We’re making biking better in New Mexico through funding local bike projects, supporting pro-bike policies and legislation at the local and state levels and highlighting great hometown routes on Ride Spot. In fall 2019, our Community Grant Program provided funding to the city of Farmington to build a pump track in Sycamore Park. When complete, the city will complement this pump track with trails, an environmental lab and outdoor classrooms. 

A historic piece of legislation is currently being considered in New Mexico. Signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2023, the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund is the embodiment of years-long, bipartisan collaboration to invest in New Mexico’s public lands and waters. This fund will provide a dedicated and steadfast stream of resources to programs focused on conservation and recreation in all 33 counties and tribal communities. The fund will also enable the ability to leverage untapped federal dollars to maximize its impact. 

The Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund will support programs focused on outdoor recreation so that every New Mexican, present and future, as well as the state’s blossoming tourism sector, can easily access and enjoy the outdoors. At a time when interest and participation in outdoor recreation is higher than ever, sustainable, long-term investment is necessary to protect New Mexico’s biodiversity and natural resources, preserve the scenic landscapes the Land of Enchantment is famous for, and maintain the proper infrastructure for residents and visitors to safely and responsibly recreate. 

An initial $100 million dollars was invested into the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund in 2023 and split evenly across two funding mechanisms to support existing conservation programs. The first $50 million will provide direct financial support to programs through annual disbursements. A permanent trust was created with the remaining $50 million to fund existing programs through interest incurred on the principal, as to ensure a sustainable source of funding for conservation that transcends generations.

In 2024, state legislators and Governor Lujan Grisham have the opportunity to invest New Mexico’s budget surplus to meet the $350 million minimum threshold required for the fund to become self-sustaining. If these additional funds are not appropriated, the fund will run dry within the next five years. With full endowment, the fund will be able to support programs that safeguard New Mexico’s natural resources, bolster the state’s outdoor recreation economy and infrastructure, improve the collective health of both the environment and communities across the state, and leave a legacy for future generations to enjoy the lands and waters of New Mexico for decades to come.

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New Mexico Considers $350 Million in Funding for Conservation and Recreation

Every year, PeopleForBikes advocates on behalf of the bike industry and bike riders across the country to support the construction of fun, safe, and connected places to ride that welcome more people to the joys of bicycling. 


From championing e-mobility lithium-ion battery safety, to mandating Complete Streets for improved road safety, to advancing the construction of bike infrastructure through climate legislation, PeopleForBikes successfully advocated for a multitude of policies at the state and local levels during the 2024 legislative session that will support bike businesses and riders of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds nationwide.

The safety of e-mobility lithium-ion batteries was a top priority for many states and communities across the U.S. this legislative session.

Following the guidance of PeopleForBikes and other industry experts, New York passed legislation to ensure the quality and safety of e-mobility products while maintaining accessibility to equitable transportation options. The legislation requires that e-bike and other e-mobility lithium-ion batteries be tested to standards that ensure the safety of the products the batteries power. It also enables the enforcement of products that do not meet these standards and contribute to unsafe conditions, including battery fires. 


Read more about this important legislation.

In June, the Chicago City Council committed to working with the bicycle industry and other stakeholders to amend a proposed battery safety ordinance to align with similar safety legislation in New York so individuals, retailers, and manufacturers can rely on consistent e-bike battery testing requirements across the country.

PeopleForBikes looks forward to continuing our work with states and municipalities across the country to promote uniform and effective battery testing regulations that ensure that e-bike batteries sold and used in the U.S. meet the highest safety standards.


PeopleForBikes recognizes the three-class system as the framework to categorize and regulate low-speed electric bicycles (e-bikes). Currently, 43 states officially recognize our model legislation. In 2024, Oregon and Rhode Island signed the three-class system into law. This system promotes a uniform definition of e-bikes across the country to mitigate confusion for riders, retailers, manufacturers, and regulators. 

PeopleForBikes will continue supporting the classification of electric bicycles as bicycles (not motorized vehicles) and will work with legislators to showcase the need for clear definitions and strong enforcement so that bicycles, and bicycling infrastructure, are protected. 


Out-of-Class Electric Vehicle Legislation 

Due to the constantly evolving range of electrically powered devices entering the marketplace and the growth of their use nationwide, PeopleForBikes led efforts to define products that exceed the speed and power limitations of the three-class system and federal law as out-of-class electric vehicles (OCEVs). 


Utah and Minnesota passed landmark OCEV legislation to promote safety and protect hard-won access for bicycles on state trails and paths. You can read more both here and here about why this legislation is so critical. 


PeopleForBikes will continue helping states and municipalities better define and enforce the difference between electric bicycles and overpowered, higher-speed, out-of-class electric vehicles (including electric dirt bikes) to protect the rights of bike riders across the country.

Cities and states nationwide continue to prioritize sustainable, equitable, and accessible forms of transportation through e-bike purchase incentives and rebate programs. This year, the Atlanta City Council approved a $1 million incentive for the purchase of e-bikes and the Bentonville City Council in Arkansas approved $2.25 million in grant funding for an e-bike rebate program.


