The Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition is an all-volunteer coalition that that works to improve biking, walking, and transit infrastructure and culture in Saint Paul and Minnesota. Since 2010, we have partnered with citizens, businesses, community groups, government agencies, and elected officials to build a community where people can meet their daily transportation needs through biking or walking.
Our Mission
1. Build and organize a community of people to advocate for active transportation to ensure that our voices are heard in government processes and in the media.
2. Build common cause with businesses, nonprofit organizations, and neighborhood groups to improve conditions for walking and biking.
3. Work with partners in government to improve and implement the Transportation Chapter of the City's Comprehensive Plan and the Saint Paul Bicycle Plan.
4. Develop innovative tools to further advocacy and educate people.
History
The Saint Paul Bicycle Coalition was founded on April 13, 2010, following the City Council's decision to disband the Saint Paul Bicycle Advisory Board (the BAB).
The BAB was established in 1991 and was the first official bicycle advisory board in Minnesota. BAB were representatives from each of Saint Paul's 7 wards, several at-large representatives and agency representatives from Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Police, and Planning and Economic Development (PED). The BAB had no budget and all the non-city-agency members were volunteers. BAB met monthly and provided active transportation input on various city projects and issues. As a city-sponsored group, BAB's role was advisory rather than advocacy.
In 2010, the City of Saint Paul established a "Transportation Committee" as part of the Planning Commission. Bicycling and Pedestrian issues became just a subcommittee of this larger body and, in the spring of 2010, the BAB was officially dissolved or put on "indefinite hiatus."
Members of BAB and others felt Saint Paul needed an independent active transportation advocacy organization to help build more momentum for change. SPBC was created by activists and concerned residents from across Saint Paul, with the assistance of the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota.
Officers and Voting
SPBC is led by two Co-Chairs elected annually. SPBC does not maintain formal membership, so anyone who has attended at least one meeting in the past 12 months is able to vote. The Co-Chairs serve as official contact people and voices for the organization, and make decisions in consultation with membership at our Monthly Advocacy Meetings.
