Our March e-news contains relevant, useful information and stories.
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Dear Ride Illinois,
Thanks for your interest in Ride Illinois and our statewide, nonprofit bike advocacy work. Ride Illinois is celebrating our 30th anniversary in 2022! Together, we’re making Illinois better through biking! We hope you enjoy this edition of our e-newsletter.
Ride Illinois’ monthly e-newsletter contains relevant, useful information and stories about biking for recreation and transportation in Illinois. If you appreciate what we do and are not a member, please join or make a donation by visiting rideillinois.org/join-support. Current members can check membership status and renew here.
Governor and IDOT: Prioritize Sustainable Transportation
Ride Illinois was among dozens of other sustainable transportation, environmental, and social justice advocacy organizations to sign a letter to Governor JB Pritzker and Illinois Department of Transportation calling on state officials to move away from the car-centric status quo and allocate more resources to creating a safer, more efficient, more equitable, and more environmentally-friendly transportation system.
Ride Illinois implores Governor Pritzker and IDOT to follow the USDOT’s guidance and direct substantial IIJA funding to non-motorized modes and increased safety for vulnerable road users. Click here to read more.
Preparing for the National Bike Summit
Ride Illinois staff and about 20 advocates from around Illinois are attending the National Bike Summit, in-person in D.C. or virtually, from March 27-30. To date, we’ve scheduled meetings with Senator Durbin and eight Illinois representatives to voice our support for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program (ATIIP) and the Healthy Streets Program.
If funded, the ATIIP will create active transportation systems that ensure people can safely bike, walk or roll, while reducing carbon emissions and creating new jobs. To begin to build out active transportation networks, the ATIIP will need to be funded in the appropriations process.
The Healthy Streets program, works to reduce flooding, improve air quality, and mitigate the urban heat island effect within communities of color and low income communities by providing grants to state and local governments, as well as nonprofits, to both plant trees and deploy Smart Surfaces, such as reflective pavement in urban heat islands and porous pavement in flood prone areas. The program requires engagement with and support by community leaders.
There is still time to register for the National Bike Summit! Visit bikeleague.org/summit to join the Illinois delegation. And we’ll be sure to share an update (and some photos) after the Summit!
New and Renewing Corporate Members
Ride Illinois would like to thank Bicycle Illinois for becoming a new corporate member and Union Pacific Railroad for renewing their corporate membership!
Bicycle Illinois is now a Friend Level corporate member. Bicycle Illinois is a bicycle touring company, headquartered in Chicago, that offers many multi-day tours and some single day tours.
Union Pacific Railroad renewed their corporate membership at the Platinum Level. Union Pacific Railroad is a North America's railroad franchise, covering 23 states across the western two-thirds of the United States. Ride Illinois has collaborated with UP to share information about railroad safety via social media.
Contributions from corporate members allow us to expand existing programs and explore other ways to increase safety and get more adults and children excited about cycling for recreation and transportation! Annual membership levels begin at just $125.
Learn more about our generous Corporate Members on our website.
Join us at the Grand Illinois Bike Tour!
Join the fun of our friendly, comfortably-sized supported bike tour! Ride at your own pace as GIBT 2022 tours the heart of central Illinois. We’ll start and end at McLean County’s Comlara Park with your choice of camping or hotel overnights in East Peoria (one night), Normal (two nights) and Pontiac (two nights). Enjoy days filled with fun bike touring, good food, and good fellowship, all in support of nonprofit organization Ride Illinois’ work to improve biking conditions in the state.
Our hotel option is filling up; so, if you are thinking of registering, don’t delay!
For those looking for an added challenge, sign up for the McLean County Wheelers’ Spring Metric which takes place the day before GIBT begins!
Find more information, and to register, click here.
Quad Cities Bicycle Club and Springfield Bicycle Club are Platinum Level Affiliated Clubs. Illinois Valley Wheelm’n and Kankakee River Bicycle Club are Silver Level Affiliated Clubs. Champaign County Bikes and Oak Park Cycle Club are Bronze Level Affiliated Clubs.
You can find more information about affiliated clubs and community organizations on our website.
Upcoming Courses and Seeking Input on Webinars!
Our monthly bicycle-friendly driver courses continue! These courses are offered through our Ride Illinois Safely education program. Our FREE "Whose Lane is It?" course focuses on the Illinois Rules of the Road, sharing the road, bike infrastructure, causes of common crashes, taking the lane, and the information that Ride Illinois shares with cyclists in education courses. We encourage you to invite two friends to register for this course. They’re sure to leave with some additional knowledge! Our next courses are at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 30 and noon Thursday, April 28. Register here.
Did you miss our last webinar? You can view the recording and slides for our Hiking (and Biking) with Shawn webinar, as well as all of our previous webinars on our website. Have a great idea, or know of a great speaker, for a future webinar? Send an email with the details to info@rideillinois.org!
2022 Ride Guide
Ride Illinois’ 2022 Ride Guide is available now! Our Ride Guide highlights some fun, organized rides around Illinois and in nearby states. New this year are 2022 Routes 2 Ride! Several Ride Illinois members shared some fun, interesting routes to explore by bike! You can find information on Ride Illinois affiliated clubs, generous Corporate Members, education and safety info, and more! You can also check out the wonderful photos submitted to our photo contest! The rides and events included in the Ride Guide support bike clubs and organizations. Be sure to register for one or more rides as a way to support them…and enjoy some quality time on your bike too!
Learn more about the latest batch of BFU’s on the League of American Bicyclists’ website. Ride Illinois is a resource for businesses, universities, and communities that are considering applying for Bicycle Friendly recognition. Contact us at info@rideillinois.org with questions or to schedule some time to chat.
Great American Rail Trail in Illinois
Ride Illinois, advocates, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently met with Rails to Trails Conservancy to discuss the vision, challenges, and opportunities for the Great American Rail-Trail in western Illinois. Our discussion focused on the economic impact of trails and bicycle tourism, the deteriorating conditions of the I&M Canal and Hennepin Canal Trails, and the need to identify legislative champions in the Illinois House and Senate in order to secure funding. The conversation will continue in April and we’ll share updates in future e-newsletters.
Upcoming Events
Ride Illinois helps to promote the organized rides of our affiliated bike clubs and supporting organizations with our annual Ride Guide and our Ride, Advocacy & Education Calendar. Below are some events we think you’ll appreciate:
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