Oregon was ranked as the third most bicycle-friendly state in the nation by the League of American Bicyclists’ biennial 2024 Bicycle Friendly States Report & Ranking, highlighting the state’s investments in alternative transportation infrastructure.
Bike-friendly communities provide a safe environment for bicyclists and encourage folks to bike for transportation and recreation. The framework for these communities focuses on equity and accessibility, engineering, education, encouragement, evaluation and planning to ensure communities welcome bicyclists.
Oregon’s 1971 Bike Bill required new road construction or rebuilding to accommodate folks walking or biking. This legislation also required communities to support this goal by spending at least 1% of their State Highway Fund dollars on these enhancements.
Eugene has been ranked as a bike-friendly community since 2005, when the City achieved its first silver ranking. By 2009, the City earned a gold ranking, which it has held since. Projects like the redesign of the 8th Avenue Streetscape , the creation of Eugene’s first protected intersection off of River Road and the updates added to Howard Ave. to improve the route commonly used by Howard Elementary School students amplify the City’s ongoing work to support bike friendliness.