For the first time, the Commonwealth has a Statewide Coordinator for the Safe Routes to School Program (SR2S) in the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). SR2S is a new 100 percent federally funded program (FHWA) to improve the ability of primary and middle school students to walk and bicycle to school safely through two distinct types of funding opportunities: infrastructure projects (engineering improvements) and non-infrastructure related activities (such as education, enforcement and encouragement programs). This program will supplement the existing NHTSA grants administered by DMV and the Highway Safety Improvement Program set aside for Bike and Pedestrian projects.

The new Coordinator, Jakob Helmboldt has a Masters degree in Planning and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners with experience in both transportation and land-use planning. He was a transportation planner and GIS Coordinator with the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC), and most recently worked with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation in environmental and land-use planning. He served on the Richmond Regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Study Advisory Committee and has been a competitive cyclist for nearly twenty years. BikeWalk Virginia welcomes Jakob and looks forward to a long and fruitful partnership.

Anyone interested in making Virginia a safer place for pedestrians should count on being in Lynchburg at the 8th Annual Virginia Bike Walk Conference on April 30-May 1 and should urge their city planners to be there too.

Monday, the main day of the conference, is packed with information that any citizen advocate can use to improve pedestrian conditions in their community. Secretary of Natural Resources L. Preston Bryant will kick off the conference at a plated breakfast. Bryan Porter, professor of Psychology at Old Dominion University, will present his statewide Strategic Plan for Pedestrian Safety. Chris Wells, Fairfax County pedestrian program manager, will report on the success of the Street Smart campaign in Northern Virginia. Stephen Read will review the latest requirements of the new multi-agency Strategic Highway Safety Plan as it pertains to cyclists and pedestrians. Where else can you get this much cutting edge bike/ped information in one morning?
Following the luncheon and keynote speech by Charlie Zegeer, there will be sessions on how to ensure that bike/ped facilities are considered in your community's project plans and getting things done at the grassroots level, as well as an educational walking tour of historic Downtown Lynchburg. There will be something for everyone!

The Holiday Inn Select has extended their special rate of $65/night through Sunday, April 16! The late registration deadline has also been extended to Sunday, April 16. Don't delay! Reserve your space now!

The City of Alexandria’s Transportation and Environmental Services Department welcomed Yon Lambert to the team as the City’s new Pedestrian/Bicycle Coordinator in March. He will partner with city staff, community groups, and other agencies to continually improve Alexandria’s walking and bicycling infrastructure. Yon is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and served as deputy director of the Palmetto Conservation Foundation, a statewide non-profit organization in South Carolina, for six years. In this position, he acquired rights-of- way or planned more than one hundred miles of bicycle-pedestrian routes, secured in excess of four million dollars for development, facilitated public processes on numerous projects, addressed endangered species or cultural resource surveys, and successfully negotiated trail rights-of-way with railroads. BikeWalk Virginia welcomes and looks forward to working with Yon.

Valet parking will be available for cyclists attending Earth Day Richmond, the annual Fish Festival, and the Mayor’s Walk and Roll on Saturday, April 22nd, 2006, from 10am-4pm at the south side of the Mayo Bridge (14th Street). Volunteers are still needed to cover several time slots (it is a great way to meet like-minded people!). If you or someone you know would like to volunteer at the Earth Day event, please contact Marie Quinn marie.quinn@dcr.virginia.gov

Earth Day Richmond will be Saturday, April 22nd, 2006, from 10am-4pm at the south side of the Mayo Bridge (14th Street). This year's event features music, food, art, dance, exhibits, earth-friendly goods, and plenty of activities! Individuals are encouraged to get out of their cars and walk or bike to the festival along the James River and Floodwall down to Art Works and Plant Zero (320 Hull Street) in Old Manchester.

Clean Commute “Every” Day is a statewide event promoting use of alternate modes of transportation. Mark this day to walk, bike, carpool, take public transit, use an alternative-fueled vehicle to get to work, or stay home and telecommute. BikeWalk Virginia, the American Lung Association of Virginia, and other partners are sponsoring the event. Become a local organizer or get more information.

Williamsburg Area Bicyclists in coordination with Active Williamsburg Alliance, a chapter of BikeWalk Virginia filled their Bike Month calendar with bicycling events on every single day in May. WAB members will be leading a wide range of rides for all skill levels in different parts of Williamsburg, and James City and York Counties. Weekends will be filled with special activities including a Mountain Bike Festival, a Mother’s Day Ride, and a Family Bike Day and activities are being offered for all skill levels. Enjoy a car free morning of biking on the Colonial Parkway (NPS) Saturday May 6 from 8 am – 1 pm. The historic parkway will be closed to cars from Williamsburg to Jamestown. A great event for young children.

