> News+Events > Features > Transit - June 2009

Bike Walk Twin Cities pilot initiative gains speed

First bike and pedestrian capital improvements coming this year

The Twin Cities’ national reputation as a haven for bicycle commuters is going to get a lot stronger in the next couple of years.

And what’s good for bike commuters is good for recreational riders as well: More on-street lanes, safer street crossings, better trail and bike-bus connections across the region, more outreach and education, and online bike mapping, to name a few.

A new surge in two-wheeled transportation is just beginning in the Twin Cities. Funded in 2007 by a $21.5 million federal grant, several dozen projects are in various stages of planning and start-up under the umbrella of “Bike Walk Twin Cities,” a regional initiative administered by Transit For Livable Communities, a nonprofit organization working to promote a more balanced transportation system.

All the projects share one overarching goal: To increase the share of non-motorized transportation in Minneapolis and along connections to its neighboring communities, including St. Paul. The four-year pilot ends in 2011.

Ambassadors reach out to diverse communities

One of the first projects to be funded and begin operations was the Bicycle and Pedestrian Ambassadors, run by the City of Minneapolis. The education and outreach program sends staff and volunteer bike and walk educators to work places, community events, organizations, schools, places of worship and cafes. They want to reach people of all ages who live, work and/or frequent bikeable and walkable communities – including recreational and fitness bikers and walkers, communities of color and immigrant communities.

The ambassadors present information and answer questions on topics such as how to ride safely, how to find a route to get where you need to go and how to drive safely with bicyclists on the road. Lynnea Atlas-Ingebretson, manager of the program, said the reception of the ambassadors has been open, positive and mutually educational.

“Some groups we visit in Minneapolis and in surrounding cities are very familiar with the trail system and how they can get across town biking or walking,” she said. “And yet there are many others that have no idea these greenways even exist, they don’t have bikes to ride and/or bike shops to access tools and supplies.”

“It’s not that they wouldn't ride, and some do and would. For example, many recent immigrants came from countries where bicycling was the main form of transportation, unlike here,” she explained. “They understand much better than we do the value of bicycles for transportation. And that’s one reason our effort is proving so valuable. We’re encouraging them to revive a habit they already have.”  

In 2008, Bike Walk Ambassadors attended 150 meetings and events, met with more than 9,900 individuals, and chalked up nearly 5,500 “contact hours” with the public to promote biking in Minneapolis and its contiguous communities.

Funded capital projects moving ahead

Joan Pasiuk, program director for Bike Walk Twin Cities(BWTC), said she’s excited about the potential impact of the 37 capital projects funded so far. Many are in various stages of planning but some will be constructed this year.

“It’s been very rewarding to work with many communities across the region and to see them embrace the goals set out by Congress and incorporate them into their own local transportation plans,” she said.

Working with an advisory board, BWTC has made three rounds of grants. In 2007, they received 63 applications for biking and walking improvements, and funded 30. In 2008, 35 applications were received and five were funded. A special “demonstration innovation” solicitation drew 13 proposals and two were funded last year. Funding continues, and some of the earlier proposals are under consideration after some additional design work. BWTC has hired a national team to provide technical advice, working in collaboration with local engineers from the jurisdictions.

In the Twin Cities, the funded projects and investments fall into several categories:

• Infrastructure
• Educational and promotional programs
• Network and project planning
• Data collection and analysis
• Innovation demonstration capital project

 

Building on the experience of others

Pasiuk said that best practices to improve bikeable and walkable communities are well known around the world and there are plenty of good models to follow.

“Some cities in Europe that have made strategic investments to support biking and pedestrian access have impressive results to show – cities like Copenhagen and Munich, for example – and they’ve continued to make those investments over the decades,” she said. “In the U.S., cities like Portland, Oregon and Boulder, Colorado have long-established patterns of bicycle and pedestrian investments, and many other communities are creating these priorities.”

“They see the value economically, environmentally and culturally of non-motorized travel, and it works!” Pasiuk said. “We can add our experience to the mix and bring similar results over time. There is a lot of potential to be tapped here.”

Minneapolis was one of four communities nationwide selected for the national pilot study. The others were Columbia, Mo.; Marin County, Calif.; and Sheboygan County, Wis.

Among the four pilot regions, Minneapolis already has the highest share of non-motorized commuter traffic. In fact, 17% of trips are on foot and bicycle, and 4% are on public transit. And with the most dense population base among the four communities, Minneapolis may also have the greatest potential to increase non-motorized travel.