BILLINGS — The Downtown Billings Alliance recently received a $3,000 grant that will help finish a light bike public art project running east to west in downtown Billings.
The grant was awarded by Big Sky Economic Development 2021 Space2Place program and will pay for roughly one-fifth of the total cost to install all 11 light bikes.
The other money will come from sponsors, public art donations, financial commitments by the companies with bikes being placed on their buildings, and various other forms of funding.
The bikes have had their wheels replaced with LED lights of differing colors to light up alleyways and make them safer.
“It’s a place that has a lot of eyes on it. It's well-traveled and well lit, so it’s therefore safer,” says Katy Easton, CEO of the DBA.
The light bike trail was started roughly two years ago when the first bike was placed in an alleyway behind The Pub Station.
“People are really excited about the light bikes,” says Sean Lynch, a co-owner of The Pub Station.
Lynch says the company is constantly being tagged on social media by people taking photos with the light bike.
The DBA also hopes to pair murals designed and executed by local artists with each light bike.
