Ask any group of bike advocates what kind of infrastructure gets more people riding and you’ll get a familiar list: protected bike lanes, off-road paths, and protected intersections. But new research suggests that’s not the only question that matters.

A recent study published in Transportation Research Record by Nicholas N. Ferenchak and Wesley E. Marshall makes something clear that many of us have felt intuitively for years:

It’s not just what you build. It’s how connected it is. The collective strength of a bike network matters more than any single project — by a lot.

Researchers analyzed more than 14,000 neighborhoods across 28 U.S. cities and found that denser bike networks were 4.6x more strongly associated with ridership growth than individual facility installations. In other words: a connected system matters. Now, that doesn’t mean individual projects don’t matter, but rather that projects only reach their full potential when they’re part of something bigger.

The study confirms what PeopleForBikes has long advocated for: low-stress infrastructure works — but context also matters.

1. Protected bike lanes lead the way. Protected bike lanes consistently showed the strongest standalone impact on ridership growth among individual facility types. Even when installed in weaker networks, they still moved the needle.

2. Buffered lanes also perform well. They’re not quite as powerful as protected lanes, but they show meaningful gains.

3. Paint-only bike lanes? It depends. Here’s where things get interesting: standard (paint-only) bike lanes appear to increase ridership, but once you account for the surrounding network, that effect disappears. Basically, paint alone doesn’t drive ridership — connectivity does.

4. Shared lane markings (sharrows) don’t move the needle. No surprise to anyone who has ever biked next to fast traffic with a sharrow under their tires.

So what does a connected bike network look like on the ground?

Low-stress bike routes that link up instead of dead-end.

Trips that feel continuous, not interrupted.

A network that takes you where you actually want to go.

A fragmented network, on the other hand, looks far too familiar in many U.S. cities:

Great bike lanes that suddenly disappear.

A patchwork of infrastructure with gaps that require confidence (and risk tolerance) to navigate.

This new study shows that avoiding this fragmentation means everything. 

One of the most interesting findings is that protected bike lanes work even in weaker networks, but other facility types rely heavily on strong networks to be effective. That creates a clear takeaway for cities: If you’re still working to create a bike network, start with protected lanes. If you already have some infrastructure, focus on filling the gaps. Either way, the goal is the same: build toward a complete network, not isolated wins.

We often talk about the “interested but concerned” majority — people who would bike if it felt safe. That concern shows up clearly in PeopleForBikes’ participation data: a majority of adults worry about being hit by a car while riding, and nearly half say they’d ride more if bikes and cars were physically separated. In other words, the demand is there, but without a connected, low-stress network, most people won’t act on it.

This research helps explain why so many don’t choose to ride. While a single protected lane might feel safe, if it doesn’t connect to a full trip, it’s not enough. Most people don’t bike for the best segment of a route, they decide to ride or not based on the worst part of the trip. That’s why a single safe segment isn’t enough — people need an entire trip that feels safe. That’s also why building a low-stress connected bike network is the most reliable way to increase ridership.

What You Can Do To Help Your City or Town

To help your community get more people riding, here’s what you should be asking when considering a new bike project:

Does this project connect to something useful, like another part of the bike network or an important destination?

Does it reduce the number of gaps in the network?

Is it safe to cross intersections in the network by bike? 

Does it make a complete trip possible for more people?

Does it move us closer to a complete low-stress system, as defined by SPRINT?

Will this improve our City Ratings score?

A disconnected mile of bike lane is not equal to a connected one.

If there’s one takeaway from this research, it’s this: You can’t piece together a bike boom one project at a time. Protected lanes matter. Design quality and separation from motor vehicles matter. But network completeness is what unlocks scale. That’s how you go from “some people bike here” to “biking is a normal way to get around.” The future of biking in the U.S. isn’t just about building more lanes — it’s about building networks that actually work.

If this sounds familiar, it should. It’s exactly what we measure through our annual City Ratings. Cities don’t improve by adding a few standout projects, they improve by building connected, low-stress bike networks that work for everyone. It’s also a core concept in PeopleForBikes’ SPRINT principles — a framework for building connected, low-stress bike networks that make riding possible for more people, not just the most confident. Without that network, even the best projects can only do so much.

