Ian Wigger made the commitment before the start of this year: He decided he’d commute to work by bicycle every single day, making the 11-mile trek from his northeast Portland home to the Clark County Public Service Center in downtown Vancouver.

So far, so good. Wigger said he’s racked up more than 4,000 miles on his bike since Jan. 1 — through rain, shine, heat, cold and occasional snow — and hasn’t missed a day.

The reason? “Just the challenge of it,” said Wigger, a natural resources specialist with the county’s Environmental Services department.

City leaders are hoping to add more to the ranks of non-car commuters downtown, kicking off a pilot project aimed at enticing people to take bicycles, public transit or their own feet to work. Helping lead the effort is consultant Alta Planning & Design, working under a $70,000 contract funded by two federal grants, said city senior planner Jennifer Campos.

A key part of the effort is engaging with businesses that bring employees into Vancouver’s core each day, Campos said.