With $20 million in funding approved in 2023, Portland City Council approved an implementation plan for the city’s e-bike incentive program set to launch in 2025. Michigan legislators also approved $2.95 million in funding for an e-bike purchase incentive program in their state budget to implement a statewide e-bike transportation incentive program. 

The 2024 legislative session included many recreation policy wins that PeopleForBikes helped secure to continue building momentum for eMTB access on natural surface trails. 

In Oregon and Colorado, PeopleForBikes supported the passage of recreational immunity bills that protect landowners from liability resulting from the use of their lands by other individuals for recreational purposes, including mountain biking.

The Tahoe National Forest prepared a Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) and final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Pines to Mines Trail Project. The project, totaling 72 miles of new, natural surface trails, will provide expanded recreation opportunities on National Forest System lands. It also authorizes the use of Class 1 electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) on all new and existing trails where traditional mountain bikes are already allowed within the project area.

A National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment is also underway in the Tahoe National Forest, utilizing a forest-wide approach. This first-of-its-kind approach could yield historic results that allow entire forest districts to allow Class 1 eMTBs on natural surface trails, as opposed to laws differing by individual trail systems. 


Look out for more recreation and eMTB policy wins as we continue engagement with state and local land managers to open access for Class 1 eMTBs on multi-use singletrack trails in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, and Utah. Additionally, PeopleForBikes is working on recreational trail access for mountain biking within the implementation of the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule. 


A lack of safe places to ride is one of the most significant barriers preventing Americans from biking. Dedicated funding streams for the construction of bike infrastructure creates more safe and connected places to bike, which in turn increases bicycling participation. The construction of bike infrastructure also contributes to other co-benefits, including positive public health outcomes, economic vitality, reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and transportation equity.  


As of July, PeopleForBikes has helped secure nearly $1.5 billion for the construction of bike infrastructure that increases safe places to ride bikes through our 2024 VoteForBikes campaign. With a potential $2 billion more on the November general election ballot, 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for bike infrastructure funding. Stay tuned for our post-election VoteForBikes recap to see how much funding PeopleForBikes helped secure for local communities across the country! 


In addition to our work advocating for bikes at the ballot box, PeopleForBikes supported additional legislation to fund bike infrastructure, including Minnesota’s Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund that invests more than $11 million in the expansion and enhancement of recreational trails, active transportation infrastructure, and mountain bike access across the state. 


Passing dedicated funding streams for bikes and bike infrastructure at the state and local levels is the most important policy priority for PeopleForBikes. We will continue paving the way for the construction of infrastructure that allows more people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds across the country to safely and efficiently travel around their communities and access more opportunities to ride a bike.


PeopleForBikes continues to advocate for legislation that reduces serious injuries, saves lives, and allows people to travel safely throughout their community with confidence. Reducing speed limits and actual vehicle speeds is one of the most effective ways to improve road safety and save lives.

After four years of hard work, PeopleForBikes was honored to support local advocates in New York as Governor Kathy Hochul signed Sammy’s Law into law in May. The new law allows New York City to implement a 20 mile per hour speed limit with additional 10 and 15 mile per hour zones. This legislation will dramatically increase safety for people walking and biking on roads with a high volume of motor vehicles. 


Michigan and Virginia also passed legislation that makes it easier for local municipalities to lower speed limits that are appropriate for the context and needs of those communities. 

We know that in addition to lower speed limits, safer road designs reduce motor vehicle speeds, one of the most significant causes of serious injuries and deaths on roads. As a result, Complete Streets mandates — which require the construction of bike infrastructure when roads are reconstructed or repaved — are one of the most effective policies communities can implement for improved road safety. Complete Streets also close gaps in transportation networks and enable all road users, regardless of their mode of transportation, to easily access places that they need to go. PeopleForBikes will continue to fight for legislation that mandates Complete Streets to promote safe and thriving communities. 

In March, voters in Los Angeles, California, one of the nation’s most car-centric cities, approved Measure HLA. This requires the implementation of the city’s Mobility Plan, including bike and pedestrian infrastructure when road construction or repaving occurs. PeopleForBikes endorsed this measure to increase transportation opportunities and accessibility, improve road safety, promote health, and reduce transportation-related GHG emissions. 


As part of historic legislation, Minnesota also strengthened the state’s Complete Streets policy by adding PeopleForBikes-supported amendments that require the integration of Complete Streets design principles and offer implementation guidance.

Advancing Bike Infrastructure Through Climate Legislation 

There is significant momentum across the country to fund active transportation infrastructure through climate legislation in order to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and GHG emissions. Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing annual GHG and VMT reduction targets for his state’s transportation sector, requiring the Maryland Department of Transportation to implement a process for evaluating and reducing GHG emissions attributable to transportation projects, and investing in projects that reduce VMT and enhance transportation choices. 

Looking ahead to the 2025 legislative session, PeopleForBikes is actively involved in several local coalitions supporting climate legislation to curb transportation-related GHG emissions. Stay tuned for more bike infrastructure and climate legislation wins next year! 

