The Best and Worst States for Bikes

The 2017 "Bicycle Friendly State Ranking" list is here.

1 minute read

October 27, 2017, 11:00 AM PDT

By Elana Eden


Seattle, Washington

TS Photographer / Shutterstock

The bike-friendliest state in America? Washington, according to the League of American Bicyclists. The state earned that title by funding bike infrastructure, making and enforcing bike safety laws, and taking other concrete steps to encourage bike ridership.

The League's 2017 "Bicycle Friendly State Ranking," released this week, evaluates every state in the United States on these and more criteria. States are scored in five categories: infrastructure and funding, education and encouragement, legislation and enforcement, policies and programs, and evaluation and planning. "Bicycle-friendly actions" taken in the last year are also tallied—Complete Streets policies, for example.

The study provides more detailed analysis, including past performance data to contextualize the year's developments. Washington has consistently scored in the League's top 10; other high-scoring states include Minnesota, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Colorado. But several states took no bike-friendly actions at all this year, while both Oklahoma and North Dakota scored red in four of five categories.

Wednesday, October 25, 2017 in League of American Bicyclists

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23, 2026 - Chicago Sun Times

A swamp in South Carolina with tall pale trees and Spanish moss in the water.

Satanic Place Names

From streams and lakes to valleys and canyons, I mapped more than 1,000 places named after the Devil.

October 31 - The Daily Yonder

A rendering of a high speed rain station in California, with wide platforms and a sleep train with yellow highlights.

California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO resigns after $600,000 scandal

Under Ian Choudri, the authority used taxpayer dollars to fund first class flights and trips to nightclubs.

October 30 - Cal Matters

 A bridge stretches across the Missouri River at Chamberlain, South Dakota.

Want to study the Missouri River? Soon, you may need unanimous approval from 10 states

Legislation would require 10 governors’ permission to study or build projects moving water outside the basin.

October 30 - South Dakota Searchlight