NYBC is proud to announce that Rochester has made into the nation’s top 50 bike-friendly cities along with New York City as cities in New York that made the cut. Rochester has been influential in gaining public support, strength in advocacy and investment and improvements to bike access and infrastructure that has made Rochester a desirable and safe place to ride a bicycle. NYBC commends Rochester and New York City for their ambitious efforts to improve the cycling culture in their respective communities. As a state, New York can do much better. Lets strive to get more NY-cities onto that list in 2013!

To check out the Bicycle Magazine’s Article on the top 50 bike-friendly cities nationwide, Click Here

The state Department of Transportation has modified its plan to repave the Sara-Placid Highway this summer to widen the shoulders and accommodate cyclists a little better.
The department will now aim to leave as much room as possible along the shoulders of state Route 86, spokeswoman Carol Breen told the Enterprise Wednesday. She said the changes were made following input from local officials and cycling advocates.
“We have committed to re-striping the section between Saranac (Lake) and Lake Placid,” Breen said. “That would create 10-foot travel lanes for motorists, and it would add an extra foot of shoulder room for bicyclists on each side of the road.”

BIKE 86 is a grassroots coalition of local residents, visitors, business owners, and community organizations petitioning the NYS Department of Transportation to Create a cycling friendly shoulder between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake.  They have launched an online petition on April 25 which has generated over 1,400 signatures in less than one week.  The petition can be accessed here: http://www.change.org/petitions/new-york-state-department-of-transportation-create-a-cycling-friendly-shoulder-between-lake-placid-and-saranac-lake (a full list of petition signatures is attached).

For more news on the Bike 86 advocacy campaign, click here:

FULL STORY

To check out the press release, Click Here

Dear John;

I was happy to have the opportunity to spend a few minutes with you yesterday to congratulate you on your well earned retirement from guiding CDTC and its contribution to the growth and improvement of the region. As another retiree, I can well understand the wish to spend more time with family and on fun, and to fully rise to other challenges such as the complicated post flood recovery of your beloved Scoharie Valley.

But our best wishes aside, we will miss you at the helm of a most important, leading metropolitan planning organization. Through your understanding of the need for safer, more attractive bicycle and pedestrian elements of comprehensive transportation systems these concepts and many others, have become important components of regional and statewide programs. I can attest to your contributions since we found you to be a proponent of these important perspectives during the many decades of my involvement with this issue.

Other “old hands” who are members of the CDTC Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force which was the first such advisory group in the State, established two decades ago under your leadership, note the many innovations that we can thank you for include the cost effective and popular “linkage” program, Capital Coexists, adopting a “complete streets” perspective well before it became State Law, and fine trail maps and policies to name a few.

The New Your Bicycling Coalition and the many bicyclists and pedestrians in the region will miss you, but trust that the well oriented staff and the policies you are leaving behind will serve the Capital Region well for decades to come. I also send my personal thanks and good wishes for your retirement.

NYBC would like to thank John Poorman for his commitment to bicycling and wish him a bright future and enjoyable retirement.

NYBC Executive Director Brian Kehoe speaks with Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings during the 2012 Albany Bike Expo

Advocacy groups, bicycle technicians, neighborhood groups and the Capital Region’s interested public gathered on a gorgeous Sunday morning to learn, teach, advise, facilitate share and experience bicycle safety, education and information on everything from how to properly signal and behave in traffic to insightful information provided by local bike shops and equipment vendors. The NYBC and Albany Bicycle Coalition organized event provides the Capital Region the chance to learn and promote bicycle improvements in the state’s capital.

NYBC thanks all of the sponsors and those who came out for making the expo a success in its 2nd year. Without public support and education the bicycle movement would be stalled. The event is truly about bringing together cyclists no matter their age, ability or motivation for cycling to promote a more healthy, sustainable life in the Capital Region.  Quoting NYBC board member and event coordinator John Vendetti,

“We are trying to bring together cyclists regardless of their individual riding skills or their motivation for riding. We are using bicycles as a central focus for sustainable and healthy living in the Capital District. Our secondary goal is to highlight the many cycling improvements in the city – shared lanes, hundreds of bicycle racks, bicycle signage, and bicycle lanes.”

