National News
House Bike Caucus Co-Chair Announced
Congressman Thomas Petri (R-WI) joins Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), as co-chairs of the House Congressional Bike Caucus. Throughout his career, Congressman Petri has been a strong ally for cyclists in Congress. In 2004, he was instrumental in reinstating the Transportation Enhancements program into the transportation reauthorization legislation and was crucial in developing the bicycle and pedestrian provisions of SAFETEA-LU. Petri helped to pass a resolution on the House floor in support of National Bike Month to promote bicycle safety and the benefits of bicycling.
It's Always Better to Bicycle
excerpted from The Copenhagen Post
At this year’s National Bike Summit, we’ll be creating a National Bicycling Strategy for America. Other countries have already established one, and are now building on it. The latest news from Denmark is Transport Minister Flemming Hansen new strategy, “Drive on two wheels.” Hansen believes his office has a responsibility to get Danes back into their traditional cycling habits and away from driving vehicles.
The transport minister wouldn't comment on the initiative's details, but the plan already has the support of both the Danish People's Party and the Social Liberals - two parties traditionally found on opposing sides of political issues.
NCUTCD Endorses Shared Lane Markings
Richard Moeur, the League of American Bicyclists’ representative on the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) reports that their winter meeting was very successful. At the meeting, the committee voted 35-0-3 to endorse the shared lane marking and forward it to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for potential inclusion in the next edition of the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Also at this meeting, FHWA announced that the rulemaking process for the next MUTCD will begin soon, with draft MUTCD content out for public review and comment by this fall. Moeur reports, based on previous experience, it will likely be spring 2009 at the very earliest before the next MUTCD (with the shared lane marking) is approved & published.
To see a list of all the items that NCUTCD has recommended, visit: http://members.cox.net/ncutcdbtc/accomp.html.
Meetings About Bicycling
Stand Up for Recreational Cycling
There will be a series of Recreation Forums held around the country in March and April that will help shape the future of recreation opportunities in America. Regional forums will be held in Colorado, Georgia, California, Oregon and Illinois, convened by the American Recreation Coalition and the National Forest Foundation. The Forest Service and other federal agencies will play an active role in the series of meetings.
It is important that bicyclists—of all kinds—participate in these meetings, so bicycling remains at the forefront of recreational activities in the future. For more information, and times and places, click here.
Walk/Bike California 2007
The third biennial Walk/Bike California Conference will be held Sept. 11-14, 2007 in Davis, Calif. (the only platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community). The call for presentations, posters, sponsors, exhibits or awards deadline is Friday, March 16. For information and submittal forms, refer to the conference site.
National SRTS Task Force Meeting
Excerpted from the Safe Routes to School e-news
The Federal Highway Administration convened the first National Safe Routes to School Task Force meeting on January 11 in Washington DC. The creation of the Task Force, as an advisory body to the U.S. Department of Transportation, was a requirement of section 1404 of SAFETEA-LU, the enabling legislation that created the national SRTS program. The Task Force will study and develop a strategy for advancing Safe Routes to School programs nationwide and will be responsible for submitting to the U.S. DOT Secretary a report for Congress detailing the results of their work. Two additional meetings will take place in 2007. For more information about the Task Force and future meetings, click here.
Industry News
Adventure Cycling Names Award Winners
Adventure Cycling Association has named the recipients of its 2006 Pacesetter, Bike Shop, and Trail Angel awards. The first annual Pacesetter Bicycle Travel Award has been presented to the Allegheny Trail Alliance, under the leadership of Linda McKenna Boxx, in Latrobe, Pa., for contributing to the success of bicycle travel across the U.S. through extraordinary efforts. The 2006 Sam Braxton Bike Shop Award goes to Wheelworks in Belmont and Somerville, Massachusetts, for their support of active lifestyles. The 2006 June Curry Trail Angel Award goes to Gillian Hoggard from Ordway, Colorado. Hoggard provides free lodging to bicyclists along Adventure Cycling’s TransAmerica Bicycle Route and is also active and sincere in encouraging her community to be welcoming and helpful to touring cyclists.
Personal & Political
Bill Edwards Recovers from Cancer
Bill Edwards, a longtime League member and one of the authors of the recently published League Group Riding Curriculum, was diagnosed with severe cancer after feeling under the weather at the March 2006 Houston Senior Olympics. The Houston Chronicle just wrote a heartwarming story about his battle with cancer, his remission, and how bicycling helped him along the way.
Send Us Your Legislation News
The League monitors, initiates and responds to legislation all the time. However, you give us the best information about what is going on in your state. We are compiling a write up on current bike legislation --- if you know of any in your state, drop us a line and we’ll include it. From share the road plates to safe passing laws, we want to know what is going on in your state. Email elizabeth@bikeleague.org with your information.
