The Big Jump Project Application

APPLICATION WELCOME The Big Jump Project is a strategic three-year effort to help ten cities show that quickly connecting good biking networks and encouraging use can result in a big jump in biking in a defined focus area within a city. We seek places that have strong leadership with a shared vision and improvements already in the pipeline.

The Big Jump Project will develop common measures of use replicable in any community in the U.S., and institutionalize the practice of bicycle network planning throughout U.S. cities, connecting people on bikes to places of opportunity, transit, and recreation.

This application will be used to assess the qualities of your Big Jump Project team, focus area, and opportunities for biking growth over the next three years. The full application can be downloaded for offline reference, but must be submitted by October 28, 2016 using the online submission process.

A review committee will discuss and assess all applications during the end of 2016. As part of the selection process, PeopleForBikes staff may contact one or more of the individuals listed in your applications to discuss the merits and potential of your community’s involvement.

Finalists will be notified in early January 2017.

COMMUNITY PROFILE Please provide us with a general demographic profile of your city, town, county, or other municipal authority. Please use ACS 5-Year Estimate data (http://factfinder.census.gov)

1. Community Name: City of Newport 2. State: Rhode Island 3. Population: 24,672 (year-round residents) to about 100,000 (summer seasonal) 4. Racial & Ethnicity Profile: · White 87.9% · Black or African American 9.2% · American Indian and Alaskan Native 2.5%

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· Asian 1.2% · Other race 4.6% · Hispanic or Latino of any race 9.1% · Two or more races 5%

5. Median Household Income (Annual) $61,680

COMMUNITY BICYCLING PROFILE Please provide us with a general information about the progress made so far for bicycling in your community.

6. Is there an active bike share system operating in your community? If yes, how many bikes and how many stations? If no, please tell us about any discussions that have been had related to a launch. Will a bike share system launch in the next two years?

The City of Newport does not currently own and operate a bike share system, but the idea is a priority topic of discussion. Stakeholders citywide are familiar with the well-documented and easily-understood impacts on ridership – convenience, accessibility, affordability. In any of numerous iterations, bike share makes bikes easily accessible, convenient, and useful as a primary transportation solution.

For a City with substantial tourist visitation (3.5 million people per year), bike share is an economic booster that reduces traffic congestion and impact on the natural and historic environment. Newport needs, and wants, Bike Share. Bike Share is a top tier discussion whenever bicycle improvements in Newport are discussed. Newport is actively researching bike share options. We hope to establish Bike Share in Newport within two to three years.

The City is exploring a variety of constructs to bring the right bike share system to Newport: - Partner with the City of Providence to establish bike share with greater cost efficiency and the most appropriate generation of bike share technology. In Newport, this could mean lighter weight equipment, a smaller footprint, and seasonal presence. - Establish bike share as part of the multi-modal commitment, in partnership with the state transportation and transit departments (RIDOT and RIPTA), and including links with busses, ferries, satellite parking, and touristic/recreational destinations and loops. - Establish neighborhood-based bike share using fleets of restored bicycles for improved transportation to school, to increase physical activity, improve timeliness, and reduce truancy. (By all indications, these improvements and biking to school in general also improve self- esteem, school performance, and overall happiness.)

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7. Has your city removed or relocated on-street automobile parking to create bicycle facilities in the last 5 years? If yes, please describe the location, process, and outcomes of the effort.

In 2017, Newport will pilot two high capacity bike corrals to replace parking spaces in business areas as part of the Broadway Streetscape project. The Broadway corridor, a primary commercial thoroughfare for Newport’s year-round residents, is currently at the end of its streetscape improvement project. We will place the bike corrals where we have the highest concentrations of bike parking need – at a popular coffee shop and a neighborhood market. The business owners are supportive of the project. The City is continuing to identify locations for additional high capacity bike parking.

Also as part of the Broadway Streetscape, parking was realigned and redistributed to make room for more open public space and to accommodate more bicycle infrastructure, including bike parking. The

We successfully divert an estimated 600 cars/day (1800 cars/event) from city roads during the annual Newport Folk Festival when up to 1350 people ride bikes to the event each day. Bike Newport works with the police department, festival producers, and RIDEM (Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management) to plan and provide wayfinding, high capacity event racks, bike parking support, and traffic flow management to ensure smooth and safe entrance and exit.

“Forty Steps” is a popular historic landmark along the 3.5 mile Cliff Walk. Here the City recently converted parking lot space to public green that includes open space, rest rooms and bike racks for approximately 14 bikes.

8. Please describe your community’s relationship with the following next-generation bicycling facilities: Installed & Functioning/Planning to Install/Talking About Them/Not on Radar a. Neighborhood Greenways (aka Bike Boulevards): Planning to Install

Newport is deeply involved in two important and relevant planning projects: The Ten-Year Comprehensive Land Use Plan, and The Open Space Plan. Both of these documents prominently feature bicycling as a primary transportation option, recognize the urgency for a City Bicycle Plan, and address best practices to be considered and adopted, including neighborhood greenways.

The City and Bike Newport are together identifying priority routes for bicycles in agreement with the roads identified as suitable and most suitable in the Newport Bicycle Map. The Aquidneck Island Planning Commission is launching a significant project to mark an island-wide bicycle route system that includes multiple destination loops in the focus area. The purpose of these

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bike routes is to move people on bicycle travel off of the most highly-travelled road and onto roads with lower volumes of motor traffic.

b. Bike Boxes: Planning to Install

The City is considering painting bike boxes at major intersections, such as the intersection of Bellevue Avenue and Memorial Blvd. c. Green Pavement Markings: Planning to Install

The City is considering green pavement markings in the bike lanes on America’s Cup and Memorial Blvd. d. Buffered Bike Lanes: Installed and Functioning

The bike lane on Memorial Blvd at Easton’s Beach, a busy recreational area, is buffered from parked cars with thatched paint markings. Similar paint buffers will be considered for new bike lanes to buffer from active traffic where road diets are practiced. e. Protected Bike Lanes: Planning to Install

The City is considering a pilot protected bike lane on the inbound side of Memorial Blvd, using flex-rods or other dividers. f. Bicycle-specific Traffic Signals: Talking about them

The City is considering adding bicycle-specific signals along with bike boxes at the intersection of Memorial Blvd and Bellevue Avenue. g. Advanced Traffic Calming (diverters, chicanes, etc.) Installed and Functioning h. Bicycle-activated Signal Phases: Talking about them

While not in the City of Newport, bicycle-activated signal phases are in consideration elsewhere on Aquidneck Island to assist bicycles in high-volume, high-speed locations where no alternate route is available, including East Main Road and the Mount Hope Bridge, both in Portsmouth.

