Posted by Aaron Boyd (Editor) , July 06, 2014

Bike Walk Connecticut released its first annual scorecard ranking each town in the state.

As part of a 5-year plan to track the progression of Connecticut’s “complete streets” initiative, Bike Walk Connecticut recently released a ranking of each town based on how bike and pedestrian friendly they are.

The rankings were compiled using online surveys of how bike and pedestrian friendly local residents think their towns are; municipal leadership and engagement efforts, including the creation of local bicycle and pedestrian master plans; whether local task forces or advisory groups have been established; whether a “complete streets” policy has been enacted; and related public outreach efforts.

“The surveys and scorecard are expected to be conducted annually as part of Bike Walk Connecticut's new 5-year initiative to make it safer and easier to walk and bike by implementing ‘complete streets’ in cities and towns across Connecticut,” the organization said in the data release.

Read the full article in the Patch here. 

By Kendra Baker on July 5, 2014 


Out of 169 Connecticut municipalities, Wilton has been ranked the 101st walk- and bike-friendly municipality in the state, according to the results of Bike Walk Connecticut’s first-ever statewide bike- and walk-friendly survey.

Based on Bike Walk Connecticut’s survey results, the five most bike- and walk-friendly communities in Connecticut are: Simsbury, New Haven, New Britain, Glastonbury and Middletown.

Bike Walk Connecticut’s survey launched in May and was publicly made available to anyone who works and lives in Connecticut. The not-for-profit organization reported that approximately 2,200 people completed either a bikability survey, walkability survey or both.


Read the full article in the Wilton Bulletin here. 

Monday, July 7, 2014 9:34 PM EDT
By ROBERT STORACE, STAFF WRITER

NEW BRITAIN — Get on your two-wheeler.  Citing the city’s public outreach efforts and municipal leadership, Bike Walk Connecticut has ranked New Britain as the third most bike-friendly community in the state.  It was also deemed the third most walk-friendly community.

Kelly Kennedy, executive director of the non profit, said in a statement that “being able to get around safely by bike or on foot isn’t just a fad or a health issue, or environmental issue. It’s an economic development issue. Towns that are bike and walk friendly are great places to live, work, shop and play.”
> READ THE FULL NEW BRITAIN HERALD STORY HERE.

The Connecticut Post's Week in Photos shows:
Hector Restrepo bikes along Broad Street in downtown Milford, Conn. on Wednesday July 2, 2014. Bike Walk Connecticut released a first-of-its-kind ranking of the state's cities and towns on how bike and walk friendly they are. Simsbury was ranked first, while Milford was ranked at 14th. | Buy this photo from CT Post

The CT Post's What the Health column by Amanda Cuda circulated Bike Walk Connecticut's public opinion survey on bike- and walk-friendly towns:

"Bike Walk Connecticut is conducting a statewide public opinion survey of the bike- and walk-friendliness of Connecticut’s cities and towns. The survey is available at   www.surveymonkey.com/s/bikewalkCT.

You can learn more about this project at www.bikewalkct.org/complete-streets-campaign.  This initiative is made possible through the financial support of the Connecticut Department of Public Health through Cooperative Agreement 1305 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC."

Editorial note:  Although CT had a long winter, it is unlikely that the snow in the photo existed while Bike Walk CT's survey was running in May and June.