Tacoma Named Bicycle Friendly Community

Here’s a great piece of news for Bike Month: Tacoma has been named as a new addition to the American League of Bicyclist’s list of Bike Friendly Communities for 2012.

The Bicycle Friendly Community Program (BFC) provides incentives, hands-on assistance, and award recognition for communities that actively support bicycling. A Bicycle Friendly Community welcomes cyclists by providing safe accommodation for cycling and encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation.

Tacoma was listed as a bronze level community, joining the list of 214 cities in 47 states recognized for taking actions that actively support bicycling by providing safe accommodations for cycling and encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation. Tacoma was one of 24 new (along with 25 renewing) BFCs this round. Communities are judged in five categories, which the BFC page refers to as the “Five Es:” Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, and Evaluation & Planning. BFCs are rated on their achievements in each of the categories, and receive bronze, silver, gold, or platinum awards based on their levels of achievement. Tacoma’s award is a recognition of education efforts in the city around bicycling.

The program also recognizes Bicycle Friendly Businesses, States, and University Programs. As a side note, Washington comes in first out of 50, while Oregon rates a surprisingly low eighth.

With today being the first day of National Bike to Work Week, did you ride your bike this morning?

Read the full story, including the full list of 2012 BFCs and today’s press release at www.bikeleague.org.

Previously on Exit133: Funding Our City’s Conservation Efforts