NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta, (608) 270-4200, julia.arata-fratta@fitchburgwi.gov
Fitchburg Civic Campus Named a Gold Bicycle Friendly Business
Fitchburg, WI – Sep. 7, 2023 – The City of Fitchburg today announced that its Civic Campus has been designated a Gold Bicycle Friendly Business (BFB) by the League of American Bicyclists. The BFB program recognizes businesses that make bicycling a safe, convenient, and enjoyable option for their employees, customers, and visitors.
The Civic Campus, at 5510-5530 Lacy Road in central Fitchburg, is the location for all public-facing city services and includes City Hall, the Community and Senior Centers, and the Fitchburg Public Library. Approximately 175 city employees work on the Civic Campus, which hosts over a thousand visitors a week.
“We are thrilled to be recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bicycle Friendly Business,” said Mayor Julia Arata-Fratta. “We believe that bicycling is a great way to get around, and we are committed to making city buildings and parks welcoming places for cyclists.”
To earn a Gold BFB award, businesses must meet certain criteria, including providing secure bike parking, allowing employees to bring their bikes to work, and offering incentives for bicycling. In addition, many of the services and infrastructure projects that make Fitchburg a Silver Bicycle Friendly Community are managed from the Civic Campus, including bike rides from the Senior Center, implementation of the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan by the Planning and Public Works departments, BCycle e-bike sharing program that arrived in Fitchburg this spring, and traffic safety management by the Police Department.
“We are proud to be a part of the movement to make bicycling a more popular transportation option,” said Chad Brecklin, City Administrator. “We hope that our recognition as a Bicycle Friendly Business will encourage more people to choose bicycling for their everyday transportation needs.”
The BFB program is part of the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly America initiative, which works to make bicycling safer, more accessible, and more enjoyable for everyone. The program has 1,451 Bicycle Friendly Businesses nationwide, including businesses of all sizes and types.
The city government’s Civic Campus is the latest Bicycle Friendly Business designated in Fitchburg, after a concerted effort to both make local businesses more welcoming to people on bikes and help businesses apply for the designation. Led by Bike Fitchburg, the city’s non-profit advocacy group for biking and walking, and the Fitchburg Chamber Visitors + Business Bureau, all fourteen applicants received awards, including two Platinum, this Gold for the Civic Campus and one other, and four Silver. The remaining six awards were at the Bronze Level.
Bike Fitchburg President Darryl Jordan observed, “Businesses are important destinations for employees and guests. To advance our mission of making biking safer, easier, more fun, and more equitable in Fitchburg, we’re helping businesses become more bike friendly.” Upon request, Bike Fitchburg provides technical assistance on bicycle parking and other measures, helps businesses apply for BFB designation, and covers the application fees of non-profits and small businesses. Organizations can reach out to info@bikefitchburg.org or call (608) 239-3900 to learn more.
A representative of the Wisconsin Bike Fed, a statewide bicycle advocacy organization, will present Fitchburg’s award to the Mayor at the beginning of the Common Council Meeting at City Hall at 7:30 p.m. on September 26. The public is always welcome to attend Common Council meetings.
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About the City of Fitchburg, Wisconsin: Fitchburg is a six-mile-square city of about 32,000 residents in south central Wisconsin. The southern neighbor of the capital city of Madison, Fitchburg was a town before incorporating in 1983, and so is one-third urban and suburban, and two-thirds rolling glacial farmland and natural areas. The city is blessed with three state trails and two mountain bike parks and has developed a dense bicycle transportation network of scenic rural roads, off-road paths, bicycle lanes, and quiet neighborhood streets. www.fitchburgwi.gov
About the League of American Bicyclists: The League 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. www.bikeleague.org.
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