Monday, July 7, 2014 9:34 PM EDT
By ROBERT STORACE, STAFF WRITER

NEW BRITAIN — Get on your two-wheeler.  Citing the city’s public outreach efforts and municipal leadership, Bike Walk Connecticut has ranked New Britain as the third most bike-friendly community in the state.  It was also deemed the third most walk-friendly community.

Kelly Kennedy, executive director of the non profit, said in a statement that “being able to get around safely by bike or on foot isn’t just a fad or a health issue, or environmental issue. It’s an economic development issue. Towns that are bike and walk friendly are great places to live, work, shop and play.”
> READ THE FULL NEW BRITAIN HERALD STORY HERE.

The Connecticut Post's Week in Photos shows:
Hector Restrepo bikes along Broad Street in downtown Milford, Conn. on Wednesday July 2, 2014. Bike Walk Connecticut released a first-of-its-kind ranking of the state's cities and towns on how bike and walk friendly they are. Simsbury was ranked first, while Milford was ranked at 14th. | Buy this photo from CT Post

By Mike Clifford, Public News Service - CT
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June 10, 2014  HARTFORD, Conn. - A survey is underway to make Connecticut streets more friendly for pedestrians and bicycles, and survey organizers say the results should eventually result in positive impacts for health, air quality and even the economy.

As day-to-day work grows more computer-based, employees often wind up spending too much time sitting. Kelly Kennedy, the executive director of Bike Walk Connecticut, says that sedentary work environment is taking a big hit on workers' health. In fact, Kennedy says public health is the primary reason her group is conducting this first of its kind survey, called Complete Streets, in an effort to make roads originally designed for cars more user-friendly for those on foot and riding bicycles.

"If it were easier and safer to get around and to make at least short trips by bike or by foot that would improve our health," says Kennedy. "It would also improve air quality."

Kennedy says her organization's survey is also questioning city planners to get a sense of what towns and municipalities are doing proactively to create more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly routes. She says they also want to know if it is easy for you to get around your town by bike or on foot, and what it's like walking or biking to places like schools, parks, senior centers and shopping centers.

The survey is accessible from the Bike Walk Connecticut website.

"If it's not generally easy to get around, then we ask for specifics; what's the problem, are there not enough sidewalks, do the sidewalks stop and start suddenly," says Kennedy. "Those are the kinds of things that we are getting at."

She says the money saved by greater numbers of people walking and biking can add up to big benefits for local economies.

"Gas prices are only going up, and the more money we spend on gas and on cars the less money we have for other things," explains Kennedy. "If we can re-purpose some of that spending, we can help other sectors of the economy like the mom-and-pop stores that keep the economy moving."

The Complete Streets survey is funded through a federal cooperative agreement administered by the Connecticut Department of Public Health. The results will be released early this summer.

The CT Post's What the Health column by Amanda Cuda circulated Bike Walk Connecticut's public opinion survey on bike- and walk-friendly towns:

"Bike Walk Connecticut is conducting a statewide public opinion survey of the bike- and walk-friendliness of Connecticut’s cities and towns. The survey is available at   www.surveymonkey.com/s/bikewalkCT.

You can learn more about this project at www.bikewalkct.org/complete-streets-campaign.  This initiative is made possible through the financial support of the Connecticut Department of Public Health through Cooperative Agreement 1305 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC."

Editorial note:  Although CT had a long winter, it is unlikely that the snow in the photo existed while Bike Walk CT's survey was running in May and June.

This article appeared in the Shelton Herald:

By Shelton Herald on May 8, 2014 -- Local residents are being urged to use their bicycles to get to — and from — their work places on Friday, May 16, which is National Bike to Work Day.  According to the Bike Walk Connecticut organization, bike commuting reduces traffic, avoids pollution, saves gas, and burns calories...  READ the full Shelton Herald story here.

This article appeared in the Hartford Courant.

By DON STACOM, dstacom@courant.com for The Hartford Courant, May 10, 2014--Bike Walk Connecticut has a pitch for commuters who grumble about traffic backups, potholes and aggressive drivers: Try something different next week.  The advocacy group is promoting Bike to Work Day on May 16 as a chance for commuters to test-drive the idea of parking the car and setting out on two wheels instead...  READ the full Courant story here.

This article ran in the Hartford Business Journal. 

Hartford nonprofit Bike Walk Connecticut is organizing this year's Bike to Work Day on May 16.

The organization will help put together more than 20 breakfasts and events throughout the state, including the Hartford gathering event at 8 a.m. at the Old State House. 

Read the full article here. 

Hartford, CT (April 30, 2014) - Bike Walk Connecticut is promoting bike commuting all around the state on May 16-National Bike to Work Day. Bike commuting reduces traffic, avoids pollution, saves gas-and burns calories!  More than half of the U.S. population lives within five miles of their workplace, making bicycling a realistic, fun way to get to work.  Rookies, veteran commuters and everyone in between are encouraged to pledge to Bike to Work on May 16 at www.bikewalkct.org/bike-to-work. 

What: More than 20 Bike to Work Day breakfasts and events are scheduled incities, towns and at companies around the state on May 16. Nearly 20 separate meetups are also scheduled throughout the state. State government agencies are in on the action too, competing for the "Commissioner's Cup."

When: May 16, 2014, National Bike to Work Day

Hartford Event: Old State House (East Lawn), 800 Main Street, Hartford, 7 to 9 a.m., Program at 8 a.m. Held Rain or Shine. 

Who: Bike Walk Connecticut with State Senator Beth Bye; DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee; DPH Deputy Director Kathleen Lewis; DAS Deputy Commissioner Martin Anderson; and Insurance Deputy Commissioner Anne Melissa Dowling at program at Old State House in Hartford  

Statewide Events: Other Bike to Work Day events will be held all across the state. For details, see: http://www.bikewalkct.org/event-locations.html

Meet-ups: For a full list of meet-ups throughout the state,  see: www.bikewalkct.org/meet-ups

Contact:  
Tara Cantore
 tara@bikewalkct.org
860.904.2420

Kelly Kennedy
Executive Director   kelly.kennedy@bikewalkct.org
860.977.1179

Bike Walk Connecticut, a statewide, not-for-profit membership organization, works to make Connecticut a better place to bike and walk.

An Op-Ed in the Hartford Courant mentions Bike Walk Connecticut as an inspired and inspiring organization.  Walking Does Wonders At Work, Beyond; The Hartford Courant, (Mar 12 2014).

Hartford Business Journal's spring edition of the Green Guide covers Laura Baum's election as president of Bike Walk Connecticut.
(March 17, 2014)