America is a land of long distances, of thousands of virtually empty square miles of prairie, farmland and baking desert and frozen tundra.

US cities sprawl on a level unseen in Europe, Canada, and Australia, a consequence of transport priorities that have long favoured motor vehicles. And in all but a handful of US cities, it is virtually impossible to get by without a car.

But in recent years, amid widespread concern about US dependence on foreign oil, high petrol prices, signs of global warming and an obesity epidemic, a number of US cities have taken steps to increase bicycle usage.

These cities hope that by adding relatively low-cost bicycle lanes, bike parking and bike sharing programmes and making other city plan adjustments, they can lessen traffic congestion, reduce the strain on public transport, and promote healthier citizens.

Jim Sebastian, head of Washington DC’s bicycle and pedestrian programme, says his goal is to make the nation’s capital “one of the most bike friendly cities in the country”.

Portland – 5.96% Minneapolis – 4.27% Seattle – 2.94% Sacramento – 2.72% San Francisco – 2.72% Washington – 2.33% Oakland – 2.15% Tucson – 2.04% Albuquerque – 1.75% US – 0.55% Read more at www.bbc.co.uk

America is a land of long distances, of thousands of virtually empty square miles of prairie, farmland and baking desert and frozen tundra.

US cities sprawl on a level unseen in Europe, Canada, and Australia, a consequence of transport priorities that have long favoured motor vehicles. And in all but a handful of US cities, it is virtually impossible to get by without a car.

But in recent years, amid widespread concern about US dependence on foreign oil, high petrol prices, signs of global warming and an obesity epidemic, a number of US cities have taken steps to increase bicycle usage.

These cities hope that by adding relatively low-cost bicycle lanes, bike parking and bike sharing programmes and making other city plan adjustments, they can lessen traffic congestion, reduce the strain on public transport, and promote healthier citizens.

Jim Sebastian, head of Washington DC’s bicycle and pedestrian programme, says his goal is to make the nation’s capital “one of the most bike friendly cities in the country”.

Portland – 5.96% Minneapolis – 4.27% Seattle – 2.94% Sacramento – 2.72% San Francisco – 2.72% Washington – 2.33% Oakland – 2.15% Tucson – 2.04% Albuquerque – 1.75% US – 0.55% Read more at www.bbc.co.uk