By Phil Sarnoff — In 2009, the Utah State Legislature passed a bill that created a Share the Road license plate. The goal of this plate, aside from more widely spreading a message of safety among motorists and bicyclists, was to provide funding to a group whose mission included the promotion and education of safe bicycle operations, safe motor vehicle operation around bicycles, and healthy lifestyles.
Bike Utah has been the recipient of these funds since the program’s inception. We have used these funds to do some outstanding things. These include:
- passing numerous pieces of legislation to promote bicycling and bike safety;
- growing the Utah Bike Summit to an annual event with more than 250 attendees;
- partnering on the creation of the Road Respect Program;
- launching our Youth Bicycle Education Program;
- creating a series of Mobile Active Transportation Tours, and the list goes on and on.
The funding from the Share the Road plates provides a consistent funding stream so we can continue to plan bigger initiatives and be ready when opportunities to advance bicycling and bike safety are presented.
Bike Utah made a big push to get more plates on cars all across Utah, with some billboard space all throughout Utah donated by Reagan Outdoor Advertising. There are banners along popular bicycle routes and we have pushed it on our social media outlets.
If you don’t already have your plate, now is a great time to get one (or two). Your $25 annual contribution gets some great things done for bicycling all across Utah and it’s tax deductible. You don’t have to wait until your registration is due in order to get your Share the Road plates.
Find out how you can get your plates at https://dmv.utah.gov/plates/sharetheroad
