Formerly Thunderhead Alliance Learn More >
Sign up to receive Alliance news and updates.
Your sponsorship will help grow the bicycling and walking movement and your business!
Pick a sponsorship that will work for you and make a difference for all! Five Alliance projects and event packages are available for you to sponsor:
You can sponsor all five, or choose the one(s) that makes the most sense for you to maximize your marketing potential and return on investment. (see below for more details)
The Alliance for Biking & Walking has over 160 member organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. We provide the following services to our members:
Our Online Resource Library provides over 750 resources to Alliance members. Resources include template bylaws, workplans, budgets, and fundraising letters. You'll also find sample PSAs, annual reports, membership brochures, and a wealth of research on biking and walking issues. Search by keyword or category to find what you need.
We host six Winning Campaigns trainings a year and a biannual Leadership Retreat in different North American cities. Our trainings are geared specifically for leaders of biking and walking advocacy organizations and are great opportunities for networking and resource sharing.
Our Mutual Aid series brings at least 12 free educational conference calls a year to advocacy leaders. Call topics include capacity building for bike/ped advocacy organizations and topics of specific interest to biking and walking groups. Calls are facilitated by an Alliance staff member, last one hour, and typically draw 6-20 Alliance leaders.
Alliance members have access to on-call coaching and consulting services from qualified Alliance staff. Need help with a campaign? Want advice on growing your organization's membership? Need help navigating a tricky board situation? Contact our staff for assistance. Special consulting services such as strategic planning and meeting facilitation are also available to members at special rates.
The Alliance Benchmarking Project collects, analyzes, and reports on bicycling and walking data for the 50 U.S. states and at least the 50 most-populous U.S. cities. The project provides vital data for advocates, planners, and researchers to evaluate progress and measure results of efforts to increase biking and walking.
Alliance members can post their job opportunities for free on the Alliance Job Board. We highlight our job board in our monthly e-newsletter, Streetside.
Alliance publications are geared towards helping grassroots bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations thrive. Alliance members receive discounts on all Alliance publications.
Advocacy Advance Grants are available to Alliance member organizations through a competitive application process twice a year. Grants fund start-up organizations, capacity building, and innovative programs to increase biking and walking.
Alliance members are kept plugged into national issues affecting bicycling and walking through our Action Center. From federal legislation like the Transportation Bill and Economic Stimulus Bill to Safe Routes to School, the Alliance plugs grassroots advocates into the national issues that matter most to them.
Alliance members receive discounts on the following
And
Contact an Alliance staff member for more details on these discounts.
Bike & Ped Advocacy Resource LibraryLooking for the recordings of Mutual Aid Calls or the materials from the recent training you attended? Find the latest resources for bicycle and pedestrian advocates. Over 500 resources in this library include sample documents and publications from Alliance member organizations, research and data on bicycling and walking issues, educational resources, public service announcements, models for organizing successful events, and more.PublicationsAlliance’s publications assist our members with their work including the newly released Fundraising Ride Guide and Benchmarking Report. Reduced prices are available for members. |
Starting An OrganizationTo help our organizations Just forming, we share some related resources that will help you on this new journey:HelpAlliance is working to develop a more comprehensive help system for our members and supporters. You will currently find details for using our Alliance listserve as well as general help information. |
The Alliance for Biking and Walking, formerly known as Thunderhead Alliance, is the coalition of grassroots advocacy organizations working together to promote bicycling and walking in North American communities. Alliance organizations come together to help each other grow their organizations and become more effective by sharing best practices and innovations.
Here you will find the latest resources for bicycle and pedestrian advocates. Over 500 resources in this library include sample documents and publications from Alliance member organizations, research and data on bicycling and walking issues, educational resources, public service announcements, models for organizing successful events, and more.
Feel free to browse the categories for resources of interest, or enter key words into the search tool to find exactly what you need. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Submit a request for a resource by clicking the button at the top of each page. You can also submit resources you would like to share with other bicycle and pedestrian advocacy leaders.
Most of these documents and resources are password protected for the benefit of our member organizations and supporters. If you would like your non-profit state or local bicycle and/pedestrian advocacy organization to become an Alliance member organization, or if you would like to become one of our valued supporters, please
Attending the National Bike Summit gave the folks from the Peach State a juicy idea.
In March, a group of bicycle advocates from Georgia traveled to Washington, DC for the 10th annual networking and lobbying event hosted by the League of American Bicyclists. They didn’t just meet their bike-ped peers from across the country; they also recognized a need within their own state borders.
“When the dust settled after a hectic schedule of running the halls of both the Senate and the House, there was a general consensus among the Georgia delegates that once a year just ‘ain’t enough,’” Ali Mangkang of the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition wrote last month. “From there, an idea took shape, though mentioned casually at first, that Georgia should aim for its own statewide summit — a meeting of enthusiasts, retailers, advocates and policymakers representing Georgia’s many bicycling communities.”
