FALL 2012 Bikes Belong Update

federal policy & funding • national leadership • community grants • bicycling promotion

Bikes Belong is the coalition of U.S. manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers working together to put more people on more often.

Bikes Belong is a coalition of U.S. bicycle manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers working together to put more people on bicycles more often. federal policy & funding

generally see great value and multiple benefits in bike projects and are likely to take full advantage of TA. We have momentum on our side.

The bad news is that MAP-21 gives states unprecedented flexibility to reallocate (or completely opt-out of spending) money that was previously dedicated to make bicycling and walking safer, more appealing, and more convenient. In the states where highway construction is seen as the only priority, funding for bike projects will likely be cut. The damage will be compounded by the fact that the overall pool of money available for bike-ped increased bicycle infrastructure to give Americans more safe projects in MAP-21 is less than the previous bill. BikesPAC More Important Than Ever places to ride,” said Bruno Maier, vice president of Bikes Belong. Photo credit: Adam Coppola Moving Forward BikesPAC, Bikes Belong Coalition’s political action committee, “We must participate in the political process to be effective.” The New Federal Transportation Bill: The annual federal bike/ped investment has hovered around is the bike industry’s way to support the members of Congress Since its inception, BikesPAC has contributed more than $800 million in each of the last four years. We expect the sum to who back bicycling. The federal government is the number one $200,000 to the campaigns of individual members of Congress. be roughly the same for the fiscal year that ends September 30, What It Means for Bicycling investor in U.S. bike facilities and programs. These investments – BikesPAC is absolutely bipartisan – contributing equally to 2012. What happens in the two fiscal years will depend, which total more than $6 billion in the last 10 years – pay for bike Republicans and Democrats. MAP-21, the new two-year federal transportation bill that takes in part, on how effective bike advocates and the bike industry paths, trails, lanes, bridges, underpasses, and safe routes to school effect on October 1, is likely to reduce the federal investment in are in influencing state and local decisions. Bikes Belong and that make bicycling safer and more convenient. This is important Learn more at bikesbelong.org/bikespac. bicycling and walking. Bikes Belong and the bike industry will our key advocacy group partners will provide steady advice in the for the bike industry: if these investments continue and grow, work closely with our state and local partners to maximize federal coming months on achieving this important strategic goal. they will help get more people riding bikes, which will enable funds to build and improve bicycling and walking infrastructure. Why was bike/ped the one category to take a big hit? Cutting the bicycling business to sell more bikes, more equipment, and Four questions loom: or eliminating dedicated transportation funding for bicycling become stronger nationwide. 1 How much funding will be cut? was a top 2012 goal for some Members of Congress. They see It would be nice to think that the best ideas – like bicycling as a 2 How will these cuts affect bicycling and all types of it as a low-priority—even wasteful—investment for the federal transportation? government. Our response? Bicycling infrastructure investments solution to obesity, road congestion, and air pollution – would 3 Why did this happen...and what are the lessons? rank among the best of all: they’re low-cost, quick-to-implement, automatically rise to the top. But, this is a country of more 4 What can supporters of a cost-effective federal investment increasingly popular, and beneficial not only in moving people than 300 million people with countless different perspectives in bicycling do to minimize the cuts and rebuild a beneficial efficiently, but also in reducing road congestion, obesity, and air on just about every issue. The bike industry is just one of about long-term federal program? pollution. Bike riding saves individuals and government money. 1,000 different types of businesses working to influence federal We have learned that we must build a stronger grassroots transportation policy and funding decisions. This group includes During the next two fiscal years, states will no longer be required network to help convey this message to lawmakers. road builders, auto manufacturers, transit interests, and a variety to dedicate a percentage of federal transportation dollars to bike of other well-organized, well-funded organizations. In this swirl infrastructure and related programs. Programs that previously The battle to preserve critical federal funding for biking of ideas, it’s not surprising that members of Congress listen received guaranteed funding—Transportation Enhancements now moves to the states and local communities. While first to the people they know and the people who support them. (TE), Safe Routes to School, and Recreational Trails—have been the Transportation Alternatives program is smaller than its BikesPAC moves bicycling into this select group and gives us the revised, consolidated, or weakened. While bicycling projects predecessors, TA and the larger, core transportation and safety opportunity to make our case, face to face. traditionally funded by these programs remain eligible for programs still present significant opportunities for federal funding support, they must compete with a variety of other projects— for biking. Bikes Belong is working with our advocacy partners to PAC funding will never buy the outcome – and that’s a good some of them new, and many of them costly. ensure that states and local governments use every opportunity thing – but it will give us a chance to be heard. in the new law to make bicycling safer and more convenient. The overall effect of these changes is difficult to estimate and “With the elections right around the corner, it is vitally important may not be noticeable at first. Several hundred million dollars The continuation of a modest, results-oriented federal investment that we support lawmakers who strongly promote bicycling and remain in the pipeline from the previous federal legislation, in bike infrastructure is essential to making bicycling better for all SAFETEA-LU—much of it for projects that have been approved Americans. It is important to the bike business and our economy. but not yet built. We need to make sure states spend As better bikeway networks become available, Americans will all remaining funds for these worthy projects from the bike more and our nation will benefit. Stay tuned to learn how you Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and can help. Join Us at the Interbike Recreational Trails programs. BikesPAC Reception

