A lack of posting to this site means a bunch of activity behind the scenes. In March the group met once with Andy Clarke, Executive Director of League of American Bicyclists to gain advice on how to move forward and a second time to take action. This is a group that has only been discussing this advocacy organization for four months, but we are ready to move into action.
Our first campaign to improve bicycling in and around Minneapolis is to make sure that our voice is heard and we receive accommodations in the developing Access Minneapolis 10-year transportation plan for the city. In the next week the City’s Public Works department will hold two public input meetings and it is critical to see bicyclists in the audience. This plan will dictate how we use our roadways downtown and throughout the city for years to come. We at Twin Cities Bike.org believe that the voice of the bicyclist has not been heard and that if we do not act now we could see a reduction in access for bicycles on downtown streets.
We would like you and all your bicycle friendly friends to support and advocate for an Access Minneapolis plan that ensures safe and equitable bicycle facilities. We ask for your assistance in the following ways:
1) Attend one of two public meetings and speak out for bicycle equality.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall – Doty Room
Thursday, April 12, 2007, 5 pm – 7 pm
St. Olaf Catholic Church, 215 South 8th Street – Gathering Room
2) Write or email your elected city officials (or favorite elected official, if you don’t live in Minneapolis). We can help here.
Thank you for your support!
There are some new features here at Minneapolis Bikes! At the right there are additional pages that chronicle some information that will be useful during our creation of a new advocacy group. These include a running listing of ideas to consider we collect that will be useful when our group is operational and a listing of advocacy organizations reviews in other bicycle orgs reviewed.
Enjoy!
We are on our way to the best biking town around! On Friday, 14 people answered a random email and gathered to begin the discussions of an advocacy organization for bicyclists in the Minneapolis area. Now this site is the web home to chronicle these discussions. The gathering Friday was the beginning and we discussed that both the region has a strong bicycle community and that we want more of these people in on these discussions. We will reconvene in late January or early February (date and location not yet determined) watch this site for more information. We also have a discussion topic on Mpls Bike Love and an electronic mailing list advocate at minneapolisbikes.org to assist in disseminating the information.
Our Start
Back to the discussion on a bicycle advocacy organization: here are the main conclusions that we discussed:
(1) A bicycle advocacy group is needed in the area
(2) This organization needs to be independent of government
(3) A local organization can learn from other existing groups
(4) We need to improve awareness and education that bicycles belong on the streets
(5) Success will come with numbers, so participate!
Issues
We also discussed a number of issues that an organization could address such as funding sources, roadway design, showers and employer outreach, and the connection to other groups that deal with walking and transit. We will flesh these out in the near term with a dedicated page on this site.
Keep Riding!
If you want a better bicycle environment in the Minneapolis area, we need your help in this effort. The village will bring the strength and there are a number of opportunities to participate:
(1) Come to the next event
(2) Comment to this site or on Mpls Bike Love
(3) Join and participate on the mailing list
(4) Keep riding your bicycle!
The next event
We will meet again in late January or early February to dicsuss what an advocacy organization will be, what will be our geographic scope, who we will serve, our mission and purpose in adddition to meeting more individuals deadicated to a safe place to bicycle in the Minneapolis Area.
After that
In the coming months we will come together and build a bicycle advocacy that is equal to the tremendous strength of the bicycle community and the glorious bicycle system we enjoy everyday.
See you on your bike soon!
