FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2017

CONTACT: Joe Ellickson
Joe.Ellickson@ci.stpaul.mn.us
651-266-6129 (o)
651-724-8443 (c)

City of Saint Paul awarded for bike friendliness

City receives Silver award for planning and bike infrastructure from national biking organization

SAINT PAUL - The League of American Bicyclists has designated the City of Saint Paul as a Bicycle Friendly Community at the Silver level - citing the efforts of Saint Paul to make biking in the city available to everyone.

Saint Paul has made great strides in planning, creating programs, and constructing bike infrastructure throughout the city. Specifically, in 2015 the City adopted the Saint Paul Bicycle Plan which is a ground breaking plan to expand the city’s biking network and infrastructure.

Since the adoption of the plan, the city has constructed over 25 miles of new bike facilities in all neighborhoods. Saint Paul now has nearly 180 miles of bicycle facilities which include:

  • 84 miles of off-street paths
  • 47 miles of roadway with striped bike lanes
  • 19 miles of roadway with striped bike-able shoulders
  • 11 miles of roadway designed as bicycle boulevards
  • 18 miles of roadway with signed or marked shared lanes

“We are implementing our vision for a future where families can get on their bikes and find a safe path to connect to school, work and play,” stated Mayor Chris Coleman. “Our investment is doing just that and we are creating a safer, more vibrant, and accessible Saint Paul.”

Council President Russ Stark stated, “In the past few years we have vastly improved our on-street bicycle network, and we are on our way to further improvements, including a Safe Routes to Schools Plan.  This Award is a great recognition of our progress toward the goal of making bicycling a safe and easy choice in St. Paul.”

The city has prioritized high comfort, low stress bike facilities that allow for people of all abilities to bike throughout the city. The Capital City Bikeway and the Grand Round are two of the bikeway projects the city is prioritizing to connect neighborhoods, businesses and commuters across Saint Paul.

Capital City Bikeway

The Capital City Bikeway is a system of off-street bicycle trails in downtown Saint Paul. The first segment – Jackson Street – will be completed by the end of 2017. This segment connects the Gateway State Trail to the Sam Morgan Regional Trail - filling a critical gap in the metro bike trail network. The Capital City Bikeway will place much of downtown within blocks of a bike trail – making Saint Paul a more vibrant place to live, play and do business.  

Grand Round

The Grand Round is a 27-mile scenic parkway encircling the city that will safely connect people to parks, nature, neighborhoods and businesses. The bikeway will connect people to Saint Paul’s outdoor landmarks including the Mississippi River, Lake Phalen, Como Lake, and more than a dozen parks. Construction began last year on Wheelock Parkway between Rice Street and Edgerton Street. In the coming years, the city will complete the connection between Lake Como and Lake Phalen along Wheelock Parkway, parts of Como Avenue, and Johnson Parkway - the eastern portion of the route. The southern portion of the Grand Round along the Mississippi River has already been completed.

The Award recognizes the city’s continual progress for making Saint Paul one of America’s most bike-able cities. The League of American Bicyclists previously awarded Saint Paul the Bronze Award.

About the League of American Bicyclists:

The League of American Bicyclists was founded in 1880 to advocate for better roads for bicycling and represents the nation’s 57 million cyclists in its mission - to promote bicycling for fun, fitness, and transportation. It works through advocacy and education to create a bicycle-friendly America. 

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Last Edited: May 11, 2017