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For bottom-ranked Alabama, which dropped from 17.4 points last year, one suggestion read, “Alabama has a high rate of bicyclist fatalities. Ensure that bicycle safety is a major emphasis in all transportation projects, programs and policies to address this issue.”
So what makes a state bike-friendly? There are several factors, the League notes, including:
- There is a designated Transportation Alternatives program manager and the state bicycle and pedestrian coordinator works full-time on biking and walking issues.
- State office buildings, state park and recreation facilities, and other state facilities are required to provide bicycle parking.
- People on bikes and pedestrians have access across all major bridges and tunnels.
- There are increased penalties injuring or killing vulnerable road users, including bicyclists.
- Speed limits can be 20mph or lower.
- It is illegal for drivers to drive distracted or use a handheld cell phone or to text while driving.
- Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funds are spent promptly on bicycling and walking projects, and not transferred.
- The tourism board actively promotes bicycle tourism.
- There are few bicyclist fatalities.
- The state has up to date statewide bicycle and pedestrian plans and is making progress towards implementing them.
- Bicycles are allowed on Amtrak trains, regional passenger rail and state operated buses.
- The state has a Share the Road campaign and a Share the Road driver training for state employees.
It’s also important for states to sponsor initiatives and awareness campaigns to promote biking. Wired noted how Massachusetts (which shot up to fourth place after coming in 10th last year) launched a GreenDOT program that aims triple the amount of walking, bicycling and public transit use in the state between 2010 and 2030 as a health and environmental sustainability initiative.
“We really saw them step up and commit to biking, walking being an important part of their transportation system,” Ken McLeod, a legal specialist who worked on the rankings, told Wired.
Hopefully, other states will further develop initiatives to get people to ditch four wheels for two. Besides, more people are biking than ever. In an previous post, we mentioned that bike commuting has boomed 60 percent in the last decade, making it the fastest-growing mode of transportation.
The top 10 most bike-friendly states are listed below. If your state isn’t on the list, click on this link to see the complete rankings.
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