Save the Bicycle Advisory Council, sign the petition!
Alejandro De La Vega
Hello BAC Community,
City Council is considering a proposal to dissolve the Bicycle Advisory Council (BAC) at the Audit and Finance Commision meeting this Wednesday, February 19th. Specifically, Council Member Alter's office has proposed to merge the BAC with the Urban Transportation Commision (UTC).
This move would dilute the focused, citizen-led advocacy that has been instrumental in shaping Austin’s bike infrastructure.
While this is part of a broader effort to eliminate inactive or redundant boards and commissions, the BAC is neither inactive nor redundant. In 2021–2022 alone, we passed 18 recommendations—far above average—and regularly receive more than 50 applicants for every few open seats, underscoring the community’s enthusiasm.
Crucially, the BAC’s independent, citizen-led model allows us to tackle issues at a granular level that a general commission will overlook. A recent example is our on-the-ground ride and review of the Airport Blvd Corridor project, which led to immediate design fixes—real impact of our lived experience as cyclists. This type of work would be nearly impossible under the UTC’s crowded schedule without guaranteed cyclist representation.
Merging with the UTC would undercut cyclist representation at a time when Austin aims to reduce car dependence and achieve ambitious climate goals. Our voices are especially important as the City seeks to rapidly build infrastructure to meet the goals of $1.34B of Mobility Bonds passed from 2016-2020. It is imperative we have a seat at the table to guide key decisions and designs that shape our daily lives.
To help preserve the BAC, please sign this petition and reach out to your Council Member before Wednesday, February 19, when the Audit and Finance Committee will meet and consider action. You can also review our full recommendation (see the appendix of recent BAC actions) and read related Austin Monitor coverage.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Alejandro de la Vega
Chair, Bicycle Advisory Council
Resident, City of Austin District 4