When it comes to transportation, nothing is more important than safety. PeopleForBikes believes that communities are happier, healthier, and better places to live when all road users — whether they are walking, rolling, biking, taking transit, or driving — can get to their destination safely.

Right now, Congress is writing a critical piece of legislation that will determine how much the federal government invests in bike infrastructure for the next five to six years. The decisions made in this bill will directly affect where people can ride, how safe those rides are, and the strength of the U.S. bike market well into the future.

“Safe, connected biking and walking infrastructure protects families and neighborhoods and supports local economies through trails, tourism, small business support, and more,” said Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes. “As Congress writes the next surface transportation bill, the U.S. bicycle industry is calling on lawmakers to invest in infrastructure that supports access to safe biking and walking in local communities across the country.”

Congress is working toward presenting bipartisan bills in both chambers by spring 2026. This will be an ambitious timeline for this massive legislation, which must be signed into law before September 30, 2026. While lawmakers have expressed a commitment to a collaborative, bipartisan process, key policy decisions on biking and walking infrastructure remain unresolved.

What is clear is that Americans across the political spectrum recognize the importance of safe, accessible streets. A recent Ipsos survey found that 76% of respondents agreed their communities would be better if bicycling were safer and more comfortable, including 73% of Republicans, 82% of Democrats, and 74% of Independents.

This broad support underscores a huge market opportunity: Americans want safer streets, which means more riders and more business for the bike industry. PeopleForBikes is working to ensure that Congress hears this message loud and clear.

For bike businesses, infrastructure investment is more than a nice-to-have policy win — it’s a proven growth strategy. Every federal dollar invested in bike infrastructure builds communities where people ride more, directly supporting bike retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers nationwide.

More safe places to ride directly translates to better bike business. PeopleForBikes data shows that communities with better bike networks have more bike shops and higher sales.

Investing in safe places to ride also expands the bicycle industry's market in the short and long term. In the short term, safe bike infrastructure attracts new customers by incentivizing some people to switch their commutes or other transportation trips from car to bike and by encouraging more families to get on bikes for weekend recreational rides. In the long term, providing safe places to ride for everyone means more children can enjoy bicycling from a young age and grow into lifelong enthusiasts who will ride more often, buy more bikes, and visit their local bike shops regularly.

The data shows this strategy is working. U.S. bike infrastructure has vastly improved in recent years. As a result, more than 112 million Americans rode a bike in 2024 — the highest number on record. PeopleForBikes is continuing this momentum and urging Congress to continue funding safe, connected places to ride.

To date, PeopleForBikes has held dozens of meetings with key lawmakers to shape the bill's outcome. You can read more about our engagement on this major legislation here.

PeopleForBikes also joined key partners, including the League of American Bicyclists, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and the Safe Routes to School Partnership, in organizing a campaign and letter to Congress in support of bike infrastructure funding. The goal of the campaign is to demonstrate nationwide support for biking and walking infrastructure and encourage lawmakers to incorporate that feedback into the legislation. A diverse coalition of more than 1,100 organizations signed on to the letter, demonstrating the overwhelming support for biking and walking infrastructure in every corner of the country.

Specifically, the letter calls for supporting bike infrastructure funding in several federal programs, especially the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). Since its inception in 1992, TAP has been an important source of federal funding for bicycle infrastructure. TAP funds are distributed every year to state and local governments to build projects in communities of all sizes. PeopleForBikes helped write and distribute the letter, and we are working to engage national and local media to amplify the message among key lawmakers.

PeopleForBikes worked with Congress to include significant wins in the previous iteration of this bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).

How Can I Help as a Member of the Bike Industry?

We are at a critical juncture in the funding process.  If you’re a bike retailer, manufacturer, or supplier, now is the moment for the industry to speak directly to Congress on this issue.

Contact your senators and representatives to let them know how important bike infrastructure 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. 

PeopleForBikes Calls on Congress to Support Bike Infrastructure Funding

Ferst Drive in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of the Georgia Institute of Technology

2025 was a banner year for better biking as cities across the U.S. moved beyond paint and flex-posts and invested in permanent, people-centered street design. The best bike projects built last year are fully protected, thoughtfully engineered, and tailored to the needs of their communities, making streets safer and easier to navigate for people of all ages and abilities.