9. Our community is a designated Bicycle Friendly Community at the Bronze level.

10. In general, the cycling advocacy community is active and engaged.

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11. In general, political support for bicycling initiatives among the following levels of government is: Strong/Fair/Weak/N/A or no contact a. Mayor: Strong b. City Council or Alderman: Strong c. State Department of Transportation: Strong

12. In general, the business community support for bicycling is strong.

13. In general, local media coverage of bicycling issues is supportive.

14. Please describe your community's largest bicycle-related events (ciclovias, races, bike-to-work days, etc.) that build support and enthusiasm for bicycling. Please include brief descriptions, number of participants, and major sponsors for each event.

Bike Month: May provides a month of activity that encourages biking, especially for local transportation. The calendar includes safe cycling classes, basic bike maintenance classes, workplace “brown bag lunch” workshops on safer cycling, bike films, group rides, and more. People are encouraged throughout the month to ride a bike to work and school. “Park & Bike” parking lots are set up around town to support people who commute long-distance or from over the bridges that do not accommodate bicycles. Sponsors of Bike Month activities include the Newport Daily News, the Preservation Society of Newport County, and Bank Newport.

Bike To Work Day: The highlight of Bike Month. Bicycle commuters gather in the center of town before and after work for camaraderie and celebration of bicycle friendly advances. Each year, Bike Newport, the city’s bicycle advocacy organization, shares relevant research, calls for action, and releases the latest edition annual bicycle map at a midday press conference. The day ends with a bike parade that circles the city. Participation is 250-300 participants throughout the day. Sponsors include AARP, Newport This Week, Discover Newport, and the Newport Preservation Society.

Bike-Walk Challenge: As part of Bike Month, the students of Thompson Middle School participate in a month-long Bike Walk Challenge. In the Spring of 2015, nearly 191 students - 33% of the school enrollment - participated by walking and biking to school. Sponsors include the RI Department of Health and Safe Routes to School.

Elliot Kaminitz Father’s Day Ride: This annual fundraiser and celebration of safer streets brings the community together to ride the popular Ocean Drive loop – many for the first time. Fee waivers and busses help make the event accessible to all residents. The event honors the memory of a safe cycling enthusiast who lost his life when he was hit by a car riding his bicycle in Newport. Participation: 200-300 riders annually. Bike Newport partners with the Newport County YMCA and Fort Adams who hosts the event. Sponsors include numerous local businesses, the Kaminitz Family, and the RI Department of Transportation Highway Safety Program.

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Newport Folk Festival: Since Bike Newport began promoting and supporting bicycling as a preferred transportation choice to get to this very popular music festival, ridership has increased from 400/day in 2012 to 1350/day in 2016. At 13.5% of 10,000 ticketholders, the Newport Folk Festival has the highest percentage of people biking to the event of any music festival in the US. Sponsors include the Festival Foundation and REI.

Mid-Winter Bike Party: Each year, a mid-winter party chases away the winter doldrums and raises awareness, funds, and enthusiasm for a major bicycle initiative in the city. Past themes have included: “Night Bright” for night safety equipment for bike dependent workers; “Rack ‘Em Up” for bike parking citywide; “The First Mile” raising funds and awareness related to the first mile of protected bikeway within the area of the Pell Bridge ramp realignment, and “Spread the Ed” for safe cycling curriculum in the public schools. Each year, about 300 people attend and about $4,000 is raised. Sponsors include numerous local businesses.

Four Bridges Ride: This ride gives people on bicycles the chance to ride together across all of the bridges that surround Aquidneck Island (two of which are normally illegal to ride on, one that is legal but high-stress, and one that has a beautiful separated bike path). This is the only day when cyclists have the chance to ride across the iconic Pell Bridge – an especially exciting opportunity. Participation: about 1,000 people ride annually. Partner sponsors include the RI Turnpike and Bridge Authority, Narragansett Bikes, and Save the Bay.

Open Garage Nights - this educational program is not a special event, but it is a significant force in building support and enthusiasm for biking within the community. People with and without bikes, and with widely ranging experience working on bikes, all work together to repair and restore their own bikes and the fleet of bikes collected by Bike Newport, to keep the bikes in good working order and to distribute them in the community. Participation can reach as high as 25-30/session. Sponsors include: private donors, foundations, RIDOT, RIDOH, and generous community members.

Bike Library: Located in a storage container at the Newport Housing Authority, the Bike Library makes about 25 bikes and basic repair equipment available to neighborhood youth who have signed up for a Bike Library card. Participation can reach as high as 20/session. Sponsors include private donors, van Beuren Charitable Foundation, and the Frederick H Prince Memorial Fund.

COMMUNITY MEASUREMENT PROFILE

Please provide us with a general information about the types of measurement used to assess bicycling in your community.

15. What is your community bike-to-work mode share for the last five years? Please use ACS 5-Year Estimate data (http://factfinder.census.gov)

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Newport County Estimates: a. 2010 - 1.3% b. 2011 - 2.1% c. 2012 - 2.6% d. 2013 - 1.3% e. 2014 - 1.9% f. 2015 - 1.4%

Note: The 2013 American Community Survey shows certain census tracts of Newport reporting much higher bike-to-work mode shares, with the Thames and Spring downtown tract at 4.4% and the Broadway corridor at 6.5%.

16. Which of these data collection techniques or subject areas do you currently employ to understand the impact of bicycling on your community? Indicate all that apply. a. Bicycle User Counts. Please describe what kind of bicycle user counts you are collecting. Please distinguish between automated counters, video counters, or manual count events and tell us about the locations, frequency, and methodology used to collect this data.

In 2013, 2014, and 2015, Bike Newport conducted road audits to count people on bicycles and to record bicycle behaviors and motorist behaviors in relation to bicycles. The audits were conducted in two-hour segments at five key locations, during Labor Day weekend. Live auditors collect information on number of riders, helmet use, use of lights, observation of traffic controls, and motorist leaving adequate room when passing. The audits were discontinued in order to make improvements to the collection, reporting, and interpretation of data. b. Bicycle Safety. Please describe what kind of bicycle safety data is being collected and the methodology being used to analyze this data. Do you distinguish between perceptions of bicycle safety versus actual crash events in your methodology? If so, how?

The audits referenced in (a) above include safety data, i.e. use of helmets, use of lights, and observation of traffic controls. Other safety data collected by the City and the State include incidents that result in serious injury or fatality. Bike Newport collects data directly from people on bicycles who have experienced crashes and near-crashes. City traffic counters also count bikes that are riding the wrong way on one way roads - a common problem in a city where the plethora of one-way roads raises the challenge of keeping people on bikes riding in the same direction as traffic. Additionally, Bike Newport conducts both on-line and clipboard surveys to gather information about safe cycling behaviors. c. Network Connectivity Analysis. Please describe how you measure the quality of connections in your bicycle network.

We do not currently measure the quality of connections in our bicycle network.

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d. Economic Analysis. Please describe how you measure the economic impact of bicycling and the bicycle network.

