Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition

CONTACT:

171 Milk Street Suite 33
Boston, MA 02109
617-542-BIKE
www.massbike.org

David Watson, Executive Director

DESCRIPTION:

MassBike’s mission is to make Massachusetts a better place to bike! What a great idea. Founded in 1977, MassBike represents ride clubs and racers, family day- trippers, commuters, bicycle shops, recreational riders and just about anyone who has ever ridden a bicycle. With more than 1,100 members, its purpose is to promote the bicycle as a safe, healthful, enjoyable and environmentally sound means of transportation, to seek to establish an atmosphere which enhances those qualities of bicycle transportation, and to serve and protect the interests of the bicycling public.

MassBike is committed to create change in four major areas: on existing vehicular roads; on off-road facilities such as rail-trails and bike paths; in the workplace and destinations, by providing bike parking and facilities; and inter-modal facilities, such as trains and buses. Major accomplishments include the creation of a Bike/Pedestrian/Trials Caucus at the State House, passage of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Law, which states that the commonwealth must reasonably accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians in any Highway Dept. project, and designation of the Charles River Bikepath as the first piece of the East Coast Greenway in Massachusetts. Its Earn-A-Bike Program in Worcester teaches riding skills to children, trains bike mechanics and distributes free helmets and its Bicycle Education Program for Police Officers, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, teaches police personnel about the rights of bicyclists. It is an environmentally sound organization that can use your support.

(2003: HUMAN SERVICES: Well-Being)