David Watson Steps Down As Executive Director Of MassBike

While I am very sad to see David go, he did an excellent job at MassBike for many years, its great that he is moving on to other challenges.

From MassBike:

Today our Executive Director, David Watson, announced that he will be leaving MassBike. David has been with us for more than eight years and in that time has used his passion for biking to help make Massachusetts safer for all cyclists.

Watson remembers biking in the streets of Massachusetts at the beginning of his tenure at MassBike. “Bike commuters were bravely riding along, but largely limited to the strongest and most fearless among us,” he wrote in his announcement (pdf). “There were precious few bike lanes in the state, and none at all in Boston. State transportation policies were just beginning to contemplate biking and walking, but that had not yet translated to change on the streets. Little or no funding was dedicated to bicycle infrastructure or education.”

Now, eight years later, much has improved. Massachusetts has installed more bike lanes and increased state funding for bike paths. More residents have an interest in biking for transportation and health. In a time when federal funding for biking and walking has been cut, Massachusetts has created a state policy to triple biking, walking, and transit, and is providing funding to make it happen. With David at the helm, MassBike has:

• Launched our Safe Routes to School Program in 2008, which has reached more than 11,000 kids
• Championed the Bicyclist Safety Bill, which became law in 2009
• Trained MBTA bus drivers since 2010 to better prepare drivers for interactions with bicyclists
• Successfully advocated for improved bike parking at transit stations and bike racks on all buses
• Expanded Bay State Bike Week in 2010 to a statewide celebration in partnership with MassDOT
• Introduced legislation in 2011 (and again in 2013) to protect Vulnerable Road Users
• Secured expanded bicycle hours on the MBTA Blue Line in 2011
• Published bike safety information in seven languages in 2012 (now 10 languages!)
• Launched the Bikeable Communities Program in 2012, which has helped more than 40 cities and towns improve bicycling conditions
• Created the annual Massachusetts Bike/Walk Summit in 2012
• Helped educate police officers in 2014 with our training video
• In 2014 successfully advocated for increased funding for bike paths, including more than $130 million in the MassDOT capital budget and $377 million in bonding authority

“A tireless advocate – and a tireless cyclist – David has been instrumental in seeing so many wins for safe biking in Massachusetts,” said Jim Bradley, President of MassBike’s Board of Directors. “We thank him for serving MassBike, bicyclists in Massachusetts, and the community so well these last eight years. We will remember his time at MassBike as one of action, commitment, and enthusiasm.”

The Board now begins a search for a new Executive Director. The right person will capitalize on the successes of Watson’s tenure to provide Massachusetts with a future of greater acceptance of and enthusiasm for bicycling.

“I am very proud of the team, the organization, and the partnerships we have built together over the past eight years,” Watson wrote of the MassBike board, staff, and community. “This has been the most challenging and the most rewarding job I have ever had, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to do it.”

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It also means that someone can step in to take the helm and move MassBike forward even more!

From MassBike:

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MassBike Update

From MassBike:

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MassDOT Funds Complete Streets Certification Program Photo courtesy of Mass in Motion Big news this week when the Healthy Transportation Compact (HTC) met in Boston. At the meeting, MassDOT announced an initial investment of up to $5 million for the critical Complete Streets Certification Program. The program provides competitive funds to cities and towns to create streets that are safe and welcoming for all users. Led by MPHA and MAPC, MassBike and other advocates succeeded in incorporating the program and its funding into the Transportation Bond Bill passed in April. But MassDOT still had to budget the money, and now they have – thank you MassDOT!  The HTC was created by the 2009 transportation reform law and requires the Secretaries of Transportation, Health and Human Services, and Energy and Environment (and the agencies under their supervision) to work together to get more people walking and biking in Massachusetts. Last year, the HTC added the Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, recognizing the link between land use decisions and healthy transportation options.  Read the full article

