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Cheyenne earns bronze-level bicycle-friendly award, advances Vision Zero goals

City aims to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2040 through innovative policies and infrastructure improvements

(City of Cheyenne)

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Cheyenne has earned a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists, highlighting the city’s commitment to sustainable transportation and safety. The award recognizes Cheyenne’s progress in supporting bicycling infrastructure and its pledge to improve road safety through the Vision Zero resolution, according to a press release by the city.

The Vision Zero policy, adopted by the Cheyenne City Council in June 2024, aims to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on city streets by 2040. The policy focuses on designing roadways that prioritize safety for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

Mayor Patrick Collins said the city’s designation reflects years of work to improve bicycle access and safety, beginning with the Greenway project approved in 1991.

“Our Bicycle Friendly Community designation is a reflection of all the work we’ve done to include bicycles since voters approved the first Greenway segment in 1991,” Collins stated in a press release. “I look forward to continuing to improve our bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in the years to come.”

Cheyenne’s Vision Zero resolution emphasizes that no traffic-related deaths or serious injuries are acceptable and highlights data from the Metropolitan Planning Organization, or MPO. From 2019 to 2022, 25 people in the Cheyenne urban area lost their lives in traffic crashes, with 75 crashes involving pedestrians and 40 involving bicyclists.

The policy aligns with the MPO’s Complete Streets policy, established in 2006, which prioritizes safety and infrastructure improvements for vulnerable road users. It also complements the Wyoming Department of Transportation’s Safe Systems Approach, which seeks to mitigate the severity of traffic crashes.

Cheyenne’s bicycle-friendly designation recognizes the city’s 47 miles of Greenway paths and expanded on-street bike lanes, such as those added along Airport Parkway in 2023. The city has also been proactive in integrating policies that encourage walking, biking and public transit as part of a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

“Bicycling is more than just a mode of transportation — it’s a powerful tool for building healthier communities, fostering sustainability, and connecting people,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. “The cities and towns recognized in this round of awards are leading the way by investing in infrastructure and programs that make biking an easier, safer, and more accessible choice.”

Cheyenne joins a national network of 460 Bicycle Friendly Communities and is one of three Wyoming cities recognized under the program, alongside Laramie and Jackson. Wyoming is currently ranked 44th on the list of bicycle-friendly states, according to the League of American Bicyclists website.

The city’s Vision Zero policy ensures that future infrastructure planning, including projects led by the city engineer, Planning and Development Department and MPO, will prioritize safety and equity for all road users.


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