Boise State earns gold designation as bike-friendly university

The League of American Bicyclists recently designated Boise State University as a gold campus in the category of Bicycle Friendly Universities, one of only 18 schools to earn that honor this year.

“We’ve focused on the five areas of education, engineering, encouragement, enforcement and evaluation as guidelines for improvements,” CLC Coordinator Gabe Finkelstein said.

Boise State had previously earned silver designations from the League of American Bicyclists, but has since made campus improvements. These include physical changes like adding a contra-flow bike lane on Cesar Chavez Drive and installing air-fill stations as well as curriculum changes, such as offering mountain biking and bike repair classes.

The league designated 164 bicycle-friendly universities in 44 states and Washington, D.C., but Boise State is one of only five campuses to earn the gold designation in the Northwest.

“In its fifth year, we’ve seen the Bicycle Friendly University program’s momentum continue to grow and reach even more campuses across the country,” League of American Bicyclists Programs Director Bill Nesper said. “We applaud this round of BFUs for raising the standard and being innovative in making bicycling a safe, convenient and enjoyable option for students, staff and visitors alike.”