Well, the folks at Savannah Bicycle Campaign found a venue in their fair city and Georgia Bikes took the lead in organizing the agenda. Joe Seconder, a board member for Georgia Bikes, had the wind at his back from the start. “Here in Georgia there has been an up swelling of grassroots efforts through individuals and organizations to encourage greater bicycle accommodations in a holistic and systemic fashion,” he says.
The summit on October 9th isn’t exclusive the grassroots organizers, though. In addition to the advocacy track, the event has workshops targeted to government officials and trail riders. “Advocates, elected and public officials, business leaders and concerned bicyclists will come together in a forum; setting the stage for statewide bicycling gains,” Seconder says. “We’ll network, collaborate, educate and empower advocates and attendees, identifying common issues in our local communities and setting priorities for the statewide efforts of Georgia Bikes in 2011.”
If other events are any indication, the gathering could mean big gains for the southern state.
“Georgia joins a growing list of states that are holding their own statewide bike summits, in addition to participating in the national summit,” Mangkang wrote. “Most notably, Oregon and Wisconsin have produced highly successful models for state bike summits. Both states also rank among the most bicycle-friendly states in the country. States with far lower rankings have seen the benefits of holding a statewide summit, too. In 2008, West Virginia ranked last in the LAB annual survey of bicycle friendly states. After holding a statewide symposium their ranking increased by eight spots in the 2009 survey.”
Read more or register for the event here.
The first time was impressive. The second time was gigantic.
The third time? Off the charts.
In June 2009, the City of Madison hosted the inaugural Ride the Drive, with lead sponsorship from Trek and plenty of help from the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. Closing off major roads for car-free fun, the open streets extravaganza drew 10,000 participants. A year later, in June 2010, the second event turned out nearly 25,000 bicyclists and pedestrians.
So what happens when you add Lance Armstrong to the mix? An eye-popping crowd of more than 50,000 riders.
“Every time we hold it, it doubles or triples,” says Amanda White, the Ride the Drive coordinator for the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.
This past Sunday, the cycling celebrity addressed the gigantic crowd and led a loop on the six-mile course through the heart of Madison. Dressed in gym clothes, Armstrong mingled with the thousands of bicyclists. “I led a bike parade after the big ride with Lance and he stopped by and signed our Feet in the Street, where kids were stenciling their feet with sidewalk chalk,” White says.
But the Tour de France champion isn’t the only reason the Bike Fed’s open streets events have taken off. According to White: “The messaging for the event is very inclusive: ’Come out with your kids, with your friends. Whether you want to wear spandex or blue jeans, come out and enjoy the day.’”
“And we’re very focused on a more mainstream crowd,” she adds. “We have a lot of unique activities along the route. We have kite flying. We have a bike parade. We have the wheelmen group with huge old bikes, and an art bike group with all these beautifully decorated bikes. And there are different areas along the route, like the Family Drive area, which is a little festival in itself directed at families.”
A well-chosen course has also enticed participants. “The roads we have closed off — or, as the mayor says, have opened up — for bicyclists are six-lane streets with very heavy traffic volumes,” White says. “They’re streets most people would never think to bike on, so to be able to bike on those streets is such an amazing thing.”
Click here to check out some amazing pictures from the University of Wisconsin cycling team.
The logic is like that old proverb. Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day; teach him how to fish and he’ll eat forever.
The folks at the Cascade Bicycle Club tweaked that idea with a cycling perspective. Organize a ride and a Seattle resident may pedal for a day; give that resident her own wheels and she’ll commute forever.
Now in its second year, the Green Bike Program aims to do just that — get car commuters to replace auto trips with bicycle travel. And it’s reeling in results. Turns out, getting people to give up their beloved automobiles can be as easy as baiting the hook with equipment and education.
Back in May, Cascade recruited a few newbie cyclists for the Green Bike initiative, providing willing participants with bicycles, locks and helmets. Next, they schooled the amateur commuters on road safety and basic mechanics. Then, they extended a challenge: Commute on two wheels for 50 percent of your travel and that shiny new bicycle is yours to keep.
Sound like wishful thinking? Not by a long shot. An impressive 86 percent of participants are now proud owners of Green Bikes.
“This is an incredible result,” Chuck Ayers, executive director of the Cascade Bicycle Club, said in a statement. “In only three months, we’ve helped more than 30 people new to bike commuting become comfortable, confident, and competent cyclists. I don’t know of many other programs that can boast an 86 percent success rate.”
Among those new cyclists is Alex Fuentes, a teacher at Odyssey High School who converted her 25-mile commute from automobile to open-air. Last week, she joined other green bicyclists at a celebration led by Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen. The look on her face (pictured) says it all: Fuentes is hooked. “I love riding my bike to work,” she said, “and plan to keep it up the rest of my life.”
