Impact Over Time

• Hosted the 2025 Illinois Bike & Walk Summit in Springfield, including a Lobby Day.

• Successfully advocated for SB2285 which updates the legal definition of a bicycle in the Illinois Vehicle Code to include trikes, adaptive bikes, and other bikes with more than two wheels.

• Successfully advocated for SB1559 which requires IDOT to conduct a traffic study when a pedestrian is killed at an intersection of a state highway. IDOT is also required to publish solutions and best practices to avoid future tragedies.

• Successfully advocated for SB2247 which establishes safety standards for batteries for e-bikes, e-scooters, and other micromobility devices.

• Successfully advocated for HB2983 which requires motorists on a multi-lane road to pass bicyclists in a separate lane, when possible.

• Advocated for HB2454 to recognize bicyclists as permitted and intended users of Illinois roads, though some progress was made

• Advocated for SB1521 to establish an e-bike rebate/incentive program for Illinois residents.

• Advocated for SB2111 to allow bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs.

• Assisted Metra with an overhaul of their bike policy to allow bicycles on all trains

• Introduced the Response to Fatal Crashes initiative to raise awareness of each tragedy, influence decision makers to make Illinois roads safer, and encourage motorists to drive safely near people traveling outside of motor vehicles – pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vulnerable road users.

• Advocated for HB3649 to allow bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs

• Illinois recognized as #11 in the Bicycle Friendly State ranking

• Successfully advocated for SB1710 which requires the installation of permanent signage on bike trails at least 250 feet before an intersection

• Advocated for HB3923 to allow bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs

• Advocated for HB3089 to establish an e-bike rebate/incentive program for Illinois residents

• Spearheaded a coalition letter to Governor Pritzker and IDOT to use funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to focus on safety for vulnerable road users (VRUs).

• Collaborated with partner orgs to craft a survey for Illinois Secretary of State candidates to better understand their vision for biking and walking in Illinois.

• Hosted the 2022 Illinois Bike Summit in Champaign to convene advocates and professionals from around the state to discuss matters related to bicycling, education, funding, and infrastructure

• Advocated for HB4276 to allow bicyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs

• Illinois recognized as #15 in the Bicycle Friendly State ranking

• Successfully advocated for HB270 to eliminate the match for local agencies (typically 20%) seeking to add or improve bike/pedestrian infrastructure

• Advocated for Zero Traffic Death Resolutions in the U.S. Congress

• Coordinated the inaugural Let’s Ride, Illinois community bike ride event

• Successfully advocated Metra to ease bike restrictions on trains during the pandemic. 

• Issued a statement of support for League of American Bicyclists to remove enforcement as a key pillar in the Bicycle Friendly America program.Hosted the virtual 2020 Illinois Bike Summit (which was planned to take place in Palatine) to convene advocates and professionals from around the state to discuss matters related to bicycling, education, funding, and infrastructure.

• Suggested a series of bike-friendly updates to IDOT’s Bureau of Design and Environment Manual that is used by local agencies in Illinois when planning infrastructure projects. Many were accepted.

• Advocated for updates to IDOT’s rumble strip policy to require at least 3-ft of clear zone and longitudinal breaks

• Added Spanish versions of all quizzes to BikeSafetyQuiz

• Added a Truck Driver quiz to the BikeSafetyQuiz suite of online quizzes

• Shared key priorities with Governor Pritzker at the beginning of his first term

• Illinois recognized as #16 in the Bicycle Friendly State ranking

• Successfully advocated for HB5143 which requires the Dutch Reach to be included on the driver’s exam and public-facing materials to reduce incidences of “dooring” crashes.

• Successfully advocated for HB4799 which requires Illinois schools to teach safe biking and walking methods to students.

• Launched the BikeSafetyQuiz Mini-Grant program. The Motorist Quiz was completed by 13,000 high school driver’s education students in the first year.

• Hosted the 2018 Illinois Bike Summit in Chicago to convene advocates and professionals from around the state to discuss matters related to bicycling, education, funding, and infrastructure.

• Advocated for Congress to protect funding for bike infrastructure in the new transportation bill

• Successfully advocated for HB1784 to strengthen bicyclists rights on the road by:

  • Allowing motorists to pass bicyclists in a no-passing zone

  • Legalize bicycling on shoulders, but not require it

  • Allow a rear red light in addition to or instead of a rear red reflector

• Collaborate with the Illinois Secretary of State to reflect current state laws pertaining to bicyclists and motorists in the Rules of the Road publication.

• Complete a full review of IDOT’s Multi-Year Plan (MYP) to suggest bike/ped-friendly improvements to planned infrastructure projects.

• Successfully advocated for HB2895 which designates bicycling as the state’s official exercise.

• Illinois recognized as #16 in the Bicycle Friendly State ranking

Hosted the 2016 Illinois Bike Summit in Bloomington to convene advocates and professionals from around the state to discuss matters related to bicycling, education, funding, and infrastructure.

