Advocacy Groups
Advocacy groups are change agents, working to improve bicycling and pedestrian conditions. Advocacy groups can be local or national, government or non-governmental, and narrow or broad in scope.
National Organizations
America Bikes
America Bikes is a coalition of eight major national bicycling organizations focused on the reauthorization of transportation legislation.
America WALKs
America WALKs is a national coalition of walking advocacy groups dedicated to promoting livable communities where people walk because it's a real choice.
America’s Walking
A series on PSB television hosted by Mark Fenton. The show is a lively health, lifestyle, and travel program encouraging physical activity for a longer, more vigorous life.
Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals
APBP is an organization of professional practitioners working to advance the field of pedestrian and bicycle transportation planning, facility design and program development.
Bicycle Federation of America
National bicycle advocacy group and sponsor of the Pro-Bike/Pro-Walk Conferences.
Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute
Resources on bicycle helmet facts and issues
Bikes Belong Coalition
Bikes Belong Coalition, sponsored by the American Bicycle Industry, assists local organizations, agencies, and citizens in developing bicycle facilities projects.
BikePlan Source
A resource for bicycle advocates nationwide: a growing and evolving online bicycle planning and program guide, an extensive reference library, and weekly update of news and views, and access to a variety of other sites.
Bike to Work
Links to bicycle to work resources and the National Bike to Work Week.
Coalition for Appropriate Transportation
CAT is an educational charity that works to promote use of walking, bicycling and transit transportation mode.
Complete the Streets
Organization that promotes roadways designed and operated to enable safe access for all users.
League of American Bicyclists
America's largest national advocacy and club-oriented cycling group. It works through its members to promote better education and better facilities for bicyclists.
National Center for Bicycling and Walking
The NCBW is the major program of the Bicycle Federation of America, Inc, with the aim of changing the way communities are planned, designed and managed to ensure that people of all ages and abilities can walk and bike easily, safely and regularly.
Partnership for a Walkable America
A national coalition working to improve the conditions for walking in America and to increase the number of Americans who walk regularly.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center
The PBIC is a clearinghouse for information about health and safety, engineering, advocacy, education, enforcement and access and mobility.
Program to Educate All Cyclists
PEAC helps individuals with cognitive, physical, and emotional disabilities reach their cycling goals by providing basic skills programs, family rides, participation in cycling club rides, bicycle commuter training, mechanical skills, and spinning classes.
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
The purpose of Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) is to enrich America's communities and countryside by creating a nationwide network of public trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors.
Surface Transportation Policy Project
The Surface Transportation Policy Project is a non-profit organization working to promote good transportation policy in the United States. STPP's research encompasses transportation policy effects on energy conservation, environmental protection, social equity, and livable communities. They emphasize the needs of people, rather than vehicles, in assuring access to jobs, services, and recreational opportunities.
Youth Bicycle Education Network
The national organization for folks teaching hands-on cycling, especially programs oriented to inner city kids!
Walkable Communities, Inc.
A non-profit corporation organized for the express purposes of helping communities, whether they are large cities or small towns, neighborhoods or subdivisions, become more walkable and pedestrian friendly.
Local Organizations
Community Coalitions
Community coalitions bring together all kinds of dedicated individuals: law enforcement officers, doctors, health educators, engineers, parents, senior citizens, and other concerned community members. Together, and often with the cooperation of public/private interests, professional organizations, or governmental agencies, they strive for multi-disciplinary solutions to bicycling problems in their region.
Community coalitions are usually locally based. Their concentrated focus affords them a close relationship to their community, and the knowledge and skills to better support it and improve the quality of life for its citizens.
An excellent model for community coalitions is SAFE KIDS, which exists in many cities and communities throughout the United States. By working at a national level through grassroots community coalitions, SAFE KIDS, a campaign which aims to prevent the number one killer of children—unintentional injury, educates adults and children alike, provides safety devices to families in need, works to pass and strengthen laws to empower families and communities, and to protect children ages 14 and under.
Public / Private Alliances
Public/private alliances are formed to bring together organizations of different natures (public/government groups and private/corporate groups) to work for a common goal. The very difference that exists among the various organizations is why they come together. Where one might be able to provide funding and resources, another might be able to provide the knowledge and expertise about an aspect of the problem or goal. Together, with each organization or individual contributing from it's strength the alliance can work towards accomplishing the goal from multiple perspectives.
An example of a public/private alliance that has been established to improve safety and conditions for bicycling is the National Bicycle Safety Network (NBSN). The NBSN is a coalition of public and private organizations and agencies working together to increase safe bicycle use. This includes reducing the incidence of traumatic brain injuries from bicycle use, promoting safe cycling as a viable transportation alternative, and preventing injuries to sites other than the head.
Another partnership that is working effectively to promote bicycling is the Bikes Belong Coalition (BBC). The BBC is a membership organization founded by bicycle industry leaders with the mission of putting more people on bikes more often through the implementation of transportation legislation. The Coalition offers grants to state and local advocacy groups to help access those transportation dollars for bicycle projects based on the simple premise the money won't actually get spent on improving conditions for bicyclists unless local people develop specific projects which are eligible for funding.
Professional Organizations
In 1995, the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals was established to provide a voice and forum for those planners, engineers, academics, and advocates who were working to improve conditions for bicycling and walking. To help ensure excellence in this emerging profession, the association has initiated a number of programs including:
- Benchmarking surveys of the profession in 1995 and 2000 to document salaries, job responsibilities, emerging issues, and concerns.
- Training courses and workshops focusing on bicycle facility design, professional development and other important issues.
- A Best Practices Manual, published in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, documenting some of the most successful bicycle programs and facilities in the nation.
- Working with the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center to establish the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center through a grant from the United States Department of Transportation.
APBP members believe that bicycling and walking are integral and critical parts of the transportation system, and that the presence of bicyclists and pedestrians is a good indication of the health and vitality of a community. APBP is one of the few organizations that brings together the many disciplines and interests needed to implement such a complete program.
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