Don't miss our April 27 summit, which brings together people from all over Connecticut to talk about how to improve bicycling and walking in our state.  This year's keynote speaker is Alta Planning & Design's Jeff Olson, also author of The Third Mode.  Olson is an architect and planner who has been involved in greenways, open space, active living and alternative transportation projects for more than 20 years.  He'll have copies of his book available for purchase at the summit.   

The 2013 Summit also features Bill Nesper, VP of the League of American Bicyclists.  Nesper directs the LAB's Bicycle Friendly America Program, which includes the Bicycle Friendly Community, Bicycle Friendly State, Bicycle Friendly University and Bicycle Friendly Business recognition programs. 

 > Summit Agenda     > Register Now!

"This is Your Turn to Do Something"

 - Contributed by Peter Heard

On Wednesday, April 24, cyclists will embark on the third annual Tim Johnson’s Ride on Washington to raise funds and awareness for People For Bikes, a national non-profit that works to improve bicycling facilities, opportunities and programs nationwide. “We call this the ride that makes every bike ride better,” said Tim Johnson, a superstar cyclist famous for fostering the popularity of cyclo-cross in America.  “Every time you see a bike path, or a bike lane or a bike program, chances are People For Bikes helped local advocates make that happen.”

-Learn More. Watch the video below.-

Entering its third year, this charity ride's first stop is overnight in Hartford on April 24. While several riders will join for a day or two, the long haul riders will ride more than 500 miles in just five days. After Hartford, the riders stop in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before finishing in Washington, DC on Sunday, April 28.

Riders from Boston are expected to arrive in Hartford are with their support vehicles between 4 and 4:30.  There will be a brief welcoming gathering outdoors on the corner of Prospect Street and Bob Steele Way (formerly Grove Street) very near The Travelers tower.  Anyone is welcome, but parking is limited.  Riders encouraged.  

Then, at 7:00pm, there will be a reception at The Bicycle Studio on Arch Street immediately adjacent to the Arch Street Tavern in Hartford.  This is an opportunity to meet and mingle with Tim Johnson, 6-time U.S. Cyclo-cross Champion, Richard Fries and others.  There is on-street parking on Arch, Sheldon and Prospect Streets.  Also, there is a commercial lot at the new Front Street complex right across the street and, of course, at the Convention Center.  Please be courteous to the Arch Street Tavern next door and not park in their lot.

Please consider supporting this ride with your donations.  Any amount is helpful and will support programs riders care about.  www.RideonWashington.org   Pledge here at https://www.pledgereg.com/41753.

Bike Walk Connecticut member Colleen Kelly Alexander's triumph over her near death experience after being hit while cycling is chronicled in this Patch story by Lisa Lenkiewicz.  

"For many years, Colleen Kelly Alexander rode her bicycle every week for about 300 miles, including the 10-mile journey from her home in Clinton, Connecticut, to work. One fall day in 2011, as she biked home, tragedy struck--a 30-ton freight truck went through a stop sign and slammed into her, crushing her and leaving her near death. Rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital, she “flatlined” twice. But she survived. Then she faced countless operations to repair her body parts and endured weeks of arduous physical therapy."  ... Read the full Patch story here.

Then, please write or call your legislator to urge them to support the Vulnerable User bill. Details here.

Please email or call your legislators to support SB 191, the Vulnerable User bill!
See customizable message below

The Vulnerable User bill has been a top priority on our legislative agenda.  This bill has come before the legislature several times in recent years, but for various reasons has never made it over the finish line. This year could be different--but only if we all  speak up!

Since our last newsletter, SB 191, the 2013 version of the Vulnerable User Bill, has made it out of committee and was put on the Senate Calendar.  Then on April 18 it was referred by the Senate to the Committee on Insurance and Real Estate.

                   Read the Bill                       Read the Plain Language Summary

This bill is not as strong as we would like it to be, but progress is made in increments.  We need to speak up now to keep this bill moving and approved during the 2013 legislative session.  Scroll down for a sample message and FAQs.
___________________________________________________________________________________

Please email or call your legislators to support the Vulnerable User bill!
See customizable message below
___________________________________________________________________________________

• Who are my legislators?  Click here to FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR.  If your legislator on the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, it's really important that they hear from you.  Click here to see who's on the Insurance and Real Estate Committee.
• Where do I find their phone number or email address?  
  Go to FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR.  Enter your street address and town.  Scroll down on the results page to see the names of your State Senator and State Representative.  Click on the email icon to get their email address (some legislators use online forms instead).  Click on the web icon to get to their web page, which shows their phone and office address.
• What do I say?  See below for a message to personalize. 
  
• I'm a little nervous about calling.  Should I be?  
  No!  You'll most likely get an aide who will make a note about your support for the bill and relay it to the legislator. 
  
• If I call or email, is it really going to make a difference?  
  Yes!  Our legislators are not mind readers.  They need to hear from their constituents.  Even a few calls and emails lets them know what people are interested in.  Silence, on the other hand, su

Dear [Your State Senator and Representative--FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR]

As a constituent, cyclist and a proponent of bikeable, walkable communities, I am writing in support of Senate Bill 191, “An Act Concerning the Penalty for Causing Harm to a Vulnerable User of a Public Way.” I urge you to support SB 191 too. 

SB 191 is an important step toward raising awareness of vulnerable road users and holding reckless drivers accountable for crashes that involve the serious injury or death of a vulnerable road user. SB 191 would:

• Define a “vulnerable user” of the state’s roads as a pedestrian, highway worker, person riding or driving an animal, person riding a bicycle, person using a skateboard, roller skates or inline skates, person operating or riding on an agricultural tractor or person using a wheelchair or motorized chair; and
  
• Provide that a person who fails to exercise reasonable care while driving, and injures or kills a vulnerable user, shall be fined up to $1,000.
  

I also support provisions, which were deleted from the original proposed bill, to require a person committing an infraction under SB 191 to attend driver retraining and perform community service. Vulnerable user laws in states such as Oregon, Washington, and Delaware include these requirements to ensure that drivers are held accountable and operate their vehicles safely in the future.

I hope you will support this important bill this year.

Sincerely,


Your Name
Your Address

[please copy bikewalkct@bikewalkct.org]

Statewide Transportation Improvement Program Shows Bike Ped Funding Headed for Trouble

A new report from our friends at Tri-State Transportation Campaign finds Connecticut making mixed progress on prioritizing its sustainable transportation infrastructure investments.   Tri-State  analyzed the Connecticut's $4.26 billion 2012-2015 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP), a blueprint for transportation investments and a key tool to understanding the State’s transportation funding priorities.   Click here for the full report.

The good news is that Tri-State's analysis shows that the percentage of funds going towards pedestrian and bicycle projects has increased since its last analysis. However, the bad news is that the report finds that Connecticut's bike ped projects are being paid for with a higher percentage of federal earmark funds.  

That might be okay for the moment, but given that MAP-21, the current transportation law, eliminates federal earmarks, that means funding for those projects will be seriously curtailed in the near future, putting Connecticut's bike ped progress in jeopardy.  

There's strength in numbers.  Join Bike Walk Connecticut to make a difference and strengthen your voice to invest in better biking conditions in Connecticut.

Adventure cycling documentary coming back to Hartford on April 16 

“Reveal The Path,” the visually stunning adventure documentary that will ignite the dreamer in everyone, will be coming back to Hartford for an encore screening on Tuesday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. after its first show on Feb. 5 sold out the Aetna Theater at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The event will be presented by Bike Walk Connecticut.

“Reveal The Path” is the followup film from the creators of the wildly popular and award-winning film “Ride The Divide.” The film is an inspirational story of adventure, taking viewers on a 36-day vagabond bike trip to some of the world’s most visually stunning destinations.

Filmed on four continents, “Reveal The Path” features world-class mountain bikers, including Tour Divide founder Matthew Lee, star of “Ride The Divide,” and Kurt Refsnider, 2011 Tour Divide winner.

Sponsored by Salsa Cycles, the full-length feature film explores Europe’s snow-capped mountains, Scotland’s lush valleys, Alaska’s rugged coastal beaches, Nepal’s elevated wonders and Morocco’s high desert landscapes.

Along the way the riders connect with locals who are living modest yet seemingly fulfilling lives, leading the filmmakers to question what it means to live an inspired life – however humble or extravagant.

“This adventure will leave you with an eager desire to chart your own course to faraway lands,” said director Mike Dion, who also co-stars in “Reveal The Path,” as he did in “Ride The Divide.” “Or, simply, you may just want to discover with eyes wide open what is around the next bend.”

Advance tickets to the screening are $11 and are available at www.imathlete.com/events/revealthepath. The Wadsworth Museum of Art is located at 600 Main St. in Hartford. Tickets the day of the show will be $15 at the door.

Bike Walk Connecticut is a member-supported non-profit organization making cycling and walking safe, feasible and attractive for a healthier, cleaner Connecticut.  Bike Walk CT is the only organization working statewide to make Connecticut bike- and pedestrian-friendly. For more information, go to www.bikewalkct.org.

To view the trailer or for more information on the film, go to www.revealthepath.com.

For additional information, contact Garry Harrington at 603-209-5010 or gharrington3165@hotmail.com

"We understand the conditions that lead to pedestrian deaths, and we have proven tools to prevent these tragedies. It's time to put these tools to use. We must redesign Connecticut's roads and enhance traffic enforcement to make our roads safe for everyone."  

So writes Amy Schwartz, a primary care physician at VA Connecticut Healthcare System and a member of Elm City Cycling in a recent op-ed in the CT Post. 

Schwartz calls for Governor Malloy to direct the Connecticut Department of Transportation to redesign the outdated Connecticut Highway Design Manual, the standard reference book used by the state's road designers and engineers, to include information about designing streets that are safe for all users.

"Speed and red light cameras can enforce traffic laws by recording vehicles that exceed the speed limit or fail to stop at red lights," continues Schwartz, who adds that "Connecticut should also pass a vulnerable-users bill to increase penalties for careless drivers who injure or kill pedestrians, cyclists or highway workers."

> Read the full CT Post op-ed from Amy Schwartz, a primary care physician at VA Connecticut Healthcare System and a member of Elm City Cycling.

As the statewide advocate for cyclists and pedestrians, we have to keep an eye on the bills that come up during the legislative session that could affect our interests.

The bills we're watching this legislative session can be viewed below (scroll down and right), or download the list in pdf.

To view our testimony, click on "Advocacy" in the category list at right.

Bike Walk Connecticut is on MeetUp at http://www.meetup.com/Bike-Walk-CT/.
Spread the word!

We love that Rethinking Transportation is the feature story in the first issue of Hartford Business Journal's newest publication, the Connecticut Green Guide.  

In case you missed it, Bike to Work Day is featured on page 15 and the feature story begins on page 26.
The Green Guide features the business-to-business sustainable community, helping Connecticut companies reduce expenses, add revenues, and increase environmental responsibility. View the Spring 2013 digital edition.