Want your city or county to be recognized for its bike-friendly qualities, in the nation’s #1 Bike-Friendly State?
Step 1) Download or copy our sample proclamation.
Step 2) Tailor it with the names of your local bike group, May Bike Month activities, supporters and partners who appreciate the value of bicycling for your community’s quality of life, health, and economy, and anything else that captures the unique experience of bicycling in your community.
Step 3): Take the proclamation to your mayor, city council, and/or county leadership and ask them to adopt it.
Step 4) Don’t forget to tell your friends on Facebook and alert the local media when a group of people on bikes plan to show up at a City Council meeting for a celebration of biking. You want those elected officials to be recognized and appreciated for their support. Take pictures!
Step 5) Come back and drop a link here to the local media coverage, minutes of the City Council, and what-have-you; tweet the link and tag us at @WAbikes; post it on our Facebook page; and email us.
At the end of the month we’ll round up the statewide list of every town, city, and county in Washington that wants the positive reputation that goes with supporting and celebrating bicycling and add to the applause and acclaim.
Draft language in case the download file doesn’t work for you:
The City/County of ____
Proclamation
Whereas, the bicycle is a healthy, convenient, financially and environmentally sound form of transportation and an excellent tool for recreation and enjoyment of [insert city/county]’s scenic beauty, local attractions, and friendly neighborhoods; and
Whereas, throughout the month of May, the residents of [insert city/county] and its visitors will experience the joys of bicycling through educational programs, commuting events, Bike to School Day, trail work days, helmet promotions, charity events, races, or by simply getting out and going for a ride; and
Whereas, [insert city/county]’s road and trail system attracts bicyclists each year, providing economic health, transportation, tourism, and scenic benefits; and
Whereas, support for bicycling in [insert city/county] contributes to Washington’s #1 Bicycle Friendly State ranking (2008-2014); and
Whereas, creating a bicycling-friendly community has been shown to improve citizens’ health, well-being, and quality of life, growing the economy of [insert city/county], attracting tourism dollars, improving traffic safety, supporting student health and learning, and reducing pollution, congestion, and wear and tear on our streets and roads; and
Whereas, Washington Bikes, [insert local bicycle club/ organization/chamber/tourism bureau], the League of American Bicyclists, schools, parks and recreation departments, police departments, public health districts, health care providers, companies and civic groups will be promoting bicycling during the month of May YEAR; and
Whereas, these groups are also promoting bicycle tourism year round to attract more visitors to enjoy our local restaurants, hotels, retail establishments, local foods and beverages, and cultural and scenic attractions; and
Whereas, these groups are also promoting greater public awareness of bicycle operation and safety education in an effort to reduce collisions, injuries, and fatalities and improve health and safety for everyone on the road; and
Now therefore, I, _____, Mayor/Executive of [insert city/county], do hereby proclaim May YEAR as
Bike Month
in [insert city/county], and I urge all residents to join me in this special observance.
Signed this ___ day of May, YEAR
Mayor/Executive _______________
- Sample Local Bike Month Proclamation for Washington State (Word document)
3 Comments
On Tuesday, April 28, 2015, Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson, along with the City Councilmembers, proclaimed May 2015 as Bike Month for the city of Pullman. He also announced Bike to School day for Pullman, which will take place on May 6th.
CITY OF PACIFIC, WASHINGTON
RESOLUTION NO. 2015 – 250
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF PACIFIC, WASHINGTON, DECLARING MAY 2015 AS BICYCLE MONTH IN THE CITY OF PACIFIC
Whereas the City of Pacific Comprehensive Plan recognizes bicycles as a component of our Transportation Plan and an important form of recreation, and
Whereas bicycles are by law vehicles, governed by and protected by the rules of the road, and
Whereas bicycle transportation is ecologically sound and economically beneficial, and
Whereas bicycling reduces premature mortality and combats diseases of a sedentary lifestyle including heart disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer, and
Whereas bicycle commuters consume fewer public health resources and impose fewer costs on emergency medical services, and
Whereas every mile traveled by bicycle instead of by car reduces the general fund subsidy required to maintain streets and public services, and
Whereas bicycle transportation reduces demand for foreign oil that contributes to the national trade deficit, and
Whereas bicycle transportation promotes traditional American values of self-reliance, self-discipline, and self-confidence, and
Whereas bicycling for recreation and transportation promotes childhood physical activity, independence, and community awareness, and
Whereas habits learned as children can support a lifetime of physical and mental health, and
Whereas children learn these habits from the actions of their parents, teachers, and community leaders, and
Whereas the month of May has been recognized as National Bike to Work Month by governments including Washington State and King County, and by organizations including the League of American Bicyclists, the Bicycle Alliance of Washington, and Cascade Bicycle Club,
Now, therefore, the City of Pacific does hereby declare the month of
May, 2015 to be Bicycle Month:
• To promote safe and comfortable bicycling in the City of Pacific,
• To recognize people on bicycles as legitimate, intended, and expected users of the public streets and paved trails of our community,
• To promote awareness of and compliance with the laws governing the driving of bicycles on public streets,
• To encourage employees to consider bicycling as part of their Wellness program activities,
• And to encourage all users of our public streets to be aware of bicyclists as equal participants in the traffic of our community.
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 27th day of April, 2015.
Outstanding, Josh! Thanks for leading the way.