American Bicyclist - Summer 2022

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We interrupt your issue of Ameri

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with an important announcemen

SUMMER 2022

matching challenge This summer, let’s make a real climate impact—by taking cars off the road!

Sounds unbelievable, but it's...

#

POSSIBLE

More than half of all trips are less than three miles. A better world is possible if we shift to bikes.

Taking cars off the road!? …wait, what?

This summer, the League has a very unique opportunity—and we need your help!

We're proud to announce the return of “Drive Less, Bike More”, our online challenge to get more Americans to swap car trips with bike trips. With your help, we’re actively working to reduce automobile traffic in communities across the country.

Here’s where you can help. An anonymous donor is contributing up to $100,000 to support this initiative, if and only if we raise an additional $50,000 in matching funds. We’ll use that funding to fuel this challenge and work directly with our network of advocates in targeted cities where more bike trips and fewer car trips can make the biggest impact on climate, health and mode share.

In 2020, during the peak of pandemic lockdowns, Vehicle Miles Traveled plummeted.

Suddenly, roads were open for cycling, skies cleared and we saw what was possible when we simply drove less. I’ll never forget seeing clear blue skies over New York and the sounds of church bells and birdsongs replacing the traffic noise. Consider that over half of all trips are less than three miles, and you can see the opportunity to shift to bikes.

Our “Drive Less, Bike More” challenge, hosted on the Love to Ride platform, is a proven tool for incentivizing clean and active transportation. Last year, riders swapped more than 36,000 trips from cars and trucks to bikes, accounting for 200,000+ more miles of biking. With your help this year, we’ll double that and bike even more while racking up a total of 2 million transportation miles.

As a member and donor to the League, please help us move this campaign to its fullest potential. Give—and see our campaign progress now at bikeleague.org/give.

bikeleague.org/give

Giving by mail?

Flip to the form on the inside back cover!

PLUS: All donors at the $125 level or above will receive our new Po Campo + League seat bag!

Kevin Dekkinga

Director of Membership & Development

The

Climate Issue

I N TH I S IS SUE: DETRO IT G R EEN WAYS • G R EEN I N FRA STRU CTU RE I N V E STM E N TS BICYCL E FRIENDLY STAT E R EP O RT S • G R EEN ER B I C YC L E F RI E N D LY C A M PU S E S DR IVE LES S BIKE MOR E C AM PAI G N U P DAT E • T RAFF I C G A RD E N S FO R KI D S N ATION AL B I K E SU M M I T 2 0 2 2 LO O K B AC K & AWA RD E E S

Proudly supporting advocacy and a data-driven approach to bike and pedestrian planning for more than 20 years Learn more about bike and pedestrian counters at eco-counter.com

IN THIS ISSUE Green Ways Towards Investments in 4 Making 14 Greener Sustainable Transportation Bicycling and Walking in Detroit Detroit Greenways

Coalition and environmental justice partners are moving Detroit from basic painted bike lanes to separated cycle tracks and new expansive greenways.

Friendly 18 Bicycle States Rankings Show Nationwide Progress

The League’s new 2022 Bicycle Friendly State ranking is here.

Which of the 50 states topped the leaderboard in actions to make our roadways safer and bicycling easier for everyone?

Campuses Are 27 Greener Also Car-free Campuses

Bicycle Friendly Universities are not only making it possible for people to bike around campus but are putting “Drive Less, Bike More” on the syllabus.

We have the first-ever climate title in a transportation bill— which means we are one step closer to bicycling being recognized as the efficient and climate-saving invention it is.

22 Drive Less, Bike More

Beginning in July, we’re challenging Americans to reduce their impact on the climate by riding 2 million miles for transportation.

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POSSIBLE

44 National Bike Summit '22 In March, the League hosted a hybrid National Bike Summit— the first in its 23-year history.

Find out what worked best, plus meet our 2022 Advocacy and Education Award winners.

2 Viewpoint: Bike More for the Climate Bill Nesper, Executive Director

34 Climate Ride: Saving the Planet on the Bike Trip of Your Dreams

10 How the League is Strategizing to Make Biking Better

40 Smart Cycling - How Traffic Gardens Grow Young Riders 52 League SAG Wagon

Editors: Lauren Jenkins, Communications Director Raven Wells, Communications Coordinator

Creative Direction & Design: Halupka Studio � ha-lup-ka.com

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BIKE MORE FOR THE

CLIMATE B Y

I

WAS FORTUN ATE to be able to kick off National Bike Month this year with a major dose of bike joy at Bike New York’s excellent TD Five Boro Bike Tour. I can’t say enough good things about that experience. After two years of pandemicrelated waiting, the thrill of riding with 32,000 people was palpable. The diversity of the biking community was on full display: Young and old, people of all races and ethnicities, people using hand cycles, people on Citi Bikeshare bikes, on tandems, on classic road bikes, on e-bikes. The common denominator? The smiles worn by everyone—bikes truly delight.

People love biking even more when they are comfortably protected from distracted or dangerous drivers, when they can get where they want to go on safe streets, and when they can ride with other people.

And when more people love biking, our movement grows. Fueled by bike joy, imagine the impact if more of our 60 million fellow riders spoke up for the resources, policies, and programs to make bicycling a real option for transportation, for recreation, for whatever the reason.

When prioritizing how we can improve biking in our communities, let’s not overlook the importance of building a wider and stronger movement that empowers people to advocate for themselves and for their neighbors at the local level.

2

B I L L

N E S P E R

We are lucky that a happiness machine is such an easy and obvious answer to living healthier lives and leaving the planet a greener place. I hope you’ll be inspired by the stories in this climate change-focused issue of American Bicyclist and reminded of the critical role you play as part of the solution, from the miles you put in to answering our calls to action to being a supporter of the League and your local organizations. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report made it clear that there is still time for each of us to make a difference in this fight, and we must act now to limit global warming and secure a livable future for people everywhere.

Transportation is one of the largest contributors to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and yet 50% of all trips in the United States are three miles or shorter, about a 15-minute bike ride. Just think of the impact if we shifted even some of those trips from cars to bikes. I hope you will join us and invite some friends, neighbors, and coworkers to take part in the Drive Less, Bike More campaign this summer. We’re not asking you to sell your car, but to try shifting to bikes whenever you can and keep track of your miles at drivelessbikemore.com. Let’s enjoy some true energy independence together this year!

Lastly, I want to emphasize what an exciting moment of opportunity we have ahead of us to make systemic changes to achieve a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

Thanks to you, the League’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill were successful in securing great policy and funding improvements in the recent Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We need only look to the Bicycle Friendly States, Communities, Businesses and Universities of all sizes in every region of the country, to see examples of how investments in policy and infrastructure can make bicycling a safer and easier option for all.

How to get more people on bikes isn’t rocket science. We must slow down cars through better street design, setting lower speed limits on local roads, and providing

appropriate bike facilities on high speed roads. We have the guidance and knowhow, but we need to generate more moments of contagious enthusiasm like what was on display in New York City. We need more of us riding together, sharing the joy of biking and speaking up together for the investments the people in our communities deserve.

The League’s new three-year Strategic Plan outlines how we will make the most of this moment of opportunity to improve lives and strengthen communities through bicycling and create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. I’m so proud of how our movement has shepherded us to this inflection point and I’m excited for what is ahead and what we will accomplish together.

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COVER STORY

MAKING GREEN WAYS TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION IN DETROIT B Y

T O D D S C O T T , E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R , D E T R O I T G R E E N W AY S C O A L I T I O N

Above: Bicyclist rides through a flooded road at Belle Isle State Park in Detroit. Photo Credit: DGC

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Bailey, Karen, and Mandi ready to ride the DLectricity Light Bike Parade. Photo Credit: DGC

72.1%

However, we also recognize that most Detroit neighborhoods suffer from a significant lack of investment over multiple generations. It wouldn’t be right for us to advocate and prioritize biking and trail infrastructure over the residents’ longstanding infrastructure issues, such as improving public transit, residential blight and flooding. So, we listen to these concerns and bring them into our work.

For example, as climate change has brought increased flood events, we have advocated for green stormwater management on bike lane and trail projects. This aligns with the need to get more people traveling in “green ways” to reduce carbon emissions as well.