The new transportation bill also creates a promising new way Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012 for cities and metropolitan areas to draw on federal funds for To learn more about the federal investment in bike/ped projects through a new program called Transportation bicycling, visit bikesbelong.org. 5:30–7 p.m. at the V Bar (Venetian Hotel) Alternatives (TA). The good news here is that cities and counties (left) Top transportation officials from across the country, including Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez, headlined the national launch of the Green Lane Project in Chicago. The Green Lane Project is national leadership a Bikes Belong initiative to bring protected bikeways to six U.S. cities. (middle) Bluebonnet green lane, Austin, TX

(below) A green lane is installed in Chicago, IL.

Three National Bike Advocacy Groups Affirm Shared Goals and Continue Collaboration; Decide to Remain Separate

After months of steady dialogue and face-to-face meetings, the leaders of the Bikes Belong, the League of American Bicyclists, and the Alliance for Biking & Walking have decided not to pursue full unification at this time. The three groups continue to operate independently, in close collaboration, to make bicycling safer and more enjoyable for all Americans.

These unprecedented unification discussions were marked by goodwill and an open exchange of ideas. They helped U.S. bike advocacy leaders agree on a shared vision, goals, and strategies that Green Lane Project Moves will advance the movement and improve bicycling coast to coast.

Bicycling Forward The three groups continue to work together and have committed to achieving the following benchmark goals by 2020: Bikes Belong is leading the way toward the next generation of “The thinking about urban bicycling is evolving very rapidly, 1. The nationwide percentage of trips made by bike will bike lanes with the Green Lane Project. The Green Lane Project, so city leaders are eager to share ideas and learn from one launched in late May this year, is working with Austin, Chicago, another,” said Roskowski. “The Green Lane Project creates a What’s New in the Green Lane increase to five percent (from one percent in 2012), and Memphis, Portland, OR, San Francisco, and Washington, DC direct peer-to-peer conversation. This will help cities transform the diversity of people on bikes will mirror the diversity of to support each city’s development of world-class protected their streets faster, better, and smarter than if they were working Project Focus Cities? America; bicycling networks, called green lanes, during the next two years. on their own.” • Austin, TX opened a new two-way green lane on Rio Grande 2. Traffic injuries and fatalities (in all modes) will decrease by Avenue in April and will complete green lane projects this fall 50 percent; Green lanes are safe, comfortable spaces for people on bikes on The Project’s newly launched, dedicated website on Barton Springs Road, serving the city’s beloved pool, and 3. Half of all Americans will have front-door access to a city streets. They are protected from motor vehicles by curbs, (greenlaneproject.org) provides updates on the progress in the on Bluebonnet, connecting to an elementary school. bicycling network that will take them to destinations within planters, posts, or parked cars. A green lane is an invitation to six focus cities and beyond and offers resources and inspiration • Chicago, IL has installed five miles of new protected lanes two miles exclusively on low-stress streets, lanes, and trails – ride to a whole new range of people who otherwise wouldn’t feel from around the world. The Project also released its first printed so far this year with plans to complete nearly 30 miles more protected from high-speed traffic. comfortable biking on busy city streets. Green lanes address resource this summer, a guide that helps cities build support by year-end. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has pledged to make this fundamental and common concern about safety by creating for innovative bike facilities by sharing key communications Chicago “the bike friendliest city in the country.” The League and Alliance are developing plans to help state and dedicated spaces and low-stress routes for almost anyone. lessons learned by other U.S. cities. The 57-page guide, entitled • Memphis, TN is entering final design for the Broad-Overton local advocates get the most out of MAP-21, the new, two-year “Explain Your Lane,” shows examples and best practices for connector, which will be the first green lane in the city. “Green lanes benefit everyone, not just those people riding communications and outreach that can be used before, during Memphis has built 35 miles of new bike lanes in the last year. federal transportation bill (read more on p. 2), and will work bikes today,” said project director Martha Roskowski. “They’re and after green lane projects. • Portland, OR is designing a green lane on NE Multnomah with Bikes Belong on this, and other projects. Bikes Belong has inexpensive to build, they make traveling in the city less in conjunction with redevelopment of the area, adding to a initiated a strategic discovery process to review its overall goals stressful for people in cars and on foot as well as on bikes, and This fall, the Green Lane Project will work with Portland State growing network that includes several innovative green lane and to refine its focus, and is engaging the League and Alliance they are attractive to innovative businesses that are moving into University (OR) on a research project to study corridors in each projects. to help shape its future direction. urban areas.” of the six cities, looking at ridership, safety, and the economic • San Francisco, CA opened a new green lane on JFK impact of investments in green lanes. Drive through Golden Gate Park — a popular route for The leaders of all three groups began the unification discussion The Green Lane Project serves as a catalyst, convener, families and visitors — in early summer.. Additional green fully aware of the challenges of blending unique legal structures, collaborator, and communicator, facilitating the spread of lane pilot projects are being explored on Polk, 2nd, and the membership bases, project priorities, and headquarters locations. knowledge and best practices among U.S. cities. So far this Embarcadero. While these talks didn’t produce a merger, the groups will year, the Project has hosted workshops in Minneapolis and • Washington, DC is completing a green lane design continue to work together to engage, represent, and connect the Denmark for city officials to share ideas and draw inspiration Learn more about the Project at greenlaneproject.org. on L Street NW and starting on M Street NW. A recently many different elements of the bicycling movement. They will from some of the most advanced bicycling cities in the world. completed study of green lanes on Pennsylvania and Additional workshops are being held in the Netherlands and 15th Street NW showed significant increases in ridership focus on federal, state, and local projects that best improve bike New York this fall. and encouraging safety results. Neighbors, drivers, and infrastructure and safety in the United States. pedestrians all see benefits from the lanes as well. A group rides over the Sabo Bridge in Minneapolis using the Nice Ride bikes. A Bikes Belong-funded research study will provide Nice Ride and other bike share programs with valuable data to help boost community grants usage and guide the location of future stations.

245 awards, $1.9 million invested in bicycling

Bikes Belong increased the geographic diversity of its grant recipients this year by adding two states – Mississippi and New Jersey – to those that have received a community grant. We are Mississippi is the 48th state to receive attracting an unprecedented number of applications for high- a Bikes Belong quality facility and advocacy projects. With these awards, Bikes Community Grant. Belong’s investment in community projects exceeds $1.9 million and has leveraged an additional $659 million in federal, state, and private funding. Pilot Bike Corrals (Hoboken, NJ) Complementing its ongoing investments in bike lanes, bike Indianapolis Bicycle Planning Summits (Indianapolis, IN) parking and a bicycle repair station, the City of Hoboken will use INDYCOG, the bicycle advocacy group serving Indianapolis, a $5,000 grant from Bikes Belong to install three pilot bike corrals is partnering with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation holding 12 to 24 bicycles each. The corrals will be located in high (LISC) to help five underserved urban neighborhoods develop traffic areas and will build on city plans to put bike lanes on 80% bicycle infrastructure plans that improve current bike routes and of its streets by the end of 2012. add more to serve key destinations. This $10,000 Bikes Belong grant will fund planning summits in all five neighborhoods. Three Sisters (Grand Junction, CO) The City of Indianapolis has committed to incorporating the When the value of land slated for development plummeted in results of these community-led events into their master bicycle the last recession, the Colorado Plateau Trail planning document. Association (COPMOBA) partnered with Mesa Land Trust to make the most of the situation. Bikes Belong’s grant of $5,000 ZAP Twin Cities Bicycle Commuter Program (Minneapolis, MN) will help the organizations finalize the land purchase and develop Commuter Connection, St. Paul Smart Trips, and the University trails on the Three Sisters property. This new network, adjacent of Minnesota will use this $10,000 grant from Bikes Belong for an to Grand Junction’s Lunch Loop trail system, will provide innovative project to track and reward bicycle commuter trips in much-needed beginner-level trails and advance the bike path the Twin Cities downtown areas and the university district. Using development that will link these trails with downtown. RFID technology and ZAP readers, the project will enlist 625 initial riders, record their commuter travel, and provide incentives Open Streets: Jackson (Jackson, MS) Bikes Belong Grants in Action for choosing to bike. The University of Minnesota plans to Bike Walk Mississippi will host the state’s first open streets event conduct an assessment of the program’s impact on the health and – in which city streets are closed to motor vehicles – next spring Bike Share programs are booming across the country, with cities like Boston and well being of the participants. in an effort to boost walking and bicycling in the capital city. Washington, DC continuing to expand their systems while New York City and Chicago Bikes Belong’s $4,000 grant will provide seed funding for this prepare to launch next spring. Minneapolis was an early adopter, launching Nice Ride MN initiative that is expected to engage partners from the business, in the summer of 2010 and finding success immediately with 100,000+ rides that season. Now operating 145 stations with 1,328 bicycles, Nice Ride is a great example of how a Grand Junction, CO government, and non-profit communities and make Jackson a Midwestern city with challenging weather can get more people on bikes for short trips. Photo credit: Sarah Mah-Withers healthier and more bike-friendly city. This study The Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota decided to delve deeper confirms that BMX Track Grants into the success of Nice Ride and its effect on the local economy. Research team members