THE BEAUTY OF LIFE

Group says Washington best in nation in friendliness to bicyclists
Our state is the best in the U.S. as far as being friendly to bicyclists, according to the League of American Bicyclists.
In its first ranking of all the states, looking at everything from providing bicycle infra-structure to bike-friendly legislations, the group said Washington is at the top of the list.
“The states were scored on responses to a questionnaire evaluating their commitment to bicycling and covering 6 key areas: legislation; policies and programs; infrastructure; education and encouragement; evaluation and planning; and enforcement,” according to the group.
Top five states
1. Washington2. Wisconsin3. Arizona4. Oregon5. Minnesota
The bottom five 46. North Dakota47. Mississippi48. Alabama49. Georgia50. West Virginia
According to a press release from the group, Andy Clarke, president of the League, pointed to Washington’s bike laws, statewide bike route network, dedicated money from the state for bike programs and project and an active statewide bike advisory committee as a few reasons for Washington winning.“West Virginia may offer some great trails and mountain biking resources, but otherwise fell short in every category,” said Clarke. “Their low bicycle usage rates and high cyclist crash and fatality rates are indicative of a state that does not adequately provide for the needs of cyclists.”
The group already has recognized Bellingham for its programs. It gives Bellingham a silver award for being bike-friendly. Click here to see the list of cities already recognized by the group.
The League of American Bicyclists is an advocacy group for all bicycling. Click here to go to the League’s Web site.

2008 State Rankings
1 Washington2 Wisconsin3 Arizona4 Oregon5 Minnesota6 Maine7 California8 Illinois9 New Jersey10 New Hampshire11 Utah12 Michigan13 North Carolina14 Hawaii15 South Carolina16 Massachusetts17 Vermont18 Wyoming19 Nevada20 Florida21 Iowa22 Colorado23 Virginia24 Indiana25 Kansas26 Louisiana27 Rhode Island28 Missouri29 Kentucky30 Texas31 Delaware32 Ohio33 Nebraska34 New York35 Maryland36 Tennessee37 Idaho38 Pennsylvania39 Arkansas40 Alaska41 South Dakota42 Connecticut43 Oklahoma44 Montana45 New Mexico46 North Dakota47 Mississippi48 Alabama49 Georgia50 West Virginia