We’re making biking better in California through funding local bike projects, supporting pro-bike policies and legislation at the local and state levels and highlighting great hometown routes on Ride Spot. In March 2020, we helped stop a measure in Marin and Sonoma Counties that would have eliminated the voter approved plans to finish building the North-South Greenway, a bike/pedestrian path that would connect residents between Cloverdale to Larkspur. In spring 2020, our Community Grant Program helped fund the relocation and rebuilding of the Silver Dollar BMX tracks in Chico.

Officials and advocates enjoy the new Pershing Bikeway on its opening day. PHOTO CREDIT: San Diego County Bicycle Coalition

More than 200 high-priority bike projects were constructed across the U.S. in the last year according to PeopleForBikes’ National Bike Project Tracker, a first-of-its-kind database as part of our Great Bike Infrastructure Project. 

With the goal of creating more safe, fun, and connected places to ride in communities nationwide, the Great Bike Infrastructure Project is fast-tracking thousands of bike projects in all 50 states. From protected bike lanes to multi-use paths to singletrack mountain bike trails, each project in our database features a basic description and project status — proposed or planned, approved but not funded, funded and ready for construction, or completed — alongside useful links for people to support local advocacy organizations and get projects across the finish line in their backyard.


As we enter the second year of the Great Bike Infrastructure Project, we’re celebrating a few of our favorite projects that were completed in the last 12 months along with the many benefits that bike projects can offer communities of all shapes and sizes. 

300 West is a critical north-south arterial road in Salt Lake City that previously wasn’t safe for biking. Local leaders took advantage of the need to repave the street to make much needed improvements, implementing Complete Streets strategies championed by the Great Bike Infrastructure Project. Using funding from the city’s “Funding Our Future” program, a local sales tax that can be a great funding source for creating better places to bike, the city constructed new crosswalks, planted trees for shade, and built a new 10-foot-wide bike path adjacent to the sidewalk so bike riders and pedestrians can both travel freely without conflict.  

San Diego’s new Pershing Bikeway connects the diverse North Park neighborhood to bike lanes near downtown through Balboa Park. The final 2.3-mile project includes a combined two-way protected bike lane connecting to a separate bike path which then connects to one-way protected bike lanes. The bikeway creates a more comfortable and convenient way for people of all ages and abilities to travel while providing an important link in San Diego’s growing connected bike network. 

Madison is expanding access to close-to-home recreation for thousands of local residents thanks to the recently completed singletrack trails through Sycamore Park. The 1.5-mile “adventure trail” features natural surfaces optimized for biking. Portions of the trail are covered in a natural stone chip seal surface while others are made up of native soil, wood, and stone. While communities on the west and south sides of Madison have access to many miles of singletrack, this new section of trail expands riding opportunities on the east side of the city, where trail access was previously scarce.


Is there a local bike project in your community that needs support? Explore our interactive map to identify projects in your area and let us know if we need to add a new project to our list. You can also explore our tools and resources to help advance more bike projects in your backyard. PeopleForBikes is committed to making sure every one of the more than 1,800 projects in our database is constructed to share the countless benefits of safe, fun, and connected places to ride with millions of people across the U.S.

Bike Projects Are Benefiting Communities Nationwide

This November, $25 billion in funding for better biking is on ballots in cities, counties, and states from coast to coast. Through our VoteForBikes campaign, PeopleForBikes tracks and advocates for ballot measures that make it safer and easier to ride a bike in communities across the country.

LEARN ABOUT PRO-BIKE MEASURES ON YOUR BALLOT

With election season in full swing, we collected seven of the most important measures on state and local ballots in the 2024 general election that could significantly move the needle for better bike riding across the U.S. 

This harmful measure could eliminate critical funding for multi-modal transportation opportunities in the state of Washington. If approved, Initiative 2117 will repeal the 2021 Climate Commitment Act (CCA), Washington’s cap-and-invest program designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In doing so, the transformational $1.3 billion in funding for bike and pedestrian projects that are included in the Move Ahead Washington package funded by the CCA will no longer be available. This measure will drastically reduce, and even eliminate, safe and connected places to ride a bike throughout Washington while setting a dangerous precedent for climate and transportation policy in other states across the U.S. 

Proposition 1 will replace the expiring Levy to Move Seattle that was approved by voters in 2015 to invest in and expand the city’s transportation system. The current levy represents one third of the Seattle Department of Transportation budget, positioning this measure as an important opportunity to continue funding safe and connected ways to move around Seattle over the next eight years. The measure outlines a $1.55 billion investment, including significant funding to build new protected bike lanes and greenways, adding safety features to existing bike lanes, improving bike accessibility on roads, and completing network gaps, particularly in southern Seattle.

A $10 billion general obligation bond is on the ballot for residents of the Golden State, which will invest in a variety of climate-focused projects including safe drinking water, wildfire prevention, drought preparedness, clean air, open space preservation, and expanded recreation opportunities. Of the $10 billion, nearly $2 billion will directly impact places to ride a bike through the construction of new trails, maintenance and improvement of existing trails, and support of active transportation infrastructure. This measure illustrates how bikes can be positioned as an effective vehicle for climate action by reducing the number of car trips and facilitating greater connection with the outdoors.


City and County of San Francisco, California

Residents of San Francisco have an opportunity to permanently dedicate car-free space on the Parkway at Upper Great Highway alongside Ocean Beach. If approved, this measure will provide space for people to enjoy the outdoors; increase transportation access for those who walk, bike, roll, and use transit; and preserve delicate natural resources along the city’s picturesque coastline. Children, families, commuters, and outdoor enthusiasts will all be able to enjoy a safe place to bike in the park without the fear of riding in traffic while enjoying the views and a sense of community if this measure is approved. 


Environment and Natural Resources Fund Amendment

Minnesotans have the opportunity to continue the state’s long history of protecting and enjoying the outdoors by reauthorizing lottery revenue to the Environment and Natural Resources Fund through 2050. This amendment will provide a stable source of funding for projects that protect, conserve, and enhance air, water, land, and wildlife while expanding opportunities to recreate across the state, including the creation and expansion of biking trails as well as historic biking tours. The proposed measure also increases the amount of funding that can be dispersed from the fund for community grants that invest in underserved communities so everyone can access the many benefits of nature. If approved, nearly $3 billion in revenue will be generated over the next 25 years to support the fund.

The Maine Trails Bond represents a first-ever opportunity to fund a network of trails across the state if approved by voters. This measure will issue up to $30 million to establish the Maine Trails Program and oversee the design, development, and maintenance of recreation and active transportation trails. One-quarter of the funds will support non-motorized trails, another quarter of funds will support motorized trails, and the remaining funds will support multi-use trails. Funds will prioritize sustainability and accessibility to promote outdoor access for all and significantly expand opportunities to ride a bike across Maine. 

Central Ohio Transit Authority (Columbus, Ohio)

To keep pace with development in Columbus and surrounding areas, the proposed sales and use tax for the Central Ohio Transit Authority represents a historic opportunity to generate revenue and strengthen the region’s multimodal transportation system. Nearly one-third of funding generated from the sales tax will go towards transit-supportive projects including bike and pedestrian infrastructure. The proposed measure outlines plans to build 500 miles of new bike paths, multi-use trails, and sidewalks by 2050 to complement transit infrastructure that will significantly increase mobility options for people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds in the region. 

