The official Blog for bikewalklee.org. BikeWalkLee is a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County, FL.
In case you missed the show this morning on the radio, here's a link (Click here to listen to the show). National biking advocates did a great job of being part of this 30 minute interview with Diane Rhem to respond to the new national report this week that highlighted the increasing number of bicyclist fatalities. See the links below for responses for advocates to the GHSA report. Great work by our national partners!
Thursday, Oct 30 2014--NPR Diane Rhem Show
Sharing The Road: Adapting To A New Culture Of Cycling
According to a new report from
the Governors Highway Safety Association, there has been a 16 percent
increase in bikers killed in motor vehicle crashes in recent years. This
comes after years of steady decline. But many groups say these numbers
are misleading, and a more important takeaway is the rising use of bikes
in urban areas, with cities like New York and Washington, D.C. putting
millions into bike infrastructure projects. But all parties agree: there
is much to be done to safely incorporate cyclists onto our roadways,
from adding bike lanes with physical protective barriers to stricter
enforcement of traffic laws across the board. We take a look at sharing
the road with bikes.
Guests
Emily Badger
covers urban policy for The Washington Post's Wonkblog
Mary Lauran Hall
communications director, Alliance for Biking & Walking
Gabe Klein
former transportation head for the cities of Chicago and Washington, D.C.; chief operating officer of Bridj
Russ Rader
senior vice president of communications, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Jason Clark
vice president, Log Cabin Republicans of San Francisco;
proponent for Proposition L, Restore Transportation Balance Coalition
Tuesday was an inspiring day for complete streets advocates in SWFL. Check out the short TED video of Gil Penalosa and you, too, will be inspired.
Jenn Hagen and Diana Giraldo with Gil
On Oct. 28th about two dozen SWFL officials and
advocates attended Gil Penalosa's inspiring keynote address at the statewide
Florida Public Transportation Association annual conference in Naples. In attendance was Bonita Springs Mayor, Ben
Nelson; Bonita Springs City Councilwoman Janet Martin; and Fort Myers City
Council member Forrest Banks.
Gil spends time with advocates after meeting
Transportation and sustainability staff from both Bonita Springs and
Collier County were there, along with the Lee and Collier County transit
directors, Collier County MPO Director, four representatives from BikeWalkLee,
and several people working on the Streets Alive event coming to the City of
Fort Myers on Nov. 2nd.
In addition,
FDOT District 1 Secretary, Billy Hattaway was there along with a full
contingent of FDOT staff who are working on complete streets and transportation
transformation in District 1.Not only
did he inspire us with his speech, he spent 30 minutes after the presentation
talking to a team of us about some of our specific issues, which was very
helpful.
Jenn Hagen (Bonita), Billy Hattaway, and Councilwoman Martin
Project for Public
Places describes Gil Peñalosa as "the world’s most passionate and
well-traveled promoter of Streets
as Places—putting people before cars in some of the most important public
spaces in cities worldwide. As Executive
Director of 8-80 Cities, Gil now
travels the world, working on the front lines of change, and collaborating with
leading Placemaking advocates, practitioners and politicians to build a
collective movement to transform cities around people. His story, his
experience and his message are a central thread to how cities need to
change in this century."See our earlier blog for more background.
Gil was introduced by FDOT District 1 Secretary, Billy
Hattaway, who hailed his efforts and the importance of his ideas for
Florida.Gil's presentation, with lots
of photos and stories, electrified the audience who gave him a standing
ovation.
There were several 'take away'
messages for us:
The question is, how would you like your community
to be?
These are political issues.
Elected officials need to understand that change
doesn't happen by consensus...they have to listen to the people, but they were
elected to make decisions and to lead.
What we need are champions for change...champions
don't take no for an answer--they look for ways around the obstacles and
barriers.He described how NYC's
Transportation Director, Janette Sadik-Khan, was a champion for change.
He argued for lower speeds on our streets and for a
network of separated cycling facilities.
He focused on two topics--sustainable mobility
and public spaces....the goal is to create vibrant cities.
Mayor Nelson and Councilman Banks with FDOT officials
The most important public policy of economic
significance for individual households is to make it possible to downsize from
two to one car.Right now $1 of every $4
of household income is spent on transportation mobility!
·He outlined five key ingredients for moving
from talking to doing:
1.develop a sense of urgency (building more roads
to solve congestion is like pouring more gasoline on the fire)
2.political will
3.leadership
4."doers"
5.public engagement
He urged local officials to start by looking at
what can be done this year...what is low cost, low risk, and high visibility.
Trinity Scott (Collier transit) and Carmen Monroy (FDOT)
He urged us to build alliances--transportation,
planning, public health, schools, private sector...again bringing it back to
the message: creating a vibrant community
is a political issue.
As
the days start to cool, the biking scene locally begins to heat up. Not
only are there more rides on the calendar, there are more cyclists on
the paths or roadways and more people looking to get back into a
meaningful relationship with their two-wheeled friends.
However,
if it's been a while since you took the bike out for a spin, there are a
couple of things you should do first to ensure that ride is more fun
than infuriating.
First and foremost, make sure your bike is ready
to roll. That means checking the air pressure in the tires (too low and
you're inviting a flat – plus you'll be working too hard because of
additional resistance) and the lube on the chain (and elsewhere).
Nothing wrecks a ride faster than a breakdown on the road or path far
from home.
In fact, unless you're handy with a wrench and well
versed in the mechanics of your bicycle, this would be a good time to
visit your local bike shop for a tune-up – or make their acquaintance if
you don't have a local shop to rely upon.
Why?
•
Experienced bike mechanics know what to look for to keep you rolling
rather than stuck by the side of the road, with the preemptive protocols
and eye for looming problems that we mere mortals rarely possess.
•
They can also show you the quick and simple steps you should take
before every ride to keep things pedaling smoothly — and get you the
right materials to tackle your own daily or weekly maintenance easily.
•
Visiting your local bike shop is also a way to support the local bike
community — which is often centered around shops – as well as to check
out new gear, find out about rides and clubs, and much more.
There
are plenty of good shops locally, populated with fine upstanding
cyclists, skilled wrenchers and all-around good people. Pick one that's
convenient to the way you ride (meaning nearby if possible), or be
prepared to haul your bike to them (which isn't a bad idea in general).
If
you're new to the pathways, or looking to trade in your current model
for something different, a bike shop can be a major asset. Not only will
you have people who can describe the differences and details in a
variety of models, but you have the ability to try them out for yourself
– and probably have someone who can fit you to your bike and get you
ready to roll out the door more quickly and more comfortably. If you're
purchasing a new bike, remember that they are assembled where they're
sold – so having a qualified mechanic do the work instead of big-box
store employees who likely have little skill and experience makes a
world of difference.
Cooler weather also warrants a few other reminders:
•
As the days get shorter, so does the time you can ride — unless you
throw in the necessary lights to let you keep rolling beyond dawn to
dusk. When it comes to illumination, more is almost always better – both
to help you see and make sure you're seen. At a minimum, you need a
strong headlight and tail light (one that flashes is more visible), and
putting additional lights on both you and your cycle is wise.
Again,
a bike shop will have an array of choices that are designed just for
this purpose, so you can see what works best for you. Even if you don't
plan to ride after dark, having lights helps protect you if you get
caught out too late… and many bicyclists use tail lights all the time to
help others to see them on the road.
• Similarly, good bike
clothing is even more critical then it's cooler and/or darker. Something
you can throw on to keep warm is a good idea if the weather is right on
the edge (but at least your chances of rain aren't as high as in
summer). Make sure that something is bright or reflective, the better to
see you in the more angled light of winter. Layers are a must, so you
can add and subtract as needed to stay in your comfort zone.
•
Finally, more riders mean more chances for problems – and more need for
courtesy and calm when riding on paths crowded with other cyclists and
pedestrians. Know your rules of the road and pathway, and obey them
diligently (while you hope your fellow riders do the same). Be patient
with your fellow roadway users (both two-wheeled and four), and ride to
arrive safe. Bicycling is meant to be fun, not fatal – so we ALL need to
act that way.
— BikeWalkLee is a community coalition raising
public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee
County—streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for
safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists,
motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information,
statistics and background online at BikeWalkLee.org.
UPCOMING EVENTS Running/walking:
· Saturday, Nov. 1: 7th annual Race the Roof 15K run, 5K run, 5K walk and tot trot. Verandah Community, 11571 Verandah Blvd., Fort Myers. All proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity, Lee and Hendry Counties. Race starts at 7:30 a.m. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
· Sunday, Nov. 9: Kids Helping Kids 5K and Fort Myers Marathon/Half Marathon.
