike to work or school; to save money or time; to preserve your health or the environment; to explore your community or get to your destination, get involved in Bike Month in your city or state — and help get more people in your community out riding too!

• Find an event or organization in your area
• Download the Bike Month Guide for tips on planning your event
• Upload your Bike Month events on our website
• Customize our promotional materials with your event and information and start spreading the word
• And, new this year: Get involved in the inaugural National Bike to School Day

Do you have an inspirational — or unique — story about why you ride? Let me know: carolyn@bikeleague.org.

 

We all know that riding a bike is good for the environment, our health, and our pocketbooks, but here’s one more way it pays to bike – The Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit. With folks filing their returns for Uncle Sam, there’s no day like Tax Day to encourage employers to offer this transportation benefit to employees.

The Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit has been on the books of the Internal Revenue Service for the past three years, but it still goes quite under used. Any employer, if they chose to do so, may provide a reimbursement of up to $20 per month for bike-related expenses incurred by the employee. That’s an extra $20 in your paycheck for tubes and tune-ups and all the already-affordable items that make your commute fun and comfortable. But, since it is Tax Day, remember: This is a benefit offered by your employer, not something you can claim on your personal taxes.

Sure, it’s not quite on par with the $230 subsidy an employer can offer for parking, or even the $120 they can offer for public transit — and the League is working with our congressional partners to increase the amount. But let’s celebrate the fact that bicycling is on the list of qualified transportation fringe benefits covered by the IRS and is ready for employers to use. The more it gets used, the more our lawmakers will know people consider bicycling a transportation option.

Click here for a list of Frequently Asked Questions on the benefit.

And don’t forget: Offering the commuter benefit is just one of the many steps your business can take to become more bicycle-friendly. Stay tuned to the Bike League blog tomorrow for the announcement of a new round of Bicycle Friendly Business awards! Click here to learn all about the program.

 

Alison Dewey
League Program Manager, BFB & BFU

Dewey joined the League in 2008. For four years prior to that, Dewey worked for Massachusetts- based Landry’s Bicycles and served on the board of the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition. Dewey has a MA in International Relations and Communications from Boston University and is a graduate of St. Olaf College. She spent three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Senegal.

It may seem like I’m blogging about Georgia a lot lately, and it’s for good reason. The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition is one of two Advocacy Advance model grant recipients. ABC’s grant is focused on doubling federal spending on bicycle and pedestrian projects and programs, as well as tripling the mode share to 3 percent. While in town for an Action 2020 workshop, I had the pleasure of meeting Neil Walker, a cycling instructor who wears many hats.

It’s hard to get involved in bicycle education in Atlanta without running into Neil. As a League Cycling Instructor and educator, Neil has made a mission of working with low-income and minority kids and adults in the metro region. “I grew up in a lower income area and was pretty much confined to a few square blocks,” notes Walker. “Once I got a bike, suddenly I was able to go all over the place. That bike got me my first jobs delivering groceries and newspapers.”

Today Neil is working with a number of organizations and neighborhoods:

• Metro Atlanta Cycling Club: Through their One Love event, the club has raised more than $100,000 in the past five years for the Dream Team, East Atlanta Kids Club, and Bicycle Little League. The club is primarily focused on involving African Americans in cycling
• Dream Team Bike Ride Across Georgia (BRAG): The program starts with teaching Traffic Skills 101 to middle and high school students. The main goal is to get kids on bikes. For the 2012 ride, 20 kids are signed up to participate, with the course set to travel through the mountains of northern Georgia.
• East Atlanta Neighborhoods: Neil’s work is focused mainly on health and nutrition. Among other things, he has led local rides to the farmers market (55 participants on the last trip) to highlight local, healthy food options. Atlanta City Councilmember Aaron Watson (himself a huge bike proponent) liked the program so much he formally adopted it as his Living Smart Initiative.

At the national level, Neil has been working with the National Brotherhood of Cyclists to expand their educational offerings. The goal is to go from the current four LCIs nationally to at least five in each of the 35 local clubs.

There are definitely hurdles for working in low-income and minority neighborhoods. A lack of local bicycle shops and infrastructure makes it hard to establish the necessary culture. Working with the Atlanta Police Athletic League, Neil and others have been bringing bike shops to the neighborhoods. “We showed up at a public housing development with no warning and ended up fixing 22 bikes,” Neil says. “Kids just kept coming up to us.” Neil also works with his old employer REI to do neighborhood bike repair days.

