1. No one is reaching out to the entire state for advocacy. Where does the guy in Adams go when he sees the highway to Shiloh getting rumbles? He could seek the BWT to get some action.
2. Currently the State has no official body to ask if they have a question about cycling policy. BWT could help eliminate some bad decisions and offer reasonable, thoughtful, informed answers. Click for example.
3. Issues that begin as local have statewide impact. Having statewide communication provides more efficient, effective, and credible response. Current problems are:
- Rumbles,
- Conversion of some two lane roads with wide shoulders to five lane
roads with no shoulders. The five lane curb and gutter, no shoulder
model for new road construction is just as much a barrier to cycling
as rumbles.
4. Assist currently unserved areas in forming local advocacy groups.
5. Correct deficiencies in state laws, manuals, and drivers ed/testing for sharing the road with other legal users.
6. Education for cyclists, law enforcement, and the general public as to Tennessee traffic laws pertaining to safe cycling practices.
7. Continue advancing Tennessee as a Bicycle Friendly State. In our first year of effort we advancin the League of American Bicyclists Ranking from 43'rd to 24'th. Although this ranking is not as an end, but as a guide for where improvement is needed.
8. Provide STRONG alignment with all the current organizations across the state - advocacy groups, bike clubs, racing organizations. When there's a call to action, we need a serious representation.
9. Alignment with other State Advocacy Organizations to share "best practices" at state issues. We are all sharing similar issues.
10. Common front for bike-motorist rage issues and PR.
INVEST in the future of Bicycling and Pedestrian activities across your Tennessee.
1) We need to hire and fund a pro- fessional staff. Volunteers will do their best, but like you they only have so much free time
2) We need to help form advocacy organizations in every major city and town in Tennessee -- where YOU live.
3) We need to make our roads and trails safe for ALL users.
FUTURE CAMPAIGNS?
- Statewide behavior change program entitled, “Enjoy the Ride.” We will use our network throughout Tennessee to form partnerships with businesses, municipalities and community-based associations to actively promote and market the bicycle and walking to daily commuters.
- Provide a series of public service announcements aimed at educa-ting bicyclist, motorists, and law enforcement across Tennesseans in bicycle safety using the Rutherford County model to spearhead similar work in other counties and municipalities.
- Prepare a series of public service announcements aimed at intro-ducing active transportation to average Tennesseans.
- Ally with Walk Bike Nashville, Walk Bike Memphis, and Outdoor Chattanooga and create a statewide marketing campaign to increase levels of cycling among young people.
- Improve treatment of bicyclist and pedestrians injured in encoun-ters with motorists.
