Bikes and trails have been a big part of the Thrive story since our inception. In Thrive’s first decade, Allen County went from zero miles of trails to over 27 miles, plus sharrows and bike route networks, as well as an innovative bike share program.

Trails and bikes have become a part of our identity as a community. In the context of a small rural Kansas county, that’s pretty remarkable.

Why do we place such an emphasis on bikes and trails? It’s because we recognize their importance for both physical and fiscal health, for communities as well as for individuals. The personal health benefits of physical activity are irrefutable, and riding a bike for exercise and transportation is a simple way to build that activity into your daily life (plus, it’s fun!). But the economic benefits are just as impressive.

Bikes, Bikes, Bikes!

Bikes have been called an “indicator species” for community health. If you see bikes in a community, and especially if you see people riding bikes, that’s usually a good sign. It means that community residents are likely healthier than average. It means that community leaders recognize and value active living. A community that bikes is probably a community you want to visit, a place you’d want to live.

That’s why Thrive has invested so much of our time and energy into improving Allen County’s bike-friendliness and bikeability. Here are just a few of the bike-related programs and initiatives we’ve worked on over the years: