The Bike Manager – The Missing Link?

The League of American Bicyclists recently posted an article on the importance of employing a dedicated bicycle program manager – and the impact they can have on creating a more bike-friendly city.  And FDOT’s Secretary agrees and contends that without a permanent advocate and director for bicycling, many cities and counties may miss the mark.
 
What do they do? From speaking to the city staff and reaching out to the public, updating bike maps, revealing crash data reports, and coordinating Safe Routes to Schools events, it is important to focus one set of eyes and one solid voice on all things bikes. Some cities have found they are an economic asset.  Steven Clark, ex-manager in Boulder, Colorado revealed that “one mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, while one mile driving is a $.20 loss.” 
 
A bike manager could in fact be a driving force behind meeting many of the ambitious goals of Project DTO, which will continue to advocate for the installation of dynamic wayfinding systems, as well as continuous walking/biking paths between neighborhoods, places, districts, and Downtown.  Knowing the monumental task ahead of making these visions a reality, a dedicated bike manager should prove immensely beneficial for Orlando’s growing number of avid cyclists.