Resources
Read through these resources to learn more about the BFU program and how to apply.
- Infographics about bicycling: How Bikes Can Save Us, Bicycling in the U.S., Bicycle Theft at US Universities and New American Transit - Young Americans Shift Away from Car-driven Culture
- Check out video of UC Davis' BFU development
- U.S. PIRG study 'A NEW COURSE: How Innovative University Programs Are Reducing Driving on Campus and Creating New Models for Transportation Policy'
- U.S. PIRG study 'MILLENNIALS IN MOTION: Changing Travel Habits of Young Americans and the Implications for Public Policy'
- A health impact study on the health risks and benefits of cycling in urban environments compared with car use
CAMPUS OFF-ROAD BICYCLE NETWORK
TRAILS
- Please also see the section on Bicycle Facility and Streetscaping Design Standards below
- Trailbuilding Resources
- FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Program
- See more about mountain biking on the Michigan Tech campus
OTHER BICYCLE-RELATED FACILITIES
BICYCLE FACILITY MAINTENANCE
- Iowa DOT's statewide network and trail maintenance recommendations
- Seattle Spot improvement program
- How Communities are Paying to Maintain Trails, Bike Lanes, and Sidewalks
ENGINEERING POLICIES AND DESIGN STANDARDS
COMPLETE STREETS POLICY
- Complete Streets resources, reports & guidance
- American Planning Association report on Complete Streets Best Policy and Implementation Practice (for charge unless you are a member)
- Taking it a step further by integrating Complete Streets, land use and urban design using the Model Design Manual for Living Streets
BICYCLE FACILITY AND STREETSCAPING DESIGN STANDARDS
- AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 4th Edition (for charge)
- MUTCD Traffic Controls for Bicycle Facilities
- NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide
- NACTO All Ages & Abilities Design Resources
- Model Design Manual for Living Streets
- FHWA Bikeway Selection Guide
- FHWA Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning, Program, and Project Development
- Read about the University Courses on Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation
- Learn about bicycle-specific conferences, visit the Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Center, APBP, and the Project for Public Spaces
BICYCLE PARKING AND STORAGE
- APBP Bike Parking Guidelines
- Ground Control Systems Campus Bike Parking Toolkit
- Campus Bike Parking webinar from Ground Control Systems
- Dero Bike Parking Resource Library
- Dero's Bike Parking Guide
- Sample Guidelines for Artistic Bicycle Rack from the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition
- Model bicycle parking ordinance
- Making a Place for Bicycles fact sheet
- See an example of a bike parking garage at Portland State University
- See a map of University of Washington bike racks
- League Webinar: Two Hours Or More, Long term Bike Parking For Sure
MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION ACCOMMODATIONS
BIKES AND TRANSIT
AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS & INFORMATION SHARING
- The League’s Ride Better Tips and Presentations
- Marin County Bicycle Coalition’s Share the Road and Share the Path Campaigns
- Bicycle Safety Educational Efforts at Stanford
- Stanford's website of Bike Safety Information & Resources for New Students
- University of Michigan's alternative transportation promotional video for new students
- Using rewards, This App Saves Lives is out to make roads safer for cyclists and distracted driving a habit of the past. Students and employees at BFUs can find TASL in the iOS App Store. Use referral ID ”LEAGUEBFU” at sign-up.
CLASSES & TRAINING
BICYCLE CULTURE, SUPPORT, AND PROMOTION
CAMPUS TOURS
- See an example of unique bike tours at Alfred University
- See further examples of bicycle campus tours
EVENTS
- See an example of a bike rodeo at Yale University
- Check out the Indiana University Little 500, an example of a larger University cycling event
- See an example of a university’s participation in a commuter challenge
- Mentoring program for new riders
- See the League’s National Bike Day and Month guide
OTHER ENCOURAGEMENT GROUPS, ACTIVITIES, SERVICES, ETC
- Check out the "Why Not? Campaign" from Emory University
- Review a directory of Youth Bicycle Programs
- Check out the commute club at Stanford University
- See an example of a commuter incentive program at CSUF
- Read a VeloNews article on collegiate cycling
- Augsburg Pedalers For Progress: an example of a student-run advocacy group with a big mission
- How UNL creates a bike friendly campus culture
- 10 ways to encourage cycling on campuses
- Webinar on Bikes Count on Campus: Using Data To Support Bicycle Friendly Universities
BIKE SHARE
CAMPUS BIKE SHARE PROGRAM
BIKE RENTAL PROGRAM
- Check out Michigan State University's bike rental program
- Find out more about the University of Kentucky's Wildcat Wheels Bicycle Library
- See an example of a bike co-op that also rents bikes, the UC Davis Bike Barn
- See an example of bikes available for renting at University of Colorado
- Read an example of innovative uses for abandoned bikes
- First Study Evaluating Free-Floating Bike-Share System on University Campus
Access to Bicycle Equipment and Repair Services
CAMPUS BIKE CENTER
