Arlington has been again named a Silver-level “Bicycle Friendly Community.”
Arlington is among 102 U.S. communities to achieve the designation from the League of American Bicyclists as of late 2019. The League also recognized 347 communities at the Bronze level, 34 at the Gold level and 5 at the Platinum level.
(The Platinum-level communities are Davis, California; Boulder and Fort Collins, Colorado; Portland, Oregon; and Madison, Wisconsin.)
“The program considers five main criteria and three key outcomes in its evaluation, including the current state of local bicycle networks, evaluation and planning efforts for the future and the availability of education and encouragement programs for adults and youth,” Arlington County noted in a press release.
The county says it’s working to improve safety for cyclists by creating a Vision Zero Action Plan that will help “prevent serious injuries and deaths from traffic crashes.”
In the press release below, Arlington officials tout some of the bike amenities that helped the county achieve Silver-level status.
1. 50 miles of shared-use trails and 40 miles of dedicated bike lanes, including a growing number of protected and buffered bike lanes
We know – it’s winter. But they’re out there, right now, waiting for you and your favorite sweater! Arlington County clears snow from a number of the most popular commuter trails so you can bike, or run, on them all year round. You can always explore them digitally and make plans for spring, if that’s more your thing.
2. Meet some new friends on a bike ride
No matter what you are into, someone in Arlington is organizing a bike ride to do it. You can try BikeArlington’s easy social rides to fun destinations, a community-led family bike ride with Kidical Mass, an Arlington Parks and Recreation’s 55+ group ride or even introductory rides lead by local bike shops.
3. Learn to ride (or learn to ride more confidently)
If you’re one of the many adults in the region interested in learning to ride a bike, you can join BikeArlington and WABA for a class next spring. They also have classes for riders looking to understand how to ride safely and confidently on the local roads or trails. Arlington Public Schools has kiddos covered with their bike education unit for second graders.