Bicycle Friendly Communities

Gainesville, FL | Silver Level

Education: With so many cyclists on Gainesville’s streets, bicyclist and motorist education are critical. The city’s police department works with the community and the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Board to address traffic enforcement in targeted areas related to bicycle hazards and Share the Road issues. Gainesville has a Safe Routes to School program to improve safety and encourage children to bicycle and walk to school. The Florida Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education Program works in association with the local Community Traffic Safety Team on meeting with the County’s school principals to strengthen current efforts. The University of Florida police department has a bicycle safety school, with classes offered every Tuesday night and Saturday morning for those who receive tickets for bicycle violations on campus.

Engineering: The city’s bikeway network comprises 229 miles of striped bike lane and more than 30 miles of shared use path. The city has just completed a critical section of trail that connects the 16-mile Gainesville-Hawthorne Rail-Trail to downtown. The Downtown Connector Rail-Trail will eventually connect with a major east-west trail, the Depot Avenue Rail-Trail.

Evaluation: According to the 2000 Census, a remarkable 5.25 percent of Gainesville residents commute to work by bike, among the highest figures in the nation for a major population center.