As a Chapel Hill Transit worker, David Deming spends most of his day driving a bus.
But when he commutes on his own time, Deming enjoys riding his bicycle.
“Biking is encouraged in Chapel Hill because people feel safe doing it,” he said.
Deming and more than 30 other residents celebrated the designation of Chapel Hill as a “Bicycle Friendly Community” Friday at University Mall.
The League of American Bicyclists named Chapel Hill a bronze-level biking community, which recognizes that the town allocates more funding to bike planning compared to other communities.
The award is given to cities that accommodate bikers beyond normal regulations, like providing citizens with frequent bike paths and bike parking around the city.
Carrboro received a silver-level award for extensive bike and pedestrian development in town planning.
At the event, Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt and Bill Nesper, director of the Bicycle Friendly America Program, unveiled signs that will be displayed across Chapel Hill that showcase the town’s award.
Local resident and retail distributor Erik Broo attended the event to participate in Goldsprints, a program that allows riders on stationary bikes to compete in a timed race.
