TPA moves up a level as a Bicycle Friendly Business
The League of American Bicyclists announced that Tampa International Airport is the only U.S. Airport to be recognized at the Silver level for its commitment to accommodating cyclists.
Tampa International Airport has retained its title as the first and only Airport qualifying as a Bicycle Friendly Business in the United States, this time upgrading to the Silver designation, the League of American Bicyclists announced Thursday.
The award is an honor earned by organizations contributing to building a more bike-friendly America through engineering and education.
“We are thrilled to achieve the Silver designation from the League of American Bicyclists,” TPA Chief Development Officer Smitha Radhakrishnan said. “This award highlights the positive effects of our ongoing efforts to promote cycling, contribute to a healthier workforce and enhance connectivity between the airport and our surrounding community.”
TPA first received the award in 2020 at the Bronze level, but now qualifies for the Silver level, which recognizes the Airport shows a growing commitment to accommodating cyclists, whether they are travelers or employees.
Among the changes TPA has implemented since the 2020 award is to create amenities that foster bicycle ridership and commuting, as included in the Airport’s Master Plan.
Some of those improvements included installing new bike racks on campus for both employees and the traveling public with security surveillance, plus adding a repair station at the Rental Car Center. An indoor storage room at the SkyCenter One office building is available for employees who want to bike to work. The room also stores several loaner bikes that workers are allowed to check out and use whenever they’d like.
Employees who use the parking lot north of the Main Terminal also have their own repair station and covered bicycle parking.
The Airport further built a 1.5-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail that loops around SkyCenter One development and Cell Phone Waiting Lot, eventually connecting Tampa Airport into a wider regional trail network.
TPA hosted several bicycle-friendly events in the past few years, including one in the Airport’s Main Terminal for the nonprofit organization Walk Bike Tampa for Tampa’s National Bike Month in May 2024.
These enhancements helped boost TPA to the Silver level, a designation the Airport will keep for the next four years.
More than 1,200 businesses are recognized as Bicycle Friendly Businesses, but TPA remains the only U.S. Airport with the designation. The award comes ahead of Bike to Work Week, May 12-18, which aims to encourage people to consider biking as a form of commuting.
“During National Bike to Work Week, the League is thrilled to recognize such a large workplace and presence in Tampa by advancing TPA to the Silver Bicycle Friendly Business award level,” said Bill Nesper, executive director of the League of American Bicyclists. “As the only major airport in the Bicycle Friendly Business program, TPA’s participation has always been primarily about supporting the thousands of commuters who work there and who deserve safe, dignified transportation options on a daily basis – including bicycling.”
