We’re making biking better in Maryland 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 spring of 2020, our Community Grant Program provided funding to develop a Play Streets pilot in Baltimore to plan and pay for community events that will serve as outreach and engagement tools to help plan future infrastructure improvements. 

A candid conversation with Charles T. Brown, the lead investigator of a new, groundbreaking report on barriers to biking in the U.S.

Even without the upsurge brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. bicycling is on the rise. As the number of bicyclists and bike trips steadily grows, however, communities still struggle to court diverse ridership and create truly inclusive bike cultures. Plus, for many Americans, bicycling remains completely out of reach due to persistent social and physical barriers.

It’s these barriers that a research team, led by Charles T. Brown of the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC) at Rutgers University, set out to identify. The 2018-2019 study was commissioned by PeopleForBikes as part of an existing effort, dubbed the Big Jump, to encourage the development and implementation of bike infrastructure across 10 U.S. cities.

“We wanted to understand the reasons why certain populations choose to bicycle and why others do not,” said Brown. “Consistent with that, what infrastructure and incentives, financial or otherwise, would be needed to encourage those who do not bicycle to start, and for those that do bicycle to bicycle more?”

The Big Jump focused on helping communities build strong local partnerships and Brown’s study built on that work by soliciting those partners to convene small focus groups — made up of both community members and businesses — for open-ended discussions. Brown and his colleagues were thus able to gain an in-depth understanding of participants’ perceptions and attitudes towards bicycling.

Where Do We Go From Here? Breaking Down Barriers to Bicycling in the U.S.

Brown, who has devoted his 15-plus-year career to working at the intersection of transportation, health and equity, is widely considered a thought leader in creating safe, equitable and inclusive communities. Keep reading for an honest discussion about barriers to biking in the U.S.

PeopleForBikes: With this study, what void in the research were you trying to fill?

Charles T. Brown: For the most part, prior research had approached the community separate from businesses. We thought it’d be important to hear not only from the residents but also from the businesses to create a clear picture of what the barriers and the possibilities are in regards to cycling in each community.

Why use a qualitative approach in your research?

My preference is a more qualitative approach because it gives you the ability to dig deeper into what the real answers or issues are. With a quantitative survey, you can certainly capture the opinions of more people, but we were more interested in the depth of responses than the number of people surveyed. Focus groups also allow people to network and build relationships and partnerships that may outlast this study and many others. This is imperative in under-resourced communities.

How has your lived experience as a bike rider informed your work?

I've always been into biking recreationally; however, prior to this job, I’d never considered biking for utilitarian purposes. This had a lot to do with the fact that I’d never lived in a community where it was considered safe to bicycle to and from work, given the spatial mismatch between my residence and my job, as well as the unsafe infrastructure. For me, biking has always been an ideal way to spend time with family and friends. Many African Americans also primarily view the bicycle as a recreational device, not necessarily as a utilitarian one — that’s pretty consistent with the research.

How has your lived experience as a Black man informed your work?

It made me keenly aware of issues, such as the lack of infrastructure and maintenance in BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and people of color] communities, along with discriminatory enforcement and the importance of representation for racial minorities that lack it. Religious and sexual minorities, too. I came to this work with an understanding that bicycling infrastructure had been perceived, promoted and prioritized predominately in high-income, white communities. As a result, many people of color don’t feel that biking, particularly non-recreational cycling, is for them. My perspective has led me to do research that truly gets to the root causes of these barriers to biking for BIPOC. 

Which of the five recommendations do you think is the most important?

I think the most important one is this need to meaningfully engage with historically marginalized communities and, most importantly, do it on their turf. I would also add: on their terms. There exists a segment of our community who don't get an opportunity to truly enjoy the benefits of bicycling and the freedoms that come with it. A lot of this has to do with the fact that they have been systematically marginalized and thus, have been prevented from enjoying that freedom.

If we are to grow this movement in the way that we really would like to, we have to be humble and empathetic enough to meet people on their terms so that we can create an environment that best serves their needs. For me, that's what it means to be equitable and inclusive. That is the most important recommendation because right now it is by far the biggest hole or gap in our processes and approach to cycling in America. Where America fails, so have we in bicycling.

Here’s what’s surprising: We’ve known the answers. There has been very little progress in terms of removing the barriers that have been identified in study after study. That's surprising because the bicycling community tends to be one that is socially and politically progressive. And yet it still has not moved us. It hasn’t moved us even an iota forward in regards to removing or reducing the systemic barriers around biking in BIPOC and low-income communities.

What do you think it’s going to take for real change on this front?

It is going to take really bold and courageous action by all of us to be the change we’d like to see in this country. We need a reparation-style infrastructure package in BIPOC and low-income communities. That package needs to include bicycle infrastructure and pedestrian infrastructure, plus investments in public transit and public art. We also need to demystify cycling. Right now, it's looked at as a white-only thing or as a thing that only poor people do.

Why are these persistent stereotypes so harmful?

Because these persistent stereotypes are just that: stereotypes. They don’t reflect the reality of cycling in America. For instance, what you see is not a lack of cyclists of color. Your perception is clouded by the reality of your racially segregated community. Few, however, make a connection between that reality and the reality that the same systems that created segregated communities allowed barriers to active transportation infrastructure in BIPOC communities. In some of the cities in which we conducted these focus groups, they're very racially segregated, and those people saw — for the most part — the culture and the people that were dominant there.

Going back to that recommendation you believe is most important — can you outline what “meaningful engagement” looks like?

Meaningful engagement takes into consideration the language in which the meeting will be conducted, the time of day of the meeting, whether or not it's accessible for persons with disabilities and the location. I’m not just talking about physical location, but rather the organization responsible for the meeting and its history, which may or may not be deemed trustworthy by the community that you’re trying to engage.

It also applies to the prioritization of the items that are on the agenda and the flexibility organizers have in accommodating input received from the community. For example, a lot of times we’ll go out to talk about bike lanes and the community wants to talk about crime. If you're not well versed in the various ways in which this work is intersectional, you may not see the importance of addressing a crime question within a bicycle discussion.

Lastly, meaningful engagement has to involve the sharing of power. Sometimes it’s important for the community to have the autonomy to host a meeting to determine its location, its time, its language, and provide valuable input on resource allocation. In short, sometimes you just have to listen. Active listening is a very important component of meaningful engagement.

What’s the low-hanging fruit a city can tackle today?

Metaphorically speaking, low-income and communities of color have been fed low-hanging fruit for far too long. Unfortunately, this has not resulted in equitable and inclusive access for BIPOC communities at the same rate it has in other communities. Therefore, it is time for cities to climb the tree to get the fruit that is higher up so that real systemic change can happen and be sustainable for a longer time. But for the sake of discussion, the low-hanging fruit should be safe and accessible bicycling parking and lockers, lighting, routine maintenance, bike lanes and signage and the establishment of an external equity working group.  

What’s going to take the most work or cost the most?

I think that a shift in the dominant culture is going to take the most work, but equitable and inclusive bicycle infrastructure will cost the most — particularly considering the dire need to fully address the magnitude of historic and contemporary disinvestments in low-income and communities of color. However, it is a cost we should welcome with open arms, given the gross disparities in traffic deaths and injuries, as well as the lack of access to healthy food and nutrition, parks and open spaces, and social connectedness in these communities. These investments will result in the highest return in investment socially, economically, politically, environmentally and in terms of overall health outcomes. We must act swiftly, however, as these outcomes are indicative of our priorities—priorities that have benefited some and burdened others. This must change. Now.

How do you respond to critics who say, “It’s just not going to happen”?

I don’t. I prioritize my time and energy for those who are hopeful and optimistic about the future.

A Q&A With Charles Brown on U.S. Barriers to Biking

“Where America Fails, So Have We in Bicycling.”

More than $50,000 awarded to projects dedicated to building great places to ride bikes

Since 1999, we have awarded 439 grants to non-profit organizations and local governments in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Our investments total more than $3.5 million and have leveraged $775 million in public and private funding. To decide which projects receive funding, we invite staff members interested in spending 10-12 hours reviewing, scoring, discussing and debating grant finalists to participate in the Grant Review Committee. We ask at least one person from each PeopleForBikes department to join the group because every team, and every person, brings a fresh and different perspective.

The process was shaped by the quarantine: Meet with the committee in the conference room? No way. Lay out the pros and cons on a whiteboard? Nope. Homemade rhubarb coffee cake to boost your blood sugar during the mid-review lull? Couldn’t do that either. After months of e-meetings, we struggled to stay focused, but the energy of the projects and the people who are building them lifted our spirits.

