Bicycle

Friendly

Business

Program

Columbus

Public

Health

Alex C Smith

Active Transportation Program Manager

Columbus Public Health

Health & Active Commuting

ABSENTEEISM

People who cycle

take

32% fewer sick

days

HEALTH

30 minutes of

daily bicycling

saves $544 per

person

in annual

medical expenses

Bicycle Friendly Business Columbus

• Funded by the Plan4Health APA

grant

• 1 of a 3 part strategy to combat

chronic disease

• Working with Yay Bikes! too

coordinate our efforts

– Yay Bikes! = ride buddies and

hands-on approach

– CPH = policy, environment approach

Bicycle Friendly Business Columbus

• Evaluate the environment

• Provide strengths and

weaknesses

• Facilitate bike parking if

needed

• Connect with resources

• Assist with BFB application

for recognition

Our goals

• Increase access and knowledge of bicycle

resources

• Increase the number of LAB BFB’s in

Columbus

• Increase the number of workplace bicycle

commuters

• Increase bicycle parking on both public and

private property

Our Approach

• Reaching out through established networks

• Creating resource guide page-by-page,

topic-by-topic (collection of 1-pagers)

• Face-to-Face meetings to discover

strengths and weaknesses

• Using the LAB’s BFB application guide the

process

Types of Businesses

• All businesses that are

interested, focusing on

downtown and bordering

neighborhoods

• A&R Creative – restaurant

group

• Ulmer & Berne – Law Group

• Café Brioso – coffee roaster

and café

• Fitness Loft – fitness center

• Goodwill – social services

How we have helped so far

• A&R Creative – presented to staff

– Facilitated CoC bike parking

– Provided policies

• Ulmer and Berne – Assisted with LAB BFB application (picked up where Yay Bikes! Left off)

• Cafe Brioso – Facilitated and assisted with LAB BFB application

– Facilitated CoC bike parking

– Helped to formalize employee access to resources

• Meeting with others this week to determine next steps

What we have learned so far

• Facilitating the application verbally

• Small businesses – short term

• Large businesses – long term

• Create simple, easy to read documents

• Bike parking is in demand

• Work with multiple businesses at the same

time

acsmith@

columbus.gov