A group of cyclists embark on a ride through Washington Park

The event promotes cycling and improved living throughout the region and helps advance the bicycle advocacy movement. The Capital Region has greatly improved bicycling awareness, access, infrastructure and education in recent years. This event will continue to showcase those triumphs, and annually celebrate bicycling throughout the Capital District.

Thanks to all that came out to the event, and we look forward to continued success and participation in the 2013 Albany Bike Expo!

For news coverage of the event, follow this link: http://hudsonvalley.ynn.com/content/top_stories/583218/albany-bike-expo-aimed-at-encouraging-cycling-in-capital-region/

“The initial season will be focused on the greaterHudsonValleyarea, from as far south as the 5 boroughs, through Westchester and along the I-87 corridor to the Capital Region andSaratogaareas” described Sammy Bryant, Venue Committee for the NICA NY efforts. “Many of the interested volunteers, coaches, parents, and of course athletes are here, and with access to a good selection of venues in this region, as well as the convenience of travelling that corridor, it seemed logical to start our efforts there, and let them expand across the state as we move forward”.

“Right now, we’re at the final stages of the bid draft. We submit the bid May 15, and then NICA announces the states they accept June 1, of which there should be several. We think NY represents the best opportunity for them to get an East Coast foothold. NY has fantastic mountain biking, accounts for approximately 36% of the nation’s high school students, and has a strong retail community that has really embraced the concept and helping to get the word out,” commented Cairo. “We’re confident that our chances are quite good. We have been seeing steady growth in the number of people looking to be involved, and our Fan Page is getting more followers and likes every day.”

“HighSchoolMountainbike racing just makes sense to us; we would have loved to have been on a team in school.”

The NY Project League will have a booth sponsored by adidas Eyewear at the 2012 Albany Bike Expo, and continues to update its progress on its Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/NICANewYork

Please join us in our efforts to get this rolling, and tell everyone in your cycling community.

NICA Mission
Founded in 2009, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) develops high school mountain biking programs for student-athletes across theUnited States. NICA provides leadership, services and governance for local leagues to produce quality mountain bike events, and supports every student-athlete in the development of strong body, strong mind and strong character through their efforts on the bike.

NICA Vision:
The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (“NICA”) will develop high school mountain biking coast-to-coast by 2020, as well as …

• Promote athlete skills development, excellence, teamwork, professionalism and respect for the community and the environment;
• Promote the sport of mountain biking and the benefits of mountain biking as a healthy, low impact, outdoor recreational lifestyle;
• Provide national leadership and governance through comprehensive policies, rules and guidelines to establish fair rules of play and codes of conduct;
• Provid:e comprehensive Coaches Training and Licensing program to establish and maintain national standards and best practices;
• Provide comprehensive risk management guidelines for mountain bike programming to establish and maintain national standards and best practices;
• Provide technical assistance and support for League formation, team formation, races, camps and special events;
• Provide successful models of League development, sustainable fiscal growth, and corporate and individual donor development;
• Advocate for the environmental conservation of natural areas and parklands, mountain bike trail access, and the development of sustainable trail systems.

FULL STORY

“Childhood obesity rates are soaring, youth participation in sports and other active pursuits is plummeting, and a generation is coming of age with little understanding of the joy and freedom of unsupervised play. There’s a simple solution—but all across the nation our schools earn a failing grade when it comes to letting kids ride their bikes.” –  David Darlington, Bicycle Magazine

There is a major need in many New York communities to provide the proper facilities and opportunities for children to both bike and walk to school. Lack of safe bicycle routes, coupled with inadequate provision by school districts to provide bicycle racks and education to students to ride to school contributes to the ongoing health complications of America’s youth.  Take a look at David’s article on Adam Marino of Saratoga Springs and how his desire to simply bike to school raised national attention.

Check out David’s article by Clicking Here