We’re making biking better in Florida 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 2019, we helped pass a land acquisition program resolution that increased funding for waterfront, recreational and open space lands in Jupiter — all areas that bicyclists enjoy and recreate on. In fall 2018, our Community Grant Program helped fund the purchase and installation of five bike fix-it stations across Indian River County.

Each year, PeopleForBikes’ City Ratings program evaluates thousands of communities worldwide on the quality of their low-stress bike networks through our Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA). Over time, we’ve seen many cities across the U.S. improve their City Ratings scores. While all score improvements are worthy of recognition, several cities achieved incredible increases in just a few years, showcasing the impact of investments in bike networks and supportive policies that create great places to ride.

Which cities have seen the highest score increases over time? City Ratings data reveals that 39 U.S. cities boosted their scores by at least 20 points since 2020 through the implementation of specific projects that align with our SPRINT principles: safe speeds, protected bike lanes, reallocated space, intersection treatments, network connections, and trusted data. 

Note: Although City Ratings began in 2018, PeopleForBikes refined the program in 2020 to reflect actual speed limits for cities, resulting in some changes to scores between 2018 and 2020.


Learn how you can support bike projects in your area that can increase your community’s City Rating Score. Through the Great Bike Infrastructure Project, we’re tracking progress on thousands of projects nationwide.

Policy changes also play a key role in improving scores. Our Legislative Strategies Guide for Safe and Connected Bike Infrastructure outlines policies that create great bike networks, including increased state and local funding for bike infrastructure, Complete Streets mandates, and lower speeds. These policies are critical, as most U.S. cities have a lot of work to do to truly become great places for biking. 

Read on to learn which cities achieved the most dramatic score increases between 2020 and 2024.

Minneapolis' score surged from 17 to 71, leading large U.S. cities for the second year in a row. Key factors include speed limit reductions, OpenStreetMap data improvements, and the construction of protected bike lanes like those on Bryant Avenue South, which was featured as one of our Best New Bike Lanes of 2023. 

Not to be outdone by its neighbor, Minneapolis, Saint Paul jumped from a score of just 9 in 2020 to 61 in 2024 thanks to lowered speed limits and projects like the Jackson Street Reconstruction Project, which added safe bicycle facilities as part of the city’s Capital City Bikeway System. With the city planning to add more than 100 new miles of protected bike lanes, Saint Paul’s score is sure to increase in the coming years. 


Learn more about Jackson’s improvements, including those led by the local advocacy group Friends of Pathways, here. 

In 2023, Bloomington reduced speed limits for all neighborhood streets to 25 miles per hour, contributing to a 17-point increase in its City Ratings score. In recent years, Bloomington also expanded its network of neighborhood greenways and constructed numerous road-adjacent shared-use paths and protected bike lanes like the 7-Line, which made our list of the Best New Bike Lanes in 2022. 

Aurora was ahead of most American cities back in 2016, when the city installed a protected bike lane on River Street to close a critical gap in the regional Fox River Trail system. Since then, Aurora increased its score to 50, partially thanks to updated speed limit data in OpenStreetMap.

While it's perhaps not surprising for Minneapolis, the highest-rated large city for biking in the U.S., to have suburbs with good bike networks, it’s always encouraging to see suburban communities climbing the ranks of bike-friendly places. Saint Louis Park, a community of 50,000 people to the west of Minneapolis, increased its score from 15 to 55 over the past four years by lowering its default speed limit to 20 miles per hour and filling in bike network gaps through their Connect the Park program.

In 2022, Corvallis’ city staff updated its OpenStreetMap data to accurately reflect existing bicycle infrastructure, including its Active Travel Corridors, which reduce cut-through traffic, creating a citywide network of safe places to bike. 


Key West enhanced its bike network with several projects, including improvements to the Crosstown Greenway and Staples Avenue bicycle and pedestrian bridge. In 2020, speed limits in the city’s Old Town neighborhood were also lowered to 20 miles per hour, creating a safer environment for all road users.

Although Coeur D’Alene hasn’t yet a score of 50 yet, the city already has 50 miles of multi-use paths, including the popular Centennial, Prairie, and Atlas, trails, as well as more than 64 miles of bike lanes. Thanks to its Complete Streets policy, the city intends to complete another 25 miles of bike paths and 32 miles of bike lanes to further improve its network in the coming years.


