Bikes Belong announced six fall grant awards in in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. The grants, made possible by the Bikes Belong Employee Pro Purchase Program, leverage federal funding to help make communities better places to ride.
The grants went to:
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia-Schuylkill River Trail Campaign (Philadelphia, PA)
A $10,000 grant award from Bikes Belong will help the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia work with a coalition of trail groups to fund and build nine segments that will complete the popular Schuylkill River Trail network. This high-profile campaign has also received funding from the William Penn Foundation, and will leverage more than $22 million in trail construction costs when the network is complete.
American River Conservancy-South Fork American River Trail (Sacramento, CA)
Bikes Belong's $10,000 grant will help the American River Conservancy construct and revitalize six miles of singletrack and a bridge, connecting nearly 50 miles of trail for bikers, hikers, and equestrians. The new trail, which spans BLM and California State Parks lands, will significantly expand off-road riding options in the Sacramento area, particularly for the youth mountain bike clubs and teams that use these trails as training grounds.
Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts, Inc. (MORE)-Fountainhead Trails (Fairfax County, VA)
This $10,000 grant award will help MORE to reroute and construct three sections of machine-built trail in Fountainhead Park, replacing eroding, unsustainable trails and improving the riding experience. The new segments of trail-phase one of four planned for this park in the D.C. Metro area-will be the first step in completing a safe, sustainable stacked-loop system for mountain bikers of varying abilities. The Conservation Fund and IMBA have also contributed to this project.
Colorado Mountain Bike Association (COMBA)-Golden Bike Park (Golden, CO)
A $10,000 grant from Bikes Belong will help COMBA construct the first phase of the Golden Bike Park. This project has received great support from IMBA as well as the local bike community and promises to get lots of use from mountain bikers across the Front Range. Phase I will include a youth area, skills-development trail, and pump track, and is aimed at riders of all ages and abilities. The bike park's location-near well-loved singletrack and within an existing community park-will also give great access and exposure to the sport.
University of South Carolina-Sumpter Street Bike Lanes (Columbia, SC)
Bikes Belong's $5,000 grant will help the University of South Carolina include bike lanes in the streetscaping of a popular downtown street, helping to make the campus and community safer and more bike friendly. As part of the project, USC, which has seen student ridership nearly double in the last year, will conduct research to measure the use and the economic impact of the new lanes. Their methodology will be replicable by other communities.
City of Jonesboro & the Northeast Arkansas Bicycle Coalition (NEABC)-Jonesboro Greenway (Jonesboro, AR)
A $5,000 grant from Bikes Belong will help the city and NEABC build four miles of what will be a 30-mile greenway that connects residents and destinations in Jonesboro, paving the way for active transportation and recreation. The city has also secured a Community Development and Tourism Block Grant, as well as funding from Arkansas State Parks & Recreation.
