CalBike Is Looking to You for Input: Strategic Plan, Bike Summit

The California Bicycle Coalition has two opportunities for people to participate directly in advocacy work for better biking in California. First is by weighing in on its Five-year Strategic Plan, which can be done here through June 19. Second, there is still time to submit a proposal to present your work and inspire others at the biannual CalBike Summit, which this year will happen October 3 through 6 in Sacramento.

STRATEGIC PLAN

Five years ago, CalBike wrote its first Five-Year Strategic Plan, in which it set out goals for the organization. Now those five years have passed, and the CalBike team has made good on a number of those goals. In that time frame, CalBike has:

• Helped greatly increase funding for the Active Transportation Program
• Convinced Caltrans to include protected bike lanes in its design guidance
• Supported the expansion of Open Streets events
• Supported expansion of bike-share (and helped make it eligible for cap-and-trade funds)
• Helped legalize electric bikes
• Won the Three Feet for Safety Act
• Got more questions about bike safety added to the DMV driver's manual
• Sponsored local groups and individuals, trained advocates, and endorsed winning candidates for state Assembly and Senate seats
• Grew its staff, and brought more diversity to both its staff and board

Planning for the next Five-Year Strategic Plan has begun, and a survey to find out what people think that plan should focus on is available for a few more weeks here. The survey asks about opportunities and  challenges the organization should address, as well as how to prioritize its policy goals, and there's room to offer further suggestions.

CALBIKE SUMMIT

The CalBike Summit is always an inspiring get-together of advocates, planners, and people who bike and think about biking throughout California. It will include bike tours, panels, and networking events aimed at discussing how to make biking better, and how to bring bicycling and social justice advocacy together to further everyone's goals.

Presentations can take almost any form: a panel discussion, a workshop, a quick slide presentation, creative activity or art-making, bike or walking tour, or a poster about an issue. Applications can still be submitted here.

More information about the Bike Summit can be found here.