These new bike lanes combine physical separation with placemaking, integrating features like public art, landscaping, and transit connections to create vibrant community spaces that benefit everyone, not just those who ride. Together, these projects show how raising the bar for bike infrastructure can strengthen neighborhoods, improve environmental outcomes, and create streets that work better for all members of a community.

Waterfront Bike Lane | Seattle, Washington

Seattle’s new Waterfront Bike Lane. Photo courtesy of the City of Seattle

Seattle’s new 1.2-mile Waterfront Bike Lane reconnected downtown with Elliott Bay after the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Built in the space once occupied by the elevated highway, the corridor now features a two-way protected bike lane, a waterfront promenade, seating areas, and plantings. Cyclists can easily connect to routes along 2nd and 4th Avenues, Spring Street, Elliott Way, Yesler Way, Pike and Pine Streets, and Melrose Avenue. A future extension will tie directly into the Elliott Bay Trail.

The bike lane runs through Pioneer Square, with historic brick buildings, and Belltown, known for dense housing, restaurants, nightlife, and the Olympic Sculpture Park. Along the route, a three-block installation by artist Oscar Tuazon — part of Seattle’s 1% for Art program — adds a series of sculptural posts inspired by traditional longhouse architecture with Indigenous carvings at either end.

The project is one of many Seattle has rolled out in recent years, helping propel the Emerald City from a City Ratings score of 42 in 2019 to 66 in 2025, making it the third-highest-scoring large U.S. city after Brooklyn and Minneapolis.

Slauson Rail-to-Rail Active Transportation Corridor | Los Angeles, California

The Slauson segment of the Rail to River project. Photo courtesy of Sahra Sulaiman via Streetsblog LA

As part of the long-planned Rail-to-River project, Los Angeles turned a neglected right-of-way into a shared-use path lined with hundreds of new trees, bioswales, pedestrian-scale lighting, and bike share stations. The completed Slauson segment of the Rail-to-River project (known as Segment A) stretches 5.5 miles from 67th Street and 11th Avenue to Slauson Station on the Metro A Line.  The path links schools, transit, parks, and businesses, providing a safe, accessible route for both recreation and commuting in South Central Los Angeles.

As local advocates celebrate the project’s success, they continue to push for completion of Segment B before the 2028 Olympics, which would extend farther east to the LA River and create a vital link in a regional network that will ultimately connect South LA to Long Beach and beyond.

Alameda’s West Midway Avenue. Photo courtesy of Maurice Ramirez (City of Alameda)

Before West Midway Avenue’s recent redesign, the corridor had no bike facilities, narrow and disconnected sidewalks, and none of the ADA-compliant or green-infrastructure features now common in people-oriented street design. “West Midway went from a wide, empty roadway to a complete street that finally reflects the kind of community Alameda Point is becoming,” said Rochelle Wheeler, senior transportation planner for the City of Alameda. The upgraded corridor now features a raised two-way protected bikeway, continuous ADA-compliant sidewalks, improved intersections, new lighting, and native landscaping supported by bioswales that help manage stormwater and reduce the risk of flooding.

A key part of the redesign was creating a bikeway that feels intuitive and safe for people of all ages. “Raising the bikeway and tightening the intersections sends a clear message: people biking and walking belong here,” said Wheeler. This segment of West Midway connects directly to protected bikeways on Saratoga Street and West Tower Avenue, with additional segments under construction that will extend the corridor east toward Stargell Avenue and into the rest of Alameda.

The surrounding neighborhood — home to new housing projects, supportive housing, offices, a food bank, restaurants, and active redevelopment sites — is also benefiting from significant sustainability improvements. The street’s new bioswales provide stormwater management and environmental protection in an area especially vulnerable to climate impacts. As Wheeler explains, “For a low-lying island already feeling the impacts of sea level rise, these bioswales aren’t just nice to have — they’re essential infrastructure.” 

Kinsley Avenue | Providence, Rhode Island

The Woonasquatucket River Greenway Improvement Project added a one-mile, shared-use path along Kinsley Avenue, connecting Downtown Providence to nearby Olneyville, closing a missing link in the seven-mile Woonasquatucket River Greenway. The project, which was championed by former Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza and led by the City of Providence in coordination with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, added a grade-separated cycle track, traffic calming, an accessible canoe and kayak launch, mini-parks, and nature-based stormwater systems adjacent to the existing river.