PeopleForBikes’ 2026 City Ratings will be released in June, highlighting communities that are building connected networks — and which ones still have gaps to close.

Connected Bike Networks Are Key to Growing Ridership

The Recreational Trails Program (RTP) is a critical federal funding source that supports trail construction, maintenance, and connectivity across the United States. As Congress considers the 2026 surface transportation reauthorization bill, a process they go through about once every five years, decisions on RTP funding will directly impact bike infrastructure, outdoor recreation access, and local economies nationwide. Congress must pass a reauthorization bill before existing funding expires on September 30, 2026. Ahead of this important deadline, PeopleForBikes wrote a letter to the lead authors of the bill in support of the Recreational Trails Program.

What is the Recreational Trails Program? 

RTP is a federal funding program dedicated to the construction, restoration, and maintenance of both paved and unpaved recreational trails and trail-related facilities. Created in 1991, RTP allocates funding to every state. Funding is split among different types of trail use: states must allocate 30% to motorized use, 30% to nonmotorized use, and 40% to shared trail use. 

RTP has funded thousands of projects across all 50 states. Examples include: 

Portneuf Greenway (ID): Located in southeast Idaho, the Portneuf Greenway is an 18-mile paved trail with a goal to provide a connected trail network through the communities of Pocatello and Chubbuck. More than 27 additional miles are currently planned for future development. The existing trail network connects commercial and residential areas to Idaho State University, recreational opportunities like local parks, and tourist attractions such as the local zoo and museum.

The Northern Rail Trail (NH): Located in western New Hampshire, the 58-mile Northern Rail Trail provides year-round access to a variety of users, from bicyclists and equestrians to cross-country skiers and snowmobilers.

Crawford Hills County Park (WI): This Wisconsin park provides more than 100 miles of trails accessible to motorcyclists, ATV riders, bicyclists, and hikers. 

Whether you're looking for bike trails, multi-use paths, or other outdoor recreation infrastructure near you, RTP investments are likely already shaping opportunities to get outside in your community. To learn more about RTP projects, check out this article or explore this database from our partners at the Rails to Trails Conservancy. 

As part of the reauthorization bill, Congress is considering how much funding to dedicate to the Recreational Trails Program. The last federal surface transportation bill, the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), authorized $84 million annually for RTP. Funding for RTP has remained level at $84 million per year since 2009.

Importantly, evidence shows that RTP is significantly underfunded. When Congress created RTP in 1991, they authorized the program's funding to come from fuel tax receipts paid by motorized trail users: off-highway recreational vehicles such as motorcycles, ATVs, and snowmobiles. However, RTP funding levels have not kept pace with the rising fuel tax revenue generated by these vehicles. In 2021, at the direction of Congress, the Federal Highway Administration published a study that found off-highway recreational vehicles pay an estimated $281 million per year in federal fuel taxes. PeopleForBikes also supports increasing funding for the Recreational Trails Program without impacting funding for the Transportation Alternatives Program, another critical program that funds essential infrastructure for

Why RTP Funding Matters for the Bike Industry and Outdoor Recreation Economy

The Recreational Trails Program is critical to the bicycle industry and to the outdoor recreation economy. 

For the bicycle industry, RTP funds the construction and maintenance of paved and natural surface trails that serve as both transportation connections and recreational opportunities for riders of all kinds, benefiting everyday commuters, casual family riders, avid enthusiasts, and more.

For the outdoor recreation economy, access to safe, well-maintained trails is crucial. The quality and quantity of outdoor recreation opportunities directly benefits the outdoor recreation industry, including bicycle brands and bicycle apparel brands. Access to trails is also key to stimulating local economies. RTP trails can be major tourist attractions and provide access to larger destinations, such as national parks. Adjacent communities also benefit greatly from bicycle tourism — according to the Outdoor Industry Association, bicycle tourism generates more than $83 billion in trip-related spending each year. 

Broadly, new data from the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable shows just how important it is to invest in outdoor recreation infrastructure. In 2024, outdoor recreation generated more than $1.3 trillion in economic impact (2.4% of U.S. GDP) and 5.2 million jobs. Outdoor recreation participation is up, and demand for our outdoor recreation infrastructure has never been higher. Investing in outdoor recreation infrastructure and programs like the Recreational Trails Program is vital to ensuring a prosperous outdoor recreation experience and economy for all. 

