The League of America Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly State program has ranked the 50 states on their bike-friendliness. Unfortunately,our ranking shows that we still have a lot of work to do here in Texas! The Lone Star State ranked 36th out of 50 this year.
However, we are proud to say that because of the hard work of BikeTexas staff, lobbyists, members and donors this legislative session, we are likely to score much better next year! Two of the bills we passed (awaiting the Governor’s signature) address criteria we failed to meet on the questionnaire – the Safe Passing Bill, and the bill to require bike questions on the driver’s license exam. We will continue to strive for each goal until Texas is ranked number one!
To see the overall results of the ranking, including by category, click here (.pdf). The rankings are based on overall scores to the ranking questionnaire that was sent to each state’s State Bike Coordinator. To see the categories in which Texas was found lacking, click the “read more” link.
Legislation
* no 3 feet or greater safe passing law
* equipment code not consistent with UVC
* no legal requirement to open door only when safe
* no restriction on the use of cell phones while operating a vehicle
Policies & Programs
* No Complete Streets or bicycle accommodation policy for state roadways
* No Co2 reduction plan that includes promoting bicycling
* No policy requiring bike racks at state owned buildings
Infrastructure
* No Bicycle Level of Service or similar assessment tool
* No statewide bike route network signed or mapped
* No dedicated state funding source for bicycle projects
Education
* No questions on motorists responsibilities towards cyclists on driver’s test
* No questions on motorists responsibilities towards cyclists on CDL test
* No bicycle operators manual provided by state DOT
* No statewide bike map with suitability ratings
* State tourism board does not promote bicycling
Evaluation & Planning
* No info on bicycle ownership or usage rates in State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan(SCORP)
* No statewide bike plan with performance measures
* No statewide bicycle conference or summit
* Bicycle Safety not addressed in Highway Safety Plan
