If you want to get involved in bicycle safety in your neighborhood, you should make your way to the neighborhood greenways meetup tonight at Mosaic Coffeehouse in Wallingford (NE 44th St and 2nd Ave NE). Organizers of existing neighborhood groups will be there to discuss greenways and talk about the citizens movement for safe neighborhood streets.

If your neighborhood does not yet have a group organized, the meeting could be a great way to learn how to start your own and see how other groups have gotten where they are.

The meetup kicks off with a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Here’s more info from the Facebook event:

We’ll be having a community meetup for current (and future!) organizers working towards building Neighborhood Greenways across Seattle.

Neighborhood Greenways are residential streets with low traffic volumes and speeds where bicycles, pedestrians and neighbors receive priority. To learn more about Greenways development in neighboring Portland, check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNNxwF1BPKE

This’ll be a great opportunity to network with and learn from other neighborhood organizers working to build Neighborhood Greenways in Seattle. Whether you’re interested in getting safe bikeways in your own neighborhood and wondering where to start – or just interested in learning about this emerging grassroots movement in Seattle – you are invited to join us!

SCHEDULE:
– 6:30-7:15: Potluck dinner
– 7:15-7:35: Neighborhood Greenways updates by neighborhood organizers from Beacon Hill, University District, Wallingford and Ballard
– 7:35-7:50: Guest speaker (and accomplished North Beacon Hill community organizer) Frederica Merrell on Beacon BIKES’s work and the keys to success in organizing a Neighborhood Greenways effort.
– 7:50-8:15: Q & A/Discussion
– 8:15-8:30: Closing thoughts by Sally Bagshaw (Seattle City Council)

POTLUCK DETAILS:
– Bring a dish or desert of your choice to share.
– Sorry, but alcoholic beverages are not permitted by our venue.
– If you wish, please consider buying a drink from the non-profit coffee shop to thank them for providing our space at no charge.

If you’re interested in Greenways organizing but can’t make it, join the mailing list for Seattle Neighborhood Greenways organizing:

http://groups.google.com/group/seattle-greenways-organizers

RSVP:
– Please RSVP so we can maintain an accurate attendee count, as our venue is limited to 30-ish people.

UPDATE: Two of Portland’s neighborhood greenways movers and shakers are coming to talk September 22, so mark your calendars. Details:

It’s our privilege to welcome Mark Lear and Greg Raisman, the “dynamic duo” behind Portland’s Neighborhood Greenways program. You’ll have the chance to hear their personal stories of how Portland is making this transformation possible, and to discover how Seattle’s burgeoning Neighborhood Greenways movement can learn from and apply their experiences.

(You can see Mark & Greg offer a guided Greenway tour in this excellent short film: http://www.streetfilms.org/portlands-bike-boulevards-become-neighborhood-greenways/ )

LOCATION: University of Washington, Savery Hall 264 <http://www.washington.edu/maps/?l=SAV>

DATE & TIME: Thursday September 22nd @ 7:00 PM