A huge myth is that only poor people ride bicycles. “It really creates a bicycling stigma in the minds of low income people,” says Walker. “Adults are difficult. They may be self conscious on a bike or just not know where to start.” School bicycle clubs are one way to address the issue, as kids are usually eager to ride and share that freedom with their family. Adults also start to come on board once they expand their definition of a cyclist beyond the lycra. “With cut-backs in local bus service, showing someone how to ride to the closest MARTA [Atlanta’s light rail system] station can be huge,” Walker says.

There’s also the challenge that some people just don’t think of bicycling as an option. The Dream Team has expanded throughout Georgia, mainly due to people asking about it as BRAG passes through town. This type of event can be the spark that gets folks thinking “maybe I should be riding a bike.”

If you’d like to learn more about these programs, email Neil at neil@atlantabike.org.

Elsewhere in cycling advocacy…

• Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman has signed the state’s three foot safe passing legislation into law. Sponsored by state Sen. Tom Hansen, the law provides a safe passing distance for bicyclists, pedestrians, and electric personal assistance mobility devices. Nebraska becomes the 24th state to adopt a safe passing law. Who’s going to get us to the halfway point?
• Virginia is for bicycle touring, and it’s getting easier thanks to the Virginia Bicycle Federation. VBF worked with Joe Elton, Virginia’s State Parks Director to create designated areas for cyclists to camp even when campgrounds are full. Ride-in touring cyclists will always have a place to stay.
• The Florida legislature recently passed a series of bicycling bills. The bills cover topics from additional exemptions to the state’s mandatory bike lane law (which could stand to be repealed) to allowing cyclists cited for riding without lights at night to avoid fines by installing lights on their bicycles.

Do you have news from your advocacy organization?  Let me know: matt@bikeleague.org

 

It may be the first year for National Bike to School Day, but San Francisco has been celebrating and growing its local event since 2009. Yesterday, more than 2,000 students pedaled to class (in the rain!) for the fourth annual Bike to School Day, with the participation of 40 schools and six District Supervisors.

“More and more families are discovering that bicycling is an easy and enjoyable way to move around San Francisco,” said Leah Shahum, Executive Director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, which co-hosted the event with the San Francisco Safe Routes to School partners. “As our city continues to add more safe and protected family-friendly bikeways like the new one on JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park, we expect to see even more families discovering the joy of biking together.”

Seeing the tremendous impact of Safe Routes to School programs operating in 15 area schools, district officials have been key partners and champions for Bike to School Day — and biking to school everyday. “We know when kids start the day with exercise, they are more likely to be awake and alert and perform better in school,” said San Francisco School District Superintendent Carlos Garcia. “More kids safely biking and walking to school makes for healthier kids and a healthier school.”

One way the district is encouraging biking is its intent to add four bike racks to all 104 schools. “We’ve put in the infrastructure that makes it easier for parents to leave the bike there during the day instead of having to schlep it back,” Nick Kaestner, director of sustainability for SFUSD, told Streetsblog.

According to SFUSD, a sizable segment of the student body is within easy pedal distance of their classroom: More than 40 percent of elementary students live within one mile of their school. “People love seeing us biking to school — they smile and wave,” said Brook Broughton, who bikes to school with her daughter and son. “It’s a really fun way to start our day. There are so many other parents and kids biking, and that community really helps us feel safer.”

Are you planning an event for National Bike to School Day? Get inspired! Read more from the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and check out photos here.

 

So I’m sure that you’ve heard a lot about the National Bike Challenge by now, and if you haven’t, you can watch this video to learn more. We just hit 3,024 riders, who have already ridden more than a quarter-million miles and saved $66,000 in the process.

If you’ve been holding off on registering (The National Bike Challenge doesn’t start until May; why would I join in April?), boy do we have news for you. We will be awarding fancy-shmancy Commuter Kits to one dozen lucky riders who have joined the Challenge during the warm-up period, before May 1 (Oh wow, let me join right now!).

We’ve got your National Bike Summit tote bag, Bikes Belong water bottle, League socks, bike taillight, bell, bumper sticker, and of course, the bike pin.

 

So make sure to join the National Bike Challenge today  and enter yourself to win your own Commuter Kit before the real prize-winning even begins. And if social media is your thing, make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and catch all the action with #bikechallenge12.

Update: When I finished writing this post, we had 3,029 riders. Woot!

By the end of the month, cycling fans can get their day started with a pair of star athletes: Matthew Busche, USA Cycling Professional Road National Champion, and track cyclist Dotsie Bausch!

