In 2025, the United States reached a milestone that once felt unlikely: an estimated 4,400 directional miles of protected bike lanes and road-adjacent side paths nationwide, spanning nearly every state. This estimate, developed by PeopleForBikes, is the first recent national snapshot of protected bike lane mileage at scale in the U.S., reflecting decades of advocacy, policy change, and local leadership.

From a Handful of Cities to a National Network

Just a decade ago, protected bike lanes were far from mainstream in the U.S. Today, they’re increasingly common, helping make streets safer and biking a more accessible form of transportation and recreation for people of all ages and abilities.

The growth of protected bike lanes in U.S. cities is closely tied to PeopleForBikes’ origin. In the 1990s, bike industry leaders formed Bikes Belong, which evolved into what is now PeopleForBikes, in an effort to leverage federal funding for the creation of bicycle infrastructure. At the same time, transportation leaders in big cities nationwide were having similar conversations. Those discussions led to the creation of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), giving cities a place to learn from one another, push for smarter national policy, and take the lead on how our streets are designed. In 2011, NACTO published the Urban Bikeway Design Guide, a practical manual for engineers to implement safer bike lanes.  The guide helped shift protected bike lanes from what some considered “experimental” to a standard practice in communities from coast to coast.

To complement the release of the new guide, PeopleForBikes launched the Green Lane Project in 2012. At the time, protected bike lanes existed in only a handful of U.S. cities: New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Chicago, among others. In 2013, there were only 24 protected bike lanes nationwide. By 2015, that number grew to more than 270, doubling roughly every two years through 2017.

As more protected bike lanes were installed, cities shifted their focus from individual projects to fully connected networks that tie into local trails and quieter neighborhood streets, making biking safer and more accessible.

PeopleForBikes tested that idea in 2017 with the Big Jump, working alongside 10 U.S. cities willing to rethink biking at the neighborhood scale. Efforts focused on building connected bike networks that supported daily trips and deepening community engagement, not just installing isolated bike lanes. Cities that followed this approach saw dramatic gains, with local ridership doubling (and in some cases, tripling).

Several years later, through PeopleForBikes’ Final Mile program, cities like Austin and Denver built hundreds of miles of protected lanes and network connections in just three years, more than three times the per-capita rate of comparable cities. In city after city, the pattern was the same.

Across both programs, cities moved faster and built more bike lanes when political leadership, local advocacy, and practical design expertise aligned. Dozens of other U.S. cities followed quickly behind.

Voters also show strong local support year after year, funding the expansion of bike networks by approving more than $49 billion in state and local funding for recreation and active transportation projects since 2019. PeopleForBikes’ VoteForBikes program helps communities turn that support into action by connecting with voters, shaping ballot measures, and securing funding for safer, more connected bike networks.

But protected bike lanes are only part of the story. Thousands of miles of rail-trails, greenways, and mountain bike routes also crisscross the country. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy estimates that over the past two decades, known rail-trail mileage has grown from about 12,000 miles to more than 25,000, while the broader category of mapped multi-use trails (including rail-trails) expanded from roughly 25,000 miles in 2013 to more than 42,500 miles today. This growth reflects both new trail construction and improved documentation of previously unmapped trails. Linked to protected bike lanes, these trails open the door to more everyday trips, weekend rides, and everything in between.

This same pattern is evident in PeopleForBikes’ annual City Ratings. As protected bike lanes began to link together into real networks, more cities crossed the critical threshold score of 50, the tipping point to becoming a great place to bike. In those places, people can ride to work, school, or daily errands without being forced into dangerous network gaps.

Measuring a Growing Network at a National Scale

With these pieces in place, protected bike lanes spread quickly over the past five years. With that growth came a new challenge: measuring the now thousands of miles of protected bike lanes accurately at a national scale.

Tracking projects by hand was no longer feasible. To solve this issue, PeopleForBikes developed a Protected Bike Lane Inventory in 2025 using OpenStreetMap data and a geometry-based method that distinguishes on-road protected lanes and road-adjacent side paths from off-street trails. By layering map data with spatial factors like road proximity and alignment, this method provides an estimate of protected bike lanes and road-adjacent side paths nationwide. Counting directional miles also helps reflect what riders experience on the ground.

Put together, the data points to about 4,400 directional miles of protected bike lanes across the U.S. as of 2025 — a forty-fold increase since 2000. No dataset captures everything, but this approach comes closer than anything before to showing both how much has been built and where work still needs to be done.

