The Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Inc. of Roanoke has awarded Virginia Bicycling Federation Bicycling Friendly recognitions to the following:
Carilion Clinic: for promoting healthy lifestyle initiatives, sponsoring screening clinics in the downtown market building, financially supporting “the Artie” (the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club’s annual bike ride), and for Carillon’s involvement in the completion of the Hamilton Section of the Roanoke River Greenway.
Valley Metro: for commitment to accommodating cyclists on transit. Valley Metro has placed bike racks on buses. The transit company has incorporated “Bikes on Buses” policy, and provided driver training to share the road with cyclists. This is a national issue that is being dealt with in a proactive manner by Valley Metro.
MOJO Café: owned and operated by Nikki Litwiller and Sybil Barrett, is located on Brambleton Avenue. The Blue Ridge Bicycle Club has a 5:30 AM training ride from Brambleton. The café always has ready a hot cup of coffee and good food to eat.
ShareBike, the vision of Ron McCorkle, was named by his daughter, Reanna. Former VBF board member James Rosar has also been involved from the beginning. ShareBike’s goal is to promote sustainable transportation in Roanoke, by providing a bicycle library for bicycling advocacy, and bikes to rent or borrow — currently at 3 locations in Roanoke.
Senator John Edwards: Senate Bill 546 was patroned by Senator John Edwards of Roanoke. This bill specifically mentions the railroads as being protected from liability when they permit recreational users to cross their owned, or easement acquired property for recreational purposes. Though primarily pushed for by the paddlers and fishermen, and spearheaded by Roanoke’s Bill Tanger of the Friends of the Rivers of Virginia, the Virginia Bicycling Federation joined the coalition of groups supporting this bill in order to help the railroads remove the “liability” argument they have often used when access along, or across, their tracks has been requested.
Councilman Rupert Cutler has championed the bicyclist’s voice on City Council. He has advocated for a downtown connection between the Lick Run Greenway and the Mill Mountain Greenway, initiated dialog for extending the Railwalk to Wise Avenue, spearheaded the Roanoke Valley Kiwanis support for signage along the Lick Run Greenway, requested accountability of city departments for inclusion of bicycle accommodations in road projects, and championed Rails with Trail options to connect the Roanoke River Greenway and the Huckleberry Trail.
Any VBF member organization, or individual member, can give Bicycling Friendly awards to recognize businesses, organizations, or individuals who have made special efforts to be bicycling friendly, or promote bicycling.
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