people use bike Bikes Belong is awarding $2,000 to each of the following BMX Greg Lindsey, Andrew Harrison, Jessica Schoner, and Xize Wang received a $7,500 Bikes projects: Belong Research Grant in the fall of 2011 for a study to examine economic activity around share to get to • Aztec BMX Track Relocation and Rehabilitation bicycle share stations and how local businesses affect bike share use. The results are in businesses and (Aztec, NM): The City of Aztec will relocate their track to a and show that a station’s proximity to food-related businesses and jobs nearby significantly safer, more accessible location that connects to an existing correlates to high use of that station. Other factors, such as how close a station is to the make purchases trail system. central business district, to water, to trails, and to other stations play a role in its use as well. on these trips. • Farmer City BMX Track Revitalization (Farmer City, The results of this research are important for bike share programs looking at the best way IL): Farmer City BMX will use grant funding to convert the to maximize the use of their facilities and for businesses considering whether a bike share starting hill from dirt to asphalt and improve erosion control. station near them is a benefit. “This study confirms that people use bike share to get to • Tri City BMX (Kearney, NE): Tri City BMX will hard- businesses and make purchases on these trips,” said Harrison. “This is important news for surface the three corners of their track, drastically reducing bike share programs because it begins to provide hard data to support their efforts.” maintenance time and improving safety. bicycling promotion

Bikes Belong’s Kate Powlison and her teammates ride through Provence ahead of the Tour de France. Photo credit: Robertson/Velodramatic.

Six Women Ride Entire Tour de France Route for Bikes Belong Foundation

In July, Bikes Belong’s Kate Powlison and five other women successfully rode the entire Tour de France course (encompassing more than 2,100 miles and 152,000 feet of climbing) . The group traveled one day ahead of the race, riding without the benefit of closed roads and the wind-shielding protection of a large peloton. All six riders made it to Paris despite two crashes and even one rider’s broken tailbone. Adhering to the actual Tour de France race course, the women rode an average of 105 miles a day, sometimes more than 150 miles, and climbed an average of 7,600 vertical feet per day for 20 days with only two rest days. “Looking back on some of those long days (Stages 10 and 16 topped the charts by climbing more than 16,000 vertical feel each), I still wonder how we did it,” said Powlison. In addition to fundraising for the Bikes Belong Foundation, the ride aimed to inspire more women to ride more often. The Reve Tour women also hoped that by doing a ride they weren’t sure they could complete, it would encourage others to tackle bike rides that they’ve never done before. PeopleForBikes.org “I did this ride to prove to anyone that no matter how daunting the trip – whether it’s a Grand Tour, a century ride, a steep hill out Launches PSA Campaign of town, or riding to work for the first time – with the proper support and belief in yourself it can be done,” said Powlison. Read more about Kate’s Tour de France ride on the PeopleForBikes.org blog and at Reve.cc. This summer, Bikes Belong’s PeopleForBikes.org movement launched a new PSA campaign designed to highlight the many benefits of bicycling that, all to often, are overlooked. The PSAs touch on health, transportation, childhood academics, and the economy. They will be featured around the country in newspapers, magazines, on websites, billboards, and street furniture. If you would like to place one of these PSAs in an industry publication, or can assist Bikes Belong with other placements by leveraging your ad buy, please National Bike Challenge: contact Tim Bock at [email protected]. 30,000 riders pedal 12 million miles

