About a year ago, a viral YouTube video pointed out that Fayetteville is the least walkable city in America. What wasn’t mentioned is that we are also the second least bikeable city in America, just beating Winston-Salem. Making Fayetteville walkable will take decades because few destinations are within walking distance (about 1.5 miles).
However, most destinations are within biking distance (5-7 miles). We just need a safe way to get there. We can make Fayetteville bikeable with low cost, simple bike lanes on several strategic major streets and help residents get to where they need to go without a car.
Bike access matters in a low‑income city like Fayetteville
Fayetteville is a poor city. Cumberland County is categorized as Tier 1, or economically distressed. About 18% of Fayetteville residents are below the poverty line and our median household income is just $56,000 a year, almost $30,000 below the national average.
Opinion Hultquist: Fayetteville has a parking problem. It impacts pedestrians…