City Named Bronze-Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists; Bike/Ped Plan Public Meeting Planned for March 10, 2025

The League of American Bicyclists has honored the efforts of the City of Portsmouth to build better places for people to bike by renewing its status as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC). The award recognizes Portsmouth’s commitment to improving conditions for all people who bike through investments in bike education programs, regular bike events that promote and encourage people to choose biking, pro-bike policies, and bike infrastructure. Portsmouth is one of 91 new and renewing award recipients in this round, joining 460 communities across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, in the League’s efforts to promote safer streets and better bicycling for everyone. 

The City completed a Portsmouth Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan in 2014 as a comprehensive strategy to make bicycling and walking safe, comfortable, and convenient for people of all ages and abilities. Since then, the City has made progress implementing the recommendations of the Plan and building the City's network to increase walking and bicycling. An update to that Plan is now in the final stages of community review and input, incorporating recent “best practices” to create a tool to coordinate citywide projects, policies and programs related to active transportation. 

A public meeting to discuss the draft of the 2025 update of the Bicycle Pedestrian Plan will take place on Monday, March 10, 2025, at 6:30 pm in the Council Chambers at City Hall. For more information go to ports.co/bikepedplan.

“The renewal of Portsmouth’s Bicycle Friendly Community Award reflects the fact that as a City, we are constantly evaluating and measuring our progress towards implementing bicycle and pedestrian amenities, helping to guide capital investments, and identifying additional funding options,” said City Planning & Sustainability Department Director Peter L. Britz. “We are honored to share that commitment with the hundreds of communities across the country who align with the League of American Bicyclists’ commitments.” 

“Bicycling is more than just a mode of transportation—it’s a powerful tool for building healthier communities, fostering sustainability, and connecting people,” said Bill Nesper, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists. “The cities and towns recognized in this round of Bicycle Friendly Community awards are leading the way by investing in infrastructure and programs that make biking an easier, safer, and more accessible choice. This award is presented only to communities with strong commitments to bicycling. Portsmouth’s leadership demonstrates that supporting bicycling is an investment in a healthier future for everyone.” 

About the League of American Bicyclists

The League of American Bicyclists leads the national movement to create a Bicycle Friendly America for everyone. With a history dating to 1880, the League is committed to engaging diverse communities and building a powerful, unified voice for change around protecting and promoting bicyclists’ rights. Learn more at www.bikeleague.org.