Don't fall asleep at the wheel and miss your chance to win an all-expenses-paid biking or walking trip to Italy! Enter your best pictures in the 2011 People Powered Movement Photo Contest today. 

 

With more than $8,000 in prizes for the winning entries, the Alliance invites professional, amateur and advocate photographers to celebrate the beauty and energy of active transportation and continue to build an online library of high-quality images that can be used by bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations across North America.

  

Don't wait: There's just one month left to submit your photos in the following categories:    

• Women: Historically, men have far outnumbered women in active transportation in the U.S. - but that's changing quickly. We want to see college women pedaling to class, female professionals using bike share to commute to work, mothers walking their kids to school, female advocates and engineers leading the charge to make their communities more bicycle and pedestrian friendly and more... 

• Diversity / Equity / Building an Inclusive Movement: This category includes photos of the faces and efforts of the incredible diversity of people, from all racial and economic backgrounds, who walk and bike for transportation and recreation in their unique neighborhoods. Submit your images of Major Taylor Bicycle Club events, social justice rides, transportation equity rallies, outreach efforts to non-English-speaking communities, classes and bicycle giveaways at community cycling centers, recycle-a-bicycle programs and more... 

• Open Streets / Ciclovias: Open Streets temporarily close streets to automobiles, allowing residents to walk, bike, skate, dance and utilize the roadways in countless creative and active ways. From Los Angeles to New York to Miami, Open Streets have become an effective and high-energy means to build community, promote active transportation and reconnect neighborhoods divided by traffic. We want to see how your community is engaging in this growing movement.  

• Walking: Photos of walkers and pedestrians moving their feet for fitness or mobility. 

• Advocates in Action: Images of biking and/or walking advocates making the case for active transportation.

• Biking: Photos that showcase the joy and utility of bicycling for transportation and recreation. 

Individuals can submit up to 20 photo entries via the contest website until September 31. From October 1st to 31st, public voting will determine the finalists in each category. A panel of expert and advocate judges from across the continent will then determine the winners, to be announced in March 2012.

The overall grand prize is an all-expenses-paid biking or walking trip to Italy, from VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations. Additional prizes include: A new bicycle from  PUBLIC Bikes; bags from Ortlieb ; lights from Planet Bike; gear from Fyxation; helmets from Bern and more! Plus, all winning photos also will be featured in the March 2012 issue of Momentum magazine.  

Enter your photos by September 31 at  PeoplePoweredMovement.org/PhotoContest  

The state of Michigan was the site of the Alliance's third Winning Campaigns Training of 2011 and 16 advocates attended the energizing event.  

Hosted by the League of Michigan Bicyclists, many of the attendees were from communities around Michigan who were involved in campaigning for the statewide Complete Streets legislation passed last year. Thanks to that impressive effort, the LMB earned the Alliance's 2011 Winning Campaign of the Year award -- and the Winning Campaigns Training positioned the advocates for even bigger victories.  

"This workshop challenges you to hone in on your resources in a targeted approach for success," said Nancy Krupiarz, a volunteer with the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance.

"This training was very practical and I leave knowing exactly what my next steps are," added Laura Padalino, from the Program to Educate all Cyclists (PEAC), an advocacy group that educates people with disabilities to become better cyclists.

The Alliance's signature training uses proven curriculum targeted specifically to the unique needs and experience of bicycle and pedestrian advocates. The training is intended for any potential campaign leader who would benefit from gaining the tools to craft and manage powerful advocacy campaigns."The title is not misleading," said Sarah Panken from the Michigan Fitness Foundation. "This training will position you for a win."

Click here for photos of the Lansing training, courtesy of Joshua Duggan of the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition. And don't forget to register for the Alliance's next Winning Campaigns Training in Los Angeles, California, October 14-16. (See article below for details.)  