Construction is progressing on the Virginia Capital Trail, the 50+ mile bike/ped trail being built between Richmond and the colonial capitals of Williamsburg and Jamestown along Scenic Route 5. Come find out more and help support the VTC during “May is Bike Month.” The Virginia Capital Trail Foundation and the Richmond and Williamsburg bike clubs (RABA and WAB) are hosting the third annual “Capital-to- Capital” Century/Half Century, Saturday, May 13. The Cap2Cap follows the route of the future Trail on/off the Route 5 Scenic Byway - known for its tree canopy, historic plantations, battlefields and pastoral scenery. The event is unique with simultaneous starts from both Richmond (Dorey Park) and Jamestown. Registration is $25 and includes a homestyle barbecue lunch in Charles City, rest stops and support. Proceeds benefit the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation.

The first Saturday every June is designated National Trails Day (NTD) in the United States. On that day every year more than a million hikers, bikers, equestrians, and others take part in thousands of events nationwide in celebration of America's trails.

These events include new trail dedications, workshops, educational exhibits, equestrian and mountain bike rides, rollerblading, trail maintenance, and hikes on America's favorite trails. National Trails Day is organized nationwide by the American Hiking Society, a national nonprofit trail advocacy group based in Washington, DC. All events, however, are planned and carried out at the local level by conservation and recreation organizations, trail clubs, and land managing agencies. Originally established in 1993, NTD has grown to approximately 3,000 events across the country.

RTF Celebrates the Day with a New Trail
The Rivanna Trails Foundation (RTF) credits generous landowners, supportive public officials and staff, and countless trail lovers “willing to get their hands dirty” with the successful implementation of a network of hiking trails that encircle the City of Charlottesville. The trails are now beginning to extend inward and outward to bring people from both city and county neighborhoods together. These trails provide fantastic opportunities for play, exercise, retreat, and appreciation of the natural world. For National Trails Day on June 3, 2006, RTF is organizing the building of an entirely new trail that will run through McIntire Park West. For more information.

A new resource is now available for engineers, planners, traffic safety and enforcement professionals, public health and injury prevention professionals, and decision-makers responsible for improving pedestrian safety at the state or local level.

The new guide, entitled How to Develop a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, is foremost a reference for improving pedestrian safety through street redesign and the use of engineering countermeasures, as well as other safety-related treatments and programs that involve the whole community. It provides a framework for state and local agencies to identify and then tackle specific problems and needs by developing and implementing tailored pedestrian safety action plans as well as enhancing existing safety programs and activities. The guide covers how to involve stakeholders, locate potential sources of funding, and evaluate projects. Sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Safety Office, this comprehensive guide was developed by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC).

Bikes for the World
Bikes for the World collects repairable bicycles in the United States and donates them to charities overseas where they are used productively by those in need of affordable transport. Bikes for the World is a sponsored project of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and a 501[c]3 registered charity.

On April 8 and 9, donated bicycles can be dropped off at selected locations in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, and Clifton. Bike parts, portable sewing machines, and cell phones are also being accepted. Bicycles may also be dropped off at Bikes of Vienna at 128-A Church Street in Vienna as well as other selected bicycle retailers and individual volunteers’ homes. A $10 tax deductible donation is suggested to defray shipping to overseas charity partners. Receipts are provided for all material and cash donations.
For further info call Bikes for the World at 703-525-0931 or e-mail: info@bikesforthe world.org

Giving Old Bicycles a New Life
Richmond Recycles promotes non-motorized transportation by refurbishing old bikes to sell at a reduced price or simply to give away. They also offer bicycle building workshops for women. Richmond Recycles will pick up your old bicycles. To make a donation, call 355-0166.

2006 Conference on Transportation Safety
"The Smart Road to a Strategic Highway Safety Program" is the theme of the 2006 Annual Conference on Transportation Safety (ACTS) organized by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Meeting from May 9- 11 at the Inn at Virginia Tech and the Skelton Conference Center in Blacksburg, the event will bring together over 200 traffic safety officials representing law enforcement, local Transportation Safety Boards, Driver Education Instructors, and youth. More information and registration.

W&OD Trail Patrol Seeks New Members
The W&OD Trail Patrol is seeking new members to be on-site ambassadors of safety, courtesy, information, and goodwill. The trail runs through the communities of Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Sterling, Ashburn, Leesburg, Hamilton, and Purcellville. All adult trail users--cyclists, walkers, runners, skaters, carriage pushers, dog walkers, horse riders, or wheel chair users--are eligible to apply. The first orientation session will be on April 25 at 7 pm at the Vienna Community Center starting. Future sessions are planned for other trail communities. For further information and signup please contact John Boone at 703-437-4158 or jmboone@adelphia.net

New Directory of Bike/Ped Experts
The Active Living Resource Center (ALRC) web site, a project for the National Center for Bicycling and Walking has a new online directory of experts who can assist neighborhoods and communities in creating more bicycle-friendly and walkable environments. The ALRC hopes to continue to expand its list and urges those with expertise in pedestrian and bicycle fields who are able to answer questions, provide workshops and training, and assist local bicycle and pedestrian planning to join the ALRC Directory.