--- title: You Build Bike Infrastructure… Will Residents Use It? description: Discover how investing in both bike infrastructure and behavioural programs can transform your city into a bike-friendly community, boosting safety, ridership, and sustainable mobility. image: https://blog.lovetoride.net/hubfs/You%20build%20bike%20infrastructure.%20Will%20residents%20use%20it.png --- [![Dark blue Love to Ride logo](https://blog.lovetoride.net/hubfs/LTR%20Logo%201%20Dark%20Blue%20on%20Transparent-100px.png "Dark blue Love to Ride logo")](https://blog.lovetoride.net/) [For Business](https://business.lovetoride.net/) [For Government](https://partners.lovetoride.net/) # The Love to Ride Blog ### Creating a more bike friendly world - [Product](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/product) ## [You Build Bike Infrastructure… Will Residents Use It?](https://blog.lovetoride.net/you-build-bike-infrastructure-will-residents-use-it) - by: Thomas Stokell - [Videos (34)](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/videos) - [Case Studies (29)](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/case-studies) - [Data (25)](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/data) - [Challenges (21)](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/challenges) - [Product (16)](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/product) - [Rider Stories (14)](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/rider-stories) - [Behaviour Change Theory (13)](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/behaviour-change-theory) - [Webinar (6)](https://blog.lovetoride.net/tag/webinar) All - Share - [![Facebook logo](https://blog.lovetoride.net/hubfs/blog_3_wow_design/Images/facebook_40px.png)](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.lovetoride.net%2Fyou-build-bike-infrastructure-will-residents-use-it) - [![Twitter logo](https://blog.lovetoride.net/hubfs/blog_3_wow_design/Images/twitter_40px.png)](https://www.twitter.com/share?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.lovetoride.net%2Fyou-build-bike-infrastructure-will-residents-use-it) - [![LinkedIn logo](https://blog.lovetoride.net/hubfs/blog_3_wow_design/Images/linkedin_40px.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.lovetoride.net/you-build-bike-infrastructure-will-residents-use-it) - [![Email icon](https://blog.lovetoride.net/hubfs/blog_3_wow_design/Images/email_28px.png)](mailto:?subject=Awesome%20blog%20post%20on%20Love%20to%20Ride&body=Hi%20buddy,%20check%20out%20this%20interesting%20blog%20post%20I%20read%20on%20Love%20to%20Ride:) Around the world, millions of dollars are being invested in **bike infrastructure** - protected lanes, trails, and shared-use paths designed to improve safety, mobility, and quality of life. But building the lanes is only half the job. The real question for every city planner, DOT director, and sustainability officer is: # **How do we ensure people use it?** If bike infrastructure isn’t actively used, it becomes harder to justify the next round of **funding to expand your network**. That risks stalling your city’s long-term vision for a safe, bike-friendly, and more sustainable community.   # Beyond Concrete: The Barriers to Riding Cities often focus on the physical network, but **behavioral and access barriers** can keep residents from riding - even when safe bike lanes exist. Common barriers include: - Not knowing how to ride safely. - Low confidence or comfort navigating traffic. - Lack of bike ownership or access to bike share. - Their bike needs repairs before it can be ridden. - Not knowing safe routes through the city. - Limited motivation or perceived inconvenience. These challenges are as real as potholes or missing bike lanes - and unless they’re addressed, infrastructure alone won’t shift mobility patterns.   # Building Psychological Infrastructure To make bike infrastructure successful, cities must invest not only in **concrete and paint**, but also in **programs that change behavior**. This is what turns infrastructure into actual ridership gains. Proven approaches like [**Love to Ride**](https://partners.lovetoride.net/mode-shift) help local governments: - **Engage** people who are 'interested but concerned' about taking up biking. - **Encourage** people to take up riding, ride more often, and ride for transportation. - ** Educate** residents on safe riding skills. - **Connect** people with low-cost access to bikes. - **Build** motivation through community challenges and campaigns - **Guide** new riders toward the safest routes. - **Support** maintenance and repair access. These programs complement physical infrastructure, helping residents overcome personal barriers while your city [demonstrates measurable increases](https://partners.lovetoride.net/planners) in ridership.  ![New Rider image 2 - Valerie](https://blog.lovetoride.net/hs-fs/hubfs/New%20Rider%20image%202%20-%20Valerie.jpg?width=295&height=295&name=New%20Rider%20image%202%20-%20Valerie.jpg)   *"Excited to start bicycling again! Thanks to the Love to Ride Florida Challenge I (and my coworkers) have been encouraged to start bicycling again - to/from work for those who can and also outside of work / during lunchtime.* *Thank you!"* *- Valerie*     # Why This Matters for Your City and Region When residents use your bike infrastructure, governments see: - Higher ROI on capital investments. - Safer streets with fewer car trips. - Better public health and air quality. - Stronger justification for **funding opportunities**. - A visible commitment to **sustainable mobility** and quality of life.   # Industry Wisdom As Randy Neufeld, a long-time bike advocate, emphasizes: *“Infrastructure alone doesn’t create mode shift - you also need behavior change programs that support getting more  riding and using your bike infrastructure."*   # Let’s Get More People Riding At Love to Ride, we partner with [**local and regional governments around the world**](https://partners.lovetoride.net/planners) to design cost-efficient, results-driven bike encouragement and mode shift programs that bring your infrastructure to life. Want to increase ridership on the network you’ve built -  and secure funding for the next phase? Let’s talk! We’d love to hear from you! [hello@lovetoridde.net](mailto:hello@lovetoridde.net) --- ##### Published on: 1, Oct 2024 ### Interested in working together? 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