Click here to read more about the Green Bike program.
For Ben Sollee, the call of the open road had dulled to a ragged whisper.
As a hardscrabble musician, the Kentucky native sprinted from town to town, taking advantage of every opportunity to play his cello and showcase his incredible songwriting talent for audiences across the nation. But traveling at faster-than-human pace left Sollee disoriented. Instead of savoring the lifestyle, he could barely remember the communities he visited, the people he met.
It was time for a change.
Instead of focusing on the destinations, Sollee decided to reclaim the journey.
“So, in early 2009, when I saw a commercial for an Xtracycle cargo bike, my mind spun into fantasy: the road, a bike, my cello and music to play,” Sollee wrote in American Bicyclist this summer. “At that moment I saw the bike as an offering of limitations, a tool to re-humanize the pace of touring. And, with my 60 pounds of gear loaded onto a 40-pound bike, there were plenty of limitations.”
Not the least of which was the fact that Sollee was a bike rider, but not a serious cyclist. During the first leg of his two-wheeling tour — a 350-mile jaunt to the Bonnaroo Music Festival — pedaling 50 miles a day was taxing. But cruising on backcountry roads, a cool breeze blowing away his touring stress, Sollee got hooked. A few months later, in December, he planned a more ambitious bike tour from North Carolina down through Florida.
That’s when he shifted from an experimenting artist to a budding bicycle advocate, promoting not only his music but local bike-ped organizations.
“We found what would become our model event in Savannah, Georgia,” Sollee wrote in the article. “We teamed up with the Savannah Bicycle Campaign [an Alliance member organization] to host an open-door fundraiser and show at a local bicycle hotspot, kicking the event off with an amazing night ride through the historic streets. We were able to become a vehicle for the bike group’s message, helping drive membership and getting great coverage in the Savannah Morning News. This event bridged what seemed like a magical mix of advocacy, community engagement and shared arts.”
For his current tour, Sollee took the mantle of an all-out activist. And he’s not just promoting the benefits of bicycling by partnering with local advocates; he’s also helping the Alliance.
“The weather has been terrific and the people are inspiring,” Sollee wrote on the blog this week. “But we’ve only just begun. And we’ve decided to put all these miles to good use as part of CLIF Bar’s 2 Mile Challenge.”
“The 2 Mile Challenge is a response to a staggering statistic that 40 percent of trips in the U.S. are within two miles of peoples house and 90 percent of those trips utilize a car,” he explained. “We hope that this bike tour and riding for the challenge will inspire other folks to take up the charge. We’ve signed up to ride for the Gold Team, which will benefit the Alliance for Biking & Walking. Go team!”
Have you stepped up to the Challenge yet?
It only takes a few minutes to sign up. It only takes a few seconds to log all your bike trips online each day. But the payoff is huge: If our Gold Team logs the most points by the end of October, the Alliance will win a $25,000 grant from CLIF Bar.
Join Sollee in taking the Challenge — then find a tour date in your area and pedal out to meet the bike-touring musician in person. We’ve already go his September 25 show in Washington, DC circled on our calendars!
Pat Clements doesn’t know where the days went. “Time goes by fast when you’re very busy or having fun,” the Nashville resident marvels. “It seems like last week that the Alliance came to Tennessee to help organize a group of highly motivated and enthusiastic individuals into a cohesive team.”
Believe it or not, Bike Walk Tennessee is already blowing out the candle on its first birthday. But, even in their infancy, the organization has plenty to celebrate.
“We’ve tested our capacity on a variety of issues, started establishing relationships with influentials and built our base membership,” says Clements, the group’s president. “We’ve laid the groundwork for an organization that is well positioned to unite the state and promote walking and biking to a new level for Tennesseans.”
This week, Bike Walk Tennessee released its first annual report, packed with highlights like:
- The application of safety rumble strips to roads is an extremely hot item for bicyclists. With Tom Evans’ leadership we have worked constructively with TDOT to advance one of the most bicycle-friendly specifications in the country. Although many miles of bike-able road shoulder have been compromised by rumbling, we shouldn’t see seemingly arbitrary or irresponsible rumbling on any stretch of Tennessee highway going forward.
- Jonell Johnson, Mark Hicks, and others have spent countless hours examining traffic accident reports in order to identify ways injury to bicyclists could have been avoided. When necessary, they have provided local District Attorneys with information regarding traffic and bicycle laws to insure justice for victims.
- This year, the General Assembly passed the “stop light bill.” After initiation by State Senator Jamie Woodson of Knoxville, Bike Walk Tennessee promoted the bill and encouraged other legislators to co-sponsor it. The bill allows bicyclists to proceed though traffic signals with automatic detection after they have stopped and determined the signal has not recognized them.
To share their successes and strategize for the next 365, Bike Walk Tennessee leaders came up with an interesting means of engaging their members. Instead of holing up behind closed doors, the board will webstream its annual meeting next month.
Already, Clements has plenty of people to thank: a visionary group of founders, an engaged board of directors and a growing base of members across the states. “It is a tough but rewarding undertaking,” Clements says. “Organizing an effective grass roots organization seems like a near impossible task. It is indeed fraught with challenges, but we had plenty of help.”
Read more about Bike Walk Tennessee on their blog.
The Alliance is a proud member of the steering committee for the National Complete Streets Coalition. Our friends at the Coalition asked us to summarize why the Alliance — and our more than 160 member organizations — support complete streets. Check out the Coalition’s blog for our post, or read it below!
In 1996, two dozen bicycle and pedestrian advocacy leaders from across the nation met at the Thunderhead Ranch in Wyoming to share their experiences and strategize ways to build a powerful national movement.
From that small retreat, the Alliance for Biking & Walking was born (originally known as the Thunderhead Alliance).
It didn’t fit the standard mold. Inspired and empowered by their collective experiences as on-the-ground advocates, the founding group envisioned a new kind of organization — not one that lobbied Congress for federal funds or fought for bike lanes in specific communities, but one that existed solely to serve and strengthen grassroots leaders.
In its first year, the Alliance had just 12 member organizations, but the idea took off fast. By training, assisting, and funding grassroots advocates, the Alliance supported new organizations and spurred the growth of established groups. In little more than a decade, our ranks have swelled to more than 160 local, state, and provincial advocacy organizations across North America.
Now, nearly fifteen years since that gathering in Wyoming, bicycle and pedestrian advocacy is no longer a fringe issue advanced by a handful of activists scattered across the country. We’ve matured into a professional, engaged movement that speaks with authority and stretches from coast to coast.
Like the Alliance, the concept of Complete Streets was born and raised by grassroots leaders.
A decade ago, local advocates pressed their government officials and city planners for “routine accommodation” of cyclists and pedestrians. While it sounded somewhat clumsy, routine accommodation was a transformative idea. It represented a holistic approach, ensuring all transportation projects were built or redesigned with facilities for users of all ages and abilities. But the term was uninspiring to decision makers. Worse, it was stale jargon to community members. To make meaningful progress, everyone knew we needed a vibrant phrase that captured the spirit of our vision. Positive and pro-active, “complete streets” became the new rallying cry — and caught fire fast.
The Alliance is a proud partner of the National Complete Streets Coalition because we share a common vision — streets that invite active transportation because they are safe, accessible and enjoyable for bicyclists and pedestrians. We rely on the Coalition to highlight best practices, centralize key resources, and lead the charge for complete streets at a federal level. We work closely with the Coalition, because we recognize Complete Streets campaigns are one of the most powerful tools for grassroots advocates to transform their communities and build their organization’s capacity.
It may not be a silver bullet, but, simply put, a well-written and enforced Complete Streets policy makes the advocate’s job easier. Instead of fighting for accommodation on each and every road construction or redesign, grassroots leaders have an avenue to shape the vision for their community and partner with their transportation officials to make it a reality.
Complete streets help grassroots advocates build partnerships, too. Health care professionals and environmental activists recognize the role of incomplete streets in fueling climate change and feeding an epidemic of obesity. Groups that advocate for students, seniors, and those with disabilities understand that complete streets liberate and empower citizens of all ages and abilities.
So it’s no surprise that complete streets is often the hottest topic at the Alliance’s Winning Campaigns Trainings. Participants are eager to use the three-day workshop to jumpstart a complete streets campaign in their community. They’re fired up to make their streets safer, rally more members, and build new relationships. And, thanks to the National Complete Streets Coalition, they know they’re part of an exciting, growing movement that spans the globe.
Two-wheeling tricksters flew through the air, kids raced around cones and adults charged each other with duct-taped battering rams. This past Sunday, downtown Missoula turned into a bike-ped bonanza.
Now in its third year, the PEDal Festival raises funds for a trio of Montana organizations: Bike/Walk Alliance for Missoula, Missoula in Motion and Free Cycles. Each year, one of the three takes the lead on the outdoor extravaganza. This year, Missoula in Motion was the ringleader.
Jennifer Thompson, the organization’s new program specialist, says the goal is clear: “The idea is to celebrate the joys of walking and biking in Missoula.” The celebration featured live music, food vendors and even a high-flying demonstration of bike jumps.
“We had walkers and cyclists take off from Caras Park in full costume regalia for a two- mile tour of the heart of Missoula,” Thompson says. “Upon their return, children took part in three-legged races, sack races and other picnic games. Throughout the afternoon, there was an obstacle course for cyclists to test their skills, which culminated in a ‘Paperboy Challenge,’ where they competed to accurately deliver their newspapers to boxes and doorsteps while avoiding hazards such as flowers, water, and each other.”
