Advocating for a Bicycle-Friendly Lancaster County

What does a Bicycle Friendly Community look like?
A Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) welcomes cyclists by providing safe accommodation for cycling and encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation. The BFC application provides a comprehensive picture of a community by asking questions across five categories often referred to as the Six Es. These are Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation & Planning, and Equality. A community must demonstrate achievements in each of the five categories in order to be considered for an award. Communities with more significant achievements in these areas receive superior awards.

ENGINEERING
Promoting cycling in the community through the existence and content of a bicycle master plan, the accommodation of cyclists on public roads, and the existence of both well-designed bike lanes and multi-use paths in the community and the availability of secure bike parking and the condition and connectivity of both the off-road and on-road network.

Bicycle Routes

An ambitious permanently signed bicycle route network is being developed in Lancaster County, PA. This project features newly designed maps integrating, way-finding signs, cue sheets, and landmark guides. These routes include:

The Bike Lanco Routes
The Heritage Bicycle Routes

The Bicycle PA Route

For a downloadable bicycle map of Lancaster County, click here

Click here for the Lancaster County Parks home page.

For additional information and to help, please email us.


EDUCATION
The availability of cycling education for adults and children, the number of League Cycling Instructors in the community, and other ways that safety information is distributed to both cyclists and motorists in the community including bike maps, tip sheets, and as a part of driver’s education manuals and courses.

Smart Cycling/Advocacy Rides
Currently our Smart Cycling/Advocacy Rides are not available. Keep checking this site for additions to our schedule.

Lancaster Chamber Building, Southern Market Building (W. Vine Street Entrance)
100 S. Queen Street, Lancaster, PA 17603
Schedule; Feb. 25, Mar. 11, 25, Apr. 8, 22, May 13, 27

Lancaster County Public Safety Training Center (Main Entrance)
101 Champ Blvd., Manheim PA 17545
Schedule: Mar. 4, 18, Apr. 1, 15, 29, May 6, 20

Ride Description -
These rides are a combination on road, classroom & advocacy discussion and are organized as a Rain or Shine Schedule. Participants should be committed to completing the League of American Bicyclists BikeEd Road 1/Smart Cycling Course and participating in strategic advocacy discussions related to both regional efforts and local efforts. Riding activities will include urban settings in Lancaster City location and rural & trail settings at Manheim location. Riding activities will include night riding and commuting techniques. Indoor Classroom activities will include open discussions focused on the Cycling Education material and the Six Es of the League of American Bicyclists Bicycle Friendly Community/Business Program; Engineering, Education, Encouragement, Evaluation & Planning, Enforcement, and Equality. For more information contact info@cyclesmartusa.org


These organizations are dedicated to sharing cycling knowledge and skill development.

CYCLE SMART

The League of American Bicyclists

League of Lancaster Bicyclists
Join us for our weekly community bike rides around beautiful Lancaster County! Anyone can join in for free, and we offer rides on Saturday and Sunday through the winter.


ENCOURAGEMENT
How the community promotes and encourages bicycling through Bike Month and Bike to Work Week events as well as producing community bike maps, route finding signage, community bike rides, commuter incentive programs, and having a Safe Routes to School program. Includes other items that have been built to promote cycling or a cycling culture such as off-road facilities, BMX parks, velodromes, and the existence of both road and mountain bicycling clubs.


Community Ride Schedule
Saturday 10:00 AM - Category A ride - This is an average ride, suited for all level cyclists, relatively flat terrain, light traffic. Distance: 10-15 miles.

Saturday 1:00 PM - Category C ride - This is a challenging ride, rolling terrain with some steep climbs, medium traffic. Distance: 20-25 miles.

Rides depart from Lancaster County Public Safety Training Center
(101 Champ Blvd • Manheim, PA 17545)

In case of inclement weather, Club Members & Guests are invited to an impromptu Mechanical Class hosted by Cycle Circle Bicycle Shop, 131 N. Plum Street, Lancaster City. (See below)

Ride Category Legend:
All Rides are Open to League Members and Guests and are led by League-Certified Cycling Instructors. ALL cyclists ride at their own pace with stronger cyclists looping back to last cyclists at turning intersections.

  • Category A - This is an average ride, suited for all level cyclists, relatively flat terrain, light traffic
  • Category C - This is a challenging ride, rolling terrain with some steep climbs, medium traffic
  • Category D - This is a difficult ride, along with rolling terrain and steep climbs ride and includes longer distances and faster riding pace, some heavier traffic conditions.
  • Category T - This is a trail ride for all level cyclists, flat terrain. We will schedule more trail rides as needed.
  • Category M - In the case of a rain-out situation Club Members & Guests are invited to an impromptu Mechanical Class hosted by Cycle Circle Bicycle Shop, 131 N. Plum Street, Lancaster City.

Cycling Groups

Cycling Events

Bicycle Shops
Here is list of several area bicycle shops:

BICYCLE BARN - 717-445-8508
839 Reading Road • East Earl, PA 17519

BICYCLE OUTFITTERS - 717-361-8100
51 S. Market Street • Elizabethtown, PA 17022

BIKE LINE - (717) 394-8998
117 Rohrerstown Rd • Lancaster, PA 17603

CYCLE CIRCLE - 717-295-3193
131 North Plum Street • Lancaster, PA 17602

ERA SKI & BIKE SHOP
830 Flory Mill Road • Lancaster, PA 17601

LANCASTER BICYCLE SHOP - 717-299-9445
1138 Manheim Pike • Lancaster, PA 17601

MARTINS BIKE SHOP - 717-354-9157
1194 Division Highway • Ephrata, PA 17522

SHIRKS BIKE SHOP - 717-445-5731
1649 Ligalaw Road • East Earl, PA 17519

GREEN MOUNTAIN CYCLERY - 717-859-2422
285 S. Reading Road • Ephrata, PA 17522


EVALUATION & PLANNING
What systems are in place to evaluate current programs and plan for the future. Measurements include the amount of cycling taking place in the community, the crash and fatality rates, and ways that the community works to improve these numbers. If communities have a bike plan, how much of it has been implemented and what next steps are being taken for improvement.

The Lancaster County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council


ENFORCEMENT
Measuring the connections between the cycling and law enforcement communities. Does the law enforcement community have a liaison with the cycling community, if there are bicycle divisions of the law enforcement or public safety communities, does the community use targeted enforcement to encourage cyclists and motorists to share the road safely, and the existence of bicycling related laws supporting the safety of bicyclists.

Discussion:
Heading home from work yesterday, I ran five red lights and three stop signs, went the wrong way down a one-way street, and took a left across two lanes of oncoming traffic. My excuse: I was on a bike. Read the full article.


EQUALITY

The equal legal status and equal treatment of cyclists in traffic law. All US states must adopt fair, equitable and uniform traffic laws, that are “vehicle-neutral” to the greatest extent possible. Cyclists’ ability to access to all destinations must be protected. State and local laws that discriminate against cyclists, or restrict their right to travel, or reduce their relative safety, must be repealed.