Every year, we get more top notch grant proposals than we can possibly fund. Selecting the best ones  is a difficult task. But as long as projects keep getting built, we’ll keep funding because we know, perhaps now more than ever, that great places to ride are essential. Here, with deep appreciation to the brands that support our Community Grants Program (Batch, Cannondale, Giant, Niner, Shimano, Trek and Vaast), are the Spring 2020 grant recipients:

The Urban Bike Project will use this funding to purchase and install a bike fix-it station to complement the two stations the City of Wilmington is building. The stations will be placed in key locations around the city that do not have access to other bike repair options.

Bike Durham Low Stress Network Advocacy Campaign: $10,000

This comprehensive advocacy campaign will help Bike Durham develop a complete multimodal network. Their ambitious goal: A city commitment to fund and implement 125 miles of slow streets, protected bike lanes and greenway infrastructure by 2025.

Creation of a Beginner Trail at Cacapon State Park: $10,000

This PeopleForBikes grant will help the Cacapon Resort State Park foundation build a 2.6-mile, beginner-level mountain bike trail to complement the existing advanced trails throughout the park. This addition will create a trail loop that meets the requirements  for NICA mountain bike team races, helping support the local team as well as residents and visitors from near and far.

Baltimore Play Streets Advocacy Program: $8,000

Baltimore will use this funding to develop a Play Streets pilot to plan and pay for community events that will  serve as outreach and engagement tools to help plan future infrastructure improvements.

A devastating flash flood in July 2019 created a 40-foot chasm in the 51-mile Redbank Valley Trail, rendering it impassable along a popular stretch. PeopleForBikes’ grant will help the Redbank Valley Trails Association build a bridge to reconnect these sections and revive this popular destination for residents and visitors.

Silver Dollar BMX Relocation and Track Rebuild: $7,500

PeopleForBikes’ grant will help fund this track relocation project. The new facility will include two world-class BMX tracks, allowing the organization to expand and serve more riders across Northern California.

Coos Cycling Club will use this funding to connect the existing mountain bike trail network in Gorham to the downtown area with three related projects: improvements to the main “Pipeline” trail, addition of an easy climbing trail and construction of a loop trail with skills features.

Neighbors Building Neighborhoods of Muskogee will use this grant to install bike racks in the newly renovated Depot District public space. The bike parking will serve people riding to downtown attractions including the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Muskogee Little Theater.

PeopleForBikes Announces Spring Community Grants Recipients

2019 started with 11 states using the model three-class e-bike definitions. As of June 19, 22 states now define e-bikes within the three classes, effectively doubling the total in just six months. These eleven new states are: Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming.

A few major themes can be attributed to this success. First, states follow each others’ leads and seek regional consistency in how they treat e-bikes, so there’s momentum. Second, the e-bike market is booming and states recognize that riders need consistent and common-sense rules for where they can be ridden.

Last but not least, the unwavering support from the industry led directly to these wins. Without the above and beyond contributions raised by the BPSA E-Bike Committee to build on-the-ground teams in each of these states, making this much progress in one year would not have been possible. The companies that supported the e-bike initiative in 2019 are: Accell North America, Allegion/Kryptonite, Bosch, Brose, Bulls, Cycling Sports Group, DT Swiss, Envelo, Fantic, Felt, Foldaway Solutions, Fox, Genze, Giant, GM, Harley Davidson, Hi-Power Cycles, Ohm Cycles, Oregon E-Bikes, Pacific Cycle, Pedego, REI, Riese and Muller, Rocky Mountain, Shimano, Specialized, Sport Technik/M1, SRAM, Suzhou Bafang, Taioku, Tempo Bicycles, Tern, TranzX, Trek, Yamaha and Yuba.

In 2015, the BPSA and PeopleForBikes began this national campaign to pass clear e-bike legislation in all 50 states in order to create stability in the marketplace. E-bike manufacturers put aside competitive differences to develop the three class system around critical issues like motor assist, pedal assist, wattage and operational rules.

Good e-bike laws are completely changing business models and customer bases. In states where the three class system of e-bikes has passed, suppliers report that sales of e-bikes more than double. On the local level, bike retailers in states with this law report that having a statewide three class e-bike system helps their team clearly explain where e-bikes are and aren’t allowed, and e-bike sales help offset the loss of revenue due to other declining categories.