Nearly three-quarters (72.1%) of Detroit residents report that there is currently blight—defined in the survey as a building or property visibly deteriorating in a way that suggests long-term neglect—in their neighborhoods.

FIND OUT MORE

The Detroit Greenways Coalition has led Complete Streets, biking, and trail advocacy in Detroit since 2007. Our vision for a better Detroit includes a citywide network of safe, convenient, and green pathways for biking and walking.

We’ve been very successful in moving Detroit from basic painted bike lanes toward separated cycle tracks and new, expansive greenways.

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D-Town Riders fist bump during a Soul Roll. Photo Credit: Khanh Cai

MAKING MICHIGAN CARBON NEUTRAL In September of 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued executive directives to create the Michigan Healthy Climate Plan that would put the state “on a path towards becoming fully carbon-neutral by 2050.”

Our organization saw this as a great opportunity to advocate for our vision because increased investment in biking, walking, and public transit infrastructure can lower carbon emissions by reducing the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by personal automobiles.

We participated in the planning process as a member of a transportation workgroup, which was mostly composed of automotive and other industry groups advocating for electric vehicles. Though we were the only bike or trail advocates, our existing environment and public transit partners in advocacy were present.

Together, we collaboratively developed strategies to reduce VMT through alternative transportation.

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One early roadblock was that the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) embraced increasing VMT. In fact, their long-range planning scenarios associated decreased VMT with a stagnant economy.

To counter this ill-conceived notion, we studied how Colorado was implementing greenhouse gas emissions budgeting for their road agencies.

Building a new road or widening an existing one would increase emissions above the budget and require road agencies to reduce emissions elsewhere by investing in nonmotorized infrastructure and public transit.

While this was a means for controlling VMT, we learned Colorado had framed it more as a land use issue. While Michigan’s population had increased less than 9% since 1980, its VMT had jumped 67% largely due to sprawl – a land use pattern that typically discourages biking, walking, and transit.

SUPPORT THE LEAGUE

THROUGH PLANNED GIVING Many of our members express their commitment to our longterm sustainability by naming the League in their wills or trusts.

Reach out today to learn how your estate can help further the League’s mission—and build a prosperous future for American bicycling.

FOR BUSINESS

Contact Kevin Dekkinga

Director of Membership and Development Kevin@bikeleague.org | 202.621.5449

FOR BUSINESS

GET ALL YOUR CO-WORKERS RIDING BIKES!

In a livable community, bicycling is safe and fun for people of all ages.

• • • •

Fun, friendly challenges Happier, healthier staff GET ALL YOUR CO-WORKERS Support &RIDING encouragement BIKES! Prizes!

• • • •

Fun, friendly challenges Happier, healthier staff Support & encouragement Prizes!

AARP is helping to make that possible: • Visit AARP Livable Communities: AARP.org/Livable • Subscribe to the free AARP Livable Communities e-Newsletter: BUSINESS.LOVETORIDE.NET BUSINESS.LOVETORIDE.NET Text LIVABLE to 50757

W H AT A B O U T E - B I K E S ?

Riders gather for a Detroit group ride.

Photo Credit: DGC

MORE BIKING A N D WA L K I N G Another strategy for reducing VMT was to increase biking and walking trips. We know the lack of safe non-motorized infrastructure is a deterrent for people to bike or walk, so we borrowed from the recently-passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and made the following recommendation:

We also got e-bikes included in our workgroup’s electrification strategy, including language for purchase incentives.

We felt this was a major equity issue.

Owning and operating a motor vehicle is extremely expensive in the City of Detroit.

The average auto insurance premiums cost over $5,400 or 18% of the median income. This has led to a third of Detroiters not having access to a vehicle, and among those that have access, 60% don’t have the required insurance. Providing a onetime purchase incentive for a new electric vehicle doesn’t fix this.

While e-bikes are not a solution for everyone, they can be a cost-effective solution for many as was proven during a recent City of Detroit’s e-bike pilot program.

“Develop and implement a statewide plan that takes a Safe Systems Approach to reduce Vulnerable Road User (VRU) fatalities and serious injuries to zero in order to encourage more trips by bicycling and walking.”

We suggested this could decrease Michigan’s VMT by 1% per year and produce an equivalent reduction in emissions.

We also highlighted the environmental justice aspects of this recommendation.

Over the past five years, 29% of Michigan’s bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities were Black people, well above the 14% Black population in Michigan. Also, Black communities and other communities of color suffer disproportionately from the effects of vehicle emissions.

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Bicycles are provided for essential workers at Henry Ford Health.

Photo Credit: DGG

Detroit environmental leaders meet with Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist.

Photo Credit: Emily Collins

K E E P C H I P P I N G AWAY

From all this work, the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) developed a draft Michigan Healthy Climate Plan.

However, the draft did not include any language around VMT reduction. It did support increased biking and walking but didn’t make any real commitments.

Additionally, there was no mention of e-bikes in the draft plan.

We submitted additional comments on this draft. We met with staff from EGLE and the governor’s office. While we didn’t get VMT reduction in the final plan, we did get the Safe Systems Approach and e-bike purchase incentives. The plan still remains a bit vague, but it does acknowledge the need to evaluate, update, and add strategies moving forward.

The lieutenant governor acknowledged that departments don’t change overnight.

It requires advocates like us remain patient but persistent–and to keep chipping away.

That is exactly what we plan on doing.

The League's Bicycling Benefits Business report highlights the positive impact more biking has on local economies.

FIND OUT MORE

DRAFT TO FINAL RELEASE

We also met with Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist as part of a Detroit environment listening session. We shared our concerns that Michigan’s transportation emissions won’t reach zero without MDOT accepting its role in decreasing VMT. After all, they had recently released a draft Long Range Transportation Plan that didn’t acknowledge the Governor’s climate directives.

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C R E AT I N G A B I C Y C L E F R I E N D LY A M E R I C A

HOW THE LEAGUE IS STRATEGIZING TO MAKE BIKING BETTER B Y

L E A G U E

S TA F F

&

B O A R D

Bicycling is good for people, our communities, our country, and our world. Biking is fun, healthy, and environmentally sustainable.

A

T THE C LO SE O F 2 0 2 1 , the League adopted a new strategic plan to guide the next three years of our work to build a more Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. We’ve included a few key elements of the new strategic plan here, and we encourage you to delve into the full plan on our website at bikeleague.org/StrategicPlan or scan the QR code on page 13 to read it on your mobile device.

The League of American Bicyclists believes everyone should have the opportunity to bike for transportation, good health, and the pure joy and freedom it brings. Over the last 100 years, our communities and transportation system have been developed and designed primarily for automobiles, which has prioritized vehicle road space and speed over people’s safety and ability to get around without a car. In communities all across our country, people who bike have been treated as if they don’t belong on our streets. For children and parents, riding a bike to school seems impossible.

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Too often, bikes are viewed as toys or a niche activity for select groups rather than how bikes should be seen: as an essential tool in building a better life for everyone. We think bicycling should be commonplace—an everyday part of life. To do that, we’re making biking an easier option for more people, because when more people bike, more people benefit, even those who don’t bike.

Removing barriers to bicycling must be a national priority.

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The League is powered by a network of changemakers dedicated to improving lives and communities by making bicycling safe, comfortable, and accessible to all. We are an organization of more than 200,0000 members and supporters and more than 1,000 state and local affiliated groups and bike clubs, as well as thousands of businesses, universities, and communities together leading the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

Inspired by what’s ahead for the League? Donate and invest in a ‘bike more’ future! bikeleague.org/give

OUR APPROACH The League has been people-powered since 1880. Grassroots action to improve lives and strengthen communities is essential to the League’s theory of change; we organize and amplify those grassroots voices for better bicycling, the bike movement, at the national level to prioritize and improve investments, policies, and programs that make bicycling safe, comfortable, and accessible for all people. We support and develop changemakers, we promote the benefits of bicycling and safe behaviors, and we showcase best practices and national standards to make biking better for all.

As a national organization, it is our responsibility to represent and serve all people who bicycle in the United States. To be effective in this, we must thoughtfully engage and collaborate with people and organizations who are not adequately represented within our organization and the larger bicycling movement.

