The Bicycle Friendly State program has again ranked all 50
states on their bike-friendliness. Maryland ranked 16th for 2009. You can see the overall
results of the ranking, including by category here.
The rankings are based on overall scores to the ranking questionnaire
that was sent to your State
Bike Coordinator.
The overall scoring was very close, with the separation of
many states being the difference of just a few items. Passage of key
legislation, updated traffic code, increased education programs or accurate
funding reporting can lead to a significant impact on your state’s
ranking. Our hope is that this brief bit of feedback can serve as a
checklist on to help you improve your ranking as you continue to work with your
Department of Transportation and state legislature. In partnership with Bikes
Belong we have assisted the National Conference of State Legislators in
creating Encouraging
Bicycling and Walking: The State Legislative Role. Please forward this link
along to your state representatives and their staff. If you would like
hard-copies to put in the hands of your representatives, please let me know,
though quantities are limited.
Legislation
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cyclists are required to use shoulders when present rather |
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no 3 feet or greater safe passing law |
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cyclists are required to use bike lanes when present |
Policies & Programs
No mountain bike plan with state DNR or other agency
Infrastructure
–
Education
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No questions on bicyclists rights and responsibilities on |
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No questions on motorists responsibilities towards |
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Evaluation & Planning
No info on bicycle ownership or usage rates in State
Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan(SCORP)
Enforcement
No education of officer on cyclist rights &
responsibilities through academy or continuing education
New for this year were our first
Bicycle Friendly
State awards. Modeled
after our Bicycle Friendly Community awards programs, the additional
application offers an addendum to the ranking questionnaire, and allows states
to further explain their policies and programs that make their state great
places for bicycling. Four states have been awarded the coveted designation and
two states received an honorable mention – Washington
(Silver), Wisconsin (Silver),
Arizona (Bronze), Minnesota
(Bronze), Delaware (Honorable Mention) and
Maryland (Honorable
Mention). Applications for the award will be accepted annually each Spring. The 2010 deadline is March 12.
Please encourage your State
Bike Coordinator to apply for this designation in addition to offering your
assistance with the application. We find the
best, most complete applications and the most Bicycle friendly States are those
where all parties work together to fill it out. If you have any
questions regarding the program, or need assistance utilizing the feedback to
work towards improving bicycling in your state please feel free to contact me.
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