• Advocated to fund the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP)

• New Bike-to-Metra Guides developed for a total of 37 communities

• 15 BikeSafetyQuiz ambassadors hired to broadly share the online resource

• Co-hosted the 2015 Illinois Bike Summit (with Champaign County Bikes) in Champaign to convene advocates and professionals from around the state to discuss matters related to bicycling, education, funding, and infrastructure.

• Developed and launched a Mayor’s Bicycle Safety Challenge which drew interest from 26 communities around Illinois

• Re-branded organization from League of Illinois Bicyclists to Ride Illinois

• Illinois recognized as #14 in the Bicycle Friendly State ranking

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for: 1) HR1274 (the Vision Zero Act) and 2) S705 (the Transportation Alternatives Program Improvement)

• Design of “State Law: 3 Feet Min to Pass Bicycles” signs approved by IDOT

• Illinois recognized as #11 in the Bicycle Friendly State ranking

• Co-hosted the 2014 Illinois Bike Summit (with Champaign County Bikes) in Champaign

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for: 1) HR3494 (the Bike/Pedestrian Safety Act), 2) HR2468 (the Safe Streets Act), and 3) HR3978 (the New Opportunities Act)

• Launched BikeSafetyQuiz – a first of its kind resources to educate bicyclists and motorist on ways to safely share the road

• Provided input on an update to the State Bike Plan developed by IDOT, including a detailed list of policy suggestions

• Illinois recognized as #9 in the Bicycle Friendly State ranking

• Assisted with the planning and coordination of the 2013 Illinois Bike Summit in Normal

• BikeSafetyQuiz used to support a ticket diversion program in Champaign

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate against proposed budget cuts to Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancement programs. Unfortunately, funding for biking and walking was cut 42% in the transportation bill.

• Production and delivery begins on 1,500 “Share the Road” specialty license plates

• Proposed several bike-friendly updates to IDOT’s Local Roads Manual

• Attended and presented at the 2012 Central Illinois Bike Summit in Normal

• Updated the “Illinois Bicyclist Guide” for distribution around the state

• Assisted IDOT and Governor Quinn with a long-range transportation planning process focusing on sustainability and multi-modal transportation

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for a sign-on letter asking the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) to create a non-motorized (bicyclist and pedestrian) safety performance measure

• Mailed Children’s Bike Safety sheets to more than 213,000 students in public and private schools in Illinois, including a Spanish version for the first time

• Successfully advocated for SB2528 which allows bicyclists to proceed through a red light after waiting a “reasonable period of time” and when it’s safe to do so

• Began reviewing IDOT engineering manuals to recommend bike-friendly improvements

• Completed a survey of county highway departments serving the state’s 12 main urban areas focused on specific bicycle and pedestrian road design policies

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for: 1) sensible budget cuts in a difficult economy, including the ITEP program, 2) a new Complete Streets bill, and 3) representation on the Congressional Bike Caucus from Illinois

• Successfully advocated for updates to IDOT’s Complete Streets policy to fund 80% of the cost of sidewalks, sidepath trails, and on-road bike lanes. Local agencies pay 20%.

• Successfully advocated for SB2798 to make the “Share the Road” specialty license plates permanent and official in Illinois

• Successfully advocated for SB2951 which notes that a motorist shall not, in a reckless manner, drive unnecessarily close to, toward, or near a bicyclist

• Successfully advocated to retain Transportation Enhancement funding and requested significant investments in bikeways resulting in over 50M available for relevant projects

• Mailed Children’s Bike Safety sheets to more than 214,000 students in 2,900 public and private schools in Illinois

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for: 1) HR1443 (the Complete Streets Act of 2009), HR4722 (the Active Community Transportation Act of 2010), and HR4021 (a Safe Routes to School bill to extend eligibility to high schools)

• Successfully advocated against closing 11 state parks due to state funding cuts to IDNR included in SB1103

• Successfully advocated for HB71 (Matt’s Law) which makes it illegal in Illinois to compose, send or read text messages, instant messages and e-mail on a cell phone or surf the internet while driving

• Advocated for SB76 to make the “Share the Road” specialty license plates permanent and official in Illinois

• Collaborated with IDOT and partners to ensure effective use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) federal funds. The efforts were somewhat successful

• Developed and released a report entitled, “(In)Complete Streets – Rating 46 Recent Chicago Area Road Designs For Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety” to note that the region still has a long road ahead to make travel by foot or bicycle safer and more convenient

• Conducted 10 “Introduction to Bicycle Planning” seminars around Illinois with a total of nearly 500 people in attendance

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for: 1) Passage of a Complete Streets bill, 2) to re-write of Transportation Act to more favorably benefit non motorized forms of transportation, 3) a larger share of transportation safety dollars for bike/ped safety, and 4) representation on the Congressional Bike Caucus from Illinois

• Developed and distributed the “Guide to Municipal Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning” to show local officials and staff what bicycle and pedestrian planning entail

• Developed an “Illinois Bicyclist Guide” for distribution around the state

• Successfully advocated for HB4757 and SB3211, the Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School Transparency Act. Neither bill was signed into law, but an agreement was later reached to establish a more transparent grant selection process

• Successfully advocated for HB4861 which creates the offense of infliction of serious physical injury or death to a vulnerable user of a public way

