\t\t\t\t\tWhat at stake:<\/p>\n
Teaching kids where the safest routes to school are can help increase bicycling rates a ton.<\/p>\n
Fresno is betting that teaching kids to ride bikes safer could help transform one of America\u2019s deadliest cities for cyclists.<\/p>\n
The city\u2019s Parks and Recreation Department received a $325,000 state grant to launch a youth bicycle and pedestrian safety education program.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a first step toward the kind of community-based training, Fresnoland reported<\/a> this year, credited with building cycling culture in Bay Area cities like Palo Alto.<\/p>\n \u201cA safe Fresno means protecting everyone who uses our streets, whether they are walking, running, or riding their bicycles,\u201d Mayor Jerry Dyer said in a news release.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dyer said the money allows crews \u201cmake targeted safety improvements across the city\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fresno\u2019s grant, which runs through September 2026, will fund bicycle training courses for youth, helmet fitting and distribution, school presentations, walking field trips with seniors and pop-up events distributing reflective gear and bike lights.<\/p>\n The funding arrives as Fresno recorded the largest bike safety score improvement among major U.S. cities in 2024, according to People for Bikes<\/a>, following protected lane installations across the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n