New Bicycle Friendly Communities Announced!

Each new round of Bicycle Friendly Community awards is exciting, but today’s announcement is big. With the addition of major urban centers — including Los Angeles, Miami and Nashville — two-thirds of America’s largest cities are now BFCs.

Over the past 10 years of the BFC program, we’ve seen communities of all shapes, sizes, demographics and geography make biking a comfortable, convenient option for transportation and recreation. It’s both a challenge and a triumph in any community, but it’s truly inspiring to see these enormous and enormously influential cities join the club.

CicLAvia brings out thousands of cyclists in Los Angeles

And their efforts pay off. As we highlighted on the blog last week (check out the cool infographic!), bicycle commuting rates in the largest BFCs has increased 80 percent since 2000 — far above the national average of 47 percent and more than double the rate in non-BFCs (32 percent).

Leaders like LA serve as a great example that, even cities known for Carmageddon, can take cost-effective steps to start making cycling an integrated part of the transportation system. This can be done in any region of the country and we can’t wait for all 15 of the largest cities to get on the BFC board: Come on Dallas, Houston, Jacksonville, Phoenix and San Diego!

Click here to read the press release about today’s announcement — and see the new and renewal awards in this round.