This summer, Bike Easy has been working with a cohort of three interns on the Louisiana Bootlace Trail Network (LBTN) –a seamless walking and biking network that aims to link existing and proposed trails and greenways together for recreation, transportation, and tourism that stretches over 100+ miles from Baton Rouge to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
(LBTN) cohort team:
Abrina Williams– Mapping Expert
Miranda Hall- Research and Outreach intern
Ruby Murfield- Research and Outreach intern
Throughout the summer, the team worked with Bike Easy to:
- design mapping material outlining existing and proposed trails in the region
- do background research on the existing and proposed trails and greenways
- conduct outreach to organizations and government stakeholders in the region to promote the LBTN project
At the end of the summer, we presented our research findings at the LBTN Introductory Meeting on August 12th with over 25+ regional advocates in attendance!
Hear from Miranda and Ruby about their summer internship experience below!
“Hi everyone, my name is Ruby Murfield and I’m a part of the Louisiana Bootlace Trail Network (LBTN) internship cohort! As a Research and Outreach intern with Bike Easy, we worked on furthering the vision of the Louisiana Bootlace Trails Network.
I was drawn to this internship with Bike Easy because I love the idea of linking all these different orbiting trails with the purpose of connecting people to the environment and economic opportunity.
Throughout the summer, I worked on expanding my research, Excel, and outreach skills. I enjoyed the collaborative nature of the intern team, and I appreciate how we were allowed to drive the project. For me, this internship promised to be a part of a team, while still being able to make my individual contribution.
I’m thankful to Bike Easy for giving me the opportunity to work and talk with so many different people, from local officials to biking enthusiasts. Going forward, I’m thrilled to have helped envision and connect key stakeholders in the region. I hope to take my experience with interning with Bike Easy to propel me into learning more about environmental initiatives where I can further learn about how I can interact with our environment in meaningful ways.”
“Hi everyone, my name is Miranda Hall, I’m a part of the Louisiana Bootlace Trail Network (LBTN) internship cohort at Bike Easy! I’m currently a junior at Tulane University, studying Sociology with minors in Spanish and Urban Studies.
I found the Bike Easy application in the spring and was eager to apply because biking is one of my many outdoor interests because– like many Tulane students–my bike is my main form of transportation.
But for me, biking in New Orleans isn’t something I always enjoy because many streets in New Orleans aren’t always the safest or most accessible for bikers.
So, I decided to intern at Bike Easy to blend my passion for biking and my majors at Tulane. This internship was the perfect “two birds, one stone” scenario; it fits well with my studies and it’s something I’m passionate about!
As an intern for the LBTN, I researched existing and future trails and greenways in the region to understand how we can connect 100+ miles of walking and biking networks from Baton Rouge to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We also conducted outreach that led to a meeting that brought together 35 key stakeholders in the region to garner their support for the LBTN project.
Working on this budding project was definitely a cool experience because I contributed to the initial envisioning of the project then saw it take off! I saw how passionate a lot of people are about biking since talking with different stakeholders in the region. As my internship comes to an end, I realized that our internship cohort keeps this vision of the LBTN moving forward and that’s very rewarding to be a part of it.
Overall, this internship with Bike Easy allowed me to see my options for life after college. It also connected me with key contacts in the fields of nonprofits, urban planning, and the public/governmental sector, who also provided insight into possible post-college paths.”
All the staff at Bike Easy would like to give a special thank you to all of our summer interns! You all continue to contribute to making bicycling easy, safe, and fun for everyone in Greater New Orleans. Thanks to your hard work, we were able to expand our efforts to include a larger portion of our beautiful region.
Visit our website to learn more about the Louisiana Bootlace Trail Network. Additionally, if you’d like to discuss and craft a unique internship opportunity with Bike Easy or have questions about the LBTN, please email dana@bikeeasy.org
