TxDOT’s top brass has never been on a bike ride with BikeTexas– until now. Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis and TxDOT Legislative Liaison Jay Bond worked together to set up a bike ride between themselves, TxDOT’s Executive Director Phil Wilson and BikeTexas Executive Director Robin Stallings. Mr. Wilson is a regular cyclist, so he provided […]
BikeNews; Advocacy
TxDOT Execs Meet with BikeTexas
Annual Membership Meeting September 29
The BikeTexas Annual Membership Meeting is only month away! Please RSVP here: biketexas.org/amm2012 On September 29 from 3pm to 6pm, we’ll be meeting at the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort following eRock the Ride. Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis will be joining the ride and speaking at the Membership Meeting. At the meeting, BikeTexas hold the drawing for our Annual […]
BikeTexas Action on MAP-21
You’ve probably received alerts from our national partner groups like the League of American Bicyclists, America Bikes, and America Trails about taking action to preserve all the funding available for biking and walking under MAP-21, the new federal transportation bill. Right now, we’re making it a priority to find the best course of action for […]
BikeTexas Heads to Chicago
BikeTexas staff are on their way to Chicago this weekend for the Ninth Annual National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Bipartisan Bike Ride. Every year the ride is hosted by Texas legislators in front of a national audience, and BikeTexas provides bikes and works with a local advocacy group to organize the ride. In 2011, […]
Study Finds Cyclists are Good for Business
Researchers at Portland State University set out last summer to investigate the relationship between shoppers’ travel modes and their spending habits. The principal investigator, Kelly Clifton, told BikePortland at the time, “There are some businesses who think that cyclists are of lower incomes, that they spend less, that they’re not going to visit as much. […]
Urban Cycling Book to be Released
City Cycling, a new book by about cycling trends and policies in urban areas worldwide, will be published by MIT Press in November 2012. From the book’s website: City Cycling emphasizes that bicycling should not be limited to those who are highly trained, extremely fit, and daring enough to battle traffic on busy roads. The chapters […]
City of Pharr Adopts Safe Passing Law
Last month, the City of Pharr became the 12th Texas city to adopt a Safe Passing Ordinance! This new legislation requires motorists to give at least three feet space when passing cyclists, pedestrians, people with disabilities, and other non-motorized road users. KRGV reports that “vehicles other than cars or light trucks” must give six feet […]
TxDOT Rural Transportation Plan Adopted
Input at over a dozen TxDOT meetings from BikeTexas board members, individual members and staff as well as other Texas bicycle advocates has resulted in bicycle and pedestrian provisions in TxDOT’s first Texas Rural Transportation Plan (TRTP) 2035, adopted by the Texas Transportation Commission (TCC) on June 28, 2012.The rural plan is a component of […]
Federal Transportation Bill terrible for biking and walking
Yesterday, we saw the proposed new federal transportation bill for the first time. Our hearts sank; our worst fears were confirmed. For nearly three years Congress has been deadlocked about a new transportation bill and has been extending SAFETEA-LU, which provides dedicated funds for biking and walking. This new bill released yesterday is the closest […]
Winning Campaigns Training Helps Texas Bike Advocates
The Alliance for Biking and Walking conducted a Winning Campaigns Training event in Houston on June 8-10, 2012. Advocates from around the state attended, representing seven different organizations, including BikeTexas. Participants worked through the stages of planning a campaign in an intensive three-day workshop. In addition to discussing potential allies and possible barriers to success, […]
Brownsville Receives Rail-Trail Grant from Texas Parks & Wildlife
The City of Brownsville has received a $151,274 grant from Texas Parks and Wildlife to turn a former railway right of way into a hike-and-bike trail. The trail will be called the Belden Trail, after Samuel Belden, a co-founder of the City of Brownsville. The rail line was built over the former Belden Street. “While researching […]
San Antonio Greenway Trail Crossing will Re-Open Thanks to Public Pressure
Due to construction of the Wurzbach Parkway near McAllister Park, a major portion of the Salado Creek Greenway Trail is closed to cyclists and pedestrians. A local bike advocate spoke up at the Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee’s Bike Night in May 2012 because he had received a traffic ticket for crossing Starcrest from McAllister Park […]
San Antonio Bike-Related Public Meetings June 27-28
San Antonio residents have many chances next week to give input on projects that will affect walking and cycling. Hays St. Bridge Development – June 27, 2pm, 1901 S. Alamo A plan to build a microbrewery at the Hays Street Bridge came before the San Antonio Planning Commission at their last meeting. A final decision […]
“Respect Cyclists’ Needs – Improve Our Community” Op-Ed by BikeTexas E.D.
The following was originally published in the Austin American-Statesman on Sunday, May 27, 2012, and online at: http://www.statesman.com/opinion/respect-cyclists-needs-improve-our-community-2378575.html Respect cyclists’ needs – improve our community Robin Stallings, Local Contributor On May 16, cyclists in cities all over America met for the Ride of Silence, a memorial ride for bicyclists who, like Austinites Verter Ginestra, Andrew […]
Winning Campaigns Training in Houston June 8-10, 2012
Dear Texas Cyclists:Please consider taking a long weekend June 8-10 and coming to Houston for the Winning Campaigns Training put on by the Alliance for Biking and Walking!For general info about the training click here We are working to find teams from local areas all over the state to attend and get some expert training on […]
First Ciclovia de Dallas a Relaxing Social Time
The first Ciclovia de Dallas saw hundreds turn out to walk, bike, and roll along the Houston Street Viaduct in downtown Dallas on April 14, 2012. The bridge was closed to cars and open to people. Activities included kite flying, line dancing, a dog park, food, street performers, and a rink for roller derby and […]
Overview of the 2012 National Bike Summit
From March 20-22, 2012, BikeTexas led the Texas Delegation at the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Summit. Over 800 people attended from 49 states at the largest gathering of bicycle advocates of the year. We were able to meet with staff from just about every Texas Representative’s office as well as both Senator Hutchison […]
BikeTexas Receives the Innovation Award from the Alliance for Walking and Biking
BikeTexas was honored to receive the Innovation Award while attending the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. This award is designated for an organization that pioneers or invents new ways to promote biking and walking. Thanks in part to our traveling bike fleet, BikeTexas is able to organize rides with policymakers, agency staff and nonprofit organizations […]
You Did It! Bike/Ped Funding Extended
All Road and Off-Road Cyclists: We asked you to contact your representatives and ask them to support biking and walking and spread the word. You Did It! Thanks to your support the Senate and the House voted for a clean extension of the 2009 Transportation Bill, keeping our current Bike/Ped funding intact. Last […]
Some great praise for Advocacy efforts in Houston and Denton, from our National Partners Rails to Trails Conservancy
Congraulations to Houston and Denton for the national recognition they have received from the Rails-To-Trails Conservancy! Here’s the article, taken from Rails-To-Trails.org: Houston and Denton have turned around their approach to transportation in recent years. Through well-organized collective efforts, both cities have made huge strides with Houston’s Colombia Tap Rail-Trail and Denton’s Branch Rail-Trail. Since […]