SANTA CRUZ, CA - Santa Cruz, California, along with six other communities nationwide, was honored by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) with its distinguished Bicycle Friendly Community designation. The League awards this four-year designation to communities that have made impressive, measurable efforts to integrate bicyclists into the community. Among the five categories local and national reviewers look at are: Education, Engineering, Enforcement, Encouragement and Evaluation. The other communities include Steamboat Springs, CO; Lexington-Fayette County, KY; Liberty Lake, WA; New York City, NY; Santa Clarita, CA, and Spartanburg, SC.
This designation is difficult to earn and important to renew. In addition to the seven communities earning the distinction, 17 other communities applied in this round. Since the program’s inception in 2003, 174 communities have applied and 70 have earned the designation.
“In this round, eight communities were given honorable mentions,” LAB Executive Director Andy Clarke said. “It is important to recognize communities as they begin to build bicycle friendliness into their network. But a designation only goes to communities with established records in two or more of the five categories.”
While surfing and skating tend to define Santa Cruz County's sporting reputation, the county is also a mecca for bicycle riders. With an enviable number of parks, Santa Cruz County has countless trails geared for bikes. Winding single tracks through shaded redwoods, zigzagging paths across rolling hills, and climbing roads with stunning vistas of the Monterey Bay all provide a full range of trails for all skill levels. Several local bike shops rent bikes and helmets to visiting riders. Whether your preference is a beach cruiser, a regal ten speed, a sporty mountain bike or a Stingray with a banana seat, Santa Cruz County is a bicyclist’s paradise, offering different options in tandem with pedalers of all ages and abilities. One way the Santa Cruz County Conference and Visitor’s Council (CVC) has made hitting the roads easier is by offering a newly expanded and updated bike kit. Chock-full of information, the kit includes maps and material on bicycling in the Forest of Nisene Marks, mountain biking in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, the Santa Cruz circle trail, a Santa Cruz County bikeways map from the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, a UCSC upper campus map, and safety and courtesy information.
For more information on bicycling in the Santa Cruz area, visit www.santacruz.travel or call 800.833.3494
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