Things got a little medieval, too.
“We brought back a crowd favorite from previous years — bike jousting — to resounding success (pictured),” Thompson says. “More folks than ever took a turn to try to dismount their opponent. There were some bumps and bruises, but more to participants’ pride than their bodies.”
For Missoula in Motion, the turnout and enthusiasm was a shot in the arm.
“We’re already planning and looking forward to next year,” Thompson says.
Read more about PEDal Fest here.
As early as 1904, a public library in South Carolina started loading books onto mule-drawn wagons to bring knowledge to the rural masses. Now Bookmobiles are a common feature of many libraries, taking the institutions’ wealth of resources to the streets.
The Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation is tweaking the roving library concept and tailoring it to serve students in the Show Me State.
Get ready for the BikeMobile.
Thanks to funding from a Safe Routes to School grant, the Missouri advocates are outfitting a box truck, school bus, or maybe even an old ambulance to carry bikes and safety instructors to elementary students.
“The BikeMobile’s maiden voyage will be this fall when we begin our Bicycle Lesson and Safety Training (BLAST) in the Kansas City area,” says Eric Bunch, the federation’s program coordinator. “BLAST is a three-hour, in-class, on-bike skills and safety training for 5th and 6th graders. Thanks to a MoDOT [Missouri Department of Transportation] Safe Routes to School grant, MoBikeFed has a target of hitting 10 schools in the KC metro area with BLAST. We have funding for instructors, a coordinator, equipment, bikes and helmets. We just need the truck to complete the puzzle!”
Once they’ve secured their ride, they’ll take their ambitious plan on the road throughout the state.
“The ultimate goal is to take the BikeMobile around the state putting on bike rodeos and providing BLAST to thousands of students,” Bunch says. “Our next round of SRTS funding will hopefully fund a statewide train-the-trainer model by which we will teach PE teachers the ways of BLAST. Our Missouri SRTS State Network is working hard on this concept as we speak. Additionally, it is our hope that the BikeMobile will be as recognizable to Missourians as its inspiration, the Bookmobile.”
Read more about BLAST or donate a few bucks towards the BikeMobile on MoBikeFed’s website.
Alliance > Member Services > Job Board
Alliance for Biking & Walking, a coalition of over 160 grassroots bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations across North America, is seeking an intern to help with our work to create, strengthen and unite state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations.
Position Overview: The Member Services Intern will gain firsthand knowledge working with the member organizations of our international coalition. Work includes assisting with membership outreach, prospect acquisition, website updates, member resource development, event coordination, and appeals.
This internship offers a flexible schedule with a fifteen-hour-a-week minimum commitment for three months. This position is based in Washington, DC. A modest stipend of $1,500 will be available. We are happy to work with any academic requirements you may have, to help you earn course credit for your efforts.
Skills and Knowledge to be Gained
Essential:
Helpful:
$1,500 stipend
Please send a cover letter of interest, resume, two writing samples, & references to Jeremy@PeoplePoweredMovement.org with “Fall 2010 Member Services Intern Application” in the subject line. Applications due by August 31, 2010. Start of work will be early September 2010.
Alliance > Member Services > Job Board
Alliance for Biking & Walking, a coalition of over 160 grassroots bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations across North America, is seeking an intern to help with our work to create, strengthen and unite state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations.
Position Overview: The Program Intern will gain first hand knowledge working with a national coalition on programs including trainings, grants, organizational development, and resource development. Tasks may include editing training and retreat materials, reviewing grant applications, outreach to grant applicants and volunteers, updating database to assist with organizational development efforts, outreach to our member organizations, and compiling resources for members, and more.
This internship offers a flexible schedule with an fifteen-hour-a-week minimum commitment. This position will be based in Washington, DC. A modest stipend of $1,500 will be available. We are happy to work with any academic requirements you may have, to help you earn course credit for their efforts.
Skills and Knowledge to be Gained:
Essential:
Helpful:
$1,500 stipend
To Apply
Please send a letter of interest, resume, samples of work (writing and/or design) & references to Chanda@peoplepoweredmovement.org. Open until filled. Start of work will be late August or early September 2010.
Alliance > Member Services > Job Board
Alliance for Biking & Walking, a coalition of over 160 grassroots bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations across North America, is seeking an intern to help with our work to create, strengthen and unite state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations.
Position Overview: The Database/Technology Development Intern will gain firsthand knowledge working with the member organizations of our international coalition. This project-based work includes assisting with the development and integration of current Alliance Internet-based and internal technologies including web sites, listserves, forums, contact databases, and other applications. This internship offers a flexible schedule with a fifteen-hour-a-week minimum commitment for three months. This position is based in Washington, DC. A modest stipend of $1,500 will be available. We are happy to work with any academic requirements you may have, to help you earn course credit for your efforts.