The League and the bicycling movement have contributed to the divisions in our communities, have overtly excluded people of color in the past, haven’t done enough to welcome people of color to participate, and haven’t taken action to address the structural racism in the built environment, bicycling-related policies, and bicycling programming. Equity, diversity, and inclusion are fundamental to the League and the bicycling movement’s success. This means more than simply being open to new ideas, people, and groups. This means active engagement, listening, learning, and deep collaboration with others towards our shared goals.

For the next three years, the League will prioritize collaboration in order to create great bicycling networks and safer streets for all, to reach more people with bicycling and driver education, to create and promote opportunities to bicycle with others, to showcase best practices, to celebrate leaders in our movement, and to ensure that everyone is being served and represented in and through these initiatives.

BIKELEAGUE.ORG/ STRATEGICPLAN

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FEDERAL POLICY

GREENER INVESTMENTS IN BIKING AND WALKING B Y

C A R O N

W H I TA K E R

WHEN CONGRESS PASSED THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW LAST FALL, THE FOCUS WAS ON THE HISTORIC $1.2 TRILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.

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At the 2022 National Bike Summit Congressional Bike Ride the latest and greatest in bikes that help make more trips bike possible were on display including an Urban Arrow Family Cargo Bike.

FOR THE LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS, WE FOCUSED ON THE HISTORIC INCREASE IN FUNDING FOR BICYCLING AND WALKING. One thing that got overlooked at the time was the first-ever climate title, or chapter, in a transportation bill. While the climate title may not have been as large or as inclusive as many hoped, this was an important step forward because by including it for the first time, it means we will likely never see another transportation bill that doesn’t have a climate title.

READ ON F

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W H AT ’ S I N T H E C L I M AT E T I T L E ?

The climate title is made up of a number of programs with the two biggest focusing on reducing carbon emissions and making infrastructure more resilient to our climate future.

The carbon reduction program includes more than a billion dollars per year for projects like bicycling, walking and transit that reduce the need for car trips. It also can fund projects that reduce vehicle speeds making active transportation more comfortable for a broader range of people.

Another small program created, but not funded, in the climate title is the Healthy Streets program. This program would help expand tree coverage to areas most affected by urban heat islands, a term used to describe the concentration of heat in metropolitan areas caused by excessive reflective surfaces and a lack of porous surfaces (e.g. concrete.)

Neighborhoods lacking tree coverage and experiencing the urban heat island effect are disproportionately low-income neighborhoods and communities that primarily consist of people from racial and ethnic minority groups. Since more trees in any area means more opportunities for people to enjoy the essential health, climate, and economic benefits trees provide, the Healthy Streets program would provide communities with the resources for purchasing and planting trees, site preparation, ongoing maintenance, monitoring trees and repairing storm damage to trees, and other facets of expanding tree coverage. But most of all, it would advance climate resiliency and climate justice.

Lime reps standing next to their bike fleet.

At the 2022 Summit, attendees lobbied for Congress to fund the Healthy Streets program and address the urban heat island effect and flooding in our transportation system. This would not only make active transportation more feasible for everyone, it would ensure a level of dignity to everyone who uses these modes out of necessity. We thank everyone who joined us at the National Bike Summit and helped us lobby for Healthy Streets.

While this is the first time a long-term transportation bill has included a climate title, it won’t be the last. As a bicycling community, we will continue to have opportunities to promote cycling as an efficient and green transportation mode, and to ensure that everyone who uses active transportation has the opportunity to do so safely and comfortably.

Participants getting a closer look at the bikes.

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W H AT H A P P E N E D T O T H E TA X R E B AT E FOR E-BIKES? During the summer and fall of 2021, the League was working with PeopleForBikes to include a tax rebate for the purchase of electric bikes, similar to the tax rebate for electric cars, in infrastructure legislation.

The good news is that the e-bike rebate was included in the Build Back Better (BBB) Act. The benefit would have given e-bike purchasers a 30% discount on the cost of a bike up to a total benefit of $900. To qualify, an individual must have an income of $75,000 or less. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a hard fight to get it included to begin with.

The bad news is the BBB Act never passed the Senate to become law. If and when Congress takes up parts of the BBB Act or any other climate incentive package, the League and PeopleForBikes will continue to advocate for the rebate, and to try and make it the most useful benefit possible for the most people.

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B I C Y C L E F R I E N D LY S TAT E S

BICYCLE FRIENDLY STATES RANKINGS SHOW NATIONWIDE PROGRESS B Y

K E N

M c L E O D

The 2022 rankings are out! Here’s where the states ended up in the rankings and what’s most important to note on who did better and why.

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N AP RIL 2022, the League of American Bicyclists published its eleventh Bicycle Friendly State ranking. For the first time ever, a state other than Washington took the top spot—Massachusetts was crowned the #1 Bicycle Friendly State in America.

Massachusetts stood out for its strong statewide response to COVID-19 with its Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program awarding $33 million dollars to 183 municipalities and four transit agencies for a total of 310 projects. Massachusetts is also leading the way with Complete Streets implementation, where Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the state legislature have tied funding and policy together to promote Complete Streets, project prioritization, and program funding. Thanks to these efforts, 66% of communities in the state have a Complete Streets policy, 56% have a prioritization plan, and 41% have used state funding to implement a Complete Streets project.

LE C YC BI A G IN ILD E B U ’R WE

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Washington state may not be out of the #1 ranking for long. Shortly before our rankings were published, but after they were finalized, the state legislature approved “Move Ahead Washington.”

In “Move Ahead Washington,” the state commits to $1.1 billion in active transportation funding, $216 million for statewide youth bicycle education, and a requirement for all state projects that cost over $500,000 to be built to be complete streets.

From the League’s perspective, the competition at the top of the ranking is stronger than any previous ranking. Each of the top states had incredible efforts, advocacy, and leadership on issues related to promoting bicycling and creating safe places to bike for everyone.

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BICYCLE FRIENDLY COMMUNITY BRONZE

THE LEAGUE

OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS

FIND OUT MORE

The Shining Sea Bikeway is an important 11 mile NorthSouth Connector in the Town of Falmouth, a Bronzelevel Bicycle Friendly Community in Falmouth, MA.

Dive into our Bicycle Friendly State rankings: bikeleague.org/states Blue Bike Station at Mass Ave. near Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly University.

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One way to quantify the increased activities to make bicycling better is through the League’s five Bicycle Friendly Actions that we recommend each state take to improve the safety and experience of people biking.

T H E L E AG U E ' S B I C YC L E F R I E N D LY A C T I O N S

1

A Safe Passing Law

2

Complete Streets Law, A Policy, or Resolution

3

n Emphasis on Bicycle A Safety in a state’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan

4

statewide Bicycle or Active A Transportation Plan adopted within the last decade

5

t least 2% of Federal A Transportation Funds spent on biking and walking

In 2015, only 13 states had four or five of the Bicycle Friendly Actions. Now, that number has nearly doubled to 24 states.

Despite this overall increase, the two actions with the closest link to federal policy showed a decrease in 2022; as we move forward with implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), we hope the decrease in states spending at

least 2% on biking and walking is reversed as the many positive aspects of the BIL are used by states to increase investments in biking and walking.

As part of the Bicycle Friendly State ranking, each state received a report card highlighting key data and feedback.

We hope this information is helpful for policymakers and advocates who want to compare states, understand where certain states can improve, and strengthen all states as they learn from each other.

Our summary report collects important data from all states to show key areas of leadership and progress on priorities such as safer speeds, safer roads, and safer people. We also note that 42 out of 50 states have now adopted a statewide bike plan and the advantages that adopters have over states that have not yet chosen to adopt proactive planning for the safety of people biking.

Every ranking is an opportunity to improve and see the collective progress on building a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

Rankings like these are sure to elicit strong feelings about states’ placement, but a major takeaway from this year is that it is an exciting time for progress, improvement, and leadership by states and we look forward to working with every state to build a more Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

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DRIVE LESS, BIKE MORE SCORES 1.5 MILLION+ TRIPS BY BIKE B Y

R AV E N

W E L L S

The CDC’s Active People, Healthy NationSM initiative has a stated goal of getting 27 million people more physically active. In support of this goal, the League monitors progress on increasing rates of bicycling and walking in America. In 2021, this has led directly to several reports we produced on specific groups of people and topics. We hope you will check out the full reports at data.bikeleague.org.

