Introducing Bike Walk Action

As Congress debates both an infrastructure bill and a budget that cuts transit and other multi-modal programs, the bike movement needs to have a strong voice in Washington. A presence in Washington is critical to ensure that bicycle infrastructure and safety are incorporated into any new transportation infrastructure funding and to defend existing Complete Streets policies and multimodal investment.

We need more than just a voice in Washington; we also need voices around the country educating our elected officials about the benefits of bicycling in our communities and in their districts.

That’s where Bike Walk Action comes in. Bike Walk Action is a new coalition of bicycling and walking advocacy organizations focused on influencing federal policy and bringing local voices to members of Congress. The coalition, founded by Bike New York and the League of American Bicyclists, represents national, state and local advocacy organizations and bike clubs will raise the profile of local advocates.

“I always get a better reception in Congressional offices when I can reference the local organization, and I’ve made the most progress with Members of Congress when the local organization and I are reaching out to the office with the same message,” said Caron Whitaker, Director of the Bike Walk Action Coalition and long-time lobbyist. “All the Coalition members have agreed to take action by reaching out to their local member of Congress. The federal voice of the coalition will amplify those local voices.”

Join Bike Walk Action Today

Organizational benefits of joining the coalition:

• Representation in Congress and with the Administration,
• Exclusive access to federal policy updates in concise bullet point format,
• Quarterly webinar updates for you and your members, and
• An opportunity to weigh in on the federal platform of the coalition.

What organizations can do to support Bike Walk Action:

• Commit to local action on the ground  including district meetings and local action alerts. We want to work with you to maximize your capacity for ensuring continued federal support for biking and walking.
• Make a donation. Financial contributions from groups around the country are necessary to keep the coalition beyond September 2017

Coalition members will actively be engaged in defining the platform and priorities through an Advisory Committee of representative members.  Members of the Advisory Committee will represent geographic regions, and be responsible for communicating with and representing members in their region. Depending on membership, and the advice of the Advisory Committee, there may also be seats that represent types of organizations, such as city organizations, state organizations, etc.

If you have additional questions, please contact Caron Whitaker at [email protected].