We do not currently measure the economic impact of bicycling. e. Public Health Analysis. Please describe how you measure the public health impact of bicycling and the bicycle network.

The Health Equity Zone (HEZ http://newporthealthequity.com) is a city-wide coalition mobilizing residents and resources of the Broadway and North End neighborhoods to improve health outcomes. HEZ engages community members and leaders in guiding and making changes that promote healthier people and places in six key focus areas, one of which is active transportation. Bike Newport is the lead organization of the HEZ Transportation Working Group. Research and reporting from the HEZ Transportation Working Group includes tracking the impact of bicycle programs in the HEZ neighborhoods. f. Equity Analysis. Please describe how you measure the impact of bicycling and the bicycle network on underserved populations in your community.

As noted in (e), the impact of bicycling and the bicycle network in the HEZ neighborhoods is discussed, recorded, and reported by the Transportation Working Group. Four resident consultants manage community meetings and facilitate discussions/recommendations among community members. The HEZ project documents resident feedback and ideas, which are reported to a variety of organizations and government agencies for action, including programs, policies, and capital improvement projects. Transportation concerns, and the use of bicycles as a solution to these challenges, have consistently been identified as high priorities by the participating community.

Anecdotally, we understand that different types of riding are habits/priorities for different people and that there is an inherent inequity in those practices. More people with higher incomes use bicycles for recreation, more people with lower incomes use bicycles for transportation. Our intention is to document and analyze these trends and the reasons behind them, and to use the data to support equity in both recreational and transportation opportunities/encouragement. As an example, we want to ensure that everyone can ride their bicycles to Newport’s many beaches and ocean views. g. Environmental Analysis. Please describe how you measure the environmental impact of bicycling and the bicycle network.

With its two “Park n’ Bike” lots, Bike Newport ensures that people driving over the bridges onto Aquidneck Island can get out of their cars 1-2 miles before downtown and pedal the rest of the way. They count Park n’ Bike use for major events such as the Newport Folk Festival and the Volvo Ocean Race, where the lots regularly keep 100 cars per day off of congested downtown streets. Bike Newport also measures bicycle ridership at all events where it provides bike

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parking support – still more cars kept off the road and carbon out of the air - 1800 cars off the roads for the annual Newport Folk Festival alone.

While still in nascent stages, the Newport-based 1772 Foundation is putting resources into learning how thoughtful bicycle infrastructure serves historic preservation goals. In particular, they are interested in: 1) streets being shifted back to their historic use by encouraging their return to truly public spaces for human-scale interaction, 2) bringing back the historic role of streets as "connective tissue" between people and historic and cultural sites, and 3) the reduction of air pollution and reversal of negative structural impact caused by overuse of narrow historic streets by cars which have long exceeded their carrying capacity.

Further environmental analysis of bicycling in Newport is needed and necessary.

17. Do you survey your community about bicycling? If yes, please describe your survey methodologies and provide any links to results or reports created from this data.

- 2011 Student survey: the entire public school population,1100 students, grades K-12, participated in this survey to provide a baseline of information about our students’ relationships with bicycles and bicycle handling. - 2011 St. Michael’s Day School: 67 respondents, similar public school baseline to above - 2011 Resident survey: 326 residents shared their opinions and experience related to safe cycling and road sharing. - 2012 Map survey: 139 cyclists shared their feedback and recommendations for improvements to the Newport Bicycle Map. - 2013/2014/2015 Clipboard Road Audits: Behaviors of motorists and bicyclists were recorded on select corners and times of day, Labor Day Weekend. Bikes observed 2013 - 1375; 2014 - 1966. http://bikenewportri.org/survey/ Survey Monkey - how you ride Survey Monkey - bike crashes and near-crashes Survey Monkey - stolen bike report

18. Please describe any other measurement-related activities occurring in your community related to bicycling or the bicycling network.

The Department of Public Services Engineering Division uses radar traffic recording that includes bikes to gather traffic related data to better inform roadway improvement projects that include the complete streets methodology. The counts are also used for bike safety analysis, as the counter has the ability to record bikers traveling the wrong way on one-way streets.

Bike Newport has conducted weekend bike counts and surveys for the last three years on Labor Day Weekend. Volunteers counted the number of cyclists, direction of travel, helmet use, biker signaling, and car vs. bike encounters. Their focus was mostly contained to Market Square at

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America’s Cup Avenue, lower Thames Street, Broadway at Marlborough Street, and Memorial Boulevard at Bellevue Avenue.

19. Are there measurement activities you would like to see in your community, but aren't currently engaged in? What are the barriers to beginning this data collection and analysis?

The City is working with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) to install permanent induction loop bike counters in its bike lanes on America’s Cup Avenue and Memorial Boulevard. The request is being incorporated into the State’s Road Safety Audit (RSA) of Memorial Boulevard which could materialize into construction as early as 2018. Permanent counters would help not only to count bikes on the major boulevard, but would also help to validate single day or other sampling bike counts to make them more statistically significant.

The City’s Engineering Division has also begun a partnership with the University of Rhode Island’s Civil Engineering Department to develop a Bike Counting Study/Program that would establish a formal process of sampling and/or full annual bike counts. This study/program could also run in conjunction with RIDOT’s safety assessments and studies.

The City would like to partner with Bike Newport to conduct further visual bike counts once the program is set up and the City can give clear direction as to what types of information counters should be collecting, and where. We would also like to distribute on-bike trackers to help identify the roads and routes used most often by people on bikes. We would then use that data to amplify and support the need for better biking infrastructure at the targeted locations. Some barriers include the lack of funding and available City staff time to study, plan, and implement bike infrastructure projects. Other barriers include the coordination and onboarding of up to four agencies/organizations to work together towards a common goal.

BIG JUMP FOCUS AREA PROFILE Please provide us with a general demographic profile of your selected focus area. Please use ACS 5-Year Estimate data (http://factfinder.census.gov)

Applicants should consider areas within their city where The Big Jump Project can be leveraged to achieve dense networks of high-comfort bicycle infrastructure and a measurable increase in bike riding once infrastructure is combined with effective community outreach programs. The size, demographics, and shape of the focus area will vary city by city and may consist of a neighborhood, business corridor, school zone, downtown, a zip code, residential suburb, etc. In some smaller communities, this focus area may be equal to the boundaries of the entire town.

20. Focus Area Name: City of Newport 21. State: Rhode Island

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22. Population: · Racial & Ethnicity Profile White 87.9% · Black or African American 9.2% · American Indian and Alaskan Native 2.5% · Asian 1.2% · Other race 4.6% · Hispanic or Latino of any race 9.1% · Two or more races 5% 23. Population: 24,672 (year-round residents) to about 100,000 (summer) 24. Median Household Income (Annual) $61,680

BIG JUMP FOCUS AREA MOMENTUM Please provide us with information about the focus area and what energy and partnerships are already working to improve the community. Please include links to any relevant documents such as adopted plans, project visualizations, or policies.

