5 U.S. Cities Where Bike Commuting Is Booming

In “Benchmarking Bike Networks,” the country’s largest bicycling advocacy organization takes stock of the best infrastructure and policy practices for getting more people pedaling. It spotlights Boston; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Oakland, California; and Missoula, Montana — cities of diverse size and geography where bike commute shares are more than twice the national average and have increased over the last decade. Ken McLeod, the League’s policy director, hopes they can serve as models for other communities.

Consistent across the five cities was how long local officials have been planning for better cycling facilities, updating their proposals regularly. In Oakland, a suite of improvements focused on a “ladder” of two parallel streets and seven connecting streets on either side of the MacArthur BART station, especially after a 2007 bike plan showed how many more residents lived a short bike ride away from the station versus a short walk. With a targeted approach, the number of bike lanes and dedicated bike lanes have soared across Oakland, often replacing shared lane markings — also known as sharrows — following best safety practices for high-traffic streets, McLeod said.