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Participants of the Ride of Silence make their way down the Flint River Trail in downtown Flint on Wednesday, May 18, 2011.

(Flint Journal File Photo)

FLINT, MI -- The streets of Flint are now a friendly place for bicyclists, according to a national advocacy group.

Flint was recently added to the list of 55 other cities across the country for being a bicycle friendly community recognized by the League of American Bicyclists.

Flint was given a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community for its bicycle promotion, education, infrastructure and pro-bicycle policies.

It joins eight other Michigan cities who in previous years were added to the list: Ann Arbor, Houghton, Marquette, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Midland, Portage and Traverse City. Battle Creek was also added this year.

Flint received bronze, which is the lowest level.

The Bicycle Friendly Community award program is part of the way some communities are evaluating their quality of life, sustainability and transportation networks, according to a press release. The program provides a guide to building a Bicycle Friendly Community, and the application has become rigorous and an educational tool in itself, the group said.

"In the past, Flint received honorable mention. It's exciting to see how far we've come. And the feedback provided gives us ideas on how to continue improving bicycling conditions," said Lauren Holaly-Zembo, active living director at the Crim Fitness Foundation, who partnered with the City of Flint in completing the BFC application.

For a community to qualify for this recognition five categories are looked at -- Engineering, education, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation/planning.

Here's how Flint scored for each category:

Engineering (Bicycle network and connectivity) - 2/10

Education (Motorist awareness and bicycling skills) - 3/10

Encouragement (Mainstreaming bicycling culture) - 4/10

Enforcement (Promoting safety and protecting bicyclist rights) - 4/10

Evaluation/Planning (Setting targets and having a plan) - 3/10

Since its inception, more than 800 communities have applied and the five levels of the award – diamond, platinum, gold, silver and bronze – provide a clear incentive for communities to continuously improve, the group said.

"Creating a sustainable transportation network is part of our new City of Flint Master Plan," said Flint Mayor Dayne Walling in a written statement. "Our residents are biking, walking and taking public transit. It is essential that Flint is safe for all modes of transportation."

Over the years, Flint has worked on encouraging more bicyclists to get out there and ride.

The Friends of the Flint River Trail started Saturday rides more than 15 years ago.

Partnerships between the Crim Fitness Foundation and SAGE (Safe and Active Genesee for Everyone) and community start ups promote programs, such as the Berston Bicycle Club Project, a program designed to teach kids how to use bicycles as a form of transportation, encourage healthy living and teach bicycle safety.

The Crim's active living department has been involved in helping communities with bike trails and walkable communities, as well as bringing bike parking to downtown Flint, putting up signage on the Flint River Trail and working with schools to create Safe Routes to School.

"Visionary community leaders are recognizing the real-time and long term impact that a culture of bicycling can create," said Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists, in a written statement. "We applaud this new round of communities for investing in a more sustainable future for the country and a healthier future for their residents and beyond."

To learn more about the Bicycle Friendly Community program, visit bikeleague.org/community.