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DID YOU KNOW? Riding a bike instead of taking a car trip reduces your carbon impact by 10%

We closed out 2021 by exceeding our 1 million-mile goal and reached over 1,320,214 transportation miles by the seat of a bike. We even extended our mile goal, which was again reached in January 2022 and resulted in a grand total of 1,500,000 miles ridden by bike. With all that riding, we saved the planet over 167,337 lbs of CO2.

#

The beauty in “Drive Less, Bike More” is that bikes can be used for any type of transportation—from commuting to work or school, running errands around town, and even getting groceries. So, no matter when, where or how far you go, you’re taking a climate-saving action just by choosing to go by bike.

As we kick off the “Drive Less, Bike More” campaign again this July, let’s see how much greener we can get with our carbon emissions reductions and maybe, in thinking more about when, where and how we choose to bike, we’ll convince the world that sustainable transportation is a fun and easy way for everyone to do their part in caring for the environment and their health!

Learn more about the challenge and register at drivelessbikemore.com.

It's fun and easy!

FIND OUT MORE

Last year, the League encouraged you and everyone you know to go green by going by bike when we launched our “Drive Less, Bike More” campaign during Cycle September, the final month in the National Bike Challenge. With a goal of turning 1 million miles of would-be car trips, often small trips of 3 miles or less, into 1 million miles of bike trips, we set out to see just how far we can go by bike and just how big of an impact small trips can have on making a big difference in our efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Together, we crushed it!

POSSIBLE

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B E PA RT O F O U R 2 M I L L I O N M I L E S BY B I K E !

“Drive Less, Bike More” doesn’t mean you have to turn your life upside down to make an impact. Just by converting one or two short car trips per week to bike trips, you can embrace a more active lifestyle and reduce your carbon footprint. Here are a few ideas of would-be car trips you could turn into bike trips:

Bike to socialize. Dinner at your family’s house? Meeting a coworker for lunch?

Catching up with an old friend over coffee at a local cafe? Bike there! Your commute could even make for a good conversation starter.

Bike to work. If riding your bike to work is too far or unsafe due to a lack of bicycle infrastructure, consider combining modes of transportation by biking to transit or carshare.

Bike to the gym. Riding your bike to the gym is a fun way to loosen up and get your blood pumping with a little cardio before you even hit the door.

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Tools to help make these short trips #bikepossible: Have a lock to secure your bike when parking Add lights to your bike to ensure visibility at night Carry a tote bag or add a bike rack/basket for groceries or other purchases. Or wear a backpack—no special gear needed!

Download apps like Transit App which can help you find bike share systems

FIND OUT MORE

Bike to run an errand. Errands are hardly ever fun activities but what’s more fun than riding a bike? Ride to the store to do some light grocery shopping, ride to the library to return a book, ride to the post office to mail a letter. The possibilities are endless.

We make it easy to log your rides.

Join here! https://bit.ly/JoinDLBM

HOW TO MAKE YO U R T R I P S CO U N T

T O WA R D S T H E DRIVE LESS, BIKE MORE C A M PA I G N G OA L :

1.

Sign up through the League’s partner, Love to Ride, at lovetoride.net/usa.

2.

Complete a survey on your current transportation habits.

3.

Begin logging rides! All rides under 3 miles and other bike rides marked as “transportation” rides will count towards the mile goal of “Drive Less, Bike More”.

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BFA IN ACTION

GREENER CAMPUSES ARE CAR-FREE CAMPUSES B Y

A M E L I A

N E P T U N E

Many colleges and universities strive for sustainable, greener campuses—and they often find their way to the League’s Bicycle Friendly University (BFU) program on their journey.

I

n our latest round of BFU awards, more than a third (36%) of the applications we received were submitted by staff from campus sustainability offices, which is more than any other type of campus office or department. (Transportation departments were a close second with 31%.) Campus Climate Action Plans (CAPs) almost always include a “Transportation” chapter with related targets, and it is no surprise that the humble bicycle frequently plays a central role in helping campuses achieve their lofty climate goals of net zero emissions or climate neutrality.

for applying to the BFU program. The institution also states that its support for bicycling “builds on our past progress and demonstrates our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions locally and globally. With the first Pitt Climate Action Plan pending Board endorsement later this year, shifting more Pitt students and employees to active and shared modes of transportation is a huge part of our ongoing journey, including improved biking and walking amenities across, around, and to campus.”

The University of Pittsburgh, which moved up from a Bronze-level designation to Silver in our latest BFU awards, referenced the school’s “commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2037” in its reasons

Beyond the basics of making it easier and safer to bike on campus, how are Bicycle Friendly Universities putting these climate commitments into action through bicycling? I’m so glad you asked!

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WORKING BIKES One of the ways Bicycle Friendly University campuses are reducing their carbon footprint is by reducing vehicle miles traveled for on-campus work trips among their employees.

From facilities and maintenance crews to IT staff, many college and university staff roles require staff to zigzag across campus multiple times per day. What better way to eliminate emissions than to convert these short trips, formerly taken by cars, trucks, and golf carts, into bike rides? Here are some of our favorite examples of shared bike programs from our new and renewing 2021 BFU awardees:

U N I V E R S I T Y O F LO U I SV I L L E I N LO U I SV I L L E , KY S I LV E R B F U

University of Louisville’s Sustainability Council supplied and maintains for the Office of Health Promotion a utility tricycle and a bike blender for campus events. Credit: University of Louisville

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University of Louisville’s Sustainability Council supplies employees with work bikes, such as this IT Help Desk Trike ridden by Victoria Harpe.

Credit: University of Louisville

U N I V E R S I T Y O F T E X A S AT A U S T I N S I LV E R B F U

University of Texas at Austin’s Landscape Services team recently started using this e-bike as a more sustainable option. Credit: University of Texas at Austin

University of Texas at Austin’s Libraries shared bike, which is used to shuttle books between campus buildings. Credit: University of Texas at Austin

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

SUNY IN CO RT L A N D, N Y

S I LV E R B F U

BRONZE BFU

Pitt Sustainability Coordinator and LCI Nick Goodfellow rides the University's newest sustainable fleet vehicle—a RadBurro electric cargo bike. Credit: Aimee Obidzinski/University of Pittsburgh

SUNY Cortland’s “Green Hauler” storage hauling bikes in action. Credit: SUNY Cortland

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BIKE TOURS Campus and community bike tours are another way that campuses demonstrate just how possible it is to “Drive Less, Bike More” and show off the many ways that newcomers can contribute to a greener campus (including biking, of course!) The University of Louisville, for example, has an annual tradition during Welcome Week called the Sustainable Louisville Bike Tour which introduces new students to hidden sustainability gems on campus and around the city, including a stop at the local community bike shop, Falls City Community Bikeworks. Similarly, staff from the Office of Sustainability at Ohio University - Athens Campus organize and lead a Welcome Week Bike Tour every year.

University of Louisville’s Earn-A-Bike program also promotes biking instead of driving on campus.

Credit: University of Louisville

Students on the 2021 Welcome Week Bike Tour at Ohio University - Athens Campus.

Credit: Sam Crowl

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EARTH-FRIENDLY BICYCLE FRIENDLY BUSINESSES Becoming a Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) is a great way for any business to show off how they are socially and environmentally responsible. For most businesses, the environmental benefits of getting more employees out of their cars and onto bikes is an added bonus, but for some BFBs, sustainability and bringing people closer to nature is the root of their business. This past April, in honor of Earth Day, we highlighted just a few BFBs really embodying this commitment to the planet.

Delaware North at Grand Canyon Bronze BFB—300 employees, Grand Canyon, AZ Did you know that the Grand Canyon, one of the most visited National Parks in the country, is designated a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Business? Thanks to bike racks located at all lodging, retail and dining locations as well as a free shuttle bus that accommodates bikes, visitors can easily enjoy the views of the Grand Canyon by bike.

The Grand Canyon also hosts an annual Sustainability Fair with a fix-it clinic where members of the community and park guests can bring in their bike for free repairs. Bicycle commuting is also made easier for park employees with an employee bike program that loans out cruisers equipped with baskets, helmets and other bike necessities.

