Corvallis Named a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists

February 5, 2024 - This month, Corvallis received the Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community award from the League of American Bicyclists - a distinction that our community has earned annually for more than two decades. Just 34 communities nationwide have ever received Gold-Level status. The award recognizes Corvallis for its commitment to creating transportation and recreational resources that benefit its residents of all ages and abilities while encouraging healthier and more sustainable transportation choices.

The League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly America program measures how communities build and benchmark progress toward making biking better. Here in Corvallis, the City's Public Works Department manages the Active Transportation program, which creates programs and builds infrastructure to encourage people to walk, bike, and roll as an alternative to motor vehicle travel. 

The Gold-level award recognizes Corvallis’ commitment to improving conditions for all people who bike through investments in education and infrastructure, regular events that promote and encourage people to choose biking, and public policies that promote active transportation. 

“Bicycling is a huge part of the Corvallis community, and I’m so pleased to see that the City’s support for bike infrastructure and policies led to this Gold-level ranking by the League of American Bicyclists,” said Lindsey Almarode, Active Transportation Specialist for the City. “We are committed to expanding and improving our support for biking in Corvallis, and we look forward to maintaining our certification in the years to come.”

While the award process considers very visible elements such as bike infrastructure, other essential elements include efforts around adult and youth bike education, encouragement through events like Open Streets, evaluation mechanisms, and enforcement all through the lens of equity. The City of Corvallis has also invested in two dedicated staff positions that support active transportation programs and projects. 

Awarded communities must renew their status every four years to ensure that they not only maintain existing efforts, but also keep up with changing technology, national safety standards, and community-driven best practices.

To learn more about the BFC program, visit bikeleague.org/community.