BICYCLE FRIENDLY AMERICA
SIMSBURY, CONN.
friendly initiatives that could be accomplished with little to no funding. We How a small town has made big launched a social media page (Simsbury strides toward bicycle friendly status Free Bike), sharrowed a 16.2-mile bike route through town, created a bike share BY PATTIE SMITH JACOBUS program and began a communications When the Town of Simsbury, Conn., campaign on local public access TV. built the first one-mile segment of trail 20 years ago in the center of town, local 3» SIMSBURY FREE BIKE leaders never imagined that Simsbury Simsbury’s Public Works Director casuwould be designated in 2010 as a Bicycle ally suggested we start a community bike Friendly Community at the Bronze level share. The Simsbury Police Department — and become the first municipality in offered a stash of bicycles collected over Connecticut to receive that designation the years that were headed to the town because of its commitment to cycling. dump. Volunteers went to work. They “The designation is so important, not secured a donated space for a bike shop, only because of the honor but because it and with a few cans of blue paint, a fleet also signals the Town’s commitment to of six bikes was created that served 150 a healthy and active lifestyle,” said First riders in its first season. Since its humble Selectman Mary Glassman, the chief start in 2011, the fleet has grown to more elected official of the 24,000 population than 50 bikes, available in 10 locations in town nestled in the Farmington Valley. five communities. Glassman credited the public-private partnership working together to leverage 4» IDENTIFYING FORWARD THINKING town resources and mobilize volunteers. BUSINESSES AS MODELS Here’s how we did it: Not everyone saw the value of attracting bicyclists and reengineering our network
than 7,300 (32%) acres of protected open space. This includes 2,900 acres (40 trails/30 miles) suited to single track mountain biking.
One person, the owner of an auto dealership of all things, set active transportation initiatives in motion in Simsbury. Steve Mitchell, a Board Member of the East Coast Greenway, approached Glassman with the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community Blueprint in hand and said: “The Town of Simsbury needs to earn this designation! Advocates can get the wheels turning!”
9» CONNECTICUT ADAPTIVE CYCLING
1»THE POWER OF ONE
of roads and trails. The local bike shop, the Simsbury Inn, and one of the largest town employers were early sponsors. The Simsbury Inn became a sponsor for the bike share program, which was a big hit with their guests, allowing them to get out and see the town and the bike trail.
7» VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are the voice of Simsbury’s cycling and walking community and the eyes and ears on our trails and roadways. Volunteers reach out to other Connecticut communities and advocacy groups and provide perspective to town officials and legislators during the legislative/ budgeting process on safety and transportation infrastructure priorities.
8» NETWORKING WITH LIKE-MINDED ORGANIZATIONS
Networking with and being mentored by like-minded groups have helped Simsbury to build its Bike Friendly program. We have one of the premier trails organizations, The Farmington Valley Trails Council in our area, and have worked closely with that group on projects such as trail maintenance, signage, and closing the gaps in our 80 miles of trail through Connecticut.
Simsbury bike advocates encourage everyone to ride and make every effort to ensure that anyone who wants to ride has that opportunity. A fleet of hand cycles and power-assisted trikes are housed at the Simsbury Free Bike shop and avail5» EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION able to riders needing assistive cycles. Our first priority was to educate our- selves. Then, we worked to demonstrate 10» IT TAKES A VALLEY to our school system the value of teach- Simsbury is not an urban cycling cen2» PLUCKING THE LOW HANGING FRUIT ing independent cycling, bike safety and ter. Simsbury is a small town of 25,000 With little more than the League’s Blue- trail etiquette to our children, including people and lacks safe routes to Hartford, print in hand, a small group of Simsbury value to families and improving health Farmington and West Hartford — pribike advocates set out to identify bike- and fitness. Our Physical Education De- mary commuter routes. The entire Farmpartment launched a pilot bike safety ington Valley benefits when individual program for 3rd and 4th graders in 2013, towns adopt bike-friendly infrastructure which went town-wide in 2014. that create the needed safe transportation network and bike friendly culture that 6» VISIONARY LEADERSHIP appeals to bike commuters. Simsbury has a rich history of visionary PATTIE SMITH JACOBUS IS CO-CHAIR OF THE SIMSBURY BICYCLE PEleaders and pioneers in the area of con- DESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE servation. The result is a town with more
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UNIVERSITIES
AMERICAN BICYCLIST 13