A golden standard: Provo honored as bike-friendly community
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- A woman rides her bike across the street Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Provo.
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- A bike lane is pictured Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Provo.
Designated bike lanes can be found on the side of several major roads throughout Provo — all products of heavy investment the city has put into making itself cyclist-friendly.
The city was honored for its efforts Thursday by the League of American Bicyclists with a gold-level bicycle friendly community award, which recognizes the city’s commitment to improving biking conditions for residents through its infrastructure, policies and bicycle promotion.
Provo received bronze-level status by the League of American Bicyclists in 2012 and silver-level status in 2016 and 2020. Since 2020, the city said $21 million has been spent on bicycle infrastructure improvements, and that an additional $46 million is projected to be spent on biking infrastructure in the next five years.
“This amount and type of bicycle infrastructure investment is not done by Provo City alone but includes many partners: the Utah Department of Transportation, Utah Transit Authority, Mountainland Association of Governments, Utah County, Brigham Young University, BikeWalk Provo, the Provo Bike Hub, and of course the Provo Mayor’s office and the City Council,” said Provo traffic manager Vern Keeslar in a statement. “I am grateful for their continued partnership and support to complete these important mobility projects.”
Provo Mayor Marsha Judkins said in a statement that becoming a bike-friendly community is a result of investment and partnerships that have made the city safer and more sustainable.
“These investments improve safety, support healthier lifestyles, connect communities, and add to our quality of life,” Judkins said. “We are proud of this progress and committed to continuing to improve our transportation network so Provo remains a place where families, students, and commuters can thrive.”
According to Provo Public Works spokesman Joseph Gandy, within the last five years, the city has put the “finishing touches” on Cougar Boulevard, the State Street Trail from 1860 S. to 900 South, and 500 West bike projects.
He cited more recent improvement projects, such as the reconstruction of 300 South with bike lanes and bikeway traffic signals, a pedestrian and bike bridge over the FrontRunner station, Provo River Trail upgrades and reconstruction, bike lanes on University Avenue and Canyon Road, and Lakeview Parkway Trail.
The 820 North and University Avenue bridges will also have improved bike and pedestrian lanes upon completion.
“(These projects) have all contributed to the increased accessibility and connectivity for active transportation in our community,” Gandy told the Daily Herald.