PeopleForBikes wrote a letter to congressional leaders in support of the Recreational Trails Program. We are advocating for reauthorizing the Recreational Trails Program, alongside other key federal programs for bike infrastructure funding like the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). 

You can help make a difference by contacting your senators and representatives to let them know how important the Recreational Trails Program is to your business and community. Reach out to PeopleForBikes Director of Federal Policy Chris Bell at chris@peopleforbikes.org if you would like additional assistance contacting your elected officials. 

Congress Considers Recreational Trails Program Funding

PeopleForBikes is proud to launch our new Backyard Advocacy Toolkit, a practical, action-oriented resource designed to help bike industry leaders, retailers, suppliers, and partners make meaningful progress for better biking in their communities. From building great places to ride and expanding trail access to supporting workforce development and domestic manufacturing, the toolkit empowers industry members to make a difference locally and shape a better future for biking in their own backyards.

While PeopleForBikes works to advance policies and programs that support bicycling at the national, state, and community levels, some of the most transformative wins for better biking happen locally when members of the bike industry and local partners come together around a shared goal. The Backyard Advocacy Toolkit helps industry partners engage in these local conversations with confidence and purpose, offering strategies, case studies, and actionable guidance on how companies can strengthen communities, expand access to riding, and elevate the industry’s role in shaping local policy.

The new toolkit highlights real-world successes demonstrating the power of industry-community collaboration. In Colorado Springs, SRAM partnered with local advocates to secure Class 1 electric mountain bike access on designated trails, providing a clear model for how companies can help influence local policy. In Northwest Arkansas, industry partners are working with schools and workforce programs to build a strong, locally rooted talent pipeline that supports both outdoor recreation and domestic bicycle manufacturing. Across the Southeast, case studies show how industry collaboration, infrastructure, and direct policymaker engagement can help advance U.S. bicycle production and build a more resilient supply chain.

“Local engagement is often the catalyst for national impact,” said Martina Haggerty, PeopleForBikes’ vice president of infrastructure. “When companies take action close to home, they help more people ride, create safer and more connected communities, and strengthen the economic and cultural presence of the bike industry.”

With the launch of the toolkit, PeopleForBikes is calling on industry partners to get involved. Companies and retailers can leverage the toolkit to identify local projects, join or form advocacy coalitions, host demo rides for policymakers and local residents, support workforce programs, or advocate for safer, more connected places to ride in their regions. Every effort counts — from attending a city council meeting to hosting an employee volunteer day with a local advocacy group — and the toolkit provides step-by-step guidance to make participation simple and impactful.

The Backyard Advocacy Toolkit is a roadmap for action. By connecting businesses with proven strategies and replicable models, industry leaders can create measurable change in the communities where they live, work, and ride. Not sure where to start? PeopleForBikes is here to help.

Industry partners ready to take action can access the Backyard Advocacy Toolkit now. Questions? Contact PeopleForBikes Senior Manager of Recreation Policy Rachel Fussell at rachel@peopleforbikes.org.

PeopleForBikes’ Backyard Advocacy Toolkit Empowers the Bike Industry to Improve Biking Locally

Trusted, accurate data is a key pillar of PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings. With thousands of cities analyzed each year, City Ratings relies on local advocates and planners to keep their city’s bicycle infrastructure data up to date in OpenStreetMap (OSM).

City Ratings are calculated using the Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA), which pulls the latest data from OSM and factors in features like new bike lanes, updated speed limits, and relevant destinations in each city. By ensuring that OSM reflects all of the changes implemented within the last year, cities can improve the accuracy of their ratings.

In February, PeopleForBikes hosted two mapathons, bringing together stakeholders to learn about different tools for updating OSM. The goal of these sessions was to increase comfort with the editing process and go over the features and tags most relevant to the BNA and City Ratings. In preparation for these sessions, PeopleForBikes put together an instructional packet, as well as multiple video tutorials:

Mapathon Packet: Mapping Bicycle Data in OpenStreetMap

Video Tutorial: Adding new features using iD

Video Tutorial: Editing and adding features in JOSM

Video Tutorial: Loading external data sources into JOSM

Sixty participants from across the U.S. and Canada joined the mapathons, spanning a wide range of OSM editing experience. The first mapathon focused on editing with iD, a browser-based, beginner-friendly editor that allows users to add new features and update existing ones. The second mapathon was designed for participants who were already comfortable working with spatial data, exploring how the JOSM desktop editor can be used to streamline and scale OSM editing.

