Blog
Today, the League of American Bicyclists has awarded 161 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Businesses in 31 states and Washington, D.C. With this Earth Day announcement, the program has grown to include more than 950 visionary local businesses, government agencies and Fortune 500 companies from across the country that are changing the script on what it means to provide a top-notch experience and atmosphere for employees and customers alike. “On this Earth Day, the League recognizes and applauds the efforts of these business leaders across the country,” said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists. “Their leadership is setting a precedent in their communities, states and the nation for what it means to practice what you preach. They are forging a better future for us all by investing in a more sustainable future for the country and a healthier future for their employees.”
Read More →
In our Winter 2015 American Bicyclist magazine, we looked at the “Big Ideas” coming out of the bike movement. One such idea is RideScout, a new mobile application that is helping people get home quicker — without using their own car. Like any good startup, it all began on the back of a napkin. RideScout, a mobile app founded in Washington, D.C., aggregates users’ transportation options in any given city and provides the quickest route from point A to B. The app pulls information on the number of available rides at the nearest bikeshare station, the length of time you’ll have to wait for the next bus, and an estimate on just how congested the car traffic is outside your office.
Read More →
On Thursday here in Washington, D.C., League staff joined U.K.-based author and historian Carlton Reid at a Congressional Bike Caucus meeting where he presented information from his new book, The Roads Were Not Built for Cars. His book tells the fascinating history of bicycling in the United States and the U.K. and of the very interconnected story of bicycles and motor vehicles. Read through our live-tweets from his presentation below to learn more! Fun fact: Car manufacturer GMC used to be “GBC” — one guess what the B stood for…
Read More →
The Mayor of Seattle knows firsthand the trauma of unsafe streets. When Ed Murray was 14 years old, he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle on his paper route. The result: An extended hospital stay and six months of recovery before he could walk again. Earlier this year, he set a new course for his city to make sure that no child will have to suffer like he did. “We believe we can have a city where no cyclist or pedestrian is hit or killed,” Murray told the Youth Bike Summit in February.
Read More →
On Friday, during our weekly #BikeChat on Twitter, we spoke with Carlton Reid, author of new book, “The Roads Were Not Built for Cars.” The book tells the fascinating history of the struggle to pave roads in the United States and in England. It wasn’t, as many assume, spurred on by the invention, and eventual boom, of motor vehicles. Indeed, it all began with the “Good Roads” movement, a campaign coordinated by U.S. and UK bicyclists in the late 1880s.
Read More →
The League’s Board of Directors this week appointed Ken Podziba, President and CEO of Bike New York, to join its ranks. “I’m honored and humbled to be joining the board of an organization with such a rich history and bright future,” Podziba said. “League members around the nation have fought long and hard for bike-friendly policies and infrastructure, and the fruits of their labor are being passed into law and painted on the streets at an unprecedented rate. At Bike New York, we’re passionate about empowering a new generation of cyclists to take advantage of the bike-friendly America that the League has been building over the past 135 years. Education and advocacy are the wheels that will keep this movement rolling, and I’m thrilled to be coming along for the ride.”
Read More →
Sometimes organizational change is barely seen; subtle tweaks to existing programs or processes. At other times, organizations must embrace more dramatic shifts in approach, in velocity, in culture, signaling important changes to all who are affected by the organization and its mission. In 2013, when we embarked on our strategic planning process, we were clear about our vision and the wide-spread benefits of bicycling — but needed to define a strong, clear leadership role for the League. Since 1880, the League has been the leader in bicycling advocacy. To meet our mission, we know it’s time for us to take bold steps — and help to shift the paradigm of the bicycle movement itself.
Read More →
On St. Patrick’s Day, residents of the city of Atlanta approved a $250 million bond package to fund transportation projects. The referendum came two and a half years after the defeat of an initiative known as T-SPLOST that would have implemented a one-cent sales tax for a huge array of transportation projects throughout the state. T-SPLOST was rejected by nine of the state’s 12 regions.
Read More →
During this Friday’s #BikeChat — our weekly Twitter chats at 2 p.m. EST — we seized on the excitement for National Bike Month happening in just a week weeks! Event organizers and bike evangelists from all across the country chimed in on their favorite parts of the monthlong celebration of bikes, we shared out our free promotional materials and event guide, and much, much more! Catch up on our conversation — and awesome resources — below, and be sure to tune in next Friday at 2 p.m. EST for our next #BikeChat!
Read More →
National Bike Month is so much more than 31 days in May. It’s a celebration of bikes; a reminder to get rolling again; a gateway to riding more often; a time to evangelize the beauty of bikes; and much, much more. Since 1956, May has been recognized as National Bike Month, and the League has sponsored this celebration of bicycling for decades. National Bike to Work Week and Bike to Work Day are often cited as the month’s flagship events, occurring the third week and third Friday of May, respectively. Indeed, bike commuting has grown by 62% from 2000 to 2013 — but Bike Month is about so much more than just getting to and from the office.
Read More →