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Greetings
Hello John,
The end of the year is quickly approaching, it is an important time to reflect on 2025 – and to give thanks to those who helped make a meaningful impact this year. We wish you the best as you celebrate the holidays and prepare to welcome 2026!
Each new piece of legislation, every education resource, every pedal stroke toward more bike-friendly communities across Illinois are made possible by people like you. Generous contributions fuels our advocacy, education, awareness efforts, and our work to ensure people of all ages and abilities get around their communities (and beyond) by bicycle.
Related to our annual member appeal, we invite you to make a year-end gift, renew your membership, or join Ride Illinois for the first time. Each contribution helps us start the new year stronger. Thank you for believing in a safer, healthier, and more connected Illinois!
🥳 WishingyouaveryHappyNewYear 🎉
👇 P.S Click the image below to view our 2025 Wrap-Up
Ride Illinois earned a 2025 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency – the third year in a row we've received this distinct recognition 👏👏👏
Ride Illinois shares financial information with Candid so current and future members know that their donations are used wisely and ethically. You're encouraged to visit our Candid profile to learn more.
Legislation & Policy
The Latest from Springfield
Ride Illinois continues to work diligently with our lobbyist and partners to advocate for bike-friendly legislation in Springfield 🤝
Clearly distinguishing between legal classes of e-bikes and e-motos in the Vehicle Code remain a top priority. Discussions are ongoing as the deadline to submit bills for the spring legislature approaches.
Additional priorities include: enhanced bike/walk education in schools, recognizing bicyclists as permitted and intended users of Illinois roads, and reining in Super Speeders.
The deadline for legislators to submit bills for the 2026 spring session is nearing. We'll update our State & Federal Bicycle Bill Tracker accordingly.
👉 Stay tuned to Ride Illinois email and social media for updates.
Pledging Support for Biking and Walking
Ride Illinois joined over 1,000 local, state, and national organizations by signing a letter urging Congress to preserve the Transportation Alternatives program in the forthcoming transportation reauthorization bill. The letter notes the importance of safety provisions for vulnerable road users and broad eligibility across programs.
In a 2024 Ipsos poll, 76% of respondents agreed with the statement “My community would be a better place to live if bicycling were safer and more comfortable,” including 73% of Republicans, 82% of Democrats and 74% of Independents. This important letter will be delivered to Congress in early January.
Education & Safety
Major Updates to BikeSafetyQuiz
BikeSafetyQuiz (our flagship educational resource) launched in 2013 and more than 550,000 quizzes have been completed to date – including more than 340,000 quizzes completed by students in Illinois schools.
Updated quizzes, affectionately referred to as BSQ 2.0, have been shared with schools through our BSQ Mini-Grant program. Enhancements include color photos, more relatable scenarios, and new questions. The public launch of BSQ 2.0 – in English and Spanish – is planned for spring 2026. Updates will be shared as the launch date nears!
Coming in 2026: LCI Seminars and LCA Workshop
Planning is underway to offer some exciting opportunities to enhance your skills in the coming year:
Ride Illinois aims to offer two League Cycling Instructor seminars in Illinois in 2026. LCIs are ambassadors for better biking through their education efforts. One doesn't have to be an extraordinary athlete or overachieving student to be a stellar LCI, that's needed is the conviction that life is better for everyone when more people ride bikes.
Also, we're collaborating with Anna from League of American Bicyclists to offer a League Cycling Advocate workshop, likely in the summer. The workshop covers essential topics such as the history of bike advocacy, how to get organized, and effective political engagement.
If earning LCI or LCA certification is of interest, send an email to info@rideillinois.org to add your name to the list of interested individuals. We'll follow up as details for these sessions are ironed out.
Environment & Awareness
Get to Know: Friends of the Constitution Trail
The Friends of the Constitution Trail is a non-profit advocacy group which works for expansion and beautification of the Constitution Trail. Through membership support and donations, they sponsor trail amenities like drinking fountains, signs, benches, landscaping, and shelters. One of the major goals is for the trail system to stretch throughout Bloomington-Normal, reaching as many neighborhoods as possible using short connector paths, bike lanes, and other multi-use pathways.
Blog Post: The School Drop-Off Line
The dreaded school drop-off and pick-up line is one of those uniquely American phenomenon. Twice each weekday, seemingly endless lines of cars amass at schools across the country to "safely" transport students.
A recent, interesting blog post dives into this topic and debunks the myths that have led to fewer kids biking, walking, and taking the bus to school. As the author notes: "when you choose to drive your kid to school instead of letting them walk or take the bus, you're endangering them".
Infrastructure
Project Spotlight: City of O’Fallon Shared Use Path
Congratulations to the City of O'Fallon on being awarded a $3 million Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grant to fund the construction of a 10-foot-wide shared use path along Highway 50.
The initiative is a key priority of O’Fallon’s Forward 50 Plan, which focuses on enhancing mobility, connectivity, and recreation access throughout the city. The new pathway will serve as a safe, efficient, and enjoyable route for residents, improving walkability and bike-friendliness in an area currently lacking sidewalks.
What's That? The Benefits of Corner Islands
Reducing the speed of turning vehicles at an intersection decreases the risk of crashes and injuries involving bicyclists and pedestrians. Fairly simple and inexpensive infrastructure, called a Corner Island, is an extension of a bike lane into an intersection that results in reduced speed – as much as 10 mph – of turning motorists.
Additional recommendations for reducing the speed of turning vehicles and increasing safety for vulnerable road users (VRUs) can be found in the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide.
Community
Resolution: You Can Bike There in 2026!
Maybe today isn’t the best day to bike there...but it’s not too early to commit to using your bicycle for transportation in 2026!
The I Can Bike There campaign aims to educate the public and encourage them to use their bikes for everyday trips and explore new routes, while celebrating those who already use their bicycle as a practical, sustainable mode of transportation.
👉 Learn more, get inspired, and share your story at icanbikethere.org.
Recommendation: A History of Bicycling in Illinois
A History of Bicycling in Illinois, by author Christopher Sweet, rediscovers the people, companies, and events that made Chicago and Illinois synonymous with the bicycle. In the 1890s, the bicycle became a sensation that impacted the whole of society. People flocked to races while Progressive Era reformers boosted bicycle-related benefits that ranged from fitness to women’s rights. As American industry exported two-wheelers around the globe, Chicago and Illinois emerged as a center of bicycle manufacturing.
💡What bike-related books or podcasts do you recommend? From epic adventures to practical advice, to the benefits of biking, there are plenty of options! Send your suggestions to info@rideIllinois.org.
Click here to learn about generous clubs and community organizations.
Corporate Members
Ride Illinois is grateful to have the continued support of our Corporate Members. This month, we gratefully acknowledgeMaple Leaf Coffee Roasters for renewing their Corporate Membership – supporting bike education, advocacy, and awareness for another year. Businesses and corporations that believe in Ride Illinois’ mission are invited to join as a Corporate Member. Learn more and explore options at rideillinois.org/corporate-membership.Click here to learn more about our generous Corporate Members.
Grants Opportunities
2026 Community Spark Grants
League of American Bicyclists' Community Spark Grants support the growing number of local grassroots changemakers and organizations nationwide working to improve their communities through better bicycling with $2,000 mini-grants. Application deadline is January 27, 2026.
Metro East Park and Recreation District (MEPRD)
The FY2026 Grant Cycle offers four unique funding opportunities for qualifying applicants in Madison and St. Clair Counties, IL. Each grant opportunity is listed below by program name and status. Eligible applicants can receive up to one MEPRD award per grant program, per fiscal year. Application deadline is May 29, 2026.
Bike Safety Quiz Mini-Grants
Illinois schools can receive $2 per student (up to $2,000 per school per grant year) for completing one of Ride Illinois' quizzes. The funding covers school staff time to assign Ride Illinois' free, online quiz as a 15-30 minute assignment. Reimbursement is based on the number of students who complete a quiz in the 2025-2026 school year.
Outride's Riding for Focus Grant
Riding for Focus is designed to integrate cycling into the school day. Developed as a result of our research findings, R4F is designed to help young riders build confidence and skills on the bike. Eligible schools may receive a grant to establish a program, which includes a fleet of bikes and curriculum. Application deadline is February 28, 2026.
Events Calendar
🗓 Ride Illinois is pleased to promote the rides and event offered by affiliated bike clubs and community organizations, plus other impactful organizations.
Below are some rides and events we think you'll appreciate:
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