League Names Chandler a Bicycle-Friendly Community

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 2005

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 is recognizing Chandler, Arizona with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community designation; the League has now honored 44 communities across the nation with the award. Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League, will present the award at the Chandler City Council study session on February 10 at 7:00 PM at 22 S. Delaware Street, 2nd Floor. The Bicycle Friendly Community award recognizes the excellent work, led by Mayor Dunn and the City Council, to make Chandler bicycle-friendly.

Chandler was granted the bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community (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 44 of the 98 applicants for the BFC award have been granted the designation. Please visit www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org to learn more about the awards process and the communities the League has honored with the BFC prize.

Clarke said, "The League is delighted to recognize Chandler for its efforts to welcome bicyclists and make bicycling safer and more enjoyable. We applaud Chandler and our other BFC winners for their willingness to invest over the long-term in creating a better, more livable environment for their citizens. BFCs typically enjoy levels of bicycle use that are well above the national average and consequently they are reaping the rewards of cleaner air, less congestion, safer streets, and a more active and healthy population.”

Chandler is the fifth community in Arizona to receive the award (Tempe and Tucson have received the silver-level BFC recognition; Gilbert and Mesa were granted the bronze). A bronze-level award suggests there are still significant opportunities to do more to encourage bicycling. The League looks forward to working with Chandler to achieve an even higher level of designation in the future.

In terms of facilities that promote bicycling, Chandler has developed an extensive bike lane network that encompasses 50% of the arterial streets in the city, covering a total of over 100 miles. Chandler will also update its Bike Plan this year, setting the stage for the next steps in continuing improvements to make bicycling safer, more practical and more enjoyable in the community.

Chandler also actively promotes bike safety and works to encourage cycling in the community. One session of the 12-week Citizens Police Academy the City offers to people who either live or work in Chandler is dedicated to the Police Bike Squad, whose members share safety tips for drivers and cyclists with participants. Chandler has conducted a “Bikes for Tikes” recycling program for the past seven years in which donated bicycles are repaired and provided to need children in the community.

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. Clarke said that, "We encourage Chandler to continue its steady work to improve conditions for bicycling and to try to achieve a higher-level award in a year or two. 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 Chandler 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 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ( www.rwjf.org ) and Bikes Belong Coalition ( www.bikesbelong.org ).

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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 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 .