According to the League of American Bicyclists, Maryland ranks 35th among the states for being "bicycle friendly". This puts this wealthy and densely populated state on the border of the lowest 30th percentile. The League says that Maryland has a
* Signed and mapped route network
* A discriminatory mandatory bike lane law
* No cell phone use restrictions.
No Maryland city has been designated as a bicycle friendly community but if the Comprehensive Plan is ever completed, we will have text calling for Annapolis to become a bronze designated community by 2011. See here: www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
Maine
State Rank: 6 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Rights and responsibilities of cyclists are included in Maine's driver's manual, and they have a statewide mountain biking plan. However, bicycling is not included in the Highway Safety Plan.
Maine's Bicycle Friendly Community
Michigan
State Rank: 12 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Michigan has a rumble strip policy with a minimum 4 feet of clearance and dedicated state funding for bicycle projects. However, there is no routine accomodation or complete streets policy.
Michigan's Bicycle Friendly Community
Minnesota
State Rank: 5 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: In addition to their exemplary bike-related laws, Minnesota further strives to protect and promote cyclists through its model Share the Road campaign. The state also has a policy requiring bike parking at state buildings, as well as state funding for the installation of bike racks.
Minnesota's Bicycle Friendly Community
Missouri
State Rank: 28 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Missouri has a bike route map with suitability ratings, but no bike master plan and no cell phone use restrictions.
Missouri's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in Missouri that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
Mississippi
State Rank: 47 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Though Mississippi promotes bicycle tourism along the Mississippi River Trail and Natchez Trace Parkway, it lacks a bicycle master plan, a routine accommodation policy for cyclists, and has no state-level dedicated funding source for bicycling related projects.
Mississippi's Bicycle Friendly Community
Montana
State Rank: 44 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Montana has a rumble strip policy with a minimum 4 feet of clearance, but has no League certified bike ed and no map or signage for identified bike route network.
Montana's Bicycle Friendly Community
North Carolina
State Rank: 13 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: North Carolina has a statewide mountain biking plan and dedicated state funding for bicycle projects, but has made slow progress on safe routes to school.
North Carolina's Bicycle Friendly Communities
North Dakota
State Rank: 46 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: North Dakota has bicycle usage included in SCORP but has a discriminatory mandatory sidepath law and no League certified bike ed.
North Dakota's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in North Dakota that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
Nebraska
State Rank: 33 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Nebraska has a rumble strip policy with a minimum 4 feet of clearance. However, the state has a discriminatory mandatory sidepath law, no bike master plan, and no accomadation policy.
Nebraska's Bicycle Friendly Community
New Hampshire
State Rank: 10 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: New Hampshire has exemplary bike laws, a bike parking policy and funding for racks. However, bicycling enforcement is not a police academy requirement.
New Hampshire's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in New Hampshire that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
New Jersey
State Rank: 9 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: New Jersey has dedicated state funding for bike projects and a statewide mountain biking plan. However, they do not have a safe passing distance law.
New Jersey's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in New Jersey that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
New Mexico
State Rank: 45 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: While New Mexico has a bicycle advisory council that has meetings scheduled every quarter, the state still has discriminatory mandatory sidepath and mandatory bike lane laws, no bike master plan or accommodation policy, and no League Bike Ed classes have been taught in New Mexico within the last year.
New Mexico's Bicycle Friendly Community
Nevada
State Rank: 19 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Nevada has a rumble strip policy with a minimum 4 feet of clearance and good education efforts for both cyclists and motorists. However, there are no signed our mapped state bike routes.
Nevada's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in Nevada that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
New York
State Rank: 34 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: New York has a signed and mapped route network, but no accomodation or complete streets policy and slow progress on safe routes to school.
New York's Bicycle Friendly Community:
Ohio
State Rank: 32 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Ohio has a routine accomodation policy adopted in 2005, but no bike master plan and bicycling enforcement is not a police academy or POST training requirement.
Ohio's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in Ohio that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
Oklahoma
State Rank: 43 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Oklahoma does include cyclist rights and responsibilities in their driver's manual, but has no accomodation or complete streets policy and no bike master plan, or accommodation policy.
Oklahoma's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in Oklahoma that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
Oregon
State Rank: 4 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Oregon was one of the first adopters of a complete streets policy - accounting for all roadway users, including bicyclists, when constructing roads. The state helps educated motorists of cyclists rights to the roads in its driver’s manual. Oregon also excels in highlighting its fantastic cycling opportunities through its bike tourism promotion.
Oregon's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Pennsylvania
State Rank: 38 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Pennsylvania has an exemplary route network, but no safe passing distance law and no accomodation or complete streets policy.
Pennsylvania's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in Pennsylvania that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
Rhode Island
State Rank: 27 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Rhode Island has a signed and mapped route network, but also has a discriminatory mandatory bike lane law and no League-certified Bike Ed classes.
Rhode Island's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in Rhode Island that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
South Carolina
State Rank: 15 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: South Carolina has exemplary bike laws and a 2003 routine accommodation plan. However, there is no training for officers on rights & resposibilities of cyclists.
South Carolina's Bicycle Friendly Community
South Dakota
State Rank: 41 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: South Dakota has state funds for bicyle education programming but also has discriminatory mandatory bike lane law and no accomodation or complete streets policy.
South Dakota's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in South Dakota that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, you'll need to review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
Tennessee
State Rank: 36 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Tennessee has a statewide bike map with suitability ratings, but no information on rights and responsibilities of cyclists included in driver's manual and no statewide advisory committee.
Tennessee's Bicycle Friendly Community
Texas
State Rank: 30 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Texas has a rumble strip policy with minimum 6 feet of clearance, but no bike master plan and low levels of available federal funding spent on bicycle projects.
Texas' Bicycle Friendly Community
Utah
State Rank: 11 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Utah has a routine accommodation policy revised in 2008 and a rumble strip policy with a minimum 4 feet of clearance. However, bicycling enforcement not a police academy requirement.
Utah's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Virginia
State Rank: 23 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Virginia has U.S.-numbered routes that are signed and managed, but suitability is not included in state bike map and there are no cycling related questions on driving test.
Virginia's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Vermont
State Rank: 17 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Vermont has a rumble strip policy with a minimum 4 feet of clearance and good education efforts for both cyclists and motorists but has an inadequate traffic code covering cyclists.
Vermont's Bicycle Friendly Community
Washington
State Rank: 1 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Washington scored consistently high in all ranking evaluation categories. A few highlights of the state’s bicycling commitment are its exemplary bike related laws and dedicated state-level funding sources for cycling related projects and programs. This has resulted in a signed and mapped statewide system of bike routes, education of both drivers and cyclists on the rights and responsibilities of cyclists. The results of the efforts are shown through the high numbers of bicycle use and membership to cycling advocacy and promotion organizations throughout Washington.
Washington's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Wisconsin
State Rank: 2 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Wisconsin’s second place ranking is a result of their high use of available federal funding for cycling related projects and programs, statewide counts of bicycle usage and model policies such as 5-feet minimum clear space when rumble strips are installed. With a thriving bicycle industry and growing advocacy movement, Wisconsin looks to move to the top of the list.
Wisconsin's Bicycle Friendly Communities
West Virginia
State Rank: 50 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Though ranked last, West Virginia does a great job constructing and promoting mountain biking facilities. However, with no dedicated state funding sources for bicycling related projects and programs, no state-wide bike route network and discriminatory mandatory sidepath laws, West Virginia sits far behind leading states.
West Virginia's Bicycle Friendly Communities
Currently there are no cities in West Virginia that have been designated as bicycle friendly communities. Your city can be the first. To apply for BFC designation, review the materials at www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/apply.cfm.
Wyoming
State Rank: 18 out of 50.
Reasons for Ranking: Wyoming has a system that accounts for the amount of shoulders on roadways and 90% of the shoulder widths, however bicycling enforcement not a police academy requirement.
Wyoming's Bicycle Friendly Community
The League's Bicycle Friendly America family of programs recognize states, communities and businesses for their efforts to promote bicycling and provide roadmaps to improve.
Current Bicycle Friendly Community Master List (PDF)
Current Bicycle Friendly Business Master List (PDF)
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2 Comments:
Not only is is dangerous to ride, there's nowhere to 'park'. Safe and secure bike racks? None to be found except at Quiet Waters and the city dock. You can ride to the mall - but you'll have to chain your bike to a sign in the parking garage. Ditto the grocery store. The expectation seems to be that we will ride for exercise, not transportation.
Sad but true, but many of s are working to change this and you an join in too. However there are more bike racks around Annapolis than you may know about, but the ones at the markethouse, for example, need to be replaced. Yes-there is a difference between biking just for fun and doing it as transportation, Unfortunately the Annapolis Bike Club is almost totally fixated on weekend rids instead of activism.
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