2012 bicycle friendly americaSM guide TRUE LIFE STORIES and real-world TOOLS E LEAGUE OF TH AM ER IC A N B I C Y C L I S T S 0 8 8 1 ce sin I’m for bikes. And so are 500,000 other Americans. Join them today by signing the pledge for better biking at peopleforbikes.org. Supported by contentMARCH-APRIL 2012 A Bicycle Friendly America Guide: True Life Stories and Real World Tools 2 The Bicycle Friendly America Program, now in its 10th year, creates a tool for people wanting to improve conditions for bicycling. True Life Stories 8 Complete Bicycle Network 56 14 Bicycle Education A commuter from Fresh Energy, a Bicycle Friendly Business 18 The Role of Advocacy 24 Bicycle Culture 28 Staff & Funding 34 Planning for Cycling 38 Ridership Setting the Bar 62 44 Platinum Businesses 48 Platinum Communities 51 Platinum University Bicycle Friendly UW Madison America 2011 Lists 52 Bicycle Friendly Communities 54 Bicycle Friendly States 56 Bicycle Friendly Businesses 62 Bicycle Friendly Universities Real-World Tools 64 Getting Staretd This book was written by League staff, including Andy Clarke, Alison Dewey, Darren Flusche, Bill Nesper, Alissa Simcox, Matt Wempe, and Nicole Wynands. Copyright 2013, League of American Wheelmen, Inc. dba League of America Bicyclists, 1612 K Street NW, Suite 510, Washington, DC 20006. 48Boulder, Colo. The re-born Bicycle Friendly Community program that emerged in the fall of 2002 effectively put the League back on the map at the state and local level: creating a tool for advocates and a roadmap for communities wanting to improve conditions for bicycling. Photo: Northwestern Mutual 2 Bicycle Friendly America Guidebook 2012 TRUE LIFE STORIES and real-world TOOLS EN YEARS AGO, A Sisters, Ore., population 2,038. A 3. Encouragement – incentives, SMALL group of bi- full-time staff of three, supplemented promotions and opportunities cycling experts from by significant contributions from that inspire and enable people to around the country several other League staff, manages ride gathered in the League’s the program that now encompasses 4. Enforcement – equitable laws and offices charged with states, businesses and universities as programs that ensure motorists breathingT new life into the Bicycle well as communities. and cyclists are held accountable Friendly Community (BFC) program 5. Evaluation – processes that – a simple concept of community STILL A SIMPLE demonstrate a commitment to recognition that had been kick- measuring results and planning ing around for five years with huge IDEA AT HEArt for the future unrealized potential. The re-born A comprehensive and detailed BFC program that emerged in the on-line application form remains at These five Es vary slightly from fall of 2002 effectively put the League the core of the BFA programs. Be- one program to the next, but remain back on the map at the state and local yond basic demographic and back- a simple and effective way to orga- level: creating a tool for advocates ground information, the program nize and describe the key elements of and a roadmap for communities collects data on activities within five bicycle-friendliness. A series of de- wanting to improve conditions for broad areas: tailed questions in each of these areas bicycling. 1. Engineering – the physical infra- provides applicants the opportunity The program has expanded structure and hardware in place to document all the work that is go- dramatically since those early days. to support cycling ing on to improve opportunities for We have now reviewed more than 2. Education – programs that cycling, and we hear time and again 550 applications from communi- ensure the safety, comfort and that the process of completing the ap- ties across the country, including convenience of cyclists and their plication form is a valuable education everywhere from New York City to fellow road users in itself. Bicycle Friendly America Guidebook 2012 3 Once completed, applications are the country, and staff of our program reviewed by an internal staff team, partners at Bikes Belong. outside experts, and by local review- Local input has always been a ers. We are fortunate to have had a critical piece of the review process very consistent staff team working on and we continue to refine and im- the program over the years. Our out- prove the way we collect this infor- side experts include colleagues from mation. For communities, we con- IMBA who have helped improve the tinue to rely on the insight of League off-road elements of the program, Cycling Instructors, club leaders, national planning and design experts shop owners and local advocacy who work in communities all over groups; and we continue to refine the questions we ask reviewers to get the most useful advice. Business reviews are sought from employees – some- times this generates an overwhelming number of comments – and from local advocacy partners. Universities have reached out to relevant student groups to provide on-the-ground as- sessments of their performance. League members