Building a Bicycle Friendly America

League Unveils a New BFC Web Site

The League has launched a new Web site for the Bicycle Friendly Community program. To find out more about which cities are bicycle friendly, at what level, and why, just click on a state. The list of cities in that state will appear, and you can click on any cities listed to see photos, learn about their strongest programs, and find out when the city was designated Bicycle Friendly. As always, this program would not be possible without the generous support of Bikes Belong. Start your community on the road to bicycle friendliness … applications are due August 17, 2007.

BikeEd

Only Two Weeks Left Until: AUSTIN!

We’ve got awesome speakers, a packed program, and fantastic rides planned for BikeEd 2007: All we are missing is YOU. It’s not too late to sign up and join us in Austin on June 14-16, 2007!

National Notes

Congratulations to League Clubs of the Year

Although the more than 600 clubs and advocacy organizations that belong to the League all do excellent work, some consistently rise above the rest. To honor these outstanding clubs and advocacy organizations, League board members select one club from each region as Club of the Year. The 2007 regional clubs of the year are: Region 1: MassBike (MA); Region 2: Washington Area Bicyclist Association (DC); Region 3: Boca Raton Bicycle Club (FL); Region 4: Hancock Handlebars (OH); Region 5: Spokes & Folks Bicycle Club (WI); Region 6: Santa Rosa Cycling Club (CA). If your club deserves to be on this list ... tell your board member. Nominations open in the fall, but you can suggest anytime. Each issue of American Bicyclist this year will highlight one or two of these clubs and advocacy organizations, and speak about how they help count cyclists in. Read more about the Washington Area Bicyclist Association in the May/June issue!

Bicycling Brings Money to Great Cases

The Run Walk Ride Fundraising Council analyzed fundraising/exercise programs around the nation, and came up with a top ten list of programs. Two involve bicycling—Team in Training with their century rides and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society bicycle rides. Click here to read the top 10.

Word on the Street

San Francisco Establishes Bike Milestones

On Thursday, May 17, Gavin Newsom, the mayor of San Francisco, established a set of comprehensive milestones called Bike SF 2010. These milestones are the first-ever comprehensive goals that will measure San Francisco’s progress in making bike improvements to local streets. The multi-faceted milestones include expeditiously completing required environmental review of the City’s Bike Plan, creating new bike lanes and infrastructure when the environmental review is complete, and halving bike injury collisions. The most ambitious goal in these landmark milestones aims toward San Franciscans using bikes for at least 10 percent of total trips by 2010. A public opinion survey in July 2006, conducted by David Binder Research found that five percent of San Franciscans already use bicycling as their main mode of transportation to work or school. Click here to read the milestones.

What's It Like to Earn A Bike?

Find out first hand, from three children in the Earn-a-Bike program, a Houston-based initiative. Click here to them tell NOW about their experiences working on bicycles for themselves and others in need of two wheels. The program teaches kids how to fix up bikes and aims to empower inner-city youth in the city's poorest areas. The kids volunteer to fix up a bike and eventually ride off with one of their own.

Good Person Needed

LA Searching for Planning & Policy Director

The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is hiring a Planning & Policy Director. This person will report to the Executive Director and play an important role in developing and communicating LACBC's infrastructure and policy platforms. This will be a one-year contract with an option to renew based on performance and acquisition of additional grants. Click here to learn more.