Bicycle Friendly Fort Wayne

Logo courtesy of Austin Brooks Graphic Design and Photography

Hello All.
As you know, Fort Wayne was recognized last year by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community.  Obviously this is a huge step for our community and one that all of us in the cycling community are proud of.
The feedback that was received from the League gave us some helpful hints as to what we need to do as a community in order to continue the momentum and get to Silver and beyond.  One of the important items was the fact that Fort Wayne does not have a pure Bicycle Advocacy Organization.  That is not to say that there haven't been a host of people and organizations that advocate for cycling, but we need a group that's sole mission is to further the cause.
A group of us decided to do something about it.  We have been meeting for the last few months trying to sort it out.  If you don't know, forming a not-for-profit group from scratch is hard.  Especially when you have no money and no lawyer on your Board.  Administratively it has been a long road already but we are going to get there.  We are not official yet but we feel that it is time to start the campaign,  For what you ask?  Why do we need an Advocacy Group anyway?  The 5 E's

• Engineering

• Encouragement

• Education

• Enforcement

• (Planning &)Evaluation

Heck, it took us a long time to come up with our name!  We finally decided that our name should specify our mission.
Bicycle Friendly Fort Wayne
Mission Statement:
Through citizen’s advocacy, the mission of the Bicycle Friendly Fort Wayne is to educate, promote, and encourage bicycling in the Fort Wayne area
Goals
1. Enforcement: Our goal will be to establish a working relationship between the cycling community and Fort Wayne law enforcement.
2. Evaluation: Generate interest in obtaining a local economic impact study ton bicycling in our community.
3. Engineering: Promote adoption of a Complete Streets policy
4. Education: Ensure cyclists of all ages and motorists have the knowledge and resources to coexist harmoniously.
5. Encouragement: To promote, host, sponsor or encourage bicycle themed and community events.


Our plan is to move forward advocating for the 5 E's in order to make Fort Wayne a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community in 2 years time.  We cannot strictly by satisfied that we have been recognized and sit back.  We have to keep pushing to make sure that Fort Wayne continues to make cycling for ALL riders safer, easier and more enjoyable!

Please join us in making Fort Wayne better and more livable.
We will be the Tin Caps Community Organization of the Game on May 14th at 7PM.  Come on out and chat us up, hopefully show your support by joining Bicycle Friendly Fort Wayne.

Then come out and ride to raise awareness of cyclists in the Worldwide Ride of Silence.
We will meet up in front of the Arts United Performing Arts Center at 6:30 pm on Wednesday May 15.  Ride at 7 Sharp!  Helmets are required.  It is about an 8 mile course through town.

We all want Fort Wayne to be better!  We can get there together.