25. Please provide a brief overview of the focus area to give us a sense of the neighborhood and community. What people live/work there, what kind of businesses operate there?

Newport is a densely-populated, multi-layered, working historic city on the southern end of Aquidneck Island. Newport’s small seven square miles of land area includes residential neighborhoods, business districts, touristic destinations, active harbors and ocean vistas. We are considering the full land area of Newport as the focus area of The Big Jump.

Newport’s nearly 25,000 year-round residents live in neighborhoods that surround the downtown area, and all within two miles of downtown from any direction. Within and just outlying this area are the primary touristic and recreational destinations of buildings, beaches, and festivals. For this reason, we believe it is imperative to focus on connecting our neighborhoods, commercial areas, tourism destinations, and seashore with high-comfort bikeways.

The socioeconomic spread in Newport is significant, with 21% of children living below the poverty line, and 27% of households earning over $100k. With that spread comes a divide that threatens equal access to such human essentials as health, nutrition, education, and transportation. The goal of our active transportation infrastructure is to use bicycle infrastructure as an equalizer – correcting the disconnect and inequity experienced in our outlying lower- income neighborhoods, and optimizing the flow from – and to – all of Newport.

With everything in short biking distance, all neighborhoods will benefit by being part of the bike network. If our north end residents primarily bicycle to work, we want them also to bike to the beach. If our south end residents primarily bicycle to the beach, we want them to bike to the

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supermarket. Newport is meant to be a biking city from end-to-end and everywhere in between. All of our tiny seven square miles.

Founded in 1639, Newport has one of the largest concentrations of 18th century houses and more colonial homes in use than any other location. Newport is also the home of numerous Gilded Age mansions of the American industrialists, many of which are open to the public. The Newport waterways are famous for some of the best sailing in the world, and the beaches for great swimming and surfing. Home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport is also a mecca for the racquet crowd. Altogether, the history, culture, architecture, landscapes, and natural beauty of Newport draws 3.5 million visitors every year.

The summer seasonal influx of residents and visitors increases the population from 24,000 to an estimated 100,000. With the crowds comes an annual gridlock of cars, tour busses, limousines, delivery trucks, and scooters, bringing wear and tear that continually threatens and harms our historic and natural landscape. Newport was not built to accommodate high volumes of motor traffic. The picturesque streets of colonial Newport are narrow and one-way. The faces of homes are just three feet off the street. In colonial neighborhoods, you can toss an egg from one doorway across to another. Throughout town, cars are backed up, parking is outrageously expensive, and out-of-place diesel busses precariously navigate roads that were originally paved for…

Bicycles!

At the end of the 19th century, American bicyclists gathered here in Newport to form the League of American Wheelmen, now the League of American Bicyclists, and to call for better roads. Newport is the birthplace of the League, and the birthplace of bicycle activism and advocacy.

The same roads that groan under tour busses welcome the light touch of bike wheels. The same people who travel three miles in 30 minutes to the beach, arrive in 10 minutes by bike. People on bikes enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the “City by the Sea” up close, while their transportation choice promises to be faster, less expensive, and kinder to Newport.

About Newport: Newport’s land use is classified as 98% urban and 2% rural. We have a growing number of millennial residents (currently 25% 18 – 35) and several academic institutions, including Salve Regina University, the Naval War College, and the International Yacht Restoration School. The dominant industries are hospitality and the marine trades. The U.S. Navy has an important presence that includes officers and families from around the world. The arts have always been a leading aspect of Newport’s culture, with many museums and galleries. In recent years, a thriving independent music, contemporary arts, and holistic health community has been blossoming. Home of the iconic Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival since 1954, live music abounds year-round.

Newport has high-density residential neighborhoods as well as a wealth of open spaces, including more than 30 parks, beaches, playgrounds and recreation centers, dozens of historic

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cemeteries, and miles of glittering coastline. While internationally known for Gilded Age mansions and yacht races, the year-round population represents every notch on the socioeconomic spectrum, with a median household income of $60,000 but 20.7% of children living below the poverty line.

Recognition of the benefits of active transportation to transportation, health, economy, environment, and historic preservation is high in Newport. Supporters of bicycle infrastructure include the full range of civic, government, social, business, tourism, and cultural agencies including but not limited to: the Health Equity Zones, the Women’s Resource Center, the YMCA, the Preservation Society, Discover Newport, the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, the Police Department, the Public Schools, numerous private schools, the Department of Health, the Department of Transportation, University of Rhode Island, Safe Routes to School, Clean City Newport, the Newport Planning Board, the Newport Open Space Partnership, the 1772 Foundation, van Beuren Charitable Foundation, the Rhode Island Foundation, and many many more.

26. What other activities or developments, community-driven efforts, strong partner organizations, or leveraged investments are gaining momentum or excitement in the proposed Big Jump focus area?

The First Mile: The number one reason that people don’t ride bicycles is concern about riding with cars. To ride in Newport means to ride in traffic. There are no protected lanes or bike paths in Newport, or on all of Aquidneck Island. The call for a bike path is loud. And the rail corridor on Aquidneck Island is the most obvious solution. The rail stretches 18 miles from Newport at the south end to the Mount Hope and Sakonnet Bridges at the north end. Two trains use the tracks - the Newport Dinner Train runs 3x/week and has special holiday activity such as the Polar Express during the winter holidays, and the Old Colony Railroad is a steam train run intermittently by volunteers. Both trains run at 10 to 14mph. Here lies an excellent opportunity to pair rail with trail and create a multi-use path adjacent to the railway. The proposed Aquidneck Island Bikeway will connect all three island communities to the rest of the state and the statewide bike path network. This Bikeway may be many years and many millions of dollars away, but “The First Mile” could be around the corner. Actually 1.5 miles in length, the First Mile will run from the Newport Visitors Center to the Community College of Rhode Island, and will connect downtown, numerous neighborhoods, a retail corridor, the Community College, and the primary arrival to Newport - the Pell Bridge. Use of the First Mile will be enhanced by satellite parking lots where people can shift from cars to bikes and foot, and ancillary paths connecting to the neighborhoods. The First Mile plan has finally been approved/adopted by the RIDOT and is included in the new statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). It is also a primary objective in the Newport Open Space Plan and the Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan, as well as the Newport Health Equity Zone initiative. Interest and excitement for the First Mile is growing, and invested partners include numerous funders and Seaview, the railroad operator.

