Columbia’s bike lanes have a new sweeper! On Friday morning, October 30, the City of Columbia officially handed South Carolina’s first bike-powered bike lane sweeper over to us at the Cola Town Bike Collective. The handoff happened at a press event on South Main Street with Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, Councilman Sam Johnson, City Staff, supporters, and local media.
The City bought the sweeper & will continue to sweep Columbia lanes at their regular pace. Our work now is to keep our bike powered bike lane sweeper charged, staffed by volunteers, and out on the lanes to keep them clean based on community support! Here’s what it is, who’s already helping, and how you can get your name on it (or name it yourself!).
THANKS TO OUR PRESENTING SPONSOR OF THE SWEEPER, DOG DAZE! More info below.
What it is and why it matters
The sweeper is a small tow-behind unit with rotating brushes, pulled by an e-bike. It’s built to clear the glass, gravel, and debris that collect in bike lanes and push riders out into traffic. Street sweepers built for car lanes often can’t reach protected or buffered bike lanes, so this one is sized for exactly that space.
A clean bike lane is a usable bike lane. Columbia has added real infrastructure in the last few years, including the South Main Street lane and the River Drive buffered lane. Keeping those lanes clear is what makes them a safe option for people riding to work, school, or the grocery store.
Our plan is to have trained volunteers sweep at a regular frequency. Routes will include South Main, the Vista, and out toward the river.
Thank you to our sponsors!
The City covered the sweeper itself. Sponsors cover what it takes to run it for a year: maintenance, safety gear, volunteer training and insurance, the wrap, and online scheduling. Thank you to everyone who’s already on board!
Presenting Sponsor
- Dog Daze, Columbia’s day care, kennel, and training business, funded the e-bike that pulls the sweeper. Thank you Dog Daze & Pat Hall for supporting this great project!
Wrap Sponsor list coming soon!
Want your name on it too? There’s still room on the wrap:
- Wrap Sponsor, $500: (2 spots left!) your logo on the sweeper wrap and on our upcoming sweeper web page, plus a social media thank-you.
- Friend of the Sweeper, $250: your name, or your family’s, business’s, or neighborhood’s, on the wrap and on the sweeper web page.
Commit by November 20 to be on the first wrap printing. Contact us at colatownbikecollective@
Help us name it
The sweeper needs a name, and we want Columbia to pick it. Here’s how the contest works:
- Suggest a name by November 4 using our naming form. Family-friendly names only.
- Our board picks about five finalists from the suggestions.
- Everyone votes on the finalists, and the winning name goes on the wrap.
Sponsors are featured throughout the contest. Commit by November 9 and your name or logo will also appear on the voting page.
How to get involved
- Sponsor it. Wrap and Friend spots are open until November 20. Email us at colatownbikecollective@gmail.com to claim one.
- Name it. Send your suggestion by November 4.
- Sweep with us. We’ll train volunteers before the first sweeps. Sign-up details are coming soon, so follow us on social media or stop by the shop at 711 Elmwood Ave.
- Spread the word. Share this post with a local business that would want its name on Columbia’s cleanest bike lanes.
Thank you to the City of Columbia for investing in this, and to everyone who came out Friday morning. See you in the bike lane.
