[Durham INC] Durham Recognized Nationally as Bicycle Friendly Community

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov

 

For Immediate Release:  September 15, 2010

 

 

Durham Recognized Nationally as Bicycle Friendly Community

 

DURHAM, N.C. - Many bicyclists know that the City of Durham has some of
the best biking trails around. Now, the rest of the country does too
thanks to a recent national recognition. The League of American
Bicyclists announced last week that it has honored the City of Durham
with its prestigious Bicycle Friendly Community Award at the Bronze
level.

 

"Durham has many great places for cycling, from the American Tobacco
Trail and North-South Greenway Trail to many low-traffic neighborhood
streets," said Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell. "We thank the League for
recognizing our efforts to improve the quality of life for our residents
and provide transportation choices. Our City staff, the North Carolina
Department of Transportation, and the biking community have worked hard
over the past decade to get us to this point."

 

Bicycle Friendly Communities are designated twice each year. Applicants
complete a detailed on-line form with questions in five key areas:
engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and
evaluation/planning. Local cyclists, national experts, and League staff
then review the applications. Durham's application was prepared by its
volunteer Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission and City staff.

 

According to Alan Dippy, chair the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory
Commission, this national recognition is just the beginning for what
lies ahead for Durham. ""This is a tremendous honor for Durham.
Increasingly, our residents are opting to ride bicycles, whether for
commuting to work or school, running errands, or for recreation and
exercise," Dippy said. "This award is a distinctive recognition of
Durham's achievements to date in improving bicycle facilities and
educating the public about how cars and bikes can safely share our
streets. At the same time, the Bronze level designation will serve as an
important benchmark from which we can build on the momentum of these
efforts and create a truly bike-friendly Durham."

 

According to Dippy, the application process is rigorous since as of this
round, there are 158 Bicycle Friendly Communities in 43 states, out of
more than 400 applicants nationwide. There are four levels of the award
- platinum, gold, silver, and bronze. Durham's designation is valid for
four years and will then need to be renewed.



The League is recognizing 18 new Bicycle Friendly Communities and eight
renewals in its fall 2010 award cycle. Chapel Hill is also being
recognized at the Bronze level, and Carrboro's designation was renewed
and upgraded to the Silver level. Other Bicycle Friendly Communities in
North Carolina are Cary, Charlotte, Davidson, and Greensboro.

 

The League of American Bicyclists will present Durham's award along with
a highway road sign at a local ceremony in the near future. The League
will also provide the City with feedback on how Durham can become even
more bicycle-friendly and eventually receive a higher designation.
Currently, there are only three Platinum cities in the United States:
Boulder, Colo.; Davis, Calif.; and Portland, Ore.  

 

For more information on bicycling in Durham, visit the City's website at
www.durhamnc.gov/departments/transportation/bike_and_ped.cfm. For more
information about the Bicycle Friendly Community Program, visit 
www.bicyclefriendlyamerica.org. 

 

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