• Mailed Children’s Bike Safety sheets to every Illinois 4th grade student in Illinois

• Proposed the development of Bike-to-Metra guides to produce and print brochures for 12-16 stations in the region

• Illinois recognized as #8 in the inaugural Bicycle Friendly State ranking

• Assisted DuPage Department of Transportation with the development of their Complete Streets policy. DuDOT was an early adopter of Complete Streets

• Launched the “Train the Trainer” program - a campaign to promote bike safety to children in 40 communities in Illinois

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for: 1) a Congressional Resolution to meet the nation's transportation, health, energy, recreation and environmental goals, 2) Complete Streets design, and 3) Congressional support for the National Park Service

• Successfully advocated for SB80 which: 1) requires motorists to provide at least three feet of space when passing a bicyclist, 2) allow bicyclists to “take the lane” where right turns are authorized, and 3) allows the option of using the right hand and arm to signal a right turn

• Successfully advocated for SB314 which provides that bicycle and pedestrian ways shall be given full consideration in the planning and development of transportation facilities

• Advocated for SB1382 to create the offense of “negligent vehicular homicide” to fill a gap in prosecution between traffic offenses and reckless vehicular homicide

• Successfully advocated for improvements to IDOT’s administration of the Illinois Transportation Enhancements Program (ITEP), the main grant source available for trails

• Mailed more than 900 “Share the Road: Same Road, Same Rules, Same Rights” DVDs, teaching guides, and test questions to police departments, sheriff’s offices, and high school driver’s education departments in Illinois

• Collaborated with Champaign County State’s Attorney to introduce the Negligent Vehicular Homicide bill

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for the Bicycle Commuter Act, the Conserve by Bicycle program, and Complete Streets legislation

• Developed a video for driver’s education teachers and classes focused on safely sharing the road with bicyclists

• Assisted with efforts to secure 2M in earmark funding for four trail projects in Illinois

• Advocated for HB4907 to recognize bicyclists as permitted and intended users of Illinois roads

• Promoted and participated in the inaugural Ride of Silence

• Successfully advocated against IDOT’s rescission of funding for bike-related projects

• Advocated for updates IDOT policy to include a greater focus on bike-friendly infrastructure design

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for bike-related funding in the SAFETEA-LU federal transportation bill and the Bicycle Commuter Act

• Successfully advocated for bike parking improvements at parking lots along Metra lines

• Advocated for SB275 and HB2390 to recognize bicyclists as permitted and intended users of Illinois roads

• Advocated for SB508 to require transportation projects to accommodate the needs of all highway users, including bicyclists

• Assisted IDOT to develop the first statewide bike plan

• Supported efforts to recognize Route 66 as a National Scenic Byway and to develop a bike route between St. Louis and Chicago

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for dedicated bike/ped funding in the new federal transportation bill

• Successfully advocate to restore funding for the Transportation Enhancements program in the federal 2004 Transportation Appropriations bill

• Collaborated with IDNR to develop and publish the Grand Illinois Trail Guide and the Mississippi River Trail Guide

• Advocated for HB6954 and SB2692 to establish a Safe Routes to School program in Illinois using federal funds

• Successfully advocated against HB4934 which would allow limited IDNR State Bike Path funding to be used for other purposes

• Provided our Municipal Bicycle Resource Guide to 1,000 local planners, engineers, mayors, administrators, and park districts throughout Illinois

• Developed and distributed Bike Safety Sheets for children in grades K-8

• Supported efforts to make the term “complete streets” common knowledge amongst elected officials and decision makers

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for full funding for core programs (Enhancements, CMAQ, Rec Trails)

• Collaborated with IDOT on the initial development of a Bike Policy to determine how bicyclists should be accommodated in state roadway designs

• Advocated for HB1248 and SB275 to recognize bicyclists as permitted and intended users of Illinois roads

• The first Bicycle Friendly Community (Schaumburg) was recognized in Illinois

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for the establishment of a national Safe Routes to School program

• Collaborated with IHSCDEA to develop ‘Tips for Motorists: Sharing the Road with Bicyclists’ in the Illinois High School Driver's Education Resource Guide

• Collaborated with IDOT to incorporate Bicycle Level of Service (BLOS) into infrastructure planning efforts

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. to advocate for TEA-21 federal transportation funding for bike-friendly infrastructure

• Advocated for SB1014 to recognize bicyclists as permitted and intended users of Illinois roads

• Successfully advocated for Pace to install bike racks on all busses

• Attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C.

• Collaborated with IDNR to develop a vision for the Grand Illinois Trail - a 475-mile loop in northern Illinois.

• Developed and forwarded a proposal to provide driver's education curriculum (Share the Road) materials for the Illinois Secretary of State and the Illinois Board of Education to distribute to high school driver's education instructors around the state.

• Successfully advocated for 57M in funding for 80 community bike path projects in Illinois.

• Advocated to the Illinois Supreme Court to overturn the notorious Boub v Wayne case that still plagues the state today

• Successfully advocated for state law that allows bicycles on commuter rail. 

• Collaborated with Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to establish a policy that considers bicyclists’ needs in state highway projects that involve more than resurfacing.