The Santa Clarita Valley has been recognized by the League of American Bicyclists for their efforts of building better places to bike and presented the city with the silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community award, officials said Friday.

The silver Bicycle Friendly Community award recognizes Santa Clarita’s commitment to improving conditions for cyclists through investments in infrastructure, education programs and bike events.

Santa Clarita is one of only six cities in the nation to move from a bronze-level to a silver-level recognition during this round of judging, according to officials.

“Santa Clarita is among the few cities that are leading the nation when it comes to important livability factors that people want where they call home, like safe and accessible places to bike,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists.

The award recognizes Santa Clarita for its commitment to creating transportation and recreational resources that benefit residents of all ages and abilities while encouraging healthier and more sustainable transportation choices, according to officials.

“Santa Clarita joins 53 new and renewing Bicycle Friendly Communities as part of the movement toward a more vibrant, healthy, sustainable and connected places,” Nesper said. “Our nation and the globe are facing complex public health and road safety challenges, and we’re proud that Santa Clarita and communities like it are embracing bicycling.”

The League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly America sets the standard for how communities evaluate their quality of life, sustainability and accessibility while allowing them to benchmark progress toward making biking better, according to officials.

With this latest round of 53 new and renewing awardees, there are currently 488 Bicycle Friendly Communities throughout the nation, according to officials.

“We are fortunate to live in a community where opting to ride a bike for transportation and enjoyment is safe and easy,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Marsha McLean. “In addition to the city’s expansive trail system and numerous safety enhancements designed to make biking even safer, we will continue to develop and improve the bicycling experience and look forward to continuing to receive honors as one of the most bicycle-friendly communities in the nation. We are proud of this incredible honor.”

More than 850 communities have applied for recognition by the Bicycle Friendly Community program, which provides a roadmap to making biking better for communities of all shapes and sizes.

While the award process considers very visible elements such as bike infrastructure, other efforts are considered including education, encouragement and enforcement, aa to officials.

The application process is an educational tool in itself and includes an opportunity for local bicyclists and active transportation advocates to provide input on their experiences and perceptions of bicycling in their community, according to officials.

The five levels of the Bicycle Friendly Community award include: diamond, platinum, gold, silver and bronze, plus an honorable mention category — provide a clear incentive for communities to continuously improve.

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, according to officials.

To learn more about the Bicycle Friendly Community program, click here and to learn about all things biking in Santa Clarita click here.

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