Bringing Virginia’s Voice to Capitol Hill: National Bike Summit Recap

Virginia bicycling advocates outside Sen. Tim Kaine’s office on March 25.

Last week, several members of the Virginia Bicycling Federation board, along with representatives from cycling organizations across the Commonwealth, traveled to Washington, D.C. for the League of American Bicyclists’ National Bike Summit.

Held annually, the Summit brings together advocates from across the country to learn about issues affecting vulnerable road users, participate in group rides that highlight different types of bike infrastructure, and take part in Lobby Day on Capitol Hill.

This year’s sessions covered a wide range of timely topics. Of particular interest to VBF was the growing need to distinguish between e-bikes and e-motorcycles in legislation–an issue that will be a key focus of our work in the coming year. Other sessions explored topics such as cycling on university campuses, measuring the economic benefits of bike infrastructure, improving bike access on Amtrak, and addressing barriers to everyday biking.

During Lobby Day, Virginia participants met with staff from eight Congressional offices to advocate for safer, more accessible transportation options. Key priorities included:

• Reauthorization of the Safe Streets for All program, which would provide $5 billion annually for fiscal years 2027–2031. The proposed changes would shift more funding toward implementation by reducing the portion allocated to planning projects from 40% to 20%.
• Support for a transportation reauthorization bill that maintains a strong Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP), rather than combining it with other funding streams.
• Passage of the Sarah Debbink Lagenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act, which would allow states to use Highway Safety Improvement Program funds to help meet local match requirements for safety-focused TAP projects, which is an especially important change for rural and smaller communities that may struggle to cover the required 20% match.

The National Bike Summit continues to be an invaluable opportunity to connect with advocates from across the country, share ideas, and build momentum for safer, more accessible transportation systems. We’re honored to be a voice for Virginia and to bring those insights back to our communities.

Registration support for several VBF board members was made possible through member contributions. Thank you to our members for helping make this experience possible.