There is already huge momentum for bikes and 2024 is not finished yet! At all levels of government and at the ballot box, PeopleForBikes is championing policies that create safer and more connected places to ride alongside supporting legislation that maintains safe, reliable, and quality products to get more people on bikes more often. 


You can help us achieve even more! By making a donation to PeopleForBikes, we can make an even greater impact in communities like yours all across the country. You can also sign up to receive our advocacy alerts to learn how you can support similar policy wins where you live.

PeopleForBikes’ 2024 Policy Wins Advance Bicycling Safety and Access Nationwide

Bikes are magical, not only because they efficiently get us where we need to go but because they also allow us to better interact with our surroundings. While a car quickly transports people from one place to another, traveling by bike allows the rider to take in the world around them, helping to ground them as part of a larger community. In fact, according to new research, compared to drivers, people who ride a bike are more oriented towards the common good, which benefits society.  

If your mission is to help connect people to places, then a bike can be a particularly powerful tool. The Center of Southwest Culture (CSC), a nonprofit based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, works to support Indigenous and Latino communities through economic development, cultural, and educational programs — and its programming is firmly place-based. Since 2017, the organization has used bikes to empower youth and reconnect them with their natural and cultural heritage through its Story Riders program. 

“Bicycling is a mode of transportation that allows you to move a bit farther than walking, but it also still has you fully involved in your surrounding community,” says Leila Sonora Murrieta, who coordinates the Story Riders program. “So you see people, you see animals, you see the neighborhood streets — you get to learn your surrounding area while fully being able to move through a space.”

Story Riders was initially launched as an after-school program in Albuquerque’s Barelas neighborhood, a settlement that’s been around since the 1600s and predates the city itself by at least a few decades. The initial goal of the program was to connect the local youth to the stories of the neighborhoods' Indigenous and Latino elders, and it was decided they would conduct those interviews by bike. By 2020, the program had expanded to three different schools, all in historic neighborhoods that were rapidly changing.

“We wanted to be able to just hear these stories about places that you wouldn't get from the traditional school system,” says Marco Sandoval, who directs the Story Riders program. “There was also an urgency to it because all these historic, beautiful neighborhoods, which had been built by brown peoples, were undergoing gentrification. We felt like we really needed to get our youth in touch with these elders.”

In addition to a two-week after-school program, CSC runs Story Riders as a summer initiative for youth aged 9-18. The program, which serves 10 kids at a time and operates for three hours each weekday morning, begins with practical training in bicycle safety and hands-on maintenance. Each child works on a donated bicycle, which they then ride for the duration of the program and are allowed to keep upon completion (participants also receive complimentary gear, including a helmet). For youth who don’t know how to ride, Sandoval and Murrieta teach them using the balance method.

“The first couple of days are just about the bicycle,” says Sandoval, noting that in addition to learning basic maintenance and bike skills, kids also learn how to put sealant in their tires and fix flats. “In New Mexico, cactus makes that an essential part of bicycling.”

After a few days of bicycle instruction, the cohort eventually takes to Albuqureque’s streets, tackling some urban riding but primarily journeying to the Bosque, where 16 miles of paved multi-use trails meander through a cottonwood forest alongside the Rio Grande. Not only does the river play an important role in the lives of New Mexicans but the Bosque, which means “woods” or “forest” in Spanish, provides an oasis of valuable resources in an otherwise arid habitat.

“The Bosque and the river form the spiritual center of Albuquerque,” says Sandoval, adding that the area offers a way to get into nature and away from cars without actually leaving the city. “It’s a public space and we encourage the kids to think of it as their space. We also introduce the idea that public spaces shouldn’t be developed, that they should stay public.”

During the course of the Story Riders program, CSC brings in different leaders in the community, such as artists, herbalists, organic farmers, and elders. Through interactive plant walks along the Bosque, herbalism lessons, garden tours, art projects, visits to historical sites, and storytelling, the youth learn more about their culture and heritage. 

“The Story Riders program focuses on the three Bs: Bicis (or bicycles), Bosque, and Belonging,” says Murrieta, explaining that the aspect of belonging comes into play as children begin to understand more about where they come from and the place they call home. 

Reflecting on the impact of the program, the word that comes up most among past participants and their parents is “confidence.” In line with the research the nonprofit Outride has shared, bicycling can help build confidence among youth, allowing them to get in touch with their body and realize what they’re capable of. It can also help them regulate their emotions — participants are calmer and happier when they’re picked up — as well as perform better academically.

“Kids' overall health is improved just by being outside,” says Sandoval, who was inspired to start the Story Riders program after working in a school. “I was frustrated with our institutions and what they think children need.”

Story Riders makes learning to bike and getting outside easy by eliminating barriers to entry. For historically underserved Indigenous and Latino communities, CSC’s target demographic, providing the gear that’s often inaccessible — the bike, helmet, water bottle, and tools — makes a huge difference. Even more important is the fact that all of the Story Riders leaders are from the community they aim to serve, helping to drive home the message of belonging. 

