SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, January 31; 9 AM, South Eugene High School
2009 Walking & Biking Summit: Crossroads to the Future
Join in all day or choose to attend one or more of the three segments
for this year’s Walking and Biking Summit: Crossroads to the Future
organized by Eugene’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
(BPAC)! Join the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as they engage our
community in the conversation regarding support of active
transportation as identified in the 2010 Campaign for Active
Transportation for the Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area.
Planning for the transportation needs of the 21st Century requires a
significant shift in thinking and priorities; although we are
confronted by many uncertainties, we can be sure that future
transportation needs will be quite unlike the past. The national Rails-
to-Trails Conservancy spearheaded the 2010 Campaign for Active
Transportation to inspire a grassroots effort to advocate for
increasing federal funding for active transportation including walking
and biking (which could mean $50 million for Eugene/Springfield!!).
Make sure you have all the latest information; come to the Summit and
make your voice heard!
I: Town Hall Meeting – Rails to Trails Conservancy
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), in partnership with the BPAC, is
hosting a town hall meeting to share plans to promote walking and
biking and to give you the opportunity to get involved in local
“active transportation” (walking and biking) efforts. The goal of this
meeting is to share with you the exciting plans that are underway to
make your region a more walkable, bikeable place to live, work and
play, and to provide you with opportunities to inform and engage in
the process.
Eugene/Springfield is engaged in Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s 2010
Campaign for Active Transportation, whose goal is to double the amount
of money the federal government spends on walking and biking.
Specifically, the plan is to target these federal dollars to dozens of
communities, including Eugene/Springfield, which could receive $50
million to build a complete network of safe places to walk and bike
and to reduce auto-dependence. If the community is actively engaged
and supportive it may increase the likelihood that our area would
receive the federal funding. Local staff and officials, with the help
of the RTC, need the community’s participation to make this campaign a
reality.
Staff from RTC’s Western Regional Office and national office in
Washington, D.C. will be on hand to answer your questions and discuss
how your community can be improved through more walking and biking.
You can learn more about RTC’s campaign at http://www.railstotrails.org
For more information on the Campaign for Active Transportation for the
Eugene – Springfield metropolitan area, go to http://www.lcog.org/cat
II: Entertainment & Fun-Fashion Show
Join us for snacks while Tom Powers entertains all with this fun and
wacky fashion show. See the current trends in biking and walking gear
and get in on the fun! This is also a great opportunity to connect
with local partners on healthy and active transportation.
Find your local carpool connections; learn about LTD’s 2009 service
changes; connect with local bicycle advocates; pick up some bike
safety information; prevent bike theft and get your bike registered
with the help of the Eugene Police Department; meet the folks in the
Adaptive Recreation Program and ride one of the adaptive bikes; meet
with local businesses and see what’s new in the world of active
transportation.
III: Workshops
A: Bike Commuter Skills Workshop
Urban Hikes: Meet William Sullivan, local author
Update on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Strategic Plan
B: Basic Bike Repair
Issues of Accessibility: Working together for improvements
Safe Routes to School: Program update
Mark your calendars today and be part of the conversation and
festivities!!