Thank you for being part of our community
As COVID-19 continues to spread and impact our communities, the future has never felt so unpredictable. So in these challenging times, it is the sincere hope of all of us at Bike Cleveland that you are finding ways on your bike to navigate these challenging times, preserve your sanity and keep you in good health and spirits.
If the past nine months have taught us anything, it is that safe places to bike and walk are now more critical than ever to the resiliency of our community. We need safe, socially-distanced ways to move around and we need to continue to be connected with others in our community. Since the onset of the pandemic, Cleveland has experienced a surge in biking. More people are riding now than ever before. Increasingly, more and more people are turning to their bikes as an essential means through which to ensure safe mobility.
In the face of unprecedented challenges, Bike Cleveland continues to advance our mission for safe streets for all. To ensure that the safety and comfort of all riders are being addressed as the ranks of bicyclists swell, we ask you to support our efforts by becoming a Bike Cleveland member, or renewing your membership, or making a donation today.
Bike Cleveland has responded to the challenges of 2020 by working creatively to continue to meet the advocacy and educational needs of the growing number of people on bikes by:
- Offering our education programs online and creating curated routes for people to ride on their own;
- Meeting with city leaders to push for enhanced bike lanes on streets that are currently being designed, including West 65th Street and Union Avenue;
- Adopting an updated equity statement which reaffirms our support for safe and equitable mobility options that serve everyone, regardless of race or ethnicity;
- Continuing to offer signature Bike Cleveland programs which meet the needs of the community and cyclists such as our Random Acts of Brightness and Cranksgiving events, and establishing new programs like BikeMatch which connects unused bikes with people who need them for essential travel; and
- Providing new ways for our members and the general public to contact their elected leaders about desired street safety features through Bike Cleveland’s newly-established Advocacy Center.
We know that Bike Cleveland cannot solve all of the problems which 2020 has revealed, but through our laser focus on providing safe, resilient mobility options for all, we can ensure that biking and walking remain avenues to support our collective well-being and provide a healthy escape from the stresses of these times. This work is only possible with your support. Please consider joining Bike Cleveland in our efforts or making a donation today at BikeCleveland.org/donate.
While many things in the future remain uncertain, one thing we know for sure: our work for safe streets moves onward, without delay. We have our eyes down the road on long-awaited projects that will be coming to fruition over the next few years, ones that will radically change biking and walking in Cleveland. The Midway protected corridor on Superior Avenue, the Lorain Avenue CycleTrack, and the Redline Greenway (under construction right now) all will be game changers to mobility in our city for which we’ll continue to advocate. But looking even closer, 2021 will be a big year for:
- Advancing Vision Zero in the City of Cleveland by developing an action plan aimed at getting traffic fatalities and serious injuries on our roadways down to zero. Watch for opportunities to get engaged with this action plan;
- Developing neighborhood mobility committees to elevate the voices of transit and active transportation users to ensure that their needs are reflected in multi-modal policies and plans for improvements that are developed; and
- Continuing to advocate for a connected bike network that is safe and meets the needs of people of all ages and abilities who choose to ride a bike.
Now, more than ever, our community needs us. And we need you. Please make a donation and join or renew your membership to Bike Cleveland today.
In times like this, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are. Thank you for being part of our community. Without you, none of our work would be possible.
Sincerely,
Your friends at Bike Cleveland