Help the League this month by simply doing what you love: Riding your bike!

In December, the League is the beneficiary of CLIF Bar’s 2 Mile Challenge, an online initiative to get folks to leave their cars in the driveway and use their bikes, instead.

Every time you log a trip, the League gets $2 toward a possible $10,000 grant. Our goal is 5,000 trips and, thanks to your pedal power, we’re already more than halfway there!

As of last night we had racked up:

• 3,535 trips logged
• 29,580 miles traveled
• 27,213 pounds of carbon dioxide saved
• 2,958 hours spent outdoors
• the equivalent of 2 cars taken off the roads for a full year

Give a gift to the League this season by helping us take advantage of this great opportunity from CLIF Bar. Help us get to the $10,000 finish line; sign up for the Challenge today!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

You know the rules of the road when you’re out riding. Maybe you even teach bike skills as a League Cycling Instructor. But do you know all the bicycling laws in your state?

Since coming to the League in August, I’ve reviewed more than 2,000 laws related to bicycling. From planning and taxation to funding and traffic, I dusted off and dug in to statutes and administrative codes in each and every state. By researching those primary sources and tapping into great resources compiled by bicycling organizations and agencies, I was able to pull together a comprehensive database of laws. Click here to view bike laws in your state.

So, while we’re all fans of the Bikeyface cartoon, I was particularly excited to see a recent post that does a great job of giving context to traffic laws.

Bicycles are generally vehicles that travel at a lower speed than other traffic and are required to ride as far to the right of the road as practicable. This cartoon illustrates some of the many exceptions to this general requirement:

• 40 states + Washington, D.C. have an exception for a left turn
• 49 states + D.C. have an exception for passing
• 36 states have an exception for avoiding obstacles, hazards or other road conditions (such as the door zone, mythical sea monsters, and slightly less than grand canyons)

Bike lanes can complicate the rules for sharing the road. Bicycles are generally not required to use bike lanes where they are provided and there are usually limitations when they are required. Only eight states require bicyclists to use bike lanes:

• 3 of those states do not allow any exceptions to the rule
• 4 of those states allow exceptions for all of the reasons mentioned above
• 1 state only allows an exception to avoid hazards

Cars generally must not stop in roadways and often are specifically prohibited from parking on the roadway side of parked vehicles or parking in a bicycle lane.

• 49 states + D.C. have a law that prohibits stopping in roadways
• The one state that lacks a statewide law enables local jurisdictions to make such laws

All states have some version of a safe passing law, requiring bicycles to be passed at a safe distance. In 21 states, a minimum distance of three feet is defined to be at least presumptively safe. Just because a state does not define a minimum safe passing distance does not change what is safe and all road users should share the road accordingly.

In addition to the general rule to ride right and the exceptions mentioned in the previous cartoon, in 28 states a bicyclist can use the full lane when the lane is too narrow to accommodate both a car and a bicycle. Regardless of whether a bicyclist is entitled to take the lane a car will still be governed by a safe passing law, preventing passes on narrow lanes as shown above.

These are great cartoons for spreading awareness about the traffic laws that affect bicyclists and drivers of motor vehicles. For better or worse, there is a great variety amongst states in the laws that govern this relationship as both parties attempt to share the road, which can lead to confusion and conflict. Greater awareness of the law by both parties should alleviate some of those issues and creative presentations like Bikeyface are shedding light on what can be a confusing issue.

Ken McLeod
Legal Specialist, Advocacy Advance

Ken joined the League in 2012 after graduating from William & Mary School of Law. He is a licensed attorney in the state of Virginia. During law school he worked for a private law firm in Cambodia and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Prior to that, Ken worked at a law firm in Orange County and a legal services provider in Seattle. He graduated from Pomona College in 2007 with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He began using his bike regularly after college and has been car-free since February 2012.

Whether you bomb down hills on a sleek road bike or cruise to work on a sturdy Dutch commuter, all stripes of cyclists can probably all agree: The bike is simply one of the most brilliant inventions of the past 150 years. And today is the birthday of the man who created the modern cloth from which all bikes are cut.

In 1885, John Kemp Starley invented the “Rover Safety Bicycle,” debuting a revolutionary ride that had two similar-sized wheels. In contrast to the previous high wheeler designs, the Rover was far more stable, spreading quickly from England to the rest of the world. Not only did it kickstart a boom in bicycling, but, even 120 years later, we’re all still riding bikes that are based on the Rover.

“How can you begin to capture and describe the impact of the man who’s inventive genius resulted in a product that is effectively the same today as it was more than a century and a quarter ago,” League president Andy Clarke says. “Sure, some of the materials used to build bikes have changed, but JK Starley could walk into a bike shop today and ride away on a very familiar machine! That’s a pretty remarkable testimonial to the enduring utility and value of the humble — yet utterly revolutionary — ‘safety’ bicycle.”

The Bicycle Association of Great Britain is leading today’s celebrations; click here to read all about Starley and the impact of the Rover.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

Last week, we met Diane Lees  to hear why the Ohio bike shop owner and radio host attends the National Bike Summit. This week, I spoke with Karen Brooks, editor of Bicycle Times magazine, to get her two cents on why the National Bike Summit is a priceless experience. Why does this bicycle enthusiast and self-described “word-wrangler” attend the Summit? Read on!

Karen enjoying the cherry blossoms at the 2012 National Bike Summit

What brought you to the Summit for the first time?

Traditionally, Maurice Tierney (our publisher) attended the Summit to advocate for local mountain bikers, in the days when Dirt Rag was our only magazine. When we started Bicycle Times, I began to pay more attention to the wider circle of advocacy, and two years ago, we sponsored at a high enough level that we got two entries, so I volunteered myself to go. Primarily, I wanted to find out more about issues at the national level. I did learn a lot, met great people, and got the chance to help lobby our local representatives. Last year, I made it a priority to go based on 2011′s positive experience.

Is there anything you learned or saw at the Summit that really stuck with you?

There have been some really interesting panels, featuring speakers at the top levels of government and advocacy, that gave honest and straightforward advice. It’s also nice to hear from people who are really passionate and who have well-constructed arguments. One speaker that stands out to me still, from the 2011 Summit, was Jim Tymon, the Majority Staff Director of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He explained exactly how federal transportation funding works, the intricacies of the then-current bill, and the various potential scenarios for a new bill. It was very dense but interesting stuff. There are so many intelligent and driven people working in Washington that it’s inspiring and motivating.

It’s also been gratifying to see changes in the reception that my local advocates and I have gotten from certain representatives, from indifferent to welcoming.

What is your favorite part about the Summit?

Hmm… I enjoy the speakers and panels, but the lobbying part feels really vital. Can’t have one without the other, as the preparation really helps. It’s also nice, during meals, to sit at a table where I don’t know anybody and strike up conversations, and hear their different reasons for being there, common issues, etc. It was awesome to be able to ride a bike to and from Washington, D.C. last year, on the Great Allegheny Passage / C&O Canal rail-trail. Aside from being a fun trip, it made a real, positive impression on lobbying day — the fact that we used this resource for transportation (and recreation, too, of course!), and how we saw many thriving small businesses along the way.

Have you been able to use any of the lessons  from the Summit after you left DC?

Most definitely! I feel like I have a much better handle on how to frame arguments for politicians and government staffers, and how to approach them professionally. Also, I feel so much better connected and able to ask for help, or offer it. I’m now more involved in my local advocacy organization, thanks to what I’ve learned, and having the shared experience of lobbying with the local advocacy folks. Summit contacts and knowledge have also helped a lot in finding, researching, and preparing stories for Bicycle Times.

What advice would you give to someone considering coming to the Summit for the first time?

• Attend the webinars before the event for some good advice and a bit of a pep rally.

• Make sure you’re rested and ready for three intense days during the Summit. Keep the partying to a minimum (until after lobbying day).

