Bicycle Friendly Transportation Systems

Municipalities can develop a bicycle friendly transportation system that encourages bicycle use and makes cycling safer. Some cost-effective strategies that can improve bicycle infrastructure include striping and signing bike paths, adding bicycle routes, and properly maintaining road shoulders. To promote safety, communities can add call/help boxes on bicycle routes, make sure that routes have adequate lighting, and train highway staff to assess and clear road shoulder obstructions.

Making it easy for bicyclists to make transfers from one mode of transportation to another is a crucial element in supporting bicycle use. Currently, Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit plans bus routes, maintains bus shelters, and provides bicycle racks on all buses. Transit operators also can provide "bicycle friendly" training to bus drivers to facilitate bicycle loading and unloading.

Communities can locate secure bicycle parking and shelters at key transfer stations (such as at the bottom of steep hills) and at other major transit stops and primary destinations. Additionally, employers can provide incentives to their employees who bicycle to work by providing secure bicycle parking facilities, lockers, and/or showers at work.