Volume 3, Issue 8 _____ August 2007 |
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In This Issue:
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HOW DOES YOUR CITY OR STATE MEASURE UP? THUNDERHEAD'S BENCHMARKING REPORT TELLS ALL The report provides detailed data and illustrations on bicycling and walking in 50 states and the 50 most-populous cities. Measurements include bicycle and pedestrian staffing, funding, written policies, and bike-transit integration among others. The report also compares public health data with bicycling and walking levels to reveal gripping correlations. We hope that you will use this report to draw attention to how your state or city ranks and to strengthen your argument for increasing investments in bicycling and walking in your community. To help you publicize this report and your current advocacy campaigns, we’ve created a template press release. Please use this template and modify as you see fit. Don’t forget to include a quote from your organization and to make your organization and community prominent throughout the release. To view Bicycling and Walking in the U.S., Thunderhead’s 2007 Benchmarking Report, and our August 29th press release visit http://www.thunderheadalliance.org/benchmarking.htm For questions on the report, help with your local release, or to request image files from the report, please contact kristen “at” thunderheadalliance.org or call 415-513-5281. WELCOME NEW BOARD MEMBERS Philip Caruso, PE, FITE, FASCE Phil is Deputy Director of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) and has assisted Thunderhead since early 2005, initially through Thunderhead’s Benchmarking Project as a vital part of our review team. Phil has also helped connect Thunderhead to leaders in ITE as well as their many important and diverse partners. Phil offers his unprecedented talents as interpreter between traffic engineers and bicycle and pedestrian advocacy leaders. In addition, as a progressive transportation engineer he brings concrete ideas for a paradigm shift towards all modes. Phil also brings his invaluable experience from his highly effective and respected international organization. Leah Shahum Leah has been the Executive Director of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition for five years of her ten-year tenure there. She has taken part in Thunderhead programs for many years with a special knack for helping leaders of Thunderhead organizations. Before coming to the SFBC, Leah worked as a journalist for a local newspaper and a national magazine. She graduated from Duke University in North Carolina with a degree in political science and a focus in women's studies. Leah serves on the Board of Directors of the SF Municipal Transportation Agency. She brings her expertise for high-level connections and her experience from one of Thunderhead's most innovative member organizations. Andréa White Andréa is the Executive Director of the Bikestation Coalition. She began her career as an analyst for a large private financial management firm, moving on from that to pursue her own international business risk consultancy. In 2004, Andréa decided to combine her business background with her environmental passion at Bikestation Coalition. The organization has since grown to 6 facilities nationwide and has transformed the possibilities for alternative transportation, particularly bicycling, transit, car-sharing, and small electric vehicles. Andréa enjoys reaching out to help leaders of Thunderhead member organizations and offering her inspirations to Thunderhead programs. |
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LOS ANGELES THUNDERHEAD TRAINING DRAWS TOP NOTCH LEADERS Organization leaders
from across the West Coast gathered in Los Angeles August 24-26 for
another Thunderhead Training for Winning Campaigns. From the start on
Friday evening, these leaders revealed their extraordinary abilities
for connecting and learning from each other. As the Training
progressed, their campaigns evolved to much higher levels as they
encouraged each other to raise the bar even higher. These campaigns
included complete streets policy collaborations, street redesigns that
will rely on diverse neighborhood coalitions, a prominent transit
campaign and an innovative campaign to increase car parking
restrictions in favor of affordable housing. Organizations represented
included some of Thunderhead’s most effective organizations as well as
some brand new organizations launched just prior to the Training.
Drew Hunter, board member of the Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition, had this to say, “I did not feel I could mount a campaign before this training, but now I know how to do it!” Thanks to our wonderful hosts at the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition for arranging all the needed logistics, introducing us to LA’s fascinating bike culture and bringing such awe inspiring campaigns! As always, a special thanks to all of the sponsors who made this Thunderhead Training possible: Planet Bike, National Bicycle Dealers Association, National Center for Bicycling and Walking, J&B Importers, Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, Local Government Commission, and SRAM. Upcoming Trainings The discount deadline is fast approaching (Sept. 5th!) for the next Thunderhead Training: Winning Campaigns in Washington, D.C. October 5-7 with a special lobby training on October 8th and Complete Streets Lobby Day October 9th. Register right away at: http://www.thunderheadalliance.org/trainings.htm |
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COMPLETE STREETS CORNER: INSPIRATIONS FROM L.A. by Dominic Liberatore, Complete Streets Campaign Coordinator This month I would like to share some inspirations I gained from our recent Thunderhead Training in Los Angeles. As a life long Midwesterner I had always thought of L.A. as a sprawling metropolis of auto dependency. That stereotype was even fed by my being stuck in a car upon my initial arrival into L.A. The icing on the cake of my preconceived notion was the degrading pedestrian environment around the hotel where I stayed. However, during the Training, I learned that all is not lost and the future of L.A. is actually bright. The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, Livable Places, C.I.C.L.E., the new North Orange County Bicycle Coalition, and The Transit Coalition, all local LA area organizations, participated in last weekend’s Thunderhead Training: Winning Campaigns. Along with the other West Coast organizations in attendance, they learned how to take on aggressive campaigns. LACBC and Livable Places will undertake a city-wide complete streets policy campaign through an unprecedented partnership. The Transit Coalition will focus on mid-day service improvements for commuter rail. And C.I.C.L.E. will plan an aggressive bicycle parking program. Hence, this month’s complete streets tip of the hat goes to our member and future member organizations in Los Angeles. I look forward to offering your successes to our member organizations across the country. And to those of you who missed the Los Angeles Thunderhead Training, make sure to register right away for our next Training October 5th through the 9th in Washington, DC. This is a very special Thunderhead Training because we’ve added two days to bring the complete streets message to Capitol Hill, culminating in our Complete Streets Lobby Day in the 9th.Our D.C Thunderhead Training will draw its own inspirational leaders from organizations across the country. Sign up as a team from your organization including staff, board members and super volunteers. Next week is the discount deadline so get those application forms in soon! Find all the info at: http://www.thunderheadalliance.org/trainings.htm I am here to answer any questions that you may have. Please feel free to contact me at Dominic “at” thunderheadalliance.org or call (614)-204-4628 |
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MEMBER NEWS: GOT PLATES? IOWA DOES! by Mark Wyatt, Iowa Bicycle Coalition Iowa Bicycle Coalition (IBC) was offered the opportunity of a specialty plate for Share the Road. We had proposed legislation to establish one, but it failed in committee. The Iowa Department of Transportation offered to be a state agency sponsor (there are two methods in Iowa - legislative and state agency). The Iowa DOT has never sponsored a plate, but we have been cultivating a relationship with the Iowa DOT for several years and they support our mission. When we met with the DOT, we had several up-front requirements: 1. We
wanted the funding to go towards safety education. We could have
opted for facilities, like matching grants for trails, but it would
have been gobbled up in a heartbeat. The DOT agreed that not
enough attention had been placed on education and we could make as much
of an impact as concrete infrastructure.