Skills and Knowledge to be Gained
Essential:
Helpful:
$1,500 stipend
Please send a cover letter of interest, resume, examples of related work, & references to Jeremy@PeoplePoweredMovement.org with “Fall 2010 Technology Development Intern Application” in the subject line. Applications due by August 31, 2010. Start of work will be early September.
When a federal judge ruled that Canadian Pacific Railway had no obligation to give up land for the St. Paul Greenway, the trail easily could have been declared dead. But local advocates aren’t letting the ambitious plan flat line just yet.
Late last month, St. Paul Smart Trips packed a gymnasium for a visioning session that breathed new life into the Greenway concept — an off-road path for cyclists and pedestrians that would connect the Twin Cities.
The air buzzed with energy and excitement as a crowd of more than 120 listened to presentations from Laura Baum, Smart Trip’s residential outreach specialist, and then broke off into smaller groups to get their vision down on paper.
Baum says the participation sent a loud and clear message that residents want the greenway built, no matter how long it takes. And Smart Trips is taking the mantle to make sure it happens.
“They encouraged us to keep at it and continue to build support for the project,” she says. “The legal setback was certainly a disappointment, but we’re energized by the enthusiasm we continue to hear from people and plan to keep working to get a world-class biking and walking facility built in this corridor.”
With just one meeting Smart Trips added another 50 signatures to its petition and rallied residents for monthly meetings to maintain the momentum.
Read more from Smart Trips about the Greenway project.
The third Wednesday of every month, the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals provides concise, one-hour webinars on timely issues and state-of-the-art developments that affect biking and walking. These webinars are a great way to connect with government officials, professionals and fellow advocates to stay up-to-date with the latest trends, challenges and best practices in the bike-ped movement. With the following code, Alliance members receive a $25 discount on the cost of the webinars.
In the next few days, officials could swipe millions of dollars from bicycle and pedestrian projects in your state.
Don’t let your Department of Transportation send crucial federal funding for biking and walking back to Washington, DC!
Last week, Congress passed a jobs bill that contains a $2.2 billion rescission of transportation funds from state DOTs. In many states, the DOT will likely target bike funding programs to send those dollars back to Washington — unless local advocates speak up and make sure that doesn’t happen.
States must report which program funds are affected by August 25 and the law gives officials maximum flexibility to choose which unobligated balance of funds are rescinded. So we need you to take action this week.
Funds may be rescinded from the following programs:
- Transportation Enhancements
- Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ)
- Recreational Trails
- State Planning and Research
- Surface Transportation Program
- Metropolitan Planning
The US DOT is urging state DOTs to reach out to stakeholders, which makes this a perfect opportunity to remind your state’s DOT of the value of bicycle and pedestrian projects. One request we have of state DOTs is that they follow the “proportionality clause” of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 – this ensures that cuts be made equitably across programs.
What can you do? Flood your governor with calls and e-mails to showcase the importance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities — and prove we’re paying attention! Tell your governor: Don’t let the state DOT disproportionately cut funding for Transportation Enhancements, recreational trails, and bicycle and pedestrian projects.
Read more from America Bikes, then visit the League of American Bicyclists Action Center to craft and send a message to your governor. Learn more about rescissions in this Advocacy Advance report.
Alliance > Member Services > Job Board
The Bay Area Bicycle Coalition is seeking an experienced professional with experience in developing, leading and managing a non-profit advocacy organization to join our team as Executive Director. Candidates should have experience with event coordination, corporate sponsorship, organizational development, advocacy, and transportation policy.
The Bay Area Bicycle Coalition, founded in 1986, is the regional bicycle advocacy coalition for the San Francisco Bay Area. BABC works to make the San Francisco Bay Area a national model for progressive bicycling policies. Key issues and projects include:
• Coordinating the regional Bike to Work Day promotional event for the 7 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area
• Working with government agencies, such as the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, Caltrans, cities, counties, and transit agencies, and local bicycle coalitions to develop improved bicycle policies and facilities
• Improving bicycle access to transit systems throughout the Bay Area
• Securing direct bicycle access on all trans-Bay bridges
• Promoting cycling via public information, education, and advocacy
The Executive Director will report to the Board of Directors. The position is an exciting new leadership opportunity with the primary responsibility for coordinating the regional Bike to Work Day program; building organizational capacity by seeking corporate sponsorships, grants and contracts; and leading regional bicycle advocacy efforts.
The Executive Director’s responsibilities fall into four main categories: 1) Event Coordination, 2) Development, 3) Advocacy and 4) Organizational Development
1) Event Coordination
Coordinate implementation of the annual regional Bike to Work Day promotional event in conjunction with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and regional stakeholders.
