Wisconsin Bicyclist Volume 6, No. 2 SummerTime, 2000 Official Newsletter of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin.

Bicycling Makes Better Communities
2000 State Bike Conference Theme

The city of Neenah and the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin are proud to sponsor this year's Wisconsin State Bike Conference on September 20-22, 2000.

To make communities better for bicycling, people must work together. Throughout this conference the idea of working together is interwoven through many of the sessions. This kind of cooperation results in a community that is not only bikeable but also livable.

The conference is geared toward anyone who is interested in making his or her community better through bicycling. This includes bicycle advocates, bicycle clubs, citizen groups, municipal planners and engineers, private consulting firms, teachers, law enforcement, individuals involved in community safety programs, park and recreation departments, and local economic/community development. On the evening of September 20, 2000 you won't want to miss adventure bicyclist Willie Weir's presentation of his 5,000-mile bicycle journey in India. Willie is a hysterically funny storyteller and bicyclist who, through his slides, sounds, and stories from the road, will take you along on a fascinating journey of India and leave you inspired and tired from laughter. What exactly is the proper response when a 13-year old Indian boy confides in you that he is a deity?

In addition, this year's conference will feature two keynote addresses by Gayle Cummins, executive director of the Texas Bicycle Coalition and Jurg Tschopp, bicycle coordinator of the Swiss Transport & Environment Association. Ms. Cummins is currently coordinating the largest bicycle education program in the country, working to educate every middle school age child in Texas. Mr. Tschopp will speak on bicycle facilities in Switzerland.

Conference information and registration forms are available on the web at www.bfw.org or call the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin for a conference brochure at (608)251-4456.

Madison's Bike To Work Celebration

Although Bike to Work Week is no longer new in Madison, each year brings new events and new experiences. A new event this year was a legislative ride to discuss types of bike facilities and how they can be financed and built. Participants enjoyed the tour so much there was even talk of forming a Bicycle Caucus' a truly bipartisan group in the Wisconsin Legislature. On that day, one Republican legislator rode 40 miles to join us, while a Democrat pedaled all the way to Milwaukee.

We were also fortunate to have Swiss bicycle advocate Jurg Tschopp in town to give a presentation. He spoke on how European cities encourage bike commuting with facilities, including a bicycle-parking garage which holds 10,000 bikes! We were all very jealous.

Since media coverage of Bike to Work Week potentially reaches great numbers of people and has a lasting impact, the Bike to Work Committee was busy with publicity and interviews both before and during the week of events. Between May 17 and May 31 Bike to Work Week was the subject of five newspaper articles or letters, nine radio news mentions, five TV pieces, one morning radio comedy bit, and one satiric cartoon. When the media starts making jokes about your event, you know you@ve gone mainstream!

Milwaukee Bikes to Work Week

by Andrea Broaddus
Southeast Wisconsin Coordinator, Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin

Milwaukee's first Bike to Work Week was a raging success, with lots of people and media involved in the fun. On Monday, May 22, the week was officially kicked off at Red Arrow Park with a celebration featuring bagels, Alterra coffee, and free bike tune-ups. Guest speakers Rep. Peter Bock, Alderman Mike Murphy, and Johnson Controls executive Tom Buckley rode their bikes to the event, escorted by a dozen Milwaukee Bikes to Work volunteers and TV cameras. The event also got great support from local bike shops, including Wheel & Sprocket and Rainbow Jersey.

Tuesday featured the Bike Commuter Race. About a dozen bicyclists, three motorists, and several bus riders congregated on Wisconsin Ave., near 55th St. There were three simple rules: 1. Wear helmets and seatbelts. 2. Obey all traffic laws, making all required stops, and 3. Park vehicles in an all-day designated parking area. First across the finish line was Olympic medallist and bicycle shop owner Brent Emery, finishing the four-mile commute in just sixteen minutes. The first motorist arrived five minutes later, and bus riders Alderman Mike Murphy and volunteer Mike Brady five minutes after that. Most of the cyclists beat the first car to the finish line. Big thanks to volunteers Olusegon Sijuwade, Karen Levy, and Melissa Cook for enduring the commute in their cars.

Wednesday was Bike Everywhere Day, which organizer Andrea Broaddus and volunteers celebrated by taking a break and going for a bike ride. But everyone was back in action on Thursday, Bike Advocacy Day, writing letters and making phone calls to Governor Tommy Thompson about the need to free up funds to build a bridge over a rail yard in the Menomonee Valley which blocks east-west travel. The bridge is a critical part of the Hank Aaron Trail. Unfortunately, the funds granted to build it are being held back by the State Building Commission in a political standoff. You can still use the sample letter on our website to send an e-mail directly to the Governor.

The official Bike to Work Day was on Friday. Mayor Norquist, Sen. Brian Burke, Rep. Peter Bock, and Alderman Mike Murphy met cyclists at Miller Park for a press conference, and then biked to work on the Hank Aaron Trail. In the afternoon, volunteers and area cyclists partied at Pere Marquette Park, enjoying some fine music and beer, and winning fabulous prizes.

Mayor Norquist Appoints Bike-Friendly City Engineer
Advocates were able to communicate to the Mayor during Bike to Work Week how badly the City needs a dedicated staff person to deal with bicycle and pedestrian design, engineering, and education. The Mayor apparently listened, because he recently appointed Jeff Polenske to the top position in the Engineering Department. Jeff has served as the City's unofficial bike/pedestrian coordinator for many years. Appointing Jeff signifies the Mayor's commitment to balanced transportation engineering from the top down. Thanks, Mayor Norquist.

Get your Bike to Work Week T-Shirt
There are still some super-cool BTWW t-shirts available, sizes Large and Extra Large, for $10.00. Order by e-mail (info@mkebikestowork.org), or purchase one at these bike shops: Wheel & Sprocket, Emery's, and Rainbow Jersey.

Beer Line Trail Update
Creation of a bike trail, the Beer Line Bike Path from North Ave. to Locust St., has been discussed at neighborhood meetings for years. The trail would be part of other revitalization projects in the Milwaukee River valley, including a river walk, new housing, and a footbridge. Milwaukee County is interested in acquiring and managing the land, but is limited by budget constraints. A private group, TPL, Trust for Public Land, may provide seed money to purchase the land. The land would be turned over to Milwaukee County after purchase and developed as a bike trail. For more information or to get involved, call Vince Bushell, Riverwest Neighborhood Planning, 263-1380 x13, or e-mail bremen@prodigy.net.

Brownbag Series
As part of the Milwaukee Bikes to Work demonstration project, brownbag workshops were held for bike commuters at Milwaukee City Hall, Johnson Controls, and Miller Brewing Co. Liza LeClaire, effective cycling instructor and Wheel & Sprocket executive assistant gave an excellent session on bicycle safety at all three sites. Liza is hosting similar workshops at the Hales Corners store; call 529-6600 for times. Hank Aaron Trail manager Melissa Cook gave updates on the trail at all three sites, along with a slideshow with examples of bike trail design and amenities from other cities.

Bike Advocacy Listserv and Website
Stay in the loop in Milwaukee by subscribing to the milbtw listserv. It is an interactive forum for bicyclists in Milwaukee hosting discussions, announcements, networking, and questions. The list generates about one message per day, and because it is monitored, there are no spam messages. Check it out before subscribing by going to http://www.egroups.com/group/milbtw/info.html and looking at the archive and member list. Or 'take a chance' and simply subscribe: send an e-mail to milbtw-subscribe@egroups.com. In addition, the new Milwaukee Bikes to Work website is chock full of great information, including a bicycle commuter handbook. Check it out at www.mkebikestowork.org.

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