These upgrades boost both mobility and recreational opportunities while supporting the neighborhood’s ongoing evolution. In recent years, the Valley area has transitioned from a primarily industrial district to a vibrant mix of industry, restaurants, artist studios, nonprofits, and residential spaces.

“This project is about access. Access to safe transportation, to the river itself, to green space, and to opportunity,” said Alicia Lehrer, executive director of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council. “The moment it opened, people were there. Now, every time I go by, I see others walking, biking, pushing strollers, and stopping to look at the river. It has changed how people use this place.”

Minneapolis’ Hennepin Avenue cycle track. Photo courtesy of Alex Schieferdecker

Minneapolis, ranked as the second-best large U.S. city for biking in PeopleForBikes’ 2025 City Ratings, recently completed a $36.7 million overhaul of Hennepin Avenue South from West Lake Street to Douglas Avenue, adding curb-level protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks, raised medians, traffic calming, upgraded transit infrastructure, decorative lighting, and green stormwater systems.

“Our goal was to balance the needs of all users while supporting the neighborhood and local businesses,” said Alex Schieferdecker, pedestrian and bicycle coordinator for the City of Minneapolis. The new two-way bikeway connects downtown, Uptown, Lake Street, and Bde Maka Ska, linking to the Loring Greenway, Midtown Greenway, and other nearby bike routes. “The City of Minneapolis has begun designing almost all new bikeways as curb-level or on-street curb-protected,” Schieferdecker added. By the end of 2025, the city will have nearly 19 miles of curb-level bikeways and more than nine miles of on-street curb-protected routes.

Wilson Street Corridor | Madison, Wisconsin

Madison’s Wilson Street cycle track. Photo courtesy of the City of Madison

Madison’s Wilson Street redesign added a two-way, curb-level cycle track linking the Capital City Trail and Southwest Path. Structural soil was also added as part of the project to help new street trees thrive.

“Wilson Street was largely without any bike facilities, requiring bikes to occupy a vehicle travel lane on a street with vehicle speeds and volumes that exceeded what is considered comfortable for an all-ages shared street,” said Aaron Canton, an engineer with the City of Madison. “The two-way Wilson Street cycle track creates a safe link between the Capital City Trail and the Southwest Path, providing an alternative to crossing Highway 151 and giving people a far more comfortable way to reach downtown.”

South Main Street | Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia’s South Main Street bike lanes. Photo courtesy of SCDOT

Columbia’s first sidewalk-level protected bike lanes on South Main Street link the Statehouse to the University of South Carolina. The project converted a busy five-lane road into a calmer two-lane street, featuring raised bike lanes, wider sidewalks, shorter crosswalks, and enhanced landscaping for a safer, more inviting experience.

“We realized this was the right place to build the city’s first cycle track because of its visibility and high pedestrian activity,” said Lucinda Statler, the city’s planning administrator. “This corridor carries some of the highest pedestrian counts in the state, especially during class changes,” added Joshua Meetze, program manager at the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT). “Reducing the roadway width and providing a protected bike facility significantly improved safety and comfort for people walking and biking.” The redesign also relocated overhead utilities underground, enhancing both safety and the visual character of this civic gateway.

Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and the corridor now strengthens key north-south and east-west bike connections in downtown. As Statler put it, the project has become “a separated facility that people are excited about and want to see more of.”

Ferst Drive. Photo courtesy of the Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Tech’s new bidirectional cycle track on Ferst Drive links Tech Square and Marietta Street with the 5th Street Complete Streets project in Midtown. The cycle track replaced a narrow, unprotected bike lane with a curb-separated path, floating bus stops, and simplified, safer convergences for all users.

“[Before construction], bus stops all crossed over the bike lane, resulting in dangerous conflicts between bikes, scooters, and buses,” said Jason Gregory, a landscape architect at Georgia Tech. The redesigned corridor now includes floating bus stops, in-lane bus boarding areas, permanent curb separation, and simplified intersections.

The project also highlights how academic research can spark real change on the ground. In 2018, a team of Georgia Tech students studied safety options for Ferst Drive, comparing separated bike lanes to a cycle track. Their findings were later confirmed by traffic engineers and eventually landed on the desk of the City of Atlanta, helping move the concept from classroom analysis to a real transportation project. “The students’ work showed the cycle track reduced conflicts across the entire corridor,” Gregory said.

