More people riding bicycles creates stronger, safer and healthier communities. The key to getting more people biking is to provide safe, convenient and attractive places to ride.

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center's (PBIC) mission has been to improve the quality of life in communities through the increase of safe walking and bicycling as a viable means of transportation and physical activity. In this white paper, PBIC defines connected bike networks.

Protected bike lanes are a simple concept, really: they're like sidewalks for bikes. Because they use planters, curbs, parked cars or posts to separate bike and auto traffic on busy streets, protected lanes are essential to building a full network of bike-friendly routes. Once that network is built, it makes riding a bike a pleasant and practical way for many more people (not just the bold or athletic) to make trips of a mile or two.

NACTO cities are leading the way in designing streets that are truly safe and inviting for bicyclists of All Ages & Abilities and attract wide ridership. This guidance—developed by practitioners from cities across North America—builds on NACTO’s Urban Bikeway Design Guide and sets an All Ages & Abilities criteria for selecting and implementing bike facilities.