Don't let Congress turn back the clock on decades of hard-fought progress towards creating a more bicycle-friendly America. Join us at the 2012 National Bike Summit to help defend critical funding programs - just when America needs them the most. We Need You at the 2012 National Bike Summit! Help Save Cycling.

Please share the Summit Save the Date video below. If you don't see the video, click here for the Summit YouTube link.

Save Cycling! Attend the National Bike Summit 2012

For the third year in a row, data released by the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey shows that more than half of one percent of American workers use a bicycle as their primary mode of transportation to work. While this number represents nearly 40 percent growth since 2000, it also shows that we still have a lot of work to do in making our communities truly welcoming to bicyclists. Notably of the largest 70 cities, the 37 that are rated as Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) experienced 95 percent average growth in bicycle use since 2005. When you compare this to the 46 percent growth since 2005 for the 33 cities that are not BFCs, it is clear to see that working to be bike-friendly pays off. For more details, read about the ACS Survey on bikeleagueblog.org.

To encourage kids to get more active and ride a bike, IMBA is hosting its eighth annual International Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day on Saturday, October 1, 2011. This is a great opportunity for you to pass your passion for pedaling on to kids! They are also encouraging all participants to sign up for the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA). Pledge to be active at least 5 days a week for 6 weeks: youth (6-17 years) should get moving for at least 60 minutes per day, and adults (18 years or older) should be active for 30 minutes per day. Find an event near you.

International Walk to School Month -- October of every year -- gives children, parents, school teachers and community leaders an opportunity to be part of a global event as they celebrate the many benefits of walking. In 2010 more than 40 countries participated. For resources, events and to see how you can get involved, visit iwalktoschool.org.

The League partnered with Bikes Belong for Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play this past Saturday at the White House. The channel shut off all programing for three hours to encourage kids to go outside.  The D.C. event was a big success, with more than 600 kids biking through the bike course on the White House lawn. A special thanks to the Washington Area Bicycling Association for bringing out your League Cycling Instructors.

Bike Share systems in the U.S. are establishing themselves as successful businesses and as great transportation options. Capital Bike Share in Washington, D.C. celebrated their 1-year birthday and 1 million rides last week, while the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Deputy Mayor Howard Wolfson announced the selection of Alta Bicycle Share, Inc. to develop the bike share system in New York City. New York City's system will be privately funded and operate 24 hours a day. It plans to launch in 2012, and will include approximately 10,000 bicycles, distributed at 600 stations in Manhattan south of 79th Street, as well as in Brooklyn neighborhoods from Williamsburg, Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant to Park Slope and Carroll Gardens.

According to Chicagoist, there is some good news for bicyclists in the Windy City -- "In the 22 years that Mayor Daley was in office, he created around 115 miles of bike lanes in Chicago. Mayor Emanuel hopes to do better than the former mayor, and proposes to create an additional 100 miles of bike lanes over the next four years." Gabe Klein, who was the transportation director for D.C., became the transportation director for Chicago this past April. 

Connecticut's State Department of Transportation officials and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority prepare to install bike racks on the new M-8 railcars. Racks were narrowed to two choices and the public tested them out last week in a parked rail car. There are currently 30 M-8 railcars, and more than 400 are planned to be running in the state in the next year.

The country is packed with state and regional bike summits. If your region has an upcoming bike conference, e-mail Meghan Cahill.

Steamboat 2011 Bike Summit - Steamboat Springs, Colo., September 29-October 1, 2011. Director of Education Alissa Simcox will keynote the Friday lunch.

Los Angeles County Bike Summit - Los Angeles, Calif., September 30, 2011. Andy Clarke, League president, will be speaking at this event.

Delaware Bike Summit - Lewes, Del., October 14, 2011. Darren Flusche, policy analyst for the League, will be speaking and Katie Omberg, membership and events assistant for the League, will be staffing a League information table.
 
Oklahoma Bike Summit - Oklahoma City, Okla., November 4-5, 2011. The Oklahoma Bicycling Coalition will also hold its annual meeting at noon on Saturday, November 5. Andy Clarke will be the featured speaker.

California Bike Summit - Los Angeles, Calif., November 5-7, 2011

Connecticut Bike Walk Summit - New Haven, Conn., November 12, 2011. President of the League Andy Clarke will be the morning keynote speaker. The event takes place in Kroon Hall on the Yale University campus.

The National Park Service has released the Environmental Assessment and preferred alternative for Washington state's Spruce Railroad Trail (SRRT) segment of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT). The Peninsula Trails Coalition is asking Washington's advocates to submit comments on the design. From now until October 21, the NPS will be accepting public comments.

Copies of the EA can be downloaded from the NPS.
Comments can be made online here.

A big thank you to CFO Electric! They recently joined as a League Corporate Sponsor. They are part of an impressive group that gains national attention while helping the League build a Bicycle Friendly America. Also, thank you to Hawley who recently renewed for the second year in a row at the corporate level. Information on these companies and how to become a Corporate Member can be found at bikeleague.org/corporate

If you are an experienced and knowledgeable cyclist with a desire to make cycling safe and accessible for others, you are on the right track. The League seeks to certify those of its members (yes, membership in the League is required) who are self-starters, passionate about cycling and are recognized within their communities as riders with experience and know how. Completion of a Traffic Skills 101 course is a prerequisite for attending a seminar. The LCI training seminar is normally one evening and two full days. The registration fee is $200 and includes the League Guide to Safe and Enjoyable Cycling book, Enjoy the Ride DVD and Smart Cycling instructor materials. Registrants are still needed for the following seminars; please click here to register.

Fall seminars
Twin Cities, MN - 9/28
Albany, NY - 9/30
Beaverton, OR - 10/14
Bethlehem, PA 10/21
Kansas City, MO - 10/21
Houston, TX 11/13
Washington, DC - 11/11
Des Moines, IA - 12/31

The League's upcoming Club Leadership Webinar -- Off the Bike: Banquets, Speaker Series and Other Social Events -- is the perfect ticket for your club's social or events director. The webinar is on October 5, 2011, at 8pm EST, and will teach you how to hold successful social and educational events off the bike. These events have the potential to enrich your membership experience and draw new members. Ellen Jaffe of the New York Cycle Club, and soon to be announced panelists, will lead this fun and much needed club element. Register today!

Applications are due next Monday, October 3, 2011. For more information, click here or contact Elizabeth Kiker.

Kansas City has a position opening on their Active Living KC team. The position will be responsible for the healthy lifestyle initiative. Apply today.

Toole Design Group, a consulting firm for multi-modal transportation planning and engineering, has several openings in their D.C., Boston and Madison offices. Find out more.

The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is hiring two active transportation planners to help implement the regional bike plan.

Thanks to our League members for their constant support. You give us the opportunity to publish important communications, like this issue of  American Bicyclist Update If you're not a League member, please consider joining.

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 57 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org.