By Joe Jacobs, Vice President of Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas
Last night, nearly 40 members of Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas (BACA) gathered at Whole Hog Café on Cantrell—a notably bike and pedestrian-unfriendly corridor in Little Rock—for a workshop titled "Move Forward."
The purpose of the workshop was to generate ideas that would help the BACA board align with member expectations as we approach a new year.
The evening began with opening remarks from BACA President Jason Barr, followed by an update from Stephen Bentley. Bentley, along with former BACA President Ron Rizzardi, is actively working on bicycle projects in North Little Rock. I then provided a brief update on the Close the Loop initiative, with more details to come in the following weeks.
The Workshop
Participants were divided into three groups, each focusing on a different aspect of BACA’s direction:
Group 1: Developed ideas to promote National Bike Month in May.
Group 2: Discussed BACA’s strategic direction for the upcoming year.
Group 3: Focused on long-term goals extending beyond the next year.
Each group gathered input from individual members, deliberated on key points, and selected their top three priorities. These were then presented to the entire workshop. The level of dedication and enthusiasm displayed by all participants was truly inspiring, highlighting the strong commitment to advancing cycling advocacy in Central Arkansas.
Here are the results from this exercise:
The Next Step
The compiled list of ideas has been shared with the BACA board for review. At the next board meeting, members will assess each idea in terms of financial feasibility and required manpower. This process will help establish a clear set of achievable goals for the short, medium, and long term.
Please Stay Engaged
This workshop was just one step in shaping the future of BACA, and we want to continue hearing from you. Your input is essential in guiding our efforts to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety in Central Arkansas. Please feel free to reach out to us via email or social media with your thoughts, suggestions, and concerns. Together, we can create a safer, more bike-friendly community.
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