Bicycle Friendly Community

Las Cruces, NM | Bronze Level

Community Highlights: Las Cruces recently completed its first road diet which connects the city and New Mexico State University.  With 47 miles of bike lanes and 13 miles of shared-use path, this project adds to the existing well-connected bicycle network in the city. Las Cruces offers a number of bike-related educational opportunities including a bike maintenance class for women and girls, an afternoon of helmet fitting, health expos, Traffic Skills 101 and Safe Routes to School programs at elementary and high schools.  The city has 9 certified LCIS that actively teach classes, with a number that are city employees.  Las Cruces further promotes cycling in the community through bike rodeos at parks and schools, public campaigns to build awareness, bike route maps, billboards, brochures, t-shirts, and PSAs on the City channel. The city has Visibility Rides, where organized groups ride together during morning rush hour with high visibility shirts to demonstrate how cyclist and drivers can share the road.  The city supports National Bike Month events with staff time, funding and local resources for activities and events throughout May.

Recent Accomplishment: Lac Cruces has made changes at the policy and administrative level to improve bicycling.  This includes adoption of Complete Streets, the appointment of a Sustainability Officer, the formation of the Bicycle Friendly Task Force, and administrative support for such programs as Ciclovia, National Bike Month activities, LAB education, and a Safe Routes to School program.