There’s nothing quite like the freedom you feel when pedaling a bike. If I could tell my younger self anything, it might go something like this:

"José! I know you’re living it up, running wild through the streets of Newark. Right now, your world is blocks and stoops, pickup games, and your father’s corner store. But one day, you’ll discover something that will change everything: the bicycle. That simple, two-wheeled machine will open up the world in ways you can’t imagine right now. Across bridges, into the woods, up mountains, down coastal paths, through cities you never dreamed you’d visit. It will give you freedom, connection, and a sense of purpose. Once you learn to ride, you’ll never look at your neighborhood, your city, or your future the same way again." 

That’s the beauty of the bike — it helps us see our world differently. Today, more people in the U.S. are riding than ever before.

According to newly released data from PeopleForBikes’ 2024 U.S. Bicycling Participation Report and Single Sport Reports from the Physical Activity Council, ridership increased 14% since 2016, far outpacing the nation’s 4% population growth in that same time. In fact, more than one in four Americans rode a bike last year, and casual riders — those who hop on a bike for fun or fitness a few dozen times a year — are leading the way.

What’s driving this boom? People are riding to find joy, spend time outside, and achieve independence.

But participation is only part of the story. Where people ride and how safe, connected, and fun those rides feel matter just as much. That’s where our 2025 City Ratings come in. New for this year, our annual City Ratings reveal how thousands of bike projects are transforming communities nationwide. From protected lanes in Brooklyn, New York, to natural surface trails in Big Sky, Montana, cities with high City Ratings scores are investing in high quality places to ride, and it’s paying off. Not just in better bike scores, but in healthier people, more vibrant local businesses, and stronger communities.

That’s why this moment matters. While the cost of just about everything is rising, the freedom of a bike ride remains priceless. With over 2,000 bike projects currently being tracked nationwide, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build better places to ride for everyone. 

The connection is clear: cities that build bike infrastructure see real, measurable improvements in bikeability. Whether it’s a bridge-to-trail connection in Anchorage, Alaska, or a neighborhood bikeway in Corvallis, Oregon, cities that prioritize better places to ride are being rewarded not just with higher scores, but with stronger communities, healthier residents, and more people choosing to ride bikes.

Cities on The Rise: High Scores and Active, Funded Projects

The following cities are leading by example, investing in high-quality bike infrastructure and seeing the benefits in real time.

Anchorage, Alaska
Score Improvement: 33 (2018) > 64 (2025)
Active Project: In 2024, Anchorage piloted protected bike lanes connecting the Coastal Trail and Chester Creek Trail through downtown, expanding access and safety for cyclists. Learn more.

Asbury Park, New Jersey
Score Improvement: 44 (2020) > 61 (2025)
Active Project: The city is undertaking traffic calming and bike/pedestrian safety upgrades on Third and Fourth Avenue to support Safe Routes to School. ​Learn more.

Ashland, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 54 (2017) > 81 (2025)
Active Project: Ashland is enhancing bike infrastructure across the city, including improvements on 11th Street West to safely connect students to reach the local elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as Northland College. ​Learn more.

Burlington, Vermont
Score Improvement: 20 (2017)  > 61 (2025)
Active Project: Burlington is developing the city’s first bike park at Leddy Park, featuring progressive jump lines and flow trails for riders of all ages and skill levels. ​Learn more.

Cambridge, Massachusetts
Score Improvement: 23 (2017) > 68 (2025)
Active Project: The Hampshire Street Safety Improvement Project installed separated bike lanes to create a more comfortable biking connection between Inman Square and the Port/Kendall Square. ​Learn more.

Cape Charles, Virginia
Score Improvement: 56 (2023) > 68 (2025)
Active Project: Construction has begun on the Eastern Shore Rail-to-Trail project, creating a shared-use path that connects Cape Charles and Cheriton. ​Learn more.

Chico, California
Score Improvement: 44 (2018) > 57 (2025)
Active Project: The Downtown Chico Complete Streets Project seeks to improve connectivity and safety by closing gaps in bike infrastructure. ​Learn more.

