Chapel Hill is already known as a bike-friendly town. Now, the League of American Bicyclists has designated the town as a bronze-level “Bicycle Friendly Community.”

The Bicycle Friendly Community program helps communities across the country learn how to become bicycle friendly and offers examples from communities large and small across the country who have successfully built bicycling into their city plans.

“We are very proud to be part of this prestigious program,” said Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt. “Chapel Hill will continue its efforts to become more accommodating to cyclists, whether they are recreational bicycle riders or serious bicycle commuters. We want to encourage cycling as a reliable mode of every day transportation.”

The award is presented only to communities with remarkable commitments to bicycling. The decision involved careful review of an application and consultation with local cyclists. There are four levels of the award – platinum, gold, silver, and bronze. Chapel Hill’s designation of bronze is valid for four years and will then need to be renewed. Other Bicycle Friendly Communities in North Carolina are Carrboro, Durham, Cary, Charlotte, Davidson and Greensboro.

Applicants complete a detailed online form with questions in five key areas: engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation/planning. Bergen Watterson, a UNC-Chapel Hill student interning with the Town of Chapel Hill Planning Department, completed the application for Chapel Hill to the national designation program.

For more information about the Town’s efforts to increase bicycling in the community, visit http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=127 or http://www.townofchapelhill.org/index.aspx?page=130 or http://atomic-temporary-10850805.wpcomstaging.com. For more information about the Bicycle Friendly Community Program, visit www.bicyclefriendlyamerica.org.