Based in downtown Fort Myers with three different courses to cover 5K,
13.1 miles and 26.2 miles. 5K benefits Kids Helping Kids Festival in
Centennial Park and the Golisano Children's Hospital. Details and
pricing at www.kidshelpingkidsswfl.com or www.fortmyersmarathon.com
· Tuesday, Nov. 11: Veteran's Day 5K Run across the Midpoint Bridge.
Proceeds to benefit YMCA Youth programs. Race starts at 7 p.m.
Registration: Before Nov. 1 veterans an youth $15, adults $20; Nov. 1-10
veterans and youth $20, adults $25. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
· Thursday, Nov. 27: 35th annual Turkey Trot,
Cape Coral Wellness Center 609 SE 13th Ct. Cape Coral. 5K run/walk,
1-mile fun run and tot trot, starts at 7:30 a.m.; registration opens 6
a.m. Proceeds to benefit Golisano Children's Hospital.
(www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
· Saturday, Dec. 6: 36th annual River
Run, 10K run and 2-mile walk, across bridges from downtown Fort Myers
(www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)
· Sunday, Dec. 7: Everybody Rides/Runs.
A family-friendly, non-competitive multi-distance bike ride. Choose
from routes of 15, 30, 62 or 100 miles. 7:30 a.m. start time for the 62
and 100 milers. 9:30 a.m. start time for the 15 and 30 milers. Choose a
family-friendly chip-timed 5K or half marathon. All finishers will get
to run into JetBlue
stadium and run right across home plate! 7 a.m. start time for the half
marathon. 7:45 a.m. start time for the 5K.
(http://www.everyonerides.org/)
· Sunday, Jan. 11: 12th annual
River, Roots & Ruts Trail Run, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Alva.
Half marathon and relay 8 a.m., 5K Fun Run 8:15 a.m. (www.rrrtrail.com)
·
Saturday, Jan. 17: Tour De Cape 5K Run/walk, is designed for advanced
and novice runners. Check in begins at 6:30 a.m. Race time is 8 a.m.
Starts at Cape Harbour in Cape Coral. (tourdecape.net)
Cycling and other events
·
Sunday, Nov. 2: Streets Alive returns to downtown Fort Myers 11 a.m.-4
p.m. Activities for the entire family focused on active and healthy
lifestyles. Details at www.streetsalivelee.org.
·
Saturday, Nov. 15: Bicycle Bully Busters, Trek Bicycle Store of Estero,
8001 Plaza del Lago Drive #101, Estero. Get on your bike, make a stand
against bullying and raise awareness about safe cycling in SWFL at this
fun family event. 40-mile ride starts at 7 a.m.; 25-mile ride starts at
7:30 a.m.; 10-mile fun ride begins at 8 a.m. (www.caloosariders.org)
· Friday, Nov. 29: Black Friday Century. Fort Myers to Naples and back. Details at www.caloosariders.org
· Sunday, Nov. 30: Iron Joe Turkey Ride. Begins and ends at Naples Cyclery, Pavilion Shopping Center, Vanderbilt Beach Road and U.S. 41. Fully supported rides: 7:30 a.m. breakfast; 8 a.m. Metric Century
(100 km); 9 a.m. 30 Mile; 10 a.m. 14 Mile Family Ride; 10 a.m. Beach
Walk.
(www.raceroster.com/events/2014/2892/9th-annual-iron-joe-turkey-ride)
·
Sunday, Dec. 7: Everybody Rides/Runs. A family-friendly,
non-competitive multi-distance bike ride. Choose from routes of 15, 30,
62 or 100 miles. 7:30 a.m. start time for the 62 and 100 milers. 9:30
a.m. start time for the 15 and 30 milers. Choose a family-friendly chip
timed 5K or half marathon. All finishers will get to run into JetBlue
stadium and run right across home plate! 7 a.m. start time for the half
marathon. 7:45 a.m. start time for the 5K.
(http://www.everyonerides.org/)
· Sunday, Jan. 18: Tour De Cape.
Routes from 15, 30, 60, and 100 mile courses in the west and north
sections of Cape Coral. The event provides a continental breakfast,
lunch, on route rest stations with snacks and beverages, SAG vehicles,
Police support, and route maps. All rides start from Cape Harbour in
Cape Coral. (http://tourdecape.net)
Triathlons
· Sunday, Dec. 21: Christmas Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon (run/bike/run), Sugden Regional Park, 4284 Avalon Drive, Naples. (www.active.com)
·
Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 10-11: HITS Triathlon Series, Vanderbilt Beach
Road, Naples. Open, sprint Olympic half and full
(www.HitsTriathlonSeries.com)
Tell us about your ride
Have
a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you'd like to share
with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can
feature it in an upcoming column.
Thanks to Lee County Parks and Rec for featuring Streets Alive in their News-Press column today. Come join the parade to kick off the event at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2nd.
• What's happening: Move…bike, walk and dance through the streets of downtown Fort Myers
River District. Join in on the activities and move, for a healthy
community. It's a great day for a family outing and all activities are
free.
• Where: Downtown Fort Myers, free parking in lots
and garages. Portions of Hendry St., Main St., First St., Bay St. and
Edwards Drive will be closed to motor vehicles.
• When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
• Cost: Free
• What to expect:
Streets Alive is an open streets event — offering fun, free physical
activity in a safe open streets environment created by closing streets
to motor vehicles. Dozens of activities will be led by professionals in
addition to the length of the closed streets being open to walkers,
bicyclists, skaters, runners, skate boarders, etc. Some of the
activities include Zumba, jump rope, yoga, dance, and disc golf.
Delicious and nutritious food and drinks will be sold by local vendors
on the streets as well as inside downtown's many fine restaurants. This
is a family event, so all ages are encouraged to join in on the fun!
• History:
Streets Alive was created to incorporate fun, fitness and food to
promote healthier lifestyles by temporarily closing streets to motor
vehicles and opening them for people to have fun and get active. This is
the second annual Streets Alive event for Lee County.
• Info: streetsalivelee.org
Tips / Notes
• Bring your own water bottle to stay hydrated.
• Wear weather-appropriate stretch or loose fitting clothing that will allow you to move and comfortable shoes.
• Bring your bike, roller blades, skateboard, scooter or anything you enjoy using in outdoor play.
• Kids (and adults) encouraged to wear Halloween costumes.
• There will be activities offered for people with limited mobility, physical disabilities and those confined to a wheelchair.
• First aid assistance will be located at event headquarters — Lee County Administration East Building at Second and Hendry Streets.
• Driving directions:
From U.S. 41, turn right onto Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Turn
left onto Monroe St. and find parking at any lot or parking garage.
• About us: Lee County Parks & Recreation
has over 230 positions, a $28 million budget and more than 31,500 acres
of parks, preserves, facilities and other sites. The department
oversees four recreation centers, 10 community centers, community parks,
Conservation 20/20 lands, greenways, the Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail,
four year-round pools, seven boat ramps, sports complexes including the
Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins spring training facilities, dog-friendly facilities and pristine Gulf-of-Mexico beach parks.
• Contact us at 533-7275 or leeparks@leegov.com.
Moser's column this week bemoans the litter on our Lee County streets and roadways. Littering is one indicator of self-centered and
anti-social behavior. As Dan says, "When one only thinks of themselves and not others or the community as a
whole, we end up with the kind of roadway mentality we have here."
Dan Moser
While finishing up a run on Sanibel recently I had the pleasure of spotting a large palliated woodpecker and bald eagle cross flight paths as the sun set behind a mangrove background. What a sight! Other similarly beautiful scenes while on a bike ride along Ding Darling’s Wildlife Drive and the trails of Bowman’s Beach are among the many benefits that come with walking, running and cycling outdoors. Unfortunately, so is the reality of seeing all of the litter along our roads, paths, private property and waterways.
While places such as Sanibel are exceptions to the proliferation of litter in Southwest Florida, overall it appears that quite a few people are lazy, inconsiderate slobs with no respect for their own environment. It’s truly appalling — and sometimes disgusting, depending on what the discarded waste consists of — that we create this situation as well as tolerate it as a community. Even with organizations such as Keep Lee County Beautiful (klcb.org) doing as much as it can to assist our public works departments, community-service workers, and citizen and business volunteers in keeping up with the sheer volume of trash that’s out there, we’re clearly losing the battle. All one needs to do is take a walk along our roads and waterways to confirm that fact.
