On the Way
Volume 1, Issue 9
August 2007

Welcome
Welcome to On the Way, Transit for Livable Communities’ monthly e-newsletter. This newsletter arrives monthly and gives you information about transit, walking, and bicycling in Minnesota, as well as news and upcoming events.

Photo Credit: Minnesota Historical Society

Table of Contents

• Job and Internship Openings at Transit for Livable Communities.
• TLC's Policy Positions Regarding the 35W Bridge Collapse 
• Bike/Walk Twin Cities at the State Fair and Website Debuts
  
• Member Profile: Rudy Ellis
• Best Transportation Development? Growing Public Demand for Public Transit, Says Twin Cities Business
• Events
  
• Kevin Somdahl-Sands Moves to Ireland
  
• Subscribe!

Work at Transit for Livable Communities!
Transit for Livable Communities is seeking qualified people for two great positions: Business & Development Manager and Media Relations/Communications Intern. Want more information? (P.S. We love working here. We think you might too!).





35W Bridge Collapse
The collapse of the 35W bridge is increasing the volume of the debate about Minnesota's transportation future.  Will a new bridge be ready for light rail transit? Will there be a special legislative session to address transportation? If so, will transit be included? Check out TLC’s policy statements on transit and transportation in the wake of the bridge collapse. 

Corn Dogs, Cheese Curds...and Transportation?
Yup, we're at the Great Minnesota Get-Together. As part of the education/community outreach for the Bike/Walk Twin Cities initiative, TLC is hosting a large, hands-on booth at the State Fair's Eco-Experience building. Also, check out the new Bike/Walk Twin Cities website, which will be growing in the coming months.
Photo Credit: www.minneapolis.org.


Member Profile: Rudy Ellis
If you've volunteered with Transit for Livable Communities, chances are you've met Rudy Ellis. Rudy is one of TLC's most prolific volunteers, and he shares his thoughts on Twin Cities transportation and volunteering with TLC.

Best Transportation Development? Growing Public Demand for Public Transit, Says Twin Cities Business Magazine (September 2007).
Despite the depressing, ongoing inability of the state's government to pass a transportation package, the efforts of those pushing for transportation improvement in Minnesota haven't been wasted. Among other things, they've brought to light the fact there is a real demand for improved public transit. People and officials from downtown Minneapolis to Eden Prairie are clamoring for the proposed Southwest light-rail line, for instance. Two factors have pushed the cause forward, particularly among once-skeptical suburbanites: the great success of the Hiawatha light-rail line, and the increasing congestion of metro-area roadways. Piecemeal fixes and bonding (i.e. borrowing from future taxpayers) won't solve the problem. We need a transit system. How long will it take until state leaders--certain state leaders--hear the whistle blow? ~Gene Rebeck, Twin Cities Business Magazine, September 2007.

Events
August 23-September 3, 2007. Bike/Walk Twin Cities booth at the State Fair.
Nervous about putting your bike on the bus? Curious about your eco-footprint? Want to bike and walk more but don't know where to start? Come visit Bike/Walk Twin Cities in the Eco-Experience building at the Fair!

September 28, 2007. Transit for Livable Communities' 10th Anniversary Celebration. Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of Transit for Livable Communities and our many partners and volunteers over the last 10 years. The event will also honor former Congressman Martin Sabo for his leadership in securing significant federal funding for many transit, bicycling, and quality of life improvements in the Twin Cities. The event will serve as a fundraiser for TLC, with proceeds benefiting our education, research, and organizing work for transportation choices in the region. Tickets will be available in September. The event will be held at St. Paul's Union Depot, with a reception at 5:30 p.m., and dinner and program at 6:30 p.m.

September 9, 2007. Saint Paul Classic Bike Tour. The Bike Classic has it all:  fresh local baked goods, the summer’s best organic produce, piping hot Peace Coffee, Aveda product giveaways, recycling and composting stations along the route, family helmet decorating, live music at every scenic rest stop (featuring nationally prominent artists), interpretive nature stops hosted by National Park Service Rangers, an energy-efficiency expo...and traffic-free cycling! The Bike Classic rocks. Register today at www.BikeClassic.org.

For more cool events, check out Transit for Livable Communities' calendar.

Kevin Somdahl-Sands Moves to Ireland
Kevin Somdahl-Sands has managed TLC's fundraising efforts for both individual donors and foundations since 2003. His wife, KC, recently took a teaching job in Ireland, so the family is moving across the Atlantic. We'll miss him and the entire Somdahl-Sands family!

The Details
If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe to this newsletter, please contact Katie Eukel at 651-767-0298 x143 or KatieE@tlcminnesota.org. Also, if you have questions, comments, or story ideas, please let Katie know.