Advocacy Groups Remain Separate

The Alliance for Biking and Walking, Bikes Belong, and League of American Bicyclists announced late last year that they were exploring the idea of merging into one organization.  Today, they issued the Press Release saying that they plan to coordinate resources, but remain as three separate organizations.  

Elizabethton

. . Y'all have done a great job at getting national attention for Ms Tryon, but it is important this incident become a positive for everyone and we don't overdue our concern and turn it into a negative.
. . This matter now has the attention of Andy Clark at the League of American Bicyclists who has assigned several people to work with the police chief and the National Safe Routes to School Partnership.
. . Jeff Miller at the Alliance for Biking and Walking has been following closely. And, the National Director for Safe Routes to School is researching further action.  It is an important issue to all and I am sure Ms Tryon will get good support from these people.
. . Plus the Directors of Bike Walk Tennessee are helping.
. . I believe everything will work out fine as long as we remember our primary interest is the well being of the 5'th grade girl who wants to ride her bike to school.  Both the mother and the policeman acted with sincere concern for the girl.  We don't want to push people into hard positions that make them forget the best interests of the young girl are everyone's priority.

Meeting With Your Member of Congress

Jeff Miller of the Alliance for Bike and Walking has provided “talking points” when meeting with legislators.  At risk is funding of Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to Schools.  Without support these programs are expected to be eliminated.

Jeff focuses on:

- Bicycling and walking are essential to our communities.

- Bicycling and walking programs are cost-effective and solve multiple problems: Reduce congestion, create jobs, increase real estate values, reduce healthcare costs, minimize transportation infrastructure costs

- More bicycles are sold than cars and trucks combined. Bike commuting increased more than 40 percent between 2001 and 2008.

How can you help? Please forward to BikeWalkTN@gmail.com SPECIFIC examples how bicycles and pedestrian activities have helped your community.

Advocacy Advance

Advocacy Advance is a partnership between the League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking and Walking to research issues critical to the bicycling community. The Advocacy Advance Team has created a series of reports to help Alliance member organizations access Federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects.

Working So You Can Bike

. . Jeff Miller of the Alliance for Bike and Walking recognizes Philip Pugliese of Outdoor Chattanooga and Director of Bike Walk Tennessee (BWT) for sponsoring this year's Leadership Retreat. Besides this event he was also responsible for Pro-Walk/Pro-Bike meeting in Chattanooga. He was a VERY busy man this week. Philip also thanked Jeff for his help in the formation of BWT.
. . EIGHT directors of BWT joined the Leadership Retreat this time, making it the largest contingent. They paid ALL their own expenses saving the organization finances to use on programs for promoting biking and walking.
. . The meeting was very rewarding for everyone and reinforced everyone's suspicions that BWT was making good progress.
. . Prior to the Leadership Retreat, BWT held its FIRST Annual Membership meeting also at Outdoor Chattanooga.
. . Subsequent to the Retreat several of the Directors remained and participated in meetings of Adventure Cycling and Pro-Walk/Pro-Bike.

Illinois Bicyclists Get Anti-harassment Law

Click here to read the details as provided by the Alliance for Biking and Walking.  Is it time for Tennessee to pass a similar law?