“When I started cycling, there were no brown people on the trails who looked like me, it was all white people and I felt like an outsider,” says Sandoval. “We want the youth to see leaders that look like them.”

This past summer, Story Riders began introducing trips outside of the city to Forest Service land, and this past October, they launched a course on the Isleta Pueblo with Pueblo Resurgents, a community-governed organization committed to promoting anti-colonial Indigenous agroecology. During a three-week program, youth learned from local artists and elders and explored archeological sites, all on bikes. 

This month, Story Riders is launching an Adelitas class, named in honor of the señoras who fought in the Mexican Revolution. Open to women and taught in Spanish, it will be CSC’s first adult class. 

PeopleForBikes is proud to have supported The Center of Southwest Culture’s Story Riders program with a 2022 grant. For more information on our Industry Community Grants, visit peopleforbikes.org/grants.

This Bike Program Is Empowering Indigenous and Latino Youth

This November, a substantial $1.86 billion is on the table for bicycle projects aimed at enhancing paved and off-road infrastructure across 17 different ballot measures throughout the United States. Through our VoteForBikes campaign, we track and advocate for local, pro-bike ballot measures across the country, alerting our supporters when something on their ballot could improve bicycling in their community. 

Below are the top five ballot measures we’re currently tracking that are poised to significantly move the needle for bike infrastructure.

1. The Centennial Parks Conservation Fund Amendment
Texas

Texas is on the verge of becoming a cycling haven. Should voters give the green light to the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund Amendment, they will endorse an astounding $1 billion investment in state parks, with a substantial chunk of those funds earmarked for bike trails. With more than 700 miles of paved and natural surface bike trails within Texas’ state parks, this initiative is a game-changer for recreational riders and presents a golden opportunity to expand and elevate bike infrastructure across the Lone Star State.

2. Streets and Transportation Bond and Parks and Recreation Bond
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Two significant ballot measures are up for a vote in Albuquerque, New Mexico: The Streets and Transportation Bond and the Parks and Recreation Bond. If these ballot measures gain approval, cyclists can anticipate safer streets, enhanced intersections, reduced neighborhood speeds, and the creation of dedicated bike lanes and trails (more than $50 million is allocated to these crucial infrastructure improvements). Moreover, the Parks and Recreation Bond will contribute more than $12 million towards park and trail maintenance and acquisition. To learn more about each ballot measure, click here.

3. The Greenways 5 Levy
Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham’s Greenways 5 Levy, should it receive approval, will inject new life into the region’s bike infrastructure. The levy's proceeds will support property acquisition, development, climate resilience, and maintenance for greenways, parks, and trails. This initiative aligns perfectly with Bellingham's commitment to green transportation and outdoor recreation. If approved, this initiative will benefit riders by creating well-maintained trails and green spaces, ensuring a scenic and sustainable biking experience for all.

4.Open Space and Park Development Bond
Kootenai County, Idaho

The Open Space and Park Development Bond will not only fund the acquisition of public open space but also the development of new recreational trail systems in Kootenai County, Idaho. Riders can look forward to more trails, open spaces, dog parks, and connections between existing systems. This initiative caters to the needs of the bicycling community while preserving Idaho's natural beauty, which will help make it an even more appealing destination for riders of all kinds.

5. County Issue 1A (Open Space Sales and Use Tax Extension and Revenue Change)
Boulder County, Colorado

In Colorado, Boulder County is taking a significant step towards extending its support for bike infrastructure. County Issue 1A aims to renew a sales and use tax dedicated to acquiring, improving, managing, and maintaining open space lands — a crucial component of bike trails and paths. Bike riding in Colorado, with its breathtaking vistas and diverse terrain, is set to receive a substantial boost from this measure. Cyclists can anticipate better-maintained trails and a more bike-friendly environment should the measure be approved.

By supporting these measures and others like them, voters nationwide can pave the way for safer, more scenic, and well-connected bike infrastructure. But this funding won’t be possible without making a plan to vote.

Using our VoteForBikes tracker to identify upcoming ballot opportunities in your state, city, or county. See a measure missing? Let us know by sending an email to info@peopleforbikes.org.

Making your plan to vote! Early in-person voting and vote by mail begins as early as six weeks before election day. 

Helping to spread the word by telling your family, friends, and local groups about these important ballot measures.

Join us in ensuring that our state and local governments are helping make our streets and trails safer and more accessible for everyone. We hope to see you at the polls!

There’s $1.86 Billion on the Table for Bikes

Even great biking cities need to constantly improve to ensure they remain at the forefront of creating better communities for bicycling. Just ask Munich, Germany, which, even with a City Ratings score of 83, strives to make its city even better for bicycling with the 2022 announcement of a new plan for six cycling expressways and a bicycle ring road to be completed by 2025. 

City Ratings scores and the creation of great places for biking are positively impacted by plans that embody PeopleForBikes' SPRINT framework: reducing speeds, constructing protected bike lanes, reallocating road space, improving intersections, establishing comprehensive networks of safe cycling routes, and using trusted data to inform decision-making. These strategies help communities enhance bike infrastructure and make riding better for everyone.