The 2012 National Bike Challenge, a nationwide initiative to inspire and empower millions of Americans to ride their bikes for transportation, recreation, and better health, ended Aug. 31. Starting at the kick- off in May, the friendly, online competition (sponsored by the Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Bikes Belong, the League of American Bicyclists, and Endomondo) engaged nearly 30,000 bicyclists from communities nationwide to log their miles, connect with fellow riders, and compete for great prizes. Participants from all 50 states collectively logged more than 11 million miles and burned more than 250 million calories during the Challenge.

The 2013 National Bike Challenge, already in the works, will include a new website, new partners and sponsors, and a goal of 60,000 riders logging 25 million miles during the same time period. Bikes Belong Fast Facts About Bicycling nuts & bolts Coalition Leadership • A new study from Portland State University found that customers Board of Directors who arrive by bike spend more per month than those who arrive Chris Fortune (Chairman of the Board) by car. (Clifton et al., 2012) President of Saris Group • After a green lane was installed on Washington, DC’s Michael Mercuri (Vice-Chairman of the Board) VP of SRAM Corporation Pennsylvania Avenue, bicycling increased 200% and 90% of users said they felt safer bicycling. (District Department of John Burke CEO of Trek Transportation, 2012) Fred Clements • A recent study confirmed that participation in physical activity is Executive Director of the National Bicycle Dealers Association positively related to academic performance in children. (Singh et Paul Collins al., 2012) Advertising Director of Bicycling Magazine Pat Cunnane President of Advanced Sports Steve Flagg Bikes Belong CEO of For more facts and stats to help you make your Challenges Chris Kegel case for bicycling, visit the Bikes Belong searchable Owner of Wheel & Sprocket statistic library at bikesbelong.org/statistics. Industry to Jeff McGuane “Build More President of Cycling Sports Group, North America Steve Meineke Than Bicycles” President of Raleigh America Davit Pruitt If we build more than CEO of Performance Bike Show Your Support bicycles, riding will become Patrick Seidler Show your support for Bikes Belong on your rides this year more fun. We’ll have more CEO of WTB by picking up our newest jerseys at PrimalWear.com. Fifty places to ride, and more Bill Smith percent of the proceeds of each sale will be donated back to people to ride with. President of Corporation Bikes Belong Foundation. Mike Sinyard At Interbike 2012, Bikes CEO of Specialized Belong wants to know Yutaka Taniyama American Corporation how you make bicycling better and “Build More Elysa Walk General Manager of Giant Than Bicycles.” Building bikeways, community, or the Staff next generation of riders— Tim Blumenthal, President, [email protected] anything that improves the Tim Bock, Senior Marketing Manager, [email protected] future of bicycling counts. Erik Esborg, Finance Director, [email protected] Richard Fries, Development Advisor, [email protected] Drop by the Bikes Belong Joan Harrold, Marketing & Communications Manager, booth (L28) and add your [email protected] story to our map before 3 Lynne Ida, Accounting & Human Resources Assistant, [email protected] p.m. on Thursday, Sept. Zoe Kircos, Grants Manager, [email protected] 20 for your chance to win Bruno Maier, Vice President, [email protected] one of three $1000 prizes. Sarah Murer, Office Administrator, [email protected] Whether your idea is big and Kate Powlison, Research Analyst & Communications Coordinator, established or small and [email protected] creative, we want to hear Ivette Rivera, Vice President of Strategic Planning, about it. Government Relations, [email protected] Martha Roskowski, Green Lane Project Director, [email protected] Thanks, Interbike, for your Zach Vanderkooy, International Programs Manager, outstanding support, and Green Lane Project, [email protected] best wishes for a landmark 2012 show. P.O. Box 2359 Boulder, CO 80306

303.449.4893 bikesbelong.org

Photo credit: Adam Coppola

Your Bikes Belong membership is an investment in the future of bicycling in America. Better and safer places to ride will lead to more people bicycling more often, which will increase sales for your business. Together we can increase participation and grow the industry. Please join or renew today at bikesbelong.org.

A special thanks to Interbike for their exceptional, time-tested support.

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