BikeDenver has been working on a big project the past few months with Bikes Belong, Humana, the City of Denver, and others to get 1,000 bikes to Denver for free use during the DNC Convention. Tim Blumenthal was recently interviewed by Westword about the details, read about it here.

The big news for all of us at BikeDenver, “the bikes will be available at six to twelve checkout stations at key locations around the city, and hundreds of volunteers will make sure that the bikes are distributed evenly among the stations and kept in working order.” Those volunteers will be us, and we need your help to make this program a success.

If you want to volunteer to be either a bike ambassador, a bike station agent, or a mechanic (roving and stationary!), contact us with the subject “DNC Volunteer”, and we’ll make sure you have the coolest job at the DNC this summer.

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How much easier can supporting bike advocacy be than eating delicious food? We’ll be kicking off our Bicycle-Friendly Business program on Monday, Feb 25 at Watercourse Foods, which is generously donating a percentage of the day’s sales to BD. Ride your bike to 17th Ave & Emerson and we’ll see you there! Information table and Bicycle-Friendly Business award presentation at dinner.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Specialized Bicycle Helmets

Units: About 3,000

Manufacturer: Specialized Bicycles, of Morgan Hill, Calif.

Hazard: The helmets fail testing required under CPSC’s safety standard for bicycle helmets. This can pose a head injury hazard to riders in a fall.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.

Description: This recall involves the Specialized helmets, model 2D. Model “2D” is printed on the sides of the helmet in the rear. The helmets were sold for men and women in matte black, white, silver, blue, pink, and team colors.

Sold by: Specialized through its authorized retailers and online stores between July 2007 and October 2007 for about $200.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled helmet immediately and return it to an Authorized Specialized Retailer to receive a free replacement or a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Specialized toll-free at (877) 808-8154 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday, or visit the company’s Web site at www.specialized.com

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All,

It’s time to let your voice be heard about the Colorado bike/ped bridge being dropped. Please submit a comment in support of the bridge.

We’re working with City Council and with other advocates to get this project back on the ballot in November and need you to let your voice be heard.

Thanks!

Read the editorial here.

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For those of you who aren’t aware, the City of Denver is proposing a bond issue to the tune of $550 million to address infrastructure and maintenance needs in the City. An Infrastructure Priority Task Force was assembled to create a list of projects to be funded by this money. Once the list was whittled down, one bicycle project remained: the bike/ped bridge over I-25 at the Colorado Center light rail station. This project was included in both the T-Rex and FasTracks plans and were removed at the 11th hour. Recently, the list was trimmed again and the bridge was eliminated from the list.

BikeDenver needs your help on this issue! The City Council Finance Committee is the next group to take action on this. Their meeting is scheduled for 8/1 at 1:30pm. At that time, they will make a recommendation to bring to the entire City Council. The Finance Committee members are: Faatz, Boigon, Brown, Lehmann, and Robb. Please contact your City Councilperson and urge them to reconsider. If you don’t know who your City Councilperson is, you can enter your address and find out here. Links to Council’s web pages are here.

If you are unsure of what to write, we have put together a form letter for you to send to your Councilperson. You can copy verbatim or add your own edits. Be sure to copy the at-large Council members Linkhart (linkhartatlarge@ci.denver.co.us) and Boigon, (carol.boigon@denvergov.org) as well as Mayor Hickenlooper (MileHighMayor@ci.denver.co.us). Let them hear from the bicycling community!

The text follows:

Subject: Infrastructure Priorities Task Force List

Dear Councilperson (insert name here),

It has recently come to my attention that the lone bicycle-related
Project on the Infrastructure Priorities Task Force’s list has been cut in the final recommendations provided to Council. As a cyclist in Denver, I am disappointed to see that the Colorado Light Rail bridge, which provides a critical bicycle and pedestrian connection, was removed from consideration.

This bridge is key in connecting the neighborhoods on both sides of
I-25 to the Colorado light rail station and provides an important north-south connection for cyclists. Supporting cycling by funding this project follows the directives of Greenprint Denver which aspires to complete transportation connections that support multi-modal transportation options for more of Denver’s citizens.

This is not the first time that the Colorado light rail station bike/ped bridge was recommended for funding and then removed. This project was originally included in the T-Rex plan and the FasTracks proposal and removed at the 11th hour. I urge the City Council not to let this happen again.

Please reconsider the final selection of bond projects for the upcoming November ballot by including this much needed improvement.

Sincerely,

John Q. Citizen

CC: Councilman At-Large Doug Linkhart
Councilwoman At-Large Carol Boigon
Mayor John Hickenlooper

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It’s our first event of the summer and we need your help parking bikes.

Please sign up for a shift (or two) at the People’s Fair.

http://www.bikedenver.org/bike-parking/

Thanks!
David Rapp, President

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Bring a Friend and Learn More About Bike Commuting

Tracy Halasinski

Help us create a safe bicycle commuting community and spread the word about the Downtown Denver Parntership’s FREE Bicycle Commuting Brown Bag in Skyline Park on September 28th from Noon to 1pm.

This is your chance to introduce your co-workers and friends to bicycle commuting and help them become savvy cyclists. Bicycle commuting expert, BikeDenver’s own Tracy Halasinski, will review the rules of the road, explain how to be a safe bicycle commuter, provide route planning assistance, and offer helpful tips on what to wear. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lunch.

Attendees will receive a free Denver Bike Map to help them plan their routes and goodies from REI, including a 15% off coupon, to get them going.

Questions? Contact Aylene Quale, Transportation & Special Projects Manager at the Downtown Denver Partnership at 303.534.6161 or ayleneq@downtowndenver.com.

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LATE APRIL OPEN HOUSES SET BY DRCOG TO HEAR IDEAS ON PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION

The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) is hosting two open houses in late April to give metro area residents an opportunity to share their ideas about bicycle and pedestrian facilities and needs.

The council of governments is updating the pedestrian and bicycle element of the region’s long-range transportation plan, which identifies transportation improvements to the year 2030. The element will set regional bicycle and pedestrian policies, inventory existing facilities, identify major project needs, and establish guidelines for future improvements of sidewalks, paths, pedestrian amenities and bicycle facilities. The overall goal is to encourage walking and bicycling for transportation purposes.

Residents can also express their opinions by completing two questionnaires DRCOG has posted on its Web site at http://www.drcog.org/bikeped. There are separate questionnaires for bicyclists and pedestrians.

For more information or to offer comments, please email bobermann AT drcog DOT org or call 303-480-6775. Disabled attendees are asked to notify DRCOG at least 48 hours in advance if auxiliary aids or services are needed.

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