Most importantly good e-bike laws are leading to better e-bike access. For example, after Wyoming legislators passed the state’s three class e-bike law in February, Wyoming State Parks decided to allow Class 1 eMTBs anywhere a traditional mountain bike is allowed, and even opted to conduct a Class 2 pilot project. A number of local trail access wins from Virginia to Arizona can be attributed to land managers recognizing the increase of eMTB use and creating consistency with the three classes of e-bikes and state laws.

22 States Now Follow the Three Class E-bike System, Doubling Total in Six Months

PFB’s Big Jump Project continues to provide resources for cities pushing boundaries to accelerate the rate of change. This year, our collaboration with local governments and non-profit organizations yielded big results in a handful of cities.

Baltimore’s Big Jump area is a perfect example of how an extremely dangerous set of streets can be calmed with one major change. Baltimore’s The Big Jump is a new path accessible by foot, bike, and mobility devices along Druid Park Lake Drive and 28th Street. It connects the community to jobs and several recreational options. It also allows people who use wheelchairs to cross Interstate 83 safely and easily for the first time in at least 50 years. For many people in the community, this path has already been life-changing. For as long as many could remember, the trip from Reservoir Hill to Remington was virtually impossible, especially for those with mobility limitations. The path has generated tons of support and optimism about the possibilities for infrastructure in Baltimore. As a result, the BNA score for this area jumped 5 points because of strategic investment to alter a high-speed highway into a comfortable, protected pathway.

Baltimore Complete Streets is a Coalition of organizations that helped pass Council Bill 17-0102 this November. The bill will set in motion a 13-month process of creating new manuals and guidelines for how streets are built and how space is shared. They also repealed a fire code that was preventing the construction of bikeways and overall infrastructure progress. These changes to legislation are fully aimed at completing Baltimore’s bike network.

Fort Collins was at the top in our  City Ratings for 2017, and this year they’ve proven that they’re only interested in continuing to improve. They’ve expanded their bikeshare program, are investing in e-bikes, and have seriously upped their programing in an effort to reach everyone in the community. In addition to completing the local bike network, Fort Collins is also working to connect to other communities nearby.

The West Mulberry Street Redesign and Protected Bike Lane Project was completed in September, and serves as a direct east-west corridor to the heart of the Big Jump area. This corridor connects residents to schools, parks and to the downtown area. The redesign converted a 1.5-mile, 4-lane arterial to a street with two travel lanes and a center turn lane, and protected bike lanes on both sides. The project includes several different types of bikeway protection and treatments, including bike rails, concrete curbs, flex posts and parking protection.

Fort Collins is invested in putting infrastructure on the ground while facilitating safety through inclusive programming for all ages and abilities. Looking to 2019, they’ll be introducing e-bikes to their Big Jump community, and hope to open all kinds of business and network opportunities.

The city of Providence used the arts as a way to get people excited about and on board with infrastructure in one of the most dangerous areas of town. Their City Walk Demonstration relied on painted streets as a temporary means to enliven the public space. And people took notice: it worked. They changed the geometry of the street. They slowed traffic down. But most importantly, they brought the community together. In addition to the demonstration on the ground, they conducted a series of surveys and called for neighborhood response. They took measurements of use and travel speeds, and made a plan for a permanent project.

Providence also saw huge success in the introduction of JUMP bikeshare. People who hadn’t been on bikes in decades changed their whole routine and outlook on their city because of the bikes.

Memphis also followed the demonstration into permanent infrastructure plan. Similar to Providence, they used various forms of tape, paint, and signage to alert the community about the temporary project.

Memphis concluded their teen ambassador program, which gave bikes to 20 teens in the Big Jump area, in addition to locks, lights, and helmets. The teens learned about bike safety and about their neighborhood. They then led community rides, where they were given the opportunity to share what they had learned. Memphis transitioned to a new chapter of the ambassador program with Explore Bikeshare. The new version was focused on adults in the community, with a goal of continuing to spread awareness of  bikeshare and encouraging mobility and equity.

In collaboration with Bike Easy’s campaign for Complete Streets, New Orleans put their Connect the Crescent demonstration on the ground. This was a 3-month “pop-up” protected roadway network, to encourage discussion about mobility and safety issues. They also organized a series of outreach efforts to promote safe, accessible biking for all residents as a means of promoting health and economic equity, and greater mobility for all people.

