Long Beach Makes List For Being Bike Friendly

The League of American Bicyclists came out with their newest list of bicycle friendly communities this fall, and Long Beach made the list.

Long Beach has become increasingly more bike friendly in the past few years with the addition of signs on buses and city streets advising drivers to share the road. This has all led to Long Beach achieving a silver status on a list that holds five levels. These levels are diamond, platinum, gold, silver and bronze.

"This latest round of BFC awards proves yet again that any city -- regardless of size or geography -- can take cost-effective steps to increase bicycling in their community," said League of American Bicyclists President Andy Clarke in a recent press release.

This is exactly what Long Beach has done. Long Beach has put more than $20 million dollars into making the city more bike friendly, according to the Press Telegram.

In a more recent project, the city is planning a bicycle and pedestrian path for the replacement of the Desmond Bridge, according to the Press Telegram.

The city’s mayor is no stranger to this progression in Long Beach.

In September, Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster was awarded the League of American Bicyclists’ Friendly America Leadership Award for helping to make the city more bike-friendly, according to the Press Telegram.

However, this current honor is not the first Long Beach has received for being bike friendly.

In May, Bicycling Magazine stated that Long beach is the 19th most bike friendly city in the nation, which is an increase from 23rd the year before, according to the Press Telegram.

It took three years for Long Beach to move up from a bronze level status to a silver level status on the list, according to the Press Telegram, but this shows progress that will hopefully continue on into the future.