<p>Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) has gained popularity in urban contexts where population density supports mapping efforts. VGI projects are filling critical data gaps. One example is BikeMaps.org, a VGI platform collecting data to overcome major limitations in data on bicycling safety. BikeMaps.org has been active for over a decade and data have been used in multiple studies and have informed planning decisions in several cities. Our goal is to use BikeMaps.org as a case study for considering best approaches to developing and implementing long-term urban VGI projects and outline research needed to advance the effective use of VGI. We discuss lessons learned, including why location matters, the importance of demographic data, challenges of sampling bias, perceptions of data quality, community outreach and uptake, long-term funding, and the importance of data integration. We conclude by outlining a research agenda for urban VGI that should include research on data integration, analysis and flexible assumptions, interface usability, and the social science of equitable participation.</p>