Iowa Bicycle Coalition presents new $1.4 billion statewide cycling economic estimate and local programs to Urbandale council

Luke Hoffman, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, told the Urbandale City Council at a May work session that a renewed statewide study estimates recreational cycling and trails now generate about $1.4 billion in annual economic impact and involve roughly 900,000 Iowans who ride a bike each year. Hoffman said the updated study replaced earlier trail-counter methods with federal and peer-reviewed sources and a 2,700-response survey covering 94 of Iowa’s 99 counties.

Hoffman said the study expands on a 2012 estimate of $364.9 million by including broader data sources and regional case studies and by quantifying health and climate impacts. “Cycling is a top 50 industry in Iowa,” Hoffman said. He told councilmembers the study links cycling to reduced health risks and cited an analysis indicating bike commuters are 49% less likely to report poor mental health. Hoffman said those health gains translate into thousands fewer cases of obesity, hypertension and other conditions statewide.

The presentation emphasized how occasional riders — people who bike one to five times a year — are the largest group and a key target for local infrastructure improvements. Hoffman told councilmembers that moving a small share of occasional riders to moderate or committed ridership can increase local spending: committed recreational riders were estimated to spend about $3,900 per year versus $900 for casual riders.

Hoffman described partner and funding support for the study, noting the project cost “well over $60,000” and included contributions from county conservation boards, businesses and the Iowa Economic Development Authority. He said the Iowa Department of Transportation awarded a $25,000 grant to fund county-level (99-county) analyses so individual counties and cities can cite localized results for grant applications such as Destination Iowa and other economic development programs.

Councilmembers asked about related topics including an indoor community action sports complex, e-bikes, trail speed limits and how the coalition’s Safe Roads Iowa education effort would work alongside local police outreach. Hoffman said the proposed community sports complex has an approximate footprint of 150,000 square feet (about 3.5 acres) for the facility alone and that parking needs would be handled separately. He described feasibility work done for multiple candidate sites and said the coalition can follow up with local staff and developers on site specifics.

On policy, Hoffman reviewed recent state-level changes the coalition supported: a crosswalk “code fix” enacted last year to extend crosswalk protections to users of mobility devices and bicycles, and a hands-free driving law passed this year. He said Iowa remains among a few states without a statewide safe-passing law for drivers passing cyclists and that advocacy on that issue will continue in the next legislative session.

Hoffman invited Urbandale to partner on the coalition’s programs, including Safe Routes to School and local education campaigns timed to the July 1 effective date and later enforcement dates for the hands-free law. He offered to provide letters of support for city grant applications and to put the coalition’s program staff in touch with Urbandale schools and law enforcement.

The council did not take formal action on items related to the presentation; councilmembers and staff agreed to follow up through staff contact and subsequent emails. Hoffman said the full study and county-level products will be posted and made available for local grant use.