Are you a sociopath? If you tossed this litter on the roadside by the Burroughs Home or left this green bag of construction waste on the sidewalk, columnist Dan Moser thinks you might be.DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLYAs I wrote in a prior column, I believe those who can toss trash out their window, from fast-food waste to cigarette butts, and everything between, are sociopaths, a disorder which appears to be all too common in American society. Littering, in my opinion, is but one indicator of self-centered, anti-social behavior that allows those afflicted to consciously — or perhaps subconsciously — perform such an act. And based on the sheer volume out there, to do so on a routine basis. Obviously, those with personality disorders of this kind aren’t exactly model citizens, with littering likely being the least of their anti-social tendencies.
The problem of littering can also be looked at as one of poor management of streets and neighborhoods. Similar to illegal parking or placement of other large items that obstruct sidewalks in a way that adversely affects others, the presence of litter routinely left in place is an indicator of a government’s inability and unwillingness to maintain control of its public space. Although the prevention of littering isn’t as easily dealt with as illegal parking, which is clearly visible and simple to fix, allowing trash to pile up has a “broken window syndrome” effect on a community. That is, if police don’t enforce sidewalk parking laws and public works departments don’t remove litter, the problem escalates to the point where it becomes acceptable. This, in my opinion, can lead to much more serious problems.
Another thing about littering that may relate to other negative behavior is how those who do so treat fellow road users, particularly the relationship between motorists and vulnerable road users, although it can also apply to cyclists’ and pedestrians’ behavior. When one only thinks of themselves and not others or the community as a whole, we end up with the kind of roadway mentality we have here. When a driver won’t stop for a pedestrian at a crosswalk or becomes enraged when having to follow a slower moving cyclist to the point where they lay on the horn and pass recklessly while screaming out the window, this, to me, has the same anti-social indicators as using the great outdoors as one’s personal garbage can. The same can hold true for cyclists and pedestrians who ignore traffic laws and even common sense because they only think of their own need to get from point A to point B, ignoring rules and responsibilities that go along with being part of traffic, which has implied and legislated rules that make it work.
Streets Alive! update
One final pitch to get everyone out to Streets Alive! (streetsalivelee.org) running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2. The event kicks off with the People’s Parade. It starts on the block of Hendry Street between Main and Second streets. All attendees are welcome in the parade, whether on foot, bike, skates or wheelchair. There’ll also be a tricked-out bike display area as part of the offerings that day. Other examples of activities offered include a mini-running clinic put on by the Fort Myers Track Club, tennis with the Lee County Community Tennis Association and sailing with Edison Sailing Center. So bring friends and family to Sunday’s Streets Alive!, a fun and free event.
Until next time, I’ll look for you on the roads and pathways.
— Dan Moser is a long- time bicycle/ pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.comor 334- 6417.
BikeWalkLee is excited about the cutting-edge "Blue Zones" project coming to Collier County and South Lee. This is a major long-term initiative that uses scientific research to help communities boost their well-being. Blue Zone projects have been successfully implemented in 13 communities across the country and in every instance, it's proven to improve the well-being of participating communities. A key focus of these projects is permanent change in the environment, i.e., the built environment--roads, sidewalks, biking facilities, parks, buildings, etc. It's also a model community-wide collaboration with a broad spectrum of partners and community groups.
BikeWalkLee's Margaret Banyan, Ann Pierce, and Darla Letourneau, along with representatives from the Naples Pathways Coalition, attended the Oct. 24th kick-off event, and will also participate in this week's community assessment process. Click here to learn more about the Collier County project. Below is the Oct. 25th Naples Daily News article about the kick-off event, along with our photos from the event.
NAPLES,
Fla. - A 10-member team from the Blue Zones Project will spend the next two
weeks in Southwest Florida assessing the community’s lifestyle environment to
help local residents live healthier and have more fulfilling lives.
The NCH
Healthcare System announced Friday the launch of a Blue Zone initiative for
Collier and south Lee County, spearheaded by NCH president and chief executive
officer, Dr. Allen Weiss. The Blue Zones Project is a Minneapolis-based
organization that helps communities transform residents’ lives to be healthier,
happier and more connected to one another.
“We can
change our culture, we are poised to do it,” Weiss said Friday to 125 local
leaders at a breakfast on the campus of the NCH Downtown Naples Hospital to
announce the initiative.
The
Blue Zones project was launched after National Geographic’s explorer Dan
Buettner looked at communities