Virginia ranks 16th nationally in the just-published League of American Bicyclists’ “Bicycle Friendly States” ranking, and No. 1 in the South. The state of Washington took the top spot, with Colorado nailing down No. 2.
Colorado cycling has come on strong in recent years as the business community has mobilized around the goal of making the Centennial State the healthiest state in the country. Businesses understand the connection between a healthy population and a healthy workforce, and the link between a healthy workforce and lower medical insurance rates, lower rates of absenteeism and higher productivity. That cause has yet to go mainstream in Virginia, where business lobbies have expended their political capital in recent to increase taxes to pay for more transportation projects without insisting upon any more accountability or results in how that money is spent.
Virginia scored best for “policies and programs” (with a 4 out of 5) and worst in “infrastructure and funding” and “evaluation and planning.” (See the Virginia state profile here.)
Among the ideas advanced to make Virginia more bicycle-friendly, the League suggested passing laws that protected cyclists on streets and roads, investing more money in bicycle infrastructure, and holding a state bicycle summit.
Bacon’s bottom line: Ranking first in the South ain’t much to be proud of folks. The leading states are lapping us. We can do better. Last time I checked, bicycle-friendly policies don’t violate property rights, they don’t undermine the Constitution and they don’t cost a lot of money. Why are putatively conservative Republicans so hostile? For the price of a single highway boondoggle (the $244 million Charlottesville Bypass, before cost overruns, for instance) we could make massive strides in building bicycle infrastructure throughout the state.
— JAB
