“Congratulations to Columbia for its inclusion in a select class of 45 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Universities nationwide,” says League Executive Director Bill Nesper. “The standards for attaining any of the four levels of awards—Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum—are very high and require deliberate, determined efforts to earn them. Universities and colleges are in a unique leadership position to help encourage and enable people of all ages—especially young adults—to adopt healthy, sustainable habits that can benefit them throughout their lives.”
The program, which now includes 193 BFU colleges and universities, is part of the League’s larger program and mission to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone.
“More than 3.8 million students now attend Bicycle Friendly Universities in 46 states and Washington, DC,” says BFU Director Amelia Neptune. “From large to small, urban to rural, these educational institutions are creating a powerful community of college campuses that model and support the use of bicycles for improving health, sustainability, and transportation options.”
In 2014, Columbia received a Bronze designation from the League of American Bicyclists. Improvements in access to bike shares, such as Citi Bike and Zagster, as well as additional bike enclosures, showers for bicyclists on campus, and other incentives have led to the upgrade to a Silver designation. Columbia encourages bicycling as an easy option for transportation as part of its University-wide Sustainability Plan.
Moving forward, Columbia will have access to a variety of free tools and technical assistance from the League to become even more bicycle friendly. To apply or learn more about the free BFU program, visit the League online.