Both workshops started with an overview of the different types of bike infrastructure considered in the BNA and their associated tagging schemas in OSM. A key takeaway was that there are often multiple approaches to mapping bike infrastructure, and exploring how similar features have been mapped around a city can provide a helpful guide. Participants were then given the opportunity to see the editors in action though live demos. The iD editor was used to add in a recently completed protected bike lane and a new doctor’s office destination. In JOSM, participants were shown how to load in their own spatial data to systematically check infrastructure, and how to use filters and selection tools to update the speed limits of multiple features at once.

The mapathons ended with open mapping time, where participants worked on adding features into OSM from their own cities. Everyone was encouraged to ask questions and share their screens as issues arose, providing opportunities to learn from one another and build a sense of community around the editing process.

Most participants were able to make at least one edit to their city’s map and reported feeling more confident in their ability to make future edits. PeopleForBikes plans to host more mapathons later in the year with a focus on mapping recreational bicycle infrastructure in addition to updating features for the BNA and City Ratings.

You don’t need to be a GIS expert to contribute to OpenStreetMap. Here’s how to get started:

1. Create an OpenStreetMap account. Sign up for free and explore your city’s existing data.

2. Start with the iD editor. If you want to improve your community’s City Rating, prioritize mapping:

Key destinations (schools, grocery stores, transit stops, healthcare)

3. Follow existing mapping patterns. Look at how similar facilities are tagged nearby and match that approach.

4. Make your first edit (even a small one). Simply adding one missing bike lane improves your city’s data.

Ready to start mapping? Use the resources below to make your first edit today and help ensure your city’s bike network is fully represented.

Editing in OpenStreetMap: Frequently Asked Questions

What Gets Mapped Gets Measured: Updating OpenStreetMap to Improve the Accuracy of Your City Ratings Score

In 2025, the United States reached a milestone that once felt unlikely: an estimated 4,400 directional miles of protected bike lanes and road-adjacent side paths nationwide, spanning nearly every state. This estimate, developed by PeopleForBikes, is the first recent national snapshot of protected bike lane mileage at scale in the U.S., reflecting decades of advocacy, policy change, and local leadership.

From a Handful of Cities to a National Network

Just a decade ago, protected bike lanes were far from mainstream in the U.S. Today, they’re increasingly common, helping make streets safer and biking a more accessible form of transportation and recreation for people of all ages and abilities.

The growth of protected bike lanes in U.S. cities is closely tied to PeopleForBikes’ origin. In the 1990s, bike industry leaders formed Bikes Belong, which evolved into what is now PeopleForBikes, in an effort to leverage federal funding for the creation of bicycle infrastructure. At the same time, transportation leaders in big cities nationwide were having similar conversations. Those discussions led to the creation of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), giving cities a place to learn from one another, push for smarter national policy, and take the lead on how our streets are designed. In 2011, NACTO published the Urban Bikeway Design Guide, a practical manual for engineers to implement safer bike lanes.  The guide helped shift protected bike lanes from what some considered “experimental” to a standard practice in communities from coast to coast.

To complement the release of the new guide, PeopleForBikes launched the Green Lane Project in 2012. At the time, protected bike lanes existed in only a handful of U.S. cities: New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Chicago, among others. In 2013, there were only 24 protected bike lanes nationwide. By 2015, that number grew to more than 270, doubling roughly every two years through 2017.

As more protected bike lanes were installed, cities shifted their focus from individual projects to fully connected networks that tie into local trails and quieter neighborhood streets, making biking safer and more accessible.

PeopleForBikes tested that idea in 2017 with the Big Jump, working alongside 10 U.S. cities willing to rethink biking at the neighborhood scale. Efforts focused on building connected bike networks that supported daily trips and deepening community engagement, not just installing isolated bike lanes. Cities that followed this approach saw dramatic gains, with local ridership doubling (and in some cases, tripling).

