(Washington, DC)- The League of American Bicyclists has honored Folsom, California with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community award because of its longstanding commitment to providing safe accommodation and facilities for bicyclists, and its efforts to encourage bicycle travel for transportation and recreation. Through policy and design, Folsom has focused on increasing opportunities for physical activity and is a model in America's efforts to reduce obesity. Amanda Jones, Transportation Coordinator for the City of Palo Alto and a member of the Board of Directors of the League, will present the award on Tuesday, December 9 at the Folsom City Council meeting at 6:30 PM.

Elissa Margolin, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists, congratulated Folsom for its achievement: “Folsom and our other Bicycle Friendly Communities display uncommon political commitment, technical expertise, and community involvement to become better places to bicycle. The rewards for residents are huge: reduced traffic, better air quality, increased travel choices, and greater opportunities to lead more active lifestyles.” Folsom is one of 13 communities given the Bicycle Friendly Community designation this fall; a total of 27 cities have been honored with the award in 2003.

Folsom was granted the silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community award for its evident dedication to making bicycling safer and more enjoyable for its residents, and to promoting bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation. A remarkable 95% of Folsom’s arterial streets have bike lanes or paved shoulders. Each quarter, city staff and bicycle advocates come together for a bike ride through an area of Folsom to take note of problems and potential improvements for cyclists.

The city’s well attended annual Bike-to-Work Day fosters steady improvement in the bike facilities and policies provided by local employers, who seek to be designated the most bicycle-friendly employer of the year. Children in Folsom sign a bicycle contract stating they understand and will follow all safety rules and municipal laws related to bicycling. Law enforcement officers help to reinforce this safety effort by paying special attention to bicyclists’ behavior at the start of the school year.

Folsom’s silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community award is the third highest prize in the League’s national awards program. A total of seven American communities have earned the silver designation. Just three cities—Portland and Corvallis, Oregon and Palo Alto, California—have received the second highest gold-level award. The League has not yet bestowed the highest-level platinum award on any community.

League staff and reviewers consider several factors before granting Bicycle Friendly Community 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 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. Visit www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org to view the entire list of award-winning communities and learn more about the program.

Communities wishing to be considered for the award should visit www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org to view the application and find out more about the program. Applications received on or before March 19, 2023 will be considered in the next application review cycle. The Campaign is supported by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (www.rwjf.org) and 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 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.