Bicycle Advisory Committees in Action: Highlights from BFCs Across the U.S.

What unites Fresno, California, and Lexington, Massachusetts? Cottonwood, Arizona, and Conway, Arkansas? Hanover, New Hampshire, and Huntington, West Virginia?

It’s the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC), of course!

With another Bike Month just passed, here’s to the BAC: a humble cog in the gears of local government helping communities across the nation become more bicycle-friendly.

More and more League-designated Bicycle Friendly Communities are finding that BACs—which, when they comprise a broader mission around biking and walking, may be known as Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committees (BPACs)—can help move the needle to create safe, comfortable conditions for all riders. 

Wondering what it’s like to be on one of these committees? Read a firsthand account of what it’s like to join a BPAC from former League policy fellow Connor Herbert.

A scan of highlights from the last few years’ BFC applications reveals a treasure trove of compelling advisory committee examples—from Albuquerque to Zionsville, from university towns to rural outposts, from big cities to suburbs, and everywhere in between. 

In each community, there are important lessons for city staff and local advocates, whether they’re getting a BAC rolling for the first time or seek to take their existing BAC’s work to the next level. And you can check them all out on this BAC/BPAC map!

What’s a BAC/BPAC?

A Bicycle Advisory Committee is typically an official government body with advocates, city staff, and other representatives from other key agencies and communities, which provides advice, feedback, and planning about key bicycling initiatives in that community.

Looking to start up a BAC? Check out Your Guide to Forming a Bike Advisory Committee, a resource from the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike). 

Best Practices for BACs/BPACs

When structuring and running a BAC, a great resource to turn to is Making Bicycling and Walking a Norm for Transportation Agencies: Best Practices for Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committees. It’s a publication from Advocacy Advance (a former partnership of the League of American Bicyclists and the Alliance for Biking & Walking), and it’s full of evergreen pro tips on how to make the most of a BAC:

• Structure the committee to impact decision makers—focus on actions to avoid becoming an echo chamber
• Create separate bicycle and pedestrian advisory groups if possible – if not, still create a combined BPAC
• Give citizens a formal way to voice their input and receive a response
• Hold regular monthly meetings – hold staff and elected officials accountable
• BPACs are not replacements for advocacy groups – do not blend the two
• Ensure a BPAC does not consume all of the staff time, best spent on institutionalizing bicycling and walking

Our scan of BAC highlights from Bicycle Friendly Communities points to some other common strengths. Let’s take a look…

Editor’s Note: As you read through the examples below, you’ll see suggestions for different map layers to explore. Click the sidebar icon on the map to open the list of layers, then select communities to learn more about their Bicycle Advisory Committee. Each location includes a link to its Bicycle Friendly Community report card and notes on why we think the community’s advisory work stands out.

1. Get a Broad Range of Representatives and Voices Involved

The League’s roster of BFCs includes communities with longstanding BACs and communities new to the game. 

Key to convening an effective BAC/BPAC is getting a broad range of representatives involved, either by directly serving on the BAC or being regularly consulted. Indeed, broad representation helps fulfill the “Equity and Accessibility” pillar of the League’s 5 E Framework—ensuring that riding is accessible to people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds, types of bikes, and experience and comfort level. 

📍 On the map, check out the “Broad Representation” Layer for great examples

Though often initiated and powered by community members whose efforts are unpaid, unsung, and frequently under-the-radar, the most effective BACs are official public bodies that depend on significant representation from city staff and liaisons from relevant agencies, and post agendas, meeting minutes, and key resources online.

2. Elevate the Advisory Committee’s Status

Integrating BACs into the workings of local governance, and having strong representation from key players within and outside of government, is an important first step.

But some communities have found their BACs are better set up for success when their status within local government is elevated.

📍 On the map, check out the “Elevate the Advisory Committee’s Status” layer.

3. Engage in Meaningful Work 

Getting the who and the how of the Bicycle Advisory Committee right is essential. What it works on is also a critical ingredient to success. 

After all, advocates and public representatives alike want their time in service to be well-spent, their voices meaningfully heard and their ideas integrated into projects that can make a difference for those walking, biking and rolling.

Good news on that front: among our BFCs, we have some great examples.

📍 On the map, check out the “Engage in Meaningful Work” layer.

4. Take It to the Next Level

Communities looking for their BAC or BPAC to pedal at a higher cadence can find plenty of inspiration among our BFCs. 

📍 On the map, check out the “Take It to the Next Level” layer.