Progressive Project Starter

A step-by-step guide from start to finish and beyond.

A bike park is an opportunity to transform your community into a vibrant destination for residents and visitors–a place where people don’t just live and work, but thrive. The Progressive Project Starter provides the essential steps for making our vision for a better community a reality.

Mountain biking has come a long way in a short amount of time. In the late 80s and early 90s riders in the temperate climates of British Columbia’s “North Shore” rainforest started building ladder bridges to span wet areas connecting their trails. To make the ride more challenging, they started building the ladder bridges higher and skinnier. This became a worldwide phenomenon known as Free Riding. There are over 40 million Americans that participate in mountain biking today.

With the amount of Americans that are taking to the trails, and the ever need for healthy living, a mountain bike park simply fills a need that has been over-looked by many municipalities for years. People from all walks of life can enjoy a mountain bike park. Mountain bike parks can be built in small urban areas or on a mountain, and can be used by any off-road or BMX bike, making them extremely versatile.

intro

why a bike park?getting organizedthe right spotfunding optionsbike park designPTD design servicesprocurementbreaking groundkeeping it tidydown the road...

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table ofcontents

progressive project starter 2013

cycling/walking projectscreate 11-14 jobsper $1 million spentcompared to just 7 jobs createdper $1 million spent on highway projects

studies have shown that

homes closer to

bike paths are more valuable.

47%of americans saythey would likemore bike facilitiesin their communitiesSource: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Source: The Alliance for Biking & Walking Benchmarking Project Source: Bikes Belong Foundation

why abike park?


Incorporating a bike park into your community offers many benefits including monetary growth, health of residents, and the overall popularity of your community. Here are just a few examples that reinforce those benefits which improve the overall livelihood of your community.

more than 3x as many new bicycles

(14.9 million) are sold in the u.s. each year than cars (4.6 million)

=

progressive project starter 2013 4

Cycling produces the balance between exertion and relaxation which is so important for the body’s inner equilibrium.

Cycling has a relaxing effect due to uniform movement, which stabilizes physical and

emotional functions. It reduces anxiety, depression and other psychological problems.

All the risk factors that lead to a heart attack are reduced and regular cycling reduces the likelihood of heart attack by more than 50%.

Cycling posture is optimum, and the cyclic movement of the legs stimulates muscles in

the lower back.

Moving both feet around in circles while steering with both your hands and your body’s own weight is good practice for your coordination skills.

Cycling is ideal for targeting problem areas. It enables people who cannot move easily to

exercise. It increases fitness and stimulates the body’s fat metabolism.

A week of inactivity reduces the strength fo the muscular system by up to 50% and can harm them long-term. During cycling, most of the body’s muscles are activated.

The circular movement of cycling assists the transport of energy and other metabolic produces to the cartilages, reducing the

likelihood of arthrosis.

balance

heart

coordination

muscles joints

waistline

back pain

mental health

Source: Cavill N, Davis A, 2007 “Cycling and Health: what’s the evidence?” Cycling England

Source: Outdoor Foundation, 2010 Source: National Bicycle Dealers Association, 2010

cyclingis the secondmost popularoutdoor activityin the u.s.


A vibrant, sustainable project (and community) is one with a large and diverse number of stakeholders. Therefore, be sure to get key citizen groups in on the ground floor. Encourage them to take ownership, and address their needs and concerns up front - you’ll head off dozens of potential obstacles. The groups include:

A central bike park planning committee, filled with representatives from each of the above groups, is the best way to divide and share responsibilities for the many aspects of this project. Be sure to involve youth on as many teams as possible. Here is a common committee structure for community-build bike park projects:

Off-road Cyclists, Cycling Groups, BIke Shops

City Officials, Parks & Recreation Staff, Police Dept.

Business Owners

Neighbors of bike park proposed site

Parents, Volunteers, Surrounding Communities

Media

Co-Chairs

Fundraising Team

Site Team

Design Team

Outreach Team

Usage/Programming/Maintenance Team

When it comes to getting a bike park the first thing to do is get organized. While presenting ideas to parks and recreation departments or to city councils, it’s best to have the support of other users and stakeholders in the community. Cities want to do things for their citizens, but you must be able to have a voice to make sure that your project is getting the attention it deserves.

Once you have become organized make sure to contact all stakeholders and users for your potential park, form your committees, formulate a plan and then present it to parks and recreation, and to council.

GettinGorganized

Is the land that you are going to pursue public or private? If you are building on private land and this is the intent then there is no reason to approach council except for proper permitting and regulations in your city. Most will be public and used like any other park. Make sure you have a couple of areas picked out the city can look into. If it is private land, is the owner willing to deed the property to the city?

