How to Crowdfund a Bike Lane

A PeopleforBikes post explains why the crowdfunding model made sense for a proposed project by the Downtown Denver Partnership to create a protected bike lane on Arapahoe Street.

1 minute read

November 11, 2014, 12:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Dearborn Street Bike Lane

Steven Vance / flickr

Michael Anderson reports on a campaign by the Downtown Denver Partnership "to raise $36,000 online from corporate and individual donors to help pay for planning and design of a protected bike lane on Arapahoe Street."

Denver is following in the footsteps of Memphis, which crowdfunded $70,000 for a protected bike lane in 2013. Given the recent trend of crowdfunding campaigns to support bike infrastructure investments, Anderson cites a few key points about why the crowdsourcing model works for such projects. A sample of the key points:

  • The lane being crowdfunded is relatively uncomplicated
  • Crowdfunding is as much about creating a narrative as it is about raising money
  • Organizers framed the campaign as a benefit for the whole city

Monday, November 10, 2014 in People for Bikes

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