Bicycle Friendly Community

Lawrence, KS | Bronze Level

Education: Lawrence is a leader in encouraging cycling and educational efforts to improve the safety of the activity. The city has dedicated September to bicycle education for children; May is Bicycle Awareness Month, focused on educating all road users about bicycle regulations and safety. Lawrence recently upgraded bike-parking facilities in Downtown Lawrence, one of the city’s primary shopping and entertainment districts, to make it both safer and more practical to bike to work and on errands. The Share the Road Campaign kicks off every year in May during Bicycle Safety Month. They educate drivers and cyclists on the etiquette of sharing the road with one another through real-life demonstrations, teaching hand signals and distributing brochures. The city stands out among cities in Kansas and the Plains region for its high level of bicycle use. According to the 2000 census, 1.3 percent of Lawrence’s population regularly bikes to work—almost three times the national average.