[*BCM*] Major MassBike Win! Mid-November Update

[Dorie Clark]

Breaking News: MassBike Scores Major Victory with MBTA



Today, MassBike won a major victory for MBTA riders when the agency
announced its decision to increase bicycle access on the subway.


The T’s new policy, which is effective immediately, will allow bikes on the
Red, Orange, and Blue Lines at all times except for weekday morning rush
hours (7:00—10:00 a.m.) and weekday evening rush hours (4:00—7:00 p.m.).
Additionally, two bikes will now be allowed per subway car, as opposed to
the previous policy only permitting two bikes on the entire train. The new
policy will be implemented on a “trial basis” which the T has said they will
evaluate after six months. The MBTA’s previous bike regulations were among
the most restrictive in the country with regard to weekday access, only
permitting bikes between the hours of 10:00 a.m.—2:00 p.m., and after 7:30
p.m.



MassBike has previously won important victories for cyclists who use the
MBTA. In 1985, MassBike won the right for cyclists to bring their bikes on
the T, which had not been previously permitted. In 2000, MassBike
successfully encouraged the T to eliminate the “special pass” requirement in
order to carry one’s bike on the subway.



This is a major step forward for area cyclists. Thank you, MBTA!





Help at the MassBike Volunteer Night: Tuesday, November 30



MassBike is doing a year-end mailing and we need help stuffing and stamping
envelopes! Please join us from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at our office, located at 20
Park Plaza, Ste. 1028, Boston. Meet other great MassBikers and enjoy free
pizza! Email mike at massbike.org to RSVP (we need RSVPs in advance because of
building security).



Contact Your Legislators! The Kevin J. Pecor Act



The Kevin J. Pecor Act, also known as Senate Bill 2484, is very important to
MassBike. Named after a 16 year-old West Springfield bicyclist who was
killed after being hit by a driver with a suspended license, the bill would
make driving with a suspended or revoked license admissible as evidence when
a court is determining whether the driver is negligent in a vehicular
homicide case. Our Pioneer Valley chapter has been working extensively on
this matter. The bill has passed the Senate, but is currently stalled in the
House. Please take the time to contact your legislator and ask them to talk
to Speaker DiMasi and Rep. Paul Kujawski, Chair of House Steering Committee,
to support and pass the Kevin J. Pecor Act before the end of the current
legislative session.



Don’t know who your legislator is? Click here

http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php





Boston Residents: Contact Your City Councilor about the “Bike Czar” Hearing



On Monday, November 22, the Boston City Council will hold a hearing to
discuss the possible reinstatement of the “Boston bike czar” and ways to
improve cycling in Massachusetts. This is a very important hearing for
anyone who cycles in the city and we urge you to attend. It will take place
at 5:30 p.m. in Boston City Hall’s Iannella Chamber. Additionally, if you’d
like to help at the grassroots level and put up signs in your neighborhood,
please email bikexec at massbike.org --we’ll send you a flyer to print out and
post! Also, if you live in Boston, please contact your city councilor to
urge them to attend this hearing and support MassBike’s recommendations,
such as the creation of a Bicycling Commission with a full-time staffer
dedicated to city bicycling issues.



Don’t know who your councilor is? Click here.

http://www.cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/districts.asp





Free Statewide Conference on “Urban Rivers and Their Neighborhoods”



A free statewide conference on “Urban Rivers and Their Neighborhoods” will
take place on Saturday, Nov. 20 in Fall River. The conference, sponsored by
Green Futures and the Urban Ecology Institute, will provide local officials
and activists with successful approaches to realize the potential of urban
rivers. This will include how successful greenways and trails projects have
linked urban rivers to their neighborhoods, engaging developers and city
officials to realize projects, and realizing effective partnerships that
work. The conference will also focus on effective political advocacy,
organizing with community-based groups and successful project funding. To
register for this free conference, please notify Cassie O’Connor at the
Urban Ecology Institute at oconnoev at bc.edu or at (617) 552-0938.





Notice of Public Hearings on the MBTA's 2006 - FY 2010 Capital Investment

Program (CIP)



The MBTA will be holding public hearings to comment on their Fiscal Year
2006-2010 Capital Investment Program. This is an excellent opportunity to
talk about your support of bicycling, thank the MBTA for their recent policy
change allowing more bike access on the subway, and urge them to undertake
bike-friendly initiatives such as more bike parking at MBTA stations and
installing bike racks on buses. The draft plan will be available for review
on the MBTA's website (www.mbta.com) on November 19, 2004.



Public hearings are scheduled as follows: City Hall Council Chamber, Malden,
MA - December 1st, 6 - 7:30 pm;

Town Hall Auditorium, Braintree, MA - December 6th, 6 - 7:30 pm;

LRTA Community Room, Lowell, MA - December 7th, 6 - 7:30 pm; Public Library,
Mansfield, MA - December 8th, 6 - 7:30 pm;

Public Library-Saxe Room, Worcester, MA - December 9th, 6 - 7:30 pm;

City Hall War Memorial Auditorium, Newton Centre, MA - December 13th,

6 - 7:30 pm;

Vietnamese American Community Center, Dorchester, MA - December 14th, 6 -
7:30 pm;

State Transportation Building, Boston, MA - December 16th, 5:30pm -

7:00pm



Comments may also be submitted via e-mail at cipinfo at mbta.com or by mail to
the MBTA Budget Department, 10 Park Plaza, Boston, MA, 02116.



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Do you have a good computer monitor to donate?



MassBike is proudly growing—two Northeastern University co-op students will
be joining us in early January! We’re getting ready for their arrival and
are in need of an extra computer monitor, preferably 17”. If you have an
extra monitor in good working condition to donate, please email
bikexec at massbike.org.



Final Bike Night Thanks



We wanted to be sure to acknowledge Bridgewater Liquors, which generously
donated two bottles of Red Bicyclette wine to our Bike Night silent auction.
We also very much want to thank the law firm of Jason and Fischer, which
upgraded its sponsorship of Bike Night to the Major Sponsor level.



Click here to learn more about Jason and Fischer

www.jasonandfischer.com


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