For many of the students, the trip was something of a novelty. Most school field trips happen on buses. But this time, students experienced something different: traveling through their city by bicycle.

When Asheville on Bikes advocates for continued investment in complete streets, greenways, and trails, our goal is simple: connect people to places safely. Last week’s Bike Club ride into downtown was a snapshot of what’s possible.

Think about it. Within two miles of the Asheville City Schools campus are dozens of destinations where students could learn, explore, and connect with their community. When safe streets are prioritized, people of all ages and abilities can travel by a variety of modes—walking, biking, rolling, and transit.

Projects like AVL Unpaved, the College / Patton Complete Street Project, the Haywood Road resurfacing, and the Riverfront Parks Redevelopment Project, and the I-26 Connector Project represent opportunities to elevate safety in our public right-of-way. No single project creates a network—but each one is a critical link in building the connected active transportation system our community needs.

Trips from school campuses into downtown by walking or biking could become part of everyday life in Asheville. But today, experiences like this remain the exception—not the norm. If we value safe routes from campus to the places where students learn, explore, and gather, our elected officials and transportation agencies will need to prioritize safer streets in the years ahead.

About Bike Club

• Asheville on Bikes Bike Club is the longest-running after-school cycling program in North Carolina.
  
• Bike Club is a partnership between Asheville on Bikes and the Asheville City Schools Foundation.
  
• From the Asheville Middle School campus, Bike Club has access to over 40 miles of riding routes.
  

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