Ashland Honored with Bicycle-Friendly Community Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 20, 2022
Contact: Patrick J. McCormick
Communications Director
League of American Bicyclists
Phone: 202-822-1333; Fax: 202-822-1334
Email: [email protected]

The League of American Bicyclists has honored Ashland, Oregon with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community award. The award will be presented to the city by David Chapman and Lexi Delgado of the Ashland Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission during the July 20 City Council meeting in the Council Chambers at 1175 East Main Street. Ashland has earned the bronze-level of the Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) awards, announced in May as part of the League’s celebration of National Bike Month™.

Ashland is one of 38 communities in the nation that have been granted the BFC designation to recognize their commitment to providing safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists, and for their efforts to encourage bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation. Visit www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org to learn more about the awards process and view the recently published highlights on the award-winning communities, as well as the results of the League’s recent International BFC Symposium.

Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League, said, "I am delighted to honor Ashland with the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community award. Given the choice, people will and do ride their bikes. Bicycle Friendly Communities are special places, with a heightened sense of community spirit and an uncommon devotion to improving their quality of life. With political commitment, focused investment in infrastructure and policies, and broad community involvement, cities and towns can become better places not only to bicycle but also to live. The rewards for residents are huge: greater opportunities to lead active lifestyles; improved air quality, and increased travel choices."

League staff and reviewers consider several factors before granting a community BFC status, including:

• The physical environment for bicycling -- on-street facilities, trails, parking, etc.
• Education programs to promote a "share the road" ethic among bicyclists and drivers
• Promotional initiatives to persuade people to ride or ride more often
• Enforcement of traffic laws for both motorists and bicyclists
• Future plans and evaluation techniques to improve conditions further

Among the factors the League’s staff and reviewers cited in their decision to honor Ashland with the BFC designation is that the City boasts a remarkable 3.7% bicycle mode share (the percentage of bicyclists among the total users of the City’s roadways) and also has five bicycle retailers in a community of 20,000 people. Ashland has redesigned two segments of its main arterials and included six-foot wide bikelanes in the projects. The City is also working on improving its Bearcreek Greenway; its Central bike path and new rail trail are excellent projects. To encourage safe cycling, Ashland offers bicycle safety classes in all of its elementary schools and will soon have them in the intermediate school as well. Funding is available for a pilot Safe Routes to School project to encourage Ashland kids in both the elementary and middle schools to bike and walk to school safely.

The League's Bicycle Friendly Community Campaign is a national grassroots effort to increase the number of trips made by bike, promote physical fitness, and help make communities more livable. The Campaign works in the most effective way possible-town by town, city by city-to encourage bicycling and achieve a bicycle-friendly America. The Campaign is supported by generous grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Bikes Belong Coalition.

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The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. The League represents the interests of America's 50 million bicyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org and www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org . May is National Bike Month TM ; visit www.bikemonth.com for safe cycling tips, promotional ideas, and events in your area.