National Trails Day: Experience Volusia Trails
Gemini Springs Park, 37 Dirksen Drive, DeBary, FL
Enjoy nature hikes, bicycle rides, canoe fun trips, helmet giveaway (sponsored by the MPO), entertainment, refreshments and displays.
FREE ADMISSION
For more information, please call 386-736-5953, http://www.volusia.org/trails
National Trails Day Bike Ride: Trenton
Nature Coast State Trail
Old Train Depot, 419 North Main Street, Trenton, FL
(25 miles west of Gainesville on SR 26)
For more information, contact Kirk Marhefka, 352-535-5181, Kirk.Marhefka@dep.state.fl.us
Jacksonville Traffic Skills 101 Workshop
Friday, June 19, 6:00-9:00 pm and Saturday, June 20, 8:00 am-2:00 pm
Lakeshore Bicycles & Fitness, 2106 Blanding Blvd, Jacksonville, FL
Cost: $30
To register contact: Jeff Hohlstein, 904-282-2180, or email jeffers101@comcast.net
Transportation Authorization: Ask Your Senators to Co-Sponsor the Safe Routes to School Reauthorization Bill
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On May 21, 2009, Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA), Richard Burr (R-NC) , Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Susan Collins (R-ME) joined together to introduce the Safe Routes to School Program Reauthorization Act (S. 1156). This is an exciting and important step forward as these five diverse Senators have agreed to champion the federal Safe Routes to School program. To get more Senators to step up as leaders on Safe Routes to School, we need your help. Your Senators need to hear from you about the importance of growing and strengthening the Safe Routes to School program in the next transportation bill.
Please take just five minutes to contact Senator Nelson and Senator Martinez to ask them to show their support for the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program by co-sponsoring the legislation. Just type in your zip code to be directed to the appropriate message to “please co-sponsor” the bill. A sample message is provided, but we encourage you to personalize it with a sentence or two about your local SRTS needs and interests.
Background on the Legislation
S. 1156 would expand funding for SRTS to $600 million per year, include high schools, simplify regulatory compliance to improve project delivery, and strengthen research and evaluation. All of these changes will make SRTS grants more widely available, and help more schools and communities across the country make it safer for children to walk and bicycle to school and get into healthier, greener habits.
For more details on the legislation, including a summary of the bill’s provisions, a list of supporting organizations, and the text of the legislation, please visit http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/national.
Thank you so much!!
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Prioritize Bicycling and Walking in the next Federal Transportation Funding Bill
Congress is writing a bill that will define our national transportation system for the next 6 years and we need your help to make sure that your Member of Congress weighs in on the transportation bill to support bicycling and walking.
Representative Daniel Lipinski (D, IL) is circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter proposing that the upcoming Transportation Bill, which is currently being drafted by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I), promotes and funds alternate transportation options. Representative Lipinski is asking his colleagues in the House of Representatives to join him in a call for increased federal funding for bicycling and pedestrian programs.
We are thankful for Congressman Lipinski’s efforts on behalf of cyclists nationwide and urge you to contact your Representative to ask them to join Mr. Lipinski and lend their voice to this important debate.
Please click here to contact your Representatives office today and urge them to sign onto Congressman Lipinski’s policy letter today.
Florida Falls to #32 in National Ranking of Bike-Friendliness
The League of American Bicyclists released their second annual ranking of Bicycle Friendly States and Florida fell from #20 to #32.
From the LAB website: A Bicycle Friendly State promotes cycling through legislation, policies, programs, and by creating new places to ride, educating motorists and cyclists, and encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation.
The Bicycle Friendly State Program is a two part recognition program that ranks and recognizes states that actively support bicycling. First, states are ranked annually based on their level of bike-friendliness. Secondly, states that wish to apply for a Bicycle Friendly State award designation can receive further recognition and promotion of their efforts as well as feedback, technical assistance, training and further encouragement to improve their bicycling legislation, projects, and programs.
ACTION ALERT – SUPPORT LEHIGH TRAIL IN FLAGLER COUNTY
Tomorrow, May 27, 2009, the Governor and Cabinet members will meet to discuss a variety of topics including Item 5 Board of Trustees/City of Palm Coast Exchange Agreement/Lehigh Greenway Rail-Trail/Determinations/Delegation. Go HERE for the agenda and then click on the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund.
