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Coming Together : Public / Private Alliances Public/private alliances are formed to bring together organizations of different natures (public/government groups and private/corporate groups) to work for a common goal. The very difference that exists among the various organizations is why they come together. Where one might be able to provide funding and resources, another might be able to provide the knowledge and expertise about an aspect of the problem or goal. Together, with each organization or individual contributing from it's strength the alliance can work towards accomplishing the goal from multiple perspectives. An example of a public/private alliance that has been established to improve safety and conditions for bicycling is the National Bicycle Safety Network (NBSN). The NBSN is a coalition of public and private organizations and agencies working together to increase safe bicycle use. This includes reducing the incidence of traumatic brain injuries from bicycle use, promoting safe cycling as a viable transportation alternative, and preventing injuries to sites other than the head. The network was established several years ago to exchange information on programs, legislation and research on bicycle safety, and to share resources. In addition, the NBSN has recently taken the lead in developing the National Strategies for Advancing Bicycle Safety, an ambitious and focused plan to reduce the number of bicyclists killed and injured in crashes while still promoting the many benefits of bicycling. A full list of current members of the NBSN, together with links to wide variety of resources related to bicycle safety, is available on the NBSN website. Another partnership that is working effectively to promote bicycling is the Bikes Belong Coalition (BBC). The BBC is a membership organization founded by bicycle industry leaders with the mission of "putting more people on bikes more often through the implementation of TEA-21"—although not technically a public/private partnership, the group is ensuring that Federal and state transportation dollars are making communities more bicycle-friendly. The Coalition offers grants to state and local advocacy groups to help access those transportation dollars for bicycle projects based on the simple premise the money won't actually get spent on improving conditions for bicyclists unless local people develop specific projects which are eligible for funding. That in turn requires advocates to get involved, so Bikes Belong Coalition makes grants to advocacy groups and agencies working to create bicycle facilities. Bikes Belong Coalition also works with political leaders and national advocacy groups to encourage development of additional projects and other ridership building initiatives Find out more about Bikes Belong by visiting their website at www.bikesbelong.org. |