Equity & Access
We envision a community where...
barriers to transportation are overcome by affordable, convenient, and culturally-engaging bicycling opportunities
Goals
1. Offer affordable bicycling options
Cost should not be a barrier to anyone who needs a bicycle when there are a variety of low-to-no cost bicycle rental, ownership, and repair options.
2. Provide convenient bicycling opportunities
Opportunities to get started with bicycling should be available in all neighborhoods in and around Ithaca so that no one is geographically underserved.
3. Proactively develop culturally-engaging outreach
Culturally relevant bicycling programs and opportunities should be available throughout Tompkins County, regardless of previous experience, age, gender, race, or class.
the equity & access action plan
Action 1
Expand our local community bike shop capacity.
Community bike shops provide ownership and repair options that are available at low-to-no cost, and support bicycling opportunities for a diverse group of users.
Recycle Ithaca’s Bicycles (RIBs), a program of Ithaca’s Southside Community Center, serves the clear need for a place in Tompkins County where refurbished bikes and repair services can be accessed at a low cost. Let’s build on the success and mission of RIBs by expanding the capacity of community-centered bicycling services. More open shop time, more bikes refurbished, and ongoing programming will keep this people-centered movement going. Tompkins County will benefit from increased access to affordable transportation, deeper connections between community members, and hands-on learning.
Action 2
Restore the availability of affordable bikesharing services.
Let’s bring back an affordable bikeshare option to Ithaca and make it more accessible to everyone.
Bikesharing provides access to bikes without the associated costs and maintenance needs of bicycle ownership. Ithaca’s previous bikeshare operator, Lime, changed the way people moved around by making this affordable and easily-accessible mode of transportation possible with a few taps on a phone. We’re working to bring bikeshare back and making it bigger, reaching into all neighborhoods in and around Ithaca with a wider variety of vehicles to suit people’s varied needs.
170,000+ bike trips were taken in Tompkins County using Lime.
Common trips based on ridership data included recreational rides along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail, trips to grocery stores along Meadow St, and commuter trips between Collegetown, Downtown, and the West End.
Action 3
Establish an equity-in-bicycling working group.
It’s time to get serious about addressing the systemic barriers that prevent marginalized groups from enjoying a safe and comfortable bicycle ride.
Local research shows that women and people of color in Ithaca were more likely to lack confidence in their bicycling skills. National research has revealed that bicycling safety is also negatively influenced by both crime level and policing activity among certain marginalized groups. To truly remove all barriers to bicycling, we need to understand the nuanced ways in which age, gender, race, and class affects people’s likelihood to bike in Tompkins County. The equity-in-bicycling working group will center the voices and insights from underrepresented people to increase the inclusivity of new and existing bicycling programming, and uplift more people into leadership roles.
join the action
There’s a place for everyone as we transition into a more bicycle-friendly Ithaca. Whether you are a parent, college student, community leader, researcher, or business, you are needed.
