Action 3: Conduct Progress Evaluations Regularly
Progress evaluations for the Bicycling for Everyone Action Plan should be conducted at least every two years so that the plan remains relevant to our community’s needs.
Stakeholders participate in a “bike audit” led by a representative from the League of American Bicyclists for the City of Ithaca’s Bicycle Friendly Community certification process. (Photo: Bike Walk Tompkins)
About This Action
The Bicycling for Everyone Action Plan is a living document that is meant to be updated regularly based on new and changing information. As actions presented in this Bicycling for Everyone Action Plan are tested, implemented, or abandoned, progress evaluations for the plan should be conducted at least every two years so that the plan remains relevant to our community at all times. Currently, evaluations on the state of bicycling in and around Ithaca are done on an ad-hoc basis and are usually tied to the certification process for the City of Ithaca’s Bicycle Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists. Future evaluations should compare our community’s progress to the goals and actions of the Bicycling for Everyone Action Plan.
More frequent progress evaluations will help the community hold municipalities and other partners accountable to publicly stated plans. Evaluations will also help municipalities compare their progress to their own adopted bicycle master plans as well as the goals and actions set in this plan. A productive outcome of more frequent evaluation will be updated “priority action shortlists” for each municipality that outline a small set of achievable projects that can move the needle forward.
Bicycle Friendly Community “report card” for Ithaca’s Bronze designation in 2016, with metrics evaluation and key steps to Silver. (Source: League of American Bicyclists)
Let’s Make It Happen
The first progress evaluation for the Bicycling for Everyone Action Plan is set to occur in 2022. In the meantime, we’re keeping track of what municipalities and other stakeholders are doing each year to improve bicycling conditions for everyone, advancing other action items forward, and finalizing the metrics needed to keep track of the various goals within the plan.
Are you an engaged student, resident, or researcher interested in developing a dashboard to keep track of the metrics needed for an evaluation? Reach out to us about your idea.
All Evaluation & Planning Actions
