NWA has room to improve on "best places to bike" list
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Northwest Arkansas cities scored top for the state, but most are still below the tipping point of becoming a great place for cycling, a new report from PeopleForBikes finds.
Why it matters: Cities developing safer cycling infrastructure means more people ride bikes, and that leads to reduced traffic congestion and transportation costs, while improving air quality and overall public health.
- If that weren't enough, the cycling industry drove $159 million of economic impact in NWA during 2022.
State of play: PeopleForBikes recently released its annual "Best Places to Bike" report, ranking 2,900 global cities on the quality of their bike network.
How it works: Cities are rated 0-100 based on factors like protected bike lanes, safe crossings, speed limits and connections. A score 0-20 shows a weak bike network, while scores of 80-100 show that most common destinations are accessible by safe routes.
- PeopleForBikes' data highlight cycling as a transportation option — not necessarily for recreation or events.
By the numbers: Six of the seven Northwest Arkansas cities included in the ratings improved over the 2023 network scores.
- Fayetteville scored 51 — 203rd in the U.S. — which is up four points from the 2023 ratings.
- Bentonville climbed to 46 from 40 two years ago, but Rogers was the most-improved, jumping to 38 from 30. They're rated Nos. 296th and 481st in the U.S., respectively.
- Bella Vista's rating weakened by 2 points.
What they're saying: "A lot of cities across the U.S. are lowering their speed limits. They're creating great bike networks by building safe, protected bike lanes … in communities of really all shapes and sizes all across the country," Martina Haggerty, PeopleForBikes' vice president of infrastructure, told Axios.
Stunning stat: More people are riding bikes in the U.S. than ever before, and 62% of those surveyed said they would ride more often if bike lanes were separated from motor vehicles, surveys show, according to Haggerty.
The bottom line: "The benefits and the return on investment are just really astounding when you look at communities that have invested in themselves by creating great places for people to ride," Haggerty said.
- They "generally, create more vibrant communities where people and businesses thrive."