Today is Ride To Work Day and the Federal Government has announced a $40 million funding package for bikeways around the country.

The joint launch of the program with the Australian Greens will see funding matched by local governments nationwide.

Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese says the projects will target areas with high levels of unemployment.

"It will fund more than 170 bike paths right around the country, more than 1,900 jobs will be created directly as a result of this funding," he said.

Mr Albanese says there are benefits for the environment and the economy.

"One-thousand-nine-hundred jobs will be created as a result of this cycling infrastructure program," he said.

"So helping to insulate Australia from the impact of the global financial crisis, supporting jobs for the short term but creating infrastructure and benefit for local communities in the long term."