Welcome to BWAM's first issue of The Spoke 'n Step, a bi-monthly e-newsletter designed to keep you informed and connected. Please let us know what you think!

Today is your day to wave! Cyclists and walkers can revel in the fun and camaraderie of choosing alternative travel. BWAM encourages those on bikes and feet to wave to each other on Wednesdays! (Be sure to wave at all those people on the buses, too.) The idea caught on and even got some national attention from the recent Missoulian article by Michael Moore. Thanks, Michael!

Committee reports at the meeting included the following updates from the 3P committee:

Higgins Avenue from the bridge to Brooks Street
Businesses have been contacted and are generally supportive of a three-lane proposal, but the process to achieving this will be lengthy. Details about the project will be posted on the BWAM website soon.

Adopt-a-Lane
BWAM's new Adopt-a-Lane program aims to coordinate neigborhood residents and report unplowed bike lanes in connection with the City’s Bike Lane Plowing Plan. Volunteer neighborhood "Captains" will contact Brian Hensel , Superintendent of the Missoula Street Maintenance Division, when residents report to the Captains that lanes have not been cleared within a reasonable period or when city plows have created obstructions in bike lanes. For details, to find out if you have a neighborhood captain, or to volunteer to be one, go to Adopt-a-Lane.

Board Elections
Erin Kautz and Ethel MacDonald were re-elected to three-year terms on the Board, and Marta Meengs and Kevin Hyde were elected to fill two vacancies. Molly Galusha is stepping off the board at the end of her one-year term; John Matthews after completing one year of a three-year term. The nine-member board was set up with initial one, two, and three-year terms, but all new terms will be for three years.

High School Program: COMMOTION
BWAM members interested in promoting biking and walking to school by teenagers are currently working with Roxy Todd, VISTA volunteer at Missoula in Motion. One Hellgate group has already been working with Roxy in creating a website, www.mslacommotion.com, and a flashy brochure promoting all kinds of alternative transportation to school. BWAM’s assistance will focus more on making biking the “cool way to get to school” in all the high schools, as a supplement to the Commotion efforts. A joint project includes recruiting Bike Ambassadors from each of the high schools and meeting together to encourage leadership and ideas from the students. Please contact ethelmacd@gmail.com or rtodd@co.missoula.mt.us if you know of a teenage bike enthusiast or teacher who might help recruit bike ambassadors in the high schools.

Join a BWAM Committee
BWAM is currently seeking interested individuals to help with the Communications and Events committees. If you have any marketing or planning talents and are interested in volunteering, please email us at bikewalk@bikewalkmissoula.org.

Little Known Fact
According to Ideal Bite, one cup of coffee purchased every day in a disposable container contributes about 22.75 pounds of waste per year.