• Don’t be intimidated — bike folks are friendly — but also be mindful of when it’s best to watch and learn from the more experienced advocates, particularly on lobbying day.

Will you be attending in 2013?

Yes indeed! Looking forward to it. It’s now one of the highlights of my year.

Stay tuned for a new interview each week to see why industry, advocates, and club folk all come to this great conference. The Summit is less than three months away — and now is the time to register at the early bird rate to save $100! Join Karen, save some green and make sure you’re part of the most exciting event of the year: Register today!

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

We need your knowledge and expertise to show Congress and the nation that Bicycling Means Business. We’re looking for the very best speakers to present their insight and expertise at the 2013 National Bike Summit — and the deadline for submissions is TOMORROW, December 13.

This year we’re looking for presentations on the following themes:

• Making the economic case for bicycling
• MAP-21 Implementation: Lessons learned
• Making cycling relevant in rural, small town and suburban communities
• Developing an effective strategy for the NEXT transportation bill

We’re also accepting proposals for sessions at the Women Mean Business event, hosted by the League’s new Women Bike program, on March 4 — immediately preceding the start of the Summit.

The Summit has a unique blend of participants from the bicycle advocacy community, the industry, and a wide variety of partners in health, environmental, transportation, and safety organizations. We’re looking for submissions that…

• are relevant to bicycle retailers, elected officials and advocates at the federal, state and local levels
• address equity and diversity in content and speakers
• are creative — thinking outside the box of boring Powerpoints and formulaic panel discussions

If you’re interested in presenting at the 2013 National Bike Summit, please complete this short online application by TOMORROW, December 13.

Questions? Contact Katie@bikeleague.org.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

She’s interviewed President Barack Obama, directed communications for the federal Transportation Security Administration and been named one of the most powerful women in the state of Georgia. Yolanda Cade oversees AAA‘s national public relations and strategic communications efforts — and, on Day 2, she’ll address the National Bike Summit.

President Barack Obama talking transportation with Yolanda Cade (photo courtesy of AAA)

If we really mean business when it comes to changing the dynamic on our nation’s highways and byways, we need to reach motorists, too. With more than 51 million members, AAA is the leading voice for U.S. drivers and has been working hard to promote positive and educational messages about cycling and cyclists.

In her address on Tuesday, March 5, Cade will provide insight about AAA’s share the road efforts and strategies we can implement together to improve the cycling and driving experience. Stayed tuned for more announcements about Summit speakers in coming weeks and read more about Cade below.

Yolanda Cade
Managing Director, AAA Public Relations

Shaping AAA’s national public relations and strategic communications efforts, Yolanda oversees public relations offices in Washington, D.C., and Orlando, Fla. She is responsible for managing all aspects of communicating public policy and national business line activities to the public and media. This past year Yolanda has served as the Chair of Orlando’s prestigious Leadership Orlando 2012 and currently she is representing AAA as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Central Florida Urban League and as a member of the Board of Trustees for Central Florida Regional Hospital. Prior to joining AAA, Yolanda served as the chief spokesperson and director of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) under the Department of Homeland Security. In her role, Yolanda was responsible for managing internal and external communications, and the TSA website. Previous to her federal service, she served as deputy director of public relations for the world’s busiest airport: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. In 2002, she was voted one of Georgia’s 100 most powerful and influential women and in 2007 was featured in Black Enterprise Magazine’s “On the Move” feature for highly visible professionals. Yolanda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in broadcast journalism from Florida A&M University and is a native of South Florida.

Learn more about the National Bike Summit and register today!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

Six weeks after Hurricane Sandy crippled the Northeastern coast, impacting the lives of millions of Americans, some are still recovering from its effects. Amidst the chaos of the storm, many heroes emerged, displaying their resilience and concern for fellow residents in their neighborhoods — and beyond.

And plenty of those heroes were members of the cycling community.

To shed some light on how the storm has affected cycling in the northeast and highlight some relief efforts, I checked in with Jennifer Laurita (pictured) — a League member, LCI and New Jersey resident — on how she’s been coping with Sandy’s aftermath.

While, Sandy interrupted the bustling lives of many in New York City and the surrounding areas, we saw picture after picture of both new and longtime cyclists going about their daily business shortly after the storm, taking advantage of their city’s ample bike lanes and trails. While silver linings are hard to come by in a tragedy as immense as this, the uptick in bicycle ridership was certainly a shining example. “Those of us who cycle already picked up where we left off, and many people I know, especially instructors, reached out to as many people around them as they could to encourage cycling to deal with things like gas shortages,” Laurita said.

A brave cyclist in Brooklyn

Many people were pushed into cycling by the transportation chaos that ensued right after the storm. For many, there were plenty of obstacles in attempting to get to their businesses to assess damage, reaching family members or just getting to work. The storm flooded train stations in the New York and New Jersey area, travel by car was dangerous at best, congestion was impenetrable combined with fuel shortages and rationing further complicating matters. Traveling to Baltimore for an LCI seminar, Laurita wasn’t sure she’d be able to find enough gas to get her back to Jersey residence.

For many, cycling became a saving grace. Bike commuting rose by as much as 130 percent in parts of New York, putting a strain on the city’s 300 miles of protected cycling infrastructure and forcing some to call for more infrastructure to accommodate increased ridership. But, beyond just getting out and riding, cyclists also became local heroes in raising funds for relief efforts and transporting donations.

Brooklyn’s Red Hook community was especially hit hard by the hurricane, leaving many businesses and the offices of Red Hook Crit in need of some serious repair. Instead of just focusing on getting back on their own feet, Red Hook Crit decided to raise funds for the Restore Red Hook Initiative by selling a limited edition Restore Red Hook Jersey produced by Castelli. Cyclists from Bicycle Habitat utilized the disaster relief capabilities of their vehicles to deliver much-needed supplies to the Far Rockaway community. Cyclists gathered donated goods at several local bike shops and community cycling organizations organized Roll Outs and Bike Brigades, loading cyclists with panniers, backpacks and any other suitable carriers they could find to deliver goods to local relief centers. And, as Carolyn wrote about yesterday, Giant Bicycles donated 100 bikes for relief efforts led by Recycle-A-Bicycle and Transportation Alternatives.

Though cycling increased as a means to navigate in a post-Sandy world, biking also posed challenges even for the most dedicated. Many year-round cyclists observed that, with new ridership, there’s been more congestion on major bikeways increasing the travel time for some and frustration for many. There are also numerous safety concerns ranging from inexperienced rider engaging in risky behavior to damaged infrastructure creating obstacles for cyclists. “We still have many trees down and a lot of debris in the roads from people cleaning up, so it makes riding even more challenging having to navigate around piles of yard debris, especially sticks,” Laurita said.

Perhaps even more than clean-up, it’s become clear that bike education has a great role to play in making the streets safer for many choosing to commute to work. “People who’ve taken safe cycling classes already have knowledge of hazard avoidance, flat repair, bike maintenance and emergency cycling maneuvers to deal with unexpected road situations,” Laurita said. “And people who have already taken a League  class have direct access to their instructors, who they’re able to ask for more assistance. I know I need donated venues to host disaster-related cycling classes for communities around the NYC area, so people can learn how to get around and still be productive during disasters like Hurricane Sandy.”

For Laurita, Sandy drove home the fact that the bicycle should be a major part of a basic disaster preparedness plan in the event that essential transportation services are inoperable or inaccessible. She is currently working on a program with Xtracycle to teach people how to use bicycles in time of disaster.

In the meantime, cycling has allowed her to get around town to check on family and to aid others in different relief efforts. “We still need to get supplies into the hands of people who have lost so much,” she said. “I’ve been helping demolition and rebuild damaged and destroyed houses and I know so many people who have lost everything. I would love to be able to help people with bike tools, pumps, bikes, locks, etc. When I tell you people have lost everything, I literally mean everything. Houses are stripped down to the bare studs in the walls.”