After reducing the citywide speed limit to 25 miles per hour in 2016, Somerville further reduced speed limits on most residential streets to 20 miles per hour in 2020 and 2021. The city also made forward progress on its envisioned bike network through projects like the Somerville Community Path Extension and Somerville Avenue.


Following Cambridge’s 2020 Cycling Safety Ordinance, the city greatly expanded its bike network. As one of our 2024 Cities on the Rise, you can read more about Cambridge’s work to improve bicycling here.

2025 Cities on the Rise Candidates — Honorable Mentions


While that rounds out the most dramatic score increases over the past four years, numerous communities also increased their BNA scores by at least 20 points during the same period, including:


From Minneapolis' impressive 54-point surge to improvements in smaller towns, these advancements highlight the critical role that strategic investments in bike infrastructure and supportive policies like lower speed limits and Complete Streets mandates play in creating low-stress bike networks and making cities great places to ride a bike. 


Join us in supporting these efforts and stay informed about PeopleForBikes' initiatives to support better biking by signing up for PeopleForBikes’ newsletter and Action Alert program.

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. 

Florida may be known as the “Sunshine State” but after Senate Bill 106 was signed into law on April 11, the state is well on its way to adding “trails” to its nickname.

Championed by Senator Jason Brodeur and passed unanimously in both chambers of the state legislature, the new bill will expand access to Florida’s iconic Wildlife Corridor and fund the design, planning, and construction of trails connecting the Corridor to the Florida Greenways and Trails System and the Shared-Use Nonmotorized (SUN) Trail Network. The new trails will create an interconnected, multi-use network for bicyclists and pedestrians to connect with nature and explore the state by bike or foot.

PeopleForBikes believes ensuring more access and funding for active transportation and recreational trails prioritizes and positions bicycles as a solution to improve everyone’s health, connect communities, boost local and state economies, and protect our planet. 

The legislation includes a one-time allocation of $200 million to formally plan, design, and build the SUN Trail Network connection to the Wildlife Corridor. The bill also increases the annual allocation from $25 million to $50 million to continue funding the maintenance and construction of SUN Trail connectors and shared-use nonmotorized trails.

“This funding will help grow the statewide network of trails and close key gaps to connect more communities in the Sunshine State — helping everyone, everywhere, have access to safe, nonmotorized pathways to walk, bike, or simply get out and enjoy the outdoors,” says Ken Bryan, the Florida director at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

The Florida SUN Trail Program was created in 2015 to support the establishment of a statewide system of interconnected multi-use trails for bicyclists and pedestrians through coordination between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

Florida’s Wildlife Corridor encompasses approximately 17.7 million acres, including nearly 10 million acres of conservation lands. The Wildlife Corridor was created through the state’s purchase of development rights from farmers, ranchers, and other landowners who will be able to continue their operations in perpetuity while allowing the lands to never be developed.

The legislation also codifies an existing FDEP campaign to recognize communities located along or in proximity to long-distance nonmotorized recreational trails as “Trail Towns,” with guidance for promoting trail-based tourism at the state level.

Additionally, the bill requires trail projects located within the Wildlife Corridor to use previously disturbed lands (abandoned roads and railroads, utility right-of-ways, canal corridors, etc.) to the greatest extent possible. The bill also seeks to minimize gaps between trail segments and ensure local support exists for all projects and trail segments.

For more information on the bill and others like it, please contact PeopleForBikes’ eMTB policy and program manager Rachel Fussell at rachel@peopleforbikes.org.

New Florida Bill Expands Access and Funding for Multi-Use Trails

Have you ever driven through somewhere on a road trip that you thought was unforgettably cool, only to get home and realize you don’t remember the name of the place, or even where it was? It’s difficult to remember such awesome places when you’re moving through them so fast, which is what makes sightseeing by bike the best! Sightseeing on a bike connects you with regions, towns and people in a way that simply isn’t possible with other forms of travel. So hop on your road bike, cruiser, or e-bike and explore these amazing sightseeing cities.

