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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Bothell area, WA
    Posts
    564

    Ranking of States' Bike Friendliness

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    The League of American Bicyclists has released a listing of how bike-friendly each state is. The top and bottom rankings:

    Top 5

    1. Washington
    2. Wisconsin
    3. Arizona
    4. Oregon
    5. Minnesota

    Bottom 5

    46. North Dakota
    47. Mississippi
    48. Alabama
    49. Georgia
    50. West Virginia

    They also provide an explanation for each ranking in a somewhat cool interactive map.
    Almost a Bike Blog:
    http://kf.rainydaycommunications.net/

    Never give up. Never surrender.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    foothills of the Ozarks aka Tornado Alley
    Posts
    4,193
    I'm impressed that Arkansas didn't rank in the lowest 5. This state does not accommodate road cyclists with good roads or traffic.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Posts
    1,057
    As a Wisconsin-ite, I find the ranking both surprising and not so surprising. Areas of the state are extremely bike friendly, we have a lot of paved rural roads and a very active bike federation that has made new and existing roads better for cycling.

    As a resident of the metro-Milwaukee area, however, it is surprising. Were the stats to be gathered today would we fare so well? This summer we've had 4 hit and run fatalities in the 5-county area. Obviously, that midwestern politeness is wearing off.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Delaware
    Posts
    528
    How sad that the "First State," Delaware came in 31st in the rankings. Delaware IS more bike-friendly than it used to be but we have a long way to go yet.

    Caesar Rodney made his famous ride from Dover to Philadelphia in order to sign the Declaration of Independence. It took him a very long time for the ride through rainstorms and fighting his ilness of disfiguring face cancer.

    Given the horrible state of some of the roads for bikes in Delaware, it would be a long and death-defying ride to do the same trip by bike.

    I'm surprised that the local bicycle advocates haven't staged a repeat of Rodney's ride to advertise the need for safer roads for bikes.

    Hmmmmmm........(the wheels are turning......)
    "The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we might become." Charles Dubois

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    I was astounded to see Florida ranked in the top half.

    It appears the rankings may have been largely bestowed based on attitudes expressed in legislation and government initiatives, without any regard to what it's actually like to cycle in those states.
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Uncanny Valley
    Posts
    14,498
    Quote Originally Posted by pardes View Post
    I'm surprised that the local bicycle advocates haven't staged a repeat of Rodney's ride to advertise the need for safer roads for bikes.

    Hmmmmmm........(the wheels are turning......)
    Wow, that's a great idea, Pardes.

    ... are you turning into a (gasp) COMMUNITY ORGANIZER?

    [mods: okay okay I'll stop]
    Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    2,698
    Truthfully, I don't really understand how they calculated Delaware's score (or any of the others, for that matter). The rumble strip thing just confuses me, seeing as none of "my" roads have them, and DE has had a 0.08 BAC level for a few years now. How old is this data?

    That said, 31 sounds about right to me. I would love to share my ride to work with our gubernatorial candidates. I think that it would open some eyes...it certainly did when we escorted our division director to work via bike.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    S. Lake Tahoe CA and Marion Mass
    Posts
    359
    Pardes I'll do it with you. As long as I don't have to ride down Rt 13 or 40, I'll be okay. Hmmm...or 141 or the Kirkwood Hwy. There used to be a Jack in the Box on Kirkwood Hwy across from Prices Corner, but I digress. I remember talking into the clown head. Ah...the good ol days...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Bothell area, WA
    Posts
    564
    Thinking about this more and reading your comments, it occurs to me that it would be interesting to have CYCLISTS rate their state, say on a scale of 1 to 10, on biking quality factors:

    1. Road quality (paving, cleanliness/debris, shoulder width)
    2. Driver behavior & education re: cycling
    3. Cycling amenities (bike lanes, stoplights that recognize cyclists, etc.)
    4. Quality of bike paths (bathroom/water stops at regular intervals, quality of paving, width, debris, maintenance)
    5. What else? What other factors contribute to your thinking of a ride as good rather than bad?

    Factoring that in with what the LAB people looked at might give a more accurate overall bike friendliness rating. Then again, all states can't be in the bottom five, even though most of us probably feel our state belongs there!
    Almost a Bike Blog:
    http://kf.rainydaycommunications.net/

    Never give up. Never surrender.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Delaware
    Posts
    528
    Quote Originally Posted by OakLeaf View Post
    Wow, that's a great idea, Pardes.

    ... are you turning into a (gasp) COMMUNITY ORGANIZER?

    [mods: okay okay I'll stop]
    Oakleaf--Well thanks to "The 5 Minute Manager" idea of handling an idea immediately, I have already sent an email volunteering this idea to the Delaware Bicycle Council.

    It's the baby boomer hippie in me. I can see it now.....everyone dressed in "Pale Rider" costumes like Rodney.....film at 11.

    Tahoey, I remember Jack in the Box! Where is a good clown head now to talk into now.....sigh.....

    Becky, I'd be happy if I could get a safer way to cross the interstate on 273 so I could more easily get to University Plaza to do grocery shopping. Every car attempts to flatten you on a bike as they take the right lane to get onto I-95. I haven't been brave enough to try it yet so I go the long way round via Churchman's road whic has its own problems on the narrow bridge crossing I-95. I have a video in the works now on that subject titled "Road Kill."
    "The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we might become." Charles Dubois

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    northern california
    Posts
    1,460
    I don't know how they can do those rankings. It's so variable from community to community.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    8,548
    no kidding, Roadie Girl. We have entire counties that we don't like to ride in!
    Mimi Team TE BIANCHISTA
    for six tanks of gas you could have bought a bike.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    2,698
    Quote Originally Posted by pardes View Post
    Becky, I'd be happy if I could get a safer way to cross the interstate on 273 so I could more easily get to University Plaza to do grocery shopping. Every car attempts to flatten you on a bike as they take the right lane to get onto I-95. I haven't been brave enough to try it yet so I go the long way round via Churchman's road whic has its own problems on the narrow bridge crossing I-95. I have a video in the works now on that subject titled "Road Kill."
    Staring at the ADC map, the only thing I see that looks promising is Chapman Road via Salem Church Road. I sure as heck wouldn't use 273, at least not near that interchange. PM me with a better idea of where you're coming from, and I might have some other ideas....though it's been awhile since we've lived in Newark.are concerned.

    Which bridge over 95? The one near DelTech Stanton?

    BTW, I wouldn't rely on the DelDOT bike maps...we just got our new ones and, IMHO, they've taken a step backwards.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Delaware
    Posts
    528
    That's what I am doing. Salem Church road to Chapman Road. It's the bridge on Chapman Road that crosses I-95. Actually all of Chapman Road is quite pleasant and wide from Christiana High School to University Plaza EXCEPT for the bridge which narrows significantly and the cars travel very VERY fast over the bridge. I walk the bridge on the eight inch "sidewalk" but even that gets sticky when a truck comes along.
    "The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we might become." Charles Dubois

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    2,698
    Quote Originally Posted by pardes View Post
    That's what I am doing. Salem Church road to Chapman Road. It's the bridge on Chapman Road that crosses I-95. Actually all of Chapman Road is quite pleasant and wide from Christiana High School to University Plaza EXCEPT for the bridge which narrows significantly and the cars travel very VERY fast over the bridge. I walk the bridge on the eight inch "sidewalk" but even that gets sticky when a truck comes along.
    Oooooooooooooh! Ok, now I get it. My apologies....I didn't realize that's where you were referring to. Yikes! I don't see anything better than that on the map

    This has been one of my long-standing DE bicycle beefs: not enough safe ways over 95.

 

 

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