Bicycle-Friendly Communities

The League of American Bicyclists hosts a program called The Bicycle Friendly Community Program.

The Bicycle Friendly Community Program inspires communities to improve conditions and opportunities for bicycling and 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. View an overview presentation of the program.

State Bicycle-Friendly Ranking

• 2018 - will be published late 2018
  
• 2017 - Iowa Ranked #30 - Bicycle-Friendly State (report card)
  
• 2016 - Iowa Ranked #28
  
• 2015 - Iowa Ranked #28
  
• 2014 - Iowa Ranked #28
  
• 2013 - Iowa Ranked #21 - Bicycle-Friendly State (report card)
  
• 2012 - Iowa Ranked #16 - Bicycle-Friendly State (report card)
• 2011 - Iowa Ranked #6 - Bicycle-Friendly State

Cities who have received a Bicycle-Friendly Community designation.

Platinum

none

Gold

none

Silver

Iowa City (pop. 73,398) -  upgraded May 2013

Bronze

Ames (pop. 61,792)   - added May 2016

Bettendorf (pop. 34,255)   - added for Honorable Mention May 2014 and went Bronze May 2016

Cedar Rapids (pop. 128,119)   - added March 2012

Cedar Falls (pop. 36,145) - added May 2009

Coralville (pop. 18,907) - added Dec 2016

Des Moines (pop. 207,510)  - added May 2011, renewed June 2015

University Heights (pop. 1,051)   - added March 2012

Honorable Mention

Fairfield (pop. 9,476)   - added May 2014  

West Des Moines (pop. 56,609)   - added March 2012

We know there should be many more communities on this list? Why are there so few?

For the most part, then program is not widely known and it is a long process to get accepted. Currently there is not an entity in Iowa that really pushes this program.