After collecting feedback from residents for an updated bicycle and pedestrian plan, the City of West Columbia will install bicycle racks in various locations throughout the city. The addition will complement the connectivity of parks, trails, and bike lanes and provide cyclists with a safe way to temporarily store their bicycles.
The City of West Columbia is one of 13 communities that recently received a healthy eating and active living (HEAL) mini-grant from Wholespire, a nonprofit that helps organizations and community coalitions increase access to healthy choices. The mini-grant allows West Columbia to purchase 12 bike racks and install them at locations such as parks, the River District, Triangle City, and other highly traversed areas of the city.
“Over the last several years we’ve worked to expand safe accessibility for bicycles and pedestrians throughout the city. We are thankful for these bicycle racks so that people can ride around town, stop, and enjoy the local parks, businesses, and restaurants, all while never having to get into a car,” said Mayor Tem Miles.
During a 2021 update of their Master Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, the City of West Columbia sought feedback from residents to identify their current priorities. Bike racks were one priority.
“As an individual who is a recreational cyclist, an occasional bicycle commuter, and a father who enjoys a family stroll through the neighborhood and parks, I see the addition of bike racks for public use in West Columbia as the logical next step to aid both current and prospective bikers to move around town,” says Joel Mathwig, West Columbia resident. “Having a convenient and safe location to temporarily store a bike – whether to enjoy a park, go shopping, get to work – can only encourage more bicycle use and more physical activity.”
The West Metro Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan identify a clear strategy for near- and long-term active transportation projects within the West Metro area. The goals identified by the plan are to:
- Complete a connected and accessible network of bike and pedestrian facilities,
- Improve safety for all modes of transportation,
- Provide a comfortable network that encourages biking and walking for users of all ages and abilities, and
- Provide equitable access to bike and pedestrian facilities and cultivate an environment of respect for all modes of transportation.
The City of West Columbia, the Central Midlands Council of Governments, the City of Cayce, and the City of Springdale created The West Metro Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan in 2017 and adopted the plan in 2018.