Ensure your voice is heard this November by making a plan to vote, including checking voter registration deadlines. You can make a difference in your community by visiting our VoteForBikes tracker to identify a pro-bike measure on your ballot. Spread the word about exciting opportunities to improve biking in your backyard by sharing these ballot measures with your family, friends, neighbors, and community members. We can all pave the way for more safe, fun, and connected places to ride a bike in our communities by voting for bikes this election day.

$25 Billion is on the Ballot for Bikes This November

Every year, PeopleForBikes advocates on behalf of the bike industry and bike riders across the country to support the construction of fun, safe, and connected places to ride that welcome more people to the joys of bicycling. 


From championing e-mobility lithium-ion battery safety, to mandating Complete Streets for improved road safety, to advancing the construction of bike infrastructure through climate legislation, PeopleForBikes successfully advocated for a multitude of policies at the state and local levels during the 2024 legislative session that will support bike businesses and riders of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds nationwide.

The safety of e-mobility lithium-ion batteries was a top priority for many states and communities across the U.S. this legislative session.

Following the guidance of PeopleForBikes and other industry experts, New York passed legislation to ensure the quality and safety of e-mobility products while maintaining accessibility to equitable transportation options. The legislation requires that e-bike and other e-mobility lithium-ion batteries be tested to standards that ensure the safety of the products the batteries power. It also enables the enforcement of products that do not meet these standards and contribute to unsafe conditions, including battery fires. 


Read more about this important legislation.

In June, the Chicago City Council committed to working with the bicycle industry and other stakeholders to amend a proposed battery safety ordinance to align with similar safety legislation in New York so individuals, retailers, and manufacturers can rely on consistent e-bike battery testing requirements across the country.

PeopleForBikes looks forward to continuing our work with states and municipalities across the country to promote uniform and effective battery testing regulations that ensure that e-bike batteries sold and used in the U.S. meet the highest safety standards.


PeopleForBikes recognizes the three-class system as the framework to categorize and regulate low-speed electric bicycles (e-bikes). Currently, 43 states officially recognize our model legislation. In 2024, Oregon and Rhode Island signed the three-class system into law. This system promotes a uniform definition of e-bikes across the country to mitigate confusion for riders, retailers, manufacturers, and regulators. 

PeopleForBikes will continue supporting the classification of electric bicycles as bicycles (not motorized vehicles) and will work with legislators to showcase the need for clear definitions and strong enforcement so that bicycles, and bicycling infrastructure, are protected. 


Out-of-Class Electric Vehicle Legislation 

Due to the constantly evolving range of electrically powered devices entering the marketplace and the growth of their use nationwide, PeopleForBikes led efforts to define products that exceed the speed and power limitations of the three-class system and federal law as out-of-class electric vehicles (OCEVs). 


Utah and Minnesota passed landmark OCEV legislation to promote safety and protect hard-won access for bicycles on state trails and paths. You can read more both here and here about why this legislation is so critical. 


PeopleForBikes will continue helping states and municipalities better define and enforce the difference between electric bicycles and overpowered, higher-speed, out-of-class electric vehicles (including electric dirt bikes) to protect the rights of bike riders across the country.

Cities and states nationwide continue to prioritize sustainable, equitable, and accessible forms of transportation through e-bike purchase incentives and rebate programs. This year, the Atlanta City Council approved a $1 million incentive for the purchase of e-bikes and the Bentonville City Council in Arkansas approved $2.25 million in grant funding for an e-bike rebate program.


With $20 million in funding approved in 2023, Portland City Council approved an implementation plan for the city’s e-bike incentive program set to launch in 2025. Michigan legislators also approved $2.95 million in funding for an e-bike purchase incentive program in their state budget to implement a statewide e-bike transportation incentive program. 

The 2024 legislative session included many recreation policy wins that PeopleForBikes helped secure to continue building momentum for eMTB access on natural surface trails. 

In Oregon and Colorado, PeopleForBikes supported the passage of recreational immunity bills that protect landowners from liability resulting from the use of their lands by other individuals for recreational purposes, including mountain biking.

The Tahoe National Forest prepared a Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) and final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Pines to Mines Trail Project. The project, totaling 72 miles of new, natural surface trails, will provide expanded recreation opportunities on National Forest System lands. It also authorizes the use of Class 1 electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) on all new and existing trails where traditional mountain bikes are already allowed within the project area.

A National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment is also underway in the Tahoe National Forest, utilizing a forest-wide approach. This first-of-its-kind approach could yield historic results that allow entire forest districts to allow Class 1 eMTBs on natural surface trails, as opposed to laws differing by individual trail systems. 


Look out for more recreation and eMTB policy wins as we continue engagement with state and local land managers to open access for Class 1 eMTBs on multi-use singletrack trails in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, and Utah. Additionally, PeopleForBikes is working on recreational trail access for mountain biking within the implementation of the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule. 


A lack of safe places to ride is one of the most significant barriers preventing Americans from biking. Dedicated funding streams for the construction of bike infrastructure creates more safe and connected places to bike, which in turn increases bicycling participation. The construction of bike infrastructure also contributes to other co-benefits, including positive public health outcomes, economic vitality, reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and transportation equity.  


As of July, PeopleForBikes has helped secure nearly $1.5 billion for the construction of bike infrastructure that increases safe places to ride bikes through our 2024 VoteForBikes campaign. With a potential $2 billion more on the November general election ballot, 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for bike infrastructure funding. Stay tuned for our post-election VoteForBikes recap to see how much funding PeopleForBikes helped secure for local communities across the country! 


In addition to our work advocating for bikes at the ballot box, PeopleForBikes supported additional legislation to fund bike infrastructure, including Minnesota’s Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund that invests more than $11 million in the expansion and enhancement of recreational trails, active transportation infrastructure, and mountain bike access across the state. 


Passing dedicated funding streams for bikes and bike infrastructure at the state and local levels is the most important policy priority for PeopleForBikes. We will continue paving the way for the construction of infrastructure that allows more people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds across the country to safely and efficiently travel around their communities and access more opportunities to ride a bike.


PeopleForBikes continues to advocate for legislation that reduces serious injuries, saves lives, and allows people to travel safely throughout their community with confidence. Reducing speed limits and actual vehicle speeds is one of the most effective ways to improve road safety and save lives.

After four years of hard work, PeopleForBikes was honored to support local advocates in New York as Governor Kathy Hochul signed Sammy’s Law into law in May. The new law allows New York City to implement a 20 mile per hour speed limit with additional 10 and 15 mile per hour zones. This legislation will dramatically increase safety for people walking and biking on roads with a high volume of motor vehicles. 


Michigan and Virginia also passed legislation that makes it easier for local municipalities to lower speed limits that are appropriate for the context and needs of those communities. 

We know that in addition to lower speed limits, safer road designs reduce motor vehicle speeds, one of the most significant causes of serious injuries and deaths on roads. As a result, Complete Streets mandates — which require the construction of bike infrastructure when roads are reconstructed or repaved — are one of the most effective policies communities can implement for improved road safety. Complete Streets also close gaps in transportation networks and enable all road users, regardless of their mode of transportation, to easily access places that they need to go. PeopleForBikes will continue to fight for legislation that mandates Complete Streets to promote safe and thriving communities. 

In March, voters in Los Angeles, California, one of the nation’s most car-centric cities, approved Measure HLA. This requires the implementation of the city’s Mobility Plan, including bike and pedestrian infrastructure when road construction or repaving occurs. PeopleForBikes endorsed this measure to increase transportation opportunities and accessibility, improve road safety, promote health, and reduce transportation-related GHG emissions. 


As part of historic legislation, Minnesota also strengthened the state’s Complete Streets policy by adding PeopleForBikes-supported amendments that require the integration of Complete Streets design principles and offer implementation guidance.

Advancing Bike Infrastructure Through Climate Legislation 

There is significant momentum across the country to fund active transportation infrastructure through climate legislation in order to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and GHG emissions. Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order establishing annual GHG and VMT reduction targets for his state’s transportation sector, requiring the Maryland Department of Transportation to implement a process for evaluating and reducing GHG emissions attributable to transportation projects, and investing in projects that reduce VMT and enhance transportation choices. 

Looking ahead to the 2025 legislative session, PeopleForBikes is actively involved in several local coalitions supporting climate legislation to curb transportation-related GHG emissions. Stay tuned for more bike infrastructure and climate legislation wins next year! 

There is already huge momentum for bikes and 2024 is not finished yet! At all levels of government and at the ballot box, PeopleForBikes is championing policies that create safer and more connected places to ride alongside supporting legislation that maintains safe, reliable, and quality products to get more people on bikes more often. 


You can help us achieve even more! By making a donation to PeopleForBikes, we can make an even greater impact in communities like yours all across the country. You can also sign up to receive our advocacy alerts to learn how you can support similar policy wins where you live.

PeopleForBikes’ 2024 Policy Wins Advance Bicycling Safety and Access Nationwide

Photo Credit: Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau

PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings is a data-driven program to identify, evaluate, and compare the best cities and towns for bicycling in the U.S. and across the world. Based on data from PeopleForBikes’ Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA), each city receives a City Ratings score on a scale of 0-100. 

High-scoring cities often perform well across six factors captured in the acronym SPRINT: safe speeds, protected bike lanes, reallocated space for biking and walking, intersection treatments, network connections, and trusted data.


For 2024, we ranked more than 2,500 cities worldwide, including 816 new U.S. cities and 133 new cities across the U.K. and Australia.

Medium Cities (50,000-300,000 population)

With daffodils blooming around the turquoise waters of Lake Tahoe and fresh snow atop the surrounding peaks, hundreds of passionate trail managers, advocates, and experts gathered for the 2024 National Outdoor Recreation Conference earlier this May. The conference focused on how outdoor recreation — including mountain biking — can benefit communities of all sizes and addressed the growing pains of moving toward a more accessible outdoor future. 


The National Outdoor Recreation Conference is a biannual conference that promotes durable, equitable, and transformative solutions to support outdoor recreation destinations, local communities, and the outdoor recreation workforce. Regional, state, and federal land managers, researchers, conservationists, mountain bike organizations, and public officials all attended the conference.


PeopleForBikes and staff from Tahoe National Forest (TNF) presented a session titled "Innovation, Adaptation, and Access: Leading the Way for Pedal-Assist Electric Mountain Bikes on Trails.” During the session, Eli Ilano, district supervisor with Tahoe National Forest, and Rachel Fussell, senior manager of recreation policy with PeopleForBikes, shared the current state of electric mountain bike (eMTB) use on U.S. Forest Service (USFS) lands, the latest research on the environmental and social impacts of eMTBs, and a model for how other USFS districts and federal land managers can expand access for eMTBs. 


Participants learned how land managers plan and manage eMTB use on federal public lands, specifically on USFS-managed trails. Using the case study of Tahoe National Forest, attendees learned how Class 1 eMTBs were introduced on natural surface trails, TNF’s plans for the future, and how eMTBs have been integrated into TNF’s recreational management plans. Rounding out the discussion, PeopleForBikes shared the latest research and additional case studies of eMTB use on natural surface trails. The session also explored how land managers and recreational professionals can utilize these examples and apply the lessons to trail management in their communities.

The following are six high-level takeaways from this year’s conference:


Planning for Sustainable Tourism
Outdoor recreation is a big and growing part of the U.S. economy and needs leaders who can think long- and short-term for the well-being of their community members. By integrating outdoor recreation into community planning and development efforts, local governments can strengthen economic and environmental resilience and improve quality of life for residents, offering significant benefits for everyone.

For example, the Recreation Economy for Rural Communities (RERC) program, a federal partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the USFS, the Northern Border Regional Commission, and the Appalachian Regional Commission, supports rural communities by leveraging the power of outdoor recreation to revitalize main streets and diversify economies through planning grants. For forward-looking communities, planning for sustainable tourism fosters community revitalization, protects air and water quality, creates jobs, supports economic diversification, and offers new opportunities for people to connect with nature.

Recreation as a Lifeline for Communities in Transition 
As climate change intensifies, more localities are moving away from extractive and energy-intensive industries while looking for opportunities to improve environmental quality and spur economic growth. Outdoor recreation can create ecotourism opportunities while also improving quality of life for long-term residents of the host community through trails and recreational infrastructure. Although ecotourism and outdoor recreation may cause challenges for smaller communities that don’t currently have the infrastructure or amenities, investing in outdoor recreation can provide numerous benefits including better water, cleaner air, and healthier habits for residents.

The Sand Wash/Little Yampa Canyon community in northwest Colorado is an example of a rural economy in transition. The coal industry once drove the small town’s economy, but the city is shutting down a coal-fired power plant by 2028. In lieu of that economic driver, the landscape and region lends itself to an abundance of potential outdoor recreation. Additionally, the outdoor recreation hub of Steamboat Springs is only 45 minutes down the road. The Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnership Initiative helped gather a diverse group of stakeholders to understand how to plan for and work on the long- and short-term strategy for the transitioning economy.

Regional and Local Partnerships are Key 
Strategic partnerships drive sustainable recreation. The great outdoors crosses numerous jurisdictions and use cases, so bringing land managers, landowners, and local leaders together is critical to success.

The Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan is one such success story. The Lake Tahoe region faced a shrinking tax base and declining population due to a lack of affordable housing and increasing wildfires due to climate change. Outdoor recreation, business, environmental organization, and nonprofit leaders came together to create the Destination Stewardship Plan. This core group spearheaded public engagement through community surveys to create a shared vision and design process around destination stewardship for the environment and recreational assets. This collaborative process resulted in a shared vision: “a cherished place, welcoming to all, where people, communities, and nature benefit from a thriving tourism and outdoor recreation economy.” 

Organizing is Powerful
Mountain biking advocacy groups offer a model for how outdoor recreation can shape and inform planning and decision-making for entire communities. Many times, mountain bike groups are one of the most influential voices for conservation and stewardship, as well as recreation access.