Several years later, through PeopleForBikes’ Final Mile program, cities like Austin and Denver built hundreds of miles of protected lanes and network connections in just three years, more than three times the per-capita rate of comparable cities. In city after city, the pattern was the same.

Across both programs, cities moved faster and built more bike lanes when political leadership, local advocacy, and practical design expertise aligned. Dozens of other U.S. cities followed quickly behind.

Voters also show strong local support year after year, funding the expansion of bike networks by approving more than $49 billion in state and local funding for recreation and active transportation projects since 2019. PeopleForBikes’ VoteForBikes program helps communities turn that support into action by connecting with voters, shaping ballot measures, and securing funding for safer, more connected bike networks.

But protected bike lanes are only part of the story. Thousands of miles of rail-trails, greenways, and mountain bike routes also crisscross the country. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy estimates that over the past two decades, known rail-trail mileage has grown from about 12,000 miles to more than 25,000, while the broader category of mapped multi-use trails (including rail-trails) expanded from roughly 25,000 miles in 2013 to more than 42,500 miles today. This growth reflects both new trail construction and improved documentation of previously unmapped trails. Linked to protected bike lanes, these trails open the door to more everyday trips, weekend rides, and everything in between.

This same pattern is evident in PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings. As protected bike lanes began to link together into real networks, more cities crossed the critical threshold score of 50, the tipping point to becoming a great place to bike. In those places, people can ride to work, school, or daily errands without being forced into dangerous network gaps.

Measuring a Growing Network at a National Scale

With these pieces in place, protected bike lanes spread quickly over the past five years. With that growth came a new challenge: measuring the now thousands of miles of protected bike lanes accurately at a national scale.

Tracking projects by hand was no longer feasible. To solve this issue, PeopleForBikes developed a Protected Bike Lane Inventory in 2025 using OpenStreetMap data and a geometry-based method that distinguishes on-road protected lanes and road-adjacent side paths from off-street trails. By layering map data with spatial factors like road proximity and alignment, this method provides an estimate of protected bike lanes and road-adjacent side paths nationwide. Counting directional miles also helps reflect what riders experience on the ground.

Put together, the data points to about 4,400 directional miles of protected bike lanes across the U.S. as of 2025 — a forty-fold increase since 2000. No dataset captures everything, but this approach comes closer than anything before to showing both how much has been built and where work still needs to be done.

In 2000, there were an estimated 108 directional miles of protected bike lanes in the United States. In 2020, the miles of U.S. protected bike lanes grew to about 800. By 2025, that number was estimated to have grown to approximately 4,400. Directional mileage measures bikeways by direction of travel. If protected bike lanes run on both sides of a street, or if a bi-directional protected lane exists on one side, each direction is counted separately and summed to produce the total mileage.

Anyone can help improve the picture. By updating OpenStreetMap with new protected lanes or adding details like directionality, contributors make it easier to see where networks are growing and where gaps still exist.

While 4,400 miles marks real progress, many European cities remain decades ahead. The Netherlands’ bike networks grew out of the Stop de Kindermoord movement in the 1970s, when parents pushed back against streets that had become dangerous for children. In 2007, political leaders in Seville, Spain, committed to building a 50-mile bike network and completed it in under two years. In London and Paris, the Olympic Games created hard deadlines, political will, and funding opportunities that helped both cities quickly build robust bike networks.

The U.S. has taken a longer, more fragmented path. After years of advocacy, connected bike networks are finally taking shape as communities learn to adapt what worked elsewhere to fit their own local politics, street layouts, and funding realities. Programs like the Green Lane Project, The Big Jump, and Final Mile helped translate those ideas into real projects that could succeed in American cities and towns of all sizes.

The results are visible: safer streets, stronger business districts, more transportation choices, and reduced congestion for those who choose to drive.

As protected lanes and trails continue to connect into larger systems, this milestone is a starting point for the next phase of work — one focused less on proving the concept and more on getting to work building places where safer, more livable streets are simply the norm.

The cities that continue making progress tend to focus on the same basics: they slow traffic, build protected lanes, fix intersections, and connect gaps to create easily accessible networks.

