The League of American Bicyclists hosts a program called The Bicycle Friendly Community Program.
The
Bicycle Friendly Community Program inspires communities to improve
conditions and opportunities for bicycling and provides
incentives, hands-on assistance, and award recognition for communities
that actively support bicycling. A Bicycle Friendly Community
welcomes cyclists by providing safe accommodation for cycling and
encouraging people to bike for transportation and recreation. View an overview presentation of the program.
Where does Iowa Rank?
Iowa ranked 21st this year. Still in the top 50%, but to know we were ranked 6th place in 2011 and 16th in 2012 is concerning. Check out the complete report card below.
State Bicycle-Friendly Ranking
Why does our rank keep dropping when we have such a strong bicycle community and world-class trail system?
It is true, we DO have a strong bicycling community, and our trail systems keep getting better and more connected, but that is not enough.
We are still moving forward, but other states are moving forward faster than we are! Each year, the bar continues to rise with the ranking system as the program becomes more refined and more data becomes available for each state.
Where we fall short
Based on the report card, we fall short in the following categories
- Infrastructure and Funding - Ranked 1 out of 5 (2012 rank=2)
The performance measurements for this section entail the amount of facilities and spending
amounts for bicycling as well as . Other examples include the percentage of state
highways with shoulders, signed bike routes, trail miles, and
bicycle-related project obligation rates for available federal funding. When funding must be cut, what is one of the first things to go? Recreational funds. Until the bicycle is recognized as a form of transportation in Iowa, we are doomed with the minimum ranking here. Trails infrastructure is not enough. We see new roadways built without bicycle-friendly shoulders and our bike route marker could be much better across this fine state. Lets face it, the percentage of Federal and State funds spent on bicycling is dismal.
- Legislation and Enforcement - Ranked 2 out of 5 (2012 rank=3)
Bicycle safety is a big player here. i.e. the basic laws and regulations that govern bicycling as well as motorist responsibilities. We've never been able to pass the 3-foot passing law like most other states have. Anti-Bike laws are still introduced in the Iowa legislature each year and bike bans are still getting passed at the city level . We still see motorists kill or injure cyclists with little to no ramifications due to loop holes, lack of law enforcement education and shoddy practices. Until we get more support by our elected officials and more enforcement buy-in from the Iowa Department of Transportation, don't expect this ranking to increase anytime soon.
- Evaluation and Planning - Ranked 2 out of 5 (2012 rank=3)
How bicycling is incorporated into Iowa's yearly planning? How do we addresses the way bicycling is included in the highway safety plan, outdoor recreation plan and/or bicycle transportation plans? We would have expected this ranking to be a bit higher as Iowa we do see a fair amount of information on these topics, but other states must be doing it better. We believe the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Iowa Bicycle Coalition are working on these plans and expect a higher rating in 2014.
- Policies and Programs - Ranked 2 out of 5 (2012 rank=3)
This component of the covers what state agency
requirements are for accommodating cyclists, be it a Complete Streets
policy, a plan or agreement for mountain bike trails, how much state
agency staff time is dedicated to bicycling, and whether or not
bicycling is included as part of the state’s carbon-reduction plan. Sure, we have a Complete Streets
policy, but it is a massive and time consuming undertaking to promote and administer state-wide. Staff dedicated to bicycling across the state is minimal, and there are many policies on cycling across the state, but not a state-wide uniformed plan that can easily be adopted at a county and city level. This will take a high level of dedication to a core group of individuals to create this program and get it passed down to the masses for adoption.
- Education and Encouragement- Ranked 4 out of 5 (2012 rank=4)
Our best rating of 2013. This section covers the amount of bicycling education in the state for adult
and youth cyclists, and individual and professional motorists. A few
ways that states can educate drivers on the road about cycling, for
example, are Share the Road campaigns and questions concerning
cyclists’ rights in state drivers’ exams. States can encourage more and
better bicycling by promoting bicycling tourism, producing bike maps
and collaborating with state and local advocacy groups, along with
education efforts.
Some cities promote better than others. A a state-wide "Share the Road" program is in place, but campaigns to promote it are fairly minimal. Iowa is getting better at promoting Bicycle Tourism, maps, etc. and the Iowa Bicycle Coalition is steadily gaining ground each year is why our ranking remains a 4 our of 5 here.
About the Ranking
The League annually ranks all fifty states for bicycle friendliness. We
do this based on a multi-faceted Bicycle Friendly State (BFS)
questionnaire that is answered by each state’s Bicycle Coordinator. The
data collected is verified by League staff in concert with advocates
in each state. States that continue to promote bicycling and improve
conditions can expect to improve their scores. Our BFS annual ranking
measures to the best of our knowledge the states bicycle-friendliness
but does not include everything states can and should do for bicycling.
It is primarily designed to establish best practices for others to
follow as every state has great riding opportunities, dedicated
state-agency staff, determined advocates and cyclists of all stripes
working to make a great state for cycling.
What do YOU think?
We want to hear your comments and concerns about our lower ranking this year and what we can do about it. Leave your comments below.