During the session, “Recreation Solutions for Communities with Emerging Outdoor Recreation Economies,” one main example of organizing for better recreational land use planning was the formation of Pedal United in Montana. The community saw a gap in access for mountain bikers on their public lands and took action by forming the organization. The group worked with the Bureau of Land Management to plan and fund the recreation projects that were best for the community and their needs. The end result was 80 miles of trail managed and maintained for mountain bikers in southeast Montana.

Youth and Professional Career Development
Fostering a talent pipeline in outdoor recreation initiatives provides opportunities for youth to strengthen their connection with nature, develop leadership skills, cultivate responsibility and environmental stewardship, and build professional skills to keep those who wish to stay in these communities from having to leave for better economic opportunities. By empowering youth to take an active role in outdoor activities (such as participating in a National Interscholastic Cycling Association league or creating one in their community) or learning how to maintain and build trails, young people interested and engaged in outdoor recreation nurture a new generation of environmental stewards and create jobs to sustain and grow the community.

Outdoor Recreation and Equity Solutions
Unfortunately, in many areas, access to outdoor recreation is inequitably distributed. It can be less abundant in lower-income neighborhoods with a larger share of minority residents, which can be exacerbated by a history of segregation in public places and a lack of racial and ethnic representation in recreation and conservation organizations.

The benefits of parks, trails, and outdoor recreation assets are greatest for those who live closest to these resources, and a disparity in access holds significant health, social, and economic implications. However, more cities and towns are incorporating more recreation access — through loan programs and after-school programming — as part of their planning, development, and revitalization standards. Moving beyond recreation as an amenity and holistically incorporating recreation contributes to other public health, climate resilience, and transportation goals.


Climate change, an increasing user base, resource degradation, and lack of education present wide-ranging consequences for land managers, advocacy organizations, and communities throughout the U.S. We all need to continue working to build and sustain the amazing growth of our outdoor recreation community and industry in recent years. The land that hosts these outdoor recreation opportunities depends on the respect and care we show for it whenever we get outside.

Representing the Bicycle Industry at the National Outdoor Recreation Conference

PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings includes 816 new U.S. cities for 2024, 708 of which are home to less than 50,000 residents. While these newcomers may not have the populations of some of our other great places to bike like Minneapolis and Seattle, there is still plenty to celebrate and learn from small cities across the U.S.

The top 10 small cities in this year’s ratings scored an average of 89 out of a possible 100, showing that great places to bike come in all shapes and sizes. We collected a few of our favorite new small cities in this year’s rankings stretching from North Carolina to Alaska.

Located near Zion National Park in southwest Utah, there is one main road running through the town of Springdale, State Route 9, with sections of a nice bike path running alongside it. Thanks to a $10.8 million grant approved by the Utah Department of Transportation, an 18-mile paved trail will soon run from the city of St. George through Springdale all the way to the entrance of Zion National Park, giving local residents and outdoor recreationists from across the country a safe and accessible route to travel to the park without having to get in the car.

The small coastal community of Emerald Isle along North Carolina’s Crystal Coast has an 11-mile bike path that stretches nearly the entire length of Bouges Bank Island called the Emerald Path. The city hosts an annual bike ride called Bike the Banks, with the shortest race option taking place entirely on the bike path.

The community of Valdez supports a growing theme of Alaskan cities punching above their weight in our City Ratings. Viewing city score averages by state, Alaska is the highest scoring state for 2024 with an average population-weighted city score of 59 out of 100. The town sits on the edge of a bay and the 6.5-mile DOT Valdez Bike Path connects the town center to the west side of the town, where the Shoup Bay Trail takes bicyclists out further along the bay and into the wilderness. There is also a multi-use path that connects Port Valdez on the other side of the bay to the DOT path into town. Valdez is home to excellent fat tire biking, where you can bike on frozen lakes with icebergs, and partake in the annual Fat Bike Bash.

Despite its name, Jersey Shore is an inland town along a river in central Pennsylvania, neither close to New Jersey nor the ocean. The town’s main bike infrastructure is the Pine Creek Rail Trail, a 62-mile trail that terminates in Jersey City. The Bald Eagle Valley Trail project is currently underway (tracked via our Great Bike Infrastructure Project), ending in Jersey Shore and connecting to the rail trail. The Bald Eagle Valley Trail is part of a much bigger effort for this region called the Susquehanna Valley Greenway, along the Susquehanna River in Appalachia. 

Situated between Los Angeles and Santa Barabara, Ojai is not as rural as the other cities on this list, but it is currently constructing a major bike path and safety project along one of its most dangerous roads, Maricopa Highway. The project is a great example of a dedicated effort to improve safety for people biking and walking because it takes a lot of work for small cities to marshall the kind of resources needed to complete a project of that size, with Ojai receiving competitive Active Transportation Program funding from the state. The city is also choosing to tackle one of its biggest connectivity barriers rather than go after easy, cheap, but less impactful projects. An existing regional trail, the Ojai Valley Trail, runs 15 miles from the coastal city of Ventura into the town center of Ojai, allowing residents and visitors to bike from the town to the beach.

This small historic island located off the northern tip of Michigan’s mitten is our #1 ranked city in this year’s City Ratings. Mackinac Island received an impressive score of 99 out of a possible 100 and for good reason — the town banned motor vehicles in 1898. While the island itself is only 3.8 square miles in size, 80% of Mackinac is a state park and is home to more than 70 miles of trails to explore, including an 8.2-mile coastal trail that circumnavigates the perimeter of the island. Mackinac Island’s lack of vehicular traffic and 19th-century charm have made the small Michigan town a major national tourism destination, with the year-round population of around 600 welcoming nearly 1 million visitors each year.

The Better Bike Share Partnership, a collaboration between PeopleForBikes, the City of Philadelphia, and the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), is proud to announce its second cohort of Living Labs focused on creating replicable programs for improving shared micromobility in BIPOC and low-income communities.

A strategy launched in 2020, BBSP Living Labs are testing grounds for innovative solutions. The program helps fulfill the partnership's mission of identifying barriers to bike share and developing strategies to address those barriers. The Living Lab approach provides time, flexibility, and gives grantees the opportunity to create lasting change, specifically to make their micromobility systems more equitable by increasing access to and use of bike share. 

Learn about our previous Living Labs and their achievements.

The new cohort includes bike share systems housed in and operated by a variety of organizations and companies. They operate in mid to large-sized cities and are diverse in their system size.

City of Tucson, Arizona — Tugo Bike Share

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority — Metro Bike Share

City of Philadelphia — Indego Bike Share

BBSP received 30 letters of interest from partnerships of cities, bike share operators, and community-based organizations looking to pilot, expand, replicate, or scale strategies and tactics to break down barriers to bike share in historically marginalized communities. 

Over the course of two and a half years, BBSP is committed to disbursing $200,000 to each Living Lab, covering costs associated with programming as well as technical support, scholarships, and travel stipends for relevant conferences. Grantees will also convene virtually every month to share learnings and build camaraderie as a cohort. Check back often as we showcase the work of each Living Lab.

