LITTLE ROCK — The League of American Bicyclists last week declared Arkansas the nation’s least bike-friendly state.
Number 50.
“Least friendly” is not the same as “unfriendly,” of course, but last place is last place.
Washington - the state, not the city - once again led the league’s Bike Friendly States assessment, joined in descending order of best friendliness by Minnesota, Massachusetts, Colorado, Oregon, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Maryland, Maine and Delaware.
Frowning at the rear, in descending order, come South Dakota (No. 40), Hawaii, New York, Nebraska, Kentucky, New Mexico, Montana, Alabama, West Virginia, North Dakota and, finally, Arkansas.
Arkansas’ rating in this annual assessment has dropped sharply since a high water mark in 2008, when the state placed 38th. In 2011, it ranked No. 48.
The latest ratings drop comes after a year in which central Arkansas saw the opening of two bicycle-and-pedestrian bridges; new commuter trails in Pulaski County and Fayetteville; progress toward a Northwest Arkansas Razorback Greenway; league certification of more trained cycling instructors so now the state has 16; 19 bicycle stores registered with the league; paid city employees working to encourage bicycling and walking in North Little Rock, Fayetteville and Bentonville; Bike Ed in public schools in Fayetteville; five advocacy groups around the state holding safety classes, community rides and kiddie rodeos and pushing their message through social networking sites like Facebook ...
And no, the state hasn’t lost any of the six “Bicycle Friendly” businesses and communities honored by the league under different assessments in its Bicycle Friendly America program.
Mississippi (No. 38) has only two such businesses and two communities. Louisiana (No. 31) has only two “friendly” communities.
What gives?
David “Bud” Laumer, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, says the state has not become less friendly toward bicycles. Other states are simply trying harder to improve.
The assessment is based on a nine-page questionnaire developed by the advocacy organization, which is based in Washington. Laumer submits this form annually on the state’s behalf.
90 QUESTIONS
Laumer answers its 90 yes-or-no questions in five categories: legislation and enforcement; policies and programs; infrastructure and funding; education and encouragement; and evaluation and planning.
The 90 questions relate to facts on the state level of government and planning, not in counties or cities; so many of the developments that Arkansas cyclists can point to in their areas simply don’t count.
The form he submitted for this round of assessments indicates his answers were based on input from five state departments, local municipalities, and regional and local bicycle advocacy groups - but not a “statewide bicycle advocacy group.”
Arkansas does not have one of those.
“Our biggest failure has been our inability to unite cycling and walking groups to create a statewide advocacy group that can coordinate efforts across communities and among cyclists and walkers, providing a consistent voice, face and presence focused on the topic of transportation cycling and walking,” Laumer says.
In feedback that accompanied the ranking, the league listed as its “top tip” for Arkansas that the state government should “adopt a state bicycle plan and establish a bicycle advisory committee to oversee implementation.”
The league also suggested the state should make bicycle safety a major emphasis for all projects, programs and policies because the state is “one of the least safe places for bicyclists in the country” based on number of fatalities.
In the questionnaire he submitted to the league, Laumer reported 18 fatal bicycle crashes in Arkansas from 2006 to 2010.
ActiveStyle, Pages 27 on 05/28/2012