Our thoughts are with those who are still rebuilding and we thank all the visionary bike advocates, like Laurita, who are making sure bikes are pedaling all residents toward recovery.

Hamzat Sani
Equity and Outreach Fellow

Hamzat joined the League in September 2012 after working with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition. Before working in biking, Hamzat worked with Martin Luther King Jr.’s son as a Program Associate at The King Center in Atlanta. A founder of the Red, Bike and Green chapter in Atlanta, Hamzat sees biking as a hub for change on the communal level.

Last week, I had the pleasure of traveling up to New York City to help Recycle-a-Bicycle celebrate it’s 18th birthday. But their incredibly cool event was more than a fundraiser for their nation-leading work to empower diverse youth to become bicycle riders, advocates and mechanics. It was also to support their recovery work in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

And a couple of special guests from Giant Bicycles were there, too: Bevan Harris and Josh Fonner.

Working with both RAB and Transportation Alternatives, Giant recently donated 100 bikes to people in the areas hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy. By helping folks move about their neighborhoods and commute to work by bicycle, the “Ride NYC Forward” partnership is increasing mobility for residents in Rockaway, Red Hook, the Lower East Side, and coastal Staten Island.

“Thanks to the hurricane, it’s clearer than ever that a robust variety of transportation choices — including bicycles — makes New York City stronger and more resilient,” Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives said in the group’s press release. “We’ll be working hard with Recycle-a-Bicycle to get these bikes where they’re needed most.”

“Now more than ever, the bicycle is the way to go,” Pasqualina Azzarello, Executive Director of Recycle-A-Bicycle, said in the release. “We are grateful to partner with Giant USA and Transportation Alternatives to bring these bikes to people who need them most. Such a generous donation will serve to further relief efforts by providing transportation and delivering food and supplies. With the help of a dedicated team of mechanics and tremendous goodwill, we’ll get neighborhoods and businesses growing again.”

And the dedicated team of mechanics went to work just last weekend, assembling the Revel 2 bikes and getting them ready for the road.

On December 1, mechanics and volunteers from RAB assembled…

… 100 bikes for neighborhoods hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy.

Thanks to Giant for their generosity and RAB and TA for their active and innovative role in the hurricane recovery effort! Stay tuned to RAB’s Facebook page for updates as they “Ride NYC Forward!”

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

I’ve just finished my first week at the League and already I’m immersed in planning for the National Bike Summit — which is great, because getting more involved with the Summit is one of main reasons I wanted to come work at the League.

Every new President talks about his or her goals for the first 100 days. For a President, the first 100 days are the time to capitalize on the momentum from the election. The same is true for Congress, the first 100 days is when the dynamics and the tone are set for the next two years.

That’s why the Summit, and your participation in it, is so important. It’s our opportunity to make a first impression on the new Congress and to ensure that new and returning members alike understand the importance and popularity that bicycling plays in the transportation, economy, and health of their communities.

It’s especially important this year. When the new transportation law, MAP-21, passed last year, bicycling and walking funding took a hit. Those who believe that bicycling is not transportation, or that bike facilities are a luxury we can’t afford in this fiscal climate, believe they’ve won that argument. It was hard to not feel exhausted and disappointed last summer — and that’s the last impression many in Washington have of the progressive transportation movement.

But because of the efforts of our champions on Capitol Hill, and the consistent and persistent drumbeat from advocates around the country, the Cardin-Cochran provision gave us a foundation from which to build. And advocates from around the country are taking advantage of the opportunities in MAP-21 to maintain and enhance the ever-increasing popularity of, and investment in, biking in cities and towns across the country.

The Summit is our chance to tell THAT story and insist that Congress be more aware and responsive to the changes happening in cities and towns around the country. A strong showing at the Summit will change the tone for biking in the transportation debate and set us on the right course for the next two years. This may not be the year a bill is written, but it’s the year that the themes of the debate will be set. The Summit is our opportunity to weigh in during these first 100 days and show that biking is back and we mean business.

Register today!

Caron Whitaker
Vice President of Government Relations

Prior to joining the League of American Bicyclists in 2012, Ms. Whitaker served as the Campaign Director for America Bikes where she coordinated and implemented America Bikes federal policy agenda. Before that, she worked for the National Wildlife Federation on smart growth, international policy, and community engagement. In addition, Caron served as a Community Land Use Planner for the State of North Carolina Division of Coastal Management, providing technical assistance to local governments and staffing a stakeholders’ council responsible for revising state planning regulations. She has a Masters in Environmental Management for Duke University, Nicolas School of the Environment and a Bachelors of Arts from Williams College.

We love to hear how our Bicycle Friendly America program is transforming the country one community, business, and university at time. While we often hear these comments during phone conversations or in person, we thought it was about time to get some of them in writing — and share them with you!

We recently polled all BFA partners on what they truly thought of our programs, how the programs have helped them become more bike-friendly, and what we could do to make them stronger.  Here is a sample of what we received…

At the USDA, becoming bike-friendly is a way to “be hip without trying!”

Bicycle Friendly Communities

[The BFC program] built recognition of what we have done, which helps get funding for the very long list of what we still have to do. Having the honor actually made it easier for us to give a frank assessment of where we lag and help build political support for future phases. – Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning and Development, Northampton, MA

It has awakened our city council and other city agencies to support cycling and make appropriate improvements and provide elements that focus on cycling and safety. – Michael Tyler, Chairman, Lewes Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee, Lewes, DE

Participation in the BFC program has inspired our city leaders to improve conditions for cyclists and ultimately reach our goal of making it to the Platinum level. The community has seen the benefits through the many improvements made throughout the city. – Jim Konopka, Senior Park Planner, Folsom, CA

Bicycle Friendly Businesses

The BFB program has probably had the biggest impact on our recruiting efforts, as the majority of new hires bike at least occasionally bike to work and some are regular bike commuters.  It is the one thing an organization can do to be hip without trying. – Tim Wojan, Economist, Economic Research Service/USDA

By receiving the initial recognition, we were able to justify installing lockers and increasing our overall support of cycling in our workplace. – Chuck Krivanek, Human Resources Manager, InterContinental Hotels Group

The big plus is that it holds us up as an example of what a small business can do with not a lot of cost — the shower and changing room being the only large cost. We sincerely hope that we are not Dallas’ only BFB for much longer! – Warren Casteel, Manager, Casteel & Associates, Inc.

Bicycle Friendly Universities

Recognition as the first BFU in our state is a point of pride among students, staff, faculty, administrators and alumni. Our admissions staff promote our BFU status when recruiting new students, and our human resources department includes BFU information during new employee orientation. Also, BFU participation has helped secure funding from our Chancellor to implement projects in our campus bicycle master plan. – Suzanne Williams, Associate Director, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

[The BFU award] brought much greater attention to the feasibility of bicycling for students and staff at the university, which has in turn boosted our mode share and made it easier to push for increased improvements for cyclists. It also demonstrated to our President that his administration’s efforts to support bicycling were not only well-received by students and staff, but also provided an opportunity for national recognition for a low investment (with the added bonus of reducing costs, emissions, and improving student health)! – Johann Weber, Graduate Student and Instructor, Georgia Institute of Technology

Thanks to all our partners who contributed!

Alison Dewey
League Program Manager, BFB & BFU

The National Bike Summit is the premier bicycle advocacy event of the year — but don’t take my word for it.

I got in touch with Diane Lees (pictured) to get her take on why she attends the Summit. Diane does a lot for the bicycling movement, from hosting her weekly radio show, OutspokenCyclist, to co-owning Hubbub Custom Bicycles, a store that caters to handcrafting custom bicyclists for all types of riders.