Ranking #7 overall in this year’s City Ratings is Aspen, Colorado. This little mountain town in the Roaring Fork Valley is full of mountain peaks and valley views and is well-known for its four winter sports resorts. Winter sports aren’t the only popular outdoor activities in Aspen, biking is too! Aspen encourages locals and visitors alike to get around on two wheels with its bike share program, We-Cycle. There are 15 stations and more than 100 bikes around town, so one is never away. The first 30 minutes of every We-Cycle fare is free to all riders and the service made Aspen the first-ever resort town to have an official bike share program.

Using a We-Cycle bike (or your own!), you can explore the energetic downtown and visit any one of the galleries, gift shops, or restaurants lining Aspen’s main drag. If you are seeking more adventure, consider biking Independence Pass or the Rio Grande Trail. As the state’s highest elevation pass, Independence Pass is a favorite route for cyclists craving a breath of fresh air. At a sweeping 12,095 feet, riding Indy Pass is one of Aspen’s most sought-after cycling achievements for its breathtaking views and incredible landscapes. The Rio Grande Trail is 42 miles of continuous paved trail protected from vehicle traffic from Aspen to Glenwood Springs and is suitable for all ages and skill levels. Any ride throughout Aspen is sure to provide you with beautiful views of the expansive forests, the Maroon Bells, and the entire Roaring Fork Valley.

You may want to switch out your road bike for a beach cruiser when it comes to our next destination. Key West, Florida, is a biking paradise because of its small size, easy navigation and always-open bike parking. 20% of folks who live in Key West commute to work and just about everywhere else by bike. There are so many attractions to visit as if the views weren’t enough! Surrounded by the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, you are never more than just a head-turn away from mesmerizing views of the turquoise blue water and white sand beaches.

If you’re looking for more sights, hop on one of the bike lanes to visit the southernmost point in the continental United States, working your way up to visit the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the Key West Lighthouse Museum and the Eco-Discovery Center. A must-stop on your list should be the Seven Mile Bridge that links points between the Florida Keys. If you want to go even further, consider completing the entire Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, a 106-mile, completely paved trail that stretches the majority of the Keys and is a suitable ride for anyone. The flat topography and 237 sunny days per year can almost guarantee that any ride you take in Key West is going to be a great one — just keep an eye on the weather and don't get caught in a notorious Florida thunderstorm!

San Francisco, California, is a lively melting pot of hippies, inner-city professionals, artists, and everyone in between. 14.8 million visitors flocked to the city in 2021, making it one of the busiest tourist destinations in the world. The city works hard to maintain its current 464 miles of bikeways, adding additional miles every year. Bicycles are the transportation of choice for locals and tourists alike, with more than 82,000 trips being made daily and travel by bicycle increasing 184% since 2006!

You can start your city tour off at one of the 280 bike share stations spread throughout the city. From there, you can bike to any amenities you may need in less than 15 minutes, then to the postcard-worthy destinations San Francisco is famous for! Buzzing past pedestrians on the bikeway, you can cruise down the steep and windy Lombard Street admiring the flower-filled gardens, stopping by the San Francisco Botanical Gardens to enjoy even more greenery. From there, make your way to Golden Gate National Recreation Area and cross the Golden Gate Bridge on two wheels. If you’re tired out from there, you can always take the ferry back across the bay. After all that riding you’re sure to be hungry, so head over to Valencia Street to grab a bite to eat at one of the many vibrant restaurants. After the day is over, you can head out to experience the city’s nightlife or relax while watching the sunset over the Golden City. San Francisco is for everyone, especially bikers.

Arlington, Virginia, is next on our list! Known for its treasured national monuments and memorials, Arlington has so much more to offer that can only be experienced by using the 49 miles of paved paths woven throughout the city. After grabbing a bike from the local bike share, consider taking the Arlington Loop, a 16-mile bikeway that will bring you past some of the most famed attractions in Arlington. Cruise past attractions like the Arlington House, the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, and the Arlington National Cemetery. The Arlington National Cemetery is a must-visit place as it is the resting place of more than 400,000 servicemen and hosts regular graveside services and memorial events.

After paying your respects, you can continue your journey through the charming neighborhoods, beautiful parks, and waterfront views of Arlington into Washington, D.C., where you can see other historical treasures like the Lincoln Memorial, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, and even the White House! Arlington offers a very unique experience on a bike — there is almost no other city where you can see so many treasured places and artifacts of United States history in just a short bicycle ride. However, if history is not your forte, the Mount Vernon path is an 18-mile paved recreation trail known as Northern Virginia’s Scenic Trail. Running down the west bank of the Potomac River, the ride offers many places to hop off and take a break. Arlington is made to be seen by bike!

