 Don't wait too long to register for the 2015 Bike Walk Summit! The early bird discount ends March 15. Click here for more details.
.............................................................................................................................. Fri., April 24, 2015: Connecticut Bike Walk Summit for citizens, policymakers, and professionals, featuring Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator for the city of Portland, Oregon and DOT Commissioner Jim Redeker. The summit will cover the state of the bike ped movement in Connecticut, including developments on legislation and state funding, trail networks, getting complete street policies enacted, getting the public engaged, enforcement, as a well as a member meeting. REGISTER FOR THE BIKE WALK SUMMIT And volunteer on the Summit Committee! .............................................................................................................................. Thurs., April 23, 2015: NACTO Bikeway Design Guide Workshop for professionals, led by Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator for the city of Portland, Oregon. REGISTER FOR NACTO WORKSHOP .............................................................................................................................. People For Bikes says: If anyone in the United States understands how policies can support biking, it's Roger Geller. As Portland's bicycle coordinator, he's overseen a 250 percent spike in bike commuting and helped the city top countless bike-lovers' lists. Photo: Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator at Portland Bureau of Transportation Our biennial BIKE WALK SUMMIT expands this year! We hope you'll join us.
Bike Walk Connecticut is pleased to let you know that plans for our biennial summit are underway. The 2015 Bike Walk CT Summit will take place on Friday, April 24 at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center in Old Wethersfield, in central Connecticut and a short distance from I-91. We tried to find a centrally located, business class venue for a Friday and Saturday event, but none were to be found (it's wedding season!). We know the Friday schedule is not ideal for some of our members, but we hope many of you will still be able to attend. This year, the summit will be preceded by a full day of NACTO Bikeway Design Training on Thursday, April 23, for planners and engineers at the state, local and regional levels. This training will complement our complete streets project and the new US Mayors Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets. Professionals from the public and private sectors are welcome. Help us make the summit a success! We could use a few good volunteers to help coordinate programming and logistics. We have some ideas of our own, but what would you like this year's summit to address? To volunteer or send programming ideas, email bikewalkct@bikewalkct.org with SUMMIT in the subject line.
More details to follow as soon as possible. We think you'll be energized! by MaryEllen Thibodeau Bike Walk Connecticut was represented at the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC on March 3-5 by Laura Baum and MaryEllen Thibodeau. Joining them and 700 others were Jan Bolland Tanner and Jodi Polsgrove of Benidorm Bike in Canton, Trevor Maclean, a college student and bike racer from Westport, and Michael Norris, CT Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board member (go to diybiking.com for a great article on his first timer’s trip to the summit). We heard that the snowstorm which arrived in DC Sunday night interfered with some attendees travel, but you couldn’t tell from the large crowds of cycling enthusiasts who braved the weather. We heard from and learned from creative, hardworking, committed advocates from all over the US and government officials like Congressman Earl Blumenaur of Portland Oregon – cyclists’ best friend in Congress bar none – and DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx, who as mayor of Charlotte, NC put roads on diets to add bike lanes. Unfortunately, due to the prevailing sentiment in Congress, there was not much good news on the federal front for any increased funding for biking and walking. But we were heartened by some of the great things that are being done at the local level by mayors who “get it” – like the mayor of Memphis who is adding bike lanes and multi-use paths to combat an obesity epidemic – and cities like Las Vegas – yup, you soon will be able to bike from casino to casino - that are adding bike share programs. On to the Hill On March 5, we spent the entire day going from meeting to meeting with legislative assistants for Senators Blumenthal and Murphy and Representatives Larson, DeLauro, Himes and Esty to let them know how important support for biking and pedestrian initiatives is for many people back home. Our hopes of bringing this message directly to our elected officials (we were slated to meet with Rep. Esty) were dashed when we learned that most of them would be boarding Air Force One with President Obama to attend his speech at Central Connecticut State University that afternoon. We asked for help in passing two acts which had been introduced recently in the Senate and House. Specifically, we asked that each of the elected officials from Connecticut co-sponsor the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act: HR 3494 / S 1708 and the Safe Streets Act (previously introduced as the Complete Streets Act) HR 2468/ S2004. Senator Blumenthal had already agreed to co-sponsor the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act directly as a result of receiving over 100 emails asking him to do that. Yes, your voice does make a difference!  The agenda for the 2014 National Bike Summit and National Women's Bicycling Forum is packed with high-profile speakers and important topics that will build the movement at the federal level and help you make biking better in your community.
So what are you waiting for?! Don't miss the premier bicycle advocacy event of the year—and save $100 by registering by January 22, this Wednesday! See the program and details here. The National Bike Summit, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists, will be held in Washington, DC, March 3-5. Join Bike Walk CT and other advocates, bicycle clubs and bike industry leaders to learn how you can work more effectively for bicycle friendly places.
The summit—United Spokes: Moving beyond Gridlock—promises to be educational and energizing. The vast majority of funding for bicycle projects in Connecticut comes from the federal government and with another transportation bill on the horizon in Congress, it’s critical that our elected officials in Washington hear from us. For more information visit www.bikeleague.org. Bike shops that are members of NBDA should contact NBDA about possible scholarships. Contact MaryEllen Thibodeau, the Connecticut state coordinator for the summit, at mekthibodeau@gmail.com with any specific questions. SATURDAY APRIL 27 ~ 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM ~ YALE UNIVERSITY, LINSLY-CHITTENDEN HALL ~ NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT  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! Be sure to save April 27 for the 2013 Connecticut Bike Walk Summit, which will take place at Yale University in New Haven.  The 2013 Bike Walk Summit brings together people from all over Connecticut to talk about how to improve bicycling and walking in our state.
Join Bike Walk Connecticut at this year’s summit and help make cycling and walking safe and attractive for a healthier, cleaner Connecticut. Registration opens March 1. Advance registration is required; we regret that walk-ins cannot be accomodated. Get ready to secure your seat and save money by registering early. - Submitted by MaryEllen Thibodeau  Go to your calendar right now (really, right now) and reserve April 27 for Bike Walk Connecticut's 2013 Bike Walk Summit which will be held at Yale University in New Haven.
The summit will run from approximately 9-2:30 and will be followed by an optional bike ride or walking tour and happy hour. Join others from around Connecticut to learn from experts, state and local officials and fellow advocates how to make Connecticut a better place to walk and bike. We’ll keep you posted on program details and let you know when registration opens. |
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