League Names
Chattanooga, Tennessee
a Bicycle-Friendly Community
Washington,
DC—October 26, 2007—The League of American Bicyclists
is again presenting Chattanooga, Tenn. with its prestigious Bicycle
Friendly Community designation. The League has now honored 70
communities across the nation with the award. The award ceremony
will be held durng Bike2Work Breakfast on Friday, November
2nd, at 8:00 am at the Development Resource Center in
downtown Chattanooga.
The bronze-level
Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award recognizes
Chattanooga’s continuing commitment to improving conditions
for bicycling and its practice of making focused investment in
bicycling programs and facilities. The BFC judges were particularly
impressed with the city’s regional bike plan, bicycle
education programs and outreach to local youth through the Regional
Planning Agency’s Safe Routes Chattanooga
campaign.
Chattanooga’s
bronze-level BFC award was renewed 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 70 of the 174 applicants for the BFC award have been granted
the designation since 2003. Visit www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org
to learn more about the 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 Chattanooga for its efforts to welcome bicyclists and
make bicycling safer and more enjoyable. We applaud Chattanooga and
our other BFC winners for their willingness to invest over the
long-term in creating a better, more livable environment for their
citizens.”
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. “We encourage Chattanooga to continue its
steady work to improve conditions for bicycling—we feel
confident they can achieve silver, or better, with more work in the
coming years,” Clarke said.
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 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 http://www.bikeleague.org
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