Located on the northwest edge of Michigan’s lower peninsula (the mitten) is Traverse City, a vibrant small town and a great spot for wine connoisseurs, history lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Traverse City is also known for its craft beer, and everyone in town takes advantage of that. A Traverse City must-do is the Kayak, Bike, and Brew, a brewery pub crawl along Traverse City’s beautiful Boardman Lake and River and West Grand Traverse Bay.

Throughout the city, there are more than 60 miles of trail known as the Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation, or TART for short. TART is the city’s effort to provide and promote a trail network that enriches people and communities throughout the greater Traverse region. Through these trails, you can see attractions in town like The Grand Traverse Commons, Front Street, and the State Theatre. Or you can choose to venture outside of town into magnificent outdoor areas like the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Seashore, where a 22-mile paved multi-use trail passes through the National Lakeshore. Traverse City is a small-town gem that offers a wide variety of activities for every age, skill level, and interest.

Last on our list, but certainly not least, is Santa Monica, California. Santa Monica is a charming seaside town with a small-town feel but urban metropolis amenities. Set in sunny southern California, it boasts stunning ocean views, a gentle, humidity-free climate, and a city design that caters to cyclists. The city has installed more than 100 miles of bikeways, 19 miles of green lanes, and several hundred public bike racks. The bike share service in town, Breeze Bike Share, allows locals and tourists to use well-maintained bikes and e-bikes.

This town is meant to be seen on two wheels. You can take your cruiser on the 22-mile Marvin Braude Trail that leads straight to bucket-list attractions like the Santa Monica Pier, the Venice Skatepark, and Muscle Beach. After relishing in the unique culture and exciting shops, switch out bikes and head over to the Santa Monica Mountains for some thrilling mountain trails. Topanga State Park is just 20 minutes from downtown and features 36 miles of trails through open grassland, live oaks, and mountainous terrain. Santa Monica is a great destination to sit back, relax and enjoy the city’s many attractions. Every cyclist is guaranteed to find their favorite Santa Monica bike route.

From world-class mountain biking to wine tasting tours on two wheels, don’t forget to bring your helmet the next time you pack your bags.

For most Americans, the pandemic forced leisure travel to the back burner throughout 2020. Instead, people began to explore the outdoors closer to home: A survey of American adults conducted by PeopleForBikes found that, in 2020, 10% of American adults engaged in bicycling in a new way and that 87% of those new riders plan to keep riding in a post-pandemic world.

For those looking to combine their newfound (or longtime favorite) hobby with their next getaway, here are five vacation cities to experience by bike. 

In a region known for great mountain biking, Fayetteville stands out, although that hasn’t always been the case. “Trying to ride a bike across town as a kid and even into my teenage years, we didn’t have any bike lanes and there wasn’t even a sharrow until the early 2000s,” said Fayetteville Mobility Coordinator Dane Eifling. “Then, our mayor got support to fund a trails program. No one knew quite what it was at the time, but it led to the creation of the backbone of our trail system today.”

Since the installation of its first trails, Fayetteville’s bike network has grown exponentially. Eifling nods to smart planning by the city being a major factor behind the network’s success. “We built trails that would get the most use — not ones that would be the cheapest or most convenient to build,” said Eifling. “Focusing on trails that would get the most activity first helped us get funding and support to build more.”

Today, Fayetteville is one of the best cities to visit for hardcore bike enthusiasts and general outdoor recreationalists alike, reflected in its top Community Score among all medium-sized cities in our 2021 City Ratings. For mountain bikers, 50 miles of paved multi-use paths throughout town mean you never have to load up the car to access a great ride. Dozens of trails, including brand new Centennial Park, are within a short pedal from town, offering up enticing terrain for riders of all abilities. And if you’re looking for an epic road ride, Fayetteville’s unique topography allows for some all-time rides. 

“We host a lot of world-renowned stage races,” Eifling said. “The rolling hills of the Ozarks are the perfect terrain for those looking for something advanced.” 

Trying to spend more time around town? Eifling says there’s a laundry list of hotels that cater to bicyclists throughout Fayetteville’s downtown area. “You can stay at a bike-friendly hotel and easily ride to a coffee shop or take a leisurely ride on the paved trails,” said Eifling. “Our recreational trails follow along the creeks to avoid major hills and the trees lining the water keep things shaded and cool during the summer months. You can truly see all of Fayetteville from a bicycle.”

Going forward, Fayetteville is working to build a shared-use paved trail within a 10-minute walk of every resident, a goal that’s 80% complete. Once it’s done, it’ll benefit visitors too.

Looking to add a little pedal power to your next relaxing tropical vacation? Look no further than Key West, Florida, one of the top 10 small cities in our 2021 City Ratings. Perched at the southernmost tip of the U.S., just 90 miles north of Cuba, the island is known for its bright, pastel-colored architecture, lively nightlife, beaches and historic sites. It’s also best experienced on two wheels. 

Sizing up at just under five square miles, Key West is incredibly bikeable — it takes less than half an hour to bike from one end of the island to the other. Car-Free Key West, a program developed by the city’s planning department dedicated to promoting a smart and attainable future for the island, champions a “Park It and Forget It” approach to visiting by car. Once you arrive, everything you’ll need is an easy walk or bike ride away.

Key West’s tourist destinations include everything from the Southernmost Point, an Instagram-worthy spot marking the lowest latitudinal point in the continental U.S., to the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, which offers daily tours of the famous writer’s estate. Pedaling around southern Florida all day is sure to work up an appetite, and the island’s main drag — Duval Street — is flush with restaurants and bars serving up local specialties like fried conch.

Round out your trip with a truly unique bicycling experience: the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. Paralleling U.S. Highway 1, a designated National Scenic Highway, this paved, multi-use trail stretches nearly 100 miles between Key Largo and Key West. Crossing 23 historic Flagler Railroad bridges built at the turn of the 20th century, the trail passes through some of the most scenic nature southern Florida has to offer. It also offers access to two national parks, four wildlife refuges and 10 Florida State Parks, making it a must-pedal for nature and bicycling lovers alike.

Solvang, California, nestled in a lush valley about 125 miles north of Los Angeles, is easily one of the most unique destinations on this list. Part wine country, part Danish, this southern California treasure is truly one of a kind. 

Solvang prides itself on being “a little slice of Denmark in Southern California,” and when you walk through the quaint downtown, it’s easy to see why. Old-world Danish architecture lines the streets and Solvang’s rich cultural heritage is evident around every corner. Like many of the customs borrowed from its lineage, Solvang is also an amazing place for bicycling, ranking fifth out of 307 small U.S. cities in our 2021 City Ratings.

The surrounding rolling hills are home to some of the best road riding in the United States. Solvang is the spring basecamp for many pro cycling teams training in the U.S. and there’s an abundance of wine country cycling tours available to riders of all abilities. Upwards of 125 wineries speckle the Santa Ynez Valley, serving as pit stops for private tastings. Whether you come for the biking and stay for the wine, or vice versa, Solvang is the perfect destination for folks looking for the very best of both. 

Back in town, more than 35 restaurants within an easy biking distance of 18 hotels offer up international cuisine (and more wine) for the appetite you surely worked up while out in the saddle. Plus, it’s California — even in the coldest winter months, daytime highs average around 66 degrees.

Park City is primarily known for its skiing, but Trails and Open Space Manager Heinrich Deters says the rise of mountain biking during the early ‘90s helped transform it into a year-round destination. “It used to just be people that would come to ski during the winter and leave during the summer,” said Deter. “Mountain biking was something that caught on with 10 or 20 of us who would build trails on the old mining company property. In my opinion, that was the first shift from winter-only resort to full-year resort.”

Today, those ski-bums-turned-trail builders who stuck around are the reason Park City has a family-friendly bike culture and earned one of the highest Community Scores among small U.S. cities in the 2021 City Ratings. “Everyone that lives here now are the ones that stayed for the summers, and now they’re raising kids,” said Deters. “The core group of locals have been here 25 to 30 years, and that's a lot of who you’ll see out on trails — a mom, a dad and some kids.”