Today, the Ferst Drive project is a hub in a growing network for bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards across Georgia Tech’s campus, connecting Georgia Tech to the Midtown Core, a future BeltLine Spur link, and planned routes to Centennial Olympic Park. 

Summer Street | Somerville, Massachusetts

Summer Street. Photo courtesy of the City of Somerville

Somerville, located just northwest of Boston and bordering Cambridge, is steadily building one of the most complete urban bike networks in the country. With a City Ratings score of 63 — compared to Cambridge’s 68 and Boston’s 35 — the city is closing the gap through strong policy commitments, strategic infrastructure investments, and careful coordination with utility and public works projects.

Before its recent redesign, the city’s Summer Street saw about 8,000 cars a day, with more than half of them travelling faster than 25 miles per hour. The corridor had narrow sidewalks, minimal bike markings, and wide, hard-to-cross intersections. The city’s rebuild changed that experience entirely. Today, Summer Street features half-raised curb-protected bike lanes, raised crosswalks, mid-block speed humps, chicanes, and generous curb extensions that naturally slow traffic and make walking and biking safer.

The project also paired street improvements with a major sewer replacement, allowing the city to stretch construction dollars further. By coordinating the work, Somerville was able to add nearly 200 new trees, install stormwater gardens, and bring long-term green infrastructure benefits to the neighborhood without inflating costs.

“Reducing vehicle speeds and improving safety for all road users was our top priority,” said Brad Rawson, director of Somerville’s Mobility Division. “By coordinating with the sewer and utility work, we significantly reduced costs while reimagining the streetscape to prioritize walking, rolling, and biking,” added Senior Project Manager Dan Amelin, Nick Alakel, construction public information officer, noted, “These stormwater gardens serve a dual purpose — they calm traffic while enhancing the neighborhood’s aesthetic appeal.”

Early results are promising. Traffic volumes on Summer Street dropped by more than 30%, and speeding vehicles decreased from 55% to 19%. 

Looking ahead, Somerville plans to continue implementation of its Safe Streets Ordinance, which mandates a 30-mile network of protected bike lanes by 2030, alongside pedestrian and transit upgrades.

Market Street + The Lynnway | Lynn, Massachusetts

The nearly complete Northern Strand Trail extension in Lynn. Photo courtesy of Bike to the Sea

What do Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands have in common?

It’s not endless sunshine or mild winters (sorry, Finland).

It’s bikes — and safe and connected places to ride!

These countries consistently top global happiness rankings, and they’re also some of the most bike-friendly places on Earth. Connected bike lanes, safe streets, and trails weave through communities, giving millions of people the choice to ride for fun, for fitness, and to get where they need to go.

At TEDxFargo, PeopleForBikes President and CEO Jenn Dice took the stage to share how the humble bicycle can transform not just how we move, but how we feel. In her talk, “The Secret Behind Happy Communities,” Jenn explored what happens when we design places that make it easy and joyful to ride a bike.

The Secret Behind Happy Communities | Jenn Dice | TEDxFargo

Jenn’s message is simple and hopeful — bikes make people and the places they live happier. From boosting mental health to building social connection, research shows that riding a bike naturally lifts your mood, reduces stress, and gets you moving outdoors.

As Jenn puts it, “When you pedal through your neighborhood, you get the chance to clear your head, breathe fresh air, and connect with the world around you.”

And it’s not just about exercise. Every ride is a chance to see a neighbor, wave to a friend, and feel more rooted in your community.

Across the U.S., more communities are realizing the power of the bike. From Bentonville to Bloomington, Minneapolis to Fargo, cities are investing in protected bike lanes, greenways, and trails that make it easier and safer to ride.

In just the last three years, more than 1,000 bike projects have been completed or are nearly finished. Plus, 112 million Americans got out and rode last year. That momentum is real, and it’s growing.

For Jenn, the joy of cycling started early. You could find her riding around her small South Dakota town until dusk. As an adult, she discovered mountain biking and ultra-endurance races in Colorado. That lifelong love of bikes led her to PeopleForBikes, where she now leads a team dedicated to making the U.S. the best place in the world to ride.

Her TEDx talk is a reminder that the road to happier, healthier communities isn’t complicated. It starts with small choices, like hopping on a bike for a short trip, encouraging a child to ride to school, or supporting local efforts to build safer infrastructure.

