Westport Bike Committee Eyes 2027 Cultural Grant for Artistic Bike Racks

WESTPORT — March 19, 2026 — Westport Bike and Walking Committee targets 2027 Cultural Council grant for artistic bike racks at scenic locations. At its March 19 meeting, Chair Gail Rodericks outlined a plan to apply to the Westport Cultural Council's local grant program — which can reach up to $50,000 — to fund roughly half a dozen artist-designed bike racks at community-gathering spots including the Head of Westport and the village area near Lee's Market and Wild Honey. The committee missed the current grant window and confirmed the 2027 February-March cycle as its target, pending completion of a town-wide rack survey and a mapped document from the planning department. Member Megan O'Brien reported identifying two contacts from Illinois's 40-year-old Constitution Trail project — Patrick Dullard of the Friends of Constitution Trail board and Merci Davidson of the Town of Normal — whom she plans to reach out to within two weeks for a lessons-learned discussion. Separately, a Mass Trails feasibility RFP for the Westport-Wetupper off-road connector was set to go live March 23 through SRPEDD, with bids accepted through April 21.