The 2024 National Bike Summit was an opportunity for bicycle advocates from across the country to meet, collaborate, and re-energize. League of American Bicyclists hosted the annual event which included informative breakout sessions, inspirational keynote speakers, interesting mobile tours, and entertaining social rides.
Illinois was well-represented at the 2024 National Bike Summit, including Ride Illinois Executive Director, Dave Simmons. A dozen more Illinois residents traveled to Washington D.C. for the in-person event and workshops. In addition, several Illinois residents joined the virtual Summit from home. Thanks to all who attended in-person and virtually!
There is a fair amount of overlap in bicycle advocacy priorities at the federal, state, and local level. Funding for bike/ped infrastructure, increased safety for vulnerable road users (VRUs), and encouraging people of all walks of like to use bicycles for some of their regular trips were common themes during the Summit.
Knowledge of legislation and awareness of priorities at the federal level is critical to Ride Illinois’ continued work at the state level. At the same time, it’s important for individuals to be aware of what’s happening in Washington D.C. and Springfield so they can push for positive change in their community. Most advocates are well aware that positive change takes time, patience, and persistence. This reality was top of mind during the National Bike Summit, but it didn’t deter attendees from making an impact during their time in the nation’s capital.
The most impactful day at the National Bike Summit is Lobby Day – a day spent meeting with members of Congress (or their staff) to discuss key federal legislation related to safety, infrastructure, and education. League of American Bicyclists identified the following priorities that the Illinois delegation advocated for during Lobby Day meetings:
Be sure to check out Ride Illinois’ State and Federal Bicycle Bill Tracker for information about bills related to bicycling, safety and infrastructure.
The Illinois delegation appreciates the time that the elected officials and staff took to listen to our concerns. During each meeting, elected officials were asked to co-sponsor the priority bills. While the answer to those pointed questions was often “we’ll need to learn more before committing”, some Illinois members of Congress were or have since become co-sponsors. Below is a list of the offices with whom the Illinois delegation met during Lobby Day:
Most individuals don’t speak with members of Congress on a regular basis, if ever. The training provided by the League of American Bicyclists and the planning meetings held in advance prepared the Illinois delegation for Lobby Day meetings.
The coordination efforts from state coordinators (Armaline Mirretti, Elizabeth Adamczyk, and Kim Messina) resulted in nine meaningful meetings with elected officials. The time and energy state coordinators put forth in preparation for Lobby Day is appreciated!
The following Illinoisans actively participated in Lobby Day meetings:
Follow-up messages have already been sent to the individuals who met with the Illinois delegation on Lobby Day. The requests remain the same: please co-sponsor the important bills that were discussed during our meeting in Washington D.C. We’ll be regularly reaching out to members of Congress to increase the number of co-sponsors on the priority bills.
In addition, Ride Illinois will be sharing Action Alerts with an invitation to Illinois residents to contact Senator Duckworth, Senator Durbin, and their representative with a request to co-sponsor legislation. But there’s no need to wait for the Action Alerts! Search for your elected officials’ contact info on the Illinois State Board of Elections website. Call or send an email to voice your concerns and suggestions to improve biking and safety in your community.
Ride Illinois encourages residents from around the state to contact their elected officials to discuss safety, infrastructure, and education as they relate to bicycling. We’re happy to offer our expertise prior to your outreach. We can be reached at info@rideillinois.org or (630) 216-9282.