Ozark Greenways Silver BFB—2 employees, Springfield, MO Ozark Greenways is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and connecting Springfield’s more than 200-mile planned trail system. Part of the organization's mission focuses on improving local and regional bike infrastructure through the trail system and residents and visitors are encouraged to explore the trails by bike. Ozark Greenway’s website offers a bicycle tourism page that maps out five bicycle routes and links printable maps of Springfield’s greenway trails and bike route network, which features 12 outdoor bike aid stations, mile markers, public restrooms and water stations. Bike safety information, including instructional videos, kid-friendly education tools and information on the League’s Smart Cycling Quick Guide can also be found on the website.

League to Save Lake Tahoe Silver BFB—15 employees, South Lake Tahoe, CA The League to Save Lake Tahoe is a nonprofit working to combat and solve environmental challenges faced by Lake Tahoe. Staff participate annually in Bike to Work Week and Bike Month events, including hosting a Bike Path Cleanup where volunteers bike and walk along as they clean. The organization also actively advocates for active transportation and transit funding and services throughout the Tahoe region, believing it is one of the keys to keeping Lake Tahoe blue.

A bike path cleanup hosted by the League to Save Lake Tahoe in 2019.

Read more on the League blog bit.ly/EarthFriendlyBFBs

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TRAILS & ACCESS TO NATURE Many campuses in the BFU program are strong supporters of their local natural trail systems. These trail systems serve not only as great places to bike safely and connect with nature but also as key players in a climate-neutral future. After all, trees are one of the best tools we have to capture carbon and offset greenhouse gas emissions. Of course, not every college or university is lucky enough to have a natural trail system on campus, but two of our newly-minted Bronze-level BFUs are great exceptions.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville maintains approximately 15 miles of dedicated bicycle pathways and trails on their 2,660-acre campus, including several tunnels and bridges to minimize roadway crossings. Several SIUE campus paths also integrate into countywide trail systems, and the campus has been an active collaborator with the community in building rail-to-trail

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and other paths that provide a total of over 135 miles of connected and dedicated bike and shared use trails and pathways throughout the county that the university resides in.

University of the South in Sewanee, TN, has over 55 miles of dedicated mountain bike trails on their 13,000-acre campus, as well as a dedicated team of staff and workstudy students to maintain it. In addition to the extensive trails system on campus, the University of the South is also connected to the Mountain Goat Trail, a local/regional shared use path with growing connections to neighboring cities. The Sewanee Outdoor Program (SOP) helps students take advantage of these incredible natural resources through programming, bike rentals, and the SOP bike shop, which has been helping Sewanee students with bike repair needs for the last 15 years.

S O U T H E R N I L L I N O I S U N I V E R S I T Y E D WA R D S V I L L E BRONZE BFU

Students using SIUE bike share bikes on one of the school’s many dedicated bike trails.

Credit: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

A campus bike path at SIUE featuring a pedestrian bridge above and tunnel under automotive road in background. Credit: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Map of mountain biking trails connected to University of the South. Credit: University of the South

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MEMBERSHIP IN ACTION

CLIMATE RIDE: SAVING THE PLANET ON THE BIKE TRIP OF YOUR DREAMS B Y

K E V I N

Y

ou don’t need to know me for long before you discover my love for bikes and learn about my next big bike adventure and my deep passion for sustainability. As such, it was a pleasure to sit down with Climate Ride founder Caeli Quinn and learn more about how her organization empowers climate advocates while building support for sustainability-centered organizations like the League.

Caeli describes Climate Ride as “a community of adventurers dedicated to protecting the planet. We unite advocacy, action, and philanthropy, inspiring people to work together toward a sustainable future. With the environmental crisis, the hardest part is often figuring out how to get involved. At Climate Ride, we’ve created positive and inclusive events that are good for you and good for the planet.

We help you discover and explore what you are capable of and turn that passion into support for environmental and active transportation grantees. Together, we bring people and nonprofits together to inspire action and make protecting the planet a philanthropic priority for everyone.”

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D E K K I N G A

The way it works is as simple as it is genius: participants register to attend one of Climate Ride’s professionally-hosted and developed bike tours, featuring some of the most dreamed about bicycling destinations throughout the world. Riders then commit to raising at least the donation requirement for their adventure and use a peer-to-peer fundraising platform to rally support for the non-profit of their choice among Climate Ride’s partner organizations.

Since 2008, Climate Riders have contributed more than $7 million to over 100 non-profit organizations, the majority fueling local bicycling and environmental advocacy groups. This year, Climate Ride is proud to be featuring a dollar-for-dollar match for all charity partners, aiming to contribute more than $5 million to climate advocacy this year alone.

While the climate crisis presents an existential threat to the entirety of the planet, this area of concern is still largely untouched by philanthropy. In 2019, Americans gave $449 billion to charity—and only 3% of that total went to environmental organizations (including animal welfare organizations).

Climate Ride works to not just to shine a light on climate issues, but to accelerate philanthropy around climate change by empowering local advocacy organizations.

“These days, it’s easy to feel powerless to impact the structural forces at the center of our national conversation on climate change,” says Quinn. “Climate Ride offers participants the opportunity to physically make a change, creating a positive space where they turn their passion and concern into philanthropic fuel for advocacy.” She adds that “99% of Climate Ride riders go on to become local climate advocates, creating change back at home long after the bags are unpacked.”

This year, Climate Ride offers 12 different adventures to choose from, including Green Fondos in California and New York.

Green Fondos are larger weekend events that feature several routes around a single location—an excellent opportunity to engage in something positive with friends, colleagues, or even your local bike club.

During the height of the COVID pandemic, when travel was less possible (and international travel was prohibited), Climate Ride continued to benefit climate-centered non-profits by shifting to a decentralized model of bike events, where riders created their own bike adventures all the while fundraising for their favorite charity partners without leaving their hometowns.

This year, Climate Ride is working to expand that reach through their Environmental Justice Action Grants program. Using ranked-choice voting, Climate Ride stakeholders are awarding grants to organizations that are fighting systemic racism, and making progress on environmental and social justice.

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime while fueling (or supercharging) your passion for climate action? Climate Ride registration is now open for several trips, including San Juan Islands & the Olympics, Maine, Death Valley and both Green Fondo events!

Browse the ride calendar and sign up at climateride.org. Don’t forget to name your favorite national bike advocacy organization *ahem* as one of your charity partners…

“At Climate Ride, we’ve created positive and inclusive events that are good for you and good for the planet... Together, we bring people and nonprofits together to inspire action and make protecting the planet a philanthropic priority for everyone.”

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SUMMER RIDES WE LOVE

tury re Cen• August 6 fi e r b o Sh ycle Clu n, DE

Disc Valleover Hud y Rid son Poug e hke

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The Wild West Ride

Kansas City, KS • June 26 Hosted by Cycling Kansas City Starting and ending at the Due West Ranch, the Wild West Ride features something for everyone: gravel routes, four road courses from 25 to 100 miles and even a family ride. Giddy up!

Le Tour

Chicago de Shore , IL to New Bu ffalo, M I • June Hosted 17-18 by Virginia the Eastern Sho Chambe re of ro letourde shore.co f Commerce m This clas sic two-d ay, 100-m event fro ile tourin m Chicag g o, MI, on th e beautifu IL, to New Buffalo , l Michigan shore of Lake benefits Arts for Maywoo Kids at d Fine Ar ts. Choo or two-d se from s ay riding ingle options, camping wit accomm odations h hotel or .

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RAISING FUNDS FOR SAFER CYCLING SEVERAL DUDES LAUNCHES FUNDRAISER FOR THE LEAGUE I N H O N O R O F FA L L E N F R I E N D

On October 12, 2018, Nick Stevens, founding member of the band Several Dudes, died when he was hit by a driver while cycling. Nick was a loving husband and father and a leader in all the communities in which he worked and lived. He was an amazing guitar player who bared his soul every time the band played and who lifted up everyone around him.

FIND OUT MORE

Several Dudes played good-time boogie music for the masses in Atlanta, GA, from 1987-1992, when most of the Dudes were at Emory University. The band started having reunion gigs in 2015 to raise money for various charities. After Nick’s tragic death, the band decided to re-form to write and record new music—some using lyrics Nick wrote in the 1980s.

