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Designing Streets that Move People

November 12, 2016
Karen Minkel
New temporary protected bike lanes in Northwest Arkansas allow for a safer commute
This week, Northwest Arkansas welcomed more than 500 mountain bikers for the International Mountain Biking Association World Summit. Cyclists are filling our streets as they visit bike shops, restaurants and museums during the first-ever sold out event in the summit’s 12-year history.

With this influx of bikers, it’s more important than ever to make sure riders are comfortable on our streets. Leaders in Bella Vista, Rogers and Bentonville have embraced our region’s growing cycling culture by creating temporary protected bike lanes where residents and visitors can commute safely the entire month of November.

We have pledged our support to the cities working on this effort. For us, the journey started last spring when we took a close look at how people were using trails throughout the region. We discovered cyclists in Northwest Arkansas were using trails at per capita levels similar to well-known, bike-friendly cities like San Francisco. However, it was clear trails were being used primarily for recreation and not transportation.

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