With that in mind, we explored our top-rated U.S. cities for 2023 to find the most exceptional bike plans. Each of these communities sets an inspiring example for others to follow, demonstrating the transformative power of well-crafted bike plans in building vibrant, bike-friendly communities that get more people riding more often.

Rated as the top large U.S. city in our City Ratings program for 2023, Minneapolis has developed one of the country’s most robust bicycle networks thanks in part to its 2011 Bicycle Master Plan, 2013 Climate Action Plan, 2020 Transportation Action Plan, and 2015 Protected Bikeway Update to the Bicycle Master Plan. The 2015 plan outlined a long-term objective of creating 174 miles of protected bike lanes as part of the city's bike network. To help implement these plans, Minneapolis’ Street Design Guide was created to steer the design of road reconstructions and retrofits.

In 1967, Davis constructed a bike lane on 8th Street, making it the first U.S. city with a designated bike lane. Today, Davis is PeopleForBikes’ highest-rated medium-sized city, with more than 100 miles of bike lanes and paths. The city has bike plans dating back to 1977 available on its website, offering a glimpse into how thinking about bike infrastructure has changed over the decades. Davis’ most recent plan, its 2014 Beyond Platinum Bicycle Action Plan, outlines strategies to help Davis continue leading the way in creating a safe and attractive bicycling community to meet climate adaptation goals and accommodate a growing population.

San Francisco's Vision Zero Action Plan and Quick Build Program is part of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's efforts to prioritize safety and sustainable transportation. In recent years, it’s gained significant traction, building upon the city’s transit-first policy, which voters approved in the 1970s. The program’s success lies in its iterative design process, which uses streamlined delivery to produce quick results, project evaluations to determine what’s working in regard to safety outcomes, and the willingness to redesign projects if needed. 

As it approaches its tenth anniversary, the program has showcased notable achievements for people riding bikes, including increasing bike volumes by up to 75%, reducing vehicle-bike interactions at bike signals by 93%, reducing vehicular speeds, and decreasing the percentage of vehicles blocking bike lanes by 90%.  All of this has helped land San Francisco our number two spot among large U.S. cities in this year’s City Ratings program.

In 2021, Seattle updated its Bicycle Master Plan to guide the city’s work over the next four years, listing specific infrastructure projects to be completed within that time frame. Through regular updates to the plan, Seattle has been able to adjust project lists and provide progress reports to the City Council and the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board on the implementation status of the overall master plan — something that is required by City Council Resolution in Seattle. 

The Bicycle Master Plan works in conjunction with the city's Vision Zero Plan and Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Analysis, which help prioritize bicycle infrastructure based on safety considerations, as well as the Seattle Trails Upgrade Plan, which helps guide trail connectivity and maintenance projects. Together, these four plans have helped the city lower speed limits to 25 mph for more than 90% of its arterial streets and, as of November 2022, build out 32 miles of protected bike lanes and trails, as well as nearly 60 miles of neighborhood greenways. All of this work has helped Seattle increase its Bicycle Network Analysis score — which directly informs City Ratings results — from 47 in 2018 to 62 in 2023. 

From 2000 to 2009, Philadelphia saw a 151% increase in bicycle commuting, making it the fastest-growing mode of transportation in the city. In 2012, when Philadelphia released its updated Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan, the city had already used its 2000 version of the plan to create more than 230 miles of bike lanes and other on-road bicycle facilities to keep up with growing demand. In 2013, the city also released its Trail Master Plan, which has since been updated annually. 

While the 2012 plan focused on improving network connectivity by filling gaps in the network, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia wanted more, challenging the city to construct 30 miles of protected bike lanes. That idea gained traction in 2018 when the Kenney Administration integrated it into Connect: Philadelphia's Strategic Transportation Plan. 

Key components of these plans (and the city’s Vision Zero Plan) helped increase Philadelphia’s Bicycle Network Analysis score from 43 in 2018 to 57 in 2023. They include the creation of neighborhood slow zones, an impressive regional trail network, and new protected bike lanes on JFK Boulevard, Market Street, Race Street, Torresdale Avenue, and Parkside Avenue.

In 2019, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller made a commitment to Vision Zero, joining more than 40 other U.S. communities in an effort to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries. That commitment has clearly paid off for the city’s bike network: While it’s not a top-rated city (yet), Albuquerque's Bicycle Network Analysis score jumped from just 13 in 2019 to 29 in 2023. 

Released in 2021, Albuquerque’s Vison Zero Action Plan incorporates clear themes and corresponding action items, designating lead agencies and organizations responsible for implementing each. Importantly, the plan overlays a vulnerable communities index map with the high fatal and injury network map to address safety concerns to improve equity. 

From 1997 to 2007, Teton County and the Town of Jackson constructed more than 25 miles of paved shared-use paths. Since the completion of the Pathways Master Plan in 2007, that mileage has grown exponentially, landing Jackson in the number six overall spot in our U.S. City Ratings program with a score of 79. With 70 miles of paved pathways and 152 miles of trails, the pathway system now links the community to even more riding opportunities in nearby Bridger-Teton National Forest and Grand Teton National Park. 

