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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.
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.
Bill Nesper
League Vice President of Programs
Nesper directs the Bicycle Friendly America Program, which includes the Bicycle Friendly Community, Bicycle Friendly State, Bicycle Friendly University and Bicycle Friendly Business recognition programs. Bill first joined the League as a Membership Assistant in 2002 and moved in 2005 to manage the League education programs and Bicycle Friendly Community Program.
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October 18th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
[...] newest Bicycle Friendly Communities and those that renewed (or changed status) from the LAB blog here. This entry was posted in Uncategorized by Bike Admin. Bookmark the [...]
October 18th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
[...] a full list of BFCs, click here. COMMENTS Leave a [...]
October 18th, 2012 at 11:31 pm
I was so glad to see Ocean City, NJ listed and I think that Somers Point, NJ (a small town) should be included. We are now connectecd to the OC bikepath through the very new large bridge connecting SP and OC. When we cross over we connect to OC bikepath that goes part way south through OC. You can also bike on the boardwalk. On the Somers Point side the bikepath goes north with a linear park on each side all the way through Somers Point into Linwood, Northfield and Pleasantvile. Plans are in the future to connect with the Egg Harbor Township bikepath. It is also planned to put a bikepath on the (to-be-built) southbound Garden State Partkway bridge going over the Egg Harbor Bay to connect with Upper Township. There will be a massive connection of bikepaths going through Atlantic County and Cape May County, NJ. These counties should also be included in the BFC list, along with Ocean City, NJ.
October 19th, 2012 at 12:12 pm
[...] we highlighted yesterday, our latest round of Bicycle Friendly Community awards includes some big names — including [...]
October 19th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
[...] READ MORE [...]
October 19th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Hi friends ! Nice blog, I am really pleased to get this info Read this
October 19th, 2012 at 11:03 pm
I am not sure what to say. The fact that you have listed Miami as a “Bicycle Friendly Community” tells me that your organization is without credibility, and that you have never been to Miami (at least you have never ridden a bike here). Come on down, the water is great! We can go out and ride the one “safe” bike route on Key Biscayne and I can show you the monuments to the three cyclists who were hit and killed there in the past year. While we are at it, we can check out all the new road projects where local agencies have ignored state laws requiring bike lanes in all new roadway improvements. If you are feeling lucky, we can ride around in traffic and get a feel for the great cycling-friendly culture here… The truth is that this may be the least hospitable city for cyclists in the country. You guys patting them on the back for doing such an unacceptable job only allows them to justify their weak efforts, leaving all of us scrambling for our lives. This endorsement is a black eye for your organization, and those of us fighting for our lives in South Florida thank you for nothing…
October 22nd, 2012 at 3:01 am
How do I participate in this. When is it and is their a cost?
October 23rd, 2012 at 10:01 am
[...] we announced our latest round of Bicycle Friendly Communities last week, we focused on major U.S. cities — like Los Angeles, Nashville and Miami — making the [...]
October 26th, 2012 at 10:30 am
[...] suburb of Kansas City, Lee’s Summit is was among the 28 new Bicycle Friendly Communities announced last week. And they did more than click their heels to make this place a better home for bicyclists. [...]
October 31st, 2012 at 9:00 am
[...] But as Hoboken rebuilds it has a new sign to hang, a new achievement to celebrate: This month, Hoboken became a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community — and a shining example of how much can be done when a community comes together to make [...]