Bike advocates get busy

Posted Thu, 2010-09-02 10:58 by rebecca

We're asking all ABC members to contact the ARC today to ask them to raise the floor for bicycle funding (zero dollars for bicycle infrastructure is unacceptable) in the proposed 1% sales tax for transportation projects. Two of our wonderful ABC members shared the messages they sent to the Atlanta Regional Commission today to inspire your own comments. Please click "read more" to check them out, then email today - it's the deadline!

Ride with us, learn with us

Posted Wed, 2010-09-01 16:01 by rebecca
Ride with us

A big thank you to our logo designer and member of the ABC family, Garrett Smith, for his new spoke card design. We're ordering a bunch of these, so stop by if you'd like to help us distribute them at neighborhood businesses and meeting places so more people can learn about our monthly rides and classes. On that note, a big thank you to all our talented graphic designers! Pam with Idea Garden, Mick B, Mikel with Fixie B, and so many more. You guys are the best! Living as we do in an image-hungry world, if you're a graphic designer who wants to help promote better bicycling in Atlanta, please get in touch. We always have design projects/concepts in our back pocket waiting for the right person, and would love to put your talent to good use!

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abc_spokecard_04.pdf

Georgia Bike Summit - you should go

Posted Tue, 2010-08-31 13:37 by rebecca

The first Georgia Bike Summit in Savannah on Saturday October 9th will bring together advocates, business leaders, on-road and off-road recreational cyclists and commuters, elected officials and staff from across Georgia to meet in a state-wide forum, setting the stage for bicycling gains. We will network, collaborate, educate, and empower advocates and attendees; identify common issues in our local communities; and set priorities for Georgia Bikes in 2011.

Sessions will include the Digital Advocacy Toolbox, State of the State, Connecting the DOTs, Designing and building All-Weather Mountain Bike Trails, and Broadening the Community of Cyclists. You should come because you care about improving conditions for cycling across the state, or if you just want a good excuse to make a weekend trip to lovely Savannah, Georgia.

Registration is $40 through October 1st, and we do have a limited number of scholarships available for advocates who can't afford the fee. Please visit the website to learn more!

Zero dollars for bikes not an option

Posted Thu, 2010-08-26 10:13 by rebecca
state seal.jpg

The Transportation Investment Act of 2010 (TIA) signed by Governor Perdue in June could provide a significant source of new funding for transportation projects throughout the state. Here's how it would work: the state is divided into 12 regions, elected officials come up with a project list to be funded by a one percent sales tax, and Georgia votes on the tax in the 2012 primaries.

Right now through September 2nd, the Atlanta Regional Commission is looking for citizen input on the project selection criteria. This is important, people, so pay attention. Please visit the ARC's comprehensive Transportation Investment Act of 2010 page, check out our proposed changes below, and get ready to send an email or two or fire off a letter!

BeltLine / Streetcar update

Posted Tue, 2010-08-24 14:53 by rebecca

If you signed the petition supporting the BeltLine's application for federal funding recently, you might be interested in this update: "We are extremely grateful to everyone who supported our efforts in the TIGER II application. This support demonstrates the sustained and passionate level of support for the Atlanta BeltLine that will carry the project forward for years to come. We have made the strategic decision not to pursue TIGER II funding." Slightly more on the decision.

It's all over the blogosphere: Streetsblog says "In Atlanta’s TIGER Bid, Innovative “BeltLine” Takes Backseat to Streetcar." Creative Loafing notes "BeltLine will yield to downtown streetcar, sit out upcoming federal funding round" and Transport Politic says "For Now, Atlanta Opts to Promote Streetcar Starter Line Over BeltLine."

Bike-Friendly Atlanta

Posted Mon, 2010-08-23 16:10 by rebecca

Our Advocacy Team has a plan. It's a work in progress, and we'd love to hear your comments or suggestions!

The idea here is to create a simple set of advocacy goals that will help the city of Atlanta become more bike-friendly, taking account of where we are now, and identifying how we want to move forward.

Once finalized, we will ask your help in sharing this agenda throughout the city in order to get as many organizations and individuals to sign on in support as possible. Then in early 2011 we'll use it to launch an Atlanta Bike Summit, and kick-start the Bicycle-Friendly Community application process.

Agenda for a Bike-Friendly Atlanta

We call on the City of Atlanta to

  • Create a city-wide Bicycle Advisory Committee to advise the Council and Mayor on bicycle issues
  • Set goals for annual investments in bicycle infrastructure in order to complete the bicycle network
  • Adopt a "Complete Streets" policy in order to create safe and accessible streets for all modes and users

Who really has the right to the road?

Posted Fri, 2010-08-20 16:15 by jtackett

Interesting comment from a bicycling attorney...

"Where the roads are dominated by the automobile, it is because they have been usurped. Many motorists — specifically, those who refuse to share the roads — mistakenly believe that possession of a driver’s license gives them a superior claim to the road. These are the motorists who exclaim that, 'Until cyclists are licensed and insured, they don’t have a right to the road.' In fact, the right to travel is an ancient right, now recognized as one of our constitutional rights, and the roads are the commons, open to all for travel and other uses. Rather than signifying a superior claim to the road, a driver’s license merely grants the holder the revocable privilege of operating a motor vehicle on the commons. Because other road users are not required to be licensed (and that tacitly means this right cannot be revoked) their right to use the roads is in fact superior to that of the motorist."

(SOURCE: http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2010/06/24/an-illegal-bike-ban-%E2...)

Rides around town

Posted Mon, 2010-08-09 14:46 by rebecca

Here at ABC, we get a lot of requests from ride organizers to spread the word about their charity or community bike rides - enough that we had to adopt a ride posting policy to limit the amount of time and bandwidth we spend! Our policy is to only promote rides that support ABC financially or provide discounts for ABC members. But we felt bad about not being able to pass along information about all the great rides going on around town. So in order to better serve you, we set up a self-posting calendar: Rides Around Town.

City Rambler - San Francisco

Posted Sun, 2010-08-08 10:27 by henrys

I'm here on vacation, facing a high of 58 degrees today, and wanted to give a few notes.

First. a court case recently resolved, allowing the city to put in more bike lanes after a break of several years. The San Francisco Chronicle news story on it made reference to the "politically powerful" bicycle community. What will it take for Atlanta to have a "politically powerful" bike community? Should some of our members run for City Council?

Youth Bike Programs

Posted Thu, 2010-08-05 10:54 by rebecca

The BeltLine Bike Shop takes in donated bicycles and invites inner city kids to earn a bike of their own by picking up garbage from their trash-ridden streets. The Earn-A-Bike program is relationship-driven and based on the value of an exchange between giver and receiver. Kids pick up five bags trash, debris or participate in a community work project and earn a bike of their own.