This document discusses how bike friendly programs can benefit North Texas communities. It defines a bike friendly community as one that welcomes cyclists through safe bike infrastructure and encourages biking for transportation and recreation. Bike friendly policies have multiple benefits, including improved environment, reduced congestion, increased public safety, and enhanced quality of life. Creating a bike plan, adopting it into the city master plan, and implementing facilities like bike lanes, cycle tracks, and complete streets can help communities become more bike friendly and economically competitive.

1. Bicycle friendly in DFW
How bike friendly programs can benefit
North Texas communities
Mansfield Rotary Club
October 26, 2010
Marc Mumby, President
BikeDFW
www.bikedfw.org

2. What does “bike friendly”
mean?
 A bicycle friendly community welcomes
cyclists by providing safe accommodation
for cycling and encouraging people to bike
for transportation and recreation
 Increased bicycling is part of a larger trend
toward urban renewal and livable cities.
 Bicyclists are an indicator of a healthy,
vibrant community that offers improved
quality of life for families
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3. Benefits to communities
 Improved environment
 Reduced congestion
 Increase public safety
 Enhance recreational opportunities
 Improve public health
 Save city funds
 It’s green
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4.  Transportation
 Recreation
 Air quality
 Livable communities
 Habitat preservation
 Storm water management
4
Bike facilities serve multiple
objectives

5.  Bicycle tourism
 Fund raising rides and rallies
 Local bike industry contributes to
economy
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Benefits to local economies

6.  Home buyers want quality of life
 Businesses want quality of life for
employees
 Biking and walking facilities are strong
indicators for quality of life
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Improved quality of life promotes
economic development

7. What’s involved?
 People with vision and commitment
 Community support
 A Bike Plan
 Adoption of Bike Plan into the
city Master Plan
 Implementation
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8. Shared-use paths
Photo: Dan Burden, Walkable and Livable Communities Institute
Pedestrians and cyclists use a shared path that parallels the road
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9. 9
Bike lanes

10. 10
Cycle tracks
A bike lane physically separated from vehicle lanes and sidewalks

11. 11
Cycle tracks
A cycle track on 9th Avenue in New York City

12. 12
Shared lanes
Photo: Bike Pittsburgh
A shared lane arrow (sharrow)

13. Complete Streets Initiatives
 Complete streets are designed and operated to enable
safe access for all users.
◦ Pedestrians
◦ Bicyclists
◦ Motorists
◦ Transit riders
 Creating complete streets means transportation agencies
must change their orientation toward building primarily for
cars.
 Instituting a complete streets policy ensures that
transportation agencies routinely design and operate the
entire right of way to enable safe access for all users.
 Complete Streets policies adopted by 24 state governments
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14. Complete streets
photo by Dan Burden, Walkable & Livable Communities Institute
Main Street, Hamburg, New York
Welcoming to all users
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15. Complete streets
A multi-modal intersection
Easy negotiation of intersections - good striping, curbs, and signals
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16. 16
Road diets

17. Road diets
Photo: Charmeck.org
Formerly a busy four-lane road, Charlotte, NC
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18.  Bike friendly policies and complete
streets initiatives improve the quality
of life in our communities
 When done properly, bike facilities
provide an economic benefit
 Lots of options for bike-friendly
facilities
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Conclusions

19.  BikeDFW – www.bikedfw.org
 NCTCOG –
www.nctcog.org/trans/sustdev
 Bike Texas – www.biketexas.org
 League of American Bicyclists –
www.bikeleague.org
 Complete Streets Coalition –
www.completestreets.org
 Rails to Trails Conservancy –
www.railtrails.org
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Resources