Bicycle Friendly Community
In Cudahy, Calif., more than 90% of the population is Latino and 30% live below the poverty line. In addition to rent-controlled housing and accountable government, one way Councilmember Baru Sanchez wants to uplift his community is through better biking. And he’s working with the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition to authentically engage his fellow residents in that effort.
Yesterday, Madison joined the elite, attaining Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community status. Madison became one of only five Platinum BFCs in the country, and the first east of the Mississippi. In…
November 16, 2015: Today the League of American Bicyclists announced 55 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC). Eighteen communities received their first BFC award, 17 at Bronze and Hennepin…
Innovation isn’t a one-size-fits-all venture. Cities and their leaders are often cited as leading the movement to create more bikeable and walkable places — but we often leave out a large swath of innovative projects and partnerships happening in communities smaller than some neighborhoods in New York City. Our Bicycle Friendly Community program sees many small town ideas worth sharing.
Bicycle Friendly Communities come in all shapes and sizes. We work with community leaders in neighborhoods big or small, sprawling or compact, densely or sparsely populated, and everything in between. While much progress has been made in the decade or so we’ve been running this program, we know there is still so much work to be done. There are ideas and innovations we’ve never begun dreaming up. This is where you come in. We want to know: What does a Bicycle Friendly Community look like to you?
Nashville is incredibly proud to be recognized as a Bicycle Friendly Community. In the past 10 years, we have seen enormous improvements in our city’s walking and biking infrastructure. We now have a Complete Streets policy ensuring that new roads take into consideration all road users; we have a full-time Bicycle Coordinator in Public Works and a full-time Active Mobility Planner in Planning; we have a thriving bike share program; we have been rapidly expanding our greenways and bikeways; and we have seen growing commitment throughout the city to ensure that all Nashvillians can choose healthy, active transportation. However, this award also provides us with a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the work we still have to do as a community. The League’s Bicycle Friendly Community program gives Nashville some clear goals to strive towards improving the bicycling culture in our community.
I’m not despairing because in the past three days I’ve met with several mayors and numerous council members, and strategized with dedicated staff and advocates. I’ve had loaner bikes delivered from three different bike stores, and drank free craft beer and pizza at a bike center. I made the front page news of The Anniston Star, and even got to join 30 club riders on a Tuesday evening ride! And I won’t even tell you about my trip down to Fairhope to deliver an evening presentation or the special reception hosted by Alabama Bikes. Dear reader, if you think I’m just making the best and enduring a challenging stretch of my journey across the country, making visits to cities and towns that could never be mistaken for Bicycle Friendly Communities, you would be wrong. In fact, the opposite is true.
What does this award mean to you and to Salt Lake City? This award is an affirmation that Salt Lake City is on the right track. The City’s Transportation Division has been working tirelessly to implement progressive infrastructure projects and new programs to get more people riding. There is still a long road ahead to create a city where all people feel comfortable riding, but the silver designation serves as an important benchmark and an opportunity to refocus efforts among the city staff and bicycle advocates.
In February, I was invited to attend both the World Bicycle Forum in Medellin, Colombia, and the League’s National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. As the only African represented at both these forums, it was with great curiosity that I presented to and gleaned knowledge from those who have navigated the advocacy space for much longer than me. Initially almost every workshop session and talk in Medellin bore reference to Copenhagen. From gender split to trip generation percentages — with the requisite baguette and basket imagery, of course! — it was always there. Until a question from the audience changed everything. “Can we please talk about our own country and let Copenhagen be?” A nervous bundle of applause cascaded into a unanimous agreement from the 2,000 strong auditorium of advocates, activists and all those positioned somewhere in between. Thinking had shifted. It was a coming out of sorts: a great day for change makers in the Global South.
Our Tribal Citizens are well integrated into the non-Tribal community but are still a distinct, independent tribal nation. As a community we celebrate the history and culture of the Tribe, past and present. Cycling represents a modern self-reliant mode of travel that is affordable and has great health benefits. Becoming more bike friendly is a way to promote independence and fitness and advocate for outdoor recreation, both our Tribal Citizens of all ages.