IN THIS ISSUE

Welcome to the first issue of the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition newsletter.  We would like to invite you to get involved with our organization. We are currently working on four areas of advocacy: Bike Plan, Downtown Biking, Bike Parking, and Open Streets/Ciclovia. These four action groups and accomplishments to date are further described in this newsletter.  Join us!

UPCOMING EVENTS:

July 19^th 5:00-6:00pm:  Meeting for new volunteers.  Drop in anytime at Common Roots Café meeting room (2558 South Lyndale Avenue).

 RECENT EVENTS:

Members of the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition were at the downtown Bike Walk to Work celebration on Thursday June 10^th to greet and support bike commuters. Volunteers helped to get the word out about the importance of bicycling in Minneapolis.  

There was television coverage on the local cable channel MTN.  Sage and Lisa were both spotted on the local coverage.  Outreach is an important part of the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition's Mission.

Bike Walk Link

The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition was instrumental in organizing a fun rally along Bryant Avenue on June 9th. The rally was successful in generating support and petition signatures from many bicyclists for the transformation of Bryant Avenue into a safe and inviting bicycle boulevard.  

To sign a petition in support of building a real bicycle boulevard on Bryan Avenue, visit:

Bryant Ave Link

On Tuesday, June 15th, Steve Clark and Michelle Dibblee from Transit for Livable Communities hosted a monthly happy hour at the Bedlam Theater - one of the most bike friendly places west of the Mississippi. The intent of the happy hour gatherings is to generate conversation and build positive, supportive relationships among advocates to facilitate continued improvement of bicycle facilities and support for bicyclists.

David Byrne, yes the David Byrne from the Talking Heads, has recently written a book called the Bicycling Diaries and he and three other panelists (Mayor of Minneapolis  R.T. Rybak,  J Walljasper author of the Great Neighborhood Book and Steve Clark - Manager of Transit for Livable Communities) gave a glimpse of urbanism in the near future on June 17th at the Uptown Theater. LIsa and Sage from the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition were representing the Minneapolis Bicycle Coallition.

Future link

George Rosar

2010 has been an important year for bicyclists in Minneapolis.

Here is my top ten list:

1. Bicycling magazine rated Minneapolis as the number one bike city in the United States.

2. Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition became an active force.

3. Nice Ride roll out has people of all age ranges and abilities riding bicycles.  

4. Bicycles are allowed back on Nicollet Mall.

5. Even though it is far from perfect, and filled with controversy, bicycling was part of the planning on 1st Avenue and Hennepin Avenue.

6. Minneapolis will be expanding the number of bicycle trails substantially in 2010.

7. Complete Streets policy has been adopted in Minnesota

mn complete streets link 

  (special thanks to Ethan Fawley).

8. Bike culture is helping to fuel advocacy and acceptance through grass root efforts (special thanks Minneapolis Bike Love http://mplsbikelove.com/ ).

9. Bicycling is becoming fashionable.  Men wearing tweed and women wearing skirts and high heels are both riding bicycles.  

10. A comprehensive bicycle plan will be generated and will help to create a vision for Minneapolis to not only become a good bicycle city, but the greatest bicycle city in the world.

George Rosar

george.c.rosar@gmail.com

Next month's editor : Sage Tauber sagetauber@hotmail.com

Sage Tauber

LOGO AND BRANDING CONTESTS

The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition is defining who we are - and part of that is finding a good logo.  We need some help! 

Do you have a good logo idea, and the skills to turn it into reality?  We're having a logo contest on our website where we'll ask everyone to vote to pick the best one.  We're asking for prize donations for the finalist, and right now we can promise a free t-shirt with the logo, and lots of bragging rights.  We hope to offer something more.

For more info on what we're about, see http://mplsbike.org/content/mission-vision-and-values.

Submit:  Contact information (Name, phone number, and e-mail address) and a .jpg or .png, file with at least 300 dpi resolution of your logo submission. (If your logo is selected as a finalist, we will work with you on any modifications and request a final .eps file.)
To:  ryan@mplsbike.org

Deadline:  August 1, 2010

VOLUNTEERS

In order to fulfill our mission we are looking for volunteers who are as passionate about bicycling in Minneapolis as we are. Whether you’re interested in the nuts and bolts of running a grassroots organization, or want to get involved with special events and advocacy issues, we’d love to have your help.

Please join us for a New Volunteers meeting on Monday, July 19^th from 5:00-6:00 p.m. (drop in anytime) at Common Roots Café meeting room located at 2558 South Lyndale Avenue.  

We’ll be looking to connect your interests with one of our action groups or to fun activities such as tabling, petition gathering, and community outreach.  

Contact Ethan Fawley at ethan@mplsbike.org for more information.

Action Group: Bike Plan

The City of Minneapolis adopted a Bike Plan Map in 2001, and is now in the process of updating the map and developing a full Bike Master Plan. We're working to increase public outreach and input opportunities and are collaborating with the City to develop a strong existing conditions analysis to aid in future planning.

Get Involved

Visit our website to send an email to your City Councilmember to let them know why the Bike Master Plan is important to you, and to highlight issues that you think the plan should address:  mplsbike.org/content/bike-plan-email

Lisa Peterson Bender - Chair       

http://mplsbike.org/advocacy/bike-plan

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A full network of bike lanes downtown to serve commuter, recreational and shopping trips to our city center, along with ample secure bicycle parking and strong connections to transit.

Over the past year, bicycle access to downtown has eroded and we are advocating for a reversal of that trend. We are working with the City to identify opportunities to close gaps in the downtown bicycle network to serve all types of cyclists. In addition to advocating for improved bicycle access to downtown, we strongly support improved transit and pedestrian connections. We believe a truly multimodal transportation system downtown will enable Minneapolis to support a vibrant economy, strong commercial and cultural center, and an increasingly residential population.

Billy Binder - chair           

http://mplsbike.org/advocacy/downtown-biking

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ACTION GROUP: BIKE PARKING

Goal

A small group has been meeting the second Saturday morning of each month at the Common Roots Common Room (26th and Lyndale Ave. S.) to work on increasing bike parking, particularly in the Uptown & Longfellow neighborhoods. We're currently contacting neighborhood associations to request matching funding. We offer volunteer resources on reaching out to businesses and landlords, as well as expertise in bike parking placement. If you have connections with your neighborhood association and can help us make contact, please let us know. We'd love additional volunteers to help with outreach and assessment.

"Lack of secure bike parking is the No. 1 reason that seasoned cyclists don't bike to work." Read the rest of Transportation Alternatives' Guide to Indoor Bike Parking. (Download PDF here)

Bike parking costs approximately $100/bike installed, as part of the city's contract.

Janne K. Flisrand - Chair             

 http://mplsbike.org/advocacy/bike-parking

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ACTION GROUP: OPEN STREETS / CICLOVIA

During Open Streets/Ciclovia, a continuous loop or stretch of street is "opened up" so that all people can bike, jog, roller blade, and stroll with baby carriages and dogs. They can appreciate the architecture, the infrastructure, and the natural environment while letting their story-telling imaginations have a chance to be exercised. In addition, Open Streets provide people with opportunities to socialize and enjoy programmed recreational activities on neighborhood streets including yoga, dance lessons, aerobics, games, musical performances, bike repair and bike safety classes. Open Streets have been catching on in the United States. Cities that already have popular Open Streets series include Portland, Oregon; New York, New York; San Francisco, California; Chicago, Illinois; Baltimore, Maryland; and Cleveland, Ohio.  

Open Streets began in 1976 in Bogota, Colombia as Ciclovia (which means "bike path" in Spanish).  Today, Bogota's Ciclovia draws more than 1.5 million residents per week.

Colin Harris - Chair

http://mplsbike.org/advocacy/ciclovia

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