Baton Rouge is the first Louisiana city ever to be recognized as Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The national organization announced last week that Baton Rouge won a bronze award for its commitment to bicycling.

Bill Nesper, director of the League’s Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) Program, said the bronze-level designation was awarded to Baton Rouge after a careful review of the city-parish’s application and consulting with local cyclists.

League President Andy Clarke said the BFC judges were particularly impressed with the bicycle facilities initiated by Mayor-President Melvin L. “Kip” Holden as part of Baton Rouge’s “Healthy Baton Rouge Initiative.”

Clarke said the judges were also favorably impressed with the city’s requirements for bicycle parking; improvements at LSU Lakes including multi-use paths; improvements at Baton Rouge Beach including a new bridge exclusively for bicycle and pedestrian use; and improvements at City Park, including the new multi-use paths and bicycle lanes along Dalrymple Drive.

The application process to become a BFC is rigorous. To date, 318 cities have submitted applications, but only 124 have a received a BFC four-year designation. The renewal process and four levels of the award – platinum, gold, silver and bronze – provide a clear incentive for communities to continuously improve, Clarke said.

Other cities receiving the program’s bronze award include Auburn, Ala., Oxford, Miss., Tallahassee, Fla., Salem, Ore, and Sacramento, Ca. For a complete list of BFC cities, go to: http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/index.php and click on “Current Bicycle Friendly Community Master List.”

Baton Rouge’s bronze-level designation will be up for renewal in October of 2013.

Mayor Holden is slated to accept the BFC award at the Oct. 28 Metro Council meeting.



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