{"id":12548,"date":"2015-04-17T08:04:25","date_gmt":"2015-04-17T15:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wabikes.org\/?p=12548"},"modified":"2015-05-05T23:08:22","modified_gmt":"2015-05-06T06:08:22","slug":"connections-for-kate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wabikes.org\/index.php\/2015\/04\/17\/connections-for-kate\/","title":{"rendered":"Connections for Kate"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Young

What keeps Kate from riding more often to more places? The need for more complete, connected bike networks.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI just rode 9.7 miles! About to do it again on the way home. I feel like a SUPERWOMAN.\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n

\u2013Kate, Spokane, 24-year-old care team coordinator for a home health agency<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n

Kate isn\u2019t an everyday rider. Not even close. The exhilarating sensation of freedom and strength she felt riding her bike from Spokane to the Spokane Valley that day was a first for her.<\/p>\n

She can\u2019t really afford the old car she drives, with its constant repair bills, and bicycling supplemented with transit can give her more affordable transportation options.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s holding her back from riding more places more often?<\/p>\n

Connections.<\/strong> \u00a0Or rather, missing <\/strong>connections.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

What Kinds of Connections?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The physical connections<\/strong> we\u2019re working for right now<\/strong> in the legislature: complete, comfortable bike networks, trail projects, safer street designs around schools<\/strong> that slow drivers and create better neighborhoods.<\/p>\n

The legislative connections<\/strong><\/a> we\u2019re creating as we build new bipartisan bridges, make new legislative friends, connect in the state capitol for better bicycling.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The personal connections<\/strong> we create for advocates with our staff as resources to help you make a difference, and the inspiration from the Washington Bike Summit we just held <\/a>last month that connected advocates with planners, engineers, elected officials, and leaders from the bicycle industry. (An event we’ll repeat every year.)<\/a><\/p>\n

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GiveBIG until midnight Tuesday May 5 to help us get more people like Kate rolling<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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What Bicycle Advocacy Means for People like Kate<\/b><\/h3>\n

Kate just isn\u2019t willing to mix it up with too much traffic to get where she\u2019s going, and Washington is home to so many like her. That\u2019s what keeps us working so hard.<\/p>\n

When the effective state advocacy of Washington Bikes grows investments in bicycling and walking\u2014nearly $100 million in state funding in the last 10 years alone, thanks to your help<\/a><\/strong>\u2014we make a real difference.<\/p>\n

We keep at it because we\u2019re a long way from getting all the would-be riders like Kate on bikes.<\/p>\n