Last year, the League of American Bicyclists ranked West Virginia as the least-friendly state in the nation toward bicyclists, citing lack of bike lanes and other infrastructure developments, inadequate bicycle safety laws and a high biking accident rate.
Want to go?
League of American Bicyclists symposium
The symposium will be held April 17 and 18, and will include a plenary session and dinner at the Governor's Mansion on April 17, with presentations and working groups April 18 in the Charleston Civic Center.
After a lunch from noon to 1 p.m. on April 18, the Mountain State Wheelers will sponsor a ride to the Capitol Complex and back, followed by a longer ride for interested cyclists.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Last year, the League of American Bicyclists ranked West Virginia as the least-friendly state in the nation toward bicyclists, citing lack of bike lanes and other infrastructure developments, inadequate bicycle safety laws and a high biking accident rate.
The low rating may have been the best thing to happen for bicycling in the state in many years.
The league is helping to organize the first West Virginia Cycling Symposium on April 17-18, a conference intended get the state on the road - or at least bike lane - to recovery from its bicycle-unfriendly image.
"We're having people from two national and one international biking organization come in and help us start to get things turned around," said Kim Broughton of Parkersburg, who is coordinating the symposium.
Want to go?
League of American Bicyclists symposium
The symposium will be held April 17 and 18, and will include a plenary session and dinner at the Governor's Mansion on April 17, with presentations and working groups April 18 in the Charleston Civic Center.
After a lunch from noon to 1 p.m. on April 18, the Mountain State Wheelers will sponsor a ride to the Capitol Complex and back, followed by a longer ride for interested cyclists.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Last year, the League of American Bicyclists ranked West Virginia as the least-friendly state in the nation toward bicyclists, citing lack of bike lanes and other infrastructure developments, inadequate bicycle safety laws and a high biking accident rate.
The low rating may have been the best thing to happen for bicycling in the state in many years.
The league is helping to organize the first West Virginia Cycling Symposium on April 17-18, a conference intended get the state on the road - or at least bike lane - to recovery from its bicycle-unfriendly image.
"We're having people from two national and one international biking organization come in and help us start to get things turned around," said Kim Broughton of Parkersburg, who is coordinating the symposium.
Speakers at the symposium will include state Transportation Secretary Paul Mattox, who will outline the state's commitment to bicycling; Sen. Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, who will speak on West Virginia health issues; David Pray, president of the West Virginia Cycling Foundation, and Andy Clarke, director of the League of American Bicyclists.
Symposium presentations and working groups will include sessions on how to turn mountain biking's success in West Virginia into more bike-friendly communities; how to work with the Legislature and Division of Transportation for better bicycling policies and development; the economic impact of bicycling; and bike education and school and youth programs.
The symposium will include a plenary session and dinner at the Governor's Mansion on April 17, with presentations and working groups to be held April 18 in the Charleston Civic Center.
After a lunch from noon to 1 p.m. on April 18, the Mountain State Wheelers will sponsor a ride to the Capitol Complex and back, followed by a longer ride for interested cyclists.
The West Virginia Cycling Symposium is being organized by a volunteer steering committee of cycling advocates from across West Virginia, and staff from the League of American Bicyclists and The Alliance for Biking and Walking.
"The people who are registering for the symposium are just the kind of people we want to be involved," said Broughton. "We have development directors, convention and visitor bureau officials, people in state government, cycling advocates, people in the health field, innkeepers, trail people and bike riders. It's exciting just having everyone get together to talk about cycling in West Virginia."
To register for the event and view the symposium schedule, visit www.wvcf.org and click on the events and programs tab for a link to the symposium.
Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelham...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5169.
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