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A Car’s Perfect Cycling Accessory

By Clarissa Ersoz

In the Northwest and around the country, Share the Road and other cycling specialty license plates have allowed motorists to show their support for bicycling while helping finance safety, education and advocacy initiatives. Beginning with Washington’s implementation, followed by Oregon, and hopefully Idaho’s inauguration in the near future, soon every Northwest state could offer plates that champion cycling.

Thirteen years ago, 13-year-old Cooper Jones, a native of Spokane, Wash., was hit by a car and killed during a time trial in Cheney, Wash. To enlighten the public about the responsibility of motorists and the rights of cyclists, advocacy groups, including the Bicycle Alliance of Washington (BAW), created the Cooper Jones license plate emblems in 2003 that stated, “Share the Road.” In 2005, Don Martin, life member of the BAW, proposed the development of a specialty license plate that would promote cycling and produce revenue to support bicycle safety and education. With the help of collected petition signatures and the support of local legislators, Washington’s Share the Road plate became available at the beginning of 2006, making it one of at least 18 currently available in

the nation.

The original cost to purchase a plate is $40 and the BAW receives $28 per plate purchased. This revenue funds safety and education programs, including Safe Routes to School - a national movement to increase the number of students who safely bike and walk to school - and the Bike Buddy program, which matches experienced commuters who volunteer their time to help those looking for guidance in using their bike as a primary means of transportation. The proceeds also enabled BAW to sponsor the Get Lit program, which distributes free headlights and tail lights to low-income cyclists. Mostly centered in the Seattle area, BAW plans to expand the program across the state with the help of license plate sales. Cycling enthusiasts can also purchase Share the Road jerseys from the organization.

Share the Road plates have also funded the distribution of educational and safety materials designed to target motorists by giving flyers and DVDs to driver education programs around Washington State. Bicycle Alliance has also been able to conduct commute workshops and provide cycling information at public events and conferences including the Washington Traffic Safety Education Association (WTSEA).

According to Dave Janis of the BAW, around 4,000 plates have been sold since their inauguration. The additional cost for the plate is a tax-deductible donation. Plates can also be personalized for a supplementary fee. So far, sales have generated around $325,000 to support cycling safety and motorist awareness to marginalize accidents like that of Cooper Jones.

Washington was the first Northwest state to adopt these specialty plates and now neighboring states are following suit - in Oregon, Share the Road plates were introduced in 2007, in memory of Jane Higdon, who died after being struck by a car while training on her bike in 2006. The additional fees are only five dollars per year of registration at the time of purchase. Proceeds are split equally between the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and Cycle Oregon. Jerry Norquist, director of Cycle Oregon, explains that the revenue generated through this initiative must be used for cycling safety, so this year the funds went towards creating a safety promotional video. According to Debbie Mercer from the Department of Motor Vehicles, Oregon has sold 7,688 Share the Road plates and has generated $64,265 since their debut.

In March of this year, Idaho’s state legislature approved a law similar to the Share the Road bills in Washington and Oregon. However, Idaho’s future plates will bear the message “Preserve our Trails.” Supported by organizations such as the Idaho Mountain Bike Trail Preservation Association (IMBTPA), Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association (SWIMBA) and Moscow Area Mountain Bike Association (MAMBA), the bill would make special plates available in 2011, providing revenue to the off-road biking community to create, preserve and protect Idaho’s mountain biking trails. According to Geoff Baker, founder and president of the IMBTPA, approval from the legislators and the governor does not necessarily mean the plates will be available. For them to become a reality, funds must first be raised in order to pay for the Idaho Transportation Department (IDT) to create the plate and promote future sales — the IDT has estimated the cost to be about $5,000, however, it could be as much as $10,000. As of May, the IMBTPA had raised $5,200 through donations from various cycling organizations, businesses and individuals. According to the IDT rules, a minimum of 2,000 plates must be in circulation after three years and at least 2,000 have to be renewed in each consecutive two-year period thereafter or else the IDT will terminate them, even canceling the registration of existing ones.

If the plates do go on sale in 2011, it will cost an additional $35 for initial purchase and $25 for each renewal. Baker estimates that the plates could produce upwards of $175,000 in revenue if 2,000 are sold and renewed for seven years. The money would be set aside in a special fund within the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and then distributed to create, improve and maintain trails on which mountain biking is permitted; in fact, the funds cannot be used on trails that exclude mountain biking.

Hopefully, by 2011 each state in the Northwest will boast specialty license plates, which will continue to create funds to support road and mountain biking for years to come. If other states follow the trend, soon every state in America could offer a plate that bears the message “bikes belong.”