Bicycle Friendly Communities

Lincoln, NE | Bronze Level

Recent bicycling investment: The City of Lincoln implemented bike racks on all city busses, developed new trail maps that are color-coordinated to match new trail signage, completed a major trail connection, widened a major trail from 8 feet wide to 12 feet, and developed a new trails center in the middle of the city. There has also been ongoing project development to construct funded trail projects equalling 9.7 miles of new trail.

Bicycling highlights: There is a long standing public/private sector partnership in Lincoln that has raised over $2 million in private funds and $3.5 million in local public funds over the past 20 years to support the trail system. Monetary support has assisted in funding 20 grade separation projects and almost 60 miles of new trails. This partnership also provides funds to maintain existing facilities. The private side of this partnership provides the political support to change policies and procedures, and pushed for additional on-street bicycle facilities inlcuding the bike lanes, protected bike parking, bike racks on buses, and sharrow projects implemented over the past 5 years.
There has been a dramatic increased interest in bicycling with more people than ever participating in bicycling events and bicycling in general. Efforts to add bike lanes, sharrows, and improved on-street bike routes are being made gradually to build a strong support foundation for a better bicycle system that uses the strength of a well connected multi-use trail network. The Mayor and City Council are increasing their awareness of the need to expand the availability of on-street bicycle facilities such as bike lanes, sharrows, protected bike lanes, bike parking, bike racks on buses, lockers, showers, and other amenities to make for a more Bicycle Friendly Community.
The City has made great strides and needs to continue to make more efforts in the promotion of bicycling as well as increasing bicycle education. The City along with several other groups are partnering in the offering of programs to encourage the public to ride their bicycle by offering bike rides in the summer time, offering classes that teach how to safely ride and commute on a bicycle thereby reducing vehicle use.

Percentage of arterial streets with dedicated bicycle facilities: 2%

Bicycling education in 75% elementary schools and 50% middle schools

Signature cycling events: Trail Trek, Street's Alive, and Biketacular - including the Capital City Criterium, a children's bike parade, safety displays, a bike rodeo, and vendors selling food.

Some coming bicycling improvements: The City is planning on re-striping existing bike lanes, and approve and implement a new protected cycle track connecting the Downtown and the Haymarket to the new trails center in Antelope Valley along N Street. Formal budgeting and implementation of a pedestrian and bicycle capital program will initially focus on aggressively signing and marking 53 miles of newly identified on-street bike routes and improved signing and marking of 83 miles of existing on-street bike routes. The City is also planning to construct 6.5 miles of new bike trails and the City's Design Standards will be amended to include bicycle parking requirements for all new developments and major redevelopment sites.