This affordable training wouldn't be possible without the generous support of our sponsors: Planet Bike, VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, SRAM,  Bikes Belong, AARP, Alta Planning + Design, Clif Bar, Team Estrogen, Sun Bicycles, Breezer, Hawley and Specialized. 

Bicycle advocacy is in high gear in Los Angeles, California. Cyclists beat airplanes, more than 200,000 residents turn out for CicLAvia and the local advocacy group was just awarded a 2011 Advocacy Advance Grant to grow their innovative outreach to Latino cyclists. What better place to launch your organization's next winning campaign? 

Join the Alliance and local host, the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, for a Winning Campaigns Training, October 14-16, in Los Angeles, California.

The Alliance's Winning Campaigns Training is a three-day boot camp for bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations. This action-oriented workshop gives novice and veteran advocates the tools to create and manage powerful campaigns to increase biking and walking in their communities. Our proven curriculum is led by longtime advocates and national experts with firsthand experience leading -- and winning -- bicycle and pedestrian campaigns.  

But Winning Campaigns Trainings are more than a class. They are a fun, interactive experience that foster collaboration among advocates. You'll leave with specific next steps and strategies for your next Winning Campaign.

Register by September 16 for early-bird prices: Just $75 for Alliance members and $100 for non-members. 

Don't miss the chance to get one-on-one assistance from national experts and key insight from fellow advocates at the LACBC. Register today!

This important regional conference returns Friday, October 7, in Providence, RI.

Summit organizers are still accepting presentation proposals, and public agency officials can apply for reimbursement of travel expenses, as long as funds last. Registration is now open: $20 for dues-paying members of the East Coast Greenway Alliance and $40 for members of the public.    

Visit www.newenglandbikewalksummit.org for more information and to register. 

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Big Win for Ped Safety in San Francisco  

Pedestrian advocacy efforts led by Walk San Francisco resulted in a win this last week, when San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced a reduction in the city's school zone speed limit to 15 miles per hour. The previous school limit of 25 miles per hour was reduced by 10 mph this past week, leading to safer streets for children and pedestrians. Starting with Peabody Elementary in San Francisco's western Richmond District, the change will be in affect at all -- more than 200 -- city schools this fall. "These safe speed zones have been a major goal for Walk SF and its members," Elizabeth Stampe, Walk San Francisco's Executive Director, said in the group's press release. "They will help create a more safe and sustainable city, helping kids get to school safely and calming traffic in neighborhoods throughout the City. This is a big step forward for everyone who walks in San Francisco." As the first city to adopt the 15 mph zones, San Francisco residents can thank the members of Walk SF for their effective campaigning toward calming traffic throughout the city for all pedestrians. Read more here.

Fight to Save Bike Lanes Boosts Toronto Cyclists Union  

Grant Will Advance BTA Campaign for Bike Share in Portland 

Last month, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance won the first phase of its campaign to bring a bike share system to Portland, when the Portland City Council voted in support of $2 million in Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP) money for a capital investment in bike sharing. The BTA also received a $3,000 Advocacy Advance Rapid Response grant to build on this success and prepare for the next phase of the campaign: to build on this success and prepare for the next phase of the campaign: Secure full funding at the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the City of Portland to build and operate the new $11.5 million bike sharing program. This campaign is indeed urgent. Following the recent vote on August 18, the decision moves to the MPO for a vote on December 8th, 2011. The final allocation decision will be made by Metro, the regionally elected government, on December 15th. BTA's goal is to help raise the combination of public and private money that will make bike sharing a success. Read more here.   

