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. 

Ryan Johnson can see the future — and it's in the past. 

On his first trip to Europe as part of a scholarship program, he landed in Budapest and was inspired by the ancient streets he saw humming with the inevitable vibrancy of concentrated human activity. It offered a sharp contrast from his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, where sprawl and distance too often diluted connections between neighbors, community, and commerce. The scholarship sent Johnson around Europe, where he saw how Budapest’s sister cities offered their own flavors of the same kind of energy. "People were happier, they were healthier, they knew their neighbors, they were more connected to their place, even to themselves,” he says. “I wanted to bring that back." 


When Johnson later joined the founding team at real estate startup OpenDoor, he almost immediately noticed how consistently American neighborhoods most like those in Europe outperformed others in the market, commanding premium prices. “Walkable” wasn’t yet a buzzword, but Johnson heard customers asking for it again and again, just in different words. "They were saying, 'I want to live somewhere cute and where I know my neighbors and there's a coffee shop and there's thoughtful architecture." Johnson saw how that translated to a place that was walkable, bikeable, and, almost always, allowed the freedom of not needing to own a car. 

The Opportunity: An Untapped Market for Active, Connected Communities

What those OpenDoor customers wanted either didn't exist, or was too expensive, and interest was only growing. “The demand for walkable neighborhoods is impossible to ignore,” Johnson says. “A National Association of Realtors' [NAR] recent study found that 92% of Gen Z would pay more to live in a walkable neighborhood, and that demand extends to every generation, including Boomers and the Silent Generation. But the U.S. is not building nearly enough opportunities for them.” NAR surveys have consistently reflected this shift since the first one in 2013. “We need to build millions of units. Every generation wants it."


And so, Johnson decided to build some of those units. He sold his stake in OpenDoor to found Culdesac, a developer dedicated to building car-free (and car-lite) housing. Johnson called the developer’s first and flagship project, Culdesac Tempe, “America’s first car-free community built from scratch.” 

Culdesac Tempe stands as a national model for real estate development, showing how bikeable urban planning can generate strong residential and commercial demand. Culdesac Tempe broke ground in 2021. As of March 2025, almost 90% of its 288 completed units were leased.  When all phases are completed in 2028, Culdesac Tempe will offer 760 units. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the decade-plus of industry data reflecting increased demand for close-knit walkable communities across generations comes to life in Culdesac’s demographics. "Sometimes people will assume it's one [age] demographic, because we're near ASU [Arizona State University]. Actually, it's quite broad,” Johnson says. 

Many residents enjoy a lower cost of living or more discretionary income, freed up from the demands of owning a personal car. The development makes it an exceptionally easy choice in part by offering a slate of transportation options, including unlimited Valley Metro passes, e-bikes and bikes, rideshare, AV ride hail, and carshare on demand. The cycling amenities are first-rate. Two miles of internal bike paths are complemented by bike repair stations, more than 1,000 bike parking spots, and ample secure bike storage throughout the neighborhood. The first 200 residents received free e-bikes that included service perks from the local e-bike shop. The e-bike premium resulted from a partnership with Lectric, a Phoenix-based e-bike company, celebrated by the naming of Culdesac's primary bike path, Lectric Avenue.

Other returns are less tangible but equally valuable. Residents report knowing their neighbors better, enjoying the ability to be outside and more active more often, easy access to so much of what they need and want from the retail shops just steps from home, and enjoying Culdesac’s plaza, designed to allow kids to recreate safely away from cars and in the company of neighbors.  "You’ll often see groups gathering or children playing in the plaza on their balance bikes as their parents supervise while sitting and talking,” Johnson says. “Culdesac’s open space allows for more varied play spaces and easier-to-organize social play for both kids and adults."

Retail success mirrors residential success, and Johnson attributes this largely to Culdesac’s courting of local retailers, whose familiarity with the region he thinks better positions them to appreciate the development’s promise. "We thought it would take years for there to be enough people living in our project and in the surrounding area to support that retail," he says. The half dozen initial shops have mushroomed to 22, offering everything from necessities like groceries to specialty services like aesthetics. 

