Increase in cycling is a silver lining

“I’m very optimistic that this was one of the few silver linings…that people have found a way to make their lives better.” –Philip Brown, Elevation Cycles, Denver.

There’s a surge in cycling in the U.S and around the world, as more people are choosing cycling in response to our global health challenge.  We’ve collected ten articles that show how cities and others are innovating to embrace the increased demand for cycling. Some cities such as Oakland have dedicated streets as slow streets, creating a new priority network for walking and cycling. In an article in Curbed, Courtney E. Martin noted that “‘Slow streets,’ overnight, transformed our family life and the lives of our neighbors. We had struggled to find a place to teach our daughter to ride her bike up until this point.”

In other cities sidewalks are being widened, and money is being allocated to pay for cycling coaching sessions. Many leaders and planners are also recognizing the strategic benefits renewable transportation methods such walking and cycling deliver for parallel goals of cleaning the air and reducing carbon emissions.  Browse the ten articles on Cycling in the news to explore more ideas your home town can use.

“Slow streets could be a meaningful move toward reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The US Department of Transportation has found more than 50 percent of vehicle trips are 10 miles or fewer—a distance many could readily bike. And with vehicle transportation being a major source of pollution, making some of those short trips pedal-powered could help reduce carbon emissions and clean up our air.”  –Ula Chrobak, Popular Science

References/Credits:

Opening quote from “Cycling explosion: coronavirus fuels surge in U.S. bike ridership.” The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/13/coronavirus-cycling-bikes-american-boom

Middle quote from “Slow streets are the path to a better city.” Curbed
https://www.curbed.com/2020/5/19/21258662/oakland-slow-streets-closures-social-distancing

Closing quote from “The pandemic could make cities more bike-friendly–for good.”  Popular Science
https://www.popsci.com/story/environment/city-shutdowns-covid-bike-lanes/

Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge photo by Ryan Carmer. All others by the author.

The collection of 10 articles is here (and under the “Resources” tab on this bikeinitiative.org website):
https://bikeinitiative.org/cycling-in-the-news/