Implementation of an adopted strategic plan commenced. Completed objectives to organize the association, engage all members and encourage new memberships within the year included:

• Revision of mission and vision statements

  1. Review of Bylaws

  2. Review of Policies and Procedures

  3. Weekly FBA Blog posts

  4. In-house handling of social media to post and promote Florida specific content

  5. Letter campaign to Florida bicycle shops

  6. Year-end letter campaign to expired members and those without email addresses on file

FBA supported The Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act, which imposes a four-year mandatory-minimum prison sentence for drivers convicted of leaving the scene of a crash that kills someone. It also boosts the mandatory-minimum prison sentence from two years to four years for a DUI driver who leaves a fatal crash. Potential penalties for drivers who harm vulnerable road users are also increased. The bill was sponsored in the state Senate by Miami Republican Miguel Diaz de la Portilla and officially signed into law by Governor Rick Scott on June 24.

In July, funding for the Coast-to-Coast Connector Trail became a reality when announced by Governor Scott. The Florida Department of Transportation will invest $15.9 million to complete 11 phases of separate trail segments in nine counties. The Coast-to-Coast Connector Trail is the first of many efforts to complete the Florida Greenways and Trails Priority System developed by the Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation. FBA holds an ex officio seat on the FGTD board.

Operations of CyclingSavvy were transferred to American Bicycling Education Association (ABEA). Co-founders of CyclingSavvy, Mighk Wilson and Keri Caffrey, will serve as President and Executive Director respectfully. A professional relationship with FBA and ABEA is established and FBA will continue to promote the CyclingSavvy program.

Tim Bustos steps down over the summer and Becky Afonso is hired as FBA’s new executive director after serving as interim for three months. FBA Headquarters officially moves to Oldsmar in October.

The fourth edition of the Florida Bicycle Club Leadership Workshop was held in Clermont. Presentations from CyclingSavvy, North Florida Bicycle Club, LiveWell Campus of the National Training Center and Florida Sports Injury & Orthopedic Institute were given to nearly 20 representatives from 13 clubs and organizations during this free event.

Educational and awareness programs continued throughout the year, including:

• Presentation of FBA Annual Awards

  1. Collaboration with the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center to print and distribute Florida Bicycle/Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide and Florida Bicycling Street Smarts

  2. Bicycle law enforcement education through the “Ask Geo@FLBikeLaw.org” online forum for people with questions concerning bicycles and the law. Our thanks to former board member George Martin for his support of this column.

  3. Alternative Transportation Education Program

  4. Collaboration with Bike Florida to support the second annual Share the Road Celebration of Cycling summit in Gainesville and to continue Share the Road license plate marketing efforts

  5. Continued role as member of two FDOT statewide bicycle/pedestrian advisory bodies, Florida Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety Coalition and Florida Bicycle & Pedestrian Partnership Council.

  6. Continued role as ex officio board member of the Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation

Transition of board included one member stepping down and three being added to bring board number up from five to eight.

• New board president, Jodi Hohlstein, took over leadership from Mighk Wilson, who remained on the board as Treasurer.

• First Coast Chapter director, Jeff Hohlstein, stepped down from that role to join the board as secretary; Steve Tocknell moved into chapter director role after being advocacy director.

• After a four-year relationship, including three years as a chapter, BikeWalk Central Florida transitioned into an independent non-profit organization but remains a strong partner in bicycle/pedestrian education and advocacy.

• Helped gain legislative approval of Coast-to-Coast Trail funding (but was vetoed by Governor) and of Florida’s first anti-texting law.

• Limited Access Facilities pilot program that was initiated by FBA, allowing bicycles on usually off-limits bridges, was implemented in three locations.

• In collaboration with Bike Florida, FBA organized and hosted the first Share the Road Celebration of Cycling summit and ride at Stetson University in DeLand. Inaugural “Share the Road Awards” winners announced and presented at the event.

• FBA’s new online membership program, ClubExpress, completes its first full year in use, streamlining management and providing better account access for members.

• Began development of custom software program for CyclingSavvy registration and management.

• Expanded and enhanced social networking efforts via the website, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

• Updates to the 2012 “Florida Bicycle & Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide,” and the “Florida Bicycling Street Smarts” publications were unnecessary, however FBA continued collaboration with the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center to print and distribute these safety education materials.

• With George Martin at the helm, continued bicycle law enforcement education through the “Ask Geo@FlBikeLaw.org” online forum for citizens and law enforcement professionals with questions concerning bicycles and the law.

• Continued promoting other safety education programs, including the Alternative Transportation Education Program.

• Strengthened working relationship with Bike Florida through reciprocal board membership positions; continued Share the Road message and license plate marketing efforts, proceeds from which are shared between the two organizations.

• Continued role as member of two statewide bicycle/pedestrian advisory bodies, Florida Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Coalition and Florida Bicycle & Pedestrian Partnership Council.

