Bicycle Friendly Communities

State College - Centre Region, PA | Bronze Level

Recent bicycling investment: The City costructed the Old Gatesburg Road Extension Shared Use Path (0.7 miles) and designed the Whitehall Road/University Drive Safety Improvement Project that includes the addition of bike lanes (2.96 miles).

Bicycling highlights: The Centre Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) is comprised of six municipalities: College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, and Patton Townships; and State College Borough. The CRCOG has a defined process for implementing regional projects that cross municipal boundaries and has partnered with Penn State to move forward regional bike projects on several occasions. The Region is committed to an interconnected regional network of bike facilities and has adopted individual plans and/or official maps to ensure bikes are accommodated as part of future development.
With an existing system of approximately 38 miles of shared use paths, 18 miles of signed bike routes and 9 miles of bike lanes the Region has started to build an interconnected system of bicycle facilities to meet the needs of the community. The system provides connections between residences, commerce, recreation and employment centers. Many facilities provide an alternative transportation option for those traveling to the County's largest employer, Penn State University. The Region's urban setting is surrounded by miles of rural roadways and publicly owned lands that provide opportunities for both on and off road cyclists.
At community meetings citizens talk about the importance of the existing bicycle network and request additional facilities. The Region is home to numerous active bicycle groups that organize and coordinate annual rides and races. BicyclePA Route G, one of Pennsylvania's first designated statewide touring routes, travels through three of the municipalities. As the largest employer in the County and with a Fall 2011 enrollment of 45,914 students Penn State is working with the Region to encourage a mix of travel choices to get individuals to, from and through campus.

Percentage of arterial streets with dedicated bicycle facilities: 56%

Bicycling education in 100% middle schools

Signature cycling events: Centre Volunteers in Medicine Charity Ride, Bestwick Foundation Ride, Four Townships and a Borough Tour, Annual Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference Sponsored Event, Stoopid 50, Wilderness 101, Transylvania Epic, MS 150, RBR Recumbent Rally, College of Education Fund Raiser Ride, Linden Loop

Some coming bicycling improvements: The community is planning to construct the Whitehall Road/University Drive Safety Improvement Project which includes 2.96 miles of bike lanes. In 2012, the Borough of State College is set to launch a three-year educational and safety community campaign-- the Bicycle Ambassador Program. The goals of the campaign are to: promote bicycling as a mode of transportation through community outreach and share-the-road practices, educate the community on safe bicycling techniques and local conditions and increase bicycle enforcement to encourage safe and legal riding. The program will also develop a Share the Road Campaign, provide additional information via the web, and persue a citation diversion program.