Hennepin County is the first Minnesota county to receive Bicycle Friendly Community silver status from the League of American Bicyclists.

"This award acknowledges how far Hennepin County has come in the past 25 years,” said Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. “We couldn’t have dreamed of this much progress even a few years ago. Our residents benefit from a robust bicycle network within Hennepin County that also connects to our neighboring counties. We are fortunate to live in a bicycling county and a bicycling region.”

Regional trails in Hennepin County had more than 8.1 million trail visits in 2014 and more than 8 million visits in 2013. Also, 1.8 percent of commuters primarily biked to work in 2013. This compares to 0.8 percent across Minnesota and 0.6 percent nationwide. The bicycle network includes buffered bike lanes, cycle tracks and trails connecting the entire county.

Residents and visitors enjoy 651 miles of on-and off-street bikeways in Hennepin County.

'Strong commitments to bicycling'

Nationwide, no standalone county has received recognition above the silver level.

Previously, Hennepin County’s highest designation was honorable mention. The League of American Bicyclists status levels – bronze, silver, gold, platinum and diamond – are valid for four years.

The league described the selection process: “This decision involved careful review of the application, supplemental material and consultation with local cyclists. This award is presented only to communities with strong commitments to bicycling.”

Hennepin County will continue to improve bicycling conditions by making the system safer and more comfortable for all ages and abilities, while continuing to expand the bikeway network.

Visit www.hennepin.us/ridehennepin for the Hennepin County bike map and riding tips.