Bike League Launches Bicycle Friendly Community Campaign

Washington, DC - The League of American Bicyclists has launched its Bicycle Friendly Community Campaign, a national grassroots effort to increase the number of trips made by bike, promote physical fitness, and help make communities more liveable. 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 a generous grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

"As more people bicycle and walk, communities experience reduced traffic, better air, and improved public health," said Elissa Margolin, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists ( www.bikeleague.org). "Bicycle-friendly and walkable towns, like those with good schools and vibrant downtowns, are communities that offer a good quality of life for families, which can lead to higher property values, business growth and increased tourism," she added.

The League recognizes newly designated Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) with an awards ceremony, a BFC road sign, and a formal press announcement. Municipalities that apply for BFC status receive an abundance of technical assistance to help them improve cycling conditions and encourage residents to bike for fun, fitness and transportation. There are four award levels of the BFC designation to recognize model communities and those communities that are starting to make significant progress. The League and technical assistance staff work with awardees and municipalities that fall short to support continual improvements.

The League encourages community leaders seeking BFC status to complete and submit part one of the application on www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org . After reviewing this profile, the League will advise towns on whether or not they meet the basic criteria required and on the next steps in the application process.

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For more information on the Bicycle Friendly Community Campaign, visit www.bikeleague.org or www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.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 the nation's 42.5 million bicyclists. With a current membership of 300,000 affiliated cyclists, including 40,000 individuals and 600 organizations, the League works to bring better bicycling to your community.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (www.rwjf.org ), based in Princeton, N.J, is the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to health and health care. It concentrates its grantmaking in four goal areas: to assure that all American have access to basic health care at reasonable cost; to improve care and support for people with chronic health conditions; to promote healthy communities and lifestyles; and to reduce the personal, social and economic harm caused by substance abuse - tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs.

Michael Klasmeier
Program Director
League of American Bicyclists
1612 K St, NW, Ste 800
Washington, DC 20006
P 202.822.1333
F 202.822.1334
http://www.bikeleague.org

Is your town bicycle-friendly? http://www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org