Stay tuned for a new interview each week to see why industry, advocates, and club folk all come to this great conference!

What brought you to the Summit for the first time?

I originally attended the Summit from the retailer’s perspective; I own a bike shop. In 2012, though, I attended as a part of the media, representing my weekly radio show The Outspoken Cyclist. The Summit is one of the ways I support bicycle advocacy. It’s a unique opportunity to  see other attendees, listen to presentations, and meet my legislators face-to-face.

How many years have you been coming to the Summit?

Four

Is there anything you’ve learned or seen at the Summit that’s really stuck with you?

I always learn something at the Summit. And, each time I attend, I take away another piece of the advocacy puzzle to bring back to my customers and listeners. I’m engaged in advocacy year round, and the Summit offers me a chance to find new people to interview on my show, as well as further the conversation.

What’s your favorite part about the Summit?

Last year it was the honor of attending the Bike PAC meeting on behalf of my delegation to present Congressman Steve LaTourette with an award. I’m sorry to see him leave government.  The keynote presentations are always interesting and fun, too. And anyone who hasn’t met Stephanie Vance (The Advocacy Guru) is in for a real treat! [Stephanie does a presentation each year to get the crowd pumped up to go to Capitol Hill.]

What advice would you give to someone considering coming to the Summit for the first time?

Because it’s impossible to attend every session at the Summit, I would suggest that a new attendee take a long and good look at the choices and begin to formulate a direction s/he would like to pursue as a bicycle advocate. Among the many break-out sessions something will grab you. Pay attention to that and add those sessions that help to shape a message you want to bring back home.

Will you be attending in 2013?

YES, I will!

The Summit is less than three months away — and now is the time to register at the early bird rate to save $100! Join Diane, save some green and make sure you’re part of the most exciting even of the year: Register today!

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

One of the reasons CLIF Bar created the 2 Mile Challenge was to highlight a particularly interesting trend in American transportation: While 40 percent of trips in the U.S. are two miles or more than 90 percent of those trips are taken by car. For short distances like that, why drive when you can ride?

The aim of the aptly named 2 Mile Challenge is to encourage folks to leave their cars at home and give biking a try.

Here at the League, we all ride for many reasons: to get to work, to shuttle kids to school, to celebrate happy hour at our favorite dive bar. And many of our most frequent — and even favorite — trips are just two miles or less, too.

For me, one of the most important trips of the day is to my yoga studio — which just happens to be 0.7 miles from the office. Thanks to my bike, I can leave my desk at 12:25 p.m. and be on my mat for a lunchtime class at 12:30. I asked my fellow League staffers about their favorite, short trips and they had some great responses…

Andy Clarke: Riding up to Capitol Hill and back — not because of the destination, but the inspirational views and buildings you see along the way. Pedaling along Pennsylvania Avenue gives one of the most stunning views of the Capitol. Riding back along the National Mall, toward the Washington Monument, past the Smithsonian museums, is just awesome, especially on a lovely spring or fall evening. The monumental core of Washington D.C. is an international treasure best seen from the seat of bicycle!

Elizabeth Kiker: The ride to Union Station is a pleasure because I ride on the big, lovely, strong-feeling Capitol Bikeshare bikes, and it’s so much faster than walking, Metro-ing, or cabbing.

Nicole Wynands: My favorite 2 mile trip is to the farmers market at Lake Anne in Reston every Saturday morning during the warm months to pick up fresh produce and flowers.

Katie Omberg: The .9 mile ride from my house to the Red Derby, my favorite dive bar in D.C. Monday is half-price burger night, and riding there saves valuable eating time.

Caron Whitaker: Biking to Eastern Market and surrounding restaurants and shops. There are three bike share stations nearby so its a great way to introduce guests to the neighborhood.

Ken McLeod: The 1.1 mile trip to Target and Giant – thanks to my bike, it’s easy to run errands without a car.

Darren Flusche: My favorite short trip is from my apartment in Capitol Hill to anywhere in Northwest D.C. The trip takes me down East Capitol Street, one of the most beautiful streets in the city, with broad, well-designed bike lanes, bicycle-friendly traffic light signal timing — and a perfect view of the U.S. Capitol the whole way. After, I ride right past the Capitol, I connect to the centerline buffered bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue, which take me all the way to the White House, where I wave to the president and continue on my way to points north and west. For a politics nerd like me, it’s a pretty tough ride to beat.

Alison Dewey: My 1.5 mile ride to and home from the metro saves me $1300 a year in parking costs. It also gets me home a lot quicker than a car!

Hamzat Sani: I look forward to the 1.2 mile ride to my old high school to watch my sister’s basketball games from my parent’s place.

Join us in logging your trips on the 2 Mile Challenge this month and help the League earn a $10,000 grant! Sign up at www.2milechallenge.com.

What’s YOUR favorite short trip on your bike?

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

Federal civilian, postal and military employees who want to make biking better have an easy way to achieve that goal: donate to the League (CFC # 11563) with your Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) donations.

The campaign season is September 1st to December 15th, so hurry and make your pledges to support bicycling today!

“Last year almost one million federal employees pledged over $272 million to participating local, national and international charities,” John Berry, Director of the Office of Personnel Management, said in August. Learn more about the CFC program here. If you are interested in joining the CFC program but have questions, visit their FAQs page.

This is an incredibly generous amount of support from our federal workers. We hope that you consider including the League of American Bicyclists in your giving.

Not a federal employee? Not to worry, you can still donate! Click here to support bicycling!

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

Frank Neal (pictured) has biked across the country, pedaled into the California Triple Crown Hall of Fame, and finished the Paris-Brest-Paris. But, despite his many accomplishments as a bicyclist, Frank says he is most proud when giving back to the sport he loves.

A League Cycling Instructor, Frank has presented bicycling safety at bike expos across the country — 12 in this year alone.

While sharing his knowledge with children and adults alike, Frank was approached by an elementary teacher who asked him to talk to the students at her school. This request led Frank to reach out to the League for advice. And we thought other League members might have some insight.

“I am one to get on the floor, sit Indian fashion, and ask the students to gather around,” Frank says. “Does the League have anything that invites the elementary audience to participate? It can be a short rhyme, a five-line song, or anything like this that will be fun, keep them involved, and be a take-away they will remember?”

Like many, the facts that have stuck with me through life were either part of a song or poem – what a great idea for bicycle safety! What ideas or tricks do YOU have for sharing you love of cycling with children? Share in the comments!

Alissa Simcox
League Director of Education

Simcox joined the League in July 2011. For the 5 years prior, she worked with the Congressional Youth Leadership Council and the National Association of Home Builders. She holds a BA in Education and Recreation and Leisure Administration from Florida State University.

A few weeks ago, I finally saw something I’ve been hearing about for a long while. Heading back to the office from a doctor’s appointment, I wasn’t fighting for space on the road. Instead, I was flying down bustling L Street Northwest on the new L Street cycletrack, a protected bike lane that takes up a whole lane of traffic and is protected by bollards, with green paint near intersections.

Yesterday, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) hosted a formal ribbon cutting ceremony with Mayor Vincent Gray, WABA Executive Director Shane Farthing, and the Downtown DC Business Improvement District‘s Director of Infrastructure & Sustainability, Ellen Jones.

There was quite the crowd for the press conference and ribbon cutting

“We aren’t just paying lip service to alternative modes of transportation — we want to reduce the number of vehicles in the District of Columbia,” Mayor Gray said to the assembled bicyclists and media.

“These [cycletracks] are an economic asset to our city; it will make our city more resilient,” Jones added. “The business community isn’t done making this the most bicycle-friendly downtown in the world.” While D.C. has a lot of work to do before that, the opening of this 1.1-mile cycletrack in the heart of downtown is a great step forward for advocates in D.C.

