Students at Prescott College in Prescott, AZ aren’t happy with the state of biking in their city and as part of a class project they’re coming up with a solution to present to the local government. Students enrolled in the course The Bicycle: Vehicle for Social Change, studied possible solutions for bike-friendly roadways and plan to follow-through in changing the community.
The course guides students through the bicycle’s beneficial role in society. Students traveled to Europe to attend the Velo-city conference in Seville, Spain last month where the Charter of Seville was signed. The Charter is a document that proposes the acceptance of cycling. At the Velo-city conference the students observed the gathering of officials from cities including the Netherlands, Spain and other communities around the world.After the conference abroad the students came up with proposals to present to officials of the City of Prescott. Mayor Kuykendall appears receptive, as do others in the community. “Prescott drivers are not very used to bicycles because there are not enough bike lanes,” said Wyatt Anderson, a resident who lives near the college. “The road system in the area only needs to factor in biking as a part of normal life. The campaign plan sounds like a great place to start.”
The 2010 Bicycle course students started the plan. Initiatives continue with the 2011 class and beyond. The plan is a work in partnership with One Street, an international bicycle advocacy nonprofit based in Prescott. The organization’s Executive Director, Sue Knaup, is the Bicycle course teacher.