Action 3: Establish Equity-in-Bicycling Working Group
Let’s go beyond research and center the bicycling needs of and insight from folks that are part of underrepresented communities to truly make bicycling accessible to all.
Folx & Spokes is an initiative of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia that strives to build a bicycling community more inclusive of women, trans, and non-binary people. (Photo: Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia)
About This Action
In an equity-in-bicycling working group, we will go beyond research to truly understand the challenges underrepresented communities face when bicycling and center the needs of and insight from folks at the margins. This will support bicycling advocacy and community organizations to tailor their approaches to bring bicycling to more people in practical and culturally-engaging ways through new and existing bicycling programming, as well as uplift new leaders into leadership roles.
In tandem with the working group, existing programming that address the age and gender gap in bicycling should expand and continually adapt. Focus groups should be started earnestly to examine how race, gender, and class affects the bicycling experience in and around Ithaca. These focus groups will lay the groundwork for the equity-in-bicycling working group, which will be focused on building lasting connections and proposing actions that address the needs brought up within the focus groups. Meeting the needs of women, trans, and people of color in our community is an important next step to build true equity in the local bicycle community.
A participant of the GIAC Seniors Program confidently pedals on BWT’s recumbent adult tricycle at an event at Stewart Park. (Photo: Bike Walk Tompkins)
Focus on Equity
Bike Walk Tompkins’ local research, and anecdotes from other local bicycling groups, shows that barriers to bicycling vary between different groups of people. The level of appeal biking has depends on the identity you hold. The 2020 Ithaca Bicycle Use and Attitudes Survey revealed that women and people of color were less likely to ride a bike due to a lack of bicycling skills or sense of competency while riding. Community outreach with other underrepresented groups also revealed more nuanced barriers that would not be captured in a broad-based survey, such as challenges with balancing on upright bicycles among seniors. Furthermore, national research has revealed that perceived bicycling safety is also disproportionately influenced by both crime level and policing activity among certain marginalized groups. It is time to get serious about addressing the systemic barriers keeping underrepresented groups from enjoying a safe and comfortable bicycle ride.
Bike Walk Tompkins and our community partners have started addressing the particular barriers women and seniors face as they start bicycling, and we remain committed to working together to enhance these offerings in the future. To address barriers for senior riders, BWT purchased a recumbent tricycle and worked with Ithaca Bike Rental to ensure that adult tricycles were available at all events targeting senior populations. The discrepancy between male and female riding experiences was visible during Bike Walk Tompkins’ bike skills and “learn-to-ride” classes in 2019 and 2020. Nearly all class attendees were women. In response, we will build programming that explicitly empowers female riders and uplifts female teachers as leaders.
In addition to gender and age-aware education and outreach, we have begun outreach directly among lower-income communities and communities of color through our Ithaca Bike Champions program. Even with that, our current knowledge of bicycling barriers related to racial and income inequities in Ithaca is limited. As previously mentioned, our local research suggests that people of color are disproportionately challenged by a perceived lack of bicycling skills, and research in other cities reveals additional barriers faced specifically by lower-income people of color, such as greater sensitivity to the cost of bicycling, lack of secure bike parking at home, and concern about being targets for criminals as well as the police. Understanding the local context of bicycling for lower-income and BIPOC Ithacans will help BWT and our partners generate relevant programming and make sure bicycling supports the building of a socially and economically just Ithaca.
Spencer Road residents gather for a bicycling celebration at the playground at Stone Quarry Apartments, a mixed-income community. (Photo: Bike Walk Tompkins)
Let’s Make It Happen
Bike Walk Tompkins is currently seeking community partners to conduct our first round of focus groups, one with lower-income people, one with trans identifying people, and another with people who identify as Black, Indigenous, brown, or people of color that currently bike or would like to start bicycling.
Are you a person or organization well-connected to lower-income people and people of color? Let’s get in touch to explore collaborations on this effort.
Are you a person of color, trans identifying, or lower-income individual who would like to participate in a focus group? Reach out to us to find out about the next focus group opportunity.
Are you a researcher working at the intersection of transportation and racial, gender, and economic justice? Contact us about opportunities to collaborate in our community.
All Equity & Access Actions