• Facilitate the Technical Advisory Committee of representatives from each of the local county coordinators for the event
• Solicit Corporate Sponsorships for the Event
• Create and facilitate the completion of the scheduled tasks for implementing Bike to Work Day
• Oversee the preparation and production of all Bike to Work Day promotional materials (print, web, social networking)
• Develop and implement a media outreach strategy
• Produce summary reports and survey results at the completion of the event
• Serve as the regional media spokesperson, developing regional messaging for the event, serving as the primary contact for regional media
2) Development
• Solicit and secure funding, donations, grants; establish a major donors program
• Research potential grantors, develop grant applications and administer grants
• Develop and maintain a fundraising calendar and manage due dates for all proposals and funder reports
• Research other potential funding sources and contracts
3) Advocacy
• Work with the BABC advocacy chair and committee to develop advocacy goals, coordinate campaigns and prepare policy positions
• Strengthen ties with groups such as cycling clubs, bicycle industry, bicycle advocacy groups in the Bay Area and beyond, the Transportation and Land Use Coalition, pedestrian advocacy groups, and other potential allies
• Represent BABC at meetings associated with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and other regional agencies
• Evaluate state and regional legislation and policies that impact bicycling
• Serve as the spokesperson for BABC for advocacy issues, preparing letters, providing oral and written comments to public agencies, and meeting with agency staff and public officials.
• Coordinate advocacy campaigns with local coalitions
4) Organizational Development
• Prepare BABC budget in coordination with BABC treasurer
• Maintain and improve BABC websites and Social Network presence
• Serve as a contact to the media
• Serve as the liaison to the BABC Board of Directors, and prepare agendas and reports for Board meetings
• Hire and Manage BABC staff and subcontractors
• Salary commensurate with experience, up to $60,000/year
• Employer-paid health coverage
• 14 paid-vacation days each year and 10 federal holidays as paid time off
• Work from home with a computer, telephone, internet service and PO Box provided and paid for by BABC
• Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and three writing samples in one PDF file to: Corinne Winter, Board Chair, Bay Area Bicycle Coalition, at resume@bayareabikes.org
• Receipt of complete applications will be acknowledged with an email reply
• The position will be open until filled; however, to be considered for the first round of interviews, applications must be received by 5 PM PT on Friday, September 17th, 2010.
• First interviews are expected to take place in the week of September 20th, 2010.
• The position is expected to start in mid to late October.
• Telephone inquiries are not accepted
The Lone Star State may be a Republican stronghold but BikeTexas proved once again this week that cycling crosses party lines.
On Wednesday morning, a fleet of bicyclists from both sides of the political spectrum departed the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Annual Summit in Louisville for a scenic, eight-mile tour through the Kentucky city.
The 6th Annual Bipartisan Ride — led by both Republican and Democratic legislators from Texas, Kentucky and Minnesota — included 23 senators and representatives from eight states.
“The NCSL ride gives legislators from Texas and around the country a chance to experience the joy of cycling, which is an excellent first step toward achieving our legislative goals,” Robin Stallings, Executive Director of BikeTexas, said in a press release.
Bike Texas inaugurated the ride back in 2005 and they’ve kept the tradition alive by bringing their fleet of bikes to subsequent NCLR Summits. Because the conference moves each year, Texas advocates partner with a local organization in the host city. This year, Bicycling for Louisville made the event bigger than ever, not only planning the route but also rallying more than a dozen expert cyclists to marshal the ride.
Click here to read more about BikeTexas and see photos from the Bipartisan Ride.
Blog contributed by Alliance intern Adam Levine
Students in Tulsa, Oklahoma, are learning that biking and walking are fun, easy ways to get to school.
Thanks to a recent Safe Routes to School grant, Tulsa Hub is teaching bike-skills workshops in five elementary schools throughout the city. Over the course of the 6-week class, students learn safe cycling skills such as helmet fitting, tire repair, signaling, and riding techniques. Taught by League Cycling Instructors, these classes leave the students with a brand new bicycle, helmet, and lock to get them on their way. Through such education, Tulsa Hub hopes to see more students walking and riding to school.
Watch the video below to learn more from Tulsa Hub advocate Ren Barger, and see the program in action.
Alliance > Member Services > Job Board
The National Complete Streets Coalition seeks a motivated Federal Policy Fellow to help advance our federal policy efforts by moving coalition members and partners to action and coordinating the federal policy efforts of the Complete Streets network. This is a tremendous opportunity for a candidate with initiative to take on significant responsibility while learning about transportation reform issues and working directly with a variety of well-known leaders and organizations in the field.
The Federal Policy Fellow will work in the Washington, DC office of Smart Growth America (SGA), the Coalition’s host organization. This is a full-time, six-month fellowship. SGA is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity.
