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Contact:
Peter McLaughlin, County Commissioner, 612-348-7884
Carolyn Marinan, Communications, 612-348-5969
Hennepin County is the first Minnesota county to receive Bicycle Friendly
Community silver status from the League of American Bicyclists.
"This
award acknowledges how far Hennepin County has come in the past 25 years,” said
Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. “We couldn’t have dreamed of
this much progress even a few years ago. Our residents benefit from a robust
bicycle network within Hennepin County that also connects to our neighboring
counties. We are fortunate to live in a bicycling county and a bicycling
region.”
Regional
trails in Hennepin County had more than 8.1 million trail visits in 2014 and more
than 8 million visits in 2013. Also, 1.8 percent of commuters primarily biked
to work in 2013. This compares to 0.8 percent across Minnesota and 0.6 percent
nationwide. The bicycle network includes buffered bike lanes, cycle tracks and
trails connecting the entire county.
Residents
and visitors enjoy 651 miles of on-and off-street bikeways in Hennepin County.
'Strong commitments to bicycling'
Nationwide, no standalone county has received recognition above the silver level.
Previously, Hennepin County’s highest designation was honorable mention. The League of American Bicyclists status levels – bronze, silver, gold, platinum and diamond – are valid for four years.
The league described the selection process: “This decision
involved careful review of the application, supplemental material and
consultation with local cyclists. This award is presented only to communities
with strong commitments to bicycling.”
Hennepin
County will continue to improve bicycling conditions by making the system safer
and more comfortable for all ages and abilities, while continuing to expand the
bikeway network.
Visit
www.hennepin.us/ridehennepin for the Hennepin
County bike map and riding tips.
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Look for more news on
the Hennepin County website at www.hennepin.us/news.
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