Cities with low fatality rates for people on bikes have made strong commitments to building safe, protected bike networks and supporting Complete Streets.
The Pedestrian & Cyclist Safety Index Report highlights the safest cities for cyclists in the United States, and the results reveal some patterns.
As Ron Johnson explains in Momentum, “The study covered nearly 300 U.S. cities with populations over 100,000, comparing rates of pedestrian and cyclist deaths against state averages and matching them with Walk and Bike Scores to create an overall safety index.”
The findings show a clear pattern: cities that have made sustained, data-driven investments in infrastructure and traffic-calming policies are seeing real results. In other words, safety isn’t luck — it’s policy.cities that have made sustained, data-driven investments in infrastructure and traffic-calming policies are seeing real results. In other words, safety isn’t luck — it’s policy.
New York City took the top spot, with the city having built over 600 miles of protected bike lanes since it launched its Vision Zero plan in 2014. Irvine, California, a master-planned community with ample bike paths and multi-use trails, came in second. Boston, Minneapolis, and Portland, Oregon round out the top five.
According to the report, the safest cities have five key things in common:
- Protected, connected networks
- Lower speed limits
- Complete Streets Policies
- Data-driven Vision Zero programs
- Cultural commitment to safety
Read the full story: List of America’s Safest Cities for Cyclists Proves Safety has Nothing to do with Luck
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City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority