Our Policy & Design Committee has been hard at work showing up, digging into city projects and budgets, and advocating for better, safer streets across New Orleans. We wanted to share a few updates and some opportunities for you to get involved.Bike Streets Scavenger HuntThank you to everyone who participated in the Bike Streets bike rack scavenger hunt! We believe Bike Streets is an amazing piece of digital infrastructure, and weve seen firsthand how much easier it can make navigating the city by bike. If you havent checked out the map or app yet, we highly encourage you to do so.Bike Streets New Orleans is a grassroots effort that relies on community suggestions to identify quiet streets and protected infrastructure, as well as construction, closures and other disruptions that arent always formally communicated. If youre interested in the methodology behind Bike Streets, you can also check out Avis book.Downtown Bikeway NetworkOne piece of good news is that the City has begun planning a new Downtown Bikeway Network. Well be keeping a close eye on this project and have already provided feedback on the design.Get Involved in the City BudgetThe Citys budget is one of the biggest opportunities we have to advocate for the infrastructure and services we want to see in New Orleans. City Council budget hearings are happening now, and many of the Departments we work with are presenting their plans. The hearings are open to the public, and residents can attend and provide comment. We highly encourage you to do so.This schedule is open to change so click here to check the most up to date infoIf, like us, you find the City budget a little intimidating, there are some great resources to help make sense of it. Here are some handy links:Committee for a Better New Orleans budget guide Budget hearing scheduleStream of initial Budget Presentation from September 22nd. Remember: you can catch previous Livestreams in the City Councils Youtube channel. Committee for Better New Orleans Webinar: Residents Guide to the new Citys Budget Dashboard and other resources that can help you understand where money is going and how to participate.We especially encourage folks interested in biking, walking, transit and infrastructure to pay attention to these conversations. Budgets are statements of priorities, and showing up during the process is one way we can make sure safe, connected transportation is part of that conversation.Other Ways to Weigh InComment on changes to North Broad Street by October 2DOTD is planning to resurface US 90 from Lafitte Avenue to France Road. The project includes some welcome pedestrian improvements, but also changes to the existing bike lane, medians and turning movements. At the recent public meeting, we learned that portions of the existing buffered bike lane will lose buffer space to accommodate vehicle turning movements, while the bike lane itself would remain paint-only. If you bike, walk, live or travel along Broad Street, please take a few minutes to review the proposal and share your thoughts with DOTD.Submit a comment hereComment on the regions Transportation Improvement Program by October 12The Regional Planning Commissions Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) lays out transportation projects expected to receive federal funding over the next four years. You dont need to review the entire document. If theres a project, dangerous crossing or missing connection you know well, tell the RPC about it. Wed particularly like to highlight the St. Claude Avenue corridor study and encourage the RPC to prioritize and expedite that work.Review the TIP and commentHelp shape the regions long-term transportation plan by October 12The RPC is also accepting comments on its Metropolitan Transportation Plan 2056, which sets transportation priorities for the Greater New Orleans region over the coming decades. This is a good place to share your broader experience: What would make it easier and safer to walk, bike or take transit to work, school and everyday destinations?Read the plan and commentFederal transportation fundingCongress is working on the next federal transportation bill, and proposals under discussion in the Senate could restrict where federal funding can be used for bike lanes and other bike-safety projects. The League of American Bicyclists is asking people to contact their members of Congress and urge them to preserve federal funding for biking and walking safety projects. It takes about a minute, and adding a couple of sentences about why safe biking infrastructure matters in your community makes the message more personal.Take ActionJoin Us for St. Claude Trash Bash: October 10 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pmAnd finally, wed love to see some of you out on St. Claude with us! For the St. Claude Trash Bash on October 10, Bike Easy has adopted the first block of St. Claude just off Elysian Fields, an area that has experienced ongoing maintenance and cleanliness issues over the years. We want to use this as more than just a cleanup. Well be out there cleaning up the block, talking with neighbors and people using the corridor, and listening to what people have to say about St. Claude. Its also a great opportunity to talk with folks about our Safer St. Claude work and what wed like to see for the corridor in the future. Were looking for volunteers to help us with the cleanup and community engagement. If you can join us, reply to this email and let us know. The St. Claude Trash Bash is part of a broader community-led effort focused on improving the corridor, including safer streets, better infrastructure, lighting, tree canopy and long-term investment.Thank you for continuing to show up, ask questions, file 311 reports, attend meetings and speak up for safer, more connected streets across New Orleans.Policy work is often slow, but having more people paying attention and showing up makes a real difference.We hope to see you out there!Allene La Spina & Adam DavisCo-Chairs, Bike Easy Policy & Design Committee