In summary, the City of Palm Coast is applying for a land exchange with the State so that they may realign some local arterial roads for better traffic flow. The land exchange will shift the alignment of the Lehigh Trail, forcing it to cross a complicated 4-way intersection where two 4-lane roads converge. The State is requiring the City to install an overpass for the trail. The City is objecting vehemently. Last week the City even claimed to the Cabinet Aides that many non-profit organizations support leaving the trail crossing as an “at-grade” design (i.e. no overpass), including FBA. FBA had no knowledge of this matter and did not endorse “no overpass.”
For more details about Lehigh Trail go HERE.
Please contact your Cabinet Members today by phone, fax or email to Support Lehigh Trail in Flagler County.
MIAMI WINNING CAMPAIGNS TRAINING
Winning Campaigns© Trainings are for leaders of grassroots bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations: board members, staff, and super volunteers.
This month, the Alliance for Biking and Walking (former Thunderhead Alliance) is partnering with Green Mobility Network to bring our signature Winning Campaigns© Training to sunny Miami, Florida. Join your fellow bicycle and pedestrian advocacy leaders to learn from expert coaches and each other through the Alliance’s proven curriculum on choosing, directing, and winning campaigns to increase bicycling and walking. After three days of fun and inspiring work with the country’s leading experts in advocacy, you’ll come away with the tools and confidence to not only advocate for improvements, but win them!
You’ll learn how to:
• Choose the right issue;
• Set realistic but visionary goals, choose the best strategies and tactics, and stick to timelines;
• Map out the power structure in your community, support and leverage allies, neutralize and convert enemies!
• Communicate effectively, reaching the right audience with the right message through the right media, …and
• Raise money, to strengthen your organization for the next bigger victory!
• In the end, you’ll have a detailed campaign blueprint that will assure a victorious campaign and set up your organization for greater victories in the future.
Location: Crandon Park on Key Biscayne, Miami
Dates: Fri, May 15, 2009 through Sun, May 17, 2009
To register go HERE. The registration fee is only $75.00
John D. Hopkins, Chairman
Green Mobility Network
786-242-0766
jdh-miami@att.net
MAY IS NATIONAL BIKE MONTH
While March is Florida Bike Month, many Florida communities celebrate during the month of May to coincide with National Bike Month. May 11 through 15 is Bike-to-Work Week and Bike-to-Work Day is Friday, May 15. Be sure to take part in at least some of it! At this link to the League of American Bicyclists’ website, you can access a step-by-step guide to promoting the event(s) in your community.
Also check out FBA’s event calendar for local events including Tallahassee’s First Celebration of National Bike to Work Week.
TALLAHASSEE BIKE TO WORK EVENTS
Monday May 11
Celebrity Bike ride Lake Ella/Tallahassee City Hall. 7:30-9AM, www.commuterservices.org
Sunshine bicycle free flat repair course 6:30PM, 2783 Capital Circle NE. Call 850-422-1075 or www.bikesunshine.net
Tuesday May 12: Joe’s bicycle shop free repair course 3PM Lake Ella. Call 850-222-3855 or www.joesbikeshop.net
Wednesday May 13: Krank It Up bicycle film showing 8:30PM Rail Road Square. Call Justin at 850-222-6927 or www.krankitup.info
Friday May 15: Bike to Work Week Grand Finale with group bike rides from bike shops to Lake Ella. Spaghetti dinners and displays. 5-8PM Lake Ella. Call 1-888-454-RIDE or www.commuterservices.org
Saturday May 16: Grand opening and bike ride. Gopher, Frog, and Alligator Trail (GF&A Trail). 9-11AM. Six miles south on Springhill road to Trout Pond, Apalachicola Forest. Lovely lake, wildflowers, displays, and walking trails. See www.CCCyclists.org for information.
Sunday May 17: All Saints Cafe 40 mile Group Bicycle Ride through city, St. Marks and GF&A Rail Trails with possible stop at Wakulla Springs. 8AM 903 Railroad Ave See www.CCCyclists.org for information.