5 hours Ago By Shari Phiel
Washington has reclaimed its top spot among the most bicycle-friendly states, according to the League of American Bicyclists’ 2024 rankings. According to the rankings, Washington leads the country in fostering bicycling and related support systems. “Making it easier for more people to cycle safely to work, school or for fun has been an important part of our transportation planning,” Gov.
Jay Inslee said in a press release Thursday. The ranking program evaluates states based on commitments to bicycling across five categories: infrastructure and funding, education and encouragement, traffic laws and practices, policies and programs, and evaluation and planning. “Many of these efforts are supported by our Climate Commitment Act which is paving the way for more riders and also educating them so they can ride confidently,” Inslee said.
“I appreciate the work of our bicycle friendly communities, businesses and universities that have all contributed to building active, healthy transportation options.” The state earned top marks for its attention to issues faced by cyclists, as well as its long-standing and continued leadership that moves bicycling forward, the release said. The League of American Bicyclists cited the statewide school-based bicycle education program as a national model for what state and local government can accomplish when working together.
It also pointed to the state’s planning work that provides safe bicycle infrastructure and design guidance and training that supports those plans. “It’s great to once again lead the nation in recognizing that bicycling is an important part of a multimodal transportation system,” Roger Millar, Washington’s transportation secretary, said in the release. “We’re committed to providing transportation choices for all users of the system — including people who bike, walk and roll.
We have more work to do, but this ranking affirms that we’re on the right path.” The league said Washington has an extensive history of support for cyclists, putting it at the top of its rankings for all but one year since launching in 2008. Washington was in third place in 2022, ending its 14-year run in the No.
1 spot. Rankings were not awarded in 2023..
