The annual City Ratings by PeopleForBikes have once again highlighted the prominence of St. Paul and Minneapolis as top destinations for bicyclists. This comprehensive program aims to rank cities across the United States based on how friendly they are to bicyclists. Both cities have made it to the top 10 in the large city category, which is a significant achievement.
Ranking the Cities
The process of ranking the cities is quite meticulous. PeopleForBikes uses the Bicycle Network Analysis (BNA). This system evaluates cities of different sizes—small, medium, and large—based on their population. Each city receives a score from 0 to 100. The evaluation is thorough, considering six key factors abbreviated as SPRINT: safe speeds, protected bike lanes, reallocated space for biking and walking, intersection treatments, network connections, and trusted data. These factors help determine how easy and safe it is to bike in each city.
St. Paul and Minneapolis Impressive Scores
In the 2024 rankings, Minneapolis achieved the top position with a BNA score of 71, making it the number one city for bicyclists in the large city category. St. Paul was not far behind, securing the fourth spot with a commendable score of 61. These scores reflect the cities’ ongoing efforts to improve and expand their biking infrastructure, ensuring safety and accessibility for all bicyclists. Other notable cities in the rankings were Seattle, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon, which also scored well but did not surpass the Twin Cities.