At Bike Easy, we see the bike as a tool to connect and empower communities. That’s why we awarded the Algiers Economic Development Foundation the 2020 Community Partner Award at this year’s Virtual Membership Meeting.
Lead by Kelsey R. Foster, Executive Director and Lilith Winkler-Schor, Program Director, AEDF takes a holistic approach to economic development in the Algiers community that includes transportation expansion. Thanks to their commitment to making biking safe and accessible for the people of Algiers, we successfully collaborated with them to bring 11 miles of protected and connected bikeways to Algiers this past year.
These bikeways were such a success that they were ranked the #1 new bikeways of 2020 by People for Bikes. We’re proud of our work with AEDF to make biking easier, safer, and more fun for the people of Algiers, a diverse neighborhood along race, class and age. As Lilith Winkler-Schor exclaims, “Algiers has a ton of young people who bike and value mobility freedom, especially safe means of transportation. So, being able to safely ride your bike around Algiers creates a whole new generational perspective and changes the way people are engaging!”
As fellow members of the New Orleans Complete Streets Coalition, Bike Easy and AEDF began collaborating in October 2019 to raise awareness and momentum for new transportation infrastructure. Together, we connected with the community members of Algiers community through community advocacy events like the Let’s Move Forward Fest, and Complete Streets Activation Mini- Grants opportunities, and a mass canvassing effort that reached 100 households.
This gave the staff at AEDF an opportunity to deepen their connection with bike advocates in Algiers and provided them with a decision-making role in the creation and expansion of more equitable transportation infrastructure.
Kelsey and Lilith of AEDF know exactly how important biking is for the people and economy of Algiers. Nearly a third of Algiers residents don’t have access to a car. Biking, walking and public transit, is how many people in Algiers get amenities like groceries and medicine, as well as stress relief by going to the park or biking along the river. The 11 miles of Complete Streets built in Algiers are a literal lifeline for the community, one that AEDF was instrumental in providing.
“We strive to create a walkable, bikeable city because transportation accessibility creates community!” said Director Kelsey Foster.
As a community partner, Bike Easy strives to work with organizations that believe in the power of bicycling to help create a healthy, prosperous, resilient, and equitable future for all people. That’s why we proudly awarded the Algiers Economic Development Foundation the 2020 Community Partner Award.
