Bicycle & Pedestrian
Activities

Have you noticed one of our counter boxes on the trails? SIMPCO places six trail counters around the Siouxland metro area each spring to gather data on trail usage throughout the season. These counters remain in place until the end of summer.

Although they might resemble cameras, these devices do not record images, audio, video, or any other identifying information. Instead, they use an infrared beam across the trail, and each time someone crosses the path and disrupts the beam, a count is recorded. Learn more about the device here.

This data is invaluable to our metro area communities, helping parks and recreation staff identify the most frequently used trail segments and where new connections are needed. It also provides essential quantitative data for grant funding applications, which are crucial for the growth of our metro trail network.

If you notice one of our boxes needs attention or if you have any questions, please call us at 712-279-6286.

SIMPCO’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Roundtable is a group of staff, community partners, advocates, and residents who meet regularly to discuss and plan for improved bicycle and pedestrian policies throughout the Siouxland area.

Efforts that the Roundtable has previously participated in include:

• Temporary park-lets and bicycle lanes in downtown Sioux City
• Walking School Bus/Safe Routes to School
• Mayor’s Challenge for Safer Streets
• Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities
• Bicycle Friendly Employer Award
• Bike Racks on Buses
• Bike to Work Day
• Trail Advocacy
• Blue Zones

Explore the beauty of Siouxland with our comprehensive Trails Map. Designed for outdoor enthusiasts, this map highlights the extensive network of biking and walking trails across the Siouxland area. Whether you’re looking for a scenic route for a leisurely walk or a challenging path for a vigorous bike ride, the Siouxland Trails Map provides all the information you need to navigate and enjoy our trails safely. Perfect for residents and visitors alike, it promotes active transportation and a healthy lifestyle.

Siouxland Metro Trails Map 

Siouxland Metro Trails Map PDF

Active Transportation encompasses any self-propelled, human-powered mode of transportation, including walking, bicycling, roller-blading, skating, cross-country skiing, and accessibility for wheelchairs, walkers, strollers, or other human-powered wheeled devices. Investing in bicycle and pedestrian facilities creates opportunities for people to exercise, helping to reduce obesity and the risks of developing costly chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Many Americans perceive walking and bicycling within their communities as unsafe due to heavy traffic and a lack of sidewalks, crosswalks, and bicycle facilities. Enhancing these elements encourage active transportation, such as children biking to school or employees walking to work. Safe and convenient opportunities for physically active travel also expand access to transportation networks for people without cars, while also spurring investment in infrastructure to increase the comfort of the on-road experience and improve the appeal of active modes for everyone.

SIMPCO assists member communities in developing and implementing Active Transportation plans. SIMPCO staff currently serve on the Active Transportation Advisory Committee for the City of Sioux City. In collaboration with the University of Iowa’s Iowa Initiative for Sustainable Communities, SIMPCO oversaw the development of the Sioux City Active Transportation Plan. Additionally, SIMPCO has written an Active Transportation Plan for the City of Remsen in Plymouth County, Iowa. Funding to develop Active Transportation Plans may be available through the SIMPCO Metropolitan Planning Organization or the Siouxland Regional Transportation Planning Association (SRTPA).

SIMPCO has worked to provide bike racks around the metropolitan area. These racks provide convenient places for cyclists to park their bikes. The bike racks are located in popular destinations around the area. Several bike racks were designed in creative and artistic ways in order to also serve a decorative function. A map with the decorative bike rack locations can be found by clicking here.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs are sustained efforts by parents, schools, community leaders, public health, and metropolitan planning organizations to improve the health and well-being of children by enabling and encouraging them to walk and bicycle to school.

Successful SRTS programs include policy development, planning, and implementation of strategies such as improvements to streets and sidewalks, education and encouragement of children and parents, and increased enforcement of traffic laws. The program can include:

• Walkability and bike-ability audits on safe routes
• Strategies to improve sidewalk conditions on identified safe routes
• Traffic calming devices to slow traffic and give pedestrians priority
• Educating children on walking and bicycling safety
• Challenging students to walk and bike to school
• Implementation of a walking school bus

SIMPCO will provide technical assistance to schools/communities that are interested in starting a SRTS program.

Hinton Safe Routes to School Plan