Deters also notes that Park City’s immediate access to trails makes the town perfect for bike enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. “In Park City, we like to say that your garage is your trailhead: You can ride out of any neighborhood around town and be at a trail in two to three minutes,” said Deters, adding that there’s plenty of options to keep even the most avid riders busy. “You can visit Park City every summer and not ride the same trail for at least five years.”

Less than an hour drive from downtown Salt Lake City, Park City’s high mountain locale blesses it with favorable weather during the summer months. “The elevation change is a couple of thousand feet between the valley and here, and with that, we get great weather,” said Deters. “It’s not too hot, there are no bugs and it’s fairly temperate during the biking season.” 

While Park City’s bike culture definitely leans more off-road, Deters says there’s still plenty to do around town on two wheels. “Our public bike share system in town is a cheap, economical way to experience everything Park City has to offer — whether it’s stopping by a free concert happening every other block or just pedaling out to one of our many parks and open spaces,” said Deters. “You can come up and have a great, entry-level cycling experience with little investment.”

A small college town bordering Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Marquette is an ideal off-the-radar vacation spot. The city of 21,000 sits adjacent to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Isle Royale National Park along with scores of lakes, rivers and forests, and hosts a vibrant, easily bikeable downtown — full of restaurants, art shops and breweries. 

Marquette’s been investing in active transportation since the 1970s, building routes along former railway corridors and other scenic spaces. According to David Stensaas, planner and zoning administrator for Marquette, the city has a winning combination of easily accessible singletrack combined with paved trails along the Lake Superior shoreline and through the downtown corridor. 

While lake-effect weather systems blanket Marquette in snow from October to May, the long winter season has fostered a diehard community of fat bikers. The fat-tire trails are maintained by the Noquemanon Trail Network (NTN) organization, who grooms dozens of miles of trails within biking distance of downtown for use throughout the winter. 

“For those who believe in ‘cyclotherapy,’ biking through the dark days of winter is a much better option than Prozac,” joked Stensaas, noting the colder months of the year not only see a lot of snow, but also little sunlight for the northern latitude city.

In the milder summer months, NTN has hundreds of local members who help maintain 40-plus miles of singletrack mountain biking trails surrounding Marquette. In the fall, those same trails boast some of the best leaf-peeping in the Upper Peninsula, with the entire forested region covered in stunning hues of yellow, orange and red.

Marquette prides itself on an extensive history of mining in the region, highlighted through the Iron Ore Heritage Trail. The 47-mile, multi-use paved trail follows corridors that brought lumber and iron ore to the Lake Superior Harbor. Equal parts recreation and education, the heritage trail connects communities across Marquette County and allows visitors to experience historical sites while winding through a stunning natural landscape. Marquette’s diverse biking amenities, which earned the city ninth place among small U.S. cities in our 2021 City Ratings, make it an easy choice for repeat visits.

Every summer, Provincetown, a coastal town with 3,000 year-round residents on the tip of Cape Cod, floods with tourists drawn to the scenic beaches, small-town charm and abundance of LGBTQ+ festivities. Provincetown has long been a queer vacation destination, with gay culture in the town dating back to as early as the start of the 20th century. Celebrations like Carnival, a weeklong celebration of LGBTQ+ life, see upwards of 90,000 visitors every August, and Provincetown’s gay and lesbian events stretch all summer long.

Ranking number one overall for U.S. cities in our 2021 City Ratings, Provincetown’s open, accepting culture combined with its ease of bikeability make it the perfect destination for anyone looking for a relaxing summer vacation. Whether it’s whale watching along Race Point Beach, letting the pup off the leash at the Pilgrim Bark Park or catching one of the countless parties and parades that stretch down Provincetown’s main drag — Commercial Street — every destination is no more than a 15-minute bike ride away from the heart of town.

No matter your reason for visiting, everyone is welcome in Provincetown. While it may be small in size, the town is filled to the brim with places to see and things to do — so much so that many visitors have been returning every summer, year after year, for decades.

How does your city rank? Check out our 2021 City Ratings and learn how to improve your score.

Every day, individuals are discovering the many benefits of electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) — they allow more individuals to get out and ride, regardless of their age or physical or cognitive abilities. Electric mountain bikes provide a needed boost to make climbing hills easier and going longer distances require less effort.

As eMTB technology evolves, more and more riders are asking themselves, “Where can I ride my eMTB?” Unfortunately, the answer is not always clear. Many state resource agencies lack modern-day regulations that govern electric bicycle use on natural surface and non-motorized trails. These outdated rules confuse many riders who are simply looking to ride their low-speed eMTB in the same places as traditional mountain bikes.

PeopleForBikes believes that electric bicycles are very similar to bicycles, and their rules and use should be similarly regulated. Modern day electric bicycle regulations have already been adopted in 28 states’ traffic codes thanks to legislators and advocates who saw the need to seamlessly modernize their policies to reflect the needs of today’s riders.

When it comes to off-road trail access for electric bicycles, governed by rules and regulations within state natural resource agencies, PeopleForBikes supports the adoption of electric bicycle rules that define three classes of electric bicycles and, at a minimum, allow Class 1 electric bicycles on non-motorized, natural surface trails that permit bicycle use. State resource agencies with regulations such as this can be found  below.

Defines three classes of electric bicycles and allows Class 1 electric bicycles wherever bicycles are allowed. 


Defines three classes of electric bicycles and allows Class 1 and 2 electric bicycles wherever bicycles are allowed. 

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Defines three classes of electric bicycles and allows Class 1 electric bicycles wherever bicycles are allowed. 

Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation

Defines three classes of electric bicycles and allows Class 1, 2 and 3 electric bicycles wherever bicycles are allowed. 

Defines three classes of electric bicycles and allows Class 1 electric bicycles wherever bicycles are allowed.

Defines three classes of electric bicycles and allows Class 1 and 3 electric bicycles wherever bicycles are allowed. 


Electric bicycles play an essential role in the future of modern outdoor experiences and regulations need to be in place that reflect the growing demand.

PeopleForBikes stands as a technical resource for land managers as they develop electric bicycle policies that suit the needs of their local communities. Once finalized, electric bicycle policies should be deployed with educational materials on trail etiquette. Many of the common issues experienced by all trail users can be alleviated through reminders on how to courteously share the trail. Trail etiquette materials are just one of the many resources PeopleForBikes provides to land managers to help make the transition to more modern electric bicycle policies.

 Materials on trail etiquette are just one of the many resources PeopleForBikes provides to land managers to help make the transition to modernize their agency’s code a simple process. Want to improve eMTB access in your area? Check out our electric bicycle webpage or reach out to PeopleForBikes’ Regulatory and Policy Analyst, Ashley Seaward at ashley@peopleforbikes.org.

Electric Mountain Bike Access in State Parks is Improving

Electric mountain bikes (eMTBs) allow for all members of the family to join in on the fun of mountain biking. Trail policies around the country are slowly being updated to allow some e-bikes in areas where traditional bikes are permitted, increasing access for eMTB riders looking for a great trail experience. 

As these policies continue to evolve, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to understand where you can ride your eMTB. That’s why we’re tracking eMTB access nationally and publishing the data on our online map. This map is your one-stop shop to learn where eMTBs are allowed and what e-bike friendly trails are closest to you. 

To help plan for your next big adventure, PeopleForBikes will be taking you from coast to coast, highlighting some of our favorite eMTB trails. To kick off this series, we’ll be starting in Ocala, Florida at the Santos Trail System.

Florida has recently become a powerhouse state for e-bikes, as it has clearly defined e-bike policies for both on the road and on the trail. In addition to Florida being the 28th state to adopt PeopleForBikes’ three-class e-bike classification, Florida State Parks also allow Class 1 eMTBs wherever bikes are allowed — including the Santos Trail System. The trail system includes more than 80 miles of beginner to expert singletrack trails suitable for everyone’s ability and skill level.

Check out Santos and other great places to ride your eMTB by exploring our eMTB map. Want to learn about other great rides outside of Florida? Be on the lookout for our next eMTB adventure blog. Lastly, don’t forget to share your adventures on two wheels with your friends on Ride Spot. 

Find Your Next eMTB Adventure – Florida

The 12 projects utilize everything from community art to electric bikes and span the country from New York to Hawaii.

The Better Bike Share Partnership (BBSP) awarded $89,970 in mini-grants to 12 projects that will reach and engage traditionally underserved populations through shared micromobility. This is the sixth round of grant funding that PeopleForBikes will administer through its partner role with BBSP. 

“Better Bike Share mini-grants allow us to support and share lessons from small, innovative projects," said Zoe Kircos, director of grants and partnerships at PeopleForBikes and manager of BBSP. "We look forward to learning from these grantees and seeing how their strategies help more people access bike share systems.”

The following projects were selected to receive funding: 

Reddy E-Bike Library Ambassadors | $10,000
Shared Mobility Inc./Reddy Bikeshare, Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY

Reddy Bikeshare, in partnership with Independent Health, will join with East Side Bike Club and the Create a Healthier Niagara Falls Collaborative to use this funding to hire, train and support four community ambassadors to help underserved residents access electric bicycles through a new bike library program.

Bike-N-Ride: Linking Bike Sharing With Transit Through Art Tours That Highlight Community Narratives | $10,000
City of Fort Lauderdale – Transportation and Mobility, Fort Lauderdale, FL

The City of Fort Lauderdale will partner with local community-based organizations to host three bike tours featuring storytelling and art. The rides will coincide with and end at a local monthly art walk event.

Savvy Cycling | $10,000
Midwest Bikeshare, Inc./Bublr Bikeshare, Milwaukee, WI

As Bublr expands into historically marginalized neighborhoods with 26 new stations, system ambassadors from those communities will offer urban bike skills classes, free helmets and a complimentary 30-day pass to local residents.

North Tulsa Expansion/African American Community Outreach | $10,000
Tulsa Bike Share/This Machine, Tulsa, OK

Five new This Machine stations will be installed in North Tulsa, a historically Black neighborhood. The expansion will be matched with promotions, events and other activities offered in partnership with community-based organizations located in the area.

People for Mobility Justice ElectroBicis in Pacoima  | $10,000
Community Partners, Los Angeles, CA

People for Mobility Justice will work with Pacoima Beautiful to make 100 electric bikes available for long-term rental to residents as part of a pilot in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. PeopleForBikes’ grant will fund classes on safe bicycling and bike maintenance, along with safety equipment such as helmets and lights.

Justice on Wheels 2021 | $8,600
Family Matters, Chicago, IL

Practice rides and events, geared towards helping residents build endurance and community, will culminate in a 15-mile intergenerational ride through the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago. Speakers at stops on the route will explore themes of transformative justice and transportation equity, with a celebration at the end. 

Biki Ambassador Project | $7,770
Bikeshare Hawaii, Honolulu, HI

Biki will focus on outreach to Native Hawaiians and other underserved communities with the launch of a new Ambassador program. In partnership with a local organization, the bike share system will recruit, hire and train 10 people from the community to promote bike share and provide feedback.

The Way We Move: Making Biking Accessible for All in Raleigh | $6,500
Oaks and Spokes, Raleigh, NC

Reaching and engaging older adults in underserved communities is the focus of the events and activities in this new program. AARP and senior living facilities will serve as partners and an intern will be hired from a local HBCU.

Roll to Recovery | $6,000
OneFifteen, Dayton, OH

Through a partnership with Bike Miami Valley, OneFifteen, an addiction recovery campus, will support the mental and physical health of patients and staff by helping them ride. In addition to placing a bike share station on the facility’s campus, the nonprofit will offer helmets and annual passes to those who complete a free cycling safety class.

Allen County Micromobility Education Program | $5,000
Thrive Allen County, Allen County, KS

With this funding, Allen County’s free bike share system will hire a local ambassador to offer free bike repair workshops to residents countywide, addressing a common barrier to increased bicycling.

Segundo Barrio Mural Bikes | $4,300
Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, El Paso, TX

Local artists will paint seven bike share bikes inspired by the murals located in the historically significant Segundo Barrio, introducing more people to the artwork and bike share. Once completed, the painted bikes will be part of a bike share demo and gallery event in the featured neighborhood.

Share Boxes for Bike Share Racks | $1,800
Green Apple Bikes, Inc., Manhattan, KS

This completely free, volunteer-driven bike share system will add share boxes to stations in select locations, offering donated items including bicycling safety gear with funding from this grant.

Better Bike Share Partnership Awards $89,970 in Grants

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Find Your Next eMTB Adventure – Florida

Better Bike Share Partnership Awards $89,970 in Grants

People for Bikes