Pell Realignment: For PJC approval:

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The City has also partnered with a private consortium to develop up to 60 acres freed up by the realignment of the Pell Bridge ramps, the primary entrance to the City. This redesign of the ramps by engineering firm Louis Berger, is currently under review by RIDOT, which has been involved with Louis Berger’s design process from the beginning. This redesign will effectively open up bike/ped friendly transportation corridors for the largely low-moderate income community in the North End of the City, which has ostensibly been cut off by the current design of the Pell Bridge ramps and associated feeder roads. As this project is currently in the design phase, Big Jump considerations like neighborhood greenways could help inform the design process if the grant application is successful.

Complete Streets: In 2010, Newport was the first city in the State of Rhode Island to adopt a Complete Streets policy to ensure that all new and all improved road constructions considers the needs and safety of all road users.

Open Space Partnership: This comprehensive planning process is articulating a vision for the long-term sustainability and stewardship of the public open spaces in Newport.It is the first citywide open space planning effort since the historic plan written by Frederick Law Olmstead in 1913. Bicycles and bicycle accommodation figure heavily in the plan in terms of shifting transportation shares to modes that are gentler and more appropriate to the preservation and enjoyment of Newport’s historic landscape and properties while reclaiming the shared space of our roads as public domain.

Comprehensive Land Use Plan: The City is in the process of finalizing the new Ten Year Comprehensive Land Use Plan after a full year of review and public discussion. The Vision for Newport is a city that is prosperous, beautiful, happy, collaborative, smart, healthy, and resilient. The transportation vision for the city is multi-modal and supportive of modes that are kinder to a fragile historic landscape, encouraging to people who are exploring, and supportive of all transportation options and all road users. Bicycling is a key factor throughout the Comp Plan. Primary objectives that support bicycling include a citywide bicycle plan that prioritizes a connected bike network, a policy that makes adequate bicycle parking a policy, and a commitment to achieving best practices in bicycle infrastructure.

Newport Health Equity Zones (HEZ): This coalition is mobilizing residents and resources to make Newport a place where everyone can thrive, where barriers to health and well-being are eliminated, where public policy fosters good health, and where residents are empowered to control the health of their families and community. Transportation is one of the focus areas, and residents have identified bicycles as a primary solution model. The goal is to ensure that everyone has a bicycle and that riders and motorists are equally knowledgeable about safe riding and road sharing. The People for Bikes community grant “Neighborhood Bike Loops” is expanding the impact of Bike Newport’s “Bike Library” to improve both access and road safety as a response to the HEZ resident requests.

RIPTA/Discover Newport: in 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused extensive damage to the Gateway - the Visitor and Transportation Center in Newport. Repairs to this transit and information hub

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include improved bicycle accommodation. Planning is underway for improved road markings, bicycle access, and higher capacity bike racks, as well as enlarged permanent installation of city map bike routes on site at the bike parking.

Bicycle Wayfinding Project: The Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC), a nonprofit established to increase efficiency and cooperation among the three Island municipalities, is currently working on a bicycle wayfinding project. The project will install directional and point-of- interest signs along three loops that will guide visitors and residents on bikes so they can ride without pulling out a map. This will elevate cycling’s profile throughout the Island and make it easier for visitors to ride stress-free.

Newport Waves: In 2015, the City received a grant from the federal Safe States Alliance to help make city streets safer for all road users. The purpose of the grant is to reduce crashes that involve vulnerable road users. The three-part team includes the Newport Police Department, the Newport Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission, and Bike Newport – the local bicycle advocacy organization that is spearheading the initiative for the City. The three-part plan includes review of local and state ordinances related to safe road sharing; improved enforcement of those regulations; and a robust public awareness campaign to engage all residents and visitors in safer road sharing. “Newport Waves” is a multi-media campaign that encourages all road users to acknowledge one another with a friendly and intuitive gesture - a wave! When people wave, they inherently understand if they’ve been seen, and an agreement is made to proceed safely. The campaign features familiar and notable Newporters in a friendly and entertaining video, street banners, posters and postcards. Business and community organizations post and share the video, promote the website www.newportwaves.org, like and share the social media pages, and display the posters and postcards. Among other venues the video plays before all films at the Jane Pickens Theater and in every guest room at the Newport Hyatt. Entering its second year, Newport Waves is being re-funded by the state Departments of Health and Transportation.

Cops with Carrots / Ice Cream Citations: The City is preparing to launch a new partnership initiative to provide positive reinforcement for safe cycling and road sharing behaviors. Cops with Carrots will enable local police officers to surprise youth on bicycles with “ice cream citations” and other rewards for wearing a helmet, riding in the right direction, good signaling and more. Two local businesses are currently on board to provide the reward incentives, and more partnerships are in the making. The program is modeled on successful positive reinforcement programs in numerous other cities, including Coronado, CA and Philadelphia, PA.

Night Bright: This community service program is funded by grants from a variety of business and private foundations, including RIDOT, Rhode Island Foundation, Newport Fed Foundation, van Beuren Charitable Foundation, and others. Night Bright is an initiative to distribute and install vital night safety equipment to Newport’s bicycle dependent workers, primarily in the hospitality industry - so they may see and be seen. The equipment includes lights, reflective gear, bells, locks, helmets, and Rules of the Road in English and Spanish. Night Bright distributions take place on site at churches, places of employment, markets, and other convenient locations for Newport’s hospitality workers.

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School Curriculum: Bike Newport and the Newport Public Schools are working together to develop age-appropriate in-school curriculum for grades K-12. The entire district faculty in Health and Physical Education have been trained in the basics of bicycle safety and are designing grade-specific program to ensure bicycle education progress each year.

Bike Garages and Bike Library: Bike Newport operates three Bike Garages and one Bike Library. These community bike projects collect discarded and donated bicycles and restore them for use in the youth Bike Library, and to be earned in exchange for volunteering at the Bike Garages. Since moving to the center of town, distribution of recovered bicycles has exponentially increased, with more than 100 bicycles earned and restored in the summer months of 2016.

27. Please describe any official programs in place to address issues of transportation equity, gentrification, access to employment and education, affordable housing, resident displacement, funding apportionment, or representation in decision making that provide a framework for how development takes place within the focus area.

Several programs in the City are currently addressing equity issues.

HEZ: As previously described, the Health Equity Zones (HEZ) is a place-based project examining and addressing how the residents of Broadway and North End neighborhoods - two distinct, underserved, and, arguably, disenfranchised, neighborhoods - can improve access to transportation as well as nutrition, cultural arts, and education. This project is driven by resident participation and aims to cultivate engaged leadership in the impacted community.

Working Cities Challenge Grant: The City is currently one of seven communities in Rhode Island identified to participate in the Working Cities Challenge Grant, a project funded by the Federal Reserve of Boston and Bank of America. In its preliminary proposal, the City identified an urgent need for improved training in tech and job skills among low to moderate income residents, and aims to use the $500K grant to coordinate efforts around the City to address this need, as well as expand access to jobs and training opportunities through improved public transit, bike/ped-friendly transportation networks and child care.