Due to an early legislative session, a Florida Bike Summit was not held, however, FBA continued to support key priorities including:

• Clarification of Mandatory Bike Lane Law

  1. Limited Access Facilities Pilot Program

  2. Distracted Driving

  3. General Bicycle Safety Bill

Our efforts paid off when Governor Scott sighed the revised highway safety act (CS/CS/HB 1223-Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles) sections of which clarify “situations in which a bicyclist is not required to ride in the marked bicycle lane (if the roadway is marked for bicycle use) or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.”  The Safety Act changes Florida Statute 316.2065 Bicycle regulations, clarifying that a bicyclist is exempt from this requirement when a “potential conflict” or a turn lane interrupts the roadway or bicycle lane. [316.2065(5)(a)(3)]

Since the timing was not good to hold a Florida Bike Summit, staff instead focused efforts on the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C.  This was actually critical, since passage of the Federal Transportation Bill was way overdue, and cycling advocates nationwide were focused on continued support for bicycling and walking.   This support had been virtually guaranteed since 1991, when the first passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency (ISTEA) had been passed, but changes in congress no longer guaranteed cyclists their fair share.

First Coast Chapter activities continued with a major focus on education, but its scope also expanded under the guidance of  Jeff Hohlstein, the Chapter Director, and Stephen Tocknell, the Advocacy Director.  New activities included working extensively with law enforcement to help reduce bike crashes, representing the First Coast Chapter on the Jacksonville Bicycle and Pedestrian Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC), and working with FDOT on bicycle facilities issues

Central Florida Chapter: Bike/Walk Central Florida begins a “Best Foot Forward” pedestrian initiative with additional funding sources, including another grant from the Winter Park Health Foundation, new funding from Metroplan Orlando, and additional local businesses and advocates.

CyclingSavvy, FBA’s traffic cycling education and training program, continues to grow, to gain national attention, and most importantly, to change lives.  Nearly 250 cyclists took all or part of the course, 117 in Florida and 127 in other states.  Florida has instructors in Ft. Myers, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tallahassee, Tampa Bay, DeLand, and West Palm Beach.  In addition to those who were simply interested in being safe and confident urban cyclists, CyclingSavvy has drawn in elected officials, law enforcement officers, journalists, bicycle advisory committee members, urban planners, and traffic engineers.  In addition to Florida, there are CyclingSavvy Instructors (CSIs) in Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, and Vermont.  Additionally, instructors have traveled to California, Montana and Ohio to teach the course.

The third edition of the Florida Bicycle Club Leadership Workshop was held in Clermont to provide an opportunity for bike club leaders to share ideas as well as to be updated on FBA activities and programs, Share the Road license plate marketing and education activities, Bike Florida Spring Tour details, and a featured liability issues presentation by Chris Burns, a long time FBA member and Jacksonville attorney, whose practice focuses on representing cyclists involved in crashes.   Nearly 30 representatives from 13 clubs and organizations attended this free annual event.

Continued promoting other safety education programs, including the Alternative Transportation Program.

Continued bicycle law enforcement education through the “Ask Geo@FlBikeLaw.org” online forum for people with questions concerning bicycles and the law.  Thanks to the efforts of former board and law enforcement liaison staff member George Martin for his support of this column.

FBA began to transition to an online membership database.  The new management system will be simpler and more efficient to manage and grow the association.  One of the most important features will allow FBA members to update their contact information directly.  An online system will also lower postage and supplies expenses so more funds can be used toward education and advocacy programs.

FBA updated the “Florida Bicycle & Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide,” and the “Florida Bicycling Street Smarts” publications to reflect changes in 2012 Florida statutes.  These changes were a direct result of FBA’s successful lobbying efforts in the Florida legislature.  FBA then collaborated with the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center to print and distribute these safety education materials.

In conjunction with the Florida Public Safety Institute (FPSI), FBA produced two videos for morning roll call training that are already being used in law enforcement departments across the state. These programs were requested by law enforcement, and were funded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT):

• “Who are Bicyclists” details who is using pedal powered devices, and how that use is increasing within all ages and sectors of the population. Many different types of human powered vehicles are now using the roadways, and the appropriate statues can be easily misunderstood. Through the use of actual people using these pedal powered devices, officers can understand the changing trends and changing ways that the bicyclist is bringing solutions, not problems, into the transportation mix.

  1. “Bicyclists and Roadway Use” explains the use of the roadway by cyclists, and within the framework of the Florida statues. Officers learn by seeing the examples of correct and legal practices applied.

FBA is committed to continued advancement in the area of bicycles and law enforcement, and a considerable number of solutions have already been generated.

Collaborated with Bike Florida to continue marketing efforts on behalf of the Share the Road license plate. Proceeds from the sale of the license plate are split between Bike Florida and FBA.

Tim Bustos is hired as FBA’s new executive director to take over the reins that Laura Hallam held for ten years.   Many thanks to Laura for taking FBA from a fledgling organization to what it is today!

3rd annual Florida Bike Summit in Tallahassee featuring comments by Florida Representative Irv Slosberg of Boca Raton. Legislative priorities included:

• Repealing the Mandatory Bike Lane Law [316.2065(5)]

  1. Anti-texting legislation that make texting a primary offense

  2. Enhanced Penalties for violations that cause serious injury or death; collaborating with ABATE (American Bikers Aimed Towards Education) again

  3. Bicycle Access to Limited Access Highway Bridges

  4. Opposition to efforts to eliminate the Office of Greenways and Trails

FBA Annual Awards recipients are presented with their awards during the Summit press event.

Central Florida Chapter: Bike/Walk Central Florida, funded by the Winter Park Health Foundation, begins its second year focusing on 3 goals:

• Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

  1. Complete Streets/Connectivity

  2. Civility

First Coast Chapter activities continue with a major focus on education.  Stephen Tocknell is appointed as the Advocacy Director, allowing the Chapter to broaden its base of active cycling advocates.  Four members become CyclingSavvy instructors in order to expand the CyclingSavvy program into Northeast Florida.

CyclingSavvy, developed by FBA member Keri Caffrey and board vice president Mighk Wilson, continues to expand at a rapid rate throughout Florida.  This program teaches critical cycling skills through empowerment, strategies and tools to problem solve traffic situations or road configurations.   The addition of thirteen Florida instructors, as well as instructors in other states is helping to meet the demand of the 3-part course.

Continued promoting other safety education programs including the Alternative Transportation Program.

Continued bicycle law enforcement education through the “Ask Geo@FlBikeLaw.org” online forum for people with questions concerning bicycles and the law.  Thanks to the efforts of former board and law enforcement liaison staff member George Martin for his support of this column.

Collaborated with the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center to print and distribute safety education materials including the Florida Bicycle/Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide, Florida Bicycling Street Smarts, and a variety of FBA produced DVD’s.

Collaborated with Bike Florida to continue marketing efforts on behalf of the “Share the Road” license plate. Proceeds from the sale of the license plate are split between Bike Florida and FBA.

Opened the first “brick and mortar” FBA headquarters in DeLand.  Previously, FBA had functioned with a “virtual office” based on where staff members lived. The new office, located  across the street from Stetson University, is large enough to hold board meetings, teach classes, and accommodate staff as the organization continues to grow.

Continued Phase II of the Bicycle Law Enforcement Program to enhance officers’ knowledge of the laws about bicycling and to assist agencies with bicycling education and enforcement operations. Developed a team of officers around the state to act as the Officer Advisory Panel.

Created the second FBA Chapter in Central Florida – Bike/Walk Central Florida – to serve the needs of Orange and Seminole counties. Chapter operations focus on increasing the number of citizens biking and walking and create a safer environment for them. Chapter activities are funded by a two-year grant from the Winter Park Health Foundation as a result of the “Civility on the Road in Metro Orlando Social Marketing Plan” including a paid part-time executive director.

Chapter activities continued in the First Coast serving Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties with a primary emphasis on bicycle safety education. The volunteer executive director recruited an advocacy director to expand chapter operations.

Launched CyclingSavvy, FBA’s new cycling education program in Orlando to empower people to drive their bikes anywhere the need to go. The course teaches the principles of mindful bicycling and is offered in three 3-hour components: classroom session, bike-handling session and on-road tour. The classroom and bike-handling sessions may be taken individually, but the road tour requires the other two as a pre-requisite. The program reached 78 students who took one or more sessions. Once more instructors are trained, the program will be expanded to other areas of the state. The first instructor training class will be held January 2011.

Continued promoting other safety education programs at a variety of workshops including Traffic Skills 101.

Educated nearly 500 students in the Alternative Transportation Education Program bringing the five-year total since inception to 1942 students.

Presented the second annual Florida Bike Summit April 8, 2010 in Tallahassee. The third annual Summit will be held March 24, 2011.

Presented the fifth edition of the ProBike®/ProWalk Florida Conference May 11-13 in Lakeland.

Collaborated with the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center to print and distribute safety education materials including the Florida Bicycle/Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide, Florida Bicycling Street Smarts, and a variety of FBA produced DVD’s.

Promoted FBA and the Share the Road license plate with stuffers distributed to bike shops and bike clubs, as well as exhibiting at special events.

Collaborated with Bike Florida to continue marketing efforts on behalf of the Share the Road license plate. Enacted in 1999 by Florida statute, nearly 100,000 plates (new and renewals) have been sold since June 2000 generating $1.36 million dollars split between Bike Florida and FBA.