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Bike-Walk Alliance of NH == 
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Bike-Walk Alliance of NH ==
Bike/Walk to Work Day was Friday, May 16, 2008
May 21 Post-Event Update:
Without a doubt, the sixth annual NH Bike/Walk to Work Day on May 16 was the most successful to date. Results are still being received and tabulated prior the final statistics being announced and the drawing to be held on May 29 at NH-DOT. With two towns yet to report, nearly 1,200 people participated in this 2008 state-wide event. Photos are being posted as they are received, the newest ones of Governor John Lynch and NH First Lady Dr. Susan Lynch biking from Hopkinton to the State House in Concord prior to him reading the BWWD proclamation which mentioned BWA-NH. And while not known to many people, Dr. Lynch wore a refective yellow BWA-NH safety vest as presented to her last year during a school program in Derry.
Have a look at the event summaries as listed by town to view statistics and many photos:
Click here to view summaries of scheduled events.
Click
here to view a listing of the drawing winners.
May 17 Post-Event Update:
With good weather
for the sixth annual NH Bike/Walk to Work Day events on Friday, May 16, we heard
of many good reports and possibly some NH records being broken for the number
of participants. (The BWWD gathering at the State House featuring Governor John
Lynch, NH First Lady Dr. Susan Lynch, and Concord Mayor James Bouley was a real
"media event" with nearly 200 participants.) Now it is time to record
more details for future publicity, identification of problems encountered, and
the drawing to be held on May 29.
If you attended one of the many BWWD events and completed a paper survey but
did not leave it with the event coordinator, it should be mailed, faxed, or
scanned/emailed to the address/contact info provided on the form. The best way
to submit all BWWD survey information is via the on-line form provided by BWA-NH
using the "Survey Monkey" program. Anyone who biked or walked to work
(or to a utilitarian destination instead of using a car) last week in NH can
complete this form, not just those who attended one of "our" BWWD
events. We wish to gather meaningful data to learn the pros and cons of biking
or walking to work as experienced last week, and the on-line form is the easiest
way to collect this data.
Please click here to take the on-line survey. (This link expires May 21 at midnight.)
Pre-Event
Information:
This state-wide event promotes bicycling or walking for going to work, school,
or local shopping trips. In past years almost 800 participants left their cars
at home and instead enjoyed bagels and cream cheese at commuter breakfasts held
in 13 towns and cities across the state including Claremont, Concord, Dover,
Durham, Exeter, Hanover, Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Littleton, Manchester, Portsmouth
and Stratham. These events introduce people to a practical, economical, and
healthy method of local commuting so they might continue all year when weather
and conditions allow. Many companies now offer a guaranteed ride home (or else
where) in the event of a family emergency or just a rainy afternoon. And here
is news of one
family planning to "go car-less" for the entire month of May!
The goals of Bike/Walk to Work Day are to promote bicycling as a healthy and
safe way to get to work, decrease traffic congestion, improve air quality, and
raise public awareness of opportunities to improve bike facilities around the
state. Biking or walking to work is a great way to stay in shape, and arrive
at work awake and refreshed. NH Governor
John Lynch issued a proclamation that May 16 is the state-wide Bike-Walk
to Work Day. BWA-NH is mentioned in the proclamation as the only state-wide
organization supporting this effort other than NH DOT, DES, and DHHS as headquartered
on Hazen Drive, Concord. A downloadable
"toolkit" unique for New Hampshire is now available from the BWA-NH
web site by March 14. Click here for the
toolkit.
For 2008 there will be even more events around NH than last year. The communities
served by the Upper Valley
Trails Alliance , Upper
Valley Rideshare, and Seacoast
Area Bike Routes (SABR) and the have many active and on-going programs.
A two-page 8.5x11 poster promoting seacoast area events is available - click
here. A larger 11x17 tabloid-size poster is
available here. All other cities, towns, and companies offering this program
around the state are being assisted by the Bike-Walk Alliance of NH (BWA-NH)
for any events planned during May which is National Bike Month. May is also
Asthma Awareness Month, another program which involves two of the same goals
as cycling and walking: reduce pollution and dependence on oil.
But May is not the end of biking and walking to work! Let today, tomorrow, and
the following days all be good for walking and using your bicycle for short
distances when you might otherwise use a car. Every little bit of non-motorized
transportation helps. Helps your health, your wallet, relieves traffic congestion,
improves air quality -- and it's fun! And would you believe bicycling to work
can save you time as well as money? Here is an interesting
article from Bill Fisk, GSW Safety and Education Advisor.
Did you know:
-- If the average person biked to work once every two weeks instead of driving, we could prevent the pollution of close to one billion gallons of gasoline from entering the atmosphere every year!
Event Organizer's Resource Kit
Downloadable materials can help you get started planning a bike/ped commuter breakfast for Bike/Walk to Work Day on May 16, 2008 or to plan other events for National Bike Month. The League of American Bicyclists in Washington DC is supporting this event nationally and has various items available via their web site. Please have a look and download items of interest directly from the League.
To join an email
group of people organizing events in communities around New Hampshire, contact
BWA-NH at info@bwanh.org.