This morning, Post Foods and USA Cycling announced a new USA Cycling-branded Grape-Nuts cereal box, with 7.5 million units set to hit grocery store shelves by the end of the month. Check it out!

And the good folks at Post and USA Cycling have some good advice: “May is National Bike Month and Grape-Nuts would like to invite you to find an event in your area and get out and ride,” they suggest in their press release. “A healthy lifestyle includes Grape-Nuts that fuels your bike to work or school every day.”

Read the full press release and be sure to upload your Bike Month events!

 

For more than a decade, millions of students have participated in Walk to School Day each October. Now, in partnership with the League, the National Center for Safe Routes to School has taken the successful concept to two wheels, launching National Bike to School Day.

The first-ever event will be held May 9, 2012 and registration is now open. Just like Walk to School Day, Bike to School Day will unite and energize schools, communities and families across the country and capitalize on the momentum of National Bike Month.

• Be a pioneer. Free event registration is available at www.walkbiketoschool.org for individuals and/or organizations planning a 2012 Bike to School Day event in the United States. Registering an event provides organizers access to a variety of brand new downloadable materials, including stickers, certificates, badges and classroom activities.

• Be a resource. Do you have free expertise, time, materials, information, funding or other resources to share? Register as a Resource and help others find you!

• Be a winner. Registered schools and communities will be entered into the Bike to School Day Bike Rack Giveaway. Each Wednesday beginning April 18, two registrants will be selected to win a Saris bike rack for the school of their choice. A total of 10 bike racks will be given away. The sooner an event coordinator registers, the more chances he or she has to win a bike rack for the school or community.

The National Center is also pleased to launch its newly redesigned website – www.walkbiketoschool.org  – to support the celebration of Bike to School Day in May, Walk to School Day in October and walking and biking to school every day.

Check out the updated website for new event planning resources, like Map-a-Route, a GIS-powered tool that allows users to create and share bicycling or walking routes with easy-to-use maps. And stay tuned to www.walkbiketoschool.org/go/whos-biking/2012 to see “Who’s Biking” in 2012!

 

For many of us who travel by bike, our daily commutes have happily become more crowded. When I leave the office in the evening, the cycletrack up 15th Street is full of fellow downtown employees, many of them young professionals. Just last week, a new report from the U.S. PIRG put solid numbers behind what many of us are seeing on the streets: Americans are driving less — especially young adults.

According to Transportation and the New Generation: Why Young People Are Driving Less and What It Means for Transportation Policy, the long-standing rise in the number of vehicle miles traveled is starting to move steadily in the opposite direction. In 2011, the average American drove 6 percent fewer miles than 2004, an historic shift in the nation’s travel patterns since World War II.

Even better news: The decline isn’t just a temporary means to escape high gas prices or save on transportation costs while times are tough. The trend is being driven by the next generation, which is choosing alternatives for a variety of reasons.

From 2001 and 2009, the average annual number of vehicle-miles traveled by young people (16 to 34-year-olds) decreased from 10,300 miles to 7,900 miles per capita – a drop of 23 percent. The trend away from steady growth in driving is likely to be long-lasting – even once the economy recovers. Young people are driving less for a host of reasons – higher gas prices, new licensing laws, improvements in technology that support alternative transportation, and changes in Generation Y’s values and preferences – all factors that are likely to have an impact for years to come.

And many members of Gen Y are choosing bicycles over automobiles. The report highlights that, in 2009, 16 to 34-year-olds as a whole took 24 percent more bike trips than they took in 2001, despite the age group actually shrinking in size by 2 percent.

With such a widespread — and lasting — shift in transportation preferences, the PIRG report urges policymakers to pay attention to what American really want as they craft the next federal transportation bill.

America has long created transportation policy under the assumption that driving will continue to increase at a rapid and steady rate. The changing transportation preferences of young people – and Americans overall – throw that assumption into doubt. Policy-makers and the public need to be aware that America’s current transportation policy – dominated by road building – is fundamentally out-of-step with the transportation patterns and expressed preferences of growing numbers of Americans. It is time for policy-makers to consider the implication of changes in driving habits for the nation’s transportation infrastructure decisions and funding practices, and consider a new vision for transportation policy that reflects the needs of 21st century America.

We couldn’t agree more. Download the full report.

 

We blogged about Pennsylvania’s four-foot safe passing law that went into effect last Monday. Already the law is having an impact in Bethlehem, PA where an attempted hit and run collision was caught on tape. Thanks to the quick thinking of city bus driver Richard Gubish, Jr. and another motorist, the offender was blocked from leaving the scene. Police arrested and charged the driver with multiple offenses, including violating Pennsylvania’s safe passing law.

Hat tip to the Bethlehem Police Department for posting this video and press release.

embedded by Embedded Video

YouTube Direkt

 

The League’s Club Leadership Webinar topic for April was Making the Most of Bike Month.

Rob Gusky, the Bike Ambassador for Kimberly-Clark Corporation, led off the presentation with an introduction to the National Bike Challenge. The Challenge, which kicks off May 1, is a national outreach campaign that helps motivate people to bike more often and track their progress, alongside the progress of other riders across the country. Kimberly-Clark, the League, Bikes Belong, and Endomondo are the national sponsors of the 2012 Challenge.

Amanda White, Associate Director of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin then spoke about promoting the Challenge last year, when 4,500 riders logged 1.2 million miles in the Wisconsin Bike Challenge. Key outcomes for the Bike Fed were being able to highlight the number of miles logged as transportation, and the way the Challenge helped them reach outside their base. White’s top tip for a successful Bike to Work Week was to engage community businesses and organizations to sponsor commuter pit stops, with the sponsor staffing the station and providing the food and drink for riders.

Stephanie Frans talked about how Cascade Bicycle Club has built Bike Month into a month-long program of inter-related activities in Seattle. In particular, she talked about using diverse approaches to reach diverse audiences, including a kick-off breakfast, bike to school day, targeted rides for different types of riders, free classes and bike repair stations for commuters. Thirty seven percent of the riders in Cascade’s commuter challenge are women, much higher than the percentage of women in the general riding population. Frans felt that the opportunity to connect with other riders help motivate women to participate.

Julie Harris of Activate Omaha capped off the evening talking about Omaha’s commute challenge and Bike Month efforts. Harris also touted the value of the compiled data from their commute challenge, and the importance of a diverse approach to promotion.

Click to watch the whole presentation.

Ok, I’ll admit it. I’m not a big cyclist. Now, don’t get me wrong, I ride my bike every day. I ride to work, I ride to the grocery store, I ride to friends’ houses. But I rarely ride “just for fun.” But last weekend, I found a great middle ground for my love of biking as transportation and being a tourist in my own city. I went on the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA)’s “Down the Tubes” ride, a day-long bike and infrastructure love-fest coordinated by WABA in conjunction with DC Water.

 

The ride followed the topography of DC down from Fort Reno (a  pump station at the  far north-west border of the District) to a pump house in Poplar Point on the Anacostia River, with a few stops in between. I’ve always wanted to check out the Bryant Street Pumping Station, a beautiful Edwardian building near Howard University and our second stop of the day. It’s just incredible to think that such a refined looking building houses the pumps that send potable water all across the District.

 

 

But if you think that that’s a fancy building for a mundane function, check this out:

 

This is the building where the sewage of the city begins its long journey back into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Can you believe it? I know I couldn’t, and a lot of us on the tour were surprised to see the swanky interior where the pumps are housed. Since the building is over 100 years old, the old pumps ran on steam. Once the building converted to electricity, the smaller electric pumps were installed in their stead.

 

 

It was a long day of touring the city (about six hours in all with tours and talks and riding in between), but I wouldn’t have wanted to do it any other way than by bike. I met a lot of interesting people on the ride, some urban planning wonks and some cycling fanatics. Being above ground, seeing the neighborhoods served by the underground sewer system we were learning about, was a great reminder of what all is happening in DC that I just don’t yet know about. And using bike infrastructure to see another form of civic infrastructure that we take for granted, well, that was awesome. I can’t wait for the day that we can take bike lanes for granted as much as we do the water we drink once we get to our destinations!

 

For another post detailing the ride, check out WABA’s blog.

Last month, the League announced its latest round of Bicycle Friendly University awards and the news took flight on Twitter. Students and staff tweeted the good news and, yes, a bit of friendly competitive banter emerged among rival colleges.

So what does it take to earn that coveted BFU status?

In just its first application, the University of Michigan earned a Bronze designation and League Media and Communications Intern, Lindsay Plante, asked them how they did it. Here’s what Lisa Solomon, from the U-M Parking and Transportation Services, told her…

What concerted efforts has U-M made to create a more bike-friendly campus? Was anything already in place that made becoming bike-friendly easier? 

Recent improvements to strengthen U-M’s bike friendliness have focused on infrastructure,  building campus culture, engaging student groups and community stakeholders and enhancing/developing programs. Notable infrastructure-related improvements to existing bike systems included:

• An expanded network of marked bike lanes and the addition of sharrows (shared road markings) on campus roads
• Addition of the Thompson Street Enclosed/Secure Bicycle Parking Facility on Central Campus in 2010
• Construction of covered bicycle parking at the newly built North Quad Residential and Academic Complex in 2011

Some exciting recent programmatic and outreach efforts have included:

• Regular bike maintenance clinics at U-M Rec Sports Outdoor Adventures through a partnership with Common Cycle, a community-based organization founded by U-M students
• A Bike Town Hall in early 2012 — a campus-wide meeting that allowed nearly 100 faculty, staff and students to learn about future plans for improving bicycle transit on campus and provide the opportunity for input on programs
• Ongoing collaboration with the City of Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor Transit Authority, Downtown Development Authority and local non-profit groups in updating the City’s Non-Motorized Plan and furthering programs such as bike sharing in the City and on the U-M campus

U-M is fortunate to have a solid foundation that has contributed to continued improvements in bike-friendliness. Bicycling has been a popular commute mode on campus since the 1970s and campus planning efforts have focused on improvements to routes and cycling amenities over the years. The University is also fortunate to be located in the City of Ann Arbor, a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community that has a lot to offer in the way of cycling. The campus also enjoys active student groups and co-ops focused on cycling and tremendous support from students, faculty, staff, departments and upper administration.

What changes are planned to further improve U-M’s bike friendly status? 

Since beginning the BFU application process last year, U-M has developed a bike rental program that will be initiated on campus in Spring-Summer 2012.  Also, the City of Ann Arbor recently formed a group devoted to the development of bike sharing within Ann Arbor.  The university is participating in this effort and recently was a part of a grant application for CMAQ funds to help start a bike share program. U-M also plans to launch a new website that will serve as a one-stop resource for cycling on campus. This site will include improved safety resources, information on programs, news and events, links to resources and other valuable information. Further educational and programmatic opportunities are also planned. For example, U-M hopes to initiate a campus bike tour during orientation in the fall term of 2012 utilizing the campus rental bikes. The BFU application process also helped ignite efforts that have already been underway, including updating the non-motorized plan, provision of additional covered bike parking areas on campus, and looking for opportunities to grow cycling amenities on campus, such as bike pumps.

What are the main benefits and challenges for U-M when investing in bike friendly changes?

Sustained investment in cycling helps U-M meet its carbon emission reduction goals, addresses parking demand, offers a less costly option for commuting and getting around campus, provides positive health benefits, and recreational and fitness opportunities. As more bicycle accommodations and users join the campus network, the university will be challenged to ensure that cycling is safe and safety is the norm. Another challenge will be to ensure that new programs and features are successful and include good integration of education and encouragement.

How else has U-M made cycling a priority? Why should other campuses follow your lead?

One way that U-M has made cycling a priority is by taking a collaborative community-based approach.  Since its creation in 2002, U-M has actively served on the City of Ann Arbor’s Alternative Transportation Committee (committee members include city staff, the University of Michigan, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, the AATA getDowntown Program, the Downtown Development Authority, Walking and Bike Coalition of Washtenaw County, Clean Energy Coalition, and other community partners). Because city roads and the U-M campus are intertwined, cooperative bike planning helps promote network connectivity, consistent messaging and design features. Although each campus has its own unique setting, U-M has found great value in community collaboration as it has allowed for coordination of the actions of various partners and lead to the development of some of the creative strategies implemented on the U-M campus and in the City.

What do the students think? How does cycling fit into the campus culture at U-M?

U-M students have shown a great interest and passion for bicycling as transportation mode, dating back to the 1970s. More recently, student groups on campus have taken an active – and in some cases, leadership – role in developing programs in and around biking on campus or urging the university to enhance and expand the bike programs available on the Ann Arbor campus. Examples include student-lead groups that provide bike repair services on campus, student involvement in the recent Town Hall meeting in which they provided input on future programs, support of the bike rental program that will launch this year, and participation in committees that are exploring alternative transportation programs, including the campus bike program.

 

Spring has sprung and that means crunch time for many state legislatures. Across the country, bicycle advocates have their eyes and ears turned toward their state capitol to ensure policymakers advance, rather than curtail, cyclists’ rights and safety.

