Photo courtesy the Seattle Bicycle/Pedestrian Program

Efforts to encourage bicycle use come in many forms. In general, however, most fall within three broad categories. First, some are nuts-and-bolts attempts to break down common bicycling barriers. These can, for example, involve installation of bicycle parking at potentially popular cycling destinations. Second, some encouragement efforts involve introducing people to the fun side of bicycling. These tend to be events like "bike fairs" and the like. And, third, some projects involve media relations--for example, the use of television or radio PSAs to deliver a specific message to a general audience.

To some extent, the types overlap. After all, some fun projects can break barriers or involve the use of the media and so on. However, the typology mentioned above can at least help us get a handle on the amorphous field of bicycle encouragement programs and projects.

Typical "barrier-breaking" encouragement program elements:

• Public space bicycle parking (e.g., provisions on sidewalks): Generally, these programs are sponsored by local agencies and involve installing a certain number of bicycle parking spaces per year in public places. A few examples of communities where this happens (or have happened) are Seattle, Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver, and Missoula.
• Bicycle parking ordinances: A number of communities have also modified their parking ordinances to include requirements for bicycle parking (and, in some cases, showers and lockers). Generally, these requirements suggest that when a new building of some particular type is built, a certain number of bike spaces must be provided. For example, a new office building may be required to have 60% as many bike spaces as car spaces. Some communities with bicycle parking ordinances include Vancounver BC, Madison WI, Austin TX, Palo Alto CA, and Santa Cruz CA.
• Bike parking at transit stations: Providing secure bicycle parking at transit stops is one way to encourage combined bike-and-rail commuting. By attracting bicyclists, transit station parking can increase the capture radius of the system (beyond what could be expected by attracting only pedestrians) and it results in relatively little additional congestion (as compared to large parking lots for autos).
• Bikes-on-transit: Some of the largest transit networks in the U.S. allow bicyclists to bring their bicycles on board. Most agencies apply certain restrictions to the practice; some, for example, only allow bicycles on certain cars of a train (until recently, for example, BART had such restrictions); some only allow bikes during off-peak hours (e.g., SEPTA in Philadelphia). And others (e.g., D.C.'s Metro system) require bicyclists to apply for special permits. An excellent source of information on the subject is the BikeMap.com web site, which carries Bike-on-Transit Maps for systems nationwide.
• Bike racks on buses: Installing bicycle racks of buses (typically on the front) is a project type that has been around for well over a decade but has recently caught on more seriously. It's likely that at least part of the current broader interest is based on the emergence of a simple but effective rack that carries two bikes on the front of the bus. Cities like Phoenix AZ and Las Vegas NV report attracting thousands of users per month.
• "White bike" programs: More communities are organizing "White (or green or pink or blue) Bike" programs all the time. Typically, these involve distributing a fleet of color-coded bicycles around the community. Potential users simply find a bicycle and ride it to their destinations. When they're done, someone else can use the bicycle. Some communities with active programs include Portland OR, Olympia WA, Madison WI, Santa Cruz CA, Austin TX, and Telluride CO.
• "Free" bike programs: Unlike the programs just described, these efforts involve providing bicycles to individual needy people. Most such programs (e.g., that run in Missoula MT) rely on donations to supply the bicycles and parts. Volunteers repair any damage. Users may be given helmets and some brief training as part of the service. To someone at the bottom of the economic scale, having a bike may mean being able to reliably reach a workplace and, as a result, to get and keep a job. The classic Italian movie, "The Bicycle Thief" poignantly depicted how much a bicycle can mean to someone living in poverty.
• Workplace-based commuter encouragement: Some programs or groups provide sessions for potential bicycle commuters at the workplace. Such programs may consist of brief educational clinics that cover important commuting topics. They may also include assistance for new commuters in choosing low-stress routes and proper equipment. And, in some cases, employers provide significant incentives for bicycling commuting.

Typical "fun-type" encouragement program elements:

• Bike week (or day or month): Bicycle events of this type promote the benefits of bicycling to a wide audience and for the full range of trip purposes. They may include bike rodeos for the kids, a variety of bike rides for adults, special showings of bike movies at local theatres, mountain bike or BMX exhibitions, bike-a-thons for charities, and so on. Often, organizers invite groups to participate and to come up with their own event ideas. Some communities with popular events include Boulder CO, Denver CO, San Diego CA, and Missoula MT.
• Bike-to-work week (or day or month): Similar to the Bike Week events, Bike-to-Work events focus on commuting in particular. In some cases, a bike-to-work day is included as part of a bike week event. Often, these events include elements like competitions between employers for the highest proportion of bike commuters, free food and coffee for bike commuters stopping at certain restaurants, recognition for exemplary bicycle commuters, or a special media focus on the "hows and whys" of bicycle commuting.
• Monthly "try a better way" day: Not as common as the bike week or bike-to-work week, the try-a-better-way day is typically scheduled for a particular day each month (e.g., the third tuesday of the month). For this one day, participants are encouraged to get around without using their automobiles. In some cases (e.g., Missoula MT), the event is a cooperative venture between the community's bicycle/pedestrian program or an advocacy group and the local transit system.
• Mass recreational rides: These events come in several common flavors. One type is the multi-day long distance ride (e.g., RAGBRAI, PALM, STP, DALMAC). A common approach is to have riders start at one end of a state and ride to the other. While many participants are skilled and experienced bicyclists, many others are less skilled but very enthusiastic novices. These multi-day rides can cover hundreds of miles. Another variety of the mass ride is the one day event. Often, these rides route participants around a major city and involve relatively short distances, something that can be accomplished during the course of a morning. Examples include the 5 Borough Bike Tour in New York City and the huge Tour d'Isle in Montreal, Quebec.
• Bike fairs, shows, or "concourse d'elegance" events: These tend to be spectator-oriented events that give people the opportunity to see fancy or unusual bicycles or specialized equipment. "Concourse d'elegance" events, for example, are typically shows wherein registrants can display unique bicycles; sometimes, antique or whizzer bikes are the focus; sometimes people display high end racing bikes or unusual recumbents (e.g., some of the fully enclosed human powered vehicles). The point of the show is typically to lend an exotic air to bicycling and celebrate its diversity of invention.

Typical media awareness encouragement program elements:

• Television and radio PSAs or special programs: Use of the various electronic media can help bicycle advocates reach a broad audience with a relatively general message. The Toronto program, for example, once used animated television PSAs to promote lawful cycling. Similarly, the Seattle program, in conjunction with a local TV station, produced a series of "share the road" spots aimed at the motoring public.
• Weekly bicycle newspaper columns: Over the years, newspapers in communities with lots of bicycling have featured regular bike-related columns. For example, the daily in Indianapolis IN used to carry a column that discussed local bicycling issues and listed upcoming events.
• Bicycle maps: In many communities bicycle programs or groups have produced bike maps that show preferable routes around town or that rate the streets in terms of their difficulty for bicycling. These maps often provide safety information and local resources (bike clubs, repair shops, local park features, etc.) on the back side. The Calgary AB map featured the community's bikeway system and was paid for by advertising.
• Brochures: Literature can help potential users over the hump of inertia. Pamphlets and brochures on specific topics are often distributed through bicycle shops, schools, and other outlets as part of an encouragement program. For example, the Greater Delaware Bicycle Coalition in Philadelphia at one time offered an impressive "commute to work" packet for local employers.

The basic purpose of encouragement programs:

Underlying all the variations of theme and approach, the basic purpose of encouragement programs is, obviously, to encourage more bicycling. In some cases, the specific focus is on getting those who don't currently ride (or ride very little) to try bicycling or to at least to think positively about bicycling. Programs of this type tend to use very basic approaches and media to get across messages like "bicycling is healthy" or "bicyclists help reduce congestion." The "free bicycle" programs might also fall into this category.

In other cases, it means getting those who ride somewhat casually to start riding more often, for more types of trips, and for longer distances. This might mean, for example, putting bike racks on buses to help people take longer trips with their bicycles. Or it could mean providing

References:

• "Bicycle Commuter Service;" by Cheryl Lowe; in Bicycle Forum #6; 1980
• "Bicycle Mapping in the U.S.: An Overview;" by John Williams; in Bicycle Forum #14; Winter 1987
• "The Bicycle Parking Link;" by John Protopapas and Joe Anderson; in Bicycle Forum #2; Fall 1978
• "Bike-a-thons for Bicycling;" by Peggy Robinson; in Bicycle Forum #8; Winter 1981-2
• "BTV is a Hit in Iowa City!;" by Gregory Kovaciny; in Bicycle Forum #10; Summer 1983
• "Bus Meets Bike in Eureka CA;" by John Gill; in Bicycle Forum #16; Summer 1987
• "Cycling at the Shipyard;" by Steve Davis; in Bicycle Forum #9; Winter 1982-3
• "Iowa City's City Bicycle Pool;" by Jeff Davidson; in Bicycle Forum #8; Winter 1981-2
• "LA: Working on Getting to Work;" by sharon Buchalter and erica Goebel; in Bicycle Forum #10; Summer 1983
• "London's Cycling Campaign;" by Ian Maxwell; in Bicycle Forum #14; Winter 1987
• "Mapping for Bicycles;" by E.A. Drake and John Troja; in Bicycle Forum #1; Spring 1978
• National Bicycling and Walking Study Case Study No. 9: Linking Bicycle/Pedestrian Facilities with Transit; by Replogle and Parcells; 1992
• "RAGBRAI;" by Don Benson; in Bicycle Forum #5; 1980
• "Suitability Mapping: the Portland Experience;" by Janet Schaeffer; in Bicycle Forum #5; 1980

Topics for further study:

• The comparative difficulty of encouraging bicycling for different trip purposes
• The place of bicycle commute efforts in employer-based commute trip reduction programs
• The longterm results of "white bike" programs
• The use of community bicycle maps
• Measuring results in low-budget encouragement programs
• Distribution approaches used with bicycle encouragement literature
• Target audiences and the most successful strategies for reaching them