Dive Brief:
- Minneapolis is the best large city in the U.S. for bike riders, followed by San Francisco and Seattle, according to PeopleForBikes’ report “2023’s Best Places to Bike,” published Tuesday.
- The report also named Davis, California, the best among medium-sized cities (those with 50,000-300,000 residents) and Provincetown, Massachusetts, the best among small cities (those with fewer than 50,000 residents).
- The annual report rated 1,484 cities across the U.S. and 249 international cities on the quality of their bike networks, including bike infrastructure and motor vehicle speed limits.
Dive Insight:
Nearly 1,000 bicyclists died in motor vehicle crashes in 2021, a 5% increase over the previous year, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates. In the first six months of 2022, cyclist fatalities grew 8% compared with the same period in the previous year. Yet bicycle sales in the U.S. continue on an upward trajectory, with e-bike sales jumping 240% between 2020 and 2021.
In PeopleForBikes’ ratings, a score of 50 is the threshold for a city being considered a great place for bicycling. Just 1 in 20 U.S. cities score higher than 50 this year, but great biking cities are found all across the country. Philadelphia, New York City, and Portland, Oregon, are among the cities that have seen their scores grow above 50 in recent years. Scores are based on factors that include how well a city provides access for bicyclists to jobs, schools, shopping, healthcare, transit and residential areas.
For a safer and more comfortable environment for bicyclists, PeopleForBikes recommends 25 mph speed limits in residential areas, protected bike lanes that use flex posts and concrete barriers, safer intersection crossings and seamless bicycle network connections.