Read the full press release below to learn more about each project.

Better Bike Share Partnership Announces Second Cohort of Living Lab Partners Focused on Equity

The Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP), funded by The JPB Foundation to build equitable and replicable shared micromobility systems, is pleased to announce the selection of its second cohort of Living Labs. A collaborative between PeopleForBikes, the City of Philadelphia, and the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), BBSP will provide four organizations with funding, support, and additional resources to develop best practices for creating access to shared micromobility and increase use of shared micromobility in historically marginalized communities. 

Each Living Lab identified barriers to bike and scooter share for BIPOC and those living on limited incomes in their cities. The organizations will spend the next two years working with local partners and community members to address these barriers.

“As a Living Lab, each grantee will have the time and flexibility to test strategies and implement new ideas so that BIPOC and lower-income communities can more easily access and use their bike share systems,” said  Tangier Barnes Wright, deputy director of shared micromobility at PeopleForBikes. “They will be part of a cohort of organizations advancing equity in shared micromobility and we look forward to learning from their work.”

Building on the work of Philadelphia — the first BBSP Living Lab city — the 2024 cohort will grow partnerships, lead with community engagement, expand already successful work, and test and refine strategies to bring bike share and historically marginalized populations together.

Here are the 2024-2026 Living Lab projects:


Through a community-led planning effort, Tugo Bike Share will collaborate with community-based organizations to determine how to reinvest resources to serve the south and west sides of Tucson more equitably. Through more equitable station siting and in-person engagement, Tugo will assess utilization rates in previously underserved areas and engage with community organizations and residents to better understand barriers to access and bike share adoption. The group will also work with partners and underserved communities to create a process that incorporates feedback, represents community needs, and builds capacity to better support and advocate for future bike share system expansion or electrification.


Equitable Outreach and Engagement in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh’s bike share system, POGOH, will work with community partners to develop a local engagement plan to address low ridership and awareness in the Homewood neighborhood. POGOH will address barriers to biking and mobility by building connections with Homewood students and families through a youth ambassador program, community rides, learn to ride courses, and programming with Safe Routes to School. By hiring neighborhood outreach associates to engage residents in bike share expansion, POGOH will create lasting opportunities for Homewood residents of all ages and skill levels to engage in biking and bike share. POGOH’s Living Lab work will take place alongside planned system expansion over the next two years.

Community-Led Coalition for Equitable In-Fill and Expansion of

This coalition of community partners will promote local involvement and trust in bike share for communities that, for the first time, will be directly served by Metro Bike Share. Through partnerships with community-based organizations, Metro Bike Share will implement educational programming and expand outreach efforts to create a process for sustained engagement, fostering community ownership in bike share initiatives. The project scope includes pre-station siting community engagement in central and westside Los Angeles as well as service area gaps. The Living Lab work will help ensure Metro’s planned bike share expansion is achieved while centering community members and equity.  

The City of Philadelphia, in collaboration with Bicycle Transit Systems and the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, remains steadfast in its commitment to the equitable growth of the Indego bike share program. As Indego expands, it will use community input to continue refining its engagement initiatives which currently include the Indego Community Advisory Council, local mini-grants, Wheels to Work, Indego Community Ambassadors, and bike safety education and encouragement programs. Indego’s goal is to ensure communities within their service area can access the benefits of bike share and that community members’ voices are heard.

Meet the Better Bike Share Partnership's New Living Lab Grantees

The Tahoe National Forest (TNF) prepared a Decision Notice/Finding of No Significant Impact (DN/FONSI) and final Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Pines to Mines Trail Project. 

The TNF Pines to Mines Trail Project is a multi-use native surface recreational trail system connecting Nevada City and Truckee, California. The project will provide new recreation opportunities open to equestrian, pedestrian, bicycle, and Class 1 electric bicycle (Class 1 eMTB) use on National Forest System lands. The new trail system will total approximately 72 miles of natural surface trails and authorize the use of Class 1 eMTBs on all new and existing trails where traditional mountain bikes are already allowed within the project area. 

Among other improvements, this project will: 

Designate approximately 52 miles of existing trail including segments of the Pioneer Trail (FS 09E11), Spaulding Lake Trail (FS 12E40), Grouse Ridge Trail (FS 13E28), Donner Lake Rim Trail (FS 15E75), and the Hole in the Ground Trail (FS 14E25) as part of the Pines to Mines Trail system

Construct approximately 22 miles of new multi-use native surface trail to complete final trail system connections

Designate the use of Class 1 eMTBss on new and existing trail segments within the Pines to Mines trail system that lie on National Forest System Lands or for which the TNF maintains management responsibility under existing easement or right of way

Monitor to assess maintenance requirements, changes in use, or user impacts that could affect safety, additional infrastructure needs, or any evidence of user displacement;

Update Trail Management Objectives (TMOs) to include Class 1 eMTBs as an additional managed use while maintaining the current non-motorized designed use objectives.

Concerning Class 1 eMTB use designation within the Pines to Mines Trail Project area, Forest Service staff carefully considered the redesignation from a broad range of perspectives to reach reasonable, fact-based conclusions. The research and analysis reviewed and presented in the environmental assessment and reports bring TNF staff to the conclusion that Class 1 eMTB use can be incorporated seamlessly into the Pines to Mines trail system.  

“Class 1 mountain bikes simply do not represent a significantly different use than traditional mountain bikes. Long-standing research has shown that mountain bicycle impacts on native surface trails are comparable to existing non-motorized uses and that in fact, they produce less sediment yields than pedestrian and equestrian use (Wilson and Seney, 1994). Very early research on trail impacts from recreational use showed conclusively that impacts associated with produced force, measured in pounds per square inch, are significantly greater from equestrian and motorcycle use than impacts associated with the force produced by bicycles.

Class 1 mountain bikes are a close relative of traditional mountain bikes with similar structure, components, drive trains, braking systems, and overall functionality. Relative impacts to trails are similar to traditional mountain bikes (IMBA, 2015), and relative speeds, when measured on native surface trails, have not shown significant differences (Langford et al. 2015; Hall et al. 2015; Mitterwallner et al. 2015). An analysis of comparative speed data compiled on the existing trails proposed for inclusion in the Pines to Mines showed relative speeds among the top riders to be almost identical while among novice to intermediate riders, the differences showed Class 1 mountain bikes to be nominally faster (3-5 mph) when riding uphill but resulted in traditional mountain bikes to produce speeds equal to or faster than Class 1 mountain bikes on flat or downhill terrain (Brokaw, 2023).

Allowing Class 1 mountain bikes on trails and or trail sections that currently host significant mountain biking traffic is unlikely to negatively affect public health or safety in these areas. Allowing Class 1 mountain bikes on trails or trail sections that currently allow mountain bike use but which do not attract a high density of mountain bike users is unlikely to alter current patterns of use or significantly increase the density of that use. These trails tend to be rocky, technically difficult, difficult to access, and generally attractive to a minority of the user group. It is unlikely that Class 1 mountain bikes authorized as a new allowable user class in these areas will negatively affect public health or safety.”

Project information including the EA, detailed maps, and DN/FONSI is available for public review and can be found on the Tahoe National Forest project website.

