In the fall of 2004, nonprofit groups, government agencies, the Mary Black Foundation and local cyclists joined together to launch Bike Town Spartanburg. The overarching goal of the program was to earn the designation as a Bicycle-Friendly Community from the Leagu e of American Bicyclists.
How is the designation earned?
The bike friendly designation is determined based on a community’s efforts and successes in five key areas: Education, Encouragement, Engineering, Enforcement, and Evaluation.Lead organizers of the Bike Town initiative work to ensure that significant steps are being made in EACH of the focus areas. Though events like the annual professional cycling race, Bike Month, etc are most well-known, the Bike Town partners constantly work behind-the-scenes to:
- Improve and increase bike safety education opportunities;
- Improve the number and types of people reached through our encouragement programs and events;
- Improve engineering of bike facilities and increase bike infrastructure;
- Improve enforcement of local and state laws related to bicyclists;
- Improve evaluation of bicycling needs and future needs among all of our local governing bodies.
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Bike Town Spartanburg Today
As of May 2012, the City of Spartanburg has received a redesignation as a Bicydle Friendly Community at the Bronze Level! This designation will be held until 2016.
Thanks to the City of Spartanburg, Spartanburg County, the Spartanburg Area Transportation Study, South Carolina Department of Transportation, Partners for Active Living, the Freewheelers of Spartanburg, the Foothills Cyclists, the Palmetto Conservation Foundation, the Palmetto Cycling Coalition, Safe Kids, our local bike shops and everyone else who helped to make this important award possible!
