Cunningham Park Trails
- Organization
- Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists (CLIMB)
- State
- NY
- Year
- 2006
- Type
- Mountain Bike Project
Bikes Belong funding helped Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists (CLIMB) build the first legal mountain bike trail network in New York City—in Queens’ Cunningham Park. Because of the group's success with other trail projects and programs, New York City Parks & Recreation has given CLIMB permission to build and maintain the mountain bike trails in the park. Accessible by public transportation, the park is now a mountain bike destination for a Trips for Kids chapter, a Girl Scouts cycling program, and thousands of adventurous New Yorkers. Volunteers from CLIMB and the Green Apple Corps donated nearly 1,000 hours of labor to build the trails. CLIMB’s strong partnerships with groups ranging from the Nature Conservancy and New York City Parks & Recreation to local bike shops made this pioneer project possible.
Tornado Alley BMX Track
- Organization
- Tornado Alley BMX Parent's Association
- State
- TX
- Year
- 2005
- Type
- BMX/Bike Park
Tornado Alley BMX, in Amarillo, Texas, used a $7,500 Bikes Belong grant to build a new track in the town’s athletic complex. The facility’s location enables kids to safely ride their bikes to the track, provides great exposure for the sport, and makes it easy for spectators to access BMX events. The committed volunteers at the Tornado Alley BMX Parents Association have organized effective programs to increase ridership at the track, with an emphasis on getting more girls into the sport. The association is also giving back to the community by hosting charity rides and events at the track to benefit local health and wellness organizations.
Underground Railroad Bicycling Route
- Organization
- Adventure Cycling Association
- State
- National
- Year
- 2005
- Type
- Bike Routes/Lanes
A Bikes Belong grant helped the Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) develop the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route (UGRR), a 2,000-mile network of scenic and historic roads that traces the path slaves followed to freedom during the Civil War. ACA produced detailed maps of the route, which stretches from Mobile, Alabama, to Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. ACA worked with local historical societies, museums, and the Center for Minority Health to promote the route and broaden its appeal. Riders of all abilities can enjoy the UGRR for short spins, day trips, or long-distance tours, traveling through history by bike.
Lake Wobegon Trail
- Organization
- Stearns County Parks Department
- State
- MN
- Year
- 2003
- Type
- Bike Path
A Bikes Belong grant helped the Stearns County Parks Department pave a 10-mile portion of Minnesota’s popular Lake Wobegon Trail, increasing the off-street bike route to 45 miles. The long-term plan is to expand the path network in several directions, potentially linking hundreds of miles of multi-use paths. Bikes Belong’s funding—together with money from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Stearns County, the towns of Albany and Holdingford, and private foundations—matched a federal TEA-21 grant earmarked for the project. Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN), an avid cyclist and bicycling proponent, also championed the path.
Cactus Forest Trail
- Organization
- IMBA
- State
- AZ
- Year
- 2002
- Type
- Advocacy
A Bikes Belong grant helped the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) regain mountain bike access to Saguaro National Park’s Cactus Forest Trail—the first legal singletrack open to mountain bikes in a national park. Mountain bikers had been riding and maintaining the popular trail for 11 years when, in 2002, it was closed to bicyclists due to legal concerns. Bikes Belong’s funding helped IMBA enlist legal and lobbying support to reach an agreement with the National Park Service. The trail reopened to mountain bikers in September 2003, protecting the potential for mountain bicycling in U.S. national parks.
Marin County North-South Greenway, Phase 3
- Organization
- Marin County Bicycle Coalition
- State
- CA
- Year
- 2001
- Type
- Bike Path
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) used a Bikes Belong grant to help develop the North–South Greenway, a commuting and recreation route just north of San Francisco. The route combines bike lanes and paths to connect transit centers, downtown districts, workplaces, schools, and residential areas. An active alternative to driving on Route 101, the project is an integral part of Marin’s Safer Routes to School infrastructure and an amenity for walkers, runners, and rollerbladers as well as bicyclists. Marin County has completed several key portions of the greenway, and MCBC continues to help secure federal, state, and local funding for this impressive project. When finished, the North-South Greenway will serve as a model transportation solution for the entire country.
.embedded.jpg "Marin County North South Greenway Photo")