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Now, the band is raising money for the League and their work to bolster bike advocacy. They encourage anyone who digs the music and this project to make a donation to honor Nick and to help make cycling safer for everyone.

Want to set up your own memorial or tribute campaign for the League?

Contact kevin@bikeleague.org

To learn more about Several Dudes and their campaign, visit bikeleague.org/nickstevenscyclingadvocacy

The World’s Toughest Bicycle Race Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD – 3000 miles

TEAM SONOMA 2020 GEAR Book C R E A M E R Y R O D E AT RA A M I N S U P P O RT OF THE LEAGUE

Big thanks to John, Uli, Eric and Chris from Team Sonoma Creamery for teaming up with the League to raise funds for safe cycling advocacy through their Race Across America relay this Summer.

The famed ultra-endurance event kicked off on June 14. See how the team fared on their coast-to-coast journey and learn more about why they are supporting the League at teamsonomacreamery.com Want to align your team with the League and raise funds in support of bike education, advocacy or any of the League’s changemaking programs? Reach out to kevin@ bikeleague.org

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SMART CYCLING

HOW TRAFFIC GARDENS GROW YOUNG RIDERS B Y

A L I S O N

D E W E Y

Some may call them Traffic Gardens, others call them Safety Towns, but whatever name you use, we can all agree that youth-scaled bike riding environments are places for fun and creative learning!

T

RAF FIC G ARDENS (we’ll stick with one name for consistency) are popping up throughout the U.S. and are quickly becoming a favorite playtime destination for school-age kids and their parents.

You can find them in states like Colorado, Oregon, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and more!

A Traffic Garden provides a dedicated space for small-scale real-world traffic environments. Imagine one of those children’s rugs with streets and intersections on it, but larger and outdoors on asphalt. They contain common roadway elements such as intersections, stop signs, yield signs, pedestrian crosswalks, roundabouts, railroad crossings, one-way traffic, two-way traffic, and more—all of which are presented on a scale to accommodate smaller users. While Traffic Gardens can be enjoyed by all ages, typically you’ll see kids anywhere from as young as three years old all the way up into the pre-teen years using them.

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Traffic Gardens provide a protected area to allow kids to play on bikes and begin to learn how to safely and confidently navigate traffic and share the environment with other users. Children develop important skills for when they begin riding their bikes to school, around their neighborhood, and when they ride just for fun. A stop sign installed three to four feet from the ground is much more visible and a more effective learning tool to a five year old than a real-world stop sign, which is typically installed seven to eight feet from the ground—a long stretch of the neck up for a young person.

The League believes riding a bike is an experience every child deserves and we want to see Traffic Gardens in every community. They are an important learning tool for young people to see that biking is fun, social, and can help keep themselves and the planet healthy. That’s why at the National Bike Summit, we provided attendees with the unique opportunity

to visit a Traffic Garden at an elementary school in Washington, D.C. Participants rode about four miles from Capitol Hill to Neval Thomas Elementary school near the Anacostia River Trail where we met with a team from Discover Traffic Gardens.

Attendees learned about Traffic Gardens as a roadway safety and skills educational tool, as well as funding opportunities for installing new facilities, successful operational models and examples of how to work with your local community to bring a Traffic Garden to your area. This hands-on experience was valuable to pave the way for more Traffic Gardens across the U.S. The Summit also offered online content about Traffic Gardens along with other ways to provide bike safety education for youth. In the virtual breakout session “Building Community through Fun” and “Creative Youth Bike Education”, attendees heard about a Traffic Garden in Olympia, Washington, from Danielle King, Thurston County Coordinator and grants manager,

Special Projects for Safe Kids. Emi Kubota, founder and president of KidCycle Club in Asheville, NC, also presented.

In the KidCycle Club, kids bike in parks, on singletrack, and on other natural surface trails. Youth learn how to shred, maintain balance while traversing boards, and how to navigate a pump track, all while becoming more confident in trail riding!

Nicole Chandler and Sam Balto talked about teaching bike safety in schools in Little Rock, AR, and Portland, OR, respectively through initiatives like bike buses, physical education classes, after school activities, and family involvement. There are many ways to get more kids on bikes and with each, our future looks brighter and brighter.

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NEW SMART CYCLING VIDEOS ONLINE NOW! You’ll love our new videos on Smart Cycling and being a Bicycle Friendly Driver. The League recently added to its video library 13 new videos—seven focus on motorists sharing the road with bicyclists and six focus on safety information for people riding bikes.

All 13 videos are available in English and Spanish on our website and on YouTube! Share them with your community, post them, even add them to your website. We want as many people to learn from them as possible. The videos were created with the help of DoorDash and will be shared with current and future DoorDash delivery drivers and bicyclists.

The Bicycle Friendly Driver videos are geared to help motorists understand bicyclists’ riding behavior and why sharing the road is not only the safe thing to do, it is the legally required way to drive. With topics such as Why is the Bicyclist in the Middle of the Road and How to Avoid Common Crashes Between Motorists and Cyclists, there is something for every driver. Find them all on the League YouTube channel.

SCAN THIS to visit the League's YouTube channel: youtube.com/BikeLeague

Know someone who could use a quick Bicycle Friendly Driver lesson? bit.ly/EveryDriverShouldKnow

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WE KNOW BIKE PARKING. Inside and out.®

Download our free bike parking guides at www.dero.com

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WE CHOSE A MORE BIKEABLE FUTURE AT THE FIRST HYBRID BIKE SUMMIT B Y

R AV E N

W E L L S

Bikes bring people together. It’s what we’ve built our mission upon and why hundreds (and sometimes thousands!) of people who love bikes gather in one place each year—the National Bike Summit.

Jamila Porter, Chief of Staff at de Beaumont Foundation, presenting at the virtual plenary: Integrating Health Equity into Transportation Planning and Projects.

Secretary Pete Buttigieg joined the League for a bike-side chat aired at the virtual plenary: D.C. Decision Makers: Now that IIJA has passed, What's next?

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W

H AT IS IT ABO UT SU M M I T S

that draws in advocates of every level, of every background and of varying passions?

Is it finding new people to ride with at a group bike ride? Discovering your next project mingling with other attendees?

Finding inspiration in individuals and organizations aligned with your purpose?

All of the above!

In fact, pivoting to a virtual National Bike Summit in recent years has offered an opportunity for everyone to get more involved in making biking better in whatever way they see fit. While the power of connecting voices for change only grew stronger online, we couldn’t help but miss our community coming together in the League’s hometown of Washington, D.C., and swapping stories face-to-face with our fellow bike enthusiasts. Luckily this year we got to bring a little of that back while still making it possible to connect as many voices as possible.

For the first time in its 23-year history, the 2022 National Bike Summit took on a hybrid format, offering loads of bike rides, happy hours and in-person workshops, as well as online content for more than 750 bike advocates. Whether riding bikes together through D.C.’s iconic Cherry Blossoms or watching thought leaders present their ideas for better bicycling via Zoom, the response was unanimous— coming to the National Bike Summit brings about a re-energizing spirit.

A spirit much needed for this year’s theme of Choosing Our Future, which delved into conversations of implementing investments, like those brought about in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, that could transform how the next generation experiences transportation. Through keynote speeches, plenary sessions, and panels, all hosted online and made available to all attendees through the Whova platform, advocates engaged in sharing ideas for improving bicycling from its impact on climate change to bridging the gap in racial equity to building new infrastructure.

We heard from those excited to implement change such as Mayor Frank Scott Jr. of Little Rock, Arkansas, and Roger Millar, Secretary of Transportation for the State of Washington, who shared how they are “Promoting Safety and Equity through State and Local Policy”. Felipe Andrés Ramírez, the Secretary of Mobility in Bogotá, Colombia, shared the city’s work led by Mayor Claudia López to build a 30-minute city. We got to learn about upcoming legislative plans from our longtime bike friend Representative Earl Blumenauer. Plus, we once again welcomed back Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who joined us for a bike-side chat about his agency’s new National Roadway Safety Strategy.

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NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT

20 22

“Now is the time to engage new partners and lift up underserved communities, so that everyone has access to the amazing benefits of bicycles,” says Representative Earl Blumenauer at Bike Summit 22.

“Your advocacy is more important now than ever.”

Virtually, there was something for any and everyone to learn through presentations like “Decriminalizing Walking and Bicycling in Kansas City” with speaker Michael Kelly, policy director of BikeWalkKC, or Bicycle Friendly Universities presenting on their bike share and commuter programs in a networking session. The Summit even had sessions for and by the next generation with the National Youth Bike Council leading conversations on racial and generational inequities in bicycling in urban spaces.

Those who ventured to Washington, D.C., engaged in mobile workshops and bike rides experiencing everything from a local Traffic Garden to the latest and greatest in e-bikes thanks to an e-bike showcase sponsored by our friends at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Organizational strategies on increasing equity, implementing infrastructure funding, and lobbying were exchanged at the Active Transportation Leadership Institute, as well as several in-person workshops thinking through how to encourage more Bicycle Friendly Businesses in your community, how to invest in equitable bike networks, and more.

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The number of Summit attendees in the 21-30 age group is growing!

More participants in this age group attended the 2022 National Bike Summit than in recent years.

This year also saw many Lobby Day firsts. While some participants attended meetings in-person as usual on Capitol Hill, others attended virtual meetings with their members of Congress and others participated in Lobby Day for the first time ever, myself included. Nonetheless, hundreds of meetings made huge strides for bettering the safety and attainability of bicycling as we called for funding of the Active Transportation Infrastructure Improvement Program (ATIIP), which would create a grant program to help communities fund active transportation networks within and among communities and the Healthy Streets program, which would fund communities to address urban heat islands and flooding near walkways and transit stops in low-income communities and communities of color.

Learning from and inspiring one another doesn't end at the Summit—now, bike advocates across the country will move forward in implementing investments that will make bicycling safer and easier locally, statewide and nationally.

Bike Summit 22 participants heading on a ride after checking out ebikes at the Congressional Bike Ride.

Safety first. District Department of Transportation staff members give safety instructions before leading a bike tour of D.C.'s developing biking network.

Congressional Bike Ride participants joined Washington Area Bicyclist Association and Hill Staffers for a cruise around D.C.’s infrastructure and an e-bike expo from our sponsors.

BIKE SIDE CHATS CHATS

The Active Transportation Leadership Institute back in person! Executive director Bill Nesper helped lead conversations in organizational strategies on equity, infrastructure funding, and lobbying.

A mobile workshop led by District Department of Transportation staff members takes off from Eastern Market Plaza.

Hear more from our Advocacy and Education Award winners in our bike-side chat series! Watch our interviews and get inspired to advocate in your community. B IKE L E AG UE.O RG/BI K ESI D ECH ATS

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N AT I O N A L B I K E S U M M I T

MEET OUR 2022 ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION AWARD WINNERS At every National Bike Summit, we have the privilege of announcing the latest recipients of our Advocacy and Education Awards. Read on to learn more about the bike educators, champions of bike joy, and community-builders shaping a future better for bicycling.

A D V O C A C Y O R G A N I Z AT I O N O F T H E Y E A R

Bike Durham

Bike Durham, based in Durham, North Carolina, is on a mission to ensure that everyone has access to safe, affordable, and sustainable transportation. For the organization, 2021 saw many long-term safety initiatives come to fruition, including developing a Safe Routes to Schools program in Durham's public elementary schools, partnering with a neighborhood association and the City's Transportation Department to conduct a traffic calming plan, and pushing their City Council to increase funding for sidewalks, trails, bicycle facilities, and other equitable green infrastructure by $6 million per year over the next 10 years.

GROUPS WITH IMPACT

“On a Saturday in early December, we held a Bike Festival for youth following four weeks of teaching bike safety skills to fifth-graders at Eastway Elementary in Durham. The turnout was estupendo, and the highlight was when the school counselor got on a bike for the first time since she was a little girl.”

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CLUB OF THE YEAR

El Grupo Youth Cycling El Grupo Youth Cycling, a youth cycling organization based in Tucson, Arizona, took home this year’s Club of the Year award. Like the League, El Grupo Youth Cycling believes that bicycles are a tool for building leadership skills, camaraderie and a healthy lifestyle. Their work focuses on inspiring and empowering youth to get on bikes through programs for all ages, including year-round after-school programs, bike packing trips, and a summer bike camp.

“El Grupo wants more kids to find cycling as a tool to learn about themselves; how they can overcome obstacles and be the person they will themselves to be.”

INDIVIDUALS WITH IMPACT A D V O C AT E O F T H E Y E A R

Brantley Tyndall

Brantley Tyndall has worked tirelessly to advocate for safe bicycling, walking, and safer streets as the Director of Outreach at Bike Walk RVA and president of the Virginia Bicycling Federation. When he’s not out on his bike training for his next big ride, he is growing transportation advocacy efforts across Virginia. With Brantley’s leadership, Virginia recently passed pro-bike legislation, as well as trail funding for a proposed 43-mile regional walking and biking trail that will run through Central Virginia and connect seven states.

“I have never experienced the same level of joy in bike advocacy as supporting nine Virginia localities coming together in an unprecedented way to invest over $100 million to build a new 43-mile multi-use trail, called the Fall Line, that will serve as a backbone across Central Virginia and a signature portion of the Commonwealth's section of the East Coast Greenway.”

EMERGING LEADER OF THE YEAR

Phoebe Mrozinski

Phoebe Mrozinski is a BOLD Women’s Leadership Network Scholar and was introduced to the bicycle movement as a student bike commuter at the University of Connecticut. Inspired to share what she had come to learn and love about bicycling with other students, she volunteered with bike education courses at her local bike shop and went on to develop bike education programming at the University of Connecticut, work as a bike mechanic at the UConn Recreation Adventure Center, and contribute several bike opinion pieces to the Daily Campus newspaper.

“In the fall, I taught a Ph.D student how to ride a bike. After hours of running alongside her, I finally let go and shed a tear as I watched her ride away. It made me proud to know that my work can inspire others to find freedom on a bike.”

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S U S I E ST E P H E N S J OY F U L E N T H U S I A S M AWA R D

K AT H E R I N E “ K I T T I E ” T. K N O X AWA R D

Charise Stephens

Courtney Williams

This award commemorates Susie Stephens, one of the Alliance for Biking & Walking founders and an enduring inspiration for many members of the bicycle and pedestrian movement. The award honors an individual or group who carries on Susie’s passion for advocating for bicycling as a fun and economical means of transportation. Charise Stephens (no relation) is the founder of U Create Macon, the first and only official youth affiliate of the Major Taylor Association in the world and a makerspace for youth to thrive by bike with bike rodeos, bike history tours, Earn A Bike programs and more. She exudes pure bike joy when talking about getting more kids in her community on bikes and is said by many to be “transforming the state of Georgia” with her passion for increasing representation for young Black cyclists.

This award recognizes champions of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the bicycling movement and honors Kittie Knox and her advocacy for a more inclusive League and bike community. Our 2022 recipient Courtney Williams is on a mission to ensure equitable access to the transportation, health and economic benefits of cycling through her advocacy project, The Brown Bike Girl.

As an equity initiative consultant, DEI teacher and trainer, League Cycling Instructor and Grist 2020 Climate Fixer, she roots her work in making bicycle education more accessible and inclusive for BIPOC students by offering classes in different languages, teaching a wide variety of topics like urban street navigation, and working with new partners to increase her reach, and she encourages others to do the same by sharing equity-focused resources.

“My joy is seeing kids (especially kids from our roughest neighborhood) earning their first bikes and seeing their smiles. One of our newest recruits was a child that had never owned a bike. He just did 25 miles with our team and earned a bike at age 15.

He cried with tears of joy because in his own words, ‘Ms. Charise, I am a somebody, I ain't a nobody no more.’”

INDIVIDUALS WITH IMPACT 50

“Rather than continuing to proxy the academic familiarity of predominantly white staff with the limited number of studies on [People of Color] mobility and bike culture, the future of bike movement must look like this: Transportation & advocacy organizations filling their directorships, boards openings, and development positions with People of Color with grassroots justice organizing experience – for whom comprehensive and effective racially inclusive thinking is first nature. And upon hiring, embracing the reality that the challenges and changes to organizational priorities that these professionals propose is the roadmap to creating the more equitable mobility futures that these organizations want to be credited for creating.”

