New Orleans, Honolulu Rocket Up the Bike Commute Charts
Cycling held its own against other modes of transportation in 2009 despite decreasing gas prices, according to Census numbers crunched by the League of American Bicyclists.
The league released its annual Bike Commuter Rates report for the 70 largest U.S. cities yesterday. Established leaders in the cycling movement hold many of the top spaces, including Portland (#1) and Minneapolis (#2). But the list held some surprises too. Oakland jumped a few places to number five, with more than 2.5 percent of commute trips by bike. New Orleans recorded a dramatic 174 percent increase in cycling to reach number 6 overall. Honolulu also rocketed up the chart to number seven.
On the LAB's Blog, analyst Darren Flusche notes that in the past year, cities not known for cycling amenities saw the biggest increases in bike commute rates:
Despite predictions that the number of Americans biking to work would fall after gas prices returned to ‘normal’ in 2009, the percentage has held steady at 0.55 percent. The Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC) among the 70 largest cities also held steady with a 1 percent increase, while non-BFCs increased their commuter share by 26 percent. BFC cities still have on average about twice the percentage of commuters as non-BFC cities.
The league's list is based on data from the Census's bi-annual American Community Survey, which come with several caveats that Flusche points out. You can see the results of the league's bike commuting report in this PDF.
Elsewhere on the Network today: Urban STL reports that officials in St. Charles County, Missouri have opted against a partial bike ban, but not without some disparaging words for cyclists. Reinventing Parking laments that a region in India has joined parts of China and Vietnam in considering price controls on private sector parking fees. And Gary Rides Bikes hypothesizes as to why motorists often engage in risky behavior in order to pass cyclists.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday’s Headlines Are Tired Out
Whether it's from degradation or the dust resulting from wear and tear, it's becoming increasingly clear that tire and brake emissions are harmful, perhaps even exceeding tailpipe emissions.
Study: What Road Diets Mean For Older Drivers
"After a road diet, all motorists seem to drive at a rate that feels comfortable to a mildly-impaired older adult."
Op-Ed: Why Is Fare Evasion Punished More Severely than Speeding?
A.B. 819 offers California the opportunity to decriminalize fare evasion and replace punitive measures with more equitable approaches.
Talking Headways Podcast: Local Culture and Development
We chat with Tim Sprague from Phoenix about supporting local culture through development projects and the importance of sustainable development and transportation.
City of Yes Yes Yes! Adams Calls for Elimination of Parking Mandates on ALL New Housing
Mayor Adams today announced the historic end to one of the city’s most antiquated — and despised — zoning laws requiring the construction of parking with every new development.