- Check out the UCSC Bike Library, the UC Davis Bike Barn, and The Bike Hub at Portland State University
- Check out Green Bikes at Pomona College
- See an example of a bike coop in Twin Cities
- Read information on how to organize a coop or campus bike shop from the Bicycle Collective Network
ROUTE-FINDING SUPPORT
BIKE MAPS
- Check out the bike map at Princeton University
- See another example of a bike map from the University of Arizona
STAFFING AND COMMITTEES
- Read LAB’s report why Bicycle and Pedestrian staff are needed
- Learn about bicycle advisory committees
PLANNING, FUNDING, AND IMPLEMENTATION
- Check out the Portland State University's 2011 Bicycle Transportation Plan, as an example of a great college bike plan
- Read Western Michigan University's evaluation of best practices of bike friendly universities
- More Campus Bike Plans: James Madison University (2014), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2014), Utah State University (2012)
- Montana State University Bicycle Master Plan
EVALUATING RIDERSHIP & SATISFACTION
- Review the results of a bike survey at UC Davis
- Webinar Recap: Bike Count on Campus
- BFU Bike Count Data Resources
EVALUATING & IMPROVING SAFETY OUTCOMES
- See an example of a crash reduction report
- 2020 St. Louis City Crash Report
OTHER EVALUATION & ASSESSMENT TOOLS
- Check out a bikeability checklist, a tool for evaluating the bikeability of a campus or community
EQUITY & RACIAL JUSTICE RESOURCES FOR BIKE ADVOCATES AND BFUS
- League of American Bicyclists Equity Reports and Resources
- Race Forward Racial Justice Trainings
- Book (for charge): Bicycle/Race. Transportation, Culture, & Resistance by Dr. Adonia Lugo
- Fighting For Equitable Transportation: Why It Matters
- Toole Design Group: The New E's of Transportation
- Bridging the Divide: A Transportation Plan for the 21st Century
- Principles For Equitable Public Outreach & Engagement During Covid-19 and Beyond
- Resources from the Transportation Equity Caucus
- Tamika Butler Consulting & Training Services
- List: Recommended Reading About Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Resources from The Untokening
- The Untokening: Mobility Justice and COVID-19
- The Untokening: Equity and Mobility Justice
- Equiticity Racial Equity Statement of Principle
- Attention Transportation Advocates: Race is a Part of the Work
- Bicycling Magazine: Why We Must Talk About Race
- Grist: "Biking While Black" is a thing, too
- Anti-Racist Resources for White Cyclists
BICYCLING/TRANSPORTATION EQUITY RESEARCH & REPORTS
- An Examination of Active Commuting by Race/Ethnicity, Income and Location
- ite journal Report: Fear: A Silent Barrier to Bicycling in Black and Hispanic Communities
- Making Bicycling Equitable: Lessons from Sociocultural Research
- Disparities in Bicycle Commuting: Could Bike Lane Investment Widen the Gap?
- “Are We Building Biking Solidarity:” Gendered, Racial, and Spatial Barriers to Bicycling in Portland, Oregon
- Sustainable Cycling For All? Race and Gender-Based Bicycling Inequalities in Portland, Oregon: Sustainable Cycling For All
EQUITABLE INFRASTRUCTURE
- BUILDING EQUITY: Race, ethnicity, class, and protected bike lanes: An idea book for fairer cities
- Equity of Access to Bicycle Infrastructure: GIS methods for investigating the equity of access to bike infrastructure
- Biking practices and preferences in a lower income, primarily minority neighborhood: Learning what residents want
- Not all crashes are created equal: Associations between the built environment and disparities in bicycle collisions
- Women and Biking: A Case Study on the Use of San Francisco Bike Lanes
BIKE SHARE ACCESS & EQUITY
- Better Bikeshare Partnership
- Breaking Barriers to Bike Share: Insights on Equity
- Equitable bike share systems: Removing barriers to access
- Engaging Youth in Urban Biking and Bike Share Toolkit
- Who is Biking for? Urban Bikeshare Networks’ Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Disparities in Bikeshare Access, and a Way Forward
- 6 Ways to Correct Bike Share’s Social Equity Problem
EQUITY & ACCOUNTABILITY IN ENFORCEMENT
- Center for Policing Equity: a national nonprofit organization eliminating bias in policing by measuring it
- Create Fair and Effective Policing Practices from The Opportunity Agenda: Transforming the System
- A Toolkit for Promoting Justice in Policing from PolicyLink and The Center for Popular Democracy
- Vera Institute of Justice: Ending Police Violence and Ensuring Accountability
- Campaign Zero: Police Use of Force Policy Analysis
- Changelab Solutions: Equitable Enforcement to Achieve Health Equity
- The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL): Defund the Police Resources and Messaging Guidance
- Black Cyclists Are Stopped More Often Than Whites, Police Data Shows
- In Chicago, cyclists in Black neighborhoods are over-policed and under-protected
- Technical report on bicycle infractions in Seattle (2003-2020): Methodology and preliminary findings on racial disparities
INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE BIKE EDUCATION
Read our full statement: Removing Enforcement from the '5 E' Framework
As of October 5, 2020, the League has officially and permanently removed ‘Enforcement’ as one of the pillars of the Bicycle Friendly America program’s ‘5 E’ framework.
As applicants and advocates consider how to apply these changes in their own community, we invite participants to consider the following resources on equitable solutions and alternatives to enforcement.
Read how other national organizations are making similar changes:
- Safe Routes to School National Partnership: Dropping Enforcement from the Safe Routes to School 6 E’s Framework
- Vision Zero Network: Active for Racial Justice & Just Mobility More Resources for Bicycle Friendly Communities
EQUITY & ACCOUNTABILITY IN ENFORCEMENT
- Center for Policing Equity: a national nonprofit organization eliminating bias in policing by measuring it
- Create Fair and Effective Policing Practices from The Opportunity Agenda: Transforming the System
- A Toolkit for Promoting Justice in Policing from PolicyLink and The Center for Popular Democracy
- Vera Institute of Justice: Ending Police Violence and Ensuring Accountability
- Campaign Zero: Police Use of Force Policy Analysis
- Changelab Solutions: Equitable Enforcement to Achieve Health Equity
ALTERNATIVES TO ENFORCEMENT
- The Movement for Black Lives (M4BL): Defund the Police Resources and Messaging Guidance
- Our Streets Minneapolis: Why we don't Support Traffic Enforcement
- Transportation Alternatives: The Case for Self-Enforcing Streets
- Atlanta Bicycle Coalition: Petition to Remove Police Enforcement from Vision Zero
- Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia: We Are Dropping Police Enforcement From Vision Zero
- Walk Bike Berkeley: De-policing transportation to create safe streets
BIKE THEFT PREVENTION
- Bicycle Theft, Problem Oriented Guide for Police
- Bait bike program
- See a resource to track stolen bikes
- Read about what Berkeley is doing for bike theft prevention
- See more information on University of Oklahoma bike registration
LAWS & REGULATIONS
More resources for BFUS:
- Review Michigan State University biking ordinances
- See an example of a university policy for impounding bikes
- Check out the police bike store
- See a toolkit on helmet promotion programs
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Infographic on Bicycling in the United States
- Infographic on American's Support for Funding Sidewalks and Bike Lanes
- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Report: Active Transportation Transforms America. The Case for Increased Public Investment in Walking and Biking Connectivity
- European Cycling Lexicon for bicycling terms in 27 languages
HEALTH BENEFITS OF BICYCLING
- Research Article: Evidence on Why Bicycle-Friendly Cities Are Safer for All Road Users
- The health risks and benefits of cycling in urban environments compared with car use: health impact assessment study
- In the Northeast, Improved Walking and Bicycling Infrastructure Could Save Hundreds of Lives, Billions of Dollars
Toolkits for pursuing BFA recognition
The BFC, BFB, BFU, and BFS programs are described in one booklet.
The digital BFA Booklet is designed to give advocates, elected officials, business leaders, students, and university administrators a comprehensive look at the BFA programs. A visual and written tour of the four programs, the small booklet also includes a brief self-assessment tool to evaluate the bicycle-friendliness of your community, business, or university.
The booklet is available for download and print. Print your desired quantities and place a local organization sticker on the back of the booklet.
Promoting the BFA programs on your website is a terrific way of highlighting the success stories in your area (i.e. awarded businesses, communities, and universities). Using your website as a connector for all your local or regional BFA awardees makes for a more robust bicycle-friendly network.
Hosting a BFA presentation is a cost effective and efficient way of distributing information about any of the four programs. This could be done onsite or through a webinar by a local advocate, League staff, or both. Organization of a BFA presentation is easy and is a great way to bring together various local partners and build momentum.
Download an overview of the BFA program or a presentation specific to BFB, BFC, or BFU below or request a copy in PowerPoint format, email bfa@bikeleague.org. The presentations are each about 10-15 minutes in length with the script and can be presented at your convenience.
BFA Overview Slides and Script (updated 10/6/20)
BFB Slides and Script (updated 8/16/22)
BFC Slides and Script (updated 10/6/20)
BFU Slides and Script
Organize a webinar for your region with a League representative by contacting bfa@bikeleague.org.
BFC
- Application Preview in Word (.docx) - Fall 2023 version
- Attributes of a BFC (PDF)
BFB
- Application Preview in PDF - Spring 2023 version
- BFB Program Overview (PDF)
- Attributes of a BFB (PDF)
BFU
- Application Preview in PDF - 2023 version
- BFU General Scoring Guidelines (PDF)
Bicycle Account Guidelines - This guideline document is meant to help communities, businesses, and universities learn about evaluation tools that they can adapt to their organization to measure bicycle-related improvements, including public surveys.
The New Movement: Bike Equity Today - This report looks at efforts through the United States to make bicycle advocacy and related groups reflect the diverse population of people who bike and address the specific needs of diverse populations through programming and outreach.
BFA Guide - This Guide looks at actions by leading Bicycle Friendly Communities, Businesses and Universities in 2012-13. Use it for inspiration and guidance as your community, business, or university takes action to make biking better.
BFA Blueprint - This blueprint looks specifically at the Bicycle Friendly Community program and describes actions that communities have taken across the 5 Es.