We’d like to take the opportunity to thank the many people and organizations that have supported the Big Jump projects, and acknowledge that making change in cities requires a broad base of support. We look forward to even more community progress as we look to the new year.

After recent bicycling infrastructure setbacks, Baltimore scored a big win for accessibility and connectivity.

In June, the city deployed temporary, water-filled barriers to create a new 1.3-mile protected path that reconnects surrounding neighborhoods to each other and to the city’s premier park. The project is part of Baltimore’s efforts to reimagine its bicycling network—the city was selected as one of 10 locations for PeopleForBikes’ Big Jump Project, providing Baltimore with technical support to implement bike infrastructure projects.

The new path runs along the south end of 745-acre Druid Hill Park, easing access to the park’s trails, public pool, pavilions, zoo and other recreation areas. The park was effectively cut off from adjacent communities after a highway-building spree that began in the 1940s resulted in four to eight lanes of traffic between the park and nearby communities. Crosswalks are few and far between.

“In many ways, you need to get into a car, drive across the roadway and park inside the park in order to enjoy it, which is crazy,” says Matt Warfield, bike planner for the city’s department of transportation.

The new trail along Druid Park Lake Drive enables people of all ages and abilities to cross more easily into the park. The park trail also connects pedestrians and bikers to existing trails that form a 2.5-mile recreational loop through the neighboring communities, reconnecting areas of West Baltimore that have faced decades of disinvestment after being isolated by surrounding highways.

The new pathway is more than convenient; for many locals, it’s life changing.

For residents of Reservoir Hill, a predominantly black neighborhood where two-thirds of households don’t own cars, walking to jobs and shops in more affluent Remington once meant navigating a narrow sidewalk across the 28th Street bridge while traffic whizzed close by.* The trip was out of the question for people using wheelchairs or those with limited mobility.

Baltimore City Councilmember Leon Pinkett championed the project and is thrilled with the outcomes. “As excited as I am about the pedestrian use of it and the bicycle use of it, I am most encouraged by those who are disabled, who for the first time ever have been able to travel east on that road,” he says. “That’s not a small thing.”

It’s also no small thing that the project was completed, says Jed Weeks, policy director for Bikemore, the local bicycling advocacy group that worked with Pinkett and the local communities to implement the protected lane.

“We are a city that rarely takes bold steps on transportation,” Weeks says. “This is a big jump for our department of transportation and our city leadership to take.”

The project is already making a difference. Before the path went in, Weeks had seen the same man walking across the bridge hundreds of times. “He always had his head down, and he just looked like he was clinging to the fence on the edge of the bridge and staying as far away from the cars as possible,” he says. “I saw him the other day, and he had headphones in and he was dancing down the sidewalk.”

While some complaints about longer driving times through the project area have surfaced, the community is overwhelmingly supportive, says the transportation department’s Warfield. That support enabled the city to take the risk and bear some of the resulting backlash.

The city is now making adjustments to address concerns, such as improving signal timing and installing a left turn signal at one intersection.

Weeks says the nature of the project made it more adaptable. “The beauty of a pilot project like this is we were able drop it down, see the challenges within two to three weeks, and then respond to them,” he says.

The long-term fate of the trail remains to be seen. The current plan is to keep it in place for at least a year while the city assesses how many people use it and how it affects traffic patterns. At the same time, the transportation department has begun a larger study of options to improve access on all sides of Druid Hill Park, which will help inform whether the trail becomes a permanent installation.

If the trail along Druid Park Lake Drive is made permanent, the city hopes to use the water-filled barriers — which it purchased for about $500,000 — to test out similar projects elsewhere.

In the meantime, the new path has generated some much-needed optimism about the future of biking and walking infrastructure in Baltimore.

“I’m hearing people hopeful about other projects and other initiatives,” says Councilmember Pinkett. “If we would take a bold step like this, imagine what we can do if we continue to collaborate and be creative.”

The community will gather to celebrate the Druid Park Lake Drive trail on August 26.

*The resulting Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA) score for the combined Reservoir Hill and Remington neighborhoods increased by 5 points as a result of this strategic investment to alter a high-speed highway into a comfortable, protected pathway.

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“Where America Fails, So Have We in Bicycling.”

PeopleForBikes Announces Spring Community Grants Recipients

22 States Now Follow the Three Class E-bike System, Doubling Total in Six Months

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