It’s National Bike Month — Is Your City Safe for Cycling?

Getting more people on bikes requires safe, comfortable bike infrastructure and connectivity to transit.

2 minute read

May 2, 2024, 7:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Green painted two-way bike lane with bike symbols and arrows.

boyloso / Adobe Stock

May is National Bike Month, and cycling advocates around the country are both celebrating recent victories and calling attention to the work that remains to make U.S. bike infrastructure safe and comprehensive. While some cities have made significant strides in building out their protected bike lane networks and making it easier to connect biking with other transit options, others continue to lag behind. Despite a plethora of Vision Zero pledges, cyclist and pedestrian deaths remain at all-time highs in many parts of the country.

Which cities rate highest for bike infrastructure? Where do bike commuters use facilities the most? Where can you get a government subsidy for buying an e-bike? Find out below!

U.S. cities with highest 2023 PeopleForBikes bike scores:

  • Provincetown, Massachusetts
  • Crested Butte, Colorado
  • Blue Diamond, Nevada
  • Murdock, Nebraska
  • Ashland, Wisconsin
  • Jackson, Wyoming
  • Davis, California
  • Aspen, Colorado
  • Shorewood, Wisconsin
  • Ankeny, Iowa

Large U.S. cities with highest 2023 PeopleForBikes bike scores:

  • Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • San Francisco, California
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Portland, Oregon
  • New York City, New York
  • St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Washington, D.C.
  • Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Detroit, Michigan

U.S. cities with the highest percentage of bike commuters*

  • Portland, Oregon: 6.3%
  • Washington, D.C.: 5%
  • Minneapolis, Minnesota: 3.9%
  • San Francisco, California: 3.1%
  • New Orleans, Louisiana: 2.9%
  • Seattle, Washington: 2.8%
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 2.6%
  • Tucson, Arizona: 2.5%
  • Oakland, California: 2.3%
  • Denver, Colorado: 2.2%

*This list is based on 2019 data, but conditions in some cities have changed since then.

U.S. cities with e-bike subsidies*

  • Alameda County, California
  • Berkeley, California
  • Contra Costa County, California
  • Healdsburg, California
  • Los Angeles County, California
  • Monterey County, California
  • Orange County, California
  • Pasadena, California
  • Redding, California
  • Riverside County, California
  • San Bernardino County, California
  • San Francisco, California
  • Santa Barbara, California
  • Santa Clara, California
  • Santa Cruz, California
  • Boulder, Colorado
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Bloomington, Indiana (on hold)
  • Raleigh, North Carolina
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Ashland, Oregon
  • Eugene, Oregon
  • Austin, Texas
  • Washington, D.C.

Additionally, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Vermont offer statewide incentives, and bills supporting e-bike rebates are making their way through more state legislatures.

*Some smaller incentive programs exist that may not be included in this list.


Diana Ionescu

Diana is a writer and urbanist passionate about public space, historical memory, and transportation equity. Prior to joining Planetizen, she started and managed a farmers' market and worked as a transportation planner in the bike share industry. She is Planetizen's editor as of January 2022.

portrait of professional woman

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 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 Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Floor-to-ceiling rotating gates at Fairmount subway station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Crime Continues to Drop on Philly, San Francisco Transit Systems

SEPTA and BART both saw significant declines in violent crime in the first quarter of 2025.

April 28 - Mass Transit

South LA Wetlands Park in Los Angeles, California.

How South LA Green Spaces Power Community Health and Hope

Green spaces like South L.A. Wetlands Park are helping South Los Angeles residents promote healthy lifestyles, build community, and advocate for improvements that reflect local needs in historically underserved neighborhoods.

April 28 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Intersection in downtown Sacramento, California with neoclassical building with columns on left.

Sacramento Plans ‘Quick-Build’ Road Safety Projects

The city wants to accelerate small-scale safety improvements that use low-cost equipment to make an impact at dangerous intersections.

April 28 - The Sacramento Bee