With that in mind, here’s this week’s advocacy roundup:

Nebraska legislators have sent a three-foot safe passing bill to the Governor in record time. Introduced in January 2012, LB1030 will provide a safe passing distance for bicyclists, pedestrians, and electric personal assistance mobility devices.

“After several incidents in my district, we had to do something to raise the level of awareness for motorists and bicyclists about both their rights and responsibilities,” notes state Sen. Tom Hansen. “Nebraska has lots of great roads for bicycling, and we need to be a bicycle-friendly state.” Keep your eyes open for the Tour de Mac ride being planned around Lake McConaughy to enjoy some of those roads.

Missouri cyclists were rightly concerned about a bill introduced last week requiring all bicyclists to wear reflective vests. More than 10,000 residents contacted Rep. Cauthorn, the bill’s sponsor, and the message was received: no reflective vests. The Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation will be working with Rep. Cauthorn to examine if there are any needed changes to state law to improve cyclist visibility and create safer rural roads for all users.

Pennsylvania’s four-foot safe passing law went into effect Monday, April 2. Good news for cyclists in the Keystone State. It’s a great start to Pennsylvania Walks and Bikes’ 2012 priority campaigns, including a statewide Complete Streets policy and implementation strategy and reforming PennDOT’s bicycle occupancy permit.

Do you have news from your advocacy organization? Let me know: matt@bikeleague.org.

 

In late February, we announced a “New National Plan to Transform Bicycling” — the potential unification of the League, Bikes Belong and the Alliance for Biking & Walking into one, powerful national organization.

With more than 40 comments on that blog post, we know you want to share your ideas and feedback — and we want to hear it.

Please take this quick survey at BikeFuture.org.

“There is a lot of work ahead,” Hans van Naerssen, Chair of the League’s board and a member of the transition team, said in the announcement. “We must determine how to combine the diverse strengths of a powerful alliance of state and local organizations, a storied national user group, and a vibrant industry association in a way that preserves their unique attributes and realizes the game-changing potential of a single entity.”

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No doubt the past year has been tough for bicycle advocates at the federal level. Time and again a small but vocal cadre of Congress members have pushed to eliminate important and popular programs, like Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. But, every time funding for biking and walking have come under fire the push back has been so intense that policymakers have backed off.

And that signals an exciting political shift.

As journalist (and bike advocate) Jay Walljasper writes in his latest piece that promises to viral across the internet: “The Bicycling Community Is Becoming a Political Force to Be Reckoned With — And That’s Great News”

“The political forces that want to steer policies back to the 1950s — when cars and highways were seen as the only way to go — have consistently failed to muster enough votes to shift federal transportation funding into reverse,” Jay writes. “There are several reason for this, but one of the most surprising is the emergence of bicycle advocates — and to a lesser extent pedestrian advocates — as a persuasive political lobby.”

League President Andy Clarke made that precise point in our release about the National Bike Summit last month. “Two months ago, the Senate bill would have gutted critical funding for local bicycle projects, eliminated programs like Safe Routes to School and eroded the rights of all American cyclists,” Andy said. “But tens of thousands of people called and wrote their members of Congress and their voices were heard. Now more than ever, cyclists have become a powerful, organized constituency that is redefining our streets as safe, public spaces for people, not just speeding automobiles.”

And, as Jay points out, that’s not just good for cyclists — it’s good for everyone.

Even if you will never ride a bike in your life, you still see benefits from increased levels of biking. More bicyclists mean less congestion in the streets and less need for expensive road projects that divert government money from other important problems.  Off-road paths, bike lanes, sidwalks and other bike and ped improvements cost a fraction of what it takes to widen streets and highways.  It’s proven that bicycling and walking increases people’s health and reduces obesity, which will translate into huge cost savings for government and a boost for our economy.

Policies that are good for bicyclists actually benefit everyone on the streets. Good conditions for bicycling also create good conditions for pedestrians. And what makes the streets safer for bikes, also makes them safer for motorists.  

Higher gas prices (which have topped four bucks for the third time in four years) means more Americans are looking for other ways to get around.  Bikes offer people more choices in transportation.  This is especially true for people whose communities are not well served by mass transportation or where distances are too far to walk to work or shopping.  

Bike advocates are also working hard to dispel the stereotype that all bicyclists are young, white, urban, male ultra athletes in lycra racing jerseys.  Increased investment in safer, more comfortable bike facilities means that more women, children, families, middle-aged and senior citizens, minorities, immigrants, low-income, suburban and rural people will ride bikes.

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