Exploring Local Capacity for Cycling in the US
City Thread is a non-profit organization based in the US focused on accelerating the implementation and development of mobility and place-based projects across the US by helping cities develop multidisciplinary coalitions and assist in project delivery to achieve policy goals. Although City Thread’s work has been scaled into multiple US cities, the ‘mechanisms of change’ underpinning the development and delivery of cycling progress in these cities is currently unclear.
In 2024, the Urban Cycling Institute undertook a research project in conjunction with City Thread to understand the processes underlying local capacity for cycling in the United States. The research explored the governance and capacity dynamics underlying cycling infrastructure development and implementation and City Thread’s influence on capacity building in US cities. Specifically, the role of institutional learning and civic leadership was investigated. The research adopted a case study approach by investigating the specific progress in one city – Bentonville, Arkansas – in-depth using multiple methods.
Following this, City Thread and the Urban Cycling Institute decided to co-develop a product that conveys the research methods and findings in an actionable and usable way for practitioners. To this end, a workbook is being developed in 2025.
