It's nice to know that some cities want to be considered bicycle friendly. It shows that town officials believe that thoroughfares should be used for more than gas guzzling cars and trucks, and that bicycles are a form of transportation too.
Some cities actually apply for the official Bicycle Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists. That's no rubber stamp. Of the 200 communities that have applied, only 73 have earned the designation.
Here are recent stories about three communities — Boca Raton, Florida; Franklin, Pennsylvania; and Roanoke, Virginia — that want to be more bicycle friendly.
Roanoke
Roanoke city officials are interested in becoming “bicycle friendly,” reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
“The goal would be to improve the area's quality of life, keep more cars off the road, attract businesses looking for pleasant communities and earn some of the tourism dollars that vacationers spend on biking trips.”
But they discovered it's a tough road when Andy Clarke, executive director of LAW, addressed the city council and filled them in on some of what is required.
The newspaper reports that the city is already on its way. It opened the Roanoke River Greenway for pedestrians and bicyclists and is supporting a nonprofit's plans for a bike-sharing program.
Bike lanes and trails are only part of it. Clarke says law enforcement needs to make roads safer for cyclists, and city officials need to expand bike routes and promote bicycling events.
Franklin
Jim Holden believes this small town (population 7,212) north of Pittsburgh is bicycle friendly and he's applying for the LAW designation on Franklin's behalf next month.
Some of Franklin's benefits for cyclists recounted in The Derrick and NewsHerald:
Community events promoting and encouraging cycling, such as walk/bike to school events, bike to work week and safe routes to school programs provide examples of bicycle friendly activities.
Holden is president of the Allegheny Valley Trails Association, which controls some 60 miles of rail-to-trails in the area. (Check out that website; worth the visit.) He says the designation would bring the town national exposure.
Boca Raton
This Florida city is finding that becoming more bicycle friendly by building a network of trails is a long, slow process.
Completion of its Bicycle, Pedestrian, Greenway & Trails Master Plan, enacted in 1996, has already been delayed by 10 years — to 2035. New city plans for shuttles and trolleys, reports the Boca Raton Sun-Sentinel, have caused some of the delays.
The master plan calls for 44 miles of bicycles lanes, 30 miles of share-used pathways and 26 miles of sidewalks. There has been progress.
The El Rio Trail, a multi-use trail, is under construction and bicycle lanes on several streets are slated in 2013.
Becoming friendly
The LAW has lots of information at the Bicycle Friendly Communities website that names all the communities, tells how they're judged and offers help with submissions.
For instance, you'll learn that cities are judged on the five “E's”: Engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation & planning.
Recent Comments