In 2016 Andrew Killen, a teacher at KC East High School, wanted to spread bike joy among his students. Mr. Killen partnered with BikeWalkKC and started planning... The kids got excited, and the first Bike Club class maxxed out at 35 students!
Bike Club provides skills and equipment for students to use bikes as their primary transportation, including commuting to their after-school jobs. The students also gain confidence and learn to make safe biking choices even when the streets aren't built to protect them. Recognizing the obstacles, Killen observed,
“So many of our students have learned from their families that their neighborhoods are not safe for riding. Demonstrating that you can be comfortable exiting your neighborhood and exploring your community is a primary goal for the club.”
Bike Club co-leader Dr. Amanda Dennison, has seen how much students gain from their experiences:
“Bike Club empowers students in a way they didn’t even know was possible. Independence is what so many of our kids seek.”
Will you begin a monthly gift to BikeWalkKC? For just $10 a month, you can give teens the independence to bike to school, summer jobs, and grandma’s house!
Happy Bike Month!Â
Each May, we celebrate our neighbors and friends who ride and roll with us. This month, we're highlighting people, events, and stories that make bicycling in the KC metro really special.
May also marks the beginning of our twice-monthly summer newsletters. There is so much going on that we can't fit it all in one email! Check our community calendar for Bike Month events.
"If you think your school needs a bike bus, you're the right person to start it!"
Five schools in the KC metro have joined the bike bus movement! Families at Border Star Elementary, Foreign Language Academy, and Hale Cook Elementary in KCMO, Rushton Elementary in Mission, and TA Edison in KCK are now biking to school.
🧚 Our resident "bike bus fairy," Ellen Schwartze, would love to share her magic with you. Get in touch! bikebus@bikewalkkc.org
Want more frequent and in-depth youth education stories and resources? Subscribe to our Safe Routes to School mailing list!
Bike Month Special: 30% off Annual Memberships
May is Bike Month! To celebrate, Bike Share KC is offering steep discounts on our Annual Memberships. Bike Share KC Annual Members get 80 minutes of free ride time every day with no unlock fees!
How to get 30% off an Annual BSKC Membership:
1. Download the Bike Share KC app from your Apple or Google app store and create an account.
2. Redeem the code in "Coupons and Credits" before you select pricing and membership. Redeeming the code BIKEMONTH26 will automatically select an Annual Membership and activate the 30% discount.
3. To use your free ride minutes, select your membership when beginning a trip.
This offer is valid May 1-31 and is good for new and renewing members only. It does not apply to current members. Ride time beyond the 80 free minutes per day costs 25 cents per minute. Users may incur an extra fee for parking a bike outside a designated bike share hub, parking without ending their trip or using the lock, or for parking a bike in a manner that blocks an access point.
Questions? Email our customer service team at info@bikesharekc.com.
May 21 📆 KCMO 3rd District Transportation Townhall
If you live in the 3rd district, join BikeWalkKC and Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council to talk about transportation in your district! This townhall is an opportunity to learn and share your thoughts, experiences, tensions and ideas around transportation and how transportation projects happen in your area. Water and light snacks provided, kids welcome. Click here to learn more
Confusing e-bike legislation doesn't make anyone safer
It has become the talk of the county and our greater metro area that we need to address e-bikes, and regulate for the purposes of safety. However, we must emphasize that e-bikes are not the problem... Click to read the blog by Policy Director Rayan Makarem
UPDATE: One bike lane saved, more are at risk
Even when the federal government threatens to eliminate funding for "bike lanes and murals," and suggests states "reallocate" road space to create more driving lanes, we’re not going to stop until we get what we deserve: safe, healthy, and happy communities where all of us can thrive. Click to demand safer streets in the transportation reauthorization bill
Due June 30 📆 Overland Park Safe Streets Plan
The City of Overland Park is developing a Safe Streets Plan! This plan will identify where crashes happen, then use that information to prioritize safety improvements and make streets safer for everyone. Here's how you can help before the deadline on June 30:
âś…Â Take the survey to share how you get around Overland Park and what improvements would make it safer, and attend a pop-up event to give feedback and meet the project team!
Advocacy Alert subscribers have already seen this news! Want timely news and action items just for your zip code? Click here to sign up for our Advocacy Alerts!Â
Welcome to our series, Rules of the Road with Popham Law! For the next few months, attorney Paul Anderson will answer common questions about bicyclists' rights and responsibilities.
Q: What do I do if a dog chases and bites me?
A: If a dog chases you, your first job is to get away safely without crashing if you can. If you’re bitten, stop and call 911. Get the dog owner’s name, address, and phone number, and ask for the dog’s rabies vaccination vet/clinic if they know it. Take photos of your wounds, the dog (if it’s safe), and where it happened, and get any witness names. Wash the bite with soap and water as soon as you can and see a doctor the same day — even small bites can get infected. Report the bite to animal control or your local health department so they can check on vaccinations and quarantine rules.Â
Then talk with a lawyer about your options for medical bills and other losses. Dog owners have a responsibility to keep their dogs secured, so they don’t bite or chase others, and they can be held responsible for all injuries caused to you.
Paul Anderson is a trial lawyer at Popham Injury Law in Kansas City, where his practice focuses on representing people injured by dangerous drivers and unsafe road conditions. As an avid cyclist himself, Paul has successfully represented numerous cyclists and pedestrians harmed in motor vehicle crashes, giving him a deep understanding of both the legal issues and the real world challenges vulnerable road users face. He is committed to educating cyclists, drivers, and the broader community about safety, insurance, and accountability so that preventable injuries and deaths never occur in the first place. Popham Injury Law is a team of dedicated trial lawyers who represent injured victims, on a contingency-fee basis, in Kansas City and across the country, fighting to ensure they receive full and fair compensation.
Many thanks to Paul Anderson and Popham Law for sponsoring our adult bike education series this spring!
What we're reading
Kansas City will lose a fourth of its daily bus routes after the World Cup |Officials say they need more regional funding to bring routes back. “Everyone has to let the city know how impactful this will be to them. When we all come together as a community and everyone starts making their voices heard, that's when you start getting action.” (KCUR)
Congress Gave States Enough Money to Fix Every Road in America; Some States Set It On Fire Instead | Every new lane-mile of highway built will cost future taxpayers $47,300 per year to maintain in good condition... and America built 119,257 of them in the six years the researchers analyzed. (Streetsblog)
The Highway Lobby Spends Millions to Make Sure We Pay Billions | The average family spends $12,000 a year on transportation and 90% of Americans don't have access to public transit... and the highway lobby spends big bucks to make sure you spend more. (Union of Concerned Scientists)
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