All the World’s a Playway MassBike’s Jimmy Pereira at the DSNI Playway   Imagine what it would be like to have a street dedicated to bicycling and walking. This street is not a shared bike lane. It is a neighborhood block with houses and open spaces for play and community engagement. What you are picturing is a playway. Playways are temporary street closures in a residential neighborhood that get community members, especially kids, active. Playways utilize street spaces for people rather than cars. They can be done in many places, from dense urban areas to suburban and rural towns. Although playways might sound like just another simple, fun event, they have a serious purpose. They create opportunities for activities and exercise, rally communities around open spaces, and connect neighborhoods. Playways allow children to be creative with play. Of course we especially love playways because they promote bicycling to all generations. In addition, by virtue of their simplicity, playways are sustainable in a way that other neighborhood events, such as carnivals, are not.  Read the full article   What does it mean to be a MassBike member?  It means you have joined us at any one of our membership levels to support our programs, such as our Bikeable Communities Program that works with local advocates to improve bicycling conditions in their cities, towns, and neighborhoods. It also means that you can bring your MassBike member card to many local businesses and bike shops throughout the state for a discount. Join today to support this important work and get access to an exciting array of membership benefits statewide. Call For Entries: Boston Bike Film Festival   Organizers of the 9th Annual Boston Bike Film Festival have asked filmmakers with a cycling habit to submit their work to be shown October 24, 2014, at the historic Regent Theatre in Arlington. Film submissions are due September 1, 2014. The event is a fundraiser for state-wide and national cycling advocacy groups, including MassBike and Bikes Not Bombs. Film concepts from last year’s festival ranged from a young man attempting re-learn to ride, to an animated film about a cute bike that moves in next door, a couple of international documentaries, and everything in between. Among the benefits for acclaimed and amateur filmmakers, the Festival offers a chance to get their films in front of audiences who are intrigued and influential to the quality of cycling nationwide. So Come Pedal Your Film! And see the next generation of cycling films!  Contact The Boston Bike Film Festival or visit them online. The 8th Annual Mass BikePike Tour A restful stop along the route. On August 7-10 we rode the 8th Annual Mass BikePike Tour, and as usual it was a lot of fun. We started in Shirley, MA and went through many picturesque towns. Every day seemed to reveal landscape and scenery more beautiful than the last. Each year we especially enjoy the feeling of community we get from spending time with so many dedicated cyclists during the tour. We see familiar faces along with fresh ones. We greet old friends and meet new bicycling enthusiasts and advocates. Read the full article

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Volunteer Parking Bikes At Fenway Then Get To Watch The Game!

Did you know you can ride your bike to Red Sox Games?  Did you know MassBike will vallet park them for you? Did you know you can volunteer to help park bikes and also get to watch the game!  Not only that if you volunteer enough hours you will get a free membership to MassBike which gets you even more cool stuff!

From MassBike:

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Did you park your bike with us at Fenway Park on July 19th or July 20th? If so you were one of the many who took advantage of the free Valet Bicycle Parking for Bike to the Ballpark. The launch of this program was a big hit, and we are extremely pleased to announce that MassBike is continuing to partner with the Boston Red Sox through our Valet Bicycle Parking service for #biketotheballpark.

Now through September, every Saturday and Sunday home game will offer this convenient, free way to arrive at the ballpark. Coast in, hand your bike to one of our trained staff, and enjoy some baseball. When you are done cheering on the Sox, come back, claim your bike, and ride away.

If you have tickets for this weekend’s August 2nd or August 3rd game, ride your bike and avoid the expensive parking lot down the road. After all, not only is it free to park your bike with us, the Valet Bicycle Parking offers the closest parking to Fenway during a game. In other words, if you Bike to the Ballpark this weekend, you can get the best parking and it costs nothing.

The MassBike free Valet Bicycle Parking is located by Gate D, at the corner of Yawkey Way and Van Ness Street. It is best to approach Fenway Park on your bike from the Boylston Street side of Fenway.

For any questions about Valet Bicycle Parking, please contact [email protected] or call 617-542-2453 (BIKE).

We’ll see you at the game!

And more here

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Bikes parked by MassBike staff and volunteers at Fenway Park

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Action Alert: Help Move Bill Before Legislative Session Ends!

From MassBike:

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1. Call or email your State Senator ask that he or she ask Senator Stephen Brewer, chair of Ways and Means, to approve S 1640.
2. If your Senator is one of the sponsors of the bill or is on the Ways and Means Committee, it is especially important that you contact them:

Sponsors:

Committee Members:

1. CC [email protected] on your emails, or send us a message telling us who you contacted.
2. Share this Action Alert with your friends!

Sincerely,

David Watson

Executive Director

MassBike

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MassBike Update

From MassBike:

MassBike and Partners Launch Cape Cod Regional Bike Safety Education and Awareness Campaign Biking on Cape Cod. Photo: MassBike Back in February, we reported about our ongoing work to improve bike safety for seasonal workers who flock to Cape Cod every summer. Bicycling is often the most convenient, or only mode of transportation available for these workers who come from around the world on J-1 visas to work in area restaurants and resorts.   MassBike has been working with a coalition of partners including the Barnstable County Commissioners office, Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, and various local police departments across Cape Cod, and we are pleased to announce the launch of the Regional Bike Safety Education and Awareness Campaign.   Plans call for a busy season of outreach and activities to ensure that seasonal workers, and all people who ride a bike on Cape Cod, have the knowledge and equipment to travel safely and enjoyably by bicycle.   Visibility while riding after dark has been an ongoing concern, so making sure people who rides bikes have lights is a top priority. MassBike made the connection between light vendor Planet Bike and coalition partners, who secured a discounted purchase of approximately 2,000 lights. These lights will be distributed at various outreach events. In addition, police officers will have a supply of lights in their cruisers, and will be instructed to distribute them to people they identify who are riding at night without lights. Read the full article   The People’s Pint Launches “Training Wheels”, a New Session IPA for Lovers of Bikes and Beer Photo: The People’s Pint Training Wheels is a delicious new session IPA by The People’s Pint with an extra special bonus: a percentage of profits will be donated to support MassBike’s work and mission to make bicycling better across Massachusetts! The People’s Pint, a brewpub located in downtown Greenfield, has been serving up their own delicious craft beer and locally sourced food since 1997. The People’s Pint has been promoting bicycle transportation in Western Massachusetts in its own unique way since 2003. Participants earn credit for every mile traveled by bike, which can be redeemed for gift certificates to be used in the brewpub. To date, they have recorded over 63,000 miles traveled by bike instead of by car. According to The People’s Pint, Training Wheels is a “hop forward American session ale, low on alcohol but big on hop aroma, with generous additions of local and west coast hops which impart an aroma of tropical fruit and resin.” So where can you enjoy a glass of Training Wheels? If you live in or are visiting the Pioneer Valley, stop by The People’s Pint in downtown Greenfield, open daily for lunch and dinner. You can also order a cold pint of Training Wheels from the tap atThe Foundry in Northampton. Training Wheels is also available by the bottle in stores. Click here for the full list. Click here to view this story in your web browser   Not a MassBike member yet? Our members make it possible for us to continue the education, infrastructure, and advocacy work we are doing to promote active transportation across Massachusetts. If you like what you see, please consider membership today. Join today to support this important work, and you’ll get access to an exciting array of membership benefits statewide. Is Bike Share in the Future for the Pioneer Valley? Is a system like Boston’s Hubway bike share in the future for the Pioneer Valley? Photo: MassBike The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) is currently working to determine the feasibility and interest in a bike share program for the Pioneer Valley. As part of this process, they have launched a new online survey to help gauge demand for such a program in the region. Bike share systems, like Boston’s Hubway, allow riders to check bikes out from self-service kiosks and use them for short, “point A to point B” trips. When implemented successfully, bike share systems can compliment existing transit systems to give people greater car-free mobility, and boost the number of bike trips in a particular city or region. According to their website, PVPC is working with the communities of Holyoke, Springfield, Amherst, and Northampton, as well as the colleges UMASS Amherst, Springfield College, Springfield Technical Community College, Mt. Holyoke College, Hampshire College, Amherst College, and Smith College to complete a feasibility study for establishing a pilot-scale Regional Bike Share program. If you are a resident of the Pioneer Valley resident, or know somebody who is, we encourage you to take 2 minutes to fill out the survey. Click here to fill out the survey in English. Click here to fill out the survey in Spanish.   Click here to view in your web browser     Register Today for BikeMass!   Looking for the perfect century ride this summer while also supporting your statewide advocate for better bicycling? BikeMass journeys through the lush rolling hills of the Concord and Assabet River valleys of Central Massachusetts. Rides start and finish from NARA Park in Acton. All proceeds support MassBike’s mission to promote better bicycling across Massachusetts. 100, 62, and 30 mile routes available. The longer you ride, the more you support MassBike! Non-rider tickets are also available, so you can bring the whole family to partake in the food, drinks and activities! Free Bike Safety Training for Schools – Sign Up Now! Photo: MassBike Did you know that MassBike offers free bike safety trainings to children grades 4 – 8? Each school year, MassBike’s Safe Routes to School Tranings teaches thousands of elementary and middle school children how to ride their bikes more safely. Since beginning our youth education outreach, we’ve brought our school-age workshops to schools in Worcester, Cambridge, Salem, Franklin, Framingham, and dozens of other communities around the Commonwealth. Would you like your local school to be next?   If so, we are currently scheduling classes before the end of the 2013-2014 school year, and for the coming 2014-2015 school year. To get the wheels spinning, contact Erin Reed at MassDOT by email at [email protected] or by phone at857-719-5489.   The MassBike Safe Routes to School curriculum reviews basic maintenance, rules of the road, proper helmet fitting, and overall visibility. Our instructors tailor the message to age-level to ensure that these critical safety lessons are most appropriate, effective and empowering. Classes are made possible throughMassRIDES, a program of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that promotes biking, walking, and transit use.   Click here to view in your web browser

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