Is the chosen location going to affect businesses, or residence in the immediate area because of noise? In most cases the reality and perception will be two different things. The noise produced from a bike park will be minimal, because of the building materials and pneumatic tires on bikes. The noise will be riders cheering

each other on and the sound of fun. But be sensitive to neighbors concerns and truly listen and hopefully educate them as well.

Does the chosen location encourage a positive environment? Like a skatepark a bike park’s location is key to the success or failure of the park. Is the location inclusive and family friendly? Or is it an out of the way location where there is minimal visibility? Off-road cycling is a family friendly sport, and should if at all possible be included with other park amenities, such as skateparks, playgrounds, splash pads, and others.

Accessibility to the park by bike, foot, and car is key to the success of the park. You want to make sure that those using the park are encouraged to get to the park with safe

access. Having the park in a location that is accessible and visible by authorities helps to keep the park in good shape as it deters vandals from being mischievous.

What sort of amenities are on site? Are there bathrooms/ a water source? Are there emergency call buttons or cell access? In a public park setting it is necessary to have the basic infrastructure in place which is why it is best to build a bike park in a park that already has the basics.

It is highly encouraged that a bike park be added to an existing park infrastructure so that the basics are already in place. If it is a brand new location, keep in mind that a city will most likely want to have some of these basic features before opening it as a public park.

Now that you have everyone onboard, the next step is deciding the perfect location for your bike park venue. Many variables can come into play when choosing the prime location that will best fit the needs of both the community and the riders. Here are some examples of common questions that will help determine the right spot for your communities bike park.

the riGhtspot


grantsGrants are not benefits or entitlements. A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States. Federal grants are not federal assistance or loans to individuals.

A basic Internet search for Parks and Recreation Grants will show over 3 million links to examples of grants or available grants in your area.

donationsPrivate donations can often turn the tide in whether a project is seen through to the end. Holding an event to invite these patrons to show their support of the project can reap great rewards. Charitable donations often represent the primary source of funding for many charitable organizations and nonprofit organizations.

fundraisingA good fund raising campaign starts with a good plan. It is helpful to have a positive mission statement such as “Improving your park for a healthier, stronger community”.


fundinGoptionsNow that you’ve found that perfect patch of land, the next step is to start the funding process for your new bike park. In some cases, these funds will have already been determined and set in place and you can merely proceed. Otherwise you will need to start looking at all options for where funding may come from in order to maximize the potential of your bike park. Here we’ve outlined 3 different funding strategies to look into.

Our design process works so that we take into consideration all the factors that come into play. We are mountain bikers, we know how they should be designed, and we engineer them to not only withstand the riding forces, but also the forces of nature. We have plug and play kits that have been designed to maximize rideability and budget.

We also offer design packages where we analyze your site, meet with stakeholders, and customize the park to your specifications. There are always options, and we are limited by only two things when it comes to design…budget and imagination.


bike parkdesign

Once you’ve determined the location and amount of funding available for your bike park, it’s time to start designing the bike park and decide what elements will be included. A professional bike park designer will use the information given to them to design the layout of the bike park. The 3D layout is rendered into images that you can review, make changes, and approve when satisfied.

desiGn process:


proGressive trail desiGndesign services

consultation/feasibility - $5,000

PTD specializes in developing “progressive recreational facilities”, such as mountain bike parks, city park enhancements, and a wide variety of purpose-built trails (i.e. eqine trails, downhill flow trails, interpretive nature trails, etc...). Though our specialty is mountain bike parks and trails, we offer a comprehensive list of trail building services. PTD offers four design packages depending on your project needs. Go to www.progressivetraildesign.com for detailed information on how to get your project started.

this service is designed for the client who is simply entertaining the idea of building a trail or bike park and would like to see what is possible.• Site Selection: If a site has not been determined, we will work with you to determine the optimal location that fits the desired amenity.

• Inventory: Assess what trail or bike park opportunities you currently have in order to determine what you need.

• Site visit/analysis: Determine opportunities and constraints of the site.

• Determine what amenities are possible and make general recommendations of what and where.

• Conduct meetings with stakeholders and any other interested parties.

• Deliverable: A field report of above mentioned items in the form of a pdf.

• Time frame: Typically, 2 travel days and 1 or 2 work day’s depending on size of site.

• 25% will be credited toward the build (only contracts over $20K). Price may vary depending on size of project.

From this study we could develop a “Master Plan Design” at anytime.


master plan - $7,000this plan is designed for clients who want to develop a professional plan to begin the process of fund-raising, city planning, and community involvement.• Includes all items outlined in “Consultation/Feasibility” and additional items listed below;

• Design Workshop with community and stakeholders.

