San Jose, California
San José, California, plans to add some 70 miles of bikeways and to be a top-tier bike-friendly city.
In April 2015, under the leadership of then city manager Norberto Dueñas, San José, California (pop. 1.03 million) announced that efforts were underway to make San José a bike-friendly city. Those efforts included the addition of new bikeways, pavement maintenance updates, innovative street design elements, bike parking, bike-friendly code and policy updates, and partnership programs that encourage everyday use of the bicycle.
Improvements were announced in a report supporting goals put forth in Bike Plan 2020, the city’s 10-year plan for being among the best cities for people who bike—that is, where bicycling is safe, convenient, and an integral part of daily life. With a goal of 5 percent of all trips by bicycle by the year 2020, the plan lays out a 500-mile bikeway network that includes a high standard of design and provides safe and efficient travel for bicyclists of all ages and abilities.
With more than 30,000 daily bike trips on some 240 miles of on-street bikeways, San José complements this by offering ongoing children’s walking and biking safety training in schools to ensure all have access to key safety training and can help transition commuters from cars to bikes.
According to Paul Smith, deputy director, planning and project delivery, San José Department of Transportation, the aggressive rate of bikeways development is a testament to the city’s commitment to offer the community a variety of transportation options. “Over the past six years, San José added 40 miles of bikeways. In the next 18 months, 70-plus more miles will be developed. This is key both in enhancing the existing bike network off and on city streets, and in making San José more accessible whether on foot, by transit, or on a bicycle,” said Smith.
In addition to enhancing San José’s bike infrastructure, Bike Plan 2020 established the goal that five percent of all trips in San José be by bicycle. According to the report at the time, one percent of trips in downtown San José are by bicycle while four percent of trips are by bicycle .
San José’s efforts to be bike-friendly complement the city’s and Silicon Valley’s long history of cycling. That history includes production of the first mechanically pedaled bicycle in North America, which was created in the 1800s, and one of the first bicycling clubs in the United States, the Garden City Wheelmen, formed in 1884. In addition, the Hellyer Park Velodrome is currently the only velodrome—an arena for track cycling—in Northern California, and it is one of 19 in the U.S.
Click here for information on San José bikeways projects or view the San José Bike Plan 2020 document in PDF format.
**A similar version of this Life, Well Run success story originally appeared in the August 2015 issue of ICMA’s PM Public Management magazine.
Athens, Tennessee
A rails-to-trails conversion project located in South East Tennessee is a terrific example of how successful intergovernmental relations can benefit multiple communities in a region. Located along Highway 307 and running down to Highway 39 in McMinn County, the Eureka Trail is a multi-government, multi-phase project that will connect the City of Athens and the Town of Englewood.
Designed by engineering students from the University of Tennessee, Eureka Trail is situated on top of an historic railroad bed that has been abandoned since 2009. The trail is expected to stretch out to 7 miles once complete. Residents are currently enjoying the 4.6 miles that have already been converted; residents like John and Becky McGrew a couple in their 70s who now cycle the trail a few times a week for better health.
Created by Collaboration
Named for the Eureka Cotton Mill that once operated at the Englewood trail head, the project is made possible through the collaborative efforts of the McMinn County Government, the City of Athens, and the Town of Englewood. The interlocal agreement between the entities establishes a committee for the maintenance, operation, and expansion of the trail.
The project has received funding from the City of Athens and McMinn County, as well as grants and donations from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Marshall University, Project Diabetes, and the Lyndhurst Foundation, a private non-profit organization based in Chattanooga and facilitated by the local Athens Parks Foundation.
Contributions from the local Kiwanis Club and private citizen donations have also been used to help fund and enhance features on the trail, such as a bridge over a creek, its railings and surfacing on the trail. In all, there are 6 government entities from the federal, state, and local levels involved in making Eureka Trail a success, including both Senators of the State of Tennessee.
Community Benefits
The Eureka Trail is designed to help citizens enjoy walking, running, and bicycling. If the surface is improved to a hard surface, rollerblading and skateboarding will be approved uses as well. Horseback riding is allowed on specific days of the week, subject to the condition of the trail surface.
The trail also features the “Health Triangle,” a convenient half-mile section designed for those with disabilities or who may just be easing into a new exercise routine. Working in conjunction with the State of Tennessee’s Project Diabetes, the Health Triangle includes educational signs on how to stay fit and make better dietary decisions.
Local feedback has been tremendously positive. According to Parks Director Austin Fesmire, initial naysayers of the project have shared that Eureka Trail is a great use of public funds. One local couple recently logged their 500th mile on the trail!
National Recognition
In 2016, the National Coalition of Recreational Trails awarded Eureka Trail with the Recreational Trails Program Achievement Award for Engaging Public-Sector Partners This award was granted for exemplary engagement and garnering of support from public-sector officials including local, state, and federal elected officials.
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