Responsibilities will include:
* Engage coalition partners in advocacy and media efforts
* Help manage relationships and draft materials for key Congressional offices
* Research and analysis of statistics and trends related to transportation
* Assist with outreach meetings and conference sessions to engage local constituents and organizations in the campaign
* Research and write fact sheets and other materials
* General administrative tasks including mailing, event planning, database management, etc and other duties as assigned.
The candidate should have a strong interest in smart growth, transportation policy, or related areas, a bachelor’s degree, and educational or work experience in transportation policy, urban planning, environmental studies, public policy, or a related field. This position requires a self-motivated and detail-oriented person with excellent organizational skills. The candidate must have good communication and interpersonal skills and be able to work independently. Candidates must have exemplary research and writing skills and an ability to synthesize diverse material for lay audiences. The candidate should be highly computer literate with specific experience using the Microsoft Office suite of programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and cloud computing. Experience with Salesforce and Knowlegis is a plus.
The Fellowship comes with a stipend of $1,500 per month. He or she will receive six days of paid sick leave or vacation and will have paid leave on all federal holidays that occur within their tenure.
Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, short writing sample and 3 references to info@completestreets.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
For more than a decade, Mark Birnbaum’s daily commute was edged with anxiety. The Novato, California, resident and member of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition (pictured) biked 16 miles to his job in San Rafael and, every day, braved a narrow stretch on Alameda del Prado.
“It became apparent the first day I ever commuted on my bike in 2000 that it was totally unsafe there,” Birnbaum told the Marin Independent Journal earlier this year. “It was just a matter of time before somebody got killed by an impatient driver. I’ve had a couple of close calls myself.”
Last week, advocates celebrated new bike lanes that will help ease the anxiety of riders like Birnbaum. “I wish Mark were here today,” Judy Arnold, Marin County Board President, said, as she cut the ribbon on the new bicycle facilities.
Birnbaum was traveling out of the country, but more than three dozen advocates showed up to christen the 4-foot bike lanes stretching along both sides of Alameda del Prado. Not only do the new facilities make a dicey stretch more passable for cyclists, but they also connect the existing bicycle lanes on Ignacio Boulevard to the Pacheco Pathway, closing a key one-mile gap in the North/South Bikeway.
According to the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, Birnbaum would be proud. “The completed project includes narrowed landscaped medians, underground utilities and a smooth surface to roll along,” the organization notes in its latest newsletter. “Check out the new bikes lanes the next time you’re traveling north. They’re very nice!”
Read more about the Marin County Bicycle Coalition here.
Back in 2006, a Superior Court put the brakes on San Francisco’s new Bike Plan. With the stroke of a judge’s gavel, officials were restrained from adding any new bicycle facilities in the Bay City. For more than four years, the legal wrangling over the environmental review handcuffed concrete plans for more bike-friendly streets.
As of this week, the brakes are off.
On Friday, the injunction was finally — and fully — lifted, making way for the near-immediate striping of 35 bike lanes.
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, an organization with more than 11,000 members, applauded the ruling.
“We are celebrating San Francisco’s freedom to once again make streets safer for everyone and look forward to real improvements on streets in a matter of days,” Renée Rivera, Acting Executive Director of the SFBC said in a statement. “This is the first time in San Francisco’s history that this many bike lane projects are approved and ready to be striped. These long-awaited improvements will help growing numbers of people feel more confident, comfortable and safe when they bike to shop, to work and to play.”
That growth has been dramatic. Even with the injunction in place, bicycle ridership has surged by more than 53 percent over the past four years. And the new facilities could drastically increase that number: Surveys have shown that more than one-third of San Franciscans would ride if their routes included bike lanes.
With the lifting of the injunction, the city is now poised to nearly double its miles of bike lanes and position itself as one of the nation’s top cycling towns. According to SFBC: “Today’s ruling coupled with the City’s commitment to safer, friendlier streets will propel San Francisco into becoming one of America’s most bicycle-friendly cities.”
Read more from SFBC here.
Invest in biking and walking advocacy where it matters most... on the ground!
The Art of Appeals --Call on August 26
Working with Your Congressional Delegates --Call on September 09
Advanced Member Recruitment and Retention Strategies --Call on September 23
08/18/2010 - Alliance Code for APBP Webinars
07/27/2010 - Board Skill Matrix Sample (Adventure Cycling Association)
07/27/2010 - Board Skill and Representation Matrix (Alliance)
Address: PO Box 65150, Washington, DC , 20035 Stop by the DC Office: 1612 K. Street, Suite 802, Washington, DC 20006P: (202) 449-9692 | F: (202) 223-3477
A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization | © Copyright 2009 Alliance for Biking & Walking Allright reserved | Web Design by Blue Water Media