Additionally, PeopleForBikes created a resource summarizing the TNF’s DN/FONSI:

Use Designation of Class 1 Mountain Bikes Impacts Within the Pines to Mines Trail Project in Tahoe National Forest

California's Pines to Mines Trail Project Announces Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact

PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings program ranks thousands of cities across the world on how well their bike networks connect people to the places they want to go. The scores provide an objective baseline to help cities progress, but the voices of individual riders are critical in identifying gaps and improvements for how the networks can empower all road users. 

This year, eight PeopleForBikes staff members drew their hometown City Ratings scores using the popular Strava Art method, tracing their score along their city’s streets. They also provided their perspective on what makes their town great for biking and identified areas for improvement that would create a better network for all. 

Great balance of recreation and transportation bike infrastructure (Crested Butte, CO).

Incredible bike culture that welcomes individuals to participate in cycling (Boulder, CO). 

Convenient to run errands and live life via two wheels (San Francisco, CA). 

Easily riding through local neighborhoods due to slow speed limits (Louisville, CO). 

Front row parking throughout town (Galena, IL). 

Riding past an abundance of parks and people (Denver, CO). 

Shared-use paths provide multiple recreation opportunities for the community (Richmond, VA).

Connect networks to create one large system of safe infrastructure. 

Expand infrastructure into underserved neighborhoods.  

Public bike share is too expensive, making it less accessible to all community members. 

On wide, open streets, implement traffic calming design elements to slow vehicle speeds organically. 

More infrastructure around schools to protect vulnerable road users. 


As cities enhance accessibility and safety for all, tools like City Ratings and community focus groups play pivotal roles in gathering both qualitative insights and quantitative data. These resources assess current infrastructure, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately foster progress toward more comprehensive urban environments. Your voice matters! Join the dialogue, share your experiences, and advocate for better infrastructure in your backyard. Together, we can move towards a future where roads and recreation are more accessible, safe, and enjoyable for everyone.


Crested Butte really has the best of both worlds when it comes to riding a bike for recreation and transportation. Our rec path easily connects the town of Crested Butte with the neighborhoods surrounding the ski resort up the hill, and once you're in town, every destination is no more than a 5-minute bike ride away. While we don't have any separated bike infrastructure in town, speed limits on all local streets are 15 mph so I always feel safe. Biking is so commonplace that you'll often see just as many people traveling around town on bike versus driving. When I want to get out on my mountain bike, I can access miles and miles of singletrack trails right out my front door!

Crested Butte South, a growing community a few miles south of town, is somewhat isolated when it comes to traveling by bike, and a connector trail between CB South and the town of Crested Butte would be a huge upgrade for those looking to leave the car at home!

I enjoy riding in Boulder because of the abundance of multi-use paths, gravel trails, and mountain roads. Boulder feels like a safe haven for bicyclists seeking recreation and beautiful vistas. Whether you’re commuting by bike to basic necessities or training for a local gravel race, Boulder has safe infrastructure that allows you to do so. 

Boulder could improve the connectedness of the infrastructure, though. Oftentimes, a bike lane ends abruptly and dumps you onto a street with relatively high speeds or busy car traffic. 

I enjoy riding in Boulder because of the general cycling culture and because this is the most bikeable city I've ever had the pleasure of living in. It's still not the absolute best, but I feel as though most essential services and cool places are accessible by a safe route on two wheels. I have met an awesome community of other active people who enjoy cycling thanks to the great culture in Boulder. 

An opportunity for improvement would be to expand biking access further out from the college campus on the southern part of the city. There is a density of really useful multi-use paths near downtown and the university, and I would appreciate an expanded system that can get people north of the city and to the east/west corners of the city easily.

I love riding in my town because I get to see my neighbors' faces and their kids in the bike trailers or utility bikes. I love how motorists in this town have gotten used to bicyclists and never harass us like they used to. I love the protected bike lanes and bike signals and all the different kinds of people you see biking around. Honestly, I like the challenge sometimes, like when there's a strong wind that I have to pedal into and just put my head down and pedal through it even though it's hard. I like the high intensity interval training I get when I see the pedestrian countdown and hammer to make the light. I like being able to accomplish impromptu errands, popping into a store on my way to someplace, taking all of two minutes out of my day! And the views! I love the views you can earn by getting to the top of the hill. 

But we could be so much better. Market Street does not allow private cars but buses and taxis and all kinds of other traffic make it uncomfortable. Some of the best routes don't have bike lanes so you either have to tolerate dangerous traffic or go out of your way or up a hill to stay on the bike network. And bike share is too expensive unless you have a membership which is $150/year. Without a membership, a bike ride costs $4 for half an hour, which isn't terrible unless you need an e-bike. Then it's $4 just to unlock it and 30¢/minute. A 20-minute e-bike ride is $10! 

I enjoy riding my bike around Louisville due to the multitude of multi-use paths around town that provide opportunity for bicyclists and pedestrians to travel to where they need to go or enjoy recreation without any interactions with cars. If I ride on a street, there are slow speed limits and wide streets that allow cars to easily pass bicyclists with lots of space. 


However, wide open streets also allow people to easily drive over the speed limit so adding traffic-calming design features could reinforce slower vehicle speeds and improve safety. 

One reason I enjoy riding my bike in Galena is the slow speed limits near downtown. Galena is a historic town with narrow roads which contribute to the natural calming effect on traffic. Riding a bicycle in Galena is an easy choice because you feel a part of the traffic, moving at the same speed as the vehicles around you. 

An opportunity for improvement in Galena would be better bicycle infrastructure around the schools. Picking up and dropping off kids by bicycle can be difficult without dedicated infrastructure. 

I enjoy riding in my city because I get to see how people use their outdoor spaces in different ways. I see people's yard art and inspirational landscaping, kids playing, retired people visiting with their neighbors, couples in lounge chairs on their porches, and I am traveling slow enough to smell what people are cooking for dinner. I get to see how the architecture and urban design changes neighborhood by neighborhood and I often stumble upon little pocket parks and playgrounds I did not know about and never drive my car by. I enjoy riding in Denver because it's beautiful and full of parks and interesting people. 

In my area of Denver (east side), we need more designated neighborhood bikeways with traffic circles or even sections of roads that are closed to cars. We have many schools and parks that families access by walking, biking, running, skating, and strolling. Drivers do not yield to me and my kids while we ride our bikes. There are too many conflicts with people driving cars near the parks and schools. 

Richmond is a great town for outdoor recreation, and biking is no exception. After years of debating whether or not I should purchase an e-bike, moving to Richmond gave me the push I needed once I saw all the beautiful places it has to offer. Where I live in the central part of town, biking to my destination is often just as convenient — or more so — than driving. The Virginia Capital Trail is also a fantastic 60-mile paved shared-use path that runs from downtown Richmond to Williamsburg. 

While the central part of Richmond is ideal for biking due to its slow streets, the rest of the city leaves a lot to be desired. Richmond's bike infrastructure on the whole is quite disconnected. There are several highways slicing through the city, and there are only a handful of piecemeal buffered bike lanes with no real overlying network. My hope for improvement is an extensive, accessible network of bike infrastructure that makes biking enjoyable and easy for not just recreational riders but for everyone. 

Bikeable Hometowns: PeopleForBikes Staff Celebrate Their City Ratings Scores

From bustling cities to small towns, communities from coast to coast amplified their commitment to better biking with an unprecedented surge in safer, more comfortable places to ride in 2023. And, with thousands of additional projects planned across the country and more federal funding for bikes available than ever, we can reasonably expect the pace of construction to increase more dramatically in the coming years. 

Even for the most ardent naysayers, it’s difficult to deny that the landscape of bicycling in America is transforming (although not as quickly as many of us would like to see). While we have yet to see any U.S. cities emerge with truly bold citywide plans for bike networks as we’ve seen in places like London, Paris, and Bogota, many are (slowly) beginning to envision a future where cycling takes center stage. Although there remains a substantial amount of work ahead of us to cultivate a safe and comfortable environment for people of all ages and abilities to ride bikes in the U.S., it's well worth pausing to commemorate the significant infrastructure victories U.S. cities achieved in 2023.

Photo credit: New York City Department of Transportation

After car-free streets took the top spot on last year’s list, we’re delighted to witness locales like New York City continuing to adopt more of these low-stress environments for cyclists. Launched in March, NYC’s much-anticipated vision for Broadway is beginning to transform the iconic street with pedestrian plazas, inviting outdoor dining structures, planters, and bike improvements, with the stretch between West 25th and 32nd streets being reshaped in 2023. While the full vision includes a “people-centric” Broadway connecting Union Square to Columbus Circle, the city’s next phase is on the horizon, with planned improvements underway between West 33rd and 21st Street.

2. 156th Street Cycle Track | Redmond, Washington

Featuring a two-way cycle track, Redmond’s 156th Street Cycle Track improves access to the Redmond Technology Station — part of Sound Transit’s East Link Extension — and the NE 40th Street Shared Use Path. This area of Redmond, the longstanding home of the Microsoft Corporate Campus, remains a focal point for the tech giant's ongoing commitment to community development. While the Microsoft-funded section is complete, the City of Redmond is working to expand it further from 140th to Turing.

In September, Salt Lake City celebrated the completion of its most significant public works project to date, the 300 West Reconstruction Project, which features a separated, two-way, 10-foot-wide bike lane, upgraded sidewalks, and more than 200 new trees to provide shade and serve as a buffer to the roadway. New "bioswales" were also integrated to improve water quality by filtering debris from stormwater runoff. The project, funded through the "Funding Our Future" bond, showcases Salt Lake City's commitment to prioritizing biking as a sustainable and accessible mode of transportation while fostering greener and safer corridors for all road users. Special project features include raised sidewalks and bikeways at all non-signalized intersections, bike counters, wayfinding signage, and green-tinted concrete.

4. Inman Square | Cambridge, Massachusetts

After two and a half years of construction, the Inman Square project in Cambridge reached its much-anticipated completion in 2023, featuring sidewalk-level bike lanes, protected intersections, shorter crosswalks, and a vibrant new plaza. Serving as a pivotal crossroads for various modes of transportation, these enhancements further Cambridge's dedication to Vision Zero and demonstrate the power of their Cycling Safety Ordinance, which propelled Cambridge to a score of 58 in PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings program. As evidence of its high quality, the project made headlines earlier this year after a social media video seemingly showcasing bike infrastructure in the Netherlands went viral, only to be revealed as a playful deception filmed in Cambridge's Inman Square.

5. Bryant Avenue South | Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis’s Bryant Avenue South reconstruction project, stretching from Lake St. to 50th St. W., reshaped a residential street in the heart of south Minneapolis. Despite its quiet residential character, Bryant Avenue is a key bicycling corridor parallel to the congested Lyndale Avenue. Previously converted into a "bicycle boulevard" in 2010, the reconstruction — which created a bidirectional sidewalk-level protected bikeway, intersection improvements, pedestrian-scale lighting, and stormwater infrastructure — reflects a forward-looking commitment to safer and more sustainable transportation that’s helped Minneapolis become the best large U.S. city this year’s City Ratings.

In September, Pasadena celebrated the completion of its first two-way protected bike lane along Union Street. The new 1.5-mile protected bike lane enhances connectivity to Pasadena's popular destinations, including Old Pasadena, Playhouse Village, Pasadena City College, Caltech, and the Metro Gold Line Station at Memorial Park. Approved by the City Council in 2016, the project repurposed existing road space to accommodate the protected bike lane, converting the previous one-way westbound street into a cyclist-friendly corridor. This initiative supports Pasadena's commitment to sustainable transportation and efficient urban planning. The project was funded through a combination of local and federal sources, including the American Rescue Plan Act, California’s Active Transportation Program, Gas Tax, Los Angeles County’s Measure R, CMAQ, and Pasadena’s Traffic Reduction Fee.

Inspired by successful implementations in cities like Toronto, Boulder introduced new "tall curbs" along Baseline Road in 2023 to physically separate bike and vehicle lanes, offering increased protection for people biking. The project is a critical element of Boulder's Core Arterial Network (CAN), which includes plans for strategic improvements along some of the city's least safe corridors for people walking and biking. With local artist Talia Swartz Parsell adding vibrant paintings to the barriers, the initiative combines safety and public art that complements the surrounding mountainous landscape. Further enhancements are slated for 2024, including additional bike lane barriers. 

8. Pinellas Bayway South | Tierra Verda, Florida

The Pinellas Bayway South Cycle Track in Tierra Verde is a significant addition to the more extensive Pinellas Trail network that spans more than 50 miles. Originating in 1983, the Pinellas Trail has steadily expanded since, becoming a regional destination with more than 1.5 million annual users. The new cycle track, separated from traffic by a raised concrete island, rectifies safety issues caused by vehicles parking in the prior non-protected bike lanes and helps reduce speeding along the corridor. Managed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) as part of a resurfacing project, the new cycle track closes a two-mile gap between the Pinellas Trail, connecting trail users to Fort De Soto County Park. “FDOT was able to use their existing standard detail for median islands to separate the cycle track from the travel lanes,” said Kyle Simpson, an active transportation planner with Forward Pinellas. “[That] reduced the cost of the project and did not require moving any drainage.”

9. East Main Street | Rochester, New York

Photo credit: Erdman, Anthony and Associates, Inc.

Rochester’s East Main Street Reconstruction project features sidewalk-level bicycle lanes designed in accordance with the City's Complete Streets policy. While addressing needs such as roadway repaving, water main replacement, and new sidewalks, the project also introduced decorative lighting, street trees, and new signage. As part of Rochester's "spine network," a vital element outlined in the city’s Active Transportation Master Plan, the East Main Street project reinforces the city's dedication to creating a well-connected and accessible bike network.

Through a $6 million Midtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone project, San Antonio transformed Avenue B into a one-way, southbound street to accommodate protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks, on-street parking, and landscaping. Serving as a vital connection between the River Walk, Downtown, and various amenities, Avenue B contributes to San Antonio's expanding network of bike lanes and links to trails along the San Antonio River. Ultimately, the city hopes to extend the bike lane north of I-35 to reach the Witte Museum and Brackenridge Park. 

