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New Round of Bicycle Friendly Communities Announced!
<<<Update: A new application round has been completed. To see current Bicycle Friendly Communities please visit: https://bikeleague.org/new-platinum-new-gold-bicycle-friendly-communities. >>>
Today the League of American Bicyclists announced 42 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC). With this new round, 69 million people live in a Bicycle Friendly Community.
These new awardees join a leading group of 350 communities in all 50 states that are improving health, safety and quality of life in cities and towns nationwide.
- Click here to view the list of all Bicycle Friendly Communities
- Click here to view the list of Honorable Mentions
“We applaud this new round of communities for investing in a more sustainable future for the country and a healthier future for their residents and beyond,” said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists. “The growing number of leaders taking up bicycling as a way of solving many complex community problems is encouraging. We look forward to continuing to work with these communities as we move closer to our mission of creating a bicycle-friendly America for everyone.”
The BFC program is revolutionizing the way communities evaluate their quality of life, sustainability and transportation networks, while allowing them to benchmark their progress toward improving their bicycle-friendliness. Communities must apply to be considered a BFC. The awards are valid for four years. A community must reapply after four years to maintain its status or move up.
Some of the awardees this round include…
Memphis, TN, became a Bronze-level community.
“It is a great honor to be recognized for our commitment to being bicycle friendly. The work of our city staff, neighborhood leaders, and community advocates continues to change Memphis into a city where getting around by bicycle is not only safe, but also easy and convenient. The Bronze-level designation affirms our efforts on a national scale and Memphians will take great pride in the award. With a clear path towards achieving Silver, I predict the best is yet to come for bicycling in Memphis.” — Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Jr.
Louisville, KY, became a Silver-level awardee.
“This increase in our bicycle friendliness rating is great news. It means we’re moving in the right direction in our efforts to build safer, more efficient connections across Louisville for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. Those connections make Louisville more livable for those already here and more attractive to those who might consider relocating here.” — Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe in Washington state became a Bronze-level community. It’s also the first Native American community to receive a Bicycle Friendly Community designation.
“The Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is pleased to learn of our Bicycle Friendly Community Bronze Award from the League of American Bicyclists. Our regional trail system, the Olympic Discovery Trail, is seamlessly incorporated into our Tribal operations and we welcome the public to enjoy the Tribal trail sections. As the first Tribe in the nation to be awarded a League designation, we look forward to continuing a strong affiliation with the cycling community.” — W. Ron Allen, Tribal Chairman
Salt Lake City, UT, is a Silver-level community.
“Salt Lake City’s commitment to bicycling is an integral strategy to improving our city’s livability, economy, sustainability, and health. With our GREENbike sharing system now in its third year of operations, and ever increasing miles of bike lanes and urban trails, the City is creating a network connecting downtown to our neighborhoods and supporting our local businesses.” — Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker
Chicago, IL, has made many strides since it applied four year ago. The city is a Silver-level BFC.
“CDOT is proud of the tremendous progress we have achieved in recent years under the leadership of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. We have installed 90 miles of new protected bike lanes and will reach our goal of 100 miles this summer. In less than two years, Chicago’s Divvy bike share program has gone from zero to become the largest bike share in North America. And this month, Chicago is cutting the ribbon on the 606/Bloomingdale Trail – a 2.7 mile walking and biking trail that knits together four neighborhoods on the city’s north side. These achievements have helped make bicycling a viable transportation option for countless Chicagoans and visitors alike, but we realize our work is not complete and we will continue to work towards achieving Mayor Emanuel’s goal of becoming the best city for bicycling in the United States.” — CDOT Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfield
The BFC program provides a roadmap for building a Bicycle Friendly Community. Since the program’s inception, more than 800 distinct communities have applied and the five levels of the award – diamond, platinum, gold, silver and bronze – provide a clear incentive for communities to continuously improve.
To apply or learn more about the BFC program, visit bikeleague.org/community.
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