Aurora honored for its work to encourage bike riding

Aurora honored for its work to encourage bike riding

The League of American Bicyclists has recognized Aurora for its efforts to become friendlier to bicyclists.

The organization awarded the city the Bicycle-Friendly Community Bronze designation, a rare award for a community to get, especially on its first try, said Eric Gallt, the city's traffic engineer.

"There are only 11 in the state," Gallt told members of the Aurora City Council Finance Committee Tuesday. A city news release said since 2002, there are only 480 Bicycle Friendly Communities across the country, out of 870 applications for the designation.

Aurora was honored for major leaps in cycling infrastructure, and efforts in planning and improving feedback from the cycling community. The League of American Bicyclists recognized Aurora's recently opened dedicated bike lane in downtown that connects a gap in the Fox River Trail along River Street, as well as the city's dedication to implementing its bike plan and its newly formed Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

That committee just had its first meeting last week.

In addition, Aurora has brought a bike rental service to three sites in downtown Aurora and expanded designated bike lanes throughout town, improving safety and connecting trails to guide cyclists from trails on the city's East Side to downtown.

"We are very pleased at the recognition afforded to the city of Aurora for our ongoing efforts in developing a bike-friendly community," said Mayor Robert J. O'Connor. "As our city looks to the future, we will continue research, propose and implement new ways to build our cycling infrastructure, which in turn, bring great returns in the health and the quality of life for our residents."

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