PHILADELPHIA – A new report from the website Walk Score/Redfin ranks Philadelphia as the #1 U-S city for bicycling downtown.

The report specifically ranks Center City West, from Broad Street to the Schuylkill River, as the most bikeable downtown area in the nation.  More generally, the website praises Philadelphia Philadelphia for having the most bike lanes per square mile of any large city in the country.

The ranking comes just weeks after Walk Score ranked Philadelphia as the nation’s fourth most walkable city.  “Philadelphia’s walkability has always been one of city’s strongest assets for residents and visitors, alike,” said Mayor Kenney, “and today we celebrate our bikability with a growing number of Philadelphia users and facilities. My goal is to continue to not just increase ridership but to increase it across all neighborhoods in our city.”

“Bicycling just works in Philadelphia,” said Clarena Tolson, Deputy Managing Director for Infrastructure and Utilities. “It’s inexpensive, healthy, and getting easier to do all the time.  We are excited for this recognition of the City.”

The national #1 ranking is borne out by the city’s most recent Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan Progress Report, which found a growing number of Philadelphians are cycling in the densest areas of our city.  With over 440 lane miles of bicycle lanes, Philadelphia leads the United States’ big cities with the most bike lanes per square mile.

The announcement also comes on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the city’s Indego Bike Share program, which is expanding with 30 new stations and 300 additional bikes.  “With more than half a million trips and counting, Indego shows the commitment of the Kenney administration to make bicycling an easy choice for Philadelphia,” said Aaron Ritz, co-director for Indego at the City.  “This year we are looking forward to bringing Indego to more places, connecting with more people, and really making it part of the fabric of Philadelphia.”

The City also recently won a $300,000 grant from the PennDOT Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) towards building a protected bicycle network. “For residents and commuters who are unsure about trying this healthier way of getting around, we know that protected bike lanes, as well as other safety efforts, will go a long way toward getting them onto a bike and into our streets,” said Jeannette Brugger, the city’s Bike/Ped Coordinator.  “The Walk Score #1 ranking is a reflection of these and many other efforts.”