Sitka is Alaska’s first Bicycle Friendly Community

[SEARHC GUY]

Sitka is Alaska’s first Bicycle Friendly Community

SITKA, May 1, 2008 — The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium (SEARHC) is pleased to have played a role in Sitka’s becoming an official Bicycle Friendly Community. On May 1, the League of American Bicyclists honored Sitka as the first community from Alaska to earn its Bicycle Friendly Community designation.

Sitka received a Bronze award, which is the lowest of the four Bicycle Friendly Community designations — Bronze (57 communities), Silver (19), Gold (6) and Platinum (2). Sitka has the fourth smallest population of any community honored, and is at the same level as Denver, Louisville, Sacramento, Milwaukee, New York City and Washington, D.C. According to the League of American Bicyclists, a Bicycle Friendly Community designation is good for four years, but communities have to file annual updates.

According to the League of American Bicyclists’ Web site, “Sitka joins the ranks of Bicycle Friendly Communities as the northernmost designated community and the only in Alaska. Nearly half of Sitka’s roads provide accommodations for cyclists, such as bike lanes, and bicycle ridership is nine times the national average. At the 2007 Sitka Health Summit, participants (a large and diverse group of Sitkans) were asked to pick the top four areas to focus on that would make the greatest impact to the wellness of Sitkans. The top choice, to great applause, was to make Sitka a bicycle and pedestrian friendly community. The initiative was propelled from that moment and gained incredible momentum. The commitment has been clearly demonstrated in the recent proclamation signed in March of 2008 by Mayor Marko Dapcevich to work to become a Bicycle Friendly Community.”

“Very cool, I think this is great news,” Sitka Mayor Marko Dapcevich said when informed of Sitka’s honor. “Kudos to all those who helped on this project. It’s really exciting to see Sitka designated a Bicycle Friendly Community. This was a good project for health and awareness, and I was happy to get behind this one.”

Sitka residents discussed applying for a Bicycle Friendly Community designation before the April 2007 Sitka Health Summit, and the idea gained momentum when it was chosen as a top health goal/priority for Sitka during the Sitka Health Summit’s community planning meeting. The 2008 Sitka Health Summit takes place May 14-16 and is brought to you by SEARHC, Sitka Community Hospital and the SEARHC Steps to a Healthier SE Alaska program.

“It’s been wonderful to see how so many groups and individuals have come together to help our community reach this worthwhile goal,” SEARHC Health Educator Doug Osborne said.

“Receiving the Bicycle Friendly Community award is what SEARHC Steps to a Healthier SE Alaska is all about; institutionalizing physical activity,” said Grace Brooks, Grant Manager for the SEARHC Steps to a Healthier SE Alaska program. “Sitka has actively made biking safe and fun, making the healthy choice the easy choice.”

The Sitka Bicycle Friendly Community Coalition featured a diverse group of health professionals, city and tribal officials, cycling groups, merchants, non-profit groups and others. Key participants included several SEARHC health programs, Sitka Community Hospital, the Steps to a Healthier SE Alaska program, Sitka Advancing Our Community, the City and Borough of Sitka, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Sitka Conservation Society, Yellow Jersey Cycle Shop, Tlingít & Friends Bike Club, Sitka Mountain Bike Association, the University of Alaska Southeast-Sitka Campus, the Rotary Club of Sitka and the U.S. Coast Guard-Air Station Sitka.

“The designation recognizing Sitka as a Bicycle Friendly Community really shows that Sitka is a model community for sustainability, health and quality of life amenities,” said Natalie Sattler, Community Outreach Coordinator for the Sitka Conservation Society.

The League of American Bicyclists said becoming a Bicycle Friendly Community has several benefits. “Encouraging bicycling is a simple way toward improving public health. With more people bicycling, communities experience reduced traffic demands, improved air quality and greater physical fitness. In addition, bicycle-friendly towns are often seen as places with a high quality of life. This can translate into increased property values, business growth and increased tourism,” LAB said on its Web site.

To learn more about the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Community program, go to Bicycle Friendly Community - A Program of the League of American Bicyclists. To see Sitka’s recognition from the League of American Bicyclists, go to League of American Bicyclists * Bicycle Friendly Community Campaign. To see the national press release from the League of American Bicyclists about the Bicycle Friendly Community program, go to League of American Bicyclists * Press Releases. For more about Sitka’s Bicycle Friendly Community project, go to Advancing Our Community Home Page and click the blue bike logo.

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