• Determine general location of trail and/or bike park amenities.

• Provide desciption of proposed trail and/or bike park amenities.

• Provide a map showing location of proposed elements and approximate dimensions. 3D visualization can also be included.

• Provide a Design/Build Budget for all proposed items.

• Deliverable: A bound propsal and/or a pdf.

• Time frame: 3-8 weeks depending on location and size of project.



proGressive trail desiGndesign services

desiGn/build plan - $10,000this plan is for clients that desire a detailed plan and cost estimate in order to better understand exactly what is will take to implement the project. typically this is what we build from. this is not to be confused with “construction documents”, it is still a design/build contract.• Includes all items outlined in “Consultation/Feasibility” and additional items listed below;

• Design Workshop with community and stakeholders.

• GPS all proposed trail and/or bike park amenities and trail and/or bike park features.

• Provide a schedule of all amenities and features with detailed specifications.

• Provide a detailed topo/aerial map showing location of proposed amenities.


• Time frame: 4-8 weeks depending on location and size of project.



construction documents - $15,000+this is the comprehensive design and engineering package-blueprints for bidding & construction. this is for the client who wants to separate out the design from the build and put it out to bid. Though we offer this service, we are not proponents of separating the design from the build (see our design~Build~ride philosophy in the ptd services catalog).• Includes all items outlined in “Consultation/Feasibility” & “Design/Build Plan” and additional items listed below;

• Multiple site visits and meetings with stakeholders.

• Detailed maps with GPS’d locations of amenities and features.

• AutoCAD construction blueprints for each amenity or feature.

• Bid Document assembly–provides contractors with a clear understanding of project caliber and finish work expectations..


• Time frame: 12+ weeks depending on location and size of project.

• Price may vary depending on size of project.


More information can be found by visiting www.gsa.gov or www.njpacoop.org

There are many ways to procure a bike park. When it comes to a mod-ular built bike line there is no other US company that manufactures anything like this, so a sole-source purchase is a possibility. Another possibility and a popular option is to purchase through the National Joint Powers Alliance (NJPA), which is a purchasing coop that is free to join and maximizes your overall spend because the bid work has already been done for you.

Then there is the old fashioned bid process, which is fine, but time consuming and costly to do. We provide specifications to ensure that you get what you want and not some cheaply made cobbled together park made from who knows what.

NJPA is a public agency, Member-driven service cooperative that serves over 48,000 members. NJPA offers a multitude of contracted products, equipment and service opportunities to education, government and other non-profit entities.

We offer our Members contract purchasing solutions that are leveraged nationally to enable contracted suppliers and member agencies to work smarter and more efficient as they do business with each other. NJPA does this by establishing a business and service alliance between member buyers and contracted suppliers ensuring a valued and successful national purchasing program.

GSA is responsible for delivering much of the space requirements of federal agencies. GSA provides national leadership, policy direction, and standards in the areas of architecture, engineering, urban development, sustainable design, fine arts, historic preservation, construction services, and project management.

To ensure a high standard of excellence for the American public, GSA engages the best private-sector architects and engineers to design, modernize existing, and construct new federal buildings through its internationally renowned Design and Construction Excellence Program.

procurementoptions


One major reason parks tend to see a decline in users is lack of upkeep to the facilities. Opposed to hiring a full-time staff to continually maintain your bike park, there are several other ways to promote a safe and healthy environment for your riders and visitors. Here are a few examples of ways you can keep your bike park looking great for years to come.

A bike park can be outgrown over time, or simply need to be updated with a fresh look. One unique aspect to Progressive Bike Ramps is the modular design they carry, allowing for additional components to be installed virtually seamlessly.

volunteer clean-up events held on a regular basis.

setup rules for your bike park.

Designate specific areas for eating, drinking and resting.

replace damaged equipment in a timely manner.

breakinGground

keepinG ittidy

downthe road

Now that you have procured your mountain bike park it is time for installation. You have two options when it comes to installing a mountain bike park. Have it fully installed for you, or provide volunteer labor in conjunction with a factory supervisor. Have a ground breaking ceremony with the press to show off the progress of your new park, and make sure to schedule a grand opening celebration as well. On a side note make sure to schedule grand opening at least two weeks after scheduled completion date for those just in case moments.

A step-by-step guide from start to finish and beyond.

progressive bike ramps

601 S. McKinley Ave

Joplin, MO 64801

1.855.727.7267 | 417.288.4466www.progressivebikeramps.com

progressive trail design

3665 Haymaker Place

Fayetteville, AR 72704

479.966.0286www.progressivetraildesign.com

Date post:	29-Mar-2016
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Progressive Project Starter

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