Bikes Belong is pleased to announce our spring grant awards. Funding in this round will help launch programs, build facilities, and measure success in six U.S. communities – improving conditions for bicycling and putting more people on bicycles more often across the country.
The winners include:
- Livable City – Sunday Streets (CA)
- Derry Rail Trail Alliance – Derry Rail Trail (NH)
- Three Rivers Park District – Elm Creek Park Reserve (MN)
- Idaho Velodrome and Cycling Park – Downhill Trail
- Oregon Department of Forestry – Wilson River Trail
- Garrett Trails – Marsh Hill to Visitor Center Train (MD)
Hit ‘more’ to read about and find links to each of these organizations…
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Livable City – Sunday Streets (CA)
Livable City will use a $10,000 Bikes Belong grant to help bring Sunday Streets to San Francisco this summer. The program, modeled after Ciclovia events in Bogota, Columbia, will transform miles of San Francisco streets into car-free spaces on summer Sundays this year, opening them for people to walk, skip, jog, and bike. Sunday Streets is made possible by the efforts and financial support of a broad range of city agencies, advocacy organizations, local businesses, and corporate sponsors. Many of San Francisco’s bike shops have provided funding for the program, as well, and several bike-rental shops in the area will provide free bike rentals to Sunday Streets participants.
Derry Rail Trail Alliance – Derry Rail Trail (NH)
A $10,000 Bikes Belong grant will help the Derry Rail Trail Alliance pave 2 miles of path connecting their namesake trail to the Windham Rail Trail and the Derry Bike Loop. This new connector section of the Derry Rail Trail will also be part of the Salem to Concord Bikeway, a 25-mile multi-use path from Concord, New Hampshire, to the Massachusetts border. Bikes Belong’s funding will help match donations from several local foundations, individual and business donations, and in-kind contributions of environmental assessment and engineering work.
Three Rivers Park District – Elm Creek Park Reserve (MN)
The Three Rivers Park District will receive a $10,000 grant to help construct 7.7 miles of singletrack in Elm Creek Park Reserve. This trail will help to meet a need for singletrack in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis and, because it connects to 20 miles of multi-use path, it will serve as a gateway to mountain biking in the park. Bikes Belong’s funding will help match a Recreational Trails Program grant for the trail system, which will be maintained by volunteers from MORC, the Minnesota Off Road Cyclists.
Idaho Velodrome and Cycling Park – Downhill Trail
Bikes Belong’s $10,000 grant will help the nonprofit Idaho Velodrome and Cycling Park (IVCP) in Eagle, Idaho, to build a downhill trail – part of Phase II of the park’s multidisciplinary design. This trail will enhance the park – which already has dirt jumps for all levels, a fully irrigated dual-slalom and mountain-cross course, two pump tracks, a skills park, and 10 miles of cross country mountain bike trails. This ambitious group also plans to expand the skills park, build a BMX track, and add race infrastructure in Phase II, insuring that there’s something for every rider at IVCP. A contribution from REI, local funding, and a lot of elbow grease (more than 6,000 volunteer hours) from the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association’s (SWIMBA) dedicated members have helped make this visionary facility possible.
Oregon Department of Forestry – Wilson River Trail
The Oregon Department of Forestry will use a $7,000 Bikes Belong grant to help construct a new, 3.5-mile span of the Wilson River Trail in Tillamook State Forest. When complete, the new trail will extend the Wilson River Trail to 24.5 miles and will provide Portland’s mountain bike community with more options for long singletrack rides. Bikes Belong’s grant, along with funding from Cycle Oregon and Oregon Equestrian Trails, will help match a Recreational Trails Program grant for the project. The Portland United Mountain Pedalers (PUMP) also supports the project, and they’ve adopted and maintain an existing portion of the Wilson River Trail.
Garrett Trails – Marsh Hill to Visitor Center Train (MD)
A $2,500 grant will help Garrett Trails to evaluate the Marsh Hill to Visitor Center Trail project by measuring ridership and surveying users. This multi-use path, which focuses on safety and connectivity in the community, will complete the link between Deep Creek Lake State Park and Wisp – a key mountain-bike destination in Garret County. Bikes Belong’s funding will match government grants and National Recreation Trails funding as well as contributions from Garret County Roads Department and local businesses.
About Bikes Belong
Bikes Belong Coalition is the U.S. bicycle industry organization dedicated to putting more people on bicycles more often. Bikes Belong lobbies to increase federal bike funding, awards grants to support innovative bike projects, promotes bicycling and its benefits, and backs crucial national efforts such as Safe Routes to School, Bicycle Friendly Communities, and the National Bike Summit. The affiliated Bikes Belong Foundation focuses on improving bicycle safety and enhancing children’s bike programs.
Since Bikes Belong’s Grants Program began in 1999, we have funded 186 grant proposals in 45 states and the District of Columbia, awarding nearly $1.5 million in cash and leveraging close to $500 million in federal, state, and private funding. Our facilities grants alone have helped finance more than 1,400 miles of bike paths and trails that link almost 7,500 miles of bike facilities. These grassroots grants are made possible by Bikes Belong member contributions.
For more information, visit bikesbelong.org.
