On August 11, Ride Illinois had the honor of leading a bicycle ride for over 150 state lawmakers and legislative staff from around the country. They were in Chicago for the annual National Conference of State Legislatures Summit. Each year, our sister organization, Bike Texas, hauls two truckloads of bicycles to wherever the conference is being held and organizes a ride for the attendees with the help of a local partner like us. We invited Illinois Representative Elaine Nekritz (D) and Illinois Senator Christine Radogno (R) to co-host the ride with us, and help us invite other Illinois legislators to participate in the ride. We also created the route and recruited an amazing group of volunteers to unload and set up the bikes for the early morning ride.
Starting in Chicago’s Grant Park, the 8.5 mile ride combined the grandiosity of the Lakefront Path and views that evoked the grit of the City’s industrial past. The return route showcased projects that have significantly improved the safety and comfort of on-street bicycling, such as the new curb-protected bike lanes on 31st Street through Bronzeville and the Illinois Institute of Technology’s campus.
By providing this fun, low stress way to tour cities, legislators can ride away inspired to improving the cycling environment in their home states—and with the ideas to make it happen. Before the ride, Senator Christine Radogno explained: “We welcome the opportunity to share examples of bike improvements made possible by local, state, and federal collaboration.” Representative Elaine Nekritz added, “I look forward to taking the conference outside. Riding a bike is one of the best ways to experience Chicago.”
Ride Illinois would like to thank the volunteers who arrived at 3am for setup and went above, beyond, below, and around to help make this event happen. They also do great work on behalf of cycling in general:
Elizabeth Adamczyk, Women Bike Chicago and the Ride of Silence
Romina Castillo-Guerrero, Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children
Steve Buchtel, Trails for Illinois
Dan Law Black and Jamal Julien, Slow Roll Chicago
We are also extremely grateful to Kevin Womac, Mary Randall, and Adam Patraitis of Boulevard Bikes who blow us away with their skills and non-stop effort: with nary a break, they set up the bikes, ensured a good fit for the riders, helped marshal the ride, and then stuck around for event breakdown.
We also thank Bike Texas, conference staff, Texas State Senator Rodney Ellis (D), and Texas Representative Dan Flynn (R) for inviting us to help with the ride and for spreading the word about bicycling to state legislators every year.