May 14--Chicago is the sixth-most bikeable city in the country, according to a new survey.
The city's bike score increased this year by almost nine full points, thanks to new protected bike lanes and bike paths, according to Walk Score, a division of real estate website Redfin, which published the rankings Thursday.
Chicago, which earned a "bike score" of 70.2 out of 100, is behind No. 1 Minneapolis (with a score of 81.3), No. 2 San Francisco, No. 3 Portland, No. 4 Denver and No. 5 Boston.
The Walk Score list counters Chicago's ranking last year as the second-most "bike-friendly" city in Bicycling Magazine's biennial ranking, behind New York City.
Redfin's Bike Score weighs components including bike lanes, terrain, destinations and road connectivity, and the share of local workers' commutes traveled by bicycle.
Chicago has more than 200 miles of on-street bike paths. Three years ago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel pledged to make the city the most bike-friendly in the country with a goal of delivering 645 miles of regular and protected bikeways by 2020.
crshropshire@tribpub.com
