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Project designed to encourage bicycling
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Donna Witt bikes on the Badger State Trail Thursday. Witt rides her bike every day to work which she said is about 1.5 miles each way. On the weekends, Witt said she likes to bike for fun on the trail. (Times photo: Marissa Weiher)
MONROE - Green County businesses have an opportunity to encourage bicycling throughout the county with the Bicycle Benefits program.

Briana Lenzlinger, project member with the Green County Leaders program, said Bicycle Benefits will allow local businesses to incentivize bicycling by offering discounts to cyclists.

"It's popular in Madison and other urban places and we're hoping to bring it to Monroe," Lenzlinger said.

Bicycle Benefits is a program that businesses buy into by purchasing stickers. Cyclists then purchase those stickers from a business, place the sticker on their helmet, and can present their sticker at a participating business for a discount.

"They work anywhere," Lenzlinger said. "So if you bike from Madison to Monroe, you can use your sticker here."

Bicycle Benefits has thousands of participating businesses nationwide, six of which are in Green County.

Five businesses in New Glarus offer discounts to cyclists - including the Chalet Landhaus Inn, the Swissland Miniature Golf Course and Ticino Pizzeria - as does one Albany business, the Albany House Bed and Breakfast.

Lenzlinger said several other businesses throughout Green County have expressed interest in participating in the program but haven't yet decided what discounts to apply. Most businesses choose to apply a blanket 10 percent discount to sticker-holders.

Currently, members of the Green County Leaders program are working to invite new businesses to participate, but Lenzlinger said she hopes another organization will take over managing Bicycle Benefits full time.

Until June 18, businesses in Green County will be able to sign up for the program at half-price. Businesses interested in participating can contact Lenzlinger at (608) 527-5234.