Its time to take action now to support bicycle projects – contact your city council member

I know, something called Wichita’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) Budget Proposal sounds boring. But this is the key to getting projects funded. Just because they are on the Bicycle Master Plan DOES NOT mean these projects will happen – it takes funding for a plan to become an actual project.The CIP is a budget document that provides an overall 10-year plan for capital assets (streets, pipes, buildings, and more) and a plan to finance those projects. The Bicycle Master Plan projects are just one part of this budget, at $6.1 million they are a small part, but critical to supporting a sustainable and livable community.There are lots of Nay-Sayers out there, and they DO contact their elected representatives. We have to be more of a voice – more numbers, more persuasive, more positive! So please take a moment today to call, write, email, or even Facebook Message the city (that’s what I did, and I even got a same day response!) Your council member will appreciate a note of thanks for supporting funding for current bicycle and walking projects, and a nudge to support the full CIP proposed $6.1 million budgeted for bicycle enhancements.

The City of Wichita leaders will be voting on the proposed Capital Improvement Plan budget for the next 10 years (2015-2024) soon. Write, call, email, message, whatever you can, and share your story of how and where you ride, walk, and run in Wichita. Your encouragement is crucial to keeping the bicycle momentum rolling (ha! pun intended).

Here’s a link to the Bicycle Enhancement section to save you from reading all 148 pages.
For more information on the CIP Budget proposal, click here.