Facebook/BikePed Memphis
Memphis has shown a strong commitment to improving its bike network and encouraging residents to ride, according to a report released this week.
PeopleForBikes evaluated 550 U.S. and Canadian cities for the report. Memphis ranked 60th overall with a score of 2.5 out of 5.
However, in the acceleration category Memphis snagged fifth place. The acceleration score assesses how quickly a city is improving its biking infrastructure and how successful it is at encouraging residents to ride bikes. Memphis scored 4.2 in this category.
In the other four categories, Memphis’ scored significantly lower. The city’s next highest score, 1.7, was in the reach category. This was determined by how well and equally the city’s bike network serves the community.
Memphis scored 1.5 in the ridership category, which is based on how many people are using bikes here for both transportation and recreation.
Memphis’ bike network scored 1.4. The network score evaluates the quality of the city’s bike network and how well it connects people to each other and with destinations in the city.
Finally, in the safety category, Memphis earned its lowest score of 1.3. This score is based on fatalities and injuries of cyclists, as well as pedestrians and drivers. It’s also based on how safe people perceive biking to be in the city.
Of the four major cities in Tennessee, Memphis earned the highest overall score. Nashville’s overall score was 1.3, Chattanooga’s was 1.6, and Knoxville’s was 2.2.
The organization ranked San Luis Obispo, California, as the no. 1 city for biking in the country, followed by Madison, Wisconsin; Santa Barbara, California; and Washington, D.C.