Cyclists in The Villages are conducting a Survey in pursuit of a Platinum award – the highest rating given by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) to Bicycle Friendly Communities. They are asking everyone in The Villages – whether you ride a bike a lot, a little or not at all – to fill out the five-minute survey by going to slbikeclub.org/bfc.
The most recent bicycle survey was conducted in 2015 and was part of the successful application for Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community status for The Villages. Gold put The Villages in the top 5 percent of the 450 communities rated by the LAB, a 140-year old national bicycling organization. Now, The Villages cycling community is applying for PLATINUM, the top one percent of all rated communities, so far won by only five cities in the U.S.
The survey will shed light on when and where cyclists ride, which types of roads and paths they prefer to use, their use of educational programs, bicycle maintenance practices, safety measures and more. Its findings are key to the application for Platinum that will be filed with the LAB.
In addition to the 1,000 Villages bike club members and the many, many non-bike club riders, the survey is seeking the views of residents who cycle only occasionally or who are not bicyclists so that the LAB understands the role of biking in the whole community.
Residents are asked to take the survey no later than April 30. If you have any questions or issues with the survey, contact john.komoroske@gmail.com.
