Every Movement Starts With a Step
Hello and thank you for joining the Grand Valley Streets Alliance! Our goal is to make walking, cycling, rolling, or taking public transportation the easiest, cheapest, and safest option for getting around, and we can’t do it without a network of dedicated messengers and volunteers like yourself. I hope you are excited as we are to build and expand upon the groundwork laid by previous generations of activists in the Grand Valley!
As this is our first monthly newsletter, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce our newly elected Officers and Board of Directors; a strong crew of dedicated volunteers from many different walks of life but all focused on building a better Grand Valley for everyone.
Your Board
President - Ian Thomas
I am 25 years old and I will talk to anyone at any time about how we can make our community better for everyone through housing, land use, and transportation reform. I grew up in a standard suburban neighborhood in Colorado Springs being shuttled around town in the back of my mom’s van. It was only after living in GJ for 6 years and walking and riding my bike daily that I really began to understand the significance of how our human habitat and transportation affects social connections and mental health. The opportunity to live a healthy, happy, and connected life should be available to everyone, and I couldn’t be more excited to embark on this journey in the Most Grand of Valleys.
Vice President - Olivia Ruiz
Olivia, 32, Fruita, is honored to be on the board as vice-President. While growing up in Denver I found the benefits of public transportation and multi-use paths as being the most economical way of commuting. Having an eye on these elements has sparked the inspiration for being an involved advocate to our quickly growing community. Now living in the Valley for almost a decade I have seen how much the area is in need for the prioritization of a smart active mobility plan. If it is to build bridges between cyclists and pedestrians or better accessibility for all on energy efficient public transit, it should be the key to a better community.
Secretary - David Lehmann
I’m an avid cyclist and walker, and I’ve enjoyed Grand Junction’s mild climate and gentle terrain for over 30 years. I believe it’s important to actively listen to everyone and to try to understand their point of view. My career with BLM was dedicated to collaborating with diverse interests to find solutions to complex environmental/economic problems. With the Grand Valley Streets Alliance we can work together to make Mesa County an even better place to live, for all of us.
Treasurer - Diana Rooney
I have a passion for leaving things in a better place than I found them. The impacts of transportation, population growth, and humankind’s existence on the planet drive an inquisitive need to support our community’s future and seek innovative solutions to support the success of this and future generations to get around town, grow food, and live meaningful lives. I am excited to be part of the group to support those who can’t drive or don’t own cars navigate our community as easily as those with cars can and envision a brighter transportation future for the Grand Valley.
Communications Officer - Jackson Moore
I’m Jackson, 23, and I have been living on the Western Slope for the past 5 years. I graduated Colorado Mesa in 2023 and have been a part of the GJ Bike Night staff committee for 2 seasons. I absolutely love to hike, bike, float, ski and immerse myself in this unique corner of Colorado. Whenever I'm not out and about, I enjoy filmmaking and photography, along with being a huge help in various forms of media such as social media management and website building. I love getting involved at the local level of grassroots movements to help ensure that they stay true to their goals of bettering people's lives at the local level!
Board Member- Benaiah Adams
I’m 34 and from a rural mountain town in Colorado. Where biking was more recreational than transportation, due to the distances of everything, ie. neighbors, grocery stores, and parks. Moving to GJ 10 years ago and receiving a donated bike gave me a new perspective on life. Occasional joy rides eventually became “why not bike instead” The new awareness of our community, combined with the physical and mental benefits, has been life changing. As a single car household, biking has also become integral for work and shopping for my wife and I. Our involvement with GJ Bike Night started casual but now we assist in leading it. It’s a joy providing a space where all cyclists can enjoy a meaningful, social ride. It’s also brought forth how many want to feel safe and seen on our streets, how challenging it is for some to connect destinations to home safely, and the education needed for drivers and cyclists to co-habitat safely. I am very excited about the work we are doing here at GVSA and how it will positively impact our communities happiness, health, connectivity, and longevity.
Board Member - BJ Smith
As a guy who spends a lot of time on a bicycle, I want to see Grand Valley streets become safer for everyone who needs to get around. That includes pedestrians and people who use wheelchairs or ride buses or scooters, in addition to cyclists and people who use other modes of transportation.
I've made my living at various points as a daily newspaper reporter, and as a writer and editor, most recently at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. In addition to my GVSA activities, I'm a volunteer with the Citizens' Climate Lobby and I continue writing on a variety of contemporary topics. I'm also a husband, father, grandfather, brother, University of Iowa graduate, and U.S. Navy veteran.
Board Member - Alyssa Adams
I have lived on the Western Slope for just over a decade, then found my home in Grand Junction in 2018. Joining the heartbeat of the community, I am happy to be involved in this collaborative group taking on a mission that affects us all - safely getting from one place to the next. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to be able to walk to school on a paved and protected path along with other kids. Today, my husband and I have a one-vehicle household and we bike commute to work, volunteer opportunities and social gatherings a majority of the time. Professionally, I work in a financial planning office managing day-to-day operations. In my “free time” I am a proud volunteer leader with GJ Bike Night, which gets community members and guests comfortable on bikes and introduces alternative safer routes to destinations in the heart of town. I also enjoy spending time in the water, hiking, camping, attending the many farmers and art markets and playing board games. My biggest hope for GVSA is that we can join a conversation, including multiple perspectives, asking questions, gathering information, providing education, sharing experiences, and finding common ground so we can work together to find clear and tangible solutions to everyday hindrances regarding transportation.
Board Member - Julia Wildman
One of my first memories was throwing a tantrum when my mom decided it was time to take the training wheels off my first bike. Change is scary but she knew that I was ready. I think Grand Junction is ready to do something similar by elevating the accessibility, safety, and knowledge of active transportation. I believe GVSA will help enact that change in a positive and impactful way and I am honored to help. Although I am not originally from Grand Junction, when I moved here five years ago I fell in love with this area and I want the valley to reach its fullest potential. I am a student at CMU in Sociology and Mass Communications, I am an editor and write for the school newspaper, the Criterion, and in addition to cycling, I climb, ski, and raft.
Action Items That We Need Your Help On
The Board was elected last month and we already have many, many, many things to do! In particular, we are trying to build very loud and very visible support for the 4th and 5th Street Pilot Program. We were anticipating backlash, and it has indeed arrived! Of course, the Facebook echo chamber can certainly amplify things, and outbursts of opposition are always loudest. It is truly a step in the right direction that the City has taken with the new configuration, but not one without risk for elected officials and staff. We will be submitting Opinion articles and other letters of support to the Sentinel, and ask you to do the same. The focus of our letters will be how the reconfiguration of 4th and 5th Streets prioritize safety for all road users over only the travel speed of cars in this key corridor of downtown.
Of course, if there are other benefits of the reconfiguration that excite you, please include in your letters! These may include less noise and air pollution, improvements to public health, better access to jobs and downtown businesses for those who don’t want to/can’t drive, and simply offering more transportation choices!
It goes without saying, but please ensure that all letters and communications are kind, respectful, and only pertain to aspects of the project.
The Daily Sentinel: letters@gjsentinel.com and yousaidit@gjsentinel.com
GJ City Council: council@gjcity.org to send an email to all council members, or find individual email addresses here.
And lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the next City Council meeting is on Wednesday, August 21st at 5:30 PM and we expect a presence from folks who are less than pleased with the project.
Please attend and provide public comment to City Council in support of the 4th and 5th Street changes! Tell your friends, coworkers, family members, customers, and strangers on the street; our community has been asking the City to take these steps for many years, and we need to make sure they hear our support.
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The Grand Valley Streets Alliance is only as effective as the sum of its parts; if you would like to get involved with our mission, reach out if you would like to lead a project or volunteer, and make sure to stay tuned for further opportunities! And of course, please feel free to reach out at any time with questions, comments, or suggestions. Thank you for taking the first step with us, and I look forward to working with each of you.
Sincerely,
Ian Thomas
President
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