Bicycle Friendly Communities

Hilton Head Island, SC| Silver Level

Community Highlights: Hilton Head Island has a total of 108 miles of shared use path, allowing visitors and residents near complete access to the island by bike path.  The Island caters to the nearly 2.4 million annual visitors who want to bike by providing two dozen bike shops, hotel/condo projects offering 20,000 rental bikes at all times, Hilton Head’s extensive shared-use pathways system and 12 miles of bikeable beach.  Kiosks are scattered throughout the path system containing bike safety material and bike maps. Bicycle safety flyers are distributed to hotel and resort concierges and timeshare companies for visitors expressing an interest in renting bicycles during their vacations. The annual Pedal 4 Kids charity bike ride began in 2007 recruits many cyclists every year and has raised more than $150,000 for the Hilton Head Island Boys & Girls Club. Approximately 100 local volunteers assist as route marshals, ride leaders, bike safety rodeo instructors, bike mechanics and start/finish officials.  Bicycling is only continuing to become more popular on the island, as the transportation mode was included in a recently completed "Mayor's Task Vision for the Future".

Recent Accomplishment: The annual Town of Hilton Head Island Capital Improvement Budget includes $175,000 for shared-use pathway maintenance. In April 2010 the Lagoon and Avocet Roads shared-use pathway project was completed for a total cost of $257,181 for 1720 linear feet of new shared-use pathway. In May 2010 the New Orleans Road shared-use pathway was completed for a total cost of $509,043 for 3726 linear feet of new shared-use pathway.