North End Redevelopment: The City’s efforts to develop the area around the Pell Bridge ramp realignment project are designed to address social and transportation equity by connecting, for the first time in decades, low to moderate income populations in the North End to a bike/ped friendly grid and provide access to a transportation center which will feature alternate modes of transportation to downtown. The development itself will provide a platform for thought leaders and entrepreneurs to address sea level rise, climate change impacts and cyber security, and act as a beta for projects addressing these concerns as well as how to effectively fund them using innovative forms of public/private financing. A primary goal is to provide jobs to residents and students currently attending local schools to empower them to stay on the island and thrive. This goal is furthered by transportation improvements to facilitate access to jobs in the area.

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Bike Newport’s three Bike Garages comprise a community bike distribution project where residents learn bike safety and mechanics while they earn bicycles. The program collects discarded and donated bicycles to refurbished by community members. Tools and know-how are on hand for anyone wanting to DIY their wheels. The population of Bike Garage participants on any given night represents every walk of life. In exchange for volunteer hours, anyone can earn a bicycle.

Night Bright is another Bike Newport program that distributes free bicycle safety equipment such as bike lights and helmets to low-income, bicycle-dependent workers.

RIPTA Revamp: Federal funding is helping to repair and update the city’s transit hub. Located in the heart of downtown, the Newport Gateway houses the tourism information center as well as the city’s bus depot. After suffering extensive damage in Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the repair project includes improved access, safety and accommodation for intermodal travelers, including bicyclists. Plans include high capacity bicycle parking for approximately 50 bicycles, as well as guided entrance and exit for bicycles to the bus depot campus.

Housing Authority: The mission of the Housing Authority of the City of Newport is to provide decent, safe, sanitary, affordable housing; and to promote home ownership, economic development, and economic self-sufficiency for public housing residents and a living environment free from discrimination and crime. The Housing Authority offers housing assistance to those who qualify as well as guidance through the application process. The Housing Authority offers 10 Public Housing communities with 710 units for families and senior/disabled households.

Church Community Housing Corporation: CCHC strives to create homes that meet the particular needs of Newport County citizens from specialized housing that allows seniors to "age in place" to homes that allow local artists the opportunity to afford spaces to live and work. CCHC works to create opportunities for home ownership and home maintenance through home buyer training, down payment assistance and low interest home repair loans.

City Boards and Commissions: Resident volunteers serve on a number of city boards and commssions, including the Planning Board and the Zoning Board, to ensure “representation in decision making that provide a framework for how development takes place within the focus area.” http://www.cityofnewport.com/government/board-and-commissions

City of Newport Comprehensive Land Use Plan: The current Comprehensive Land Use Plan in development addresses equity in all chapters, with a focus in the dedicated sections on Housing (Chapter 5) and Transportation (Chapter 7). Full plan at www.newportchartingourcourse.com.

28. Please provide a brief description of the significance of this focus area to other neighborhoods in the city and region. In what ways will success in The Big Jump Project in this neighborhood be transformative in other parts of the city?

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Newport is the focal point for commerce and culture in southern Rhode Island, and with 3.5 million annual visitors it’s one of the biggest tourist destinations in New England. In 2013, Newport was designated by RIDOT as the model city for vulnerable road user safety planning. While home to eight gorgeous recreational bike paths, Rhode Island has little urban bike infrastructure – and what happens in Newport has the power to influence the rest of the state.

Newport also serves as the primary commercial area for the rest of Aquidneck Island – the 33,539 residents of Middletown and Portsmouth. Mapping efforts by Bike Newport currently cover the entirety of Newport County, and the recommendations of the organization’s Roads and Routes committee members directly inform the State’s designation of suitable roads and routes for bicyclists.

The success of The Big Jump Project – a doubling or tripling of riders – can ideally brand Newport as a truly bike-friendly destination, and will have a huge impact islandwide and statewide, not just within the borders of Newport. Visitors will know to leave their cars at home (or at the hotel) and explore by bike. Streets relieved of congested motor traffic will be a boon to the environment, economy, quality of life, and quality of place for residents and visitors alike. Colonial cities and towns throughout New England will learn from our success.

29. What are the challenges of achieving the Big Jump Project goals and objectives in your community? How can participation in the The Big Jump Project help you overcome these challenges and measure positive results?

Our primary obstacles are car culture and narrow, one-way colonial streets. To ride in Newport is to ride with cars, and most people are concerned for their personal safety and the safety of others. Many of the high density neighborhoods in Newport have no driveways or garages, leaving on-street parking as the only option. While more space for parking exists outside the urban core and plans are underway for a large-scale transportation hub in the North End for visitors, residential street parking will remain an obstinate challenge.

Overall, New England’s driving culture is one of impatience and aggression, and currently bikes are seen as adding to the congestion rather than alleviating it. Some City leaders believe that improving bicycle infrastructure adds to the congestion, while others understand that bike infrastructure facilitates better transportation mode distribution.

Other challenges are on the bicyclist side: stubbornness, individuality, and resistance to rules – people on bikes often feel safer facing traffic, riding on sidewalks, and disobeying traffic signals, all of which are illegal. Newport’s ordinances favor cars, and enforcement of the rules of the road for bicyclists is lax.

Despite all this, every time we make progress with traffic calming, road diets, and bike lanes, we see more and more people understand and become participants in urban riding. Participation in The Big Jump would greatly expand the City’s capacity to address the above challenges. The resources offered – study tours, peer exchanges, targeted grants, trainings, and more – will help

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us re-think Newport’s streets and creatively problem solve to ensure the shoe fits for all road users.

Other obstacles include the reluctance to utilize innovative bike infrastructure methods or ideologies that are not specifically written and sanctioned by the FHWA for liability reasons. Strong support for the furthering of bicycle (and other vulnerable road users) friendly infrastructure would help to improve City streets using practices found in the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide and other manuals not yet approved by the FHWA.

BIKING IN THE BIG JUMP FOCUS AREA Please provide us a sense of how bicycles are perceived in the focus area and what potential exists for future growth and development.

30. Please provide a brief overview of the biking in the focus area. Who is biking and what are they biking for? Are there positive or negative perceptions of biking in the focus area? What efforts for bicycling are already underway and to what degree have those efforts been opposed or proven successful?

While the average bike commute mode share for Newport County is 1.3%, according to the 2013 American Community Survey certain census tracts of Newport are commuting by bike at much higher rates – 4.4% and 6.5%. Many bike commuters are car-less millennials and students; others are low-income workers, many from immigrant communities; still others are longtime Newport residents who would rather ride the short distances than sit in traffic. Due to Bike Newport’s advocacy efforts, increasing numbers of youth are biking to school and activities, especially in the middle school age range.

