LABELLE FL. -- Florida jumped 20 places to rank 12th in the nation among the most bicycle-friendly states, according to the League of American Bicyclists.
Rural Hendry and Glades county are some of the more bicycle friendly local areas, according to some enthusiasts, pointing to the many miles of sparsely traveled roadways in Port LaBelle including Banyan Village.The Port LaBelle subdivision is Hendry county's largest.
The Corps of Engineers maintains a path accessible by bicycles along the entire length of the Caloosahatchee River from Port LaBelle to the Ortona Locks. At the locks, bicyclists can walk over the lock to reach Glades county at Ortona.
Hendry county has in recent years completed a bike path completely surrounding Port LaBelle's Eucalyptus Village, with the path continuing east to the LaBelle Middle School, and sidewalks and a bike path traveling to the west on Cowboy Way all the way to State Road 80. The county has erected 'Share The Road' with bicycles at the Hendry/Lee county line on County Road 78 on the north side of the Caloosahatchee River.
Glades county also has many rural roads with not much traffic including the communities of Muse, Ortona , Buckhead Ridge, Lakeport, and streets throughout Moore Haven.
''Making Florida safer and more accessible for bicyclists is a priority for the Florida Department of Transportation,'' said Stephanie Kopelousos, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary. ''We're encouraged by the progress we've made and are committed to making the Sunshine State a better place to ride your bike.''
The Bicycle Friendly States program ranks states based on a 95-item questionnaire that evaluates a state�s commitment to bicycling and covers six key areas: legislation, policies and programs, infrastructure, education and encouragement, evaluation and planning, and enforcement.
Florida ranked third in the nation in policies and programs and in the top 10 for infrastructure and evaluation. FDOT worked carefully with other state agencies and bicycling groups to compile the state's responses. In fact, the department has formed the Bicycle and Pedestrian Partnership Council which meets for the first time in late June. Working with multiple partners, the council will make recommendations on design, planning, safety and other programs involving bicycle and pedestrian issues throughout the state.
FDOT's seven districts have pedestrian-bicycle coordinators who consider the pedestrian and bicycle aspects of FDOT facilities, projects and programs in their areas.
For more information about the 2010 Bicycle Friendly State Rankings, please go to http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/bicyclefriendlystate/ . For more information about FDOT's bicycling programs, please go to www.dot.state.fl.us and select 'Bicycle' from the list of topics on the menu of topics.
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