Culdesac Tempe is a rental development, but Johnson is confident that an ownership offering is just as viable. The developer’s next ventures have broken ground on townhouses in Mesa, AZ, and Atlanta, GA.

Lessons for Developers and Local Governments

“Building great relationships with the city and our transportation partners is a key reason Culdesac Tempe has been so successful,” Johnson says. “It’s why we were able to reach the historic agreement to build with zero residential parking so we could focus on people-centered design.” 

The city and the developer recognized their common interests early on and built on that foundation — and it was a two-way street. For example, Johnson's team wanted to show how transformational protected bike lanes can be. "So we focused on the thing that would be the most catalytic," he says. The team looked around the corner to Smith Road, where a protected lane would link to a light rail line and a nearby shopping center and the adjacent Tempe Town Lake Trail, a regional bike/walk path. “We knew it was in an area where people would support it, it would get lots of use and show the city how many bikers [sic] they have already if they just create safe infrastructure." Culdesac worked with Tempe to win a federal grant that went toward building a protected bike lane on Smith as part of a street improvement project. 

“Helping more people be able to live a walkable, [bikeable] lifestyle is the best thing we can do for health, happiness, climate, lower cost of living, and lower taxes, but the problem is that developers aren’t allowed to build them,” Johnson says. Local leadership came in the form of forward-looking elected officials who welcomed growth and, crucially, were willing to negotiate zoning regulations, like an agreement to forego any residential parking requirement. “In most of the U.S., outdated policies force developers to have parking minimums instead of allowing the spaces to be used for people, vibrant community gatherings, and green spaces,” Johnson says.  “Getting rid of parking minimums would make it possible for developers to build in people-centric ways.”  

There is some parking, but it’s a small lot to accommodate retail customers. The high cost of parking  — both financially and in the opportunity cost of crowding out space for other amenities — make them a priority for reconsideration. Each spot can add anywhere from $20,000 to near $100,000 to the cost of construction, depending on the local market and whether parking occupies a surface lot or a garage. 


Additional key zoning reforms needed include allowing mixed-use developments, higher density, lower setback requirements (setbacks are minimum distances structures can be built from property lines, streets, sidewalks, and similar features), and prioritizing these for proximity to transit stations. 

Tempe’s flexibility was undoubtedly a benefit for the project. But, negotiating each of those many exemptions ate up valuable time, and with it, money. Shortening the timeline for decision making and permitting and streamlining these processes to reduce uncertainty would meaningfully decrease the cost of housing, Johnson says. By extension, streamlining these processes could reduce costs for local governments.


Johnson emphasizes that new development must be driven by local context and is not meant to be replicated identically to the Tempe project. But he does intend Culdesac to be both inspiration and proof of concept that reduces risks for other developers by showing that walkable, bikeable neighborhoods can work in the U.S. today. "Now, it's a lot easier because we're now the model," Johnson says, and he expects more to come.  “When you create places where people actually want to be — where the streets are alive with life, not traffic — it works. This isn’t just a one-off. It’s a blueprint.”

Building Better Communities Spotlight: Ryan Johnson + Culdesac

Picture a community where kids can ride safely to school, employees have a stress-free commute, and families can explore their neighborhood by bike on sunny weekends. Across the U.S., communities are making this vision a reality by investing in great places to ride, and PeopleForBikes’ City Ratings program shows where it’s working. Each year, our City Ratings scores more than 2,000 U.S. cities and towns based on the quality and connectivity of their bike networks, helping community members and decision-makers understand how easy it is to get around by bike and where improvements can make the biggest difference.

But why does this matter? Why should communities prioritize bike infrastructure in the first place? Here are six reasons why investing in great places to ride transforms lives, neighborhoods, and local economies. 

When bike infrastructure is safe and connected, it works for everyone: daily commuters, kids riding to school, older adults staying active, and families enjoying weekend outings. Whether you're biking to work or to a nearby park, safer streets make every ride more enjoyable and accessible. Investing in quality bike infrastructure like protected bike lanes, side paths, and safe intersections, reduces conflicts between road users and helps prevent crashes.

Streets with protected bike lanes experience up to 90% fewer injuries per mile compared to those without bike infrastructure.

Cities with protected bike lanes see 44% fewer fatalities for all road users and 50% fewer serious injuries.

Adding bike lanes can reduce crashes by as much as 49%.


Cycling offers a fun, low-impact way to stay active, supporting both physical and mental health. When biking is safe and enjoyable, more people choose to do it, leading to healthier lifestyles. For example, West Jefferson, North Carolina, invested $300,000 in a Complete Streets project and saved more than $2.7 million in health care costs in the first year alone.

Every $1 invested in active transportation saves $24 in averted medical costs.

People living in bike-friendly neighborhoods engage in 35–45 more minutes of moderate physical activity each week.

Proximity to trails increases the likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines by 50% and riding a bicycle by 80%.

Youth who ride regularly report higher levels of mental well-being and spend fewer hours in front of screens.

Bike-friendly areas — both rural to urban — often see growth in small businesses, real estate value, and tourism. People riding bikes are more likely to visit local shops and restaurants, and a well-maintained bike network can boost foot traffic in commercial districts.

Great places to ride benefit not only commuters and city dwellers, but also outdoor recreationists and weekend visitors. Whether it's a local trail system, a downtown greenway, or a bike park, communities that build for biking see increased tourism, recreation spending, and demand for nearby housing and businesses.

The U.S. outdoor recreation economy generates $124.5 billion in tax revenue and supports nearly 5 million jobs, according to a 2024 Trust for Public Land report — highlighting the sector’s major role in national economic health.

Mountain biking tourists spend an average of $416 per visit, showing that trail-based recreation directly benefits local businesses and economies.

In Lancaster, California, a Complete Streets project led to a 96% increase in retail sales, demonstrating the transformative local economic impact of safer, more walkable and bikeable streets.

Protected bike lanes on 9th Avenue in NYC resulted in a 49% increase in retail sales, compared to just a 3% increase on nearby streets without the upgrades—showing the clear benefit of safe bike infrastructure for businesses.

Tourism revenue in areas with active transportation options is eight to nine times greater than the cost of infrastructure investment, according to Smart Growth America, offering a compelling case for public spending on walking and biking improvements.

Additionally, communities with higher City Ratings scores — those with robust, low-stress bike networks — often see increased sales at local bike shops, reflecting the positive economic impact of bike infrastructure.

Having the freedom to ride a bike makes it easier for people to get where they need to go, especially for short trips. In many communities, biking offers a reliable alternative to sitting in traffic or waiting for a ride, and it often costs significantly less than driving.

Safe, connected bike infrastructure gives people real choices in how they travel. And it serves all types of riders — not just those commuting to work, but also families biking to the playground or teens heading to a local park, pump track, or restaurant. When biking becomes a viable transportation and recreation option, the entire community benefits.

Fifty two percent of daily trips in the U.S. are three miles or less, a distance easily covered by bike.

In New York City, adding bike lanes reduced travel time along a key corridor by 35%.

U.S. households spend an average of $10,961 on transportation annually, making it the second-largest household expense.

One in four U.S. adults experiences transportation insecurity, often impacting low-income families.

By increasing access to low-cost modes of transportation like biking, communities can reduce household expenses and improve affordability.

Great bike infrastructure connects people to jobs, schools, parks, and transit, making opportunities more accessible for everyone. When bike networks are designed with all neighborhoods and riders in mind, they open up new possibilities, whether you’re traveling for work, heading to class, or enjoying an afternoon ride with your family.

Bike infrastructure like trails, BMX parks, and pump tracks are just as essential. These spaces offer safe and welcoming places for youth, families, and new riders to ride, learn, and build confidence, helping foster a lifelong love of biking while supporting physical and social wellbeing. 

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) found that building greenways, sidewalks, and bicycle infrastructure contributes 17 jobs per $1 million spent compared to other road and highway projects that range from 9 to 12.5 jobs created per $1 million spent.

An analysis of Complete Streets projects conducted by the National Complete Streets Coalition found:

A project in Lancaster, California, saw employment grow along the targeted corridor by 64% over three years. Comparatively, employment only increased by 3% citywide and a similar corridor that did not receive upgrades saw a decrease in employment during the same time.

In Orlando, Florida, streets with infrastructure updates saw 77 new businesses open, creating 560 jobs over seven years. 

Bicycling is one of the most efficient and low-impact ways to get around. When more people choose to bike, especially for short trips (which make up a significant percentage of all trips in the U.S.) it helps reduce air pollution, leading to cleaner, healthier air for everyone.

From work commutes to recreational trail rides, every bike trip taken instead of a car trip reduces greenhouse gas emissions. And by making biking safe and convenient for all types of riders, communities encourage more people to choose it, creating healthier environments and a better quality of life for all.

The transportation sector emits 29% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., making it the most significant contributor to national emissions.

Fifty two percent of all car trips made in the U.S. are three miles or less, and 28% are one mile or less. Three miles is equivalent to a 20-minute bike ride for an average person, indicating that shifting close-to-home trips from cars to bicycles is possible and can significantly reduce the number of miles driven in cars.

Shifting short car trips to walking or biking trips and using walking and biking to access public transit saves 13 million tons of CO2  emissions annually. Building additional active transportation infrastructure holds the potential to save more than 54 million tons.

Want to know how your community stacks up? PeopleForBikes’ City Ratings gives you the data. Use City Ratings to:

Explore your community’s score and see how it compares to other cities nationally and globally.

Identify where bike networks are strong and where there’s room to grow.

Support informed decisions about transportation and community planning.

Investing in great places to ride isn’t just about bikes — it’s about building communities that work for everyone. Whether you’re a weekday commuter, weekend mountain biker, small business owner, or parent teaching your child to ride, safe and connected bike infrastructure opens up countless opportunities.

From protected lanes and urban trails to pump tracks and natural surface paths, bike infrastructure creates healthier, more active, and more connected communities. No matter why you ride, great places to bike benefit us all.


Explore PeopleForBikes' City Ratings and discover how better biking can benefit your community.

Cities that are great for biking have something in common — safe and connected bike infrastructure and a commitment by city leaders to build even more. Each year, PeopleForBikes releases our City Ratings to help cities understand where they currently rank and provide inspiration to improve. Our 2025 City Ratings, coming June 24, includes some new key features that help strengthen the critical connection between high quality places to ride and great biking cities.

Our annual City Ratings is a data-driven approach to evaluate, compare, and celebrate the best cities for biking in the U.S. and around the world. Each year, we score thousands of cities on how good they are for biking based on the safety and connectivity of their local bike networks. Since 2017, we’ve benchmarked progress on improving bicycling in cities nationwide to help cities understand how they stack up globally in creating safe, accessible places to ride and how they can improve.


New for this year, the 2025 City Ratings will incorporate thousands of bike projects from PeopleForBikes' Great Bike Infrastructure Project (GBIP), a first-of-its-kind initiative tracking the progress of bike infrastructure projects in communities across the country. From protected bike lanes to neighborhood greenways to singletrack trail connections, City Ratings will now track important bike projects from announcement through planning, construction, and completion, showing everyday riders what’s being built in their backyards and how they can support getting those projects across the finish line.


By including planned, proposed, and completed bike projects in City Ratings, we’re highlighting the critical link between the construction of safe, connected bike infrastructure and improved City Ratings scores. Cities that are putting in the work to create more high-quality places to ride are seeing that work pay off with increased scores year after year.


Stay tuned for the full 2025 City Ratings launch on June 24 and get ready to explore how your city ranks, what projects are in the works in your backyard, and how you can get involved to make biking better in your community. Can’t wait for this year’s ratings? Check out how your city scored last year and see if you improved this year!

PeopleForBikes City Ratings: What’s New for 2025

In 2024, PeopleForBikes awarded a grant to the Active Transportation Alliance in Chicago to support the nonprofit advocacy organizations’ transformative Safe Streets for All campaign. The campaign focuses on two key policy priorities: renewing funding for the Chicago Works Capital Improvement Plan, which accelerated the construction of concrete-protected bike lanes across Chicago in recent years, and lowering Chicago’s default speed limit to 25 miles per hour. 


With speed being a leading factor in traffic fatalities across the U.S., reducing speed limits is a significant step toward making streets safer across the city of Chicago. The Active Transportation Alliance led a coalition of 16 community-based organizations to advocate for this change, garnering more than 1,000 comments from local community members and providing expert testimony at public hearings. In October 2024, the ordinance to lower speed limits passed out of the Chicago City Council's Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety and both the Active Transportation Alliance and PeopleForBikes continue advocating for its full approval by the City Council.

Alongside advocating for safer policies, the Active Transportation Alliance also works to advance critical bike infrastructure projects. On the Far South Side, the organization is advocating for side paths on 103rd Street and 130th Street to address long-standing connectivity challenges caused by industrial and highway infrastructure. On the Southwest Side, the group is supporting the implementation of neighborhood bike networks and safety improvements along the historically dangerous Pulaski Avenue. On the Northwest Side, the Active Transportation Alliance partnered with community leaders to improve the protected bike lane along Milwaukee Avenue, a vital corridor serving a local high school. 


The Active Transportation Alliance’s work in Chicago offers several valuable lessons for other communities looking to improve biking locally:

Build broad coalitions. The Active Transportation Alliance’s Safe Streets for All Coalition brings together diverse stakeholders, including groups focused on youth and disability rights. The collective outcomes achieved by the coalition demonstrate the value of developing broad-based support to drive systemic change.

Make engagement in advocacy accessible. By offering stipends, translation services, and accessible meeting locations, the Active Transportation Alliance ensures that the voices of community members who are sometimes excluded from public planning processes are heard and involved in decisions.

Cultivate relationships with decision-makers. Through one-on-one meetings, public comments, and grassroots advocacy, the Active Transportation Alliance cultivates meaningful relationships with city officials and other key decision-makers. This direct engagement is instrumental in securing wins for bike projects and policies. 

Fund bike infrastructure. Local programs like Chicago Works enable rapid deployment of life-saving infrastructure while freeing federal funds for other large-scale projects. This approach provides a model for other communities seeking to accelerate the development of their bike network.

Reduce speeds. Reducing vehicle speeds is one of the simplest yet most effective first steps to improve road safety — studies show that lower speeds make streets safer for all road users. By advocating for a citywide default speed limit of 25 mph, the Active Transportation Alliance sets an important precedent for other communities to follow. Integrating additional infrastructure investments to lower speeds via smart street design will further improve road safety in the future. Bonus: Lowering speed limits can boost your City Ratings score!


PeopleForBikes is proud to support the Active Transportation Alliance as they champion safer streets and connected bike networks across Chicago. Their work is a powerful example of how all communities can prioritize biking and safety, creating healthier, more accessible communities for all. 


To learn more, check out PeopleForBikes’ guidance on legislative initiatives that improve bike infrastructure, like funding bike infrastructure and reducing speeds, and effective local advocacy tactics like building broad coalitions, increasing community engagement, and fostering relationships with decision-makers.

Supporting Better Biking in Chicago With the Active Transportation Alliance

As we look ahead to the 2028 Olympics, PeopleForBikes is taking advantage of a unique opportunity to transform Los Angeles into a great place to ride a bike. Our approach involves capitalizing on the attention generated by the Olympics to expedite permanent improvements across the city alongside a more localized focus on Council District 1, whose newly elected leader looks to create an ambitious network of neighborhood bikeways.

A Countywide Vision for a Multimodal Olympics

The 2028 Olympics provide a historic opportunity to overhaul Los Angeles’ transportation system. With nearly 15,000 athletes participating in the Games and millions of international visitors expected to attend, organizers hope to use the Olympics to redefine Los Angeles as a multimodal city and plan to invest in alternative transportation to make that vision a reality. The goal is to create a new reputation for the city and avoid the traffic problems that plagued the 1932 and 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Looking beyond 2028, PeopleForBikes is working to leverage the investment in this one-time event to create permanent, long-term improvements through infrastructure and programming.

Central to the proposed infrastructural changes is the Festival Trail, currently envisioned as a multimodal corridor stretching more than 40 miles across the city reaching key venues and transit hubs. The Festival Trail will connect low-stress bikeways, beautiful walking trails, and efficient bus rapid transit service to enable safe and accessible car-free mobility across Los Angeles. Working alongside local advocacy group Move LA and coordinating with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, PeopleForBikes is pushing to create safe and connected bike paths throughout this corridor and beyond.

The Los Angeles Festival Trail will connect almost every Olympic venue via multimodal trail, providing visitors with a car-free way to navigate the Games. PHOTO: MoveLA 

We are also advocating for the development of an additional bike path connecting the Festival Trail to the Los Angeles River. Through our investment and a partnership with Move LA and BikeLA, we are confident the new path will be built in time for spectators to enjoy a glorious 22-mile bike ride from the swimming venues in Inglewood to the beach venues at Long Beach, demonstrating just how bikeable LA can be for visitors and residents alike.


Other infrastructure improvements PeopleForBikes is advocating for include the development of mobility hubs located at major transit stations expected to handle the bulk of olympic traffic. These hubs will feature bike repair stations, plenty of high-quality bike parking, and numerous bike share stations along with other mobility services such as accommodations for people with disabilities and car share programs for people who don’t own a car. 

With vast areas of the city off-limits to delivery trucks for security reasons during the Olympics, PeopleForBikes is also championing the potential of cargo bikes for local deliveries. We are working with delivery companies and city officials to develop a bike-based delivery system that will meet the security needs of the Olympics while simultaneously establishing a sustainable, zero-emission delivery system that can be used well beyond 2028. 


In addition to critical infrastructure improvements, programming can also play a huge role in changing Angelenos’ view of their city from a car-dependent metropolis to a county of walkable and bikeable neighborhoods connected via convenient and affordable multimodal options. In the past, big events in Los Angeles resulted in massive traffic congestion, prompting many people to stay home and avoid the roads altogether. For the 2028 Summer Games, positive marketing showcasing easy and safe alternatives to driving can encourage residents to get out and enjoy their city without a car, providing what will be an unprecedented experience for many long-time locals and an opportunity to transform their daily mobility habits.  


Transforming Council District 1 With an Ambitious Bikeway Network

While we work toward countywide improvements ahead of 2028, we are also focused on driving local-level change in Council District 1 (CD1). Home to thousands of low-income residents who lack reliable access to automobiles, car parking, and even bike parking, the district is represented by newly elected Councilor Eunisses Hernandez, who has already shown tremendous support for bicycling and a desire to make up for previous disinvestment in creating safer streets.

Figueroa Street was improved with protected bike lanes last year by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, but the improvements stopped as the street entered CD1 due to opposition from the previous councilmember. With Councilor Hernandez in charge, PeopleForBikes is now working to extend these bike lanes into the district. PHOTO: DC Engineering

PeopleForBikes’ work in CD1 is part of our larger Great Bike Infrastructure Project, a nationwide effort to transform communities by developing safer and connected places to ride a bike. In CD1, we’re building a coalition of advocates to drive local support and ensure that our ambitious plans for a connected network of bikeways align with community needs and aspirations. We assembled a committee made up of leaders from groups including CicLAvia, BikeLA, and Los Angeles Walks who bring local expertise and community connections to the initiative. Together, we’re focused on identifying projects that will make the biggest impact and securing funding to make these projects a reality.

The infrastructure projects we’re supporting will transform the diverse neighborhoods that make up the district straddling the Los Angeles River from northeast Los Angeles to the densely populated neighborhoods adjacent to downtown, including Chinatown, Westlake, Pico Union, and parts of Koreatown. The proposals include protected bike lanes, low-speed shared streets, and bike paths. With the support of the Councilmember and donations from PeopleForBikes members, our plan is to invest in advocacy efforts necessary to win approval for these projects and turn this central part of Los Angeles into a great place to ride a bike. 

While Los Angeles has long been known as one of the most car-centric cities in the U.S., change is on the horizon. If Los Angeles can change for the better, that same change will be possible anywhere in the United States. This is why taking advantage of the Olympics and focused investment in central Los Angeles is so important. By working with local partners who share our vision of a more bikeable Los Angeles, we can develop best practices for success and show countless other cities across the country what’s possible with the proper tools and investment.


PeopleForBikes is hosting a launch party for our campaign to transform Council District 1 in spring 2025. Send an email to infrastructure@peopleforbikes.org if you are interested in being involved.

Building the Future of Biking in Los Angeles

Officials and advocates enjoy the new Pershing Bikeway on its opening day. PHOTO CREDIT: San Diego County Bicycle Coalition

More than 200 high-priority bike projects were constructed across the U.S. in the last year according to PeopleForBikes’ National Bike Project Tracker, a first-of-its-kind database as part of our Great Bike Infrastructure Project. 

With the goal of creating more safe, fun, and connected places to ride in communities nationwide, the Great Bike Infrastructure Project is fast-tracking thousands of bike projects in all 50 states. From protected bike lanes to multi-use paths to singletrack mountain bike trails, each project in our database features a basic description and project status — proposed or planned, approved but not funded, funded and ready for construction, or completed — alongside useful links for people to support local advocacy organizations and get projects across the finish line in their backyard.


As we enter the second year of the Great Bike Infrastructure Project, we’re celebrating a few of our favorite projects that were completed in the last 12 months along with the many benefits that bike projects can offer communities of all shapes and sizes. 

300 West is a critical north-south arterial road in Salt Lake City that previously wasn’t safe for biking. Local leaders took advantage of the need to repave the street to make much needed improvements, implementing Complete Streets strategies championed by the Great Bike Infrastructure Project. Using funding from the city’s “Funding Our Future” program, a local sales tax that can be a great funding source for creating better places to bike, the city constructed new crosswalks, planted trees for shade, and built a new 10-foot-wide bike path adjacent to the sidewalk so bike riders and pedestrians can both travel freely without conflict.  

San Diego’s new Pershing Bikeway connects the diverse North Park neighborhood to bike lanes near downtown through Balboa Park. The final 2.3-mile project includes a combined two-way protected bike lane connecting to a separate bike path which then connects to one-way protected bike lanes. The bikeway creates a more comfortable and convenient way for people of all ages and abilities to travel while providing an important link in San Diego’s growing connected bike network. 

Madison is expanding access to close-to-home recreation for thousands of local residents thanks to the recently completed singletrack trails through Sycamore Park. The 1.5-mile “adventure trail” features natural surfaces optimized for biking. Portions of the trail are covered in a natural stone chip seal surface while others are made up of native soil, wood, and stone. While communities on the west and south sides of Madison have access to many miles of singletrack, this new section of trail expands riding opportunities on the east side of the city, where trail access was previously scarce.


Is there a local bike project in your community that needs support? Explore our interactive map to identify projects in your area and let us know if we need to add a new project to our list. You can also explore our tools and resources to help advance more bike projects in your backyard. PeopleForBikes is committed to making sure every one of the more than 1,800 projects in our database is constructed to share the countless benefits of safe, fun, and connected places to ride with millions of people across the U.S.

Bike Projects Are Benefiting Communities Nationwide

Topics

City Riding

PeopleForBikes at Work on City Riding

News

Building Better Communities Spotlight: Ryan Johnson + Culdesac

The Benefits of Great Places to Ride

PeopleForBikes City Ratings: What’s New for 2025

Supporting Better Biking in Chicago With the Active Transportation Alliance

Building the Future of Biking in Los Angeles

Bike Projects Are Benefiting Communities Nationwide