Idaho Gives is Today
This day is YOUR chance to support human-powered heroes!
click image to watch Sander's video
And they are all HUMAN-POWERED HEROES!
Watch all of their stories. And then schedule an Idaho Gives donation to help improve safety for everyone who rides, rolls or strolls throughout the state, by choice or necessity.
And don't forget to check out the Idaho Statesman article on our Idaho Gives campaign that Anna Webb wrote this week!
Ready to Lend a Helping Hand?
We’ve been counting down the days to May 4th and Idaho Gives. Idaho's day of giving is an opportunity to unite our community around causes in which we truly believe and help nonprofit organizations connect to the larger community.
We need your help to make our campaign a success, and we’ve included a few easy ways that you can support us. Here’s how you can make a HUGE difference today:
- Schedule a donation. After that, you can give to other nonprofits that do work that you support or just kick back and watch how high the giving can go at idahogives.org!
- Spread the word. Text a friend. Forward this email. Post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #idahogives. Oh, you can also just tell someone in person – that works, too.
- Become a fundraising champion. Everyone loves a champion, including us! We really need fundraising champions to help drive people to our Idaho Gives profile on May 4th. Contact us for more information on how to become a fundraising champion!
Thanks in advance for YOUR support.
Together, we can make a difference!
P.S. Stay tuned to our Facebook or Twitter feeds all day today for more videos of Idaho riders, rollers and strollers!
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Boise Bike Week Kickoff Party at Boise Brewing on May 13
A Joint Fundraiser with Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance
- food for purchase by Soda Stop, yum!
- brewery tours at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.
- games on the patio, corn hole anyone?
- silent auction and/or raffle
- info booths for both organizations
WHERE: Boise Brewing, 521 W. Broad St., Boise
WHEN: Saturday, May 13, 2017, 2 - 6 p.m.
WHY: Support two groups working for safer bicycling in Boise and across the state of Idaho, and have fun!
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"Bike Love" Movie Night
Tuesday, May 16 / 7 - 9 p.m.
The Flicks / 646 W. Fulton, Boise
From a quirky profile of a high-wheeled bicycle enthusiast to a jazzy one-minute animation of the history of the bicycle.
From a gritty tale of two young women killin' it on BMX bikes to a gorgeous film of a ride in a downhill Austrian bike park.
From a straightforward exploration of why Philly is so bike-friendly to a jaw-dropping dance performance on a bike through an abandoned German chocolate factory.
We hope these 13 films will inspire a culture where cycling is a natural aspect of everyday life.
The program will also include speakers and a raffle. Tickets are $12 in advance and at the door. They can be purchased at The Flicks box office or in their online store under special event tickets. All proceeds will benefit the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance.
Thank You to our Sponsors!
Filmed by Bike started in 2003 as a small fundraiser for bike events and it has been supporting a burgeoning international community of bike-loving filmmakers ever since. Filmed by Bike features the world's best bike movies with a gigantic film festival every May in Portland, OR. Over the course of a busy weekend, it hosts a Street Party, filmmaker Q+A sessions, dance parties, Brewery Tour Bike Rides with the Filmmakers, workshops and awards ceremonies. Then, Filmed by Bike On Tour takes its curated and inspiring movie collections all over the world to inspire bike culture. As an expert on building bike-friendly communities, it realizes getting more people on bikes requires a multi-prong approach that includes infrastructure, governmental support, advocacy and a key element: fun ways to socialize and get involved. Filmed by Bike On Tour is hosted by all sorts of groups worldwide including bike advocacy groups, governmental organizations, museums, trail funds, theaters and businesses. For more info, visit filmedbybike.org.
 
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Payette Brewing Company Kegs4Kause
Join us on May 29 to Drink Beer for a Good Kause!
Every Monday evening, Payette Brewing Company donates 50% of proceeds from beer sales in the tap room to a selected non-profit of the evening. And on May 29, Idaho Walk Bike Alliance is it! Any draft beer sales from 5-10 p.m. will count toward our organization's total donation. So, come on down and join us at 733 S. Pioneer St. in Boise and let's toast to safer streets for all Idahoans. Genki Takoyaki will be at the tap room selling their special Japanese dumplings if you get the munchies.