Trusted data also plays an important role. Cities that track what they’ve built and keep OpenStreetMap data up to date have a much clearer sense of what’s working and where the next investments will make the biggest difference. That combination of design, policy, and feedback is captured in PeopleForBikes’ SPRINT framework.

Cities that get these fundamentals right tend to see the same results: ridership grows faster, public support holds up over time, and biking becomes an option for more everyday trips. The jump to 4,400 miles shows what can happen when those conditions line up.

Every vote, every city plan, and every mapped mile helps the U.S. move closer to the safer streets seen in places like the Netherlands, Seville, and Paris. You can be a part of making biking better for everyone across America by becoming a PeopleForBikes Foundation member. Join us today.

4,400 Miles and Counting: How the U.S. Built a Protected Bike Lane Movement

Bicyclists enjoying the switchback at Ledger — the world’s first bikeable office building. (Photo courtesy: Blue Crane)

Welcome to PeopleForBikes’ Building Better Communities series, where we highlight the people building great communities throughout the U.S. — with bikes in mind. Meet the developers building to meet the growing demand for walkable, bikeable neighborhoods, alongside a breakdown of the approaches these visionaries have adopted and their key takeaways on how other communities and developers can build better for bikes and the people who ride them. 

Almost two decades ago, Northwest Arkansas (NWA) leaders began forging a recreational boom out of the region’s natural elements — the foothills and heights of the Ozark Mountains. The move put NWA on the map as an international mountain biking destination. The 2015 completion of the initial 37 miles of the Razorback Regional Greenway (40 miles today) connected the communities of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, and Springdale, beckoning to every kind of cyclist.

The region’s largest employers bet on the new recreational assets to attract workforce talent, converting visitors to residents. It worked: NWA has been one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions over the last two decades; Bentonville’s population alone jumped from 38,284 in 2010 to 54,210 in 2020, a 53% increase. People weren’t just visiting NWA to ride their bikes, they were moving there to enjoy the lifestyle.

With new residents came the need for new housing and services and Bentonville-based developer Blue Crane was ready to provide it. The firm was founded by Tom and Steuart Walton, with an initial focus on developing hospitality properties in downtown Bentonville. Blue Crane was well-positioned to tap into the demand for residential and commercial projects that could serve the active lifestyles sought by new residents and has expanded its investments accordingly.

The Opportunity: Offer Active Living from Home to Work to Play

Much like NWA’s 500-mile bike trail system was designed to offer something for every type and level of rider, Blue Crane is building a diversified portfolio of projects for nearly every type of resident and business, meeting cyclists where they are and all the places they want to be.

“[Newer] residents, whether they're remote workers, entrepreneurs, or professionals relocating from other markets, have different expectations for how their daily lives integrate with outdoor recreation. They want to bike to work, to dinner, to meet friends — not just on weekends for recreation,” says Katie Parsons, spokesperson for Blue Crane. “Our aha moment came when we realized that most new development wasn't fully capitalizing on this incredible asset.”

Riders take a break at Crystal Flats, a mixed-use project in downtown Bentonville. (Photo courtesy Blue Crane)

Crystal Flats is a 27-acre, 622-unit mixed-use residential project in downtown Bentonville that reflects Blue Crane’s deliberate approach to bike-friendly development and features ample biking and walking pathways through the property, its own bike washing and repair stations, connections to nearby bike trails, and an easy walk to downtown. “Residents need secure bike storage, easy trail access for commuting, and connectivity to services they use regularly,” Parsons notes. “We design with bike storage as part of our design process and strategically select sites that ensure trail connections and bikeability are functional for daily errands.”

The commercial and hospitality properties are similarly packed with bike amenities, catering to bike-focused visitors and locals alike. These properties accommodate a range of bike transportation needs, from single-day trail riders to multi-day tourists traveling with their gear by incorporating bike storage, washing stations, maintenance access, bike valet facilities, and spaces designed to welcome cyclists as well as their gear. Among the newest of the hospitality projects is The Compton. "Every element of The Compton is conceived with the adventurer in mind, mirroring the beauty of the Ozarks and catering to Bentonville's vibrant cycling scene," said Brian Shaw, development partner for Blue Crane.

