Bicycle Friendly Community

Marquette, MI | Bronze Level

Community Highlights: The City of Marquette established a Bikeability Committee in 2008 to discuss ways to provide a safer environment for the growing cyclist population. Members range from city staff in planning and police, to bike club members to business representatives. The Bikeability Committee drafted a survey addressing three main concerns: cyclists' destinations, routes, and obstacles. The survey results enabled the Committee to identify streets that were most heavily used by cyclists and therefore became priorities for safety solutions and educational opportunities.  Marquette is also working to protect the single track trails currently in the 2,400 acres of undeveloped City-owned property, and the connectivity of outlying areas with a 48 mile east/west corridor through Marquette County.  The Marquette Children’s Museum as well as Northern Michigan University offers the yellow bike, bike-share program. Through this program, community members are able to borrow bikes for the day at a low cost.  Marquette also hosts a number of well attended cycling events.   The Ore to Shore 28 and 48 mile mountain bike race attracts over 2000 racers annually. The Superior Bike Fest attracts over 500 racers and is a tribute to biking of all kinds. The three day event includes a twi-light criterium in downtown Marquette, road bike races that originate and finish in Marquette, circuit races at Presque Isle Park, and downhill and mountain bike racing at Marquette Mountain.

Most Significant Bike-Related Statistic: In a city with a population of 21,000, there are 29 miles of single track, 16 miles of paved multi-use paths, and 4 miles of bike lanes and shoulders. In 2009, Bike Magazine named Marquette's trails among the top "33 of the Greatest Trails in North America". The multi-use paths skirt along Lake Superior lakeshore and provide a beautiful setting for the recreational biker.