In 2000, there were an estimated 108 directional miles of protected bike lanes in the United States. In 2020, the miles of U.S. protected bike lanes grew to about 800. By 2025, that number was estimated to have grown to approximately 4,400. Directional mileage measures bikeways by direction of travel. If protected bike lanes run on both sides of a street, or if a bi-directional protected lane exists on one side, each direction is counted separately and summed to produce the total mileage.

Anyone can help improve the picture. By updating OpenStreetMap with new protected lanes or adding details like directionality, contributors make it easier to see where networks are growing and where gaps still exist.

While 4,400 miles marks real progress, many European cities remain decades ahead. The Netherlands’ bike networks grew out of the Stop de Kindermoord movement in the 1970s, when parents pushed back against streets that had become dangerous for children. In 2007, political leaders in Seville, Spain, committed to building a 50-mile bike network and completed it in under two years. In London and Paris, the Olympic Games created hard deadlines, political will, and funding opportunities that helped both cities quickly build robust bike networks.

The U.S. has taken a longer, more fragmented path. After years of advocacy, connected bike networks are finally taking shape as communities learn to adapt what worked elsewhere to fit their own local politics, street layouts, and funding realities. Programs like the Green Lane Project, The Big Jump, and Final Mile helped translate those ideas into real projects that could succeed in American cities and towns of all sizes.

The results are visible: safer streets, stronger business districts, more transportation choices, and reduced congestion for those who choose to drive.

As protected lanes and trails continue to connect into larger systems, this milestone is a starting point for the next phase of work — one focused less on proving the concept and more on getting to work building places where safer, more livable streets are simply the norm.

The cities that continue making progress tend to focus on the same basics: they slow traffic, build protected lanes, fix intersections, and connect gaps to create easily accessible networks.

Trusted data also plays an important role. Cities that track what they’ve built and keep OpenStreetMap data up to date have a much clearer sense of what’s working and where the next investments will make the biggest difference. That combination of design, policy, and feedback is captured in PeopleForBikes’ SPRINT framework.

Cities that get these fundamentals right tend to see the same results: ridership grows faster, public support holds up over time, and biking becomes an option for more everyday trips. The jump to 4,400 miles shows what can happen when those conditions line up.

Every vote, every city plan, and every mapped mile helps the U.S. move closer to the safer streets seen in places like the Netherlands, Seville, and Paris. You can be a part of making biking better for everyone across America by becoming a PeopleForBikes Foundation member. Join us today.

4,400 Miles and Counting: How the U.S. Built a Protected Bike Lane Movement

Bicyclists enjoying the switchback at Ledger — the world’s first bikeable office building. (Photo courtesy: Blue Crane)

Welcome to PeopleForBikes’ Building Better Communities series, where we highlight the people building great communities throughout the U.S. — with bikes in mind. Meet the developers building to meet the growing demand for walkable, bikeable neighborhoods, alongside a breakdown of the approaches these visionaries have adopted and their key takeaways on how other communities and developers can build better for bikes and the people who ride them. 

Almost two decades ago, Northwest Arkansas (NWA) leaders began forging a recreational boom out of the region’s natural elements — the foothills and heights of the Ozark Mountains. The move put NWA on the map as an international mountain biking destination. The 2015 completion of the initial 37 miles of the Razorback Regional Greenway (40 miles today) connected the communities of Bentonville, Fayetteville, Rogers, and Springdale, beckoning to every kind of cyclist.

The region’s largest employers bet on the new recreational assets to attract workforce talent, converting visitors to residents. It worked: NWA has been one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions over the last two decades; Bentonville’s population alone jumped from 38,284 in 2010 to 54,210 in 2020, a 53% increase. People weren’t just visiting NWA to ride their bikes, they were moving there to enjoy the lifestyle.

With new residents came the need for new housing and services and Bentonville-based developer Blue Crane was ready to provide it. The firm was founded by Tom and Steuart Walton, with an initial focus on developing hospitality properties in downtown Bentonville. Blue Crane was well-positioned to tap into the demand for residential and commercial projects that could serve the active lifestyles sought by new residents and has expanded its investments accordingly.

The Opportunity: Offer Active Living from Home to Work to Play

Much like NWA’s 500-mile bike trail system was designed to offer something for every type and level of rider, Blue Crane is building a diversified portfolio of projects for nearly every type of resident and business, meeting cyclists where they are and all the places they want to be.

“[Newer] residents, whether they're remote workers, entrepreneurs, or professionals relocating from other markets, have different expectations for how their daily lives integrate with outdoor recreation. They want to bike to work, to dinner, to meet friends — not just on weekends for recreation,” says Katie Parsons, spokesperson for Blue Crane. “Our aha moment came when we realized that most new development wasn't fully capitalizing on this incredible asset.”

Riders take a break at Crystal Flats, a mixed-use project in downtown Bentonville. (Photo courtesy Blue Crane)

Crystal Flats is a 27-acre, 622-unit mixed-use residential project in downtown Bentonville that reflects Blue Crane’s deliberate approach to bike-friendly development and features ample biking and walking pathways through the property, its own bike washing and repair stations, connections to nearby bike trails, and an easy walk to downtown. “Residents need secure bike storage, easy trail access for commuting, and connectivity to services they use regularly,” Parsons notes. “We design with bike storage as part of our design process and strategically select sites that ensure trail connections and bikeability are functional for daily errands.”

The commercial and hospitality properties are similarly packed with bike amenities, catering to bike-focused visitors and locals alike. These properties accommodate a range of bike transportation needs, from single-day trail riders to multi-day tourists traveling with their gear by incorporating bike storage, washing stations, maintenance access, bike valet facilities, and spaces designed to welcome cyclists as well as their gear. Among the newest of the hospitality projects is The Compton. "Every element of The Compton is conceived with the adventurer in mind, mirroring the beauty of the Ozarks and catering to Bentonville's vibrant cycling scene," said Brian Shaw, development partner for Blue Crane.

Incorporating local materials and native plant species, the hotel is named for Bentonville native and conservationist Dr. Neil Compton and serves as an example of how Blue Crane’s transformative work has been thoughtful in highlighting the region’s rich history and heritage.

Sometimes, accentuating history comes with a big dash of innovation. Red Barn is an “urban agrihood” in north Bentonville, offering apartments and townhomes nestled together to maximize greenspace for a more rustic feel. The site’s eponymous red barn serves as an event space, and the property includes a farm that supports the next generation of small, local farmers, with events featuring local food and culture. Biking and walking trails criss-cross the property and connect to the region’s trail system, offering rural living with the ability to easily enjoy a car-free or car-light lifestyle with easy access to the city.

Riders at Red Barn. (Photo courtesy Blue Crane)

Other times, Blue Crane has departed from tradition with outright daring. Ledger, the world’s first bikeable office building, boasts a modernistic facade wrapped in outdoor switchbacks that climb its six floors over three-quarters of a mile. The hybrid office building/co-working space/event venue also features showers and changing rooms for bike commuters to freshen up when they arrive.

“The bike-forward approach manifests differently across our development types, but the core principle remains consistent: seamless integration with the cycling ecosystem,” says Parsons.

The Return on Investment: Compound Interest 

Blue Crane’s bike-forward approach has netted direct and indirect returns that compound over time by building on and reinforcing each other.

Those immediate and near-term returns have come in several forms: properties that feature quality bike amenities “command premium pricing, [see] faster lease-up and sales cycles, particularly for demographics aligned with a cycling lifestyle, and higher tenant retention,” says Parsons. Because residents typically own fewer vehicles, the developer also benefits from lower parking infrastructure costs.

Indirect, longer-term benefits are just as impressive. “The most significant long-term benefit is positioning our developments as integral to NWA's competitive advantage in talent attraction. When companies like Walmart, J.B. Hunt, and Tyson are recruiting globally, having housing and commercial options that showcase the region's cycling culture becomes a powerful economic development tool,” Parsons notes. The result is a marketing differentiation that attracts exactly the demographic Northwest Arkansas is trying to recruit — educated, entrepreneurial, outdoor-oriented professionals.

Likewise, when properties welcome cyclists unconditionally, those places become destinations in their own right, boosting retail sales. The extensive availability of bike-friendly properties makes it easy for cycling organizations and event producers to choose the region and partner with local firms, which in turn creates marketing opportunities for Blue Crane and property managers.

Blue Crane has at least six new projects in the pipeline, including more hotels and two mixed-use properties in Bentonville and Springdale.

“[There’s a] growing demographic that sees cycling connectivity as essential infrastructure, not just an amenity,” Parsons says. “This market values walkability, trail access, and reduced car dependency as much as traditional amenities.”

Lessons for Developers and Local Governments  

While few regions have gone as all-in on cycling as NWA, there are plenty of lessons Blue Crane has to offer other communities for capitalizing on bike-forward development. Here are their tips.

Bike racks and trail connections are essential, but proximity to these assets alone doesn’t automatically equal bike friendliness. “Study actual cycling patterns and design for seamless integration with existing infrastructure. Map the routes your residents or visitors will actually take,” Parsons recommends. Development approvals often proceed more smoothly when projects clearly connect to supporting regional economic development goals.

Ensure your design recognizes the different storage, security, and access needs of every kind of cyclist: commuters, recreational riders, visitors, families, and serious enthusiasts.

Start from the ground up by ensuring bike infrastructure is fully considered in site planning, architectural design, and landscaping from concept to market. “Retrofitting is expensive and rarely achieves the same level of integration,” Parsons notes.

Reduce minimum parking requirements for developments with strong bike infrastructure to reduce the time and cost of building. “Current standards were written for car-dependent developments,“ says Parsons.

Create clear processes for developers to connect to existing trail systems. Currently, this often requires navigating multiple agencies and unclear standards, which can eat into time and budgets.

To encourage developers to exceed basic bike standards, offer incentives such as reduced fees, expedited permitting, and density bonuses.

Building Better Communities: Blue Crane’s Bike-Forward Vision for Northwest Arkansas

When it comes to transportation, nothing is more important than safety. PeopleForBikes believes that communities are happier, healthier, and better places to live when all road users — whether they are walking, rolling, biking, taking transit, or driving — can get to their destination safely.

Right now, Congress is writing a critical piece of legislation that will determine how much the federal government invests in bike infrastructure for the next five to six years. The decisions made in this bill will directly affect where people can ride, how safe those rides are, and the strength of the U.S. bike market well into the future.

“Safe, connected biking and walking infrastructure protects families and neighborhoods and supports local economies through trails, tourism, small business support, and more,” said Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes. “As Congress writes the next surface transportation bill, the U.S. bicycle industry is calling on lawmakers to invest in infrastructure that supports access to safe biking and walking in local communities across the country.”

Congress is working toward presenting bipartisan bills in both chambers by spring 2026. This will be an ambitious timeline for this massive legislation, which must be signed into law before September 30, 2026. While lawmakers have expressed a commitment to a collaborative, bipartisan process, key policy decisions on biking and walking infrastructure remain unresolved.

What is clear is that Americans across the political spectrum recognize the importance of safe, accessible streets. A recent Ipsos survey found that 76% of respondents agreed their communities would be better if bicycling were safer and more comfortable, including 73% of Republicans, 82% of Democrats, and 74% of Independents.

This broad support underscores a huge market opportunity: Americans want safer streets, which means more riders and more business for the bike industry. PeopleForBikes is working to ensure that Congress hears this message loud and clear.

For bike businesses, infrastructure investment is more than a nice-to-have policy win — it’s a proven growth strategy. Every federal dollar invested in bike infrastructure builds communities where people ride more, directly supporting bike retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers nationwide.

More safe places to ride directly translates to better bike business. PeopleForBikes data shows that communities with better bike networks have more bike shops and higher sales.

Investing in safe places to ride also expands the bicycle industry's market in the short and long term. In the short term, safe bike infrastructure attracts new customers by incentivizing some people to switch their commutes or other transportation trips from car to bike and by encouraging more families to get on bikes for weekend recreational rides. In the long term, providing safe places to ride for everyone means more children can enjoy bicycling from a young age and grow into lifelong enthusiasts who will ride more often, buy more bikes, and visit their local bike shops regularly.

The data shows this strategy is working. U.S. bike infrastructure has vastly improved in recent years. As a result, more than 112 million Americans rode a bike in 2024 — the highest number on record. PeopleForBikes is continuing this momentum and urging Congress to continue funding safe, connected places to ride.

To date, PeopleForBikes has held dozens of meetings with key lawmakers to shape the bill's outcome. You can read more about our engagement on this major legislation here.

PeopleForBikes also joined key partners, including the League of American Bicyclists, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and the Safe Routes to School Partnership, in organizing a campaign and letter to Congress in support of bike infrastructure funding. The goal of the campaign is to demonstrate nationwide support for biking and walking infrastructure and encourage lawmakers to incorporate that feedback into the legislation. A diverse coalition of more than 1,100 organizations signed on to the letter, demonstrating the overwhelming support for biking and walking infrastructure in every corner of the country.

Specifically, the letter calls for supporting bike infrastructure funding in several federal programs, especially the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP). Since its inception in 1992, TAP has been an important source of federal funding for bicycle infrastructure. TAP funds are distributed every year to state and local governments to build projects in communities of all sizes. PeopleForBikes helped write and distribute the letter, and we are working to engage national and local media to amplify the message among key lawmakers.

PeopleForBikes worked with Congress to include significant wins in the previous iteration of this bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).

How Can I Help as a Member of the Bike Industry?

We are at a critical juncture in the funding process.  If you’re a bike retailer, manufacturer, or supplier, now is the moment for the industry to speak directly to Congress on this issue.

Contact your senators and representatives to let them know how important bike infrastructure is to your business and community. Reach out to PeopleForBikes Director of Federal Policy Chris Bell at chris@peopleforbikes.org if you would like additional assistance contacting your elected officials. 

PeopleForBikes Calls on Congress to Support Bike Infrastructure Funding

Ferst Drive in Atlanta. Photo courtesy of the Georgia Institute of Technology

2025 was a banner year for better biking as cities across the U.S. moved beyond paint and flex-posts and invested in permanent, people-centered street design. The best bike projects built last year are fully protected, thoughtfully engineered, and tailored to the needs of their communities, making streets safer and easier to navigate for people of all ages and abilities.

These new bike lanes combine physical separation with placemaking, integrating features like public art, landscaping, and transit connections to create vibrant community spaces that benefit everyone, not just those who ride. Together, these projects show how raising the bar for bike infrastructure can strengthen neighborhoods, improve environmental outcomes, and create streets that work better for all members of a community.

Waterfront Bike Lane | Seattle, Washington

Seattle’s new Waterfront Bike Lane. Photo courtesy of the City of Seattle

Seattle’s new 1.2-mile Waterfront Bike Lane reconnected downtown with Elliott Bay after the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Built in the space once occupied by the elevated highway, the corridor now features a two-way protected bike lane, a waterfront promenade, seating areas, and plantings. Cyclists can easily connect to routes along 2nd and 4th Avenues, Spring Street, Elliott Way, Yesler Way, Pike and Pine Streets, and Melrose Avenue. A future extension will tie directly into the Elliott Bay Trail.

The bike lane runs through Pioneer Square, with historic brick buildings, and Belltown, known for dense housing, restaurants, nightlife, and the Olympic Sculpture Park. Along the route, a three-block installation by artist Oscar Tuazon — part of Seattle’s 1% for Art program — adds a series of sculptural posts inspired by traditional longhouse architecture with Indigenous carvings at either end.

The project is one of many Seattle has rolled out in recent years, helping propel the Emerald City from a City Ratings score of 42 in 2019 to 66 in 2025, making it the third-highest-scoring large U.S. city after Brooklyn and Minneapolis.

Slauson Rail-to-Rail Active Transportation Corridor | Los Angeles, California

The Slauson segment of the Rail to River project. Photo courtesy of Sahra Sulaiman via Streetsblog LA

As part of the long-planned Rail-to-River project, Los Angeles turned a neglected right-of-way into a shared-use path lined with hundreds of new trees, bioswales, pedestrian-scale lighting, and bike share stations. The completed Slauson segment of the Rail-to-River project (known as Segment A) stretches 5.5 miles from 67th Street and 11th Avenue to Slauson Station on the Metro A Line.  The path links schools, transit, parks, and businesses, providing a safe, accessible route for both recreation and commuting in South Central Los Angeles.

As local advocates celebrate the project’s success, they continue to push for completion of Segment B before the 2028 Olympics, which would extend farther east to the LA River and create a vital link in a regional network that will ultimately connect South LA to Long Beach and beyond.

Alameda’s West Midway Avenue. Photo courtesy of Maurice Ramirez (City of Alameda)

Before West Midway Avenue’s recent redesign, the corridor had no bike facilities, narrow and disconnected sidewalks, and none of the ADA-compliant or green-infrastructure features now common in people-oriented street design. “West Midway went from a wide, empty roadway to a complete street that finally reflects the kind of community Alameda Point is becoming,” said Rochelle Wheeler, senior transportation planner for the City of Alameda. The upgraded corridor now features a raised two-way protected bikeway, continuous ADA-compliant sidewalks, improved intersections, new lighting, and native landscaping supported by bioswales that help manage stormwater and reduce the risk of flooding.

A key part of the redesign was creating a bikeway that feels intuitive and safe for people of all ages. “Raising the bikeway and tightening the intersections sends a clear message: people biking and walking belong here,” said Wheeler. This segment of West Midway connects directly to protected bikeways on Saratoga Street and West Tower Avenue, with additional segments under construction that will extend the corridor east toward Stargell Avenue and into the rest of Alameda.

The surrounding neighborhood — home to new housing projects, supportive housing, offices, a food bank, restaurants, and active redevelopment sites — is also benefiting from significant sustainability improvements. The street’s new bioswales provide stormwater management and environmental protection in an area especially vulnerable to climate impacts. As Wheeler explains, “For a low-lying island already feeling the impacts of sea level rise, these bioswales aren’t just nice to have — they’re essential infrastructure.” 

Kinsley Avenue | Providence, Rhode Island

The Woonasquatucket River Greenway Improvement Project added a one-mile, shared-use path along Kinsley Avenue, connecting Downtown Providence to nearby Olneyville, closing a missing link in the seven-mile Woonasquatucket River Greenway. The project, which was championed by former Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza and led by the City of Providence in coordination with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council, added a grade-separated cycle track, traffic calming, an accessible canoe and kayak launch, mini-parks, and nature-based stormwater systems adjacent to the existing river.

These upgrades boost both mobility and recreational opportunities while supporting the neighborhood’s ongoing evolution. In recent years, the Valley area has transitioned from a primarily industrial district to a vibrant mix of industry, restaurants, artist studios, nonprofits, and residential spaces.

“This project is about access. Access to safe transportation, to the river itself, to green space, and to opportunity,” said Alicia Lehrer, executive director of the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council. “The moment it opened, people were there. Now, every time I go by, I see others walking, biking, pushing strollers, and stopping to look at the river. It has changed how people use this place.”

Minneapolis’ Hennepin Avenue cycle track. Photo courtesy of Alex Schieferdecker

Minneapolis, ranked as the second-best large U.S. city for biking in PeopleForBikes’ 2025 City Ratings, recently completed a $36.7 million overhaul of Hennepin Avenue South from West Lake Street to Douglas Avenue, adding curb-level protected bike lanes, wider sidewalks, raised medians, traffic calming, upgraded transit infrastructure, decorative lighting, and green stormwater systems.

“Our goal was to balance the needs of all users while supporting the neighborhood and local businesses,” said Alex Schieferdecker, pedestrian and bicycle coordinator for the City of Minneapolis. The new two-way bikeway connects downtown, Uptown, Lake Street, and Bde Maka Ska, linking to the Loring Greenway, Midtown Greenway, and other nearby bike routes. “The City of Minneapolis has begun designing almost all new bikeways as curb-level or on-street curb-protected,” Schieferdecker added. By the end of 2025, the city will have nearly 19 miles of curb-level bikeways and more than nine miles of on-street curb-protected routes.

Wilson Street Corridor | Madison, Wisconsin

Madison’s Wilson Street cycle track. Photo courtesy of the City of Madison

Madison’s Wilson Street redesign added a two-way, curb-level cycle track linking the Capital City Trail and Southwest Path. Structural soil was also added as part of the project to help new street trees thrive.

“Wilson Street was largely without any bike facilities, requiring bikes to occupy a vehicle travel lane on a street with vehicle speeds and volumes that exceeded what is considered comfortable for an all-ages shared street,” said Aaron Canton, an engineer with the City of Madison. “The two-way Wilson Street cycle track creates a safe link between the Capital City Trail and the Southwest Path, providing an alternative to crossing Highway 151 and giving people a far more comfortable way to reach downtown.”

South Main Street | Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia’s South Main Street bike lanes. Photo courtesy of SCDOT

Columbia’s first sidewalk-level protected bike lanes on South Main Street link the Statehouse to the University of South Carolina. The project converted a busy five-lane road into a calmer two-lane street, featuring raised bike lanes, wider sidewalks, shorter crosswalks, and enhanced landscaping for a safer, more inviting experience.

“We realized this was the right place to build the city’s first cycle track because of its visibility and high pedestrian activity,” said Lucinda Statler, the city’s planning administrator. “This corridor carries some of the highest pedestrian counts in the state, especially during class changes,” added Joshua Meetze, program manager at the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT). “Reducing the roadway width and providing a protected bike facility significantly improved safety and comfort for people walking and biking.” The redesign also relocated overhead utilities underground, enhancing both safety and the visual character of this civic gateway.

Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and the corridor now strengthens key north-south and east-west bike connections in downtown. As Statler put it, the project has become “a separated facility that people are excited about and want to see more of.”

Ferst Drive. Photo courtesy of the Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Tech’s new bidirectional cycle track on Ferst Drive links Tech Square and Marietta Street with the 5th Street Complete Streets project in Midtown. The cycle track replaced a narrow, unprotected bike lane with a curb-separated path, floating bus stops, and simplified, safer convergences for all users.

“[Before construction], bus stops all crossed over the bike lane, resulting in dangerous conflicts between bikes, scooters, and buses,” said Jason Gregory, a landscape architect at Georgia Tech. The redesigned corridor now includes floating bus stops, in-lane bus boarding areas, permanent curb separation, and simplified intersections.

The project also highlights how academic research can spark real change on the ground. In 2018, a team of Georgia Tech students studied safety options for Ferst Drive, comparing separated bike lanes to a cycle track. Their findings were later confirmed by traffic engineers and eventually landed on the desk of the City of Atlanta, helping move the concept from classroom analysis to a real transportation project. “The students’ work showed the cycle track reduced conflicts across the entire corridor,” Gregory said.

Today, the Ferst Drive project is a hub in a growing network for bikes, e-bikes, scooters, and skateboards across Georgia Tech’s campus, connecting Georgia Tech to the Midtown Core, a future BeltLine Spur link, and planned routes to Centennial Olympic Park. 

Summer Street | Somerville, Massachusetts

Summer Street. Photo courtesy of the City of Somerville

Somerville, located just northwest of Boston and bordering Cambridge, is steadily building one of the most complete urban bike networks in the country. With a City Ratings score of 63 — compared to Cambridge’s 68 and Boston’s 35 — the city is closing the gap through strong policy commitments, strategic infrastructure investments, and careful coordination with utility and public works projects.

Before its recent redesign, the city’s Summer Street saw about 8,000 cars a day, with more than half of them travelling faster than 25 miles per hour. The corridor had narrow sidewalks, minimal bike markings, and wide, hard-to-cross intersections. The city’s rebuild changed that experience entirely. Today, Summer Street features half-raised curb-protected bike lanes, raised crosswalks, mid-block speed humps, chicanes, and generous curb extensions that naturally slow traffic and make walking and biking safer.

The project also paired street improvements with a major sewer replacement, allowing the city to stretch construction dollars further. By coordinating the work, Somerville was able to add nearly 200 new trees, install stormwater gardens, and bring long-term green infrastructure benefits to the neighborhood without inflating costs.

“Reducing vehicle speeds and improving safety for all road users was our top priority,” said Brad Rawson, director of Somerville’s Mobility Division. “By coordinating with the sewer and utility work, we significantly reduced costs while reimagining the streetscape to prioritize walking, rolling, and biking,” added Senior Project Manager Dan Amelin, Nick Alakel, construction public information officer, noted, “These stormwater gardens serve a dual purpose — they calm traffic while enhancing the neighborhood’s aesthetic appeal.”

Early results are promising. Traffic volumes on Summer Street dropped by more than 30%, and speeding vehicles decreased from 55% to 19%. 

Looking ahead, Somerville plans to continue implementation of its Safe Streets Ordinance, which mandates a 30-mile network of protected bike lanes by 2030, alongside pedestrian and transit upgrades.

Market Street + The Lynnway | Lynn, Massachusetts

The nearly complete Northern Strand Trail extension in Lynn. Photo courtesy of Bike to the Sea

What do Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands have in common?

It’s not endless sunshine or mild winters (sorry, Finland).

It’s bikes — and safe and connected places to ride!

These countries consistently top global happiness rankings, and they’re also some of the most bike-friendly places on Earth. Connected bike lanes, safe streets, and trails weave through communities, giving millions of people the choice to ride for fun, for fitness, and to get where they need to go.

At TEDxFargo, PeopleForBikes President and CEO Jenn Dice took the stage to share how the humble bicycle can transform not just how we move, but how we feel. In her talk, “The Secret Behind Happy Communities,” Jenn explored what happens when we design places that make it easy and joyful to ride a bike.

The Secret Behind Happy Communities | Jenn Dice | TEDxFargo

Jenn’s message is simple and hopeful — bikes make people and the places they live happier. From boosting mental health to building social connection, research shows that riding a bike naturally lifts your mood, reduces stress, and gets you moving outdoors.

As Jenn puts it, “When you pedal through your neighborhood, you get the chance to clear your head, breathe fresh air, and connect with the world around you.”

And it’s not just about exercise. Every ride is a chance to see a neighbor, wave to a friend, and feel more rooted in your community.

Across the U.S., more communities are realizing the power of the bike. From Bentonville to Bloomington, Minneapolis to Fargo, cities are investing in protected bike lanes, greenways, and trails that make it easier and safer to ride.

In just the last three years, more than 1,000 bike projects have been completed or are nearly finished. Plus, 112 million Americans got out and rode last year. That momentum is real, and it’s growing.

For Jenn, the joy of cycling started early. You could find her riding around her small South Dakota town until dusk. As an adult, she discovered mountain biking and ultra-endurance races in Colorado. That lifelong love of bikes led her to PeopleForBikes, where she now leads a team dedicated to making the U.S. the best place in the world to ride.

Her TEDx talk is a reminder that the road to happier, healthier communities isn’t complicated. It starts with small choices, like hopping on a bike for a short trip, encouraging a child to ride to school, or supporting local efforts to build safer infrastructure.

As Jenn says, “Let’s take a page from the world’s happiest nations. Let’s reimagine our neighborhoods and embrace biking — not just as transportation, but as a path to the kind of places we all want to live in.”

Let’s build a world where we can all arrive happy.

You can support better biking in your community and hundreds of others nationwide by becoming a PeopleForBikes Foundation member. Join us today.

Through our annual VoteForBikes campaign, PeopleForBikes champions pro-bike ballot measures that can unlock substantial new funding for bike infrastructure in communities across the country. Since 2019, PeopleForBikes has helped secure nearly $50 billion in state and local funding for bikes. Our goal is to generate another $77 billion for bike projects between 2025 and 2028.

In the 2025 general election, we supported three critical bike-related measures on local ballots. Those that were on the ballot won, and they won big! Voters in Portland, OR; Spokane, WA; and Boise, ID, all voted YES for more funding for parks, trails, and connectivity to sustain and grow access to recreational biking. In total, voters approved $707 million in new funding, $50 million of which will go directly to improve biking. Earlier this year, voters in King County, WA; Anchorage, AK; Durango, CO, and others also approved $1.67 billion for biking, bringing new 2025 funding to of total of $1,718,515,000.

Portland voters passed Measure 26-260 with 75% approval, authorizing the city to increase its parks levy by 75%. The estimated $84 million raised by this measure will go to keeping parks facilities and programs running smoothly.

Voters in Spokane passed Proposition 1, also known as the Together Spokane initiative, with 55% approval. Prop 1 authorizes the city to invest a portion of $240 million in parks and recreation, creating and maintaining safe places to recreate, such as parks and trails.

Boise voters passed their Open Space Levy with 80% approval, an astonishing victory that authorizes the city to spend portions of $11 million over two years to enhance open spaces for recreation throughout the city. This includes key initiatives like responsible land management, buying and developing new parks, preserving open space, and building new pathways to connect the city.

Anchorage voters passed Propositions 2 and 3, generating $11,550,000 total over 20 years.

Proposition 2, the Roads and Storm Drainage Bond, provides $3,300,000 million to fund bike and pedestrian safety upgrades on roads across Anchorage. This funding will improve safety for all road users and promote increased active transportation opportunities.

Proposition 3, the Parks and Recreation Service Area Capital Improvement Bond, provides $8,250,000 in funding for 17 improvement projects to parks and trails. This funding will keep outdoor recreation opportunities safe, accessible, and available.

Durango voters passed Ballot Issue 2A, generating $180,000,000 over 30 years. Ballot Issue 2A renews a half-cent sales tax, first approved by voters in 2005, at the same rate until December 2056. This generates approximately $6,000,000 annually with half of revenue allocated to open space acquisition, parks, and trail development and maintenance in accordance with the city’s Parks, Open Space, Trail, and Recreation Master Plan. This will continue Durango's world-class investment in infrastructure that facilitates more opportunities to get outside and ride a bike.

Plano voters approved Proposition G, creating $40,795,000 in new funding. As part of the largest bond referendum in city history, Proposition G will fund open space land acquisition and development of the city's recreational trail system in accordance with the Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan and Bicycle Transportation Map to increase opportunities to ride a bike around Plano.

Thanks to voters like you making your voice heard, we showed that Americans across the country value access to more safe and connected places to ride a bike. Thank you for joining us in voting to support vibrant communities where people and the environment are happier and healthier and everyone can access affordable and safe modes of transportation and recreation.

Know a ballot measure that should be on our radar for 2026? Email PeopleForBikes Senior Manager of State and Local Policy Noah Miterko at noah@peopleforbikes.org.

Looking for even more ways to get involved and make a difference? Explore PeopleForBikes’ infrastructure work to support more great places to ride in your backyard and become a PeopleForBikes Foundation member to support better biking in your community and hundreds of others across the U.S.

Voters Approve Nearly $2 Billion to Support Better Biking in 2025

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Voters Approve Nearly $2 Billion to Support Better Biking in 2025