The Ferguson B.I.K.E. Project began in 2001. It is supported primarily by a Federal Highway Administrations Grant.
Its primary aim is to improve the air quality in the area by encouraging Ferguson residents and students and staff at UM-St. Louis to bicycle instead of using cars.
To help encourage this transition, Pion teamed with Sweet to build bike racks in the St. Louis area. Sweet has been treasurer of the St. Louis Regional Bicycling Foundation since its inception in 2000 and said one of the goals of the foundation has been to try to get the St. Louis region to be more accommodating for bicyclists.
He said he donated the funds for the UM-St. Louis bicycle racks because "I would hope that UMSL students would take up bicycling in a big way."
In addition, Pion also began offering bicycling education courses whose aim was to provide participants with the knowledge and expertise to ride safely and proficiently on the roads of St. Louis.
Pion's course consists of four classes with 12 hours of training. The first two classes involve four hours of classroom sessions using material developed by the League of American Bicyclists. These classes are followed by two on-bike sessions of about four hours each.
