Open Letter to All Arizona Bicyclists from the CAzB

What is the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists? What do we do?

Why a membership drive? Why now? Why is it important to you?

The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists (CAzB) is the leading bicycling advocacy and education resource for bicyclists in Arizona. We are affiliated with the League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking and Walking.

Here are just a few of the activities we have participated in recent months and continue to do:

• We advocate for safer conditions for bicyclists on the road, including bike lanes and other bicycle-friendly infrastructure.
• We educate bicyclists in techniques of safe cycling and participate in the Safe Routes to School program to get more children on bicycles going to/from school.
• We participate in governmental and public venues where bicyclist input is needed in order to secure, defend and/or appropriate transportation funding (e.g. Maricopa Association of Governments Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee, which recommends millions of dollars of projects for funding each year).
• We monitor local and state government entities (e.g. ADOT) and push for bicycle friendly policies, laws and our fair share of infrastructure spending.
• We participate in roadway and bike path design projects (e.g. Highway 179 reconstruction from Village of Oak Creek into Sedona, adding bike lanes and an off road path to a very scenic road that was previously unsafe for riding).
• We provide outreach to families of injured/killed cyclists, including educating them, if needed, on AZ law and connecting them with knowledgeable attorneys.
• We participate in media opportunities where we have a chance to explain AZ laws related to cycling (e.g. Clear Channel radio, AZ Republic, Ahwatukee Foothills news, City of Chandler TV…so far in 2010).

The mission of the CAzB includes the above and so much more, which is why we have raised funds to hire a full time Executive Director to lead our volunteer staff for at least one year. We are conducting a membership drive through August 31 to raise additional funds, grow our member base and locate additional volunteers who can take on either specific advocacy projects or provide general input as individuals or as representatives of a community, club or team.

Please visit our web site (www.cazbike.org) for more information, and please become a member to add your voice and support to bicycling advocacy in Arizona. Thanks!

Bob Beane, President (bobb@cazbike.org)