2. We
wanted 100% of the funding. We knew there would be significant
effort to pre-sell the plates, so it was important to have full funding
or we would be wasting our time to pad the state's general fund.
3. We
wanted a human on the plate and a message that could be recognized a
car-length back.
IBC enlisted the help of a graphic designer and went to work. So, what did we learn? 1. Collect
the names/addresses and e-mails of the people who are interested in
buying a plate. These are potential members.
2. Allow an
opportunity to get a plate and join your org at the same time.
3. Be
prepared for massive data entry.
4. Set a
short deadline - otherwise people will procrastinate.
5. Got
plates? Works very well for posters. People are interested,
but need a push.
To learn more contact mark "at" iowabicyclecoalition.org |
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MORE MEMBER NEWS Mississippi River Trail Executive Director Terry Eastin To Receive Kodak American Greenways Award Little Rock, AR --August 26, 2007 – Terry Eastin, Executive Director of Mississippi River Trail, Inc., has been chosen to receive the Kodak American Greenways National Award for 2007. The award, presented by The Conservation Fund, Eastman-Kodak, and the National Geographic Society, recognizes outstanding individuals or organizations for leadership in fostering a national network of greenways. For more information and to download the complete press release, visit http://www.mississippirivertrail.org Urban Transportation Report Card Released Transportation Alternatives, the Chicagoland Bike Federation, the San Francisco Bike Coalition and the Cascade Bicycle Club in Seattle just released the first-ever Urban Transportation Report Card, comparing our four cities' efforts to reduce transport sector greenhouse gas emissions by switching private motor vehicle trips to biking, walking and transit. View the report online at: http://www.transalt.org/campaigns/reclaiming/Urban_Transpo_Report_Card.pdf Tribute in Missouri On Monday, August 8, a pair of bicyclists, a grandfather and granddaughter, were out riding a very popular local bicycling route when they were hit from behind by a pickup truck and killed. Much of the work the Missouri Bicycle Federation has been doing the past several years to establish channels of communication and coordination among local cycling groups came to fruition on Thursday, August 16, as 659 bicyclists came out for a memorial ride for the pair--on only two or three days notice. “The local bicycling community really is a community that works together and supports and looks after each other”, writes Dr. Brent Hugh, Executive Director of the Missouri organization. For links to the news coverage of the event, visit: http://mobikefed.org/2007/08/659-bicyclists-gather-to-ride-in-memory.php http://kcbike.info/2007/08/15/gaunt-memorial-ride-3/ http://www.kansascity.com/news/columnists/mike_hendricks/story/225988.html Thunderhead Organizations Are Hiring! Our member organizations are hiring! Check out all of the fantastic job opportunities on the Thunderhead Jobs page. If your organization is hiring, be sure to let us know! We'll list your job posting. Simply send an email to: jobs "at" thunderheadalliance.org. Upcoming Events at Thunderhead Alliance September 5, 2007 (Wednesday): Media Relations Mutual Aid Conference Call - more here October 3, 2007 (Wednesday): Developing Successful Partnerships Mutual Aid Conference Call - more here October 5-7, 2007: Thunderhead Alliance "Winning Campaigns" Training in Washington, DC - more here October 8-9, 2007: Complete Streets lobby training and Hill visits (Washington, DC) - more here We want your news! Thunderhead wants to publish your good news! Our coalition is our members and your peers want to hear about your success and innovations. Have you had a recent success? A winning campaign? A creative event? Has your organization used innovative methods for attracting members or earning media attention? We want to know about it! Send your news items to jeremy "at" thunderheadalliance.org. |
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This monthly Thunderhead Alliance Weather Report is for the leaders of our member organizations and our supporters. The Thunderhead Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is the only coalition of state and local bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organizations working in unison to break down the barriers to safe bicycling and walking in North American communities. Find more info at: www.thunderheadalliance.org. |