Golden Hills was awarded a Small MATCH Grant from the Wellmark Foundation in 2017 to improve and promote safe bicycling in rural communities of southwest Iowa. Some of the resources we compiled and used during this project are featured below.  We are committed to doing what we can to improve the climate for active transportation in southwest Iowa, so please contact us with any questions or requests for assistance.

Bike-Ped Safety Brochure

This flier created by Golden Hills RC&D covers safety tips and recommendations for people on foot and on bike. Click on the image below to download and print the two-page pdf. You can also pick up a printed copy of this at our office - 712 South Highway Street in Oakland. 

Activity Sheets

Bicycle Safer Journey

Bicycle Safer Journey helps educators, parents, and others who care about bicycle safety to get the conversation started with children and youth. Three videos — one for each of three age groups (see bel0w)— accompanied by a quiz or discussion and an educator's resource library can be used as an introduction to bicycle safety skills or to augment a comprehensive curriculum.
Bicycle Safer Journey (Ages 5-9)
Bicycle Safer Journey (Ages 10-14)
Bicycle Safer Journey (Ages 15-18)
Bike Trails and Routes
  • Bike Routes - Our map of recommended bicycling routes throughout rural southwest Iowa. 
  • Iowa DOT Bike Map - Statewide map showing trails, bike routes, paved shoulders, and traffic volumes. You can also pick up a printed copy of this at our office - 712 South Highway Street in Oakland. ​
  • Iowa by Trail - interactive mobile app that connects Iowans to trails and surrounding natural areas.
  • Iowa Bike Routes - includes information about on-road routes, trails, gravel routes, and more
  • Iowa Safe Routes to School - SRTS is a rising international effort to increase safety and promote walking and bicycling to school through the “5Es: engineering, education, enforcement, encouragement, and evaluation." 
  • Frontier Iowa Trails - The Frontier Iowa Trails (FIT) network is a group of western Iowans who are working to develop a regional multi-use trails system.
  • Bike Iowa - this site connects "cyclists with Iowa communities and making Iowa a better place to ride your bicycle with the most comprehensive Event and Race calendar, News, Features, Reviews, RAGBRAI and Team and Club information on the planet."

Planning and Development
  • The Iowa Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan, approved by the Iowa Department of Transportation in 2018, provides a framework and for improving biking and walking across the state.
  • The Small Town and Rural Design Guide is intended to help small towns and rural communities support safe, comfortable, and active travel for people of all ages and abilities.
  • Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks - This Federal Highway Administration document is intended to be a resource for transportation practitioners in small towns and rural communities.

Other State and National Resources