Sometimes it takes a village: the ribbon is cut by many, including Ellen Jones of DC BID (far left), DC Mayor Vincent Gray (middle, with “WABA” pocket square) and WABA’s Shane Farthing (far right)

After the ribbon cutting, I called Shane Farthing to get some background on the cycletrack, a project seven years in the making. In 2005, the L Street cycletrack made it into the 2005 Bicycle Master Plan for the District, the first significant bicycle plan for the city. This plan intended to create key thoroughfares for bicyclists through downtown D.C., both North-South (with the 15th Street cycletrack) and East-West (with the eastbound L Street cycletrack). “We’re three-quarters of the way done,” Farthing said, reminding me that the westbound M Street cycletrack is still on the horizon.

After years on the agenda, the L Street cycletrack hit a major speed bump last year. In a budget hearing with the District Department of Transportation in June 2011, DDOT Director Terry Bellamy said that funding for the L Street cycletrack was off the administration’s agenda. WABA responded by activating its member base. In a just a few weeks — after thousands of phone calls, e-mails, and a bike ride with Council member Jack Evans (Ward 2)— the cycletrack was back on the agenda.

What can local advocates learn from this great success story, transforming a project from scrapped to striped in 16 months? “The grassroots effort of e-mails and phone calls, coupled with exposure to council members through rides, made it happen,” Farthing says. His advice to local advocates fighting a similar battle? “Get your supportive council members to experience [the road on a bike where the infrastructure is proposed], then get them to talk their less supportive colleagues into riding with you, as well,” he says. “The experience is a new one to them, and it’s a really helpful way to get someone supportive of transportation issues, but not seen as a top bicycling voice, to support cycletracks.”

Detail from http://1.usa.gov/VfwSUS

Hopefully, I’ll see a lot of bicyclists on that lane next time I’m taking it across town. As Mayor Gray so rightly said: “The safer you make cycling, the more people will choose to bike.” Thanks to advocates like WABA, that’s happening every day here in the nation’s capital!

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

Full disclosure, I love Boston. I have loved the city ever since I stepped foot into Jamaica Plain in 2001, freshly home from the Peace Corps to attend Boston University in a masters program. I loved the size of the city: small enough to be able to be walkable but big enough to explore and feel urban. I loved the old-city streets, the small neighborhoods, the history, the many unique areas of the city. All of it seemed to fit me perfectly.

It took me about three months after moving to Boston to figure out that the most direct way to BU’s campus from Jamaica Plain was by bike. The T, Boston’s subway system, took me all the way into the city and then out again — a 45-minute commute. On bike it was 20. A beautiful commute around the Emerald Necklace, a name well-earned, put me straight onto campus. I passed by ponds and rivers and saw very few cars or stoplights the entire five miles.

Once I got to BU, however the honeymoon was over. I had to join the traffic congestion. I saw few cyclists on my ride to class. Commonwealth Avenue, which cuts through the heart of campus, was pretty much exclusively dedicated to moving cars and parking cars.

Last week I traveled back to Boston for the National League of Cities Conference and was amazed at the difference. I rode my bike from the newly developed Seaport District all the way to Landry’s Bicycles, my favorite shop and my former workplace. Nearly all the way from the Public Garden to BU’s campus I had a bike lane in which to ride. There was a green bike box near the famous Newbury Street, where I cozied up to multiple other cyclists. The lanes along Commonwealth Avenue also had a frequent safety reminder: “No Excuse, Wear a Helmet.”

I noticed the dozens of Hub Stations throughout the city and saw many people on the bike-share bikes. Cold weather didn’t stop a lot of the early morning commuters. Along the Charles River Path, the number of cyclists I saw far outnumbered the amount I would have seen on a warm weather day in 2001. It was amazing.

Congratulations, Boston. You have come a long way!  I never thought I could love you more, but I do.

Photo credit: City of Boston

Alison Dewey
League Program Manager, BFB & BFU

As Melissa Balmer (pictured) was launching Women on Bikes SoCal she had a quick realization. Despite living in one of the most densely inhabited areas of the U.S. she was smack dab in the middle of a particularly troubling void: In all of Southern California, there were fewer than 30 women who were League Cycling Instructors (LCIs).

Thanks to Balmer’s efforts and a group of diverse female leaders, that number jumped dramatically in just one weekend last month.

Across the nation, the League has more than 3,500 LCIs who deliver bicycle skills education to thousands of people who ride each year. But, as Balmer discovered, there was only a small handful of female LCIs in her area: South Los Angeles, East Los Angeles, the South Bay and greater Long Beach. So she raised funds to provide scholarships for a new and diverse group of women, from across the Los Angeles area, to become LCIs.

The first all-female LCI seminar, taught by stand-out trainer Jen Laurita, made history last month.

“Deciding to take on the goal of hosting the very first all-female LCI class was quite an adventure,” Balmer says. “I had absolutely no idea it had never been done before when the idea popped into my head. I’ve learned so much over the past year while pulling it together, raising the funds to make it happen, and drawing in the right scholarship candidates. I couldn’t be more proud of this very dynamic and diverse group who stuck in there to see it through. Jen Laurita, the lead instructor who dealt with hurricane Sandy right before coming out to teach this class, is a treasure. I can’t wait to see what this new group of female LCI’s will help make happen.”

Excited to learn more about these new LCIs, I got in touch with Elizabeth Williams and Maria Sipin to ask them about the training — and their plans to increase biking in their communities.

Why did you want to become an LCI?

Elizabeth: I became an LCI because I love riding and enjoy sharing my bike passion. One of the ways I can continue to do this is through teaching bike education. I started teaching basic bike classes more than a year ago and since then have discovered that there are lots more people needing basic bike education. I want to do something about this, so I’ve started developing a bike program and will use my LCI training to help safely connect people to the benefits of biking.

Maria: I was inspired by the Women on Bikes SoCal movement to increase the number of women riding bikes. I connected with their mission to transform bike culture to be more inclusive and appealing to women. Becoming a League Cycling Instructor is an opportunity to work toward that goal and become a mentor to foster youth leadership in the long run.

How was the training and the trainer? What was the best part?

Elizabeth: The trainer was amazing! She was very engaging and held my attention for the long weekend. Watching the presentations was probably the best part because I got to see a variety of different teaching styles and some I could borrow for my classes.

Maria: The training was robust and demanding. I expected the majority of the training to focus on evaluating the LCI candidates’ ability to ride a bike and perform drills with perfection, but there is an even greater emphasis on how well each person can teach the Traffic Skills material. Presenting an engaging lesson and successfully teaching the material to the group was most challenging, but it was also the best part of the training. Receiving constructive criticism defined my strengths and identified opportunities for improvement. With that, I could adjust my teaching methods.

Do you think the all-female aspect changed the dynamic at all?

Elizabeth: I think having the all-female class did make the environment more comfortable for the class. We had less stress about not knowing as much as guys do about bikes. We had no “macho” anything all weekend and that probably made it easier for the ladies to ask questions and deliver their presentations.

Maria: The all-female training created a very social dynamic. Aside from the “girl talk” (gushing about our pets, partners, milestones, and hygiene advice), we had serious conversations about advocacy challenges and experiences with peers, cycling groups, and law enforcement. The training was better because many of us knew each other from participating in Women on Bikes SoCal activities. Our trainer Jenn Laurita was energetic, knowledgeable, social, and professional throughout the process. I admire her passion for teaching.

How do you intend to use your new certification/skills?

Elizabeth: I’m developing a bike program focused on bridging the biking gap for women & youth in underserved communities. I’ll be teaching classes in these communities, connecting people to bikes, so everyone can reap the benefits of riding.

Maria: My priority is to collaborate with other LCIs and coalitions to increase access to workshops, classes, and organized rides to people in my community. One of the challenges I had was finding a Traffic Skills 101 class closer to home. The classes available at the time were 40 miles away and offered once a month. This is an example of a barrier that could prevent people in my community from participating, and I’d like to help change that.