Incorporating local materials and native plant species, the hotel is named for Bentonville native and conservationist Dr. Neil Compton and serves as an example of how Blue Crane’s transformative work has been thoughtful in highlighting the region’s rich history and heritage.

Sometimes, accentuating history comes with a big dash of innovation. Red Barn is an “urban agrihood” in north Bentonville, offering apartments and townhomes nestled together to maximize greenspace for a more rustic feel. The site’s eponymous red barn serves as an event space, and the property includes a farm that supports the next generation of small, local farmers, with events featuring local food and culture. Biking and walking trails criss-cross the property and connect to the region’s trail system, offering rural living with the ability to easily enjoy a car-free or car-light lifestyle with easy access to the city.

Riders at Red Barn. (Photo courtesy Blue Crane)

Other times, Blue Crane has departed from tradition with outright daring. Ledger, the world’s first bikeable office building, boasts a modernistic facade wrapped in outdoor switchbacks that climb its six floors over three-quarters of a mile. The hybrid office building/co-working space/event venue also features showers and changing rooms for bike commuters to freshen up when they arrive.

“The bike-forward approach manifests differently across our development types, but the core principle remains consistent: seamless integration with the cycling ecosystem,” says Parsons.

The Return on Investment: Compound Interest 

Blue Crane’s bike-forward approach has netted direct and indirect returns that compound over time by building on and reinforcing each other.

Those immediate and near-term returns have come in several forms: properties that feature quality bike amenities “command premium pricing, [see] faster lease-up and sales cycles, particularly for demographics aligned with a cycling lifestyle, and higher tenant retention,” says Parsons. Because residents typically own fewer vehicles, the developer also benefits from lower parking infrastructure costs.

Indirect, longer-term benefits are just as impressive. “The most significant long-term benefit is positioning our developments as integral to NWA's competitive advantage in talent attraction. When companies like Walmart, J.B. Hunt, and Tyson are recruiting globally, having housing and commercial options that showcase the region's cycling culture becomes a powerful economic development tool,” Parsons notes. The result is a marketing differentiation that attracts exactly the demographic Northwest Arkansas is trying to recruit — educated, entrepreneurial, outdoor-oriented professionals.

Likewise, when properties welcome cyclists unconditionally, those places become destinations in their own right, boosting retail sales. The extensive availability of bike-friendly properties makes it easy for cycling organizations and event producers to choose the region and partner with local firms, which in turn creates marketing opportunities for Blue Crane and property managers.

Blue Crane has at least six new projects in the pipeline, including more hotels and two mixed-use properties in Bentonville and Springdale.

“[There’s a] growing demographic that sees cycling connectivity as essential infrastructure, not just an amenity,” Parsons says. “This market values walkability, trail access, and reduced car dependency as much as traditional amenities.”

Lessons for Developers and Local Governments  

While few regions have gone as all-in on cycling as NWA, there are plenty of lessons Blue Crane has to offer other communities for capitalizing on bike-forward development. Here are their tips.

Bike racks and trail connections are essential, but proximity to these assets alone doesn’t automatically equal bike friendliness. “Study actual cycling patterns and design for seamless integration with existing infrastructure. Map the routes your residents or visitors will actually take,” Parsons recommends. Development approvals often proceed more smoothly when projects clearly connect to supporting regional economic development goals.

Ensure your design recognizes the different storage, security, and access needs of every kind of cyclist: commuters, recreational riders, visitors, families, and serious enthusiasts.

Start from the ground up by ensuring bike infrastructure is fully considered in site planning, architectural design, and landscaping from concept to market. “Retrofitting is expensive and rarely achieves the same level of integration,” Parsons notes.

Reduce minimum parking requirements for developments with strong bike infrastructure to reduce the time and cost of building. “Current standards were written for car-dependent developments,“ says Parsons.

Create clear processes for developers to connect to existing trail systems. Currently, this often requires navigating multiple agencies and unclear standards, which can eat into time and budgets.

To encourage developers to exceed basic bike standards, offer incentives such as reduced fees, expedited permitting, and density bonuses.

Building Better Communities: Blue Crane’s Bike-Forward Vision for Northwest Arkansas

Topics

Bike Networks