This week the National Association of City Transportation Officials launched Cities for Cycling, a new effort by city governments to promote best practices in urban cycling and to increase the use of bicycles to improve mobility and public health while reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.

Cities for Cycling will serve as a warehouse of best practices, including links to technical design guidelines, and a forum where experts from cities around the United States can convene, share information and further advance bicycling across the country. The initiative aims to encourage state and federal governments to adopt the new design treatments emerging from cities as standard practices, opening up funding and technical support opportunities and cutting red tape.

Not surprisingly, New York City has innovated or adopted many of these “best practices,” such as bike boxes, buffered lanes, cycle tracks, and colored pavement. This summer, NYCDOT announced the completion of a 200-mile installation of bike lanes in all five boroughs, doubling the bike lane network. This unprecedented effort included 4.9 miles of separated bike lanes, 20 sheltered bike structures and 6,100 new bike racks. Providing these facilities has resulted in more than 45% growth in commuter cycling over the last three years.

According to the U.S. Census’ American Community Survey, cycling is booming in cities across the nation, with an average growth rate of over 30% in major cities between 2007-08.  However, as the recent Dangerous by Design report shows, much work remains to make cycling safer and more accessible.

Image: TSTC.