B I C Y C L E F R I E N D LY A M E R I C A L E A D E R S H I P AWA R D

Charles T. Brown The Bicycle Friendly America Leadership Award recognizes civic, academic, and business leaders who have made significant contributions towards our shared goal of an America where biking is safe, comfortable, and accessible for all.

Charles T. Brown is the founder and CEO of Equitable Cities LLC, an organization dedicated to reconnecting communities suffering from disinvestment. As a thought leader, researcher, and awardwinning expert in planning and policy, he has continuously highlighted “the social, political, economic, and health impacts of racial disparities in transportation.” In 2021, Charles worked with the League to lead a focus group that reviewed and provided feedback for a national survey conducted to gauge support for bicycling in the United States, which was released in the League’s Reconnecting to the New Majority report.

“I hope the future of bicycling is increasingly more diverse and inclusive, particularly as it relates to gender, persons with disabilities, and racial minorities.”

D R . P A U L D U D L E Y W H I T E AWA R D

Peter DeFazio This award is the highest honor the League bestows. The recipient should be an inspiration to others for their commitment to the future of bicycling and someone who has made significant progress in education, safety, rights, or benefits of bicycling.

Congressman Peter DeFazio has been on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee since 1987, and, as a former bike mechanic, has been a longtime supporter of investments in safe and accessible bicycling and walking. In 2019, DeFazio was elected by his peers to Chair the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure, which has jurisdiction over all the nation's transportation system. In 2020, DeFazio authored his version of the transportation bill, the Moving Foward Act, which addressed the climate crisis head on, created new incentives to improve the mobility of people outside of cars, and included a strong Complete Streets design approach in federal policy. His measure passed the House and paved the way for the eventual law that enacted huge gains for biking and walking.

E D U C AT O R O F T H E Y E A R

Debra L. Franklin wears many hats as an educator. She is

a League Cycling Instructor, BikeWalk NC Trustee, USA Cycling Coach, AARP Driver Safety Program Volunteer, Bicycle Friendly Driver Instructor, and a Career Counselor for the American Counseling Association. As a former city bus driver, she recognized the need for people to be able to confidently and safely get around by bike and is working towards accrediting her bike education consultation business, Bicycle Oven Company, at the first Bicycle Trade School in North Carolina. “There is more to a bicycle than learning to ride and repair it. Advocates should seize this moment and tell others about ‘your more’.”

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LEAGUE SAG WAGON

WHAT WE DO (OTHER THAN BIKING) TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT Psst...notice our SAG Wagon section is getting longer? Check out our staff list in the following pages to learn the titles of our newest contributors!

BILL

COMPOSTING We started composting our food waste during the pandemic as a way to cut down on what goes to the landfill while making healthy soil for growing things. I like to take the recycling and compostables to the community recycling depot by bike.

ANNA

VOLUNTEERING My city of Pittsburgh is the headwaters of the Ohio River whose watershed reaches nearly 10% of the nation's population. As a board member of our local trails group, Friends of the Riverfront, I volunteer as a gratekeeper, to maintain and steward the sewer grates in my neighborhood.

It’s just one small way that I am trying to help the local ecosystem and its effect on our downstream neighbors.

We all live downstream!

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AMELIA

VERMICOMPOSTING I’ve been vermicomposting (composting with worms) for the last 12 years and absolutely love it as a simple way to reduce my family’s waste output and fertilize our plants at the same time. Over the last decade-plus that I’ve had a worm bin, we’ve lived in a number of small apartments with no outdoor space, and still found it easy and odor-free to maintain. Now that I have a yard, I recently upgraded my composting system for easier compost harvesting (and more worms!)

KEVIN

CARGO BIKE It’s hard to pick something non-bike related! My family commutes in style now, to school and elsewhere, with our new Urban Arrow cargo bike. Big thanks to the staff at Four Star Family Cyclery in Chicago for making it happen! fourstarfamilycyclery.com RILEY

PLANT CARE AND E M B RO I D E RY Quarantine led me to pick up a number of new hobbies, including plant care and embroidery.

Since then, my house plant collection has grown from a single succulent to 14 different plants and I purchased a sewing machine. This year, I want to start growing my own produce and herbs and get better at repairing, altering, and making my own clothing.

CARON

E N J OY I N G A V E G E TA R I A N DIET I reduce my climate impact by being a vegetarian.

Photo by Victoria Shes on Unsplash

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ALISON

S O L A R PA N E L S My family and I have had solar panels on our house for the last eight years. The power doesn’t go directly to our house, however, it goes back into the grid and is used by our power company. It not only helps the environment, but it also saves us money!

KEN

FA R M S H A R E I am a member of my local farmshare. The Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP) is working to create an equitable food and farming system which prioritizes health and abundance by supporting community initiatives, markets, farms, and farmers in Roanoke. Every Tuesday during the farmshare season I pick my share up by bike. In this picture, you can see the outline of a dozen eggs in my frame bag.

R AV E N

REPURPOSING I try to never leave without grabbing one of my reusable bags. Not only does it help me worry less about how to repurpose plastic bags, (those usually become trash can liners, deep conditioning hair caps or lunch bags otherwise) the larger bags—like my favorite bag pictured here—make for easy grocery trips while living in a multi-floor apartment.

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Photo by Conscious Design on Unsplash

LAUREN

SMALL CHANGES, B I G I M PA C T On the one hand, it feels embarrassing to say I haven’t made any huge life changes. On the other hand, it’s been easy to make a lot of smaller, “little” changes like ditching red meat, downsizing our car, and making more meals at home. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by needing to do something huge, we can all make minor shifts that add up to a big impact.

LO R N A

R E C YC L I N G & COMPOSTING Besides recycling, I have opted into PGC Composts, my county’s compost program. The program includes curbside collection of food scraps and helps Prince George’s County get closer to its zero waste and waste diversion goals.

AUSTIN

PUBLIC TRANSIT I also take public transit quite frequently instead of driving. This is a photo of me commenting on the design of a bus stop sign on the CBC show Uytae Lee’s Stories About Here, S01E04 “How to Fix Bus Stop Signs”.

A LY S S A

T R AV E L C H O I C E S A huge contributor to carbon emissions is air travel, so I’ve been intentional about replacing as many of my trips as I can with other modes of transportation, especially trains. On my last trip to New York City from Washington, D.C., I went by Amtrak and halved the carbon emissions I would have contributed by air travel and was able to keep my bike by my side the whole time!

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LOCAL HERO

PELOTON

CLIMBER

SPRINTER

BREAKAWAY

ELITE

THANKS TO OUR 2022 CORPORATE SPONSORS

OUR MISSION is to lead the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.

We envision a nation where everyone, whether they bike or not, recognizes and enjoys the many benefits and opportunities of bicycling and where everyone can experience the joy of bicycling.

STAFF Kevin Dekkinga

Director of Membership & Development

Alison Dewey

Education Director

Lorna Green

Operations Director

Lauren Jenkins

Communications Director

Ken McLeod

Policy Director

Amelia Neptune

Bicycle Friendly America Director

Bill Nesper

Executive Director

Alyssa Proudfoot

Membership and Program Assistant

Anna Tang

Bicycle Friendly America Program Specialist

Riley P. Titlebaum

Advocacy and Outreach Assistant

Raven Wells

Communications Coordinator

Caron Whitaker Deputy Executive Director

Austin Wu

Safety Policy Specialist

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ken Podziba Chair

Karin Weisburgh Vice Chair

Max Hepp-Buchanan Secretary

Torrance Strong Treasurer

Danielle Arigoni Jim Baross Maria Boustead At Large

Melissa Lee Jackie Martin Kecia McCullough

Ralph Monti Vivian Ortiz Cadesha Prawl Beth St. John Mike Sewell At Large

Chuck Smith

American Bicyclist magazine (ISSN 0747-0371) is published by the League of American Bicyclists, Inc. to help the organization achieve its mission to educate the public and promote awareness of bicycling issues. ©2022 League of American Bicyclists. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Article queries should be addressed to communications@bikeleague.org. Your submission of manuscripts, photographs or artwork is your warranty that the material in no way infringes on the rights of others and that the material may be published without additional approval.

Opinions expressed by writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of the League.

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LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS