Have you taken a ride on one of the new dockless bikes situated around town yet?  It’s a chance to ditch the car for your lunch break, finish that last mile of a bus trip, and explore new neighborhoods from the comfort of a bike!

What is dockless bikeshare?
Dockless bikeshare is a new way to navigate cities by bike. Anyone can rent the brightly-colored bikes for $1 per ride through their smartphone and ride to any destination they desire. You don’t have to return the bike to a specific location. Just make sure that it’s not impeding a walkway or in an unsafe location that could cause damage to pedestrians or other vehicles.

Since November, four new companies have deployed bikes in Charlotte. Limebike, Spin, ofo, and Mobike have permits that allow as many as 500 bikes for each new company. That’s 2,000 more chances to substitute a car trip daily!   

Did you make it to the Five Points Better Block on November 17th and 18th?  If so, you got to see some awesome temporary bike lanes, placemaking and a ton of community involvement!

Read a full summary of the event below!

Photo Credit: The Better Block Foundation

Biketoberfest presented by The Charlotte Knights was bigger and better than ever this year!  Almost 600 participants, over 100 volunteers, 32 sponsors, 2 routes and 2 protected bike lanes all came together to create a unique urban adventure to show people how easy it is to get around in Charlotte without driving!  We also raised over $33,000 for Sustain Charlotte!  

The pictures and video speak for themselves! Check out our Facebook page to see Biketoberfest photos and see our video recap below. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and talent to make this event possible!  We couldn’t have done it without you. 

Together, we did it!

We asked the City for a safe way to access Uptown via bike and they have agreed to do it!  We asked them to make Parkwood Avenue and The Plaza safer for all users, and they have agreed to this too!  

Read on for all the exciting details from City Council's June 19th meeting!

After several constructive meetings and collaborative dialogues with CDOT staff, we fully support the new draft of the city’s new proposed five-year plan (called Charlotte BIKES) and urge City Council to adopt the plan this Monday, May 22nd.    

Here’s why.

We have been heavily involved in the new edition of the bike plan since the first draft became publicly available in February.  We then researched our peer cities’ bike plans and based on our analysis we submitted official comments via the public comments, met with CDOT staff (a few times), and voiced what we liked and didn’t like about the draft plan during the plan’s public hearing at the April 24nd City Council Meeting.  Click here to read what we said about the plan at the hearing.

We are happy to report that our voice has made a difference.  The newest version of the plan reflects many of the changes we requested.

Here are five elements of the plan that we are excited about:

1. Vision

Charlotte’s BIKES vision statement reads, “Charlotte will offer an inclusive cycling environment, where people of all ages and abilities can use their bikes for transportation, fitness, and fun.”

We also want to see Charlotteans, no matter where they live, be able to bike anywhere they want to go in the city no matter where they live.  

2. Commitment to Safety and Emphasis on Protected Bike Lanes

Charlotte BIKES seeks to develop a network of safe and comfortable bicycle facilities by embracing current bikeway design guidelines implemented in peer cities that recommend protected bike lanes on busier streets with fast-moving traffic.  

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What an amazing weekend for Sustain Charlotte, jammed-packed with events that promoted sustainable and equitable transportation!

First on the weekend agenda was Sustain Charlotte's Art for All | Bikes for All on Saturday, May 6.  This was a wonderfully collaborative effort that brought together almost 60 people for an immersive guided cycling tour of West Charlotte’s Inside|Out art installations.   

Despite some light drizzle in the morning, the clouds cleared for a wonderful day that showcased the newest Inside|Out art installations along the Stewart and Irwin Creek Greenways.  

We were in good company last night at the City Council public hearing for the draft bike plan, Charlotte BIKES. Sixteen speakers, including Sustain Charlotte’s Bike Program Manager Kate Cavazza, shared their views on the plan.  Read her comments here and follow this link to watch the video.  

Some of our City’s youngest riders from the Park Road Montessori School spoke in support of bicycle safety, greenways, and protected bike lanes!  We even saw a familiar sticker on this cyclist’s helmet -- #ibikeclt!  

Visible. Big. Iconic. If you were asked to describe current bike facilities in Charlotte, these probably aren’t the first words that would come to mind. But thanks to the thousands of you who have signed our #iBikeCLT petition and made your voices heard at public workshops, Charlotte Department of Transportation (CDOT) has recommended a protected bike lane that will provide much needed connectivity through Uptown!  The future for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders on Parkwood Ave and The Plaza also looks much brighter thanks to new CDOT recommendations resulting from more than a year of advocacy by residents and Sustain Charlotte.

In fact, bike and pedestrian issues dominated the conversation at City Council’s Transportation and Planning (TAP) Committee meeting on Monday.  Here’s a run-down and our take.

Draft Charlotte Bike Plan Advances to Public Hearing

On Monday night, residents from the neighborhoods surrounding the Plaza Midwood business district presented a petition to City Council calling for bicycle and pedestrian improvements on The Plaza and Central Avenue.  Two residents explained to Mayor Roberts and Council Members the daily challenges facing residents as they attempt to walk, cycle or even use transit on this corridor.  

Do you remember the petition we launched calling for a protected bike lane connecting the greenways through Uptown?  The one that more than 4,000 of you signed?  

Well, your voices have made a difference!  On February 23, the 7th Street Public Market was the place to be to learn more about the future of Charlotte’s cycling infrastructure as Center City Partners and CDOT hosted the second public Uptown Connects workshop.  Cyclists of all ages and abilities, Uptown business owners, and interested community members alike came to get a glimpse at CDOT’s plans for an Uptown pilot protected bike lane. 

Bikes parked outside 7th Street Public Market during the Feb 23rd Uptown Connects workshop.