The Shiny and Rusty Awards
As we reflect on the Iowa cycling community this year, some moments sparkled with brilliance, while others showed a bit of wear—here are our Top 3 'Shiny' highlights and 'Rusty' challenges that defined 2024.
This content is also included in our 2024 - Year in Review Feature.
Shiny: The bright, polished highlights that stood out in the Iowa cycling community - successes, progress, and celebrations that gleamed with positivity.
- High Trestle and Raccoon River Valley Trail Connector: This 9-mile trail between Perry and Woodward closed a key gap in the Great American Rail-Trail® and created a 120-mile paved loop around Des Moines, boosting local outdoor activity and economic potential. (MORE)
- Cyclocross Growth: We love Cross and Iowa’s cyclocross scene has grown with more races, participants, and venues, turning Fall weekends into lively hubs of energy and competition. (MORE)
- Iowa Bike Shop Tour: A collaboration between the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and BIKEIOWA in December, is a whirlwind journey to visit every bike shop in the state within a week - an incredible opportunity to connect with shop owners and employees, promote their businesses and champion the 'Shop Local' campaign, even if the visits must be brief to cover them all. (MORE)
Rusty: The tarnished or disappointing moments—setbacks, challenges, or issues that dulled the shine of the year.
- Riverdale Gate: Installed in 2020, this gate blocks cyclists from using a public road in the Havens Acres neighborhood to connect the Duck Creek Trail and the Mississippi River Trail. As a result, cyclists are forced onto alternate routes, navigating busy roads, crossing a major highway, and maneuvering around heavily trafficked business areas. We spent some time in the area in December, rode the detours and the neighborhood and saw the hatred from the neighbors. It's a gate that should be removed. It's not IF a cyclist will get killed, it is when... (MORE)
- Bicycle Safety: Bicycle safety in Iowa remains a critical concern, with ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure, education, and awareness, yet challenges persist as cyclists continue to get hit or killed on our roadways. Distracted driving continues to be the #1 factor. (MORE)
- Lack of (official) Bicycle-Friendly Communities: Despite the League of American Bicyclists offering a free designation for Bicycle Friendly Communities, Iowa has relatively few cities earning this title, highlighting missed opportunities to prioritize cycling infrastructure, safety, and accessibility statewide. Once a community earns a designation, they must renew every 4 years and we've seen some major cities not renew such as Des Moines, West Des Moines and Fairfield. (MORE)
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As we look ahead to the future, let's continue celebrating the bright moments while addressing the challenges, working together to create a safer, more vibrant cycling community in Iowa.