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League of American Bicyclists Names Portland, Ore.

a “Platinum” Level Bicycle Friendly Community.

The League of American Bicyclists congratulates Portland, Ore. on achieving platinum Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) status – Portland is the first large city in the United States to gain the designation and joins Davis, Calif as the only other platinum BFC in the country.

More than 200 communities have applied for BFC recognition since 2003, and 84 currently have a bronze or higher designation. An announcement of additional designations from the most recent round of applications is scheduled for release Thursday, May 1, to mark the first day of National Bike Month.

Portland’s BFC award is recognition of the incredible progress the community has made to encourage more people to bicycle and to ride safely. “When Portland received the gold award in 2003”, said Andy Clarke, President of the League, “We challenged the community to increase ridership to get to platinum. Bold leadership, community-wide involvement, and a lot of hard work has resulted in a 144% increase in bicycle use since the 2000 Census – impressive results by any standard.”

“We are honored that the League has recognized Portland’s work to become a better, safer place for people to bicycle”, said Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams, who has spearheaded the initiative to achieve platinum status. “This is integral to our broader vision of Portland as a world-class, sustainable, and economically vibrant city that attracts families and businesses because of the quality of life on offer to all. Bicycling helps us achieve all that and more. We are not content to rest on our laurels. Platinum status is just the beginning and we realize that the eyes of the nation are now upon us to keep pedaling forward!”

BFC reviewers noted that Portland has coupled modest but smart investments in infrastructure, with outstanding education, promotion and encouragement activities to make bicycling a practical and safe option for many more Portlanders than ever before. Education and enforcement programs are now helping drivers and pedestrians interact more safely and predictably with the increasing numbers of cyclists on the road.

Other highlights from the 27-page application included:

Portland’s bikeway network includes 270 miles of on-street bike lanes, bike boulevards, and paved trails; another 40 miles of unpaved trails offer mountain biking opportunities in city parks.
A city ordinance requires bike parking in new development and redevelopment projects; another provides a huge incentive for developers to provide showers and locker rooms
Six bike corrals have been installed, each replacing one on-street car parking space with 12 bicycle spaces
400 bikeway destination signs have been installed (with 400 to come) on the bikeway network
More than 1,000 traffic offenders (including cyclists) have been through a two-hour “Share the Road” Safety Class
More than 400 bicycle light sets are distributed annually to low-income bicyclists by the city, Tri-Met (the transit agency) and the Community Cycling Center.
2,250 elementary students annually receive a 10-hour bicycle safety course as part of a larger Safer Routes to School initiative. The course is delivered by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and has helped increase bicycling to school by 5% in just one school year.
The city distributes 35,000 citywide bicycle maps and another 35,000 local area maps. The citywide map is also reproduced in the Portland phone book.
More than 9,100 people participated in the 2007 Bicycle Commuter Challenge, including 1,700 first-time bike commuters
A Tri-Met survey found that three-fifths of area employment sites provide bike parking and ten percent offer incentives to employees who bicycle.
20,000 participants in the Providence Bridge Pedal make Portland home to the second largest community bike ride in the United States (after Bike New York)
2,000 hardy riders fill the annual Worst Day of the Year ride in early February
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance boasts 3,000 members in the city and is just one of many advocacy and riding groups that organize thousands of rides, events and bicycling activities year-round
Creation of the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovations at Portland State University will help ensure technology transfer and much-needed research into innovative ways to encourage bicycling
The city boasts 40 bike shops and more than 150 bicycle-related businesses that provide thousands of green-collar jobs and with an economic benefit of more than $65 million (2005)

“Portland has had the courage to lead, to innovate, and to pursue a vision of their community that emphasizes choice, equity and quality of life,” continued Clarke. “The job isn’t done, however. Platinum status isn’t forever, and it carries with it the responsibility of setting a high standard for other communities to follow. We recognize that compared to other world class cit

In 1861, Silver City reportedly had a population of 1,200. Additionally, it was home to boarding houses, saloons, four hotels and extensive stables and corrals. Silver City was an important link between the Comstock Lode mines of Virginia City, Nevada and the processing mills located near Dayton and along the Carson River.

While the town thrived for a few years, its own mills and mines proved to be less productive than Virginia City and Gold Hill. A serious decline began after 1869 when the Virginia & Truckee Railroad was completed, which eliminated the town's value as a freight center.

Silver City has never gained the acclaim and attention of Virginia City, Nevada. Today there are significant remnants in Silver City, including a handful of historic structures still in use that serve as direct links to the town's rich past. While the community does not have a large commercial district like Virginia City, Nevada, it does have a post office, a substantial cemetery and buildings that are important to the history of Nevada, such as the Hardwick House, a former icehouse (and former bed and breakfast) built in 1862 that is now a private residence.