As Jenn says, “Let’s take a page from the world’s happiest nations. Let’s reimagine our neighborhoods and embrace biking — not just as transportation, but as a path to the kind of places we all want to live in.”

Let’s build a world where we can all arrive happy.

You can support better biking in your community and hundreds of others nationwide by becoming a PeopleForBikes Foundation member. Join us today.

Through our annual VoteForBikes campaign, PeopleForBikes champions pro-bike ballot measures that can unlock substantial new funding for bike infrastructure in communities across the country. Since 2019, PeopleForBikes has helped secure nearly $50 billion in state and local funding for bikes. Our goal is to generate another $77 billion for bike projects between 2025 and 2028.

In the 2025 general election, we supported three critical bike-related measures on local ballots. Those that were on the ballot won, and they won big! Voters in Portland, OR; Spokane, WA; and Boise, ID, all voted YES for more funding for parks, trails, and connectivity to sustain and grow access to recreational biking. In total, voters approved $707 million in new funding, $50 million of which will go directly to improve biking. Earlier this year, voters in King County, WA; Anchorage, AK; Durango, CO, and others also approved $1.67 billion for biking, bringing new 2025 funding to of total of $1,718,515,000.

Portland voters passed Measure 26-260 with 75% approval, authorizing the city to increase its parks levy by 75%. The estimated $84 million raised by this measure will go to keeping parks facilities and programs running smoothly.

Voters in Spokane passed Proposition 1, also known as the Together Spokane initiative, with 55% approval. Prop 1 authorizes the city to invest a portion of $240 million in parks and recreation, creating and maintaining safe places to recreate, such as parks and trails.

Boise voters passed their Open Space Levy with 80% approval, an astonishing victory that authorizes the city to spend portions of $11 million over two years to enhance open spaces for recreation throughout the city. This includes key initiatives like responsible land management, buying and developing new parks, preserving open space, and building new pathways to connect the city.

Anchorage voters passed Propositions 2 and 3, generating $11,550,000 total over 20 years.

Proposition 2, the Roads and Storm Drainage Bond, provides $3,300,000 million to fund bike and pedestrian safety upgrades on roads across Anchorage. This funding will improve safety for all road users and promote increased active transportation opportunities.

Proposition 3, the Parks and Recreation Service Area Capital Improvement Bond, provides $8,250,000 in funding for 17 improvement projects to parks and trails. This funding will keep outdoor recreation opportunities safe, accessible, and available.

Durango voters passed Ballot Issue 2A, generating $180,000,000 over 30 years. Ballot Issue 2A renews a half-cent sales tax, first approved by voters in 2005, at the same rate until December 2056. This generates approximately $6,000,000 annually with half of revenue allocated to open space acquisition, parks, and trail development and maintenance in accordance with the city’s Parks, Open Space, Trail, and Recreation Master Plan. This will continue Durango's world-class investment in infrastructure that facilitates more opportunities to get outside and ride a bike.

Plano voters approved Proposition G, creating $40,795,000 in new funding. As part of the largest bond referendum in city history, Proposition G will fund open space land acquisition and development of the city's recreational trail system in accordance with the Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan and Bicycle Transportation Map to increase opportunities to ride a bike around Plano.

Thanks to voters like you making your voice heard, we showed that Americans across the country value access to more safe and connected places to ride a bike. Thank you for joining us in voting to support vibrant communities where people and the environment are happier and healthier and everyone can access affordable and safe modes of transportation and recreation.

Know a ballot measure that should be on our radar for 2026? Email PeopleForBikes Senior Manager of State and Local Policy Noah Miterko at noah@peopleforbikes.org.

Looking for even more ways to get involved and make a difference? Explore PeopleForBikes’ infrastructure work to support more great places to ride in your backyard and become a PeopleForBikes Foundation member to support better biking in your community and hundreds of others across the U.S.

Voters Approve Nearly $2 Billion to Support Better Biking in 2025

Trailnet’s vision for a connected bike network linking neighborhoods, jobs, parks, and other destinations is becoming a reality as projects like the Tower Grove Connector break ground across the city. (Image courtesy of Trailnet). 

In 2018, PeopleForBikes invested $10,000 in a citywide campaign to build a safe, connected bike network for people of all ages and abilities in St. Louis, Missouri. Led by Trailnet — a St. Louis-based nonprofit working to make walking and biking a way of life through better infrastructure, education, and advocacy — the effort is now transforming how residents and visitors move around the city.

St. Louis is one of dozens of U.S. cities using PeopleForBikes’ resources to guide investments that make biking safer and more efficient for everyday travel.

Trailnet’s Connecting St. Louis Plan created a bold, community-driven vision for a connected, low-stress bikeway network linking neighborhoods, jobs, parks, transit, and other key destinations. Today, that vision is shifting from advocacy to on-the-ground change.

“When we released the Connecting St. Louis Plan in 2019, we wanted to spark momentum,” said Chantal Incandela, Trailnet’s director of marketing and communications. “We’re now seeing that momentum turn into concrete, protected infrastructure that truly changes people’s everyday experience of moving through the city.”

Expanding St. Louis’ Low-Stress Bike Network Downtown

Construction recently began on the Tucker Boulevard Cycle Track, a two-way protected bike lane stretching nearly one mile through downtown St. Louis from Washington Avenue to Chouteau Avenue. More than just a bikeway, the redesign organizes the corridor to be safer and more comfortable for people walking, biking, taking transit, and driving.

Projects like Tucker Boulevard play an important role in expanding and connecting St. Louis’s low-stress bike network. Progress in St. Louis and thousands of other communities is tracked through PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA), the data tool that powers our City Ratings program and measures how easy it is for people to get where they need to go by bike.

The City of St. Louis is implementing the project using federal Transportation Alternatives Program funding, with design, community engagement, and advocacy support from Trailnet. Once completed in spring 2026, the Tucker corridor will connect seamlessly to the Chestnut Street bike lanes, improvements on Chouteau Avenue, and the emerging Brickline Greenway, which has at least 30 segments in various stages of planning and construction, forming a critical spine of the growing citywide bike network.

“These projects are visible proof that St. Louis is prioritizing people over speed,” said Incandela. “They show residents and visitors that our streets are meant for connection — not chaos.”

MoDOT’s First Protected Bike Lane Expands St. Louis’ Bike Network

The momentum for safer biking extends beyond city streets. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is constructing its first-ever protected bike lane on Chouteau Avenue/Route 100, identified as a high-priority corridor in Trailnet’s Connecting St. Louis Plan.

Spanning six miles between Broadway and the city limits, the $7 million project addresses significant safety concerns: more than 1,500 crashes have occurred on this stretch in the past five years. It also connects to other projects like Tucker Boulevard and the Tower Grove Connector — a 1.8-mile protected cycle track that will connect Tower Grove Park with a redevelopment project that is turning underutilized land into a 200-acre innovation district.

The redesign includes narrower driving lanes to reduce speeding, upgraded pedestrian crossings, new medians, and protected bike lanes separated from traffic by curbs and parking.

Building Community, Confidence, and Connection

Community response has been overwhelmingly positive. Residents shared that safe, protected routes are what they’ve been waiting for— a reason to choose biking for everyday trips. Local businesses, engaged throughout the planning process, see calmer, people-friendly streets as good for local businesses and neighborhoods.

“We’ve heard from residents that the lack of safe bike infrastructure has been the biggest barrier to biking downtown,” said Incandela. “These projects are a game-changer. They create real, comfortable choices for getting around.”

Importantly, the growing network is connecting communities harmed or divided by past roadway decisions. Combined with neighborhood-scale efforts like Louisiana Calm Street, Safe Routes to School programs, and the 20th Street Project Connect, these projects are expanding access to opportunity for all across the city.

“Students, downtown workers, and families will now have safer ways to get to school, to work, to transit, or simply to enjoy the city together,” said Incandela. “This is about joy and freedom as much as infrastructure.”

As construction continues, Trailnet is partnering with city agencies to support maintenance efforts like “Archie,” the city’s new bike-lane cleaning vehicle dedicated to keeping protected lanes safe and usable year-round, and public engagement campaigns to help community members learn how the growing network benefits everyone, including drivers.

“We’re building not just infrastructure, but a multimodal culture,” Incandela emphasized. “We’re working toward a St. Louis where choosing to walk, ride, or roll feels normal, intuitive, and joyful.”

What began as a grassroots campaign with early support from PeopleForBikes is now shaping the future of transportation in St. Louis — influencing city departments, state agencies, funding priorities, and long-term planning to ensure that St. Louis is a city where people can move safely and confidently, no matter how they travel.

