Nooze Hounds: Dianna Ward and Shannon Binns on Bicycling in Charlotte
Episode 83
On episode 83 of the Nooze Hounds podcast, Ryan talks to Shannon Binns with Sustain Charlotte and Dianna Ward of Charlotte Joyrides about bicycling infrastructure in Charlotte, from grading the city on where it stands now to discussing what it can do better in terms of safety and connectivity.
The founding executive director of Sustain Charlotte, Shannon Binns had previously served as a supervisor on the Mecklenburg County Soil and Water Conservation Board, an adjunct professor in the Sustainable Technologies program at Central Piedmont Community College, and a member of the North Carolina Advisory Board for Environmental Defense Fund.
Sustain Charlotte is a nonprofit that advocates for achieving sustainable communities through smart growth, an approach to development that encourages a mix of building types and uses, diverse housing and transportation options, development within existing neighborhoods, and community engagement.
Dianna Ward is also the founding executive director of her organization, Charlotte Joy Rides, a bike share system that she launched as Charlotte B-cycle in 2012. Today, Charlotte Joy Rides hosts 343 bikes and 34 stations spread throughout Uptown.
The organization recently transitioned to e-bikes, which feature original work by seven Charlotte artists and provide an electric assist up to 15 miles per hour, allowing people to easily traverse the city.
Related reading, some of which is discussed on the podcast:
- Advocates, Lawmakers at Odds Following Cyclist’s Death
- A Look at Vehicle-Related Deaths on Charlotte Streets in 2022
- OPINION: Road Widening Is Never the Answer
- Vision Zero Faces Challenges in Eliminating Traffic Fatalities in Charlotte
- Death of Charlotte Bicyclist Brings Cycling Community Together (2015)
Remember you can catch Nooze Hounds on Spotify and other places where you find podcasts and be sure to check out Queen City Podcast Network for a slew of other great Charlotte podcasts that aren’t quite as good as ours but pretty damn close. Find past Nooze Hounds episodes here.
