The 2011 National Bike Summit will be held March 8-10 in Washington, DC. Early bird discounts end on February 3.

From the League of American Bicyclists
The 2011 National Bike Summit will be held March 8-10 in Washington, DC.  Early bird discounts end on February 3.  Register now and save!

ACTING ON A SIMPLE SOLUTION - NATIONAL BIKE SUMMIT

There are more people riding bikes than ever. Yet half of all U.S. trips are three miles or less, and more than 90 percent are made by car. The National Bike Summit has improved bicycle-friendliness and livability in many communities, but the need and opportunity to improve physical activity, safety and livability in the U.S., while reducing congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and our dependence on oil – remains greater today than a decade ago.

These issues seem difficult to solve but the answer is simple.The answer is the bicycle. Now is the time to ask Congress to make strategic transportation investments that foster healthy people and healthy communities. Join us March 8-10 in Washington, D.C. to act on a simple solution – the bicycle.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER ANNOUNCED

Janette Sadik-Khan, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation, is the keynote speaker at the National Bike Summit's opening plenary, Wednesday March 9. Since her appointment in 2007, the New York City has completed more than 250 miles of bike lanes and 20 miles of cycle track; passed innovative bicycle parking legislation and delivered extensive education and safety programs. Bicycle use has doubled since 2006, while fatalities have fallen to their lowest level in decades. Learn more about Sadik-Khan.

Bikeleague.org writes:

Attending the National Bike Summit can make a difference in your community. Here’s how it did in mine:

A few years ago during the Summit, I met with my Congressional Representative at the time, Marilyn Musgrave. I invited her to a school back home that had a Safe Routes to School program in place. Doing so would enable her to see how federal transportation dollars were being used at the local level.

Previous to her visit, the Congresswoman had refused to join the Congressional Bike Caucus and had not been a supporter of legislation that was going to divert transportation tax dollars from road construction or repair.

Buzz Feldman (in bike jersey) with Congresswoman Marilyn Musgraves, bike winners, and Tom Cobb, who donated one of the two bikes that were given away.

On the day that she chose to visit Columbine Elementary School in Longmont, Colorado, no special effort was made by the school to encourage increased participation in their Safe Routes to School program. The Congresswoman stood on one of the sidewalks use by students as they enter the campus. Her job was to give each student who walked or biked a recognition sticker that read, “I walked to School” or “I biked to school”. On that special day, out of 417 students at the school, only 12 arrived by car. The remainder all either walked or biked to school. No youngsters are bused to Columbine. Congresswoman Musgrave was amazed at the level of participation and the lack of traffic around the school! It was an eye opening experience for her.