Sec'y Peters Meets with League & America Bikes

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters met today with a delegation from the America Bikes coalition, including the League’s Executive Director Andy Clarke. Secretary Peters apologized for her remarks last August that appeared to link the Minneapolis bridge collapse to the diversion of highway funding for bike paths, and acknowledged that she had heard from a lot of League members on the topic! She enjoyed a constructive dialog about the role of bicycles in national transportation policy, the need for better nonmotorized data collection, and the concerns of the bicycle community over the next round of transportation funding rescissions – and the potential impact on funding for bicycle projects and programs. Stay tuned for more details and pictures of the meeting.

Interim Report on Non-Motorized Pilot Project

In January 2008, the Secretary of Transportation submitted a cover letter and Interim Report to Congress that describes the progress and initial results of the program created by SAFETEA-LU – four communities received $25 million each to promote bicycling and walking.

League Board Welcomes New Faces

The Board of the League is welcoming four new members and one returning member following recent elections and appointments. Taking their seats in March will be: Bill Hoffman, representing Region 2; Bruce Rosar, representing Region 3; Harry Brull, representing Region 5; Hans van Naerssen, elected at large; and Eric Swanson, appointed to fill the vacant Treasurer seat. “We are delighted to welcome aboard five committed cyclists who bring an incredible array of talents and knowledge of cycling issues to the League board,” said Amanda Eichstaedt, chair of the League board. “We also want to thank all the candidates in the recent elections for their commitment to the organization – especially outgoing board members Don Sparks, Ellen Jones, and Gail Spann who have served the organization so well during their terms.” The new board members will take their seats at the March 4 board meeting in D.C., held in conjunction with the National Bike Summit.

Chicago Works to Become More Bicycle Friendly

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley has introduced an ordinance that would further protect bicyclists on Chicago's roads. The ordinance, which would require motorists to pay a fine of up to $500 for endangering a cyclist, is critical to Chicago's vision of a bicycle-friendly city. Violations include turning right or left in front of a bicyclist; passing a bicyclist with less than three feet of space; double parking in a marked shared lane and opening a door into the path of a bicyclist. It would also raise the fine for parking or driving in a bike lane from $100 to $150. "Getting all vehicles to share the road in a courteous way is just one part of creating safe and healthy streets in Chicago," said Chicagoland Bicycle Federation Executive Director Rob Sadowsky.

American Cycling Pioneer Passes Away

Excerpted from the Sacramento Bee
Frank C. Child, an early leader of the UC Davis economics department and a visionary civic activist who led efforts to establish the city of Davis' signature bikeway system – the nation's first – died in January. He was 86. He died in Santa Cruz, where he retired as dean of social sciences at University of California, Santa Cruz. Before that, he worked at UC-Davis. Child arrived in Davis after living for four months in the Netherlands, where bicycles were the dominant transportation mode. Eyeing the city's flat terrain, he and his wife, Eve, launched a grass-roots effort in 1964 to establish a system of bicycle lanes on Davis streets. His work led to Davis' platinum status in the League's Bicycle Friendly Community program.

Bikes Belong Awards $50 Thousand in Grants

Bikes Belong just awarded six grants to grassroots groups in Colorado, Georgia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington to help build new bike paths and trails. Great facilities like these enable and encourage people to ride their bikes more often and make communities safer, healthier, and more enjoyable places to live. Click here to read more about the grant winners.

Financing Commission Issues Interim Report

The nation’s surface transportation system is in a
“physical and financial crisis” because current revenue is insufficient to maintain and improve this country’s highways, public transportation systems and intermodal connectors, according to an interim report released by the National Surface
Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commissions Interim Report. The Commission invites comments on its Interim Report, and will address the comments that it receives in its Final Report, which the Commission plans to release in the late fall 2008. Comments can be sent to the Commission’s Staff Director, Jack Wells, at jack.wells@dot.gov. Note: This is a separate and different report from the one issued in January by the National Surface Transportation and Revenue Study Commission although it deals with some similar issues. Both reports singularly and conspicuously fail to address bicycling and walking issues.

Building an Entire Bicycle ... Out of Wood & Glue

RoadBikeRider alerted us to this awesome story about a high school student who decided to build a bike out of wood: " As a 16-year-old high school student in the International Baccalaureate program, I am required to complete a 'personal project' on a non-academic topic that is of interest to me. I have always enjoyed woodworking and design, so I decided to build a functional wooden bicycle. There was to be no metal used in its construction, only wood and glue. I wanted a project that would be a challenge." Click here to read the story -- and see the pics!

America Bikes Hiring Campaign Director

America Bikes, the coalition of national bicycling and trail advocacy groups working to boost federal government investment in cycling, is seeking a well-organized, experienced professional to serve as our Campaign Director. The Campaign Director will manage America Bikes' efforts in the upcoming reauthorization of the federal transportation bill, which sets policy and overall funding levels for all forms of surface transportation in the United States. The position will be based in Washington, DC. If interested, submit a resume and cover letter as soon as possible to americabikes@biketraffic.org.

VT Seeks Safe Routes to School Coordinator

The Vermont Agency of Transportation is currently recruiting to fill the position of Safe Routes to School Coordinator. The Vermont SRTS program is well established and has awarded more than $2M of the $5M it will have available over the life of the SAFETEA-LU funded program. More than 30 schools are participating statewide in all aspects of the 5Es of the program (Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation, Engineering). The SRTS Coordinator oversees all aspects of the program with guidance from a multi-disciplinary Task Force. The SRTS Coordinator is located in the Program Development Division of the Agency and is supervised by the state Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager. To apply for the position and get more details on minimum qualifications, go to the Vermont Department of Human Resources (DHR) website.

County in Maryland Seeks Ped Safety Coordinator

Montgomery County, Maryland is looking for a Pedestrian Safety Coordinator. The specific job description can be found on the County’s website here. The general County site is: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/. This is a great place to live and work and they need a strong advocate for pedestrians here, so apply or spread the word!