National Bike Summit 2006: Building Bicycle Friendly Communities
The theme of this year’s summit is Building Bicycling Friendly Communities, and communities ranging from up-and-coming Louisville, Ky. to platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community Davis, Calif. will be showcased during the breakout sessions. The National Bike Summit will demonstrate how federal funding can transform communities.

The Opening Plenary of the 2006 National Bike Summit will spotlight Portland, Ore. The session will spotlight how Portland has used federal funding to improve infrastructure and education for cyclists. Confirmed panelists include Portland Commissioner Sam Adams and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR 3rd), as well as representatives from the industry and advocacy organizations.

The deadline for the early bird registration is fast approaching. Sign up today! The National Bike Summit is generously sponsored by the Bikes Belong Coalition, the Federal Highway Administration, Bikestation and Cross Alert Systems.

NHTSA 2004 Statistics Released
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has released statistics of cyclist deaths and crashes in 2004, and the numbers make for sober reading. In 2004, 725 cyclists were killed in traffic crashes, and more than 41,000 were injured. This is a sharp increase from 2003's 629 deaths, although it is still lower than the 802 deaths in 1994. For more information, click here.

FHWA Issues Safe Routes Guidance
The Federal Highway Administration has issued detailed guidance to the states on how to implement the $612 million Safe Routes to School program created by SAFETEA-LU in August 2005. The 23-page guidance memo carefully balances the overall goals of the program with the need to preserve flexibility among the states on how they implement the new program. Click here for more details. The guidance was issued just a couple of days after FHWA had requested each State DOT have their Safe Routes to School coordinator in place (Dec. 31, 2005). The State DOT's have been invited to send their new safe routes coordinator to the National Bike Summit, where a special one-day orientation is scheduled for Thursday, March 2.

2003 Global Bike Figures Released
In 2003, global production of bicycles hit 105 million, or two-and-a-half times the record 42 million cars produced. During the 1950s and 1960s, bicycle and automobile production were nearly equal. In the decades following, however, bike output soared, reaching 91 million in 1990, when car production totaled 36 million. Since then, with the exception of 1997 and 1998 (when output dropped to 90 million and then 87 million), about 100 million bikes have been produced each year. To learn more, visit the Earth Policy Institute by clicking here.

Palm Beach to Train Officers on Bike Laws
The Florida Department of Transportation Safety Office has approved a $30,000 grant for Palm Beach County law enforcement officers. The grant will be used to complete curriculum development of a training program to educate local police officers about laws affecting the interaction of bicyclists and motorists. Local bicycle advocate George Martin will undertake this assignment. Later phases will include filming training video segments and an interactive computer program. The program will be implemented in Palm Beach County by the end of 2007.

Anchorage, Alaska Updates Cycling Laws
Cycling laws for adults and children have been changed in Anchorage, Alaska, where more than half of the state's population makes its home. It is now legal to take the lane when riding on the road, and there is also a new bicycling helmet ordinance for children ages 15 and younger.

New York City Improves Bridge for Cyclists
After years of hard work by Transportation Alternatives, and other activists, the dangerously raised bumps on the Williamsburg Bridge have been replaced with new, smoother plates. The new plates that cover the joints sit flush with the pathway.

Appeal Denied for Irresponsible Driver
Bradley Johnson, a driver who was convicted of vehicular homicide in the 2004 death of cyclist Bob Bachtel near Xenia, Ohio, has had his conviction upheld by Ohio's Second District Court of Appeals. Johnson, who was speeding at the time of the crash, crossed a double yellow line to pass a group of cyclists participating in an ultra-marathon bike race.

Fuji Bikes Giveaway on Ellen Show
Fuji Bikes was selected as one of the premium holiday giveaways on leading daytime talk show, the Ellen Degeneres Show. On Dec. 14, each of the 300-member studio audience received a Fuji Crosstown 1.0 bike as part of Ellen’s "12 Days of Giveaways" theme leading up to the holidays. Fuji provided each Ellen Show studio audience member with the 27-speed hybrid bike that features a suspension fork. Each member of the audience was fit for their bike backstage after the show.