By Laura Bliss, Photo: Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty Images, Bloomberg City Lab, January 26, 2022
In 2019, just 0.5% of U.S. commuters rode a bike to work, the smallest share of any mode. But tiny shifts can make a big difference. Data-driven bike plans, safety improvements and supportive political leadership helped boost bike commute rates in several cities in recent years, according to a new report from the League of American Bicyclists.
In “Benchmarking Bike Networks,” the country’s largest bicycling advocacy organization takes stock of the best infrastructure and policy practices for getting more people pedaling. It spotlights Boston; Chicago; Austin, Texas; Oakland, California; and Missoula, Montana — cities of diverse size and geography where bike commute shares are more than twice the national average and have increased over the last decade. Ken McLeod, the League’s policy director, hopes they can serve as models for other communities.
“Benchmarking shows what really good communities are doing and what others can do so that we’re all pushing towards the same goal of safe bike networks that are accessible to everyone,” he said.
Comments (0)