Every city dreams of safe, connected bike lanes that quickly get people where they want to go. But turning those dreams into reality often drags on for years, if not decades, stalling a city’s aspirations and frustrating its citizens. A complete network of protected bike lanes does more than enable zero-emission commuting and errand running—it enhances health, boosts economic activity, attracts job-creating companies, and raises overall quality of life.

Enter The Final Mile Project—a game-changing initiative designed to break through political barriers and accelerate the construction of complete bike networks in a matter of months. Austin, Denver, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Providence were the first five cities up. The results? 335 miles of bike lanes built within 24 months.

Leading the charge was Kyle Wagenschutz, an urban planner with a knack for turning the wheels of government. Kyle's journey began in Memphis, where he was tasked with an uphill battle: preventing the city from being named the worst place to bicycle in America by Bicycling Magazine for a third consecutive year. Against the odds, Kyle and his colleagues transformed Memphis into that same magazine’s "Most Improved City" two years later. By 2015, Memphis stood out as a national leader, earning Kyle the honor of "Champion of Change" at the White House.

The next 15 U.S. cities will soon have an opportunity to leverage the Accelerated Mobility Playbook developed by Kyle and his organization, City Thread, to advance their cycling and mobility infrastructure. Drawing from over a decade of experience in city halls and community centers and out on the nation’s roads, Kyle shares the striking insights and novel strategies that turn city goals for complete bike networks into concrete reality.

Show Links:

Guest: Kyle Wagenschutz

Organization: City Thread

Grant Program for Cities: Accelerated Mobility Playbook (Applications Open Until 11/20/24)

Project: The Final Mile

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