Bike racks on buses around Wisconsin

We've updated information about bike racks around Wisconsin and the new program in Milwaukee on our Web site. We answer:

• How many transit systems in Wisconsin allow bikes on buses?
• What are the benefits of bike racks on buses?
• How do I use the bike rack on my bus?
• When did Milwaukee County begin to offer bike racks on buses?
• How many people use the Milwaukee bike racks?
• How much did it cost for Milwaukee County to purchase and install bike racks on its buses?
• How much does it cost Milwaukee County to maintain the bike racks?
• How many people need to use the bike racks on Milwaukee buses each year for the program to break even?

Enjoy, and let us know if you have additional questions.

U.S. Transplant Games looking for cycling course volunteers

Madison will host the 2010 U.S. Transplant Games. The U.S. Transplant Games happen every two years and to raise money and awareness for transplant programs across the country by giving living donors and organ recipients a chance to show off their quality of life. The games are expected to attract 8,000 competitors and visitors to Madison. They will feature athletes of all abilities, from those who just want some fun to those who want to crush the competition (the latter go on to represent the United States in the World Summer Transplant Games).

The Games are looking for volunteer course marshals for the 5K Time Trial and 20K Road Race on Sunday, August 1 on a shut down John Nolen Drive. Volunteers should have prior experience marshaling cycling events, must attend one volunteer training in Madison, and will be on or near John Nolen Drive from 8am-2pm the day of the event to help with course management. The Games are looking for people who aren’t timid and are willing to open their mouth to people infringing on the course if need be.

Questions? Contact Jocelyn Vande Velde, education product manager, Saris Cycling Group.

Ride the Drive Volunteer Opportunities Now Available!

Ride the Drive on June 6 is a community event that invites all citizens to leave their cars behind to experience some of Madison's most scenic byways from a whole new perspective - by riding, walking, skating or strolling. Volunteering for Ride the Drive is a great way to help make this a successful event and have a lot of fun at the same time.

More than 250 volunteers are needed for Ride the Drive. As a volunteer you will receive a really cool Ride the Drive t-shirt, an informational training, snacks and so many smiles, it will make your summer!

Thousands of people will be out enjoying walking, biking, running and rolling in the traffic-free streets. Sign-up to volunteer here.

Contact RidetheDrive@cityofmadison.com" with questions.

Andy Clarke at the Wisconsin Bike Summit

Check out this SlideShare Presentation from Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists:

Wi summit bfc

View more presentations from bikefed.

One constituent's perspective on 2010 Bike Lobby Day

Dana Johnson, Waukesha resident and owner of Open Leaf Excursions, participated in the Bike Fed's 2010 Lobby Day and had this to say about it on her blog:

I had the privilege to be part of the second annual Wisconsin Bike Summit, hosted in Madison by the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. This two-day event included speakers from all different facets of the cycling community as well as open-forum brain-storming sessions about safer routes to schools and off-road mountain biking through public and private lands. The second day culminated in an opportunity to lobby at the capitol for bicycling in Wisconsin.

While I can be very opinionated about issues and have been known to write my fair share of government officials, I can’t say that I have ever actively sought their attention on their turf. For that matter, I have never even stepped inside of the capitol building—partied a fair amount in the surrounding neighborhoods in my college days, but never went inside the actual capitol. Wow, what an experience.

All of the bike summit attendees were grouped into their senate districts and then coached on the issues at hand. Appointments were made with each official and then the lobbying began. Because it was the last day of the assembly, most of us did not see our actual representative, but rather spoke with their aides. I was the only person from Waukesha to attend the lobbying portion of the summit and thus was left to my own devices to meet with these officials. I met two very nice aides who were very attentive to my discussion and took thorough notes on the points that I wanted the legislator to hear. Each gave me about a half an hour of time and shared bits and pieces of information about my legislator that would help me when approaching him/her again.

For the first time ever, when dealing with a politician, I felt heard. Maybe it was because I was dealing with an aide who was more of a down-to-earth average schmoe like me, or maybe it was because I was taking the effort to meet with them face to face. Either way, I felt really empowered to have spoken on behalf of the cyclists of Waukesha.

So, what did we talk about? Well, I shared with them some really great information about our fine state of WI. Did you know that WI is the second most bike-friendly state? Did you know that Madison is our most bike-friendly city? Did you know that bicycling in WI provides 13,200 jobs annually and that our state is loaded with nationally and internationally renowned bicycle businesses? Have you ever heard of Cannondale and Trek? Those are only two of ten major bike businesses located on our turf. Have you ever participated in an organized group ride? Did you know that each of those riders contribute $64-$87 per day to our economy?

Don’t even get me started on the health benefits of riding a bike. If just 20% of urban short car trips (5 miles or less) were replaced in the cities of Milwaukee and Madison, we would save $85 million in health care costs associated with poor air quality. If in those same two cities, every resident got their required exercise, a savings of over $319 million would be found in health care costs. All of these savings and just imagine how much happier and healthier everyone would be.

As an avid cyclist who owns a company that promotes outdoor excursions, I can’t help but get fired up about making our streets more bicycle-friendly. Let’s face it, biking is fun. Who doesn’t smile when hopping on a bike with a flower basket on the front or when riding a bike down a hill? It is SO important that we SHOW our children how to incorporate physical activities into their daily lives. This up and coming generation is in big trouble. Childhood diabetes is growing at an astronomical rate. The military is worried there won’t be enough qualified recruits in upcoming years because the physical abilities of our children are too poor to pass their standard requirements. It’s being projected that this next generation will be the first to not out-live the average age of their parents.