With the famous 10-mile Ocean Drive frequently cited as the #1 Thing to Do in Newport, we have many recreational riders – residents and tourists who enjoy riding for fun and exercise in an incredibly beautiful place. Numerous popular routes cross through and around downtown, where biking is often the most efficient transportation choice, particularly during busy summer months. Large numbers of summer visitors pedal around on rental bikes – we have amazing opportunities to shift more people to bicycles to enjoy Newport - and to improve the experience for all road users by addressing communication, infrastructure and enforcement. Depending whom you ask, there are both positive and negative perceptions of bicyclists – that they are scofflaw nuisances slowing down traffic, and that they are health- and environment- conscious people making Newport a more vibrant and liveable place. Bicyclists from immigrant communities have reported to Bike Newport that they endure high levels of impatience and aggression from drivers.

The Department of Public Services has installed 2.6 miles of bike lanes and 5.4 miles of shared bike lanes (sharrows) since 2013. Another 1.2 miles of shared bike lanes (sharrows) are planned to be installed this fall. The Department also owns and maintains 95 bike racks that have the capacity to secure 604 bikes. Another 32 racks will be installed this fall as part of the

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Broadway Streetscape Improvement Project adding another 64 bike parking spaces. The City has also established an online reporting system for dangerous road conditions, a Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Commission, collected and donated bikes at bulk waste recycling days, donated lost/stolen bikes from the police, and promoted Bike to Work Day to City employees. While we experienced some public opposition to the first bike lane, which removed one lane of traffic from Memorial Blvd, it quickly subsided as traffic flow was unimpeded and bicyclist safety and enjoyment was enhanced. The City continues to work with the RIDOT on Road Safety Audits (RSA), Rhode Island Strategically Targeted Affordable Roadway Solutions (RI*STARS), and Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment projects that aim to deliver low-cost and high- benefit safety and mobility improvements where needed.

Many efforts to improve bicycling in Newport have come from the advocacy organization Bike Newport, which was founded in 2012. The group raises money for more bicycle parking citywide, advocates for infrastructure, encourages ridership with events, rides, and educational programs, and distributes low-cost bikes to city residents through its Bike Garage programs. These efforts have proven highly successful, with hundreds of bicycles getting refurbished and redistributed, hundreds of children participating in educational programs, and 30+ sponsored parking spots downtown,

Additional efforts have been made by AIPC to advance Island-wide bicycle wayfinding signage and a future off-road path on the 18-mile rail corridor.

One generous anonymous donor is funding multiple bicycle “Fix It Stations”

All of these activities demonstrate the strong steady, often remarkable, progress Newport has made in improving and encouraging bicycling over the past five years. We’ve already made one big jump and we are poised for the next Big Jump. The timing of this opportunity is exceptional.

31. To what degree has the community been engaged in planning for bicycles in the focus area? If plans already exist, please describe the planning process, number of participants, challenges identified, and concluded outcomes.

Bicycle planning in Newport is driven by the community with a number of local efforts. For the past four years, the City has worked particularly closely with the local bicycle advocacy group, Bike Newport, to move bicycle infrastructure and activity forward, developing strategies and solutions, which involve local riders to map suitable roads and make recommendations for improvements, providing staff hours for research and documentation, and writing grants for financial support of bicycle progress. Though Bike Newport provides community members an avenue to get involved in all aspects of bicycle improvement that lead to more people riding bicycles for both transportation and recreation, the City also features a number of community groups involved in bicycle planning:

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, seven people serve on this City committee since its inception in 2014. The commission has successfully partnered with Bike Newport and

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the Newport Police Department to make recommendations to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, including surveying the community regarding perceptions of safety in city crosswalks, management of snow and ice removal policies, and recommendations for updates and improvements to city ordinances and enforcement. Newport Open Space Partnership – a collaborative effort between the City, it’s Tree & Open Space Commission, the Aquidneck Island Land Trust, AIPC, and the Newport Tree Society, a local advocacy group – has been highly active active in the last year, and has continually incorporated the need for “greener” transportation options while they advocate for increased and improved open spaces. http://www.newportopenspace.org

- Neighborhood Bike Loops

- Roads and Routes Committee - an active part of the Bike Newport community, this committee has, since ____, involved __x__ people evaluating local roads as safe routes for bicyclists. Ther work has informed the creation of the bike map, which is updated and reprinted annually.

32. Please explain what you hope to accomplish in terms of installing a bicycle network in this focus area by the end of 2019. In addition to protected bicycle lanes, we are also interested in other street improvements that help build a comprehensive network, such as neighborhood greenways (aka bike boulevards), multi-use trails and pathways, intersection and signal modifications, and traffic calming. We understand that public process may not be completed and approvals may not be final, but we would like an idea of your city’s goals.

Bike Network Progress: ● Complete City of Newport Bike Master Plan ● City of Newport Transportation Master Plan ● City of Newport Bike Parking Policy ● Expansion of Bike Lanes where possible ● Installation of shared bike lanes (sharrows) ● Install bicycle and ped friendly way finding signage ● Marked bike routes to match recommended routes and roads on the Bike Map ● add Bellevue, Kay, Broadway, and others to the bike lane network ● add the Ocean Loop to the bike lane network: wellington, harrison, ridge, ocean, bellevue, narragansett, ● Designated and promoted “Park and Pedal” lots at: Triplett, Newport Hospital, Newport Grand, Rogers, YMCA ● Identified safe routes to school - map and mark to Pell and Thompson

City policies: o Bike parking requirements o Rules of the Road with bike rentals

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o Improved enforcement of passing laws o Bikes travel with pedestrians outside of crosswalk

Programs o More BFB applications o More education, more locations o Increased recognition of youth safe cycling o Expanded Community Bike Projects – i.e., Bike Garage, Bike Library, and more

33. Please identify specific bicycle infrastructure projects that are likely to be completed by the end of 2019, including planned improvements, location, length, budget, planning status (plans adopted, design status, more process needed, etc.) and timeline.

City of Newport Projects

Newport Bike Master Plan · City Wide · $300,000.00 · Talking About It, Not Currently Budgeted Bike & Ped Wayfinding Signage · City Wide · $60,000.00 · Talking About It, Not Currently Budgeted Bike Parking Improvement Program · City Wide · $5,000.00 · Annually, Talking About It, Not Currently Budgeted Pilot Bike Corral · Broadway (2 Locations) · $3,000.00 · Currently Budgeted, To be implemented in 2017 Roadway Resurfacing · Bellevue Avenue · 0.5 Miles · $300,000.00 · Currently Budgeted, Annually Roadway improvement Program · City Wide · $1,700,000.00 · Currently Budgeted, Annually Annually, Currently Budgeted · Shared Bike Lanes · Broadway

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· 1.2 Miles · $10,000.00 · Currently Budgeted, To be implemented in 2016 Shared Bike Lane Maintenance · Thames, Spring, Ruggles · 5.4 Miles · $15,000.00 · Annually, Currently Budgeted