TA Pilots New, Entry Membership Level 

Alliance Welcomes 1st Mexican Member Org 

The Alliance is proud to welcome our first member organization from Mexico:  Bicitekas. Founded in 1998, the Mexico City-based group promotes biking as a healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transportation, while working to earn the respect of motorists and fighting for a network of infrastructure to allow residents of Mexico City to use bikes as a mode of transportation. Bicitekas also helped found BiciRed, a national organization linking bike advocacy organizations across Mexico. Recently, both groups welcomed musician David Byrne on his tour of Latin America, and used the opportunity to promote their campaign asking local governments to dedicate 5 percent of their transportation funding toward cycling. The groups would like to see that money used to create safe infrastructure, fund educational campaigns promoting the benefits of cycling and enact new regulations governing urban planning that facilitate easier cycling. Next up, Bicitekas will help represent BiciRed at the Car Free Conference in Guadalajara, where they will host a panel on the health risks created by car emissions, as well as presenting on the groups new book, Por Mi Ciudad En Bicicleta. 

Smart Trips Helps University Reduce Drive-Alone Traffic 

Since late 2010, advocates at St. Paul Smart Trips in Minnesota have been actively involved in the development of a Travel Demand Management (TDM) plan for the University of St. Thomas's new Anderson Student Center. The completed plan, which includes pedestrian / vehicle safety initiatives, transit promotion, improved biking facilities and a user-friendly rideshare program, was approved by the city of St. Paul this summer. "The ultimate goal of a TDM plan is to manage the demand for traveling to a specific site with a focus on decreasing drive-alone travel," says Damien Goebel, Employer Outreach Specialist with St. Paul Smart Trips and one of the lead developers of the plan. While you might not have heard of a TDM plan before, they are becoming more common and, depending on the amount of traffic and parking spaces generated by the new construction, are often a required component of development or renovation. Read more.

First Open Streets a Success in Denver   

Thanks to the advocates at BikeDenver, the Mile High City is now on the map. Less than 10 months in the making, Viva Streets debuted in Denver this past Saturday and 7,500 residents took advantage of the city's first Open Streets event.Organized and hosted by BikeDenver and LiveWell Colorado (and funded, in part, by Bikes Belong), the four-hour festival closed down a two-mile stretch of 23rd Avenue to automobiles and invited citizens to experience their public space in creative and active ways."The turnout was amazing," Piep VanHeuven, BikeDenver's executive director, says. Read the full story.  

Advocates Win Changes to State Driver's Manual 

This fall, Maryland cyclists can feel more confident when sharing the road with vehicles, thanks to a revision to the Maryland State Driver's Manual that specifically addresses sharing the road with bicycles. In recent months, a diverse coalition of regional groups, including Alliance members  Bike Maryland and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association worked closely with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration and State Highway Administration to improve driver's education and new driver's licensing examination questions. Questions about the effectiveness of the previous manual arose at an early Bike Maryland legislative task force meeting, after misstatements by the MVA printed in the paper insisted that the new 3-foot passing law did not negate the duty of cyclists to move out of the way of cars. This set advocates into action, prompting them to provide MVA with comments and suggestions on how to revise the current manual to mention how bicyclists and cars can safely share the roads. Read more here. .

Rapid Response Grant Support Urgent Bridge Campaign  

In 2009, Wisconsin enacted a statewide Complete Streets policy, ensuring all roadways are designed and constructed with all users in mind. In 2010, its neighbor, Minnesota, passed a Complete Streets bill, too. But in 2011, when transportation officials started work on a bridge connecting the two states, they failed to include accommodations for bicyclists and pedestrians. The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota (BikeMN), Active Living LaCrescent (ALL) and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin worked hard for the passage of Complete Streets in their respective states. Now they're fighting to make sure transportation officials implement those policies on the Drebach Bridge. To aid their urgent and immediate efforts, Advocacy Advance has awarded a $3,000 Rapid Response Grant to BikeMN and ALL for their Dresbach Bridge proposal. The Interstate 90 Dresbach Bridge -- connecting LaCrescent, Minnesota and LaCrosse, Wisconsin over the Mississippi River -- is being replaced with a bridge that has a 100-year design life. Currently, that design does not include bicycle pedestrian accommodations, even though both states have Complete Streets policies and bike-ped accommodations are included in the LaCrosse area 2035 Transportation Plan. Read the full story here.

Job Openings at Alliance Member Orgs