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Greetings MassBikers,
Here's the latest from MassBike. Happy riding! - Tim Baldwin In this update:
Update on the MassBike 2004-2005 Strategic PlanNext week, MassBike will publicly announce our completed 2004-2005 Strategic Plan (we'll email it and put it on our website). The document is a combination of direction and consideration from the MassBike Board and Staff, as well as derived by feedback from MassBike members. It sets out a good and realistic map of what we can do to make Massachusetts a better and safer place to bicycling over the next two years.Responding to an email request for feedback, MassBike members pointed out ideas that we hadn't thought of or considered in detail that are now an integral part of the plan - many thanks! The following initiatives, for example, were suggested by MassBike members and are now guiding our future courses of action: forming strategic partnerships with like minded groups and cyclists in key areas of the state that need support, an increased emphasis on adult education, and creating an annual event calendar that ties in all the various bicycling events around the state. Press for Bicycling Change at the State House March 18State Rep. Anne Paulsen and State Senator Pam Resor invite you to help press for pro-bicycling legislation and initiatives.
WHAT: Massachusetts Legislature Rail-Trail/Bikes/Pedestrian Caucus
This meeting to discuss the following state legislation:
And any other updates from members of the caucus All interested Legislators, staff and advocates are invited to attend! For more information or questions about the meeting, contact Tim Baldwin at bikeinfo@massbike.org. MA Cyclists go to WashingtonOnce again, Massachusetts cyclists took the pro-bicycling message to Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. during the National Bike Summit on March 4. But this time, we were not alone. MANY MANY SUPER THANKS to all the MassBikers who wrote in with constituent concerns about cycling in Massachusetts. We passed on your concerns to the Members of Congress, and it made a huge difference in our ability to advocate for change and the reauthorization of the federal transportation bill.The administration is threatening to veto the current federal transportation bill proposed by the House because of its higher funding level. Most of the Hill seems to think that it will be hard to pass a new bill this year, and that it's more likely that the current legislative language will be extended for one to two years before an overhaul is attempted again to include things like complete streets and safe routes to schools. The good news is that all 12 members of the Massachusetts delegation are all already very supportive of bicycling. Congressman John Olver received a national award from the League of American Bicyclists for his role in saving the federal enhancements program in fall 2003. To quote Congressman Markey, all of the Massachusetts Congressmen and Senators are in "violent agreement" with the bicycling movement. Most of our meetings actually ran late, because the Congressmen and their legislative aides were interested in getting our advice on how to help bolster local bicycling projects. In other words, they wanted to collaborate with us. And Congressman McGovern actually broke off a meeting with another lobby group so he could meet with us on bicycling! Attendees from Massachusetts included Tim Baldwin of MassBike, Rich Olken of Bikes Belong, Tom Fowler of Kryptonite, Steve Miller of the Cambridge Bicycle Committee, John Allen of MassBike and LAB, and Jack Johnson representing Landry's Bicycles. We met personally with Congressmen Edward Markey, James McGovern, and John Olver. We also met briefly with Congressmen John Tierney before he ran off to cast a vote. All of the staff people we met with were extremely professional and very interested in our issues. Congressmen and staff are generally interested in roadway accommodation and increased safety funding for bicycling and walking. Hot local bikepath projects on Capitol Hill include the Blackstone Valley Bikeway, Bike to the Sea, Border-to-Boston trail, the Emerald Necklace and Boston Greenspace issues, and the Mass Central Rail-Trail. Finally, standing inside the Lincoln Memorial, after a long day of Congressional meetings and a few beers, Tim Baldwin and Jack Johnson started rewriting Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in honor of the National Bike Summit ... "that this Movement Under Two Wheels shall have a new birth of freedom, and that multi-modal transportation -- of the people, by the people, for the people -- shall not perish from the earth." (special thanks to Jack Johnson for writing most of this report) Boston Bicycle Show is this Friday Through SundayThe second annual Boston Bike Show is this weekend March 12-14 at the Cyclorama in the South End of Boston. The Bike Show is a good event to get deals on bikes and bike gear. See all the details at: http://www.nycbicycleshow.com/boston/index.php.MassBike will have a table at the event, and our main advocacy action will be encouraging attendees to send a letter or postcard to the Registry of Motor Vehicles urging more and better education materials about sharing the road. Cycling Joe Breeze to Speak Tonight (3/12) in ArlingtonJoe Breeze is a charter member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, 2003 BRAINy Bicycle Advocate of the Year, and generally a really nice guy who helped start mountain biking in the United States and now focuses on promoting bicycling for transportation.Joe will bring his "Bicycling to Healthy Transportation Choices Now" national speaking tour to Arlington, MA. Joe will discuss how people can immediately transform their transportation choices for better physical health, fiscal health, and environmental health. Anyone with interest in traffic congestion solutions, the obesity epidemic, sustainability, active living, safe routes to schools, and community health is encouraged to attend. In his illustrated presentation, Breeze reflects on the rich history of the bicycle, a vehicle of which he notes is "the most efficient tool of transport ever devised." An open discussion that follows Breeze^(1)s presentation will provide an opportunity to participate in an extraordinary discussion of how to create a healthier transportation environment, now.
Friday, March 12: 7pm
NOT A CURRENT MEMBER? HELP US MAKE BICYCLING HAPPEN!We can do bigger and better things with your support. Please also consider giving gift memberships - the more members we have the more good things we can get done.Join us and help make Massachusetts a better place to bike! You can join at: http://www.active.com/donations/welcome_org_public.cfm?key=massbike . |