Come on parents, let’s do something about this. Let’s all make a point this weekend to dust off the family bikes (or go out and buy some bikes) and go for a family ride. You don’t have to do Tour De France distances or intensities, just get in the saddle and ride for 30 minutes. If you haven’t done it in a while, I promise you the goofy grin will be hard to wipe off your family’s face when you’re done. And if your butt is really sore from hitting all of the pot holes on our unfixed streets, then take a trip to Madison and see your legislator.

The Bike Fed is a radio star

Amanda White, director of the Bike Fed's Madison office, was on WORT 89.9 FM in Madison today to speak with Stacy Harbaugh, host of A Public Affair on Tuesdays. They spoke about the Wisconsin Bike Summit coming up tomorrow and steps we can take in Wisconsin to make it easier for people to bike. You can listen to the interview here. It starts about 5 minutes into the program, after some non-bike related news and opinion.

German television features Madison bike trip

Westdeutscher Rundfunk, a television network in western Germany, recently featured a news segment on a group of Madison civic and business leaders who have been touring Muenster, Germany, to learn how the city makes it so easy for residents to get around by bike. (35% of Muenster residents commute by bike.)

You can read a partial translation of the news segment at 20 by 2020, the delegation's Web site.

Muenster, Germany: Bicycling paradise

The Bike Fed's executive director, Kevin Hardman, is visiting some of Europe's best biking cities with Dane County business and government leaders. Here are some of his photos of bicycles and bicycle infrastructure in the city.



The goal of the trip is to learn from these cities so that Madison can raise the number of people who use bicycles and other alternative transportation means - 20% of the population by 2020. You can find out more about the trip here.

Participants in the trip will be speaking at the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin's Annual Bicycle Summit on April 21 at the Madison Concourse Hotel, 1 West Dayton Street.

Volunteer at the Wheel & Sprocket Expo

Dear Friend,

Would you like to make Wisconsin the best place in the world to bike? Volunteer at the Wheel & Sprocket Expo, and help us spread the word about the great things happening at the Bike Fed!

What: Have FUN reaching out to the 10,000+ bicyclists at the expo as a Bike Fed Ambassador
When: Any time that is convenient for you. Each shift is about 3hrs, and the Expo hours are: Thur. April 2nd (4-9pm), Fri. April 3rd (4-9pm), Sat. April 4th (9am-6pm), Sun. April 5th (10am-5pm). Let me know when you're available to help.
Where: The Wheel & Sprocket Expo, held at the Milwaukee State Fair grounds, Exposition Center (Hall B) Corner of Greenfield Ave. & 84th St.
How: Contact me, Brian Conger: ph: 262.483.7204, email: Brian.Conger@bfw.org. Shifts are filling up fast, so sign up today!

What's in it for you?
At the Bike Fed we value all of the support you give. All Bike Fed Ambassadors will receive a complimentary Bike Fed t-shirt, a coupon for $10 off purchases at the expo, as well as the opportunity to be a part of the Bike Fed's success at the Expo! While no gift can ever match the value of your support, these gifts are a small token of our gratitude.

Want to help, but can't make it to the Expo?
Contact me, brian.conger@bfw.org, to learn about other ways that you can help the Bike Fed.

There is strength in numbers, and as a volunteer you will be directly helping us in our efforts to make Wisconsin the Best Place in the World to Bike!

Can't wait to see you at the Expo,
Brian

Getting DNR Support for your Local Trail Project

You've got the perfect idea for a bike trail in your local community, but what do you do to make it happen? Oftentimes the biggest hurdles you face are getting money for your project. Lucky for you the Wisconsin DNR offers grant programs that can help you turn your dream trail into reality.

Below are some tips that I recieved from Lynda Fink who has experience developing trails in Southeastern WI.

1) Contact your local DNR grant coordinator and request a copy of the Stewardship Book. This has detailed information on all of the different programs that are available. In addition, it has the ranking sheet, so individually communities can evaluate how their project will rank (e.g. if you use recycled product +1 point, if you located near water, + 1point, etc.)

2) For the WisDNR grants, encourage your community to contact your local DNR grant coordinator. They are part of the decision-making process, so if they are on-board with your project, you will get it. They also can provide tips to make your application stronger.

3) For WisDNR grants, projects that incorporate water activities have a much higher chance than others.

4) For anyone in the SE region, the CMAQ grants do provide a better chance since it is a smaller number of people. HOWEVER, with the current changes to the program, trail projects must demonstrate a reduction in vehicular traffic vs. in the past, the recreational component could still get a grant.

5) Possibly look into attending a conference or joining the Wisconsin Park & Recreation Association. The majority of Wisconsin Communities (greater than 5,000 in population) belong to this organization. Smaller communities do also belong. Great networking opportunity and also has speaking opportunities.

6) Contact the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin! We have experience developing trails and can help you through the process.

While developing a local trail is definetely a high-endurance endeavor, those that stick it out from start to finish enjoy the satisfaction of seeing their dream come to life in their community. Many hands make the work lighter, and your project will have a higher rate of success if you are able to develop a broad base of local support.

The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin is here to help you in your local advocacy efforts. Please contact me for help!