OLYMPIA – When it comes to bicycle education, advocacy, planning, policy and programs, Washington state still leads the pack.

For the eighth consecutive year, the League of American Bicyclists has named Washington the top ranked “Bicycle Friendly State.”

The league annually ranks all 50 states on how “bikeable” they are and announces the ranking “report cards” as part of national Bike Month.

Gov. Jay Inslee earlier this month officially proclaimed May as Bike Month in Washington and described the many benefits of bicycling.

“Bicycling plays an important role in Washington’s quality of life; it gives Washingtonians a viable transportation option, encourages a healthy lifestyle and lowers our individual carbon footprint while supporting our local economies through bicycle tourism,” Inslee said. “Being again named the most bike-friendly state inspires us to continue building on the progress we’ve made.”

With a continued emphasis on transportation partnerships and community engagement, the Washington State Department of Transportation is collaborating with others to increase bicycle ridership in Washington, while at the same time reducing the number of injuries and deaths.

As part of that effort, the Washington State Department of Transportation urges all users to share the road.

“This report card shows we’ve made incredible strides in bicycle safety, education and investment,” said Secretary of Transportation Lynn Peterson. “We’ll continue working with our bicycling partners and Washington’s communities on improving conditions to meet our goal of increased safety and opportunities for bicycle transportation.”

WSDOT is elevating biking and walking statewide by providing new design flexibility and guidance, increasing multimodal connections and developing a statewide performance measurement program.

“When Washington bikes, local economies grow, kids can get to school safer, and everyone is healthier,” said Barb Chamberlain, executive director of Washington Bikes. “I’m elated at Washington’s designation as the most bicycle-friendly state, but we have so much more to do to make sure everyone from eight to 80 can bicycle safely and easily.”