Want to learn about similar projects near you? Check out PeopleForBikes’ Bike Project Tracker to explore bike lane and trail projects making biking safer and more connected in communities nationwide.

A $10,000 Investment is Transforming the Way St. Louis Moves

Slow Streets put people first by creating low-traffic, community-focused routes where biking, walking, and rolling are safe and accessible options for everyone to get around. With support from PeopleForBikes, California's statewide bicycle advocacy coalition CalBike recently developed “Implementing Successful Slow Streets: A Community Toolkit,” a practical, step-by-step guide to help communities plan, launch, and sustain their own Slow Streets programs.

Slow Streets are residential streets designed to reduce cut-through traffic while remaining accessible to all transportation modes. Features like bollards, cones, and street bulbouts help slow traffic down and make streets safer for people biking, walking, and spending time outdoors. 

Slow Streets and Low-Stress Bike Networks

PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings evaluates thousands of communities on the quality of their low-stress bike networks. One key factor in the ratings is traffic speed. When streets are slower, people riding bikes and driving cars can safely share the road. However, as speeds and traffic volumes increase, each travel mode requires its own designated space to prevent crashes and injuries.

Communities can boost their City Ratings score by creating more connected networks of protected bike lanes and off-street paths, lowering residential speed limits to 25 mph or less, adding traffic calming features that encourage safe driving, and implementing Slow Streets programs that prioritize people biking, walking, and rolling.

In May, CalBike hosted a webinar to highlight lessons learned from Slow Streets programs in several California communities. 

According to CalBike, San Francisco has seen some of the most significant Slow Streets victories in recent years. Local advocates secured a car-free JFK Drive through Golden Gate Park — then defended it successfully at the ballot box — and helped transform the Great Highway near Ocean Beach into a permanent park and promenade. The city’s Slow Streets program, launched in spring 2020 as a response to the pandemic, quickly evolved into a lasting model for safer, low-traffic corridors. After pilot phases with temporary signs and barriers, the city made four post-pandemic Slow Streets permanent in 2022. By 2023, 14 out of 18 Slow Streets carried fewer than 1,000 vehicles per day and traffic collisions dropped 48%.

Nearby, Oakland and Berkeley have also used Slow Streets to make their neighborhoods safer and more bike friendly. Oakland launched its program in 2020, creating 21 miles of low-stress routes guided by its 2019 bike plan. Though the routes were later removed, continued advocacy led to a 2021 design guide and the passage of Measure U in 2022, ensuring that bike and pedestrian improvements are integrated into every street repaving project. The city now plans to build 50 miles of neighborhood traffic-calming upgrades.  In Berkeley, the “Healthy Streets” initiative expanded the city’s bike boulevard network and helped inspire Measure FF in 2024, which requires the implementation of bike and walk plans. Community input is a key focus, as shown by a one-day Slow Streets pop-up on Ninth Street — supported by PeopleForBikes and Bayer — that collected resident feedback to guide future policies.

With new investments and updated plans underway, both cities are proving how community-driven advocacy and smart policy can deliver safer, more connected streets.

How CalBike’s Toolkit Can Help Your Community

CalBike’s “Slow Streets Toolkit” is designed for advocates, planners, and residents looking to make Slow Streets a reality. It provides practical guidance on:

Gaining support from city officials and community members

Connecting with existing bike infrastructure

Designing safe and effective street layouts

Engaging the community and collecting feedback

Following these principles helps communities build streets that are safer, easier to navigate, and more welcoming for everyone, while also strengthening connected, low-stress bike networks. When your city invests in low-stress bike networks, it not only makes streets better for the people who live there, it also boosts your City Ratings score, signaling real progress in creating great places to ride.

Check out the CalBike Slow Streets Toolkit for practical guidance, case studies, and actionable steps.

How Slow Streets Programs Strengthen Low-Stress Bike Networks

Topics

Bike Networks

PeopleForBikes at Work on Bike Networks

News

PeopleForBikes Calls on Congress to Support Bike Infrastructure Funding

The Best New U.S. Bike Lanes of 2025

The Secret Behind Happy Communities

Voters Approve Nearly $2 Billion to Support Better Biking in 2025

A $10,000 Investment is Transforming the Way St. Louis Moves

How Slow Streets Programs Strengthen Low-Stress Bike Networks