What would you say to other women who are considering becoming an LCI, but perhaps have some hesitation?

Elizabeth: Anyone who has a real passion to spread bike love, and can commit the time to the training, can become an LCI. You don’t have to be a tough guy to do it. Women make wonderful teachers and in order to encourage more women to bike, we need more women LCI’s to be examples.

Maria: Ask the League questions. Talk to other LCIs and get the inside scoop on expectations and time commitments. Convince a friend to become an LCI too. It’s a bonus to have a support system during this process. Commit to the idea of becoming an LCI especially if you love biking and could see yourself teaching it. You are half way there. The next step is preparing yourself physically and mentally.

Women on Bikes SoCal was able to host this LCI program as a full scholarship with the generous support from Bikeable Communities, the California Bicycle Coalition, the League of American Bicyclists’ Women Bike initiative, Building Healthy Communities Long Beach, Bike Long Beach, private donations, special events, and outreach support from the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

Do you want to become an LCI? Next month, in conjunction with our first-ever Coach Seminar, we’ll be offering LCI training at a significant discount! Sign up for the seminar January 24-25 in Houston, Texas, and become an LCI for just $200. Click here to register! Questions? Email Alissa@BikeLeague.org.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition (SCBC) has responded to an incident of road rage by focusing attention on bicyclist harassment and working to pass an ordinance to protect harassed bicyclists.

On August 16, bicyclist Toraj Soltani was chased onto a golf course by a motorist with a history of moving violations. The motorist was found thanks, in part, to a harassment reporting system created by the group in 2006 and currently faces criminal charges. As a result, the group launched its “Protect Us All” campaign to preserve and protect Sonoma County as a great place to ride a bike.

Building upon laws passed in Los Angeles, Berkeley, and Sunnyvale, California; as well as Washington D.C., the SCBC drafted an ordinance and is campaigning for its adoption by cities within Sonoma County and by the County. Since beginning the campaign the group has received the endorsement of the editorial staff of the local newspaper; secured $5,000 for a study of the ordinance by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors; and won a public hearing from the Sebastopol City Council in December. In addition, several other cities are looking at the ordinance and may take steps to adopt it, including Windsor and Sonoma, two bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Communities.

The ordinance proposed by SCBC differs significantly from the League’s model vulnerable road user law in that it provides for civil, rather than criminal, action. Sandra Lupien, SCBC’s Outreach Director, says that the ordinance will work because “you don’t even have to file a police report” and will not create additional work for local law enforcement. It supplements other civil laws that might allow a bicyclist to recover for injuries by providing for damages at three times the rate of actual damages, if there’s been a violation based on the behavior listed in the ordinance. This gives an extra incentive for attorneys to represent bicyclists in civil actions.

A bicycle is much cheaper than a car, so collisions tend to result in lower actual damages and attorneys, who usually receive a portion of the damages recovered in a civil suit, are unlikely to represent bicyclists because of the low total of damages from a typical bicycle collision. Bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users, currently lack access to our civil justice system because they are not surrounded by an expensive motor vehicle, laws such as the SCBC’s proposed ordinance address this disparity to access by putting a value on harassing and injuring behavior.

To learn more visit: http://www.bikesonoma.org/protectusall

Ken McLeod
Legal Specialist, Advocacy Advance

Ken joined the League in 2012 after graduating from William & Mary School of Law. He is a licensed attorney in the state of Virginia. During law school he worked for a private law firm in Cambodia and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Prior to that, Ken worked at a law firm in Orange County and a legal services provider in Seattle. He graduated from Pomona College in 2007 with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. He began using his bike regularly after college and has been car-free since February 2012.

Each day, my commute to work takes me down the National Mall and through the ellipse in front of the White House (yeah, I can’t complain). Lo and behold, this morning there was a group of carolers clad in Dickensian costumes at the wrought iron gates, harmonizing their dawn rendition of Deck the Halls.

Yep, it’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays.

And thanks to Rebecca Brookson, you can deck your halls with a bright little gift that benefits the League.

Brookson is the founder of Bicyclette, a company that features a collection of bikes, apparel and home decor geared toward “discerning, stylish women” who love to ride. This season, Brookson and the artisans at MAME Soy Candles created a signature candle — the Path Less Traveled — and all the proceeds will benefit the League.

“As I started to explore the idea of launching my own business, there were two things that were a requirement for me,” Brookson says. “First, it must make a positive impact and, second, I needed to spotlight and donate to an organization that tied in with the mission of my company. Bicyclette was born out of a desire to encourage more women to just have fun and get out and ride – and it was a natural fit to turn to the League as the organization I wanted to support.”

“The women I talk to (as well as mysefl!) love riding a bike — but have safety concerns,” she adds. “They want more paths, better bicycling communities! This is a big part of the League’s mission and I am so excited that, in my own small way, I can help get the word out about the organization and Women Bike!”

Scented with Gardenia + Grass, the eight-ounce candles are made from 100 percent soy wax, pure essential oils and cotton wicks. Order yours today!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

You already bike to work or ride to the store. Why not use those trips to help the League win a $10,000 grant?

Many of you were among the 30,000 bicyclists who saddled up for the National Bike Challenge this summer and, thanks to CLIF Bar, we’ve all got a new Challenge to keep our wheels turning next month! CLIF Bar has chosen the League to be the beneficiary of the 2 Mile Challenge for December — and we need your pedal power to get us to that $10,000 grant.

The 2 Mile Challenge is CLIF Bar’s online effort to fight climate change by encouraging bicycle travel for short trips. In the U.S., 40 percent of all urban trips are two miles or less, but 90 percent of those short distances are made by automobile. Supporting a number of League member organizations — like the East Bay Bicycle Coalition in November — this initiative has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to bike advocacy over the past several years.

That sure makes your CLIF Bar taste a little bit sweeter, huh?

Plus, participating in the 2 Mile Challenge couldn’t be easier — or more fun. You simply sign up and log each time you take a trip by bicycle. Ride to work? That’s a trip. Pedal to a meeting or lunch with friends? That’s two trips (well, assuming you go back to the office)! All we need is 5,000 trips to earn $10,000 for our programming in 2013.

I’m up to the Challenge; are you?

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

500 participants. Eight communities. $10 million for biking and walking.

Talk about an impressive year for Advocacy Advance.

Over the past 11 months, the Advocacy Advance team — a partnership of the League and Alliance for Biking & Walking — has been your source for critical analysis and resources on the new federal transportation bill. But, beyond the reports and webinars and one-on-one assistance, Darren and Brighid have been out in the field conducting Navigating MAP-21 Workshops, too.

Funded by SRAM, these workshops have brought together advocates, agency staff and elected officials, giving them the tools and knowledge to access federal funding for local biking and walking projects and program.

And, from Atlanta, Ga., to Anchorage, AK, those workshops have had a huge impact, leading to more than $10 million in new funding for bike/ped projects in local communities.

Read the full and impressive recap on the Advocacy Advance blog.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

After Congress passes a transportation bill, it’s up to the U.S. Department of Transportation to figure out how the law should be interpreted — and release “guidance” for your state department of transportation to follow.

Last month, the DOT released its interim guidance on the new transportation law, MAP-21, and there’s good news and bad news for bicyclists.

Join us TODAY, November 28, at 2 p.m. Eastern for our next Navigating MAP-21 webinar to learn the importance of the recently released guidance and what it means for cyclists in your area. Presenters will include Caron Whitaker, League Vice President of Government Relations, and Darren Flusche, League Director of Policy.

Register here!

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

Yesterday, Bill Nesper and I rode our bikes down the Mount Vernon Trail to congratulate BikeArlington for their stand-out performance as a first place finisher in the “Micro Business” category of the 2012 National Bike Challenge.

