Oregon has the highest rate of bicycle commuting in the 50 states, but South Dakota is the safest state for cycling.

Those are just a couple of findings in the extensive Benchmarking Report for 2012 issued this week by the appropriately named Alliance for Biking and Walking.

The report ranks the state and big cities on levels of bicycling and walking, the comparative risks of those pursuits, and funding for non-motor vehicle transportation.

In most categories, Seattle and Washington state ranks in the top 10 or 15, and the region's Cascade Bicycle Club is singled out for its efforts to encourage bicycling....