January 28, 2021
After the announcement of 43 newly designated Bicycle Friendly Businesses on January 27, 2021… drumroll please… it would be Tampa, Florida that surpassed Fort Collins, Colorado as the city with the most Bicycle Friendly Businesses in America.
Once known as a dangerous city for cycling-in the most dangerous state for cycling-the City of Tampa’s dedication to becoming bike friendly and investment in safer biking infrastructure has changed the narrative. In 2015, Tampa went from having 0 to 11 bicycle friendly businesses. In 2016, Tampa made an appearance in Bicycling Magazine as one of the “50 best bike cities.” That same year, they opened their first protected bike lane, which was followed by several more protected bike lanes and plans to add even more. In 2020, Tampa International Airport was designated the first bicycle-friendly airport in the country by the League of American Bicyclists. Today, the number of bicycle friendly businesses in Tampa is 66 and counting.
The City of Tampa's first protected bike lane on Cass Street downtown.
To encourage local businesses to become bike friendly, Tampa Downtown Partnership, the City of Tampa, Florida Department of Transportation, and Pedal Power Promoters collaborate on the Bicycle Friendly Business Certification program, helping businesses pursue certification from the League of American Bicyclists.
“Each business has its own reasons to become a Bicycle Friendly Business, but most cite improving safety as a top priority,” said Christine Acosta, founder of Pedal Power Promoters, in a press release issued by League of American Bicyclists. “Business leaders want to know how to improve bike-friendliness and active transportation and using the BFB application as our framework, we’ve been able to elevate roadway safety literacy in a big way.”
Kittelson’s Tampa Office Joins the List of Bicycle Friendly Businesses
We are honored to have our own Tampa office recognized as one of these 43 in this latest round of recognition from the League of American Bicyclists. Tampa joins our Portland, Boise, and Washington DC offices at the gold level, and joins 1,406 BFBs nationwide, including everything from government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, bike shops, and other employers, all united in a commitment to transform American workplaces to be more welcoming to both customers and employees who bike. We are proud of our team in Tampa for sharing in the City of Tampa’s commitment to bike friendliness.
Our small but mighty Tampa office has also become a contender in Kittelson’s biannual bike challenge. Twice a year, we partake in a friendly firmwide challenge to encourage one another to trade in car trips for bike rides. Kittelson’s Spring Bike Challenge takes place in May in recognition of Bike Month, and we hold an additional competition from mid-October to mid-November. During these bike challenges, we encourage all staff who are interested to take part, whether they log 5 miles for the month or 500. It’s fun to swap photos and see the differences in bicycling experiences from Alaska to Florida and Massachusetts to Arizona.
Let’s Be Bike Friendly Together
Whether certified or not, we know there are many dedicated organizations out there working to improve the comfort and safety of people who bike. If you have tips or ideas from your experience, or suggestions for us on how we can be more bike-friendly, please reach out!