Possible State DOT Projects

Pilot Green Bike Boxes · 4 Intersections · $30,000.00 · State Right-of-way, City/State Coordination Protected Bike Lanes · Memorial Blvd & Americas Cup Ave · $30,000.00 · State Right-of-way, City/State Coordination Multi-use Greenway · Fort Adams · State Park Multi-Use Greenway · Berma Road Rail Trail Bike Detection at Intersections · State Right-of-way Intersections Bike Signals · State Right-of-way Intersections

● City wide bike route signage ● Increased bike parking, and all parking to meet APBP standards ● pilot bike corrals in three locations ● pilot green boxes at BV/Memorial, Spring/Memorial, Van Zandt/Memorial, Spring/Touro ● pilot green lanes on Memorial and America’s Cup ● pilot protected lanes on Memorial from Wave Ave to Rhode Island Ave ● pilot protected lane on America’s Cup ● multi-use Greenway around Fort Adams ● finish plan and possibly break ground on the First Mile ● pilot bike crossing signal at Marlborough/America’s Cup and other intersections ● traffic calming using narrower lanes and bike lanes: Narragansett, Van Zandt, upper Broadway, Morton/Thames intersection ● Repair the road surfaces and add road markings for bikes on Ocean Avenue and on Bellevue Avenue

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34. Is there a community bicycle shop, build-a-bike program, or other community space to obtain below-market rate bicycles or bicycle repairs in close proximity to the focus area? If so, please describe the programs they currently offer, the demographics of their customer base, and what role they can potentially play in The Big Jump Project efforts.

Bike Newport has thriving and successful community programs at their three Bike Garage locations, all of which are in the focus area. The demographics of the customer base cannot be easily classified – participants include local youth, low-income residents, affluent bike geeks, retirees, and enthusiastic millennials. Altogether, the garages are open three days a week:

Open Garages: Open garages are community oriented and volunteer driven to support a DIY approach to understanding and fixing bicycles. Abandoned and discarded bikes are reclaimed, and repaired or harvested for useable parts with the help of volunteers. Visitors can come in and use knowledge, tools, and used parts for free to repair or build their bikes.

Earn-a-Bike: Anyone can come and volunteer five hours during open shop hours. In return they will be allowed to build a bike for free using our collection of frames and gently used parts. There is a constant flow of donated bikes to choose from.

Bike Library: This youth-focused program gives kids access to a bike library card to use during open hours at participating garage locations. The bike library welcomes all but is tailored toward Newport youth with basic tools and parts available.

Adopt-a-Bike: Some people don’t have the time to earn a bike. To facilitate access to bicycle transportation for all, the bike garages also stock a limited number of fixed up, gently used bikes that can be adopted. These bikes can be had for a suggested donation. The funds collected from this program help support continued operations and other educational programs.

The Bike Garages will play an important role in The Big Jump project as a bike distribution and center, as well as a meeting place and community center. It is the center of bike culture in Newport, and located directly across the street from City Hall, and two blocks down from the Police Department, and one block from the middle school.

35. Please briefly describe what opportunities exist for bicycles to connect to places of employment, education, transit, or recreation within the proposed Big Jump focus area. Please make note of any new developments or planned projects (i.e. new transit center, path connection to school, new bike skills course at park) that will help to achieve these connections. Newport’s existing bicycle network is all on-road, with a mixture of high- and low-stress streets.

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PJC to approve: However, the planned “First Mile” bike path (described previously), which will likely be incorporated in the Pell Bridge realignment design, will connect low-income neighborhoods in the North End to employment, education, transit, and recreation opportunities. This project will include a transportation center at the base of the bridge which will allow visitors to park immediately upon entering the City. The center will offer an array of transportation options, including a shared-bike program, to access downtown and other neighborhoods.

The planned Neighborhood Loops will _____ and Safe Routes to School routes will connect children to school. We hope to continue adding Park & Bike lots outside the urban core to encourage more people to ride the final mile(s) to their downtown destinations.

In summer 2016, the Providence-Newport ferry line was reopened for the first time since 2009. A massive success, it connected the two cities by boat 5x/day and accepted bicycles free of charge. Bicyclists in Newport can also ride downtown to catch the Block Island ferry, or to the Gateway Center to take the bus to other parts of the state. Each RIPTA bus accepts two bicycles free of charge.

Recommended Routes BFBs with dedicated parking and support of Night Bright YMCA to beaches and Fort Adams route Visitors Center to CCRI North End students to Rogers with bike fleet Visiting ballerinas and sailors Bike Skills course in Miantonomi?

BIG JUMP LEADERSHIP TEAM Please provide us with the contact information for members of the local Big Jump Project leadership team.

Applications to participate in The Big Jump Project should be supported by a diverse group of participants representing your intended focus area. Ideally, this team will consist of elected officials, the head of the city's transportation department or equivalent, at least one supportive community organization, neighborhood residents or leaders, neighborhood or bicycle advocacy groups, a local foundation or funder, and a business or business organization.

35. Please select which positions are represented in your Big Jump Project leadership team (if different from the lead City application contact).

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a. Mayor - Jeanne Marie Napolitano b. City Council Member or Alderman – TBD c. Other Elected Official - TBD d. Head of Transportation or Equivalent – Bill Riccio e. Bike Program Manager or Equivalent - Frank Marinaccio f. Supportive Community Organization #1 – Bike Newport g. Supportive Community Organization #2 - TBD h. Neighborhood Resident or Leader #1 – Mary Anthony i. Neighborhood Resident or Leader #2 – TBD j. Neighborhood Association or Equivalent – TBD k. Bicycle Advocacy Group – Bike Newport l. Local Retail Bicycle Shop – TBD m. Local Foundation or Funder – TBD n. Local Business or Business Association #1 – TBD o. Local Business or Business Association #2 – TBD p. Other #1 TBD q. Other #2 TBD r. Other #3 TBD s. First Name, Last Name Organization Title, Email Phone, Extension Street Suite, City State, Zip

REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL Please upload documents as per the requirements below. Documents must be uploaded in PDF format.

· Letter of support from your mayor or other high-level elected official · Letter of support from a local community group or neighborhood leader · Letter of support from local business organization or business leader · Map showing the Big Jump focus area boundaries and key community assets · Map showing the existing and planned high-comfort bicycle network in the Big Jump focus area (include protected bike lanes, neighborhood greenways (bike boulevards), and multi-use pathways). · Map showing the existing and planned land uses of the Big Jump focus area · Letter of support from any other interested partners (optional) · Letter of support from any other interested partners (optional) · Other relevant documents or reports showing your city's bicycling progress (optional)

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· Other relevant documents or reports showing your city's bicycling progress (optional)

THANK YOU SCREEN

Thank you for completing the application for the Big Jump Project!

We look forward to reviewing your application. Finalists will be announced in early 2017. Press ‘submit’ below to complete this application.

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