Bike Trains are Keeping Bentonville on Track to Becoming the Bike Capital of America
The mountain bike capital of the world recently became home to the first bikeable building in the world. The city also has its Connecting Bentonville Master Plan, born out of extensive public input and approved by the city council and planning commission, paving the way for a brighter future. This plan outlines crucial projects that are in progress and ready to go. “I'm thrilled to see the Connecting Bentonville Master Plan making strides in our community as we work together to enhance mobility,” said Bentonville Mayor, Stephanie Orman. “This initiative is paving the way for expanded mobility and access through a highly connected system that enables safe, convenient access for all types of transportation - walking, biking, driving, and riding transit. All you need to do is visit a local school and see the number of bikes parked around it to know the need for safer bike routes to school is there.”
The first bike trains, group rides that provide a way for children to bike to and from school safely in a group with adult supervision, rolled through Bentonville to Bright Field Middle and Willowbrook Elementary to school during May of 2022. From the start, it was clear that the PTO members were on to something. The distance from their neighborhood to the school was too short for a bus and they wanted an option to replace the dreaded car line. In recently commissioned research by City Thread across Benton County, 32% of voters believe traffic congestion is the most important problem facing Bentonville today, second only to affordable housing as their primary concern. More than half (55%) believe that developing alternatives to driving is the best way to reduce the community’s traffic issues.
Now the bike trains are powered by Bentonville Moves Coalition. Along with this, safe routes to schools are being mapped using Pointz, a safety-focused mapping app that helps micromobility users find better ways around cities. “A remarkable movement is gaining momentum as bike trains are shaping the landscape of Bentonville's education system,” said Jessica Pearson, Executive Director, Bentonville Moves Coalition. “Powered by our passion and the innovative navigation of Pointz, we're witnessing a transformative shift in how our children travel to school. Together, we're creating a city where bike trains become the new norm for students' daily journeys.” Bentonville PTO is continuously leading efforts to recruit more and more PTOs across the district to take this model and rework it to suit their schools’ needs. Bike Champions, PTO members, and volunteers are stepping up to lead more bike trains.
During Bike to School Week, October 2-6, 2023, the bike trains ran daily and had a dozen or so schools across Bentonville participating. The number of routes and stops more than quadrupled since the first bike trains rolled out while hundreds of bikes filled racks, lined fences, and leaned on trees outside schools each day. Additional bike racks were put in place beforehand, but the number of kids on bikes continues to outnumber available space on racks. Plans are in place to fundraise to help meet the ongoing need for bike racks. “This part of the city is already so bikeable because of the planning work the city has been doing for years,” said Jennifer Waymack Standerfer, BMC Advocacy Chair and Bike Champion Lead. “But we still have challenges. We know the infrastructure fix is going to come someday, but it takes time. So, today, while the city is working on the long game, parents over here are connecting through the PTO to fill the gap. We want our whole community to be safe on the road together. We’re excited to see more infrastructure improvements in the near future driven by our efforts today.”
If other schools are interested in getting Bike Trains rolling in their neighborhoods and schools, please contact Bentonville Moves Coalition Executive Director at jessica@bentonvillemoves.org
