Connecticut Climbs 27 Spots in National Bike Safety Rankings Over 15 Years

By Joe O’Leary

January 6 @ 11:30 am

Usually, governments don’t like to promote surveys ranking their state 40th out of 50. When those surveys show how far they’ve come, however, they may sing a different tune.

In 2010, Connecticut ranked 40th on the League of American Bicyclists’ list of the most bike-friendly states in the country. Fourteen years later, the Nutmeg State has come a long way. In the 2024 rankings, Connecticut climbed all the way to 13th, and that’s up seven spots just in the last two years.

Every other year, the League of American Bicyclists releases its list, and in the last 15 years, Connecticut has improved its standing from near the bottom of the ranking to a position closer to the top. There’s still work left to do, officials said, but the continued growth indicates positive movement.

This year’s list found Connecticut receiving high marks for its investment in infrastructure and in planning for the future. The report recognized the state’s laws protecting bikers and safety measures but criticized the lack of bicycle counting programs amid the state’s vehicle-heavy transportation methods.

The report praised specific policies enacted in Connecticut like the state’s implementation of complete streets initiatives, its Safe Passing Law, which requires motorists to give bicyclists three feet of space when passing, and the development of a statewide bike plan in the last ten years.

In a press release, the Department of Transportation highlighted several advances that helped the state ascend 27 spots in 15 years. For instance, Connecticut has implemented a Safe Routes to School Program to educate children, a Complete Streets Design Directive to ensure future road projects include bicycle-friendly infrastructure and an Active Transportation Microgrant that provides communities with funds to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety.

“Through investments and programs, we’re making it easier and safer for people to use active transportation,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “There is still more to do to ensure there are more bike lanes, paved trails, and bike-friendly accommodations across our state.”

The importance of the work has been underscored by recent events in Connecticut. Residents of West Hartford expressed concerns about bikers’ safety during a public hearing in early December. Meanwhile, in 2023, there were five bicyclist fatalities and 336 bicycle injuries involving motor vehicles — nearly one per day.