"League Names Bend, Oregon a Bicycle-Friendly Community "

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE          

Contact: Elizabeth Preston

League of American Bicyclists

202-822-1333

[email protected]

Washington, DC—May 17, 2005—The League of American Bicyclists is recognizing Bend, Ore. with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community designation. The League has now honored 49 communities across the nation with the award. The award will be given at the July 20 city council meeting at at Bend City Hall. Jerry Norquist, longtime cycling advocate, former industry executive and current executive director of Cycle Oregon, will give the award to the city.

The Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award recognizes Bend's commitment to improving conditions for bicycling and its practice of making focused investment in bicycling programs and facilities. The BFC judges were particularly impressed with Bend's Bike to School Tuesdays in May and June, Commute Options Week in June, and the Bicycle Festival.

Bend was granted the bronze-level BFC award following a detailed audit of the city's efforts to provide safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists and to encourage residents to bike for transportation and recreation. The application process is rigorous; j ust 49 of the 114 applicants for the BFC award have been granted the designation. Visit www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org to learn more about the process and the communities the League has honored with the BFC prize.

Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League, said, "The League is delighted to recognize Bend for its efforts to welcome bicyclists and make bicycling safer and more enjoyable. We applaud Bend and our other BFC winners for their willingness to invest over the long-term in creating a better, more livable environment for their citizens.”

Bend's commitment to bicycling has contributed to its 2-percent bicycle mode share. The BFC's reviewers were impressed with Bend's dedication to installing bike lanes, with 85 percent of arterial streets offering them; the new multi-use path tunnel linking the Larkspur Trail and Pilot Butte State Park; and the use of roundabouts to improve bicycle safety at 18 intersections in the past year. In addition, half of Bend's middle school students receive in-school bicycle safety training.

Programs like Bend's Bike to School Tuesdays, which has resulted in a five-fold increase in kids walking and biking to school, and its Commute Options Week, are models for other communities to consider when putting together their own programs to promote bicycling. Bend's Bicycle Festival offers two days of mountain and road bike rides, kids bicycle skills contest, and a bicycle swap—a great way to promote bicycling.

Bend is the sixth community in Oregon to receive the BFC award joining Ashland, Beaverton, Corvallis, Eugene and Portland. 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
  

The League's BFC program has become a catalyst for positive change in communities across the country. "We encourage Bend to continue its steady work to improve conditions for bicycling and try to achieve a silver-level in a year or two,” Clarke said. “None of the communities we've designated have been satisfied with the level of their award. They all want to do better; they want to do more to encourage bicycling, and they want to move up to the next level. We are confident Bend can do just that.”

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 Bikes Belong Coalition ( www.bikesbelong.org ).

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 57 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 .

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           Contact: Elizabeth Preston

                League of American Bicyclists

                202-822-1333

                [email protected]

League Names Bend, Ore. a Bicycle-Friendly Community

Washington, DC—May 17, 2005—The League of American Bicyclists is recognizing Bend, Ore. with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community designation. The League has now honored 49 communities across the nation with the award. The award will be given at the July 20 city council meeting at at Bend City Hall. Jerry Norquist, longtime cycling advocate, former industry executive and current executive director of Cycle Oregon, will give the award to the city.

The Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award recognizes Bend's commitment to improving conditions for bicycling and its practice of making focused investment in bicycling programs and facilities. The BFC judges were particularly impressed with Bend's Bike to School Tuesdays in May and June, Commute Options Week in June, and the Bicycle Festival.

Bend was granted the bronze-level BFC award following a detailed audit of the city's efforts to provide safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists and to encourage residents to bike for transportation and recreation. The application process is rigorous; j ust 49 of the 114 applicants for the BFC award have been granted the designation. Visit www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org to learn more about the process and the communities the League has honored with the BFC prize.

Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League, said, "The League is delighted to recognize Bend for its efforts to welcome bicyclists and make bicycling safer and more enjoyable. We applaud Bend and our other BFC winners for their willingness to invest over the long-term in creating a better, more livable environment for their citizens.”

Bend's commitment to bicycling has contributed to its 2-percent bicycle mode share. The BFC's reviewers were impressed with Bend's dedication to installing bike lanes, with 85 percent of arterial streets offering them; the new multi-use path tunnel linking the Larkspur Trail and Pilot Butte State Park; and the use of roundabouts to improve bicycle safety at 18 intersections in the past year. In addition, half of Bend's middle school students receive in-school bicycle safety training.

Programs like Bend's Bike to School Tuesdays, which has resulted in a five-fold increase in kids walking and biking to school, and its Commute Options Week, are models for other communities to consider when putting together their own programs to promote bicycling. Bend's Bicycle Festival offers two days of mountain and road bike rides, kids bicycle skills contest, and a bicycle swap—a great way to promote bicycling.

Bend is the sixth community in Oregon to receive the BFC award joining Ashland, Beaverton, Corvallis, Eugene and Portland. 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
  

The League's BFC program has become a catalyst for positive change in communities across the country. "We encourage Bend to continue its steady work to improve conditions for bicycling and try to achieve a silver-level in a year or two,” Clarke said. “None of the communities we've designated have been satisfied with the level of their award. They all want to do better; they want to do more to encourage bicycling, and they want to move up to the next level. We are confident Bend can do just that.”

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 Bikes Belong Coalition ( www.bikesbelong.org ).

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 57 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 .

# # # # #

The League of American Bicyclists promotes bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, and works through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America on behalf of its 300,000 members and affiliates. For more information or to support the League, visit www.bikeleague.org and www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org.