Support MassBike As It Fights For Vision Zero, Act Now!

It’s a Crash, not an accident.

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MassBike is a part of the Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition, a group that advocates for the implementation of Vision Zero across Massachusetts, working together with community organizations, non-profits, businesses, and individuals.

What is Vision Zero?

Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, health, equitable mobility for all.

What is MassBike doing to support the Vision Zero effort?

There are 3 crucial bills that we have filed to protect bicyclists and pedestrians and there is still time to voice your support.The vulnerable users bill, the bike lane bill, and the crosswalk bill are imperative to improving safety on the road. To read more about these 3 bills and what they mean, click here. There is also a sample letter you can send!

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Run The Marathon To Support Cycling

MassBike got its hands on some Boston Marathon entries, which means you can run the marathon to support MassBike!

From MassBike:

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The John Hancock Non-Profit Marathon Program has generously awarded MassBike with non-qualified runner entries for the 2016 Boston Marathon. Each April, thousands of accomplished runners descend upon Boston to participate in the legendary Boston Marathon, one of the most prestigious and renowned road racing events across the globe. As these runners take on the daunting physical challenge of the historic 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon, they will also each raise a minimum of $5,000 each to support MassBike’s work.

Starting today, MassBike will be accepting applications for 2 available team slots for the 2016 Boston Marathon for runners to join our team, Running to Ride.

The fundraising by this team will fuel efforts to improve conditions for bicycling in the Bay State. Working with lawmakers, schools, police, business leaders, and municipalities, MassBike is the voice for bicyclists throughout the state. With 4,000 members and growing, MassBike helped elevate Massachusetts in national bike friendly rankings to the number four position. Our runners will help Massachusetts climb to the top spot, making us a healthier and more prosperous place to live.

Want to help support MassBike while running the 2016 Boston Marathon? Submit an application no later than November 11th to be considered.

APPLY HERE

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Cycle Massachusetts Registration Closes July 15!

I used to work for MassBike, they are a great group of folks, check out their awesome bike ride below.

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Have you heard about Cycle Massachusetts?

For years you may have known it as the Mass BikePike Tour – but after so much time explaining “no, we don’t ride on the Mass Pike!” the tour is getting a new name this summer! The ride is during the 1st week of August, and you can ride anywhere from 2 to 7 days – it’s up to you. We explore a different part of Massachusetts each year – this year we start and finish in beautiful Northampton, MA. We’re very excited to be in such a fun town with fantastic riding to boot!  CycleMA is the Friendliest Ride in the East and we welcome everyone from super-mellow cyclists to hardcore cyclists. We do notice, however, that most of our riders feel like a day of riding isn’t complete without an ice cream stop or a post-ride beer. The more time we spend perfecting this year’s routes, the more we realize just how wonderful they are. Lots of beautiful rural scenery on quiet roads, an occasional town, roadside ice cream stands, and farm stands that promise perfect peaches. There will be lots of fun activities ready for you, both on the road and in camp. Northampton, Greenfield and Shelburne Falls are all planning their own special welcomes. All our proceeds from the ride go to Massbike  – check out at www.cyclema.com!  Don’t delay – you only have until July 15th to register and join in the fun!

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MassBike Summer Social

Tonight from 5pm – 8pm, join MassBike Executive Director Richard Fries for cocktails and conversation to benefit MassBike. Our gracious host, Ames Street Deli in Kendall Square, has whipped up a signature, summer cocktail, proceeds of which will go towards better bicycling in Massachusetts. Stop by and say hello on your way home, and relax with the MassBike staff on this lovely Monday.

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MassBike Gets Substantial Sponsors For Its New Bill

From MassBike:

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State House and Common, in the Snow Copyright Leslie Jones, provided by Boston Public Libraryunder Creative Commons License

The Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (“MassBike”) is deeply appreciative of each of the state legislators that sponsored bills to make our roadways safer and more convenient for bicyclists. As the newly appointed executive director of MassBike I want to acknowledge and thank them for showing the political courage to support cycling and cyclists in Massachusetts. Please join me in thanking your senators and representatives for sponsoring these important bills. You can find out how here, or look for your districts below.

Apparently things are changing for the better for bicycling here in the world’s largest college town, Massachusetts. Working with our former executive director and current government affairs advisor, David Watson, we filed two bills for the new legislative session on Beacon Hill. The first was a Bike Lane Protection Bill, which makes it illegal for motorists to block established bike lanes. Every cyclist has experienced frustration with those hard-won bike lanes being used for everything from deliveries to taxi lines to double-parking spaces.

The second piece of legislation is a Vulnerable Road Users Bill, which brings together pedestrians, cyclists, road workers, tow truck operators, police officers, and emergency personnel as vulnerable road users and defines what is a safe-passing distance. This is landmark legislation that makes our entire state safer.

We had 42 lawmakers sign on as sponsors or co-sponsors for each of these bills. This represents 25 percent of the State Senate and 21 percent of the State House. This support will not go unnoticed. For too long, bicyclists have been simply tolerated by the transportation system. This legislation, if passed, will show that the Bay State – which has so much to gain by integrating pedestrians and cyclists into its streetscape – is not looking to just tolerate bicyclists but also to welcome and protect them as an important part of the transportation grid.

These lawmakers recognize that for the Bay State to be a leader in transportation, the bicycle is an important part of the streetscape, roadways, and transportation grid.

In the Senate

Sponsoring Both Bills
Michael Barrett, Third Middlesex
William Brownsberger, Second Suffolk and Middlesex
Sonia Chang-Diaz, Second Suffolk
Sal DiDomenico, Middlex and Suffolk
Kenneth Donnelly, Fourth Middlesex
James Eldridge, Middlesex and Worcester
Brian Joyce, Norfolk, Bristol, and Plymouth
Jason Lewis, Fifth Middlesex
Joan Lovely, Second Essex

Sponsoring Vulnerable Road Users Bill
Anne Gobi, Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, and Middlesex

In the House

Sponsoring Both Bills
Ruth Balser, 12th Middlesex
Gailanne Cariddi, 1st Berkshire
Marjorie Decker, 25th Middlesex
Daniel Donahue, 16th Worcester
Shawn Dooley, 9th Norfolk
Carolyn Dykema, 8th Middlesex
Sean Garballey, 23rd Middlesex
Kenneth Gordon, 21st Middlesex
Jonathan Hecht, 29th Middlesex
Kay Khan, 11th Middlesex
Peter Kocot, 1st Hampshire
Jay Livingstone, 8th Suffolk
Timothy Madden, Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket
Elizabeth Poirier, 14th Bristol
Denise Provost, 27th Middlesex
Angelo Puppolo, 12th Hampden
David Rogers, 24th Middlesex
Jeffrey Roy, 10th Norfolk
Paul Schmid, 8th Bristol
Frank Smizik, 15th Norfolk
Aaron Vega, 5th Hampden
John Velis, 4th Hampden
Chris Walsh, 6th Middlesex

Sponsoring Vulnerable Road Users Bill
Daniel Cullinane, 12th Suffolk
Josh Cutler, 6th Plymouth
Carole Fiola, 6th Bristol
Leonard Mirra, 2nd Essex

Sponsoring Bike Lane Bill
Christine Barber, 34th Middlesex
Danielle Gregoire, 4th Middlesex
Bradford Hill, 4th Essex
Michael Moran, 18th Suffolk
Paul Tucker, 7th Essex

Yours Truly,

Richard Fries
Executive Director, MassBike

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