can now vol- unteer to be reviewers – in conjunc- tion with or in anticipation of their community, local businesses and universities completing the applica- tion – by visiting bikeleague.org/bfa and completing a simple form. The final decision on awards and award levels is based on this detailed review process. Remarkably, the percentage of successful applications has remained quite constant over the years. Typically, slightly more than Local input has always been a critical piece of the BFA review process. Universities have reached out to relevant student groups to provide on-the-ground assessments of their performance. University of Oregon 4 Bicycle Friendly America Guidebook 2012 Boston, Mass. Baltimore, Md. one-third of BFC and BFU applicants against a generic or computer-gener- best practices, sample documents, receive a bronze or higher award; ated list of to-do’s. contact information, research and this figure is reversed for businesses, Applicants today get feedback advice on what to do next. Staff is on with roughly two-thirds receiving a in the form of a short report. The the phone and on-line with hundreds designation of some kind. report highlights the successful ele- of applicants a year – more than 500 From day one of the program, ments of the application – items that communities alone each year call or perhaps the most inspiring outcome particularly caught the eyes of the write for technical assistance – not of the entire process comes after the reviewers – and focuses on a handful only dispensing advice but learning award. Almost without fail, once we of really signature next-steps that are from every call and then passing that inform applicants of the outcome of identified during the review process. knowledge on to others. the process they ask one simple ques- These suggestions are vetted by local tion: “What do I need to do to get to reviewers to ensure they make sense. LISTENING the next level?” Finally, a set of more generic sugges- Answering this question and tions in each of the five Es, together to LOCAL providing meaningful feedback to with links to successful examples and ADVOCATES applicants is a challenge. We know case studies, rounds out the report. Four regional listening ses- we can’t substitute for a real bike plan That’s not the end of the process sions last fall (see sidebar on page or claim to offer a detailed audit of or the program, however. One of the 7) identified several ways in which applicants, and the sheer volume of great benefits of getting the financial to strengthen the link between lo- applications certainly argues for a support of Trek and Bikes Belong cal advocates and BFA applicants. systematized feedback mechanism. over the years is the ability they The application forms and technical Yet the remarkable commitment of have given us to provide year-round assistance now emphasize a more applicants to learn from the whole technical assistance. The BFA website collaborative approach to completing process and to act on the feedback is a treasure trove of case studies, the forms – especially in the case of we give them argues equally strongly The 5 Es 1. Engineering 2. Education 3. Encouragement 4. Enforcement 5. Evaluation Bicycle Friendly America Guidebook 2012 5 the Bicycle Friendly States program BFA applicants now make up a The growing network of appli- where so many parties are involved – significant percentage of League Cy- cants is also a tremendous resource and greater attention is being paid to cling Instructor candidates as com- for identifying trends and needs sharing the feedback given to appli- munities, businesses and universities within the bicycling community. We cants with local advocates. seek to ensure education programs have gauged the level of interest in The review and feedback process and classes are available. They have bikesharing, identified candidates for now captures local comments better also been important voices in the on- Bikes Belong’s Green Lane initia- and incorporates this feedback into going fight to save dedicated funding tive, alerted communities to funding the report applicants get on what they for bicycling programs: BFC may- opportunities, and are working with can do to improve. As always, there ors, BFB business leaders, and BFU researchers to mine the valuable data is a careful balancing act to ensure university groups have contacted on bicycling programs that have been the program remains constructive members of Congress, and activated captured as part of the applications. and helpful to applicants while con- their networks to speak up in support tinuing to be a useful tool with which of bicyclists. local advocates can promote change. INTEGRATION WITH otHER ProGRAMS Another popular topic as we lis- tened to feedback in the fall sessions was the opportunity to integrate the BFA program with other League pro- grams and external initiatives such as the Cities for Cycling program of the National Association of City Trans- portation Officials (NACTO).