Bikes Belong will award $42,000 in grants this month to six bicycling projects throughout the country. The urban programs, community pathways, and mountain bike facilities supported by this round of grants will increase ridership in cities, towns, and parks throughout the country, putting more people on bicycles more often.
Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists (CLIMB)-Cunningham Park (NY)
CLIMB will receive $10,000 to help build a network of beginner, intermediate, and advanced mountain bike trails in Cunningham Park, in the New York City borough of Queens. Because of the group's success with other trail projects and programs, New York City Parks & Recreation has given CLIMB permission to build and maintain the mountain bike trails in the park. When complete, these trails will form the first mountain bike facility in New York City.
CLIMB recently hosted an International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) Trail Care Crew seminar on trail design and maintenance to train volunteer trailbuliders, build momentum for the project, and educate the park employees about the importance of sustainable singletrack. With the help of an IMBA Trail Solutions representative, workers from the Green Apple Corps, and numerous volunteers, CLIMB will complete the first phase of the trail early this summer.
Chicagoland Bicycle Federation-Sunday Parkways (IL)
The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation will receive $10,000 for community outreach and coordination as they work to make some Chicago streets car-free on select Sundays. Sunday Parkways, modeled after a unprecedented program in Bogota Colombia, will devote major boulevards to non-motorized travel, enabling Chicagoans of all ages to cycle, skate, and stroll on safe, inviting streets. This initiative will encourage more people to ride for recreation and exercise, while enhancing the sense of community in Chicago.
The Chicagoland Bicycle Federation was founded in 1985 to improve the bicycling environment and quality of life in the Chicago area. Their impressive work on behalf of bicyclists in the Windy City includes $100 million worth of trails, bike lanes and racks as well as a diverse array of programs designed to increase ridership.
Community Connection Trail Coalition-Community Connection Trail (KS)
Bikes Belong's first grantee in the state of Kansas, the Community Connection Trail Coalition will receive $10,000 towards construction of a multi-use path that will connect Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. These two communities, currently divided by a busy highway, share schools, athletic fields, a library, and a youth center. The path will enable kids to ride their bikes to these destinations instead of shuttling back and forth in their parent's cars. It will also provide a link for bike commuters and a recreational route for people of all ages to access the trails in the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve.
The Community Connection Trail Coalition was founded with the primary mission of providing a safe bike route between Strong City and Cottonwood Falls. They've already secured a TEA-21 grant to begin the project, and they'll use Bikes Belong funding as leverage in their application for SAFETEA-LU funds to complete the path. The coalition has also garnered an impressive amount of support from citizens and businesses in Chase County.
Bicycle Transportation Alliance-Bicycle Boulevard Campaign (OR)
Oregon's Bicycle Transportation Alliance will receive $5,000 to help promote and develop their campaign for Bicycle Boulevards in Portland. These low-traffic roadways will serve as a way to prioritize bicycle traffic by retrofitting existing streets with bike-friendly treatments rather than building separate, off-street facilities. The BTA will market the Bicycle Boulevard model to other cities that are working towards making their street networks safe and navigable for cyclists.
The BTA is a statewide organization that represents the interests of Oregon's bicyclists and bicycle industry. Guided by their extensively researched “Blueprint for Better Bicycling,” they strive to make Portland a national model for bicycle-friendly urban design the United States.
City of Montpelier-North Branch Park Mulit-Use Trail (VT)
Vermont's City of Montpelier Parks & Recreation Department will receive $4,000 to help construct a bike-legal connector trail from the city center to the mountain bike trails outside of town. Currently, mountain bikers must drive to legal trails or ride on the road, as the trails within Montpelier's North Branch Park are closed to cyclists. The connector trail will provide an off-road solution for mountain bikers and mitigate current user conflict in the park.
With the help of the Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association (MAMBA), this project has already garnered strong support from riders, the health community, and the local bike shop. The construction will be done entirely by volunteers, and the trail is scheduled to be completed this fall.
Mountain Trails Foundation-Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail (UT)
Utah's Mountain Trails Foundation will receive $3,000 to help extend the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail in Park City. This popular route provides a safe, paved path for children, families, recreational cyclists, and commuters, and an adjacent compacted-gravel path for trail runners and mountain bikers. It also connects to an extensive system of mountain biking and hiking trails. The Bikes Belong grant will serve as leverage on an application for SAFETEA-LU funding to improve more than 20 additional miles of abandoned railway, extending the multi-use route.
The Mountain Trails Foundation promotes, preserves, maintains, and advocates for trails in and around Park City, Utah. Their vision and advocacy, as well as their partnerships with government at the local, state and federal level, have helped Park City become a bastion for bicyclists.
