Evansville Receives Bicycle Friendly Community Honor

In celebration of National Bike to Work Week, Mayor Lloyd Winnecke is pleased to announce the City of Evansville has received an Honorable Mention from the League of American Bicyclists in its first attempt to become a designated Bicycle Friendly Community. The League’s Bicycle America program recognizes efforts to make bicycling a viable option for transportation and recreation for all people.

“Receiving an Honorable Mention as a Bicycle Friendly Community means the League of American Bicyclists consultants and cyclists believe our city is on the right path toward making biking and walking safer,” said Mayor Winnecke. “It is particularly gratifying that the recognition was announced less than six months after the local Bicycle Friendly Task Force was established and made obtaining Bicycle Friendly status one of its top goals.”

Drew Hays, chairman of the Mayor’s Bicycle Friendly Task Force, said he is pleased and pleasantly surprised the city received an Honorable Mention in its first attempt. A letter from the League of American Bicyclists said with a few additional improvements the city could earn a Bicycle Friendly Community award in the future.

“We need to build off this momentum,” Hays said. “In July, the Task Force will receive the league’s feedback report for our city that will provide numerous suggestions for much needed improvements in infrastructure, policy, education, law enforcement and planning. The Task Force will then begin identifying the recommendations that may be easily implemented and those that may be more challenging yet worthwhile to make our city more bicycle friendly. ”

Bicycle Friendly Task Force member Roberta Heiman used the opportunity to raise awareness about Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 16.

“Our goal is to promote bicycling as a viable mode of transportation in Evansville and for all to consider the benefits from biking,” said Heiman. She offered, “Such as a more active lifestyle, less traffic congestion and a healthier community. We want to encourage people to leave their cars at home for the day and ride their bikes to work.”

Heiman said employers bicycling teams can register on the Evansville-area Trails Coalition website at: www.evansville-areatrailscoalition.org.

A full list of Bicycle Friendly Communities and the additional 28 Honorable Mentions is available on the League of American Bicyclists website at: http://bikeleague.org/.