[E-updates] League Names Lawrence a Bicycle-Friendly Community

[Lisa Patterson]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 14, 2004

Contact: Patrick J. McCormick, communications director
League of American Bicyclists
Phone: 202-822-1333; Fax: 202-822-1334
Email: patrick at bikeleague.org 

League Names Lawrence a Bicycle-Friendly Community

Washington, DC-The League of American Bicyclists is recognizing Lawrence,
Kansas with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) designation;
the League has now honored 44 communities across the nation with the award.
Lawrence receives the award, to be presented by Eric Struckhoff, chair for
the BAC, at its October 19 City Commission meeting at 6:35pm. The BFC award
recognizes the excellent work, led by Mayor Rundle and the City
Commissioners, to make Lawrence bicycle-friendly, as well as the efforts of
Bill Ahrens and the members of the Bicycle Advisory Committee chaired by
Struckhoff.

Lawrence was granted the bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community 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;
just 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.

Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League, said, "The League is
delighted to recognize Lawrence for its efforts to welcome bicyclists and
make bicycling safer and more enjoyable. We applaud Lawrence 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."

Lawrence is just the second community in Kansas to receive the award
(Shawnee was the first); a bronze-level award suggests there are still
significant opportunities to do more to encourage bicycling. The League
looks forward to working with Lawrence to achieve an even higher level of
designation in the future. 

The League's BFC reviewers were impressed that Lawrence stands out among
cities in Kansas and the Plains region for its high level of bicycle use.
According to the 2000 census, 1.3% of Lawrence's population regularly bikes
to work-almost three times the national average. Lawrence has a
well-developed bicycle network which offers the potential for significant
expansion through the implementation of the city's recently adopted bicycle
plan. 

Lawrence is a leader in encouraging cycling and educational efforts to
improve the safety of the activity. The city has dedicated September to
bicycle education for children; May is Bicycle Awareness Month, focused on
educating all road users about bicycle regulations and safety. Lawrence
recently upgraded bike-parking facilities in Downtown Lawrence, one of the
city's primary shopping and entertainment districts, to make it both safer
and more practical to bike to work and on errands. 

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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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). 


# # # # #

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.


 
Bicycle-Friendly Communities 2004
Enhancing Cities Through Cycling
(* = A community designated in October, 2004)
 

Platinum
None

Gold
Boulder, Colorado
Corvallis, Oregon 
Palo Alto, California 
Portland, Oregon

Silver:
Denver, Colorado 
Eugene, Oregon*
Folsom, California 
Fort Collins, Colorado 
Gainesville, Florida
Missoula, Montana 
Olympia, Washington
Santa Barbara, California 
Stanford University, California 
Tempe, Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

 

Bronze:
Ada County, Idaho*
Arlington, Virginia 
Ashland, Oregon
Auburn, Alabama
Beaverton, Oregon 
Bloomington, Indiana 
Boca Raton, Florida 
Brentwood, California 
Brunswick, Maine 
Carrboro, North Carolina
Cary, North Carolina 
Chandler, Arizona*
Chattanooga, Tennessee 
Chico, California*
College Station, Texas 
Gilbert, Arizona 
Lawrence, Kansas*
Longmont, Colorado
Mesa, Arizona 
Miami Beach, Florida 
Mountain View, California
Orlando, Florida*
Portage, Michigan
The Presidio of San Francisco, CA 
Redmond, Washington 
Rockville, Maryland
Schaumburg, Illinois 
Shawnee, Kansas 
Washington, DC 


_____________________________
Lisa K. Patterson
Communications Coordinator
City of Lawrence
PO Box 708
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 832-3406
fax (785) 832-3405
lpatterson at ci.lawrence.ks.us
http://www.lawrenceks.org