This is not a drill!

• A new study that biking and walking projects create more jobs than traditional road construction
• The impact that the expiration of SAFETEA-LU and new House rules on setting transportation funding levels will have on programs that fund biking and walking
• The new members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
• The key opportunity to have our issues heard at one of the upcoming listening sessions being held by Congressman John Mica (R-Florida), chair of the T&I committee
• The importance of in-district meetings with your member of Congress
• The significance of recruiting messengers that will have the greatest ability to influence members of Congress. 

• We're hosting our calls on Wednesdays at 2 p.m. EST, to best accommodate your schedule. (But we'll steer clear of the third Wednesday of the month, so folks can use their Alliance discount to attend webinars hosted by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals!)
• We're focusing on several different tracks that tackle the most popular topics: Fundraising, Membership Development, Organization Development, Communications, Diversity and Working with Government.
• We're bringing in at least one expert from outside the bicycle and pedestrian advocacy community on each call to bring new, fresh ideas and best practices into the discussion. 

We know many of you are gearing up for the National Bike Summit in March, so we're kicking off 2011 with key calls that will prepare you to work with your representatives in Washington, DC, and back home in your state legislatures. Don't miss the first two calls in our Working with Government series:

• February 9: Working With Your Congressional Delegates Now, more than ever, building and cultivating relationships with your members of Congress is critical to protecting and advancing bicycle and pedestrian issues on a federal level. Whether you're gearing up for the National Bike Summit in March or working in your home community on this national mobilization to protect bike-ped interests and programs in the next federal transportation bill, this call will give you insight into successfully engaging your delegates in Washington, D.C. (Register here.)

• February 23: Lobbying- Do's and Don'ts for Advocacy Organizations: Whether you are a 501(c)3, or (c)4, there is plenty you can do to educate and inform elected leaders, from the city council to the state legislature to the U.S. Congress. At the same time, you need to avoid breaking any rules that could jeopardize your nonprofit status. Join us as experts and experienced leaders explain how you can be effective as an advocate and remain on the right side of the law. (Register here.)

Now more than ever, state and local advocates are playing a crucial role in advancing biking and walking across North America. Make sure your organization is poised to make the biggest impact by renewing your membership or joining the Alliance for Biking & Walking today.

Since 1996, the Alliance has grown from just 12 to more than 170 member organizations because we serve a vital role: We keep you connected to your bike-ped peers across the nation and give you access to the best resources and assistance to boost the effectiveness of your organization.

• Six Winning Campaigns Trainings across the country
• A Membership Development Training in Chicago, IL
• A revamped and revitalized Advocacy Advance initiative
• Mutual Aid calls on topics like fundraising, membership and communications
• Expanded Strategic Planning Assistance and Coaching programs
• An improved and updated Online Resource Library
• And much more!

(If you've already renewed your membership, thank you! Please make sure to fill out your annual profile by clicking here. If you have any questions, contact Mike Samuelson, Member Services Fellow.)   

The Alliance gives you access to dozens of experienced leaders and solicit nearly immediate feedback on our [People] listserv. Our expert staff is available 24/7 to provide one-on-one coaching on critical topics like fundraising and membership development. Our conference calls and daily blog updates keep you up-to-date on what's going on in the halls of Congress - and on the streets in communities across the country.  

But the power of the Alliance is the incredible energy and insight of our member organizations. Add your important work to our People Powered Movement and take advantage of the Alliance's many benefits by renewing your membership or joining the Alliance today!   

The Alliance is pleased to announce the hiring of its new Advocacy Advance Program Manager: Brighid O'Keane.  

Brighid moves to Washington D.C. from the Bay Area, where she recently opened the Berkeley Student Food Collective and served as its Program Director. An environmental studies graduate of the University of Colorado-Boulder, she has worked in Colorado, California, Alaska, and Thailand as a naturalist, community organizer, and alternative educator. She is on the Board of Peers for the Educational Network for Global and Grassroots Exchange, which aims to train and connect young activists nationwide.  While in California, Brighid led a Global Exchange Bike Aid ride for area youth through the central coast, and a few years ago biked through Donegal, Ireland.

Brighid is excited to bring her experiences working with nonprofits, her background in organizational development, and her passion for active transportation to the Alliance. "I am glad to bring my love for biking, walking, sustainability, and grassroots organizing to the Alliance and am excited to work with all its members to get more people biking and walking in their communities," Brighid says.

As the Advocacy Advance Program Manager, Brighid will administer the Alliance's Advocacy Advance Grants program; coordinate and facilitate Advocacy Advance trainings; and work closely with our partners at the League of American Bicyclists as we work to double federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian programs by 2013.

Streets occupy more than 30 percent of all public spaces in cities and in the coming decades, billions of dollars will be spent on building and maintaining them. The Re:STREETS project was initiated to build on the momentum of the Complete Streets movement and provide clear design guidelines for creating more vital, healthy and effective streets - and, ultimately, better cities.
 

Re:STREETS is developing a comprehensive manual demonstrating design tools for building streets that balance the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders. The manual will be developed collaboratively during a working conference and design charette at the University of California- Berkeley, July 21-23, 2011. Interested professionals from a wide range of disciplines are encouraged to participate. The final publication will be developed from the conference work sessions.

For more information about the conference, visit www.restreets.org. To apply for the conference, click "Register."

We're excited to welcome Camie Rodan as our Spring 2011 Communications Intern.
 

Camie joined us last month, bringing to the Alliance more than five years of experience in marketing and communications. After living and working in D.C. for several years, she began to despise the length of her vehicular commute and gave bike commuting a try. She immediately became a bicycling addict and now can be found riding her bicycle everywhere - and persuading her friends to hop on their bikes, as well.

Camie holds a BA from Vanderbilt University and is currently pursuing her Masters of Business Administration with a focus in non-profit marketing at the George Washington University. Camie will be helping us with a variety of communications efforts, from the blog to the Resources Library to our next Alliance Guide to Funding Biking & Walking Projects.  
 

One of the boldest efforts to boost biking in the Bay Area is the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition's Connecting the City campaign, which envisions an extensive and practical network of safe and inviting bike routes across the metropolitan region. The goal by 2020 is 100 miles of bikeways that encourage residents to pedal to shop, work, and play, while preserving the city's historic integrity and relieving traffic congestion and strained transit systems. To advance that ambitious goal and build the movement for a connected city, SFBC launched a new website last month, which lays out the routes, tells how to volunteer or donate to the campaign, and highlights recent news and events. The site is accessible, user-friendly and offers visual renderings of the proposed lanes. Read more here.