Through infrastructure advocacy or community programming, cyclists around Iowa City are bringing changes to safety and accessibility.
As winter rolls into spring, so do the spokes on bicycle wheels around Iowa City. Cyclists have been out in larger and larger numbers as the weather improves, but with increased numbers of bikes on the road come safety concerns.
Over the past few years, community members have been working with Iowa City government to improve infrastructure for people who ride bikes. Leaders from the University of Iowa, Iowa City City Council, online advocacy organizations, and local bike shops have made leaps in making cycling more accessible.
Although this work is ongoing, the years of incremental changes reflect the slow cycle of bike trends that the city has always been home to.
“Iowa City has always been a very bicycle-friendly community,” Ryan Baker, owner of World of Bikes, said. “But certain trends come and go.”
A large part of the commitment to providing bikes for the city is to stay ahead of buying trends in the market. For instance, Baker explained a recent uptick in electric bikes has brought an influx of customers into the store.