Corvallis, Oregon
Score Improvement: 38 (2018) > 71 (2025)
Active Project: The Tyler Avenue (East) Neighborhood Bikeway Project will include signage, pavement markings, speed humps, and other treatments to provide a safe and comfortable street for cyclists and pedestrians. ​Learn more.

Fayetteville, Arkansas
Score Improvement: 29 (2017) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The Maple Street  Improvements project will add a two-way protected bike path along a half-mile corridor, creating a critical connection between the University of Arkansas and the Razorback Regional Greenway. ​Learn more.

Galena, Illinois
Score Improvement: 25 (2020) > 55 (2025)
Active Project: Reconstruction of U.S. 20/Illinois 84 modernized Galena's main thoroughfare, better connecting cyclists and pedestrians traveling between downtown Galena and businesses to the north. ​Learn more.

Hailey, Idaho
Score Improvement: 25 (2021) > 77 (2025)
Active Project: The Blaine County Community Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan includes Safe Routes to School improvements as well as the creation of key connections to the Wood River Trail. ​Learn more.

Jackson, Mississippi
Score Improvement: 37 (2022) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The city recently completed improvements to the MLK Equality Trail, enhancing the pedestrian and cycling experience. Two other sections of the trail will be rebuilt in the next year. ​Learn more.

Jackson, Wyoming
Score Improvement: 67 (2017) > 80 (2025)
Active Project: Teton County is already home to more than 53 miles of pathways, but local advocacy group Friends of Pathways is working to connect missing links. This includes a Dutch-style solution to Snow King Avenue, a critical travel corridor. Learn more.

La Crosse, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 32 (2017) > 65 (2025)
Active Project: The STH 16 (La Crosse Street) Project created dedicated bike lanes and traffic calming measures on a vital community street. ​Learn more.

Lawrence, Kansas
Score Improvement: 27 (2018) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: Lawrence was awarded a Trail Accelerator Grant from IMBA to create new mountain bike trails in Cameron’s Bluff. Learn more.

Logan, Utah
Score Improvement: 27 (2019) > 49 (2025)
Active Project: The 1.8-mile Blacksmith Fork River Trail will connect people from Ridgeline High School to the Blackhawk Soccer Complex in Cache Valley.​ Learn more.

Longmont, Colorado
Score Improvement: 43 (2017) > 56 (2025)
Active Project: Construction has begun on the Highway 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project, which will feature a nine-mile paved bikeway and intersection safety improvements. Learn more.​

Madison, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 50 (2017) > 61 (2025)
Active Project: Madison has numerous projects underway, including the Glacial Drumlin and Capital City Connector trail, which will connect the metropolitan areas of Wisconsin’s largest cities — Madison and Milwaukee. Learn more. 

Maple Grove, Minnesota
Score Improvement: 40 (2017) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: The Eagle Lake and Bryant Lake Regional Trails plan will create a 17-mile trail connecting the communities of Maple Grove, Plymouth, Minnetonka, and Eden Prairie. Learn more.​

Menlo Park, California
Score Improvement: 29 (2020) > 51 (2025)
Active Project: The Middle Avenue Complete Streets project (Project) will install bicycle and pedestrian improvements along the entire length of Middle Avenue between Olive Street and El Camino Real. Learn more.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Score Improvement: 27 (2017) > 50 (2025)
Active Project: Protected bike lanes will be installed on Walnut Street in a high-crash corridor to improve safety for all road users. Learn more.

Minneapolis, Minnesota
Score Improvement: 39 (2017) > 72 (2025)
Active Project: The 18th Avenue NE Trail Gap project will build a new off-street bike trail to fill a trail gap in northeast Minneapolis. Learn more.

Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Score Improvement: 12 (2020) > 52 (2025)
Active Project: Oak Bluffs constructed a bike and pedestrian walkway along Beach Road to improve safety along the seaside corridor. Learn more.

Ojai, California
Score Improvement: 58 (2022) > 69 (2025)
Active Project: The city received funding through the Active Transportation Program to add two-way bike lanes along the Maricopa Highway. Learn more.