Meeting up with BikeArlington on the Mount Vernon Trail. Check out their sweet ride!

It was a gorgeous day out on the trail, a fitting place to honor the riders who tallied 7,584 miles by bike over the three months of the Challenge this summer. With fewer than five employees (the definition of a “micro-business”), that mileage was no small feat!

We chatted with them about the 2013 Challenge, and how they plan to get more local businesses involved in the fun. We’ll see if anyone can catch up to this stellar workplace in 2013!

Zanna Worzella, Chris Eatough, and Tim Kelley of BikeArlington with their nifty award plaque!

Congratulations, BikeArlington!

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

Whose streets work better: Atlanta or Chicago? According to the most common assessment tool for congestion — the Travel Time Index (TTI) — the answer is Atlanta.

The average trip to work in Atlanta takes 57.4 minutes, while the typical commuter in Chicago spends 35.6 minutes getting to the office. So it seems like the Windy City would be rated higher, right? Well, no. The TTI gives more credit to speed than travel time and destination proximity. Atlanta looks better because their commuters drive faster over a farther distance, even though their trips take longer on average. This example, highlighted in a recent memo from Transportation for America, reveals the challenges and limitations of our current thinking about transportation performance. And, unfortunately, this isn’t just an academic problem.

The new federal transportation bill, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century (MAP-21), does two things that bring urgency to getting this right:

1. Under the law, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will set up Performance Measures for its largest program, the $22 billion National Highway Performance Program, that will ultimately reward and penalize states for reaching or failing to meet these targets, and
2. The law expands the scope of the National Highway System by 60,000 new lane miles; now it will include many roads (primary arterials) that don’t feel like highways at all.

So, unless the performance measures are set appropriately, state DOTs will treat many roads that cut through neighborhoods essentially the same way they treat interstate highways: prioritizing speed over other factors. Which roads will that affect in your state? You can find the primary arterial routes that will be added to the NHS in here.

Should the performance of this road…

…be measured like this one?

Under the new National Highway Performance Program, the performance of these two roads could be measured the same way. One is a bustling business district, the other is an Interstate highway. (Example provided by Transportation for America.)

Fortunately, the USDOT appears to recognize the challenge before it. In September, the DOT solicited input through an online dialogue, where the public contributed and voted on ideas for these performance measures.

The number one ranked idea for Highway System Performance: “Performance measures should be defined and measured in ways that reflect all of the benefits of an integrated, comprehensive system based on the movement of people, not vehicles.” One of the most popular ideas for Congestion Mitigation: “Performance measures should emphasize spatial and temporal dimensions of congestion” (translation: the measure should consider trip time, as well as distance traveled). Both suggestions would encourage communities to build infrastructure that helps people get where they are going rather than travel the greatest distance possible at the highest speeds possible.

In fact, the DOT received so much feedback that it hosted a listening session late last month. During the session, officials acknowledged the need to address issues like “vehicle vs. passenger movement,” and there was considerable discussion about how to measure people on foot and on bicycle. In the League’s recommendations to DOT, we identified Regional Household Travel Surveys, infrared counters, and traditional bike/ped counts, as possible tools, and pointed to states like Massachusetts, which is setting mode-shift goals as part of its transportation performance measures. We also passed along some of the on-going research into bicycling and walking measurement.

It is good that this dialog is taking place, but we’ll be watching carefully to see what comes out these discussions. Whatever gets put into place now will likely influence transportation decision-making for years to come, so it’s critically important to keep the focus on moving people, not vehicles.

To learn more about what bicycling and walking advocates are doing to get the most out of the new transportation bill, check out our “Navigating MAP-21” resources. And please join us for our webinar on the recently-released interim guidance on the Transportation Alternatives program on Wednesday.

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.

On this day, 134 years ago, a cycling legend was born: Marshall “Major” Taylor.

Born in rural Indiana in 1878, Taylor was a pioneer in American sport — not just in bicycling. Shattering cycling records even as a teenager, Taylor was the first African-American athlete to achieve the level of world champion and only the second black man to win a world championship. But, even more than his impressive victories on the track, Taylor was a trailblazer for equity in sport.

According to the Major Taylor Bicycling Club of Minnesota: “What made [Taylor's] accomplishments even more impressive was the fact that he was a black man who overcame open racism and overt threats of violence by those who did not want to see him succeed, because track cycling at that time was dominated by the Europeans. He established several world records during his 16 years of competition. In the 168 races in which he competed, he finished first in 117 and finished second in 32.”

As Taylor himself acknowledged in his autobiography: “In most of my races I not only struggled for victory but also for my very life and limb. Only my dauntless courage and the indomitable fighting spirit I possessed allowed me to carry on in the face of tremendous odds.”

That courage and spirit continues to inspire cyclists today, with dozens of Major Taylor cycling clubs in communities nationwide.

Let’s all take a moment today to tip our helmets to a true leader of our movement.

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

… I can’t resist sharing this amazing picture I found.

Photo from http://www.culturecycles.com

Yesterday, we all be took some time to think of what we’re thankful for. What was on your list?

A riding club that keeps you pedaling in good company?

Communities where children can ride their bikes to school?

Amazing vintage cards of turkeys riding bikes that tote children?

Here at the League, we’re thankful for all the things that make our communities safe and fun, but we are thankful for one more thing, too: our members! Thanks to you, we’re able to continue to work to make roads safe for everyone who rides and create bicycle friendly communities across the country.

Thank you for your membership. And if you’re not a member (gasp!), you can join here.

Katie Omberg
Events and Outreach Manager

Katie joined the League in April of 2010. For the two years prior, she worked at the Corcoran College of Art + Design as a programs coordinator. Katie has a BA in Religion from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She enjoys biking to work.

Gathering with family, eating a good meal — Thanksgiving is about reflection and gratitude. Here at the League, bikes have benefited our lives in many different ways, but we all share an appreciation for how traveling on two wheels has taken us places we want to go.

So, in honor of the holiday, I asked my colleagues to finish the sentence “I’m grateful for my bike…” Here’s what they shared:

Alison Dewey:
I’m grateful for my bike because with three small kids, commuting to work is often my only chance to ride. My youngest will see a cyclist and say “Mama.”  I am grateful they are growing up knowing bikes can be used for transportation and for fun.

Darren Flusche:
I’m grateful for my bike for being the most fun and efficient way to get around my city. There’s no better way to go.

Elizabeth Kiker:
I’m grateful for my bike for powering me from a soul-deadening job to one I love wholly and enjoy absolutely. Without the freedom and inspiration that my bike provided me, I would have never ended up working at the League of American Bicyclists. Thanks, beloved bike!

Ken McLeod:
I’m grateful for my bike because it helps me explore and be active.

Bill Nesper:
I am grateful for my bike giving me a way to get to where I want to go, exercise, save money and have quiet time all at once.

Hamzat Sani:
I’m grateful for my bike introducing me to new avenues of life both literally and figuratively. Without my bike I wouldn’t have the breadth and depth of relationships I’ve shared with people or know where to find the best vintage shop in Atlanta.

Nicole Wynands:
I’m grateful for my bike because it allows me to experience my community up close and to notice details and nuances along the way that I would otherwise miss.

Why are you grateful for your bike?

Carolyn Szczepanski
Communications Director

Carolyn joined the League in March 2012, after two years at the Alliance for Biking & Walking. In addition to managing the League's blog, magazine and other communications, Carolyn organized the first National Women's Bicycling Summit and launched the League's newest program: Women Bike. Before she crossed over to advocacy, she was a professional journalist for nearly 10 years.

In September, 50 community members participated in an Advocacy Advance Action 2020 Workshop in Harrisonburg, Virginia, to jumpstart the region’s efforts to fund local bicycle and pedestrian projects.

The clear goal of the day: Work together to get facilities on the ground that keep people safe and make Harrisonburg – a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community  – the “bicycle capital of Virginia.”

The mayor, city councilmembers, county administrator, sheriff, transportation planners, and local advocacy attendees were all on board.

Since then, they’ve have taken a giant leap towards meeting that goal: more than $2 million was invested in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in 24 hours.

How did it happen? Read more on AdvocacyAdvance.org.

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.

As Carolyn mentioned in her post yesterday, we both attended a the Facing Race conference this past week(end). Why, you might ask, would two League staff members sacrifice their weekends for a conference?

Well, one lesson that almost everyone took away from the recent election was that campaigns must be inclusive of a diverse America to win. Here at the League, our politics are simple: better biking for all. But in recent years that “all” hasn’t been as diverse and inclusive as it should be. We want to change that and it starts with educating ourselves.

After finally finding parking in downtown Baltimore that didn’t cost me a crank arm and a wheelset, I got to the second day of the conference just in time to catch most of the Opening Plenary. The plenary focused on issues of race and gender specifically, but the prevailing theme centered on the power of storytelling.

Panelist and journalist Janet Mock, for instance, spoke about the power of coming out as a transgender woman of color in the midst of an epidemic of LGBTQ kids taking their lives due to bullying and harassment. I couldn’t help but think, we cyclists have some pretty powerful stories to tell about why we ride, what motivates us and how we want to see our world. The plenary definitely reinforced the need for us to share those personal transformations.

Another great take-away from the plenary included thinking about our bi-gendered language, which doesn’t address potential advocates and club members that view gender beyond the binary. A great way to be inclusive is to use language that is multi-gender conscious and respective. Increasingly, local bike co-ops are getting the message and their memberships are seeing the benefits. Cycling facilities, clubs and resources should be developed in a manner where everyone feels safe, invited and considered.

After an energizing plenary, it was off to the first breakout session: Engaging White People in Racial Justice. The room was packed and overflowing into the hall, and there was incredible knowledge from leaders from Philly, Kentucky, New York and even Baltimore about mobilizing people that identify as white in working toward racial justice and equity in their communities.

Just a few great terms and highlights from the session:

• Collective liberation: What affects one, affects us all. In this session, the presenters used the term to frame white people taking ownership in the fight for racial justice as much as non-whites. But I saw it’s application in local advocacy for biking facilities, too. We all know the safest areas to bike in our communities; they have bike lanes, motorists that know you exist and, wait, was that a bike shop/cafe/bar? But once in a while our journey takes us beyond our usual roads and lands us in communities that have none of these things. The term collective liberation reminds me of the freedom we all feel when we get on our first bike and feel we can go anywhere and that we can’t just fight for cycling in our immediate communities but also for greater connectivity in others.

• Mutual interest: A young Jewish organizer spoke about the Jewish community in New York bringing together multi-cultural caregivers and their mostly white employers to talk about fair employment standards and the common ground between both groups. That got me thinking: What are some organizations in your community that share some mutual interest around bicycling? Is a local neighborhood association looking to get a street light or stop sign? Is there a Women in Business incubator in your area looking for opportunities? Is a local business district looking to boost foot traffic?

After lunch I checked out another session: From Colorblindness to Race Equity. By far my favorite quote from this session went something like: “Achieving equity is not a one shot deal; it should be like brushing your teeth everyday.” We already know this from our work: After all, getting a local politician to ride a bike for a photo-op doesn’t mean that she’ll be a sure vote for bike funding in the next legislative session. It’s important to have primers that can be used to make equity habitual and systemic. A primer could be something as simple as a  a few simple questions that remind leaders to consider whether they’re making a decision based on an implicit bias. Does your organization or club have a system in place to ensure that your outreach for members, staff and leadership is inclusive of diverse candidates?

Sadly, the conference had to come to a close, and the final plenary discussion — Culture Trumps Politics — gave us all some key perspective and one liners (you can find a few here) to take home. One thing that resonated with me was a comment from author and cultural artist/activist Jeff Chang: “After the laws change, how are we going to live together?” After we pass legislation like a 3-foot passing law, which is vitally important, we still have to coexist with one another as motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. While Chang’s context was calling for an increase in multicultural equity, it’s hard not to see its application to multi-modal equity.

While race can be a scary word, equity certainly isn’t At the crux of it all, the conference boiled down to discussing ways to create a more equitable America. Whether that equity is ensuring safety and accessibility for all types of transportation users, or ensuring opportunity and access for all groups of people, equity serves our mutual interest. As a community focused on making biking better for all, we have to seek racial equity as well. There are too many potential allies, opportunities and policy successes to gain. After all, we share some pretty remarkable mutual interests: better transportation choices, better air quality, better quality of life and better communities.

Click here to read more about the conference (and keep this event in mind for 2013)!

Hamzat Sani
Equity and Outreach Fellow

Hamzat joined the League in September 2012 after working with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition. Before working in biking, Hamzat worked with Martin Luther King Jr.’s son as a Program Associate at The King Center in Atlanta. A founder of the Red, Bike and Green chapter in Atlanta, Hamzat sees biking as a hub for change on the communal level.

As of Friday afternoon, 350,899 Alameda County voters had voted in favor of ballot measure B1, which would increase the county’s transportation tax from a half cent to 1 cent for road repair, bicycle infrastructure and transit investments. One the other side of the coin, 176,504 county residents had voted against.

Under normal circumstances, a 66.53% to 33.47% vote would have been a decisive victory for the measure and we would not be reporting the vote to the second decimal place. However, in California, when the funds from a local sales tax measure are dedicated for a specific purpose, a two-thirds “supermajority” of 66.67% is required. The vote is so close that election officials are still counting absentee and other ballots. They are not expected to have a final tally until Wednesday, November 21. The best current guess is that the measure will fall short by fewer than 700 votes. A recount is possible.

The fact that at least 66% of the voters opted to voluntarily tax themselves for better transportation infrastructure, including bicycling facilities, signals the direction many communities are headed in an era of uncertain federal funding.

“Whatever the final outcome of Measure B1 here in Alameda County, it’s clear that most residents not only want more transit options, a great network of bicycle lane and trails, pedestrian safety improvements, but they are willing to pay for them by increasing our local sales tax,” says Renee Rivera, Executive Director of East Bay Bicycle Coalition. “That is a huge testament to the appetite for active transportation here in the East Bay. If we don’t gain the couple thousand votes needed to put B1 over the top in the coming days, it will be coming back to the ballot very soon, with the same or stronger investment in bike/ped improvements.” Looking forward, the East Bay Bicycle Coalition and other transportation advocates are going to work on strengthening their campaign efforts in the less dense suburban parts of the county, Rivera says.

According to Rivera, the new revenue would be divided up in approximately the following way.

• 48% public and specialized transit
• 27% local streets and roads improvements
• 11% bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
• 9% highway efficiency and freight development
• 5% sustainable land use and transportation projects

Anything jump out at you? The share for bicycling and walking is right there next to highways! One of the things that is so exciting about this measure, Rivera points out, is that it does not add any highway capacity.  The Alameda County Transportation Commission recognizes that the freeway network in Alameda County is fully built.  It can be improved but the County will not invest beyond making the existing system work better with HOV conversions and interchange improvements.  The investments need to be made in transit, maintenance and active transport improvements.

The League, with our partners the Alliance for Biking & Walking, is supporting campaigns like the East Bay Bicycle Coalition’s to pass Measure B1. In April, we gave the bicycle coalition a Rapid Response grant through the Advocacy Advance program to fight for the measure’s passage. We hope that when the votes are all counted the measure will be successful. One eighth of a percent is excruciatingly close.

The tight vote on measure B1 comes at a time when many transportation initiatives are being passed across the country. On November 6, two thirds of the proposed ballot measures that supported transit projects passed. Campaigns like this are great candidates for Rapid Response Grants.

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.