Norwalk Bike Walk Commission approves 2025 strategic plan, backs instructor training and community events

The Norwalk Bike Walk Commission voted on Feb. 3 to adopt a 2025 strategic plan that lays out priorities for education, outreach, events and infrastructure engagement. Commissioners also approved past meeting minutes and authorized payment for prerequisite training that will allow a city staffer to seek League of American Bicyclists instructor certification.

What the commission approved

- Strategic plan: Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to approve the commission’s 2025 strategic plan, which lists measurable goals for education (bike safety classes and instructor certification), communications and events such as Walk, Bike, Roll to School Day and bike-valet support at community festivals. The plan sets outreach objectives and quarterly checkpoints for progress.

- Instructor training: The commission approved a spend to register a city staff member for the League cycling-instructor prerequisite course. Christine Bisegli told the commission that the prerequisite is a four-hour course available before the League’s April training and cited a $35-per-hour instructor rate during the discussion. The commission discussed administrative processing of the payment and agreed staff will coordinate reimbursement or direct payment through the city purchasing process.

- Minutes and procedural motions: The commission approved the December and January minutes and voted to suspend rules to reorder the agenda so a review of the Bike Friendly Community application could precede the budget discussion.

Why it matters: education and outreach

Commissioners described education and community engagement as central to the plan. The plan calls for: certifying a League instructor housed at the city health department; running Smart Cycling courses and bike-mechanic clinics (including at least one Spanish-language offering); organizing Walk, Bike, Roll to School Day at multiple schools; and staffing bike-valet operations during community events such as Earth Day and Bike to Work Week.

Budget and microgrant funds

Commissioners reviewed a proposed commission budget and discussed using prior microgrant funds for instructor training and later for education and outreach items. The commission’s existing microgrant balance and city procurement rules will determine whether purchases are made via direct payment or reimbursement; staff were directed to coordinate with purchasing to ensure grant funds are spent before any expiration.

Bike Friendly Community (BFC) application

Commissioner Tanner Thompson presented a review of changes to the League of American Bicyclists Bike Friendly Community application. He said most questions are unchanged from prior cycles, but TMP’s assistance is required to fill two technical worksheets — one enumerating staff time dedicated to bike/walk duties and one requiring GIS-derived lane-mile and facility-mile counts and a new low-stress miles calculation. Thompson urged TMP to confirm whether it can complete those worksheets before the June application deadline; Greg Pacelli said he would review staff capacity and report back.

Events and outreach in the near term

- Earth Day: Emily Burnemans noted the Earth Day festival on Saturday, April 26, and commissioners discussed bike-valet staffing and the potential insurance requirement from event organizers.

- Filling in the Blanks food distribution: Commissioners agreed to table at a community food distribution run by a local nonprofit; Manny Salgado and others planned to attend a distribution the coming Saturday to hand out educational materials and Spanish-language resources.

- Bike to Work Week: Commissioners expressed intent to staff bike-to-work tabling at transit hubs in May and to provide light refreshments and outreach materials.

Next steps

Staff will coordinate payment or reimbursement for the prerequisite training, prepare the microgrant expenditures so funds are used before any expiration, and work with TMP on whether the Bike Friendly Community GIS worksheets can be completed by the June application deadline. The commission scheduled a March check-in to review strategic-plan progress and will bring the BFC status to a future quarterly TMP update.

Evidence in the meeting transcript: discussion of the plan began with the strategic-plan agenda item and concluded with formal approval and follow-up directions to staff.