Be a Bicycle-Friendly Community

The Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) campaign, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB), is an awards program that recognizes municipalities that actively support bicycling, within the United States. A BFC provides safe accommodations for cycling and encourages its residents to bike for transportation and recreation. A committee reviews and scores a municipalities’ application and consults with local cyclists in each community.

An award of platinum, gold, silver or bronze status is designated for two years. In 2007, Austin, Texas was one of only 12 cities awarded the silver status. Of the 64 cities that have received a BFC status, only 8 cities have been awarded a status higher than silver. Below is a complete Bicycle Friendly Community listing. The populations of each city have also been included, so cities with similar populations can be compared.

Communities that are bicycle-friendly are seen as places with a high quality of life. This often translates into increased property values, business growth and increased tourism.  Bicycle-friendly communities are places where people feel safe and comfortable riding their bikes for fun, fitness, and transportation. With more people bicycling, communities experience reduced traffic demands, improved air quality and greater physical fitness. To learn how to make your community more bicycle-friendly, visit, www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/index.htm

If you feel that your community has taken significant steps to be bicycle-friendly, submit an initial application to the LAB for review.

2007 Bicycle Friendly Communities

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/communities/bfc_master_list_jan_08.pdf