Bike Walk Provo presents plan to expand separated trails, neighborhood bikeways and staffing to reach higher Bicycle Friendly status

Representatives of Bike Walk Provo presented a plan to expand Provo’s bicycle and active-transportation network, recommending more separated trails, an expanded network of neighborhood bikeways and increased staffing and programs to move the city toward higher Bicycle Friendly League recognition.

A Bike Walk Provo presenter (name not specified in the transcript) told the Transportation and Mobility Advisory Committee the group developed a “biway master plan” by combining volunteer expertise, the 2013 Bicycle Master Plan and the 2020 Transportation Master Plan with community feedback. The presenter said Alta Planning and Design consultant Tom Millar — who worked on Provo’s 2013 plan — valued the volunteer plan at $20,000 to $35,000 if produced by a consulting firm.

The presenters summarized three main priorities: more separated trails, more neighborhood bikeways, and improved wayfinding. “People who don’t bike love separated trails,” the Bike Walk Provo presenter said, and the group emphasized that separated and wide trails attract families and less-confident riders.

In survey outreach described to the committee, neighborhood and school connections were prominent priorities: respondents frequently named Canyon Road, Geneva Road and West Center Street for improvements to help K–12 trips. Presenters highlighted intersections where crossings are needed, including 300 North at Freedom Boulevard and 300 North across University Avenue, and suggested spot treatments such as Dutch-style intersections and protected crossings near elementary schools.

The group proposed adding nearly 30 miles of bike lanes and about 25 miles of trails to bring Provo’s bikeway network toward the connected systems found in Madison, Boulder and Fort Collins. They also recommended roughly 20 additional miles of neighborhood bikeways that rely on traffic diversion and simple, low‑cost treatments such as markings, mini‑roundabouts and diverters to limit cut-through auto traffic.

Presenters contrasted Provo’s staffing with peer cities. A Bike Walk Provo presenter said Fort Collins has many city employees working on bike programs — including several full‑time positions — and that Provo’s current staff capacity is far smaller by comparison. The presentation noted that Fort Collins has achieved high mode‑share and that coordinated city–university efforts can achieve a large share of non‑single‑occupant trips to campus; presenters said Fort Collins reported over 50% of trips to Colorado State University made by modes other than single‑occupant automobiles.

Carol (Bike Walk Provo representative) described family and equity benefits from protected, wider multi‑use sidewalks and neighborhood routes: she said the crossings and neighborhood bikeways have enabled her six‑ to seven‑year‑old to bike to school on safe routes and that families have chosen to rely on cargo bikes rather than buying a second car. The presenters also noted a 63% increase in e‑bike usage from 2019 to 2023 in their figures.

Committee members asked about costs and public perceptions; presenters suggested that bike investments are a small share of typical city vehicle maintenance budgets and stressed connections to transit, last‑mile access and ADA access. TMAC staff raised micro‑mobility topics (e‑scooters, e‑wheelchairs and other personal electric mobility devices) and said future work should consider inclusive signage, speed limits on trails, and design standards that accommodate wheelchairs and mobility devices.

No formal committee votes were taken on the plan; Bike Walk Provo asked the committee to consider the recommendations and to coordinate with city staff on next steps for implementation and potential reframing of a “bike plan” into a broader “alternative mobility” or multimodal plan.