The length of a bike lane alone says little about whether a person can reach a school, shop or job by bicycle. PeopleForBikes’ 2026 City Ratings examined 3,019 U.S. cities by looking at access to everyday destinations through connected, low-stress routes. Of those cities, 555 scored at least 50 out of 100, compared with 234 in 2025. The organisation treats 50 as a threshold at which a low-stress network begins to function as a useful whole.
Protected lanes are only one part of the picture. Street speeds, intersection design and gaps between existing routes also shape whether a journey feels possible. Hoboken scored 83 among medium-sized cities; its citywide 20 mph speed limit helps many streets qualify as low-stress. Milwaukee and Detroit also entered the top ten large cities as they developed protected or connecting routes.
The increase in high scores needs careful reading. Nearly 500 cities were added to the 2026 programme, and the methodology changed, including stricter rules for when a paint-only lane counts as low-stress. The figures 555 and 234 therefore do not simply measure one year of construction. The central lesson is clearer than the headline total: a continuous route to daily destinations matters more to riders than a few strong segments that end abruptly.