Oregon Partnership for Active Transportation

In 2009 the BTA received a grant from the Northwest Health Foundation to support our initiative to expand biking and walking advocacy to local communities.

In preparation for the 2011 legislative session, the statewide advocate will develop partnerships with state- and community-based health organizations, engage four local communities in active transportation initiatives, and reach out to places and people that currently have poor access to active transportation options.

The ultimate goal of the project is to raise the level of funding for active transportation around Oregon state so that every community, large or small, sees an improvement in the safety and attractiveness of walking and bicycling.

What it means on the ground

All of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance’s work aims to improve biking around Oregon and in Southwest Washington through advocacy, education, and promotion around bicycling. Central to our work is supporting local advocates, speaking up for cyclists in statewide forums, and bringing great bicycling programs to communities throughout our region.

To support advocacy efforts in communities around Oregon and in Southwest Washington, the BTA’s core organizing principle is our network of members. For local issues, only local voices can be truly effective.

Our role is to support active BTA members in effecting change by:

• Connecting them to other local BTA member-advocates;
• Providing technical advice about bike facility design;
• Sharing our successful advocacy experiences;
• Connecting advocates to local decisionmakers and allies; and
• Helping advocates learn who’s making transportation decisions and how they’re being made.

We prioritize projects that have demonstrated local support from a group of advocates and that fit with our mission and core values.

Local Coordinators and Bicycle Advisory Committees

Around the state, cities have designated planners to focus on bicycle improvements in their community. This can range from a full-time bicycle coordinator (as in Portland) to someone who spends only a fraction of their time on bicycle facilities and issues. Nevertheless, a community’s bicycle coordinator is an excellent starting point for citizens seeking to improve bicycling in their communities.

Click here for ODOT's list of bicycle coordinators around Oregon.

Many Oregon communities have a designated Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) to advise local governments about bicycling in their area. Made up of interested citizens, these committees are a forum for cyclists to discuss issues and potential improvements in their community, and to influence local planners and decision makers. Contact your bicycle coordinator or local government agency to see if your community has a BAC.

More Resources:
Bicycle organizations around the state
Local bike safety education contacts

Advocacy at the state level

The BTA also acts directly as your voice for critical statewide issues that often have huge local impact. During the Legislative session, we have a lobbyist in Salem who represents cyclists and the bike industry. The rest of the year, we have staff tracking policymaking bodies and attending state-level committees.

Click here to learn more about the BTA's legislative and statewide advocacy.

Education and Promotion programs around Oregon

The BTA offers many of our promotion activities and award-winning youth education programs around Oregon and Southwest Washington. Depending on where you live, we may already be working with and for you on the following programs:

• Bike Commute Challenge
• Safe Routes to School programs
• Walk and Bike to School Day
• Walk and Bike Wednesdays
• Bicycle Safety Education

We are able to offer programs in communities where we have strong local partners working with us to identify and solicit funding and in-kind support, build community buy-in, develop a network of volunteers, and communicate with the media.

If you are interested in partnering with us to start one of these programs in your area, please contact us at info@bta4bikes.org.