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Boulder To Receive League's Gold-Level Bicycle Friendly Community Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 14, 2023
Contact: Patrick J. McCormick
Communications Director
League of American Bicyclists
Phone: 202-822-1333; Fax: 202-822-1334
Email: [email protected]

Washington, DC— Andy Clarke, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists, will present the League’s prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community award to Boulder, Colorado Mayor Will Toor at a Bike to Work Day celebration at Boulder’s Central Park Bandshell on June 23 at 6:00 pm. The Bandshell is located on Broadway at Canyon Boulevard; the festivities will begin at 5:00 pm with live musical entertainment. Specialized Bicycles has donated a Sirrus comfort bike, ideal for commuting around Boulder, which Clarke will present to the Mayor, for use by City employees.

Boulder’s gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) awards, announced in May during National Bike Month™, puts the city in an elite status, as just three other American cities have been honored with the gold-level distinction. The League has yet to grant its highest platinum-level BFC award. 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.

Clarke said, "I am delighted to honor Boulder and our other BFC award winners. Given the choice, people will and do ride their bikes. Boulder and the other 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

In Boulder, an extraordinary ten percent of all resident trips are made by bicycle, as are 16 percent of all commuting trips. Nearly seven percent of residents view bike commuting as their primary mode of travel to work, according to the U.S. Census. Boulder recognizes and supports its bicyclists by investing $4.5 million (19 percent) of its approved 2003 transportation budget on bicycle mode operations/maintenance and enhancement initiatives. Thanks to many years of political and financial support, 78% of Boulder's arterial streets are equipped with bike lanes and multi-use paths receive formal inspections twice a week.

In terms of educational and promotional efforts, the "Courtesy is Contagious" public outreach campaign, launched by GO Boulder/city of Boulder in June 2002, has been a tremendous success. The campaign employs print media and a team of ambassadors to exchange ideas and information with the community. The program’s goals are to reduce the number of bike and pedestrian-related injuries, and to create more active and livable neighborhoods in Boulder by increasing bicycle and pedestrian trips.

Silver-level winners of the BFC award include Gainesville, Florida; Olympia, Washington; and Tucson, AZ. Bronze level distinctions were awarded to Ashland, Oregon; Auburn, Alabama; Carrboro, North Carolina; Longmont, Colorado; Mountain View, California; Portage, Michigan; and Rockville, Maryland. An Honorable Mention was given to Milpitas, California.

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™; visit www.bikemonth.com for safe cycling tips, promotional ideas, and events in your area.