In case you missed it, Traverse City made it to the top spot on yet another list last month. Being recognized as the No. 1 most bikeable city in Michigan and ranking 23rd out of 946 small cities nationwide is a significant achievement. This recognition from People for Bikes speaks to the collective efforts within the city to provide and promote cycling infrastructure with an eye on safety and accessibility, enhancing the quality of life for residents and, in turn, creating an attractive destination for cyclists.
Building on its 2012 League of American Bicyclists designation as a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community, Traverse City, TART Trails and partners continued to invest in a better non-motorized network to encourage more people to use bicycles for commuting and recreation, promoting a healthier and more sustainable mode of transportation and economic development.
As we celebrate this achievement, let’s also take a moment to contemplate our future efforts in elevating our cycling status. Julie Clark, CEO of TART Trails, expressed her thoughts on the recent accolade, acknowledging that the People for Bikes rankings are a wonderful recognition of the strong partnerships that contribute to making our City so beloved and bike-friendly.
“However,” Clark enthuses, “there’s still much work to be done. This serves as a powerful motivation to continue advocating for improved non-motorized infrastructure, as it has already shown positive results. Such acclaim acts as an added incentive to persist in our endeavors, ensuring that Traverse City truly remains a leading bicycle-friendly city in the nation.”
Diving deeper into the statistics that earned Traverse City its top spot, here are some key metrics. Among the 1,733 cities evaluated, Traverse City claimed its place in the 96th percentile. In the small city rankings, we placed in the 98th percentile. These numbers reflect the commitment of the city and its residents to promote and provide a biking culture with benefits to our local economy, public health and quality of life.
But does ranking in the 96th and 98th percentile say more about the status of Traverse City or does it suggest that we have a ways to go as a state and a nation in terms of our safe cycling infrastructure? Probably a little bit of both.
Breaking down the components of the Network Score, Traverse City’s overall score was 65/100 with the following breakdown:
People: Access to parts of the city where residents live (68/100)Opportunity: Access to jobs and schools (70/100)Core Services: Access to the places that serve basic needs, like hospitals and grocery stores (66/100)Recreation: Access to recreational amenities like parks and trails (61/100)Retail: Access to major shopping centers (75/100)Transit: Access to major transit hubs (49/100)
In comparison with other cities in Michigan, Traverse City scores are impressive but they also reveal plenty of room for continued improvement. Here at TART Trails, we want to see these numbers rise so everyone, from 8 years old to 80 years young, can enjoy safe and comfortable access to where they shop, work, learn and play. People for Bikes offers ways that cities can improve overall ranking scores using the six SPRINT principles of:
Safe Speeds: When travel speeds are slow, bikes and cars can safely mix.Protected Bike Lanes: Physical separation between people driving and bicycling.Reallocated Space: Free up road space for bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and landscaping.Intersection Treatments: Reduce accidents with safe crossings.Network Connections: Development that allows people to live close to where they work and recreate.Trusted Data: Measuring the quality of the city’s bike network.
Traverse City’s recognition as the most bikeable city in Michigan and its impressive national ranking are a testament to the vision, dedication, and collaborative spirit of the community.
But now is the time to invest in our non-motorized infrastructure to emphasize safety and efficiency for meaningful and cultural change.
Let’s keep pedaling forward and celebrate Traverse City’s well-deserved place at the top as we continue to invest in the future of our local non-motorized network.