Beyond identifying priority infrastructure investments to improve and expand the Pathways system, the Master Plan lays out clear recommendations for needed policy changes, team structures, and finances to complete the plan’s vision and maintain the Pathways network, ensuring the system is set up for long-term success. The 2015 Community Streets Plan complements the Pathways Master Plan by providing a street design manual that governs the development of public infrastructure projects, ensuring that bikeways are developed under set standards and in line with the master plan. 

In 2021, Hoboken released its Vision Zero Action Plan, which aims to achieve Vision Zero in five years by implementing immediate improvements for safer streets. The plan helped the city identify high-crash corridors and intersections and recommend specific measures to reduce crashes and their impact, many of which the city has moved quickly to implement, including protected bike lanes, curb extensions, high-visibility crosswalks, and a citywide 20-mile-per-hour speed limit. 

Hoboken’s 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan also helped put the city on the right track to becoming what is now one of the best medium-sized cities in the U.S. for biking, with a City Ratings score of 62. Even more importantly, Hoboken has achieved something most advocates in other U.S. cities can only dream of: no traffic fatalities for four consecutive years.

Cambridge achieved one of the most significant increases in our City Ratings program, soaring from 31 in 2018 to an impressive 58 in 2023. Improvements in Cambridge have been propelled forward through the 2020 Cambridge Bicycle Plan, the city’s Vision Zero Action Plan, and the implementation of separated bike lanes as mandated by the Cambridge Cycling Safety Ordinance. Perhaps most influential, the Cycling Safety Ordinance requires the city to build almost its entire citywide network of protected bike lanes by 2026.

How Great Bike Plans Transform Communities

PeopleForBikes, a national bicycling advocacy organization, and the U.S. bicycle industry’s trade association announced its latest round of community grants totaling $92,000. The 11 projects funded in 2022 will support bicycle infrastructure and advocacy projects across the U.S. 

PeopleForBikes’ Industry Community Grants Program is funded through the Employee Pro Purchase program, which collects donations from individuals who work in the bike industry and take advantage of pro-pricing discounts on new bikes and bicycling equipment. Cannondale and Trek currently participate. 

Since 1999, the PeopleForBikes Industry Community Grants Program has funded more than 400 projects in all 50 states totaling more than $3.6 million in direct funds. The total funding this year represents more than 1,000 individuals in the bike industry who gave back to grow bicycling through an employee pro purchase. 

“Seeing the industry come together to support community grants big and small continues to be incredibly inspiring,” said Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes. “We thank the companies and thousands of employees that contribute to this important program. These projects will make a tangible difference in 11 communities while aiding our larger mission of getting more people on bikes more often and making biking better for everyone.” 

The Center of Southwest Culture
Albuquerque, NM 

This grant will support Story Riders, a program at The Center of Southwest Culture, Inc. that empowers Indigenous and Latino youth to reconnect with their natural and cultural heritage, all while providing practical training in bicycle safety, maintenance, and guided cycling experiences. Each student will take home the bike they work on and a new helmet. 

BikeHouston will use the funding to launch Gear Shifters, an advocacy training program for BikeHouston staff and volunteers. Gear Shifters will expand and enhance advocacy efforts by representing the needs of people who ride bikes at public meetings, as well as in conversations with elected officials, community groups, and developers.

Bike Works Seattle’s mission is to promote the bicycle as a vehicle for change and a tool for building resilient communities. This grant will be used for general operating support, more than 80% of which will go directly to youth, adult, community, and environmental cycling programs and services. 

Trails Utah will use this grant to launch a pilot project to modify existing trails with the specific goal of accommodating adaptive mountain bikers. Funds will be used to purchase equipment and signage, as well as pay for physical trail work by the Utah Conservation Corps.

Trailnet works to foster healthy, active, and vibrant communities where walking, bicycling, and the use of public transit is a way of life. Funding will help accelerate the installation of safer mobility networks in St. Louis by focusing on high-crash corridors, which are predominantly in Black and underserved communities. 

The Red Line Parkway Initiative empowers diverse communities to enjoy, develop, and enhance the Red Line Trail and Parkway, a 32-mile, multimodal rails-with-trails project. Grant funds will support a portion of 2023 engagement activities with an emphasis on social equity and physical and mental health. 

Girls in Gear teaches life skills through bike skills to help young female riders build confidence on and off their bikes. Funding will be used for coach training and support, as well as program supplies, to ensure every girl has the chance to safely and confidently bike through life.

Community Action Duluth’s BikePlus program provides those recently released from incarceration with a free bicycle, helmet, and bike lock. This grant will allow Community Action Duluth to continue its efforts and reach more people in need. 

This grant will fund bikepacking trips for those in Deaf community in the Mid-Atlantic region, offering environmental education, leadership training, and essential bicycle maintenance. Funds will also be used to provide a day trip for groups to a gravel or mountain biking trail, allowing for local community connections.

With this grant, Salem Bike Vision (SBV) will host three community rides in 2023, working to educate the public about what makes for effective bike infrastructure and helping identify areas where safety is lacking. The organization will also engage local decision-makers around opportunities to use the city’s recently passed bond for safe bike infrastructure.

Dunn Gardens will use funding to purchase and install two bike racks, which will allow for more car-free commuting and send a welcoming message to the many visitors in the neighborhood who rely on bicycles for transportation. 

PeopleForBikes Announces 2022 Industry Community Grant Recipients

On Oct. 22, 2019, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) implemented the Department of Interior’s Secretarial Order 3376 with its interim electric bicycle (e-bike) policy.

The BLM manages thousands of miles of trails open to bicycles (motorized and non-motorized) across the country. This e-bike policy will allow land managers to begin the process of determining whether to allow e-bikes on non-motorized trails, and which classes.

BLM District and Field Managers can allow the use of Class 1, 2, and 3 e-bikes where other types of bicycles are allowed. However, managers may restrict e-bike access based on local conditions such as potential impacts to natural and cultural resources, potential user conflicts and the local regulations and policies.

Currently, e-bikes are allowed on any off-highway vehicle area or motorized trail that is open to the public. Before allowing e-bike use on a non-motorized trail, a BLM manager must issue a written decision to authorize the use of e-bikes with appropriate public comment. Check with your local BLM land manager for the most up to date information.

You can find more details of the BLM’s interim e-bike policy here and their public guidance and FAQ sheet here. Check out this spreadsheet for specific land management decisions in your area and our website for further explanation of the Department of Interior’s recent e-bike announcement. Still have questions? Contact Ashley at ashley@peopleforbikes.org.

Great BLM e-bike routes you can ride today:

Slickrock National Recreation Trail — UT

Riding on BLM lands? What you need to know

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, our November Ride Spot Challenges are raising money for Silver Stallion, a bike nonprofit serving Dinétah.

At 27,413 square miles, the Navajo Nation is bigger than 10 U.S. states and the largest land area retained by a Native American tribe in the country. Occupying portions of northeastern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico and southeastern Utah, its geography is defined by arid deserts and high plateaus, mesas, mountains and forests, all largely undeveloped. The Navajo Nation has its own police academy, universities, hospitals, bar association and court system, but to this day, it doesn’t have a single bike shop. 

In 2019, former pro bicyclist Scott Nydam was living in Gallup, New Mexico, a reservation border town, where he ran Silver Stallion Coffee & Bread. It was there that he befriended a customer, photographer Shaun Price. Price is Diné, the preferred term for the people of Dinétah, or the traditional homeland of the Navajo tribe. The pair bonded over bikes and when the shop’s baker decamped for the east coast, they collaborated on turning Silver Stallion into a nonprofit coffee and bike shop, with the goal of teaching local youth barista and wrenching skills that could translate to a job anywhere. 

Today, Silver Stallion operates a brick-and-mortar shop in Gallup, as well as a Mobile Ride Center that hosts community repair events throughout Dinétah. In addition to fixing up people’s bikes free of charge, Silver Stallion helps build trails, refurbishes donates bikes from Free Bikes 4 Kidz, runs bike mechanic programming through the Park Tool school and promotes kid rides and public school partnerships with Outride, All Kids Bike and Project Bike Tech, alongside operating a selection of youth development programming, including National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) teams. Silver Stallion currently contracts with eight coaches and mechanics, all Diné, and hopes to continue ramping up its efforts as funding allows.

“One of my earlier epiphanies was that, in our region, nonprofits come and go but the things that really stick around are hospitals and schools,” said Nydam. “So we’ve taken a pragmatic, structural systems approach to address inequity. We’re not so worried about the finish line — we’re trying to get kids to the start line.” 

Nydam, who himself isn’t Native, raced and worked for BMC and sees the bicycle as a tool that can help transform lives. His superpower is merging decades of industry experience with a vision of a self-sustaining bicycling ecosystem in one of the most underserved regions in the country. Bikes have always been present in the Navajo Nation but what was lacking was a culture and the resources to ensure it thrived.

“Talking with more and more people here, you realize there’s been a lot of initiatives involving bicycling programming,” said Nydam. “The concern is that as soon as someone like myself, or those passionate few that are behind those efforts, step aside or are no longer there, then the operations and the effort also ceases to be there.” 

Nydam is building Silver Stallion to last by empowering youth and cultivating Diné leadership. Part of his strategy also involves partnering with larger nonprofits and government organizations, including the New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division, the Catena Foundation and the Southwest Indian Foundation. In a region where the bike industry had little to no presence for decades, Nydam is trying to change the narrative.  

During the month of November, PeopleForBikes’ Ride for Gratitude campaign directly benefits Silver Stallion, with $10 being donated for each of the first 500 riders to complete an 11-, 25-, or 50-mile Challenge. Thus far, the Challenges have been incredibly popular, with 500 people completing one within the first week alone. Thanks to our friends at SRAM, a matching $5,000 donation will be awarded if 200 riders complete the Silver Stallion Century Challenge between November 15 and the end of the month. Adding to the appeal are this month’s Challenge patches designed by Price (below), who continues to work with Silver Stallion as a bike mechanic and creative (he also took all of the photos featured in this article).

