The City of Lincoln today announced that it has been designated a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists. The silver level award recognizes Lincoln’s commitment to improving conditions for cyclists through investments in bike education programs, events that promote and encourage cycling, pro-bike policies and bike infrastructure.

Lincoln has been a Silver Level cycling community since 2019. In August 2023, the City applied to renew its Bicycle Friendly Community status from the League of American Bicyclists. Criteria on which communities are rated include equity and accessibility, education, engineering, evaluation and planning, and encouragement. There are 480 Bicycle Friendly Communities nationwide.

Stephanie Rouse, Transportation Planner, said Lincoln’s application required a coordinated effort to compile detailed documentation from the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Department, Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Lincoln Transportation and Utilities, and the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. In addition, staff from Bike LNK and members of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee provided helpful information and members of the public gave meaningful feedback on the public survey.

“This award is a testament to the dedication of the growing network of bicycle advocates working to make Lincoln a safe and welcoming space for all ages and abilities of bicyclists. The application is every four years, but it takes continuous effort from a variety of stakeholders and community members to achieve this designation,” Rouse said.

The League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly America program sets the standard for how communities build and benchmark progress toward making biking better. The League strives to provide continual updates to the application as part of its commitment to help communities raise their standards for safety, equity, and accessibility.

For more information on the League of American Bicyclists, visit bikeleague.org.