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PROGRESS POSSIBILITIES
Crea ng a Bicycle Friendly America by Bill Nesper, Director, Bicycle Friendly America Program
T
he message is clear – give people the places and confidence to ride and they will. It’s not just pla num Bicycle Friendly Communi es who are experiencing a bicycling boom. In addi on to the explosive growth in bike commu ng in Boulder, Colo. and Portland, Ore., places such as Tulsa, Okla.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Columbus, Ohio; and St. Louis, Mo. have all more than doubled their ridership in the last eight years (and a few tripled it). People across the country are seeing that bicycling is a fun, healthy and green way to get around. Businesses, communi es and states have tapped into America’s growing demand for cycling
and responded with concrete ac ons to improve condi ons. The Bicycle Friendly America program is a resource for these groups to measure current condi ons, to get recogni on for their work and to receive hands-on assistance to create even more safe and welcoming places for cycling. The most recent data from the 2009 Na onal Household Travel Survey show that bicycling’s share of all trips increased by 25 percent since 2001. This growth in cycling was echoed in the most recent data on work commutes in the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. This survey showed a 43 percent growth in bike commu ng over the last eight years and a nearly 70 percent increase in Bicycle Friendly Communi es – communi es that answer the underlying demand by be er accommoda ng and promo ng cycling.
SPREADING THROUGH THE CITIES
After hosting a BFC workshop in the summer of 2008, the community of Greenville, S.C. went into high-gear to implement their action plan, and by 2009, Greenville had received a Bronze BFC designation.
It is inspiring to partner with folks across the country by providing assistance and resources to help communi es reach their bicycle-friendly goals. In the past 12 months, the Bicycle Friendly Community program staff has given direct assistance to more than 500 new communi es – averaging two per day. Through these connec ons and partnerships we are able to share best prac ces and empower ci es to become great places for cycling. In the summer of 2008, for example, we led a BFC Workshop in Greenville, S.C. with an enthusias c group of city staff,
2 American Bicyclist — Bicycle Friendly America 2010
In the past 12 months, the Bicycle Friendly Community program staff has given direct assistance to more than 500 new communities, and a recent survey shows a nearly 70 percent increase in commuting in Bicycle Friendly Communities – communities that answer the underlying demand by better accommodating and promoting cycling.
local cyclists, and business representa ves. By the end of the day, there was an ac on plan and goal to be recognized as a BFC in 2009. “Hos ng the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community Workshop in 2008 was one of the most important steps in the City of Greenville’s efforts in becoming a BFC,” says Andrew Meeker, an urban designerwith the city of Greenville. “The community workshop built the cri cal poli cal and public support for the Bicycle Friendly Community ini a ve by assis ng Greenville in recognizing our past accomplishments and future goals for designa on.” The community went into high-gear to implement the ac on plan, forming a Greenville BFC Commi ee, passing a Complete Streets resolu on and increasing the amount of bike parking in the community through a development ordinance. By 2009, Greenville had received a Bronze BFC designa on. They have since integrat-
For more info: www.bikeleague.org