Bicycle Friendly Communities

Cedar Rapids, IA | Bronze Level

Recent bicycling investment: In 2011, the City of Cedar Rapids completed investment in trail construction projects: 1mi -CEMAR Trail Phase 2 20th Street NE to 29th Street NE; 1.7mi -Prairie Park Fishery Trail; Signing and Painting of new Bike Routes / Bike Shoulders; installation of 54 share the road signs, 50 bike route signs - painting of edgelines creating 6ft wide bike shoulders at various locations to establish on-street bike routes (75% finished in 2011); 1mi - Squaw Creek singletrack; 7th Avenue SE shared-use lanes and signage 6. 1mi -33rd Avenue SW from 18th St to Edgewood Rd shared-use lanes and signage; 3rd Street SE 14th Avenue to 8th Avenue wide lanes and bike racks; Kirkwood Blvd Kirkwood Court to U.S. 30 8 ft. wide sidewalk; Cedar River Trail - asphalt resurfacing on portions of the trail.

Bicycling highlights: The City plans to continue to implement the Bicycle Friendly Community Action Plan, the Complete Streets Policy and the Comprehensive Trails Plan. Cedar Rapids is striving to create a  bicycle friendly corridor with Cedar Falls and Iowa City.
City Council's approval of the Comprehensive Trails Plan has given the Engineering and Traffic Engineering Departments the means to build new trails to connect to existing recreational trails, neighborhoods and workplaces, and routes to connect the City to neighboring communities.
Cedar Rapids was selected as an overnight town for RAGBRAI XL (the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) in July 2012, an annual seven-day bike ride across the state that is the oldest, largest and longest bicycle touring event in the world. RAGBRAI officials are considering Cedar Rapids to host the RAGBRAI 40th Anniversary Celebration, likely the largest RAGBRAI event ever.The Cedar River Trail runs through downtown Cedar Rapids, connecting restaurants, entertainment, city parks and historic landmarks, making the City the ideal location for the anniversary celebration.

Percentage of arterial streets with dedicated bicycle facilities: 5%

Bicycling education in 100% elementary schools and 100% middle schools

Signature cycling events: State chanpionship criterium bike races; City of Cedar Rapids' Holiday DeLight Parade; Ride of Silence; Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) passes in the vicinity of Cedar Rapids, and this year, Cedar Rapids was selected as one of the overnight towns;Swine Trek; Corridor Classic Tour de Cure; Pigman Sprint Triathlon; Morgan Cross Cyclocross Race; Wednesday Night Dirt Rides; Tanager Summer Fest includes a bike rodeo and helmet giveaway; BAC provides a staffed bike corral at the downtown Farmers Markets June-September; National Trails Day Progressive Breakfast along the Cedar River Trail; and the Linn County Mayors' Bike Ride.

Some coming bicycling improvements: The City is planning to build the Sac & Fox Trail connection to Prairie Park Trail, finish Signing and Painting of new Bike Routes / Bike Shoulders, ensure that shared use lane markings and bike racks included in reconstruction projects, develop a Squaw Creek singletrack, upgrade the Cedar Rapids Police Department bike patrol fleet; paint bike lanes on 74th Street NE Council Street to C Avenue, provide shared use lane and signage on E Avenue NW 13th Street to 3rd Street; complete CEMAR Trail Phase 1, ensure to keep the Sac and Fox Trail reconstruction away from flood prone areas, develop the Prairie Creek Trail from 6th Street SW to J Street SW, extend the Edgewood Road Path SW from U.S. 30 to 37th Avenue, paint shorrows on 10th St NE, 1st Av to 4th Av.