"REI's investment in making U.S. cities bicycle friendly is timely, visionary and greatly needed. Cities-big and small-across America are recognizing the many benefits of becoming bike friendly. REI's support will help them move quickly and effectively to succeed," said executive director of Bikes Belong, Tim Blumenthal.

The awards will allow many communities to run innovative projects to encourage cycling for commuting and cycling for pleasure, "REI is pleased to support the Bikes Belong Foundation and the effort to help cities create safer routes for those who enjoy cycling to work and for pleasure. Our involvement grows directly out of REI’s commitment to making outdoor recreation more accessible for everyone," said Brad Brown, vice president of E-Commerce & Web Strategy at Recreational Equipment Inc, and a board member of the Bikes Belong Foundation. ::ENN ::Picture Source