Car Free in Ann Arbor: People for Bikes dot org

I received an email from Tim Blumenthal, Director, Peopleforbikes.org (as did 150,000 other people) asking for continued support for the movement of biking. I've signed up my family, how about you?

Dear Astrid,

Thanks so much for taking the time this year to sign the Peopleforbikes.org (PFB) pledge. As of yesterday, you and 150,000 other Americans have taken this important, unifying step to make bicycling safe, convenient and appealing.

The PFB campaign launched in April. As you can tell from the large number of pledges we've collected, the response has been strong and universally positive. We've gathered signatures online, at bike stores, and at bike events of all sizes and flavors. Many individuals have rallied above and beyond by taking PFB pledge forms to concerts, meetings, and even malls and they've successfully filled sheet after sheet with signatures, zip codes and email addresses: Thank you!

Okay, our campaign is off to strong start, but now what?

A key goal of the Peopleforbikes.org campaign is making the most of our increasingly unified, powerful voice to speak clearly and directly to elected officials. In particular, we need to be sure that members of Congress recognize that the federal investment in bike infrastructure and programs is essential, cost-effective and beneficial in all 50 states. We need federal officials to appreciate that millions of Americans care about safe and appealing bicycling conditions and see bicycling as a key component of our transportation system.

Congress is a focal point for PFB because their decisions will continue to shape the future of bicycling in the United States. Federal money is far and away the number one source of funding for bikeways, bike lanes, trails, underpasses, bridges and programs like Safe Routes to School that make bicycling and walking safer and better. (To learn more about the federal investment in bicycling, click here.)

As we write, the timetable and direction of the next round of federal transportation bill is uncertain. What happens next should interest every American who rides a bike. We'll keep you posted.

Today, we'd like to ask you to do three things:

1. Ask (at least) one family member or friend to sign the Peopleforbikes.org pledge. If everyone on the list does this--and remember, the process is quick, easy and free--the number of Americans who have unified behind bicycling will immediately double to 300,000. Now that's a group with significant clout!
2. Visit the Peopleforbikes.org website and spend a couple minutes reading the blog, some of the thousands of great personal stories stories and photos, and our advice on getting involved locally to improve bicycling in your community. Our website includes lots of simple, inspirational ideas.
3. Be ready to write a short email to your U.S. Representative that supports bicycling, and expresses your interest in seeing better bicycling conditions. We'll tell you when you need to send it and don't worry; we'll help you compose a simple, effective message.

When you signed the Peopleforbikes.org pledge we promised to respect your time and your email inbox. Today, as the campaign moves into a new phase, we want you to look forward to hearing from us regularly, and we want you to be ready to act by expressing your strong interest in bicycling to elected officials who have the power to help make bicycling better for all Americans.