Petition: 10 more miles of
bike lanes in Boston this year

Exciting news: Mayor Janey’s first budget proposal includes many of the projects we’re asking for in our Boston Bike Budget. However, the mayor’s proposal has some notable omissions when it comes to bike projects, and falls short of the 10 miles of protected bike lanes we’re asking for this year.

We’re trying to gather as many signatures as possible from people who live, work and bike in Boston to convince the City to commit to more ambitious progress. Add your name, and show your support for more bike lanes!SIGN THE PETITION

Go on the bike ride of a lifetime for FREE

Bos/treal, our annual bike tour and fundraiser, is an opportunity to ride through some of the most beautiful parts of New England while having great times with great people who share your love of bikes. This year, riders will cover 300 miles in 4 days (about 70 miles/day) before spending two days relaxing on the shores of Lake Champlain in Vermont.

This is a fully supported ride, including guided training rides to get your legs ready before we depart, and cars to carry your stuff and provide support (mechanic help, water, a ride if you want one!) throughout the trip.

To make Bos/treal more accessible, we’re offering two people spots to do the ride for free. This means no registration fee nor fundraising minimum. And as with all riders, food/travel/lodging/support is fully covered so you can focus on riding your bike and having a good time.

Interested? Applying to ride for free is as simple as answering two questions: Why do you want to ride Bos/treal, and how would an Everybody Rides Scholarship* make it possible for you?

*Don’t let “scholarship” intimidate you. The application is really short, and the only requirement if you get a scholarship is to enjoy Bos/treal!APPLY TO RIDE FOR FREE

There are also a handful of Bos/treal spots still left for people interested in riding and fundraising to support the BCU. To sign up, follow the link below. Or, for more information about Bos/treal, head here.SIGN UP TO RIDE

We’re hiring

Bike Mechanic/Repair Program Coordinator

We’re looking for someone to lead our summer bike repair and education program, Bike to Market, which helps people with limited incomes and/or limited access to bike shops maintain their bikes so they can keep riding safely. This position involves a mix of mechanic work and managing events/volunteers, and runs from May/June— September (exact start date is flexible.)LEARN MORE + APPLY

Events + Development Coordinator

This role will plan fundraising events and fun social programming to unite people who bike and encourage more people to ride. It also involves growing the BCU’s membership, managing volunteers, and more. This is an ideal position for someone seeking a career in program management, event planning, non-profit administration, fundraising and development, or any role in bike/transportation advocacy.LEARN MORE + APPLY

A Boston Globe editorial from March 2021

Why we support drivers licenses for undocumented people

The question of whether undocumented residents should be able to get drivers licenses has gained new urgency at the Massachusetts State House amid the pandemic. Sixteen states and D.C. already issue licenses to undocumented residents—and we’re advocating for Massachusetts to join them. Why? Allowing all residents to get licenses improves road safety and accountability by allowing people who are already driving to have proper identification, certification and, crucially, insurance. Criminalizing physical mobility also inhibits social mobility by restricting access to jobs, food, education and community. That’s not something we, as transportation justice advocates, can allow to remain on the books.

Help us get this change passed into law!

We’re advocating at the State level for An Act relative to work and family mobility during and subsequent to the COVID-19 emergency (SD.273/HD.448). Contact your representatives using the form below, and ask them to support this bill! CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

For more information, check out this editorial from the Boston Globe in support of expanding access to drivers licenses.

Or, attend this free concert on May 13 hosted by JP Progressives to learn more and build support for licenses for all.

Bike Month begins this weekend

May is Bike Month, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you! (Last year, Bike Month was postponed from May and ultimately held in a limited form in September.) Stay tuned for more information later this week, and then all throughout May, about happenings and events— including some sweet raffle prizes you won’t want to miss.

More job opportunities

• Boston Transportation Department — Corridor Planner, Blue Hill Avenue and Columbia Road

Chain of Events

• Sat. April 24 — Ride for Black Lives Boston, End the War on Drugs and Mass Incarceration
  
• Wed. May 5 — BTD Bike Chat: Carrying Cargo
  
• Sat. May 8 (postponed from 4/25) — DotBike Community Bike Tour Around Boston Little Saigon
  
• Thur. May 13 — Songs for the Open Road: A Concert to Drive Immigration Reform 
  
• Sat. May 15 — BTD Bike Chat: Carrying Cargo
  
• Tue. May 18 — BCU Activist Group Meeting
  
• Wed. May 19 — BTD Bike Chat: Carrying Cargo

What we’re reading

• Opinion: Get police out of the business of traffic stops (Washington Post)
  
• A Brief History Of How Racism Shaped Interstate Highways (NPR)
  
• If You Build It, They Will Bike: Pop-Up  Lanes Increased Cycling During Pandemic (New York Times)
  
• Activists hail Massachusetts law as crucial step on environmental justice (The Guardian)
  
• Boston Aims to Launch E-Cargo Bike Delivery Pilot in 2022 (StreetsblogMass)