In a commitment to enhance road safety, the City of Dayton completed a $12 million reconstruction project along Salem Avenue between the Great Miami River and Cornell Drive. The federally funded initiative transformed a six-lane “stroad” into a lower-speed street with widened sidewalks, a bi-directional protected cycle track, decorative lighting, and pedestrian islands. The Salem Avenue project connects to more than 350 miles of regional trails as part of the Miami Valley Trails network. In September, Dayton approved an Active Transportation Plan to expand the network further, with more than 20 projects slated for construction by 2027. 

12. 12th Avenue South | Nashville, Tennessee

Photo credit: Nashville Department of Transportation

The 12th Avenue project in Nashville — envisioned as part of the 2017 WalknBike master planning process and subsequently identified as a top bikeway priority by the community — transformed a vital stretch of Nashville into the city’s first complete and green street. The 1.5-mile project includes physically protected bike lanes, bioswales for stormwater management, bus boarding islands, and safer pedestrian crossings. 

“The corridor had existing, substandard bikeways — with significant demand for better, safer facilities to connect affordable housing and student housing with Nashville’s downtown and other commercial districts,” said Anna Dearman, NDOT’s walking and biking manager. In response, NDOT moved the project swiftly from conceptualization to reality, with accelerated final design and construction phases to improve connectivity for affordable and student housing residents along the corridor to downtown and other commercial districts.

13. Turner Avenue | Grand Rapids, Michigan

With funding from a combination of the city’s Vital Streets program (a voter-approved income tax for road and sidewalk projects) and federal Surface Transportation Program and Carbon Reduction Program sources, Turner Avenue represents a major bike infrastructure upgrade for Grand Rapids. This transformative project, which replaced a striped one-way bike lane with a new, separated, two-way facility, spans 1.2 miles from 4th Street to Richmond. The project also increased greenspace to mitigate stormwater runoff and filter pollutants entering the Grand River. The city plans to begin design work to extend the bikeway from 4th Street to Fulton Street West in 2024.

14. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive | Atlanta, Georgia

Photo credit: Central Atlanta Progress/The Atlanta Downtown Improvement District

The Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Cycle Track in Downtown Atlanta was a collaboration between the City of Atlanta Department of Transportation and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, furthering the Downtown Atlanta Master Plan by enhancing safety and accessibility in the city center. According to Stacy Grolimund, senior project manager with Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, the project began in late 2022 when the Atlanta City Council voted to resurface streets near City Hall and the State Capitol. Councilmember Jason Dozier advocated for the inclusion of multimodal safety enhancements to align the project with the City’s Vision Zero goals. For now, the protected two-way cycle track stretches from Forsyth Street to Capitol Avenue, but the project is part of a more extensive planned network that will ultimately provide direct access to State Farm Arena, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Georgia World Congress Center, and westside neighborhoods like Vine City. 

Physically separated bike lanes in the suburbs? Yes, please! In Agawam, Massachusetts, Dutch-style bike infrastructure emerged as one of the standout bike lanes of 2023. Sparked by the Morgan-Sullivan Bridge replacement and MassDOT’s Complete Streets directive, the project resulted in separated bike paths along Main Street, Springfield Street, Suffield Street, and Memorial Avenue. The area, dotted with strip malls, now offers improved accessibility to local businesses and schools, marking a significant step toward sustainable transportation for this suburban area. Since completion, it's proven highly successful, with increased student biking and plans for further extensions to expand the network. Michelle Chase, Agawam’s town engineer, emphasized, “MassDOT’s Complete Streets program has been absolutely critical for the success of this project,” noting that it “inspired everyone involved in the design to push for the best accommodations even when challenges were encountered.”

16. 17th Street | Santa Monica, California

Santa Monica further solidified its reputation as a great city for bicycling with the completion of curb-protected bike lanes along 17th Street. Stretching just over a mile from Wilshire Boulevard to Pico Boulevard, this project features Southern California's first curb-protected intersections, offering significant safety improvements for cyclists. The 17th Street bikeway conveniently connects key locations such as the 17th Street Metro E Line Station, Santa Monica College, and the Michigan Avenue Greenway, creating a more accessible and interconnected bike network.

Earlier in 2023, Santa Monica's innovative use of a concrete extrusion machine for bike lane construction garnered significant attention, with the efficient, precise technology creating multiple blocks of protected bikeways in a single day. In a Streetsblog article from June, the city's principal engineer, Selim Eren, highlighted the sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and speed of the method, emphasizing the significant transformation from traditional bike lanes to the new protected design on Ocean Avenue, resulting in a substantial increase in cyclist volume. 

17. Meadowbrook Road | Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson’s new Meadowbrook Road project, unveiled in May 2023, has been championed by the Mississippi Department of Health for its role in improving public health and well-being. From Old Canton Road to West Street/Northbrook Drive, the $3.3 million project features a new road-adjacent shared-use path for people walking, rolling, and biking. Funded through a federal FAST Act grant and Jackson’s One-Percent Municipal Sales Tax, the project also included roadway resurfacing, ADA modifications, and traffic signal upgrades. Meadowbrook Road is one of several projects the city has underway to connect its downtown to the Fondren District and Jackson State University. “In our community, our residents value both cycling and walking along with accommodating wheelchair users. With a smaller right-of-way in the heart of the city and the need to use our limited space efficiently, the shared-use path has become our go-to choice in the city,” said Robert Lee, Jackon’s city engineer.

Stretching approximately 1.25 miles, the recently constructed Belmont Avenue protected bike lanes create a low-stress, east-west route across Chicago’s Kennedy Expressway and over the Chicago River while connecting several north-south protected lanes, neighborhood greenways, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Belmont Station, and the 312 Riverrun Bike Trail. The project also improved safety for pedestrians and transit riders through curb bump-outs, concrete refuge islands, and bus priority treatments. 

The project marks just one of the dozens recently completed by Chicago — contributing to more than 55 miles of bikeway projects completed in the last year alone along streets like Augusta, Central Park Avenue in Garfield Park, Clinton, Dearborn, Grand, Kedzie, and Milwaukee. Together, these projects are signs of definite improvement for Chicago, which scored only 7 out of 100 points in our 2023 City Ratings. We’ll be watching closely to see how the city’s score improves in the coming years with its new commitment to protected bike lanes. 

On December 12, the PeopleForBikes Coalition Board of Directors approved our 2023 Industry Community Grants recipients, totaling $100,000 in funding across 13 grants. The grants will help fund projects that support our focus on building infrastructure that makes communities great places to ride a bike. The projects include several pump tracks, efforts to build safe routes to schools, demonstration projects to promote the importance of protected bike lanes, innovative solutions to combat bike theft in college towns, and mountain bike parks in flat urban areas.

2023 PeopleForBikes Industry Community Grants

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California's Pines to Mines Trail Project Announces Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact

Bikeable Hometowns: PeopleForBikes Staff Celebrate Their City Ratings Scores

The Best New U.S. Bike Lanes of 2023

PeopleForBikes' 2023 Industry Community Grants Recipients

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