BOULDER, CO (BRAIN)—Five designated and aspiring Bicycle Friendly Communities will receive funds to help them make bicycling more safe, convenient and appealing places to ride.
These grants, designed to pinpoint specific needs outlined by each community in their Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) application, help pay for bike plans, technical assistance, pilot projects and innovative cycling initiatives.
This grant program is administered by the Bikes Belong Foundation in partnership with the League of American Bicyclists. It is made possible by the generous support of Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI).
Colorado Springs, Colorado
The City of Colorado Springs, a silver-level BFC, will receive $15,000 to conduct a community survey that will help determine key bicycling needs and attitudes in the city. The results will help city planners develop a detailed Bicycling Encouragement Plan for implementation in 2009.
Madison, Wisconsin
The City of Madison, a gold-level BFC, will use their $15,000 award to conduct a similar initiative. Their survey results will help the city rank and prioritize bike projects in their Platinum Plan, helping them advance toward their ambitious goal of "making Madison the best place in the country to bicycle."
New Haven, Connecticut
The City of New Haven received honorable mention in the last BFC round. Their $10,000 grant will help develop and implement a plan to improve bike safety, access and parking in downtown New Haven, particularly targeting the Union Station area. This is the first step in their vision of a fully equipped bike station at the transit center.
Flint, Michigan
The Safe and Active Flint Coalition will receive $5,000 to improve bike safety and awareness through a Sharrow program. Flint received honorable mention in the last BFC round. They identified Sharrows—pavement markings encouraging cars and bicycles to share the road—as key to marking the first designated bike routes in the city.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Metro Bicycle Coalition will receive $5,000 to help launch New Orleans' first bicycle event since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2005. The community ride will promote bicycling and bike commuting while continuing to build momentum for bike facilities in the Unified New Orleans plan—a city-wide post-Katrina planning process. New Orleans received honorable mention in the last BFC round for its commitment to including bicycling in its infrastructure improvements.