Although these Challenges were envisioned as a way to celebrate Native American Heritage Month, Silver Stallion is in need of support year-round. The socio-economic conditions in the Navajo Nation are bleak, with more than 40% of residents unemployed and/or living below the poverty line. The Diné also suffer from health disparities, including elevated levels of obesity and diabetes. While no panacea, Silver Stallion’s model seeks to empower residents with job training and create an environment where folks can enjoy the many benefits of riding indefinitely. 

“We want kids, families and adults to be riding and thriving on the bike all year long,” said Nydam. “We’re really trying to create livelihoods and a lifestyle that involves bikes.”

Even the name “Silver Stallion” is closely tied to that overarching vision. The original Silver Stallion was an old saloon in Gallup on Route 66 that preyed on Native patrons, taking advantage of the Navajo Nation’s alcohol ban by overserving and encouraging addiction at its border. Nydam decided to recycle the old name and original sign, transforming a symbol of oppression into one of promise.

Interested in supporting Silver Stallion’s bike programming? Make an individual donation or shoot us an email to get involved on a larger scale. 

Our public lands are some of the best venues for children to experience the outdoors and outdoor recreation. A new program may soon be available to help more kids visit and experience our public lands — including exploration by bike.

The House of Representatives just passed the Every Kid Outdoors Act (H.R. 3186), which will provide all fourth graders with free access to public lands and waters. These students can request an annual pass, which will allow them to have free access for themselves and up to three adults accompanying them, whether touring the lands on foot or by bicycle. This will help to provide greater access and eliminate financial barriers to children and their families.

Research has shown that between the ages of nine to eleven, kids are beginning to learn about the world around them, are more open to new ideas and are more likely to connect to the outdoors. Over time, the Every Kids Outdoors Act would provide access to every child in the fourth grade — broadly expanding the opportunity for children and their families to begin to experience our public lands. This legislation builds on a previous program (Every Kid in a Park), which facilitated fourth graders visiting our nation’s national parks.

Representative Niki Tsongas (D-MA) introduced the legislation in the House and Senator Martin Heinrich (D-NM) has introduced similar legislation in the Senate. The legislation still needs to be passed by the Senate and signed into law by the President.

Every Kid Outdoors Act Passes House of Representatives

Across most of America, the snow has melted, the sun is shining, and here at PeopleForBikes, we can’t get enough rides out on our public lands to soak in it all. We’re on two wheels celebrating and enjoying the success of the public lands package (the John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, S. 47) that was signed into law in March. PeopleForBikes is proud to support the bipartisan package that permanently reauthorized the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and expanded the Every Kid in a Park program, and we’re working to keep the momentum on public lands and recreation going in Washington, D.C.

While the public lands package included many of our priorities, there are a number of pieces of recreation-focused legislation that still need to move through Congress. We are urging Congress to make good on its word to permanently fund LWCF, pass permit streamlining legislation, and take action on the growing maintenance backlog in our National Parks and public lands.

LWCF permanent funding: The public lands package passed LWCF permanent reauthorization, which means that we no longer have to fight for annual reauthorization on one of the most bipartisan issues. That doesn’t take into account guaranteed funding, which the LWCF Permanent Funding Act (S. 1081) would. Introduced in April by Sens. Manchin (D-WV) and Gardner (R-CO), this bill would permanently fund LWCF at $900 million annually and would be a win for public lands and those who choose to bike on them across America. Congress should consider the LWCF Permanent Funding Act as necessary for any slew of recreation enhancement bills.

An innovative funding solution for maintenance backlog: Our national parks have billions of dollars in maintenance backlog, which includes trails and other elements of the visitor experience for cyclists. Proposed legislation would leverage some of the energy revenues on public lands for the maintenance backlog, which would help to fund the massive backlog that exists today. We strongly support efforts to reduce the backlog and, due to its current size, an innovative solution will be necessary. The current bill in Congress is called the Restore Our Park Act (S. 500), introduced by Senators Portman (R-OH), Warner (D-VA), Alexander (R-TN), and King (I-ME) and continues to be a priority of the outdoor recreation community.

Permit streamlining: Efforts in Congress are underway to streamline permitting on federal lands, all of which help get more people on public lands more efficiently. The recently introduced Simplifying Outdoor Access for Recreation Act (SOAR, S. 1665) from Sens. Heinrich (D-NM) and Capito (R-WV) aims to do just that. As bicycle tourism on public lands becomes more popular, tour companies and guides are struggling to comply with complicated permitting regulations, especially when trips include multiple land management jurisdictions (e.g., BLM and NPS lands). We strongly support comprehensive streamlining of the permitting process. Take action and urge your senators to become cosponsors here.

Keeping Momentum Alive for Recreation 2.0

People for Bikes

New Mexico

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Rail Trai

Distance: 20 miles

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Acequia and River Cruise

Distance: 9.2 miles

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Pacheco Canyon from Sincere

Distance: 36 miles

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