BRAZOS COUNTY, TX — Aggieland is on the road to make its community a healthy, sustainable one for bike riders. And that path has been recognized nationally.
You can spot a bicyclist riding through College Station almost any day.
"It's an important way to not only enjoy the outdoors but to improve your health," Venessa Garza, Bicycle, Pedestrian and Greenways Planning Administrator said.
The city has more than 30 miles of shared-use paths and 53 miles of bike lanes. Its bike-friendly efforts earned College Station a Bronze Friendly Community Award from the League of American Bicyclists.
"We've been working for years, really decades to create bicycle-friendly communities, so it's an honor and we are really excited to receive this designation," Garza said.
It signifies a community's quality-of-life indicator and is a common reference point for people looking to relocate. Only 500 communities across the country, and one in 13 across Texas, receive the bronze award. Robert Rose recalls the city winning the award 10 years ago.
"Doing a few relatively simple things, I think could easily put us in contention for silver and put us on the pathway to gold,” Robert Rose, CEO of Cycles Etc. said.
The city has an advisory board with a five-year master plan including improvements on infrastructure, which helps promote safety.
"Look out for each other. Share the ride. Share the road, and share the responsibility of making sure that everybody gets home safe and sound," Mary Jo Prince, Program manager of Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service Brazos Valley Injury Prevention Coalition and Statewide Initiatives said.
The City of College Station has a bike interactive map online for people to use.