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Don Kostelec Joins Alliance's Board of Directors
Don started walking on his first birthday. He has walked every day since then. He does not view walking and bicycling as alternative transportation, rather it is original transportation. It is what we are designed or created to do as human beings. Driving is the true alternative transportation.
Don is a private consultant who specializes in planning and designing for original transportation. He began his career at Chicago Transit Authority and worked at Ada County Highway District from 2002 to 2008 before moving back to his native North Carolina to work in consulting for 8 years. He returned to Boise in 2016 and regularly travels by foot, by bike or by bus. He has walked or biked to school with his daughter since she was 3 years old.
During his career, Don has worked with 13 state Departments of Transportation, federal government agencies, more than 15 metropolitan planning organizations, and numerous municipal governments. He has led more than 50 pedestrian, bicycle and greenways planning and design projects for places large and small. His passion for walking stems from working with people who are disabled and analyzing a variety of data and crash reports related to how vulnerable people are when walking on our streets.
Prior to returning to Idaho, Don served on the Boards of Directors for BikeWalk NC, the Asheville (NC) Design Center, and Rainbow Community School. Don has also served on the Transportation Research Board’s Standing Committee on Transportation Demand Management and the City of Asheville’s Multimodal Transportation Commission.
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Alliance's Executive Director Awarded Walking College Fellowship
Cynthia Gibson, and her dog Olive, on a #HikewithMike in October 2016
Idaho Walk Bike Alliance's Executive Director, Cynthia Gibson, has been awarded a fellowship to participate in the America Walks 2017 Walking College training program. America Walks, a national advocacy organization that promotes walking and walkable communities, announced the names of the 24 local advocates selected on April 20.
The 2017 class of the Walking College represents 19 different states, expanding the reach of the program now in its third year, to a total of 33 states plus one Canadian province. The Walking College curriculum has been designed to expand the capacity of local advocates to be effective community change agents. Fellows will complete a six-module distance-education program this summer, covering the science behind the benefits of walking, evaluation of built environments, as well as communication skills and building relationships with decision makers.
In September, they will participate in the National Walking Summit in St. Paul, MN, and develop a Walking Action Plan for improving walkability in their communities.
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Campaign Update
Just because Idaho’s legislative session ended a month ago does not mean the Safe Routes to School – Healthy Kids campaign is slowing down the pace. The effort to lay a solid foundation for the 2018 session has already begun. (Read a recap of the efforts undertaken during the 2017 session here.) To provide a comprehensive bill for Safe Routes to School infrastructure and education, Idaho Walk Bike Alliance is traveling throughout the state to listen to local concerns, answer questions about this valuable program, and raise awareness for grant opportunities.
Recently, we traveled to Lewiston for the Idaho Transportation Board meeting. This allowed for informal face-to-face visits with members of the board and a chance to advocate for increased funding for Safe Routes to School and other bicycle and pedestrian projects. We didn’t waste the commute time by driving past many of the Idaho towns and cities along the way. Rather, this trip provided an opportunity to throw the car in park and walk around in just a few of the communities that already enjoy the benefits of the Safe Routes to School program. For example, the sidewalk pictured in the image below filled a gap between two sidewalks that lead to Clearwater Valley Elementary School. See what it looked like before.
the corner of Broadway Ave. and Lowry St. in Kooskia
Just as importantly, we heard from stakeholders in some towns that desperately need funds to provide a safe and reliable transportation framework for their communities. An example is the intersection of 12th St. and Hill St. in Kamiah, shown below, where a two-year old was seriously injured in August 2014 as people were gathering for a Friday night football game. The stadium and middle school are at the same intersection. The hill pictured is where many of the town's families live and it is used as a primary route for parents to drive their children to school. Kamiah has received no Safe Routes to School funding to date.
the intersection of 12th St. and Hill St. in Kamiah
Because of legislation passed this session, there is another small revenue source for child pedestrian safety projects. Over the next few months as budgets are worked out, a window of opportunity to submit grant applications will open. We know that no matter what amount is allotted for these projects and Safe Routes to School, the demand will always exceed the supply of available resources. As more communities learn of grant opportunities and take advantage of technical support to submit high-quality applications, we believe legislators and the transportation department will concede that more can be done to protect the most vulnerable travelers on the road. Our hope is that this awareness translates into immediate and substantial increases in bike/ped safety programs for the 2018 session. We will keep you updated when the grant application window opens!
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Two Free Technical Assistance Programs Available for Your Community!
Application Deadlines have been Extended to June 9
Do you want to make your community more prosperous and livable? Then take advantage of these two free technical assistance programs offered by Community Builders for communities in Idaho. The New Mobility West initiative helps address issues related to transportation and the Community Builders assistance addresses those related to community planning and economic development. Applications for both programs can be found here. Cascade used the assistance to develop an action plan for safer biking and walking. Learn more about what they did in this case study and video. We are happy to answer your questions!
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May is National Bike
Bike to School Day, May 10
Thousands of students, families, community partners, and elected officials around the country will celebrate the benefits of biking and walking to school during National Bike to School Day. In Idaho, there are 21 schools registered to bike in American Falls, Boise, Caldwell, Eagle, Gooding, Idaho Falls, Kootenai, Meridian and Sandpoint.
Bike to School Day encourages a nationwide bike-focused celebration for students in the month of May and builds on the popularity and success of Walk to School Day, which is celebrated across the country - and the world - each October.
Bike to School Day events raise awareness of the need to create safer routes for bicycling and walking and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, reducing traffic congestion, and concern for the environment. The events build connections between families, schools and the broader community.
Boise Bike Week, May 13 - 20
Idaho Falls Bike Month 1-31
Idaho Falls Bike Month runs in conjunction with National Bike Month, which was established in 1956 as a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling - and encourage more folks to give biking a try. Events include a Ride of Silence, a Mayor's Ride and an Adventure Ride. A Bike Month highlight is a Bike to School Challenge, May 1-19, which was kicked off with a "wrenching" at Bush Elementary School where Idaho Falls Community Pathways fixed kids' bikes so they can participate in the challenge. Last year, 4,000 kids participated at 23 schools. This year 28 schools from Idaho Falls School District 91 and Bonneville Joint School District 93 will battle it out to see who can bike the most in three weeks.
Whether you bike to work or school; ride to save money or time; pump those pedals to preserve your health or the environment; or simply to explore your community, Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride. Event partners include supporters of the Idaho Walk Bike Alliance:
Portneuf Valley Bike to Work, May 1-31
Portneuf Valley Bike to Work encourages residents of all ages in the Portneuf Valley to try bicycling or walking as a means of transportation. The goal of the month is to encourage residents to develop new and lasting commuting habits that result in healthy transportation choices. The month-long event is a cooperative effort of business, organizations, individuals and government agencies. Events include a Bike Parade and a Tour of Marsh Creek Valley.
National Bike Challenge, May 1 - September 30
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Tee Time...
Are You Creative? Design a T-shirt for Us!
The Idaho Walk Bike Alliance is in need of T-shirts for staff and volunteers to wear at several upcoming events. We could just put our logo on the front of a shirt and call it good. But, we thought some of our supporters might be able to create something more fun to promote the work we do for walking and biking in Idaho. Email your designs to Robyn by Wednesday, May 31. If we get a lot of creative ideas, we'll hold a contest to pick the best design!
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Where in the State is
Idaho Walk Bike Alliance?
Idaho Walk Bike Alliance has been busy working statewide advocating for safer streets for all Idahoans that walk and bicycle. Here are some of the places we've visited in the past month. Click on images to enlarge them in a new window.
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Idaho Walk Bike Alliance Staff Step Up for the
Idaho STEP Challenge
To encourage others to be active and healthy, Congressman Mike Simpson is attempting to walk over 2,900 miles. This is the equivalent of walking from the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington D.C. to the Idaho Capitol Building in Boise. The 'journey' began June 1, 2016, and in mid-March, Rep. Simpson passed the 2,000 mile mark, which put him in Sheridan, Wyoming. He anticipated entering Idaho near Victor in mid-April.
Idaho Walk Bike Alliance staff have joined the #HikewithMike and are walking at noon on Thursdays in Boise. Meet us at the center of Capitol Park for a stroll around downtown. Follow Rep. Simpson's progress, sign up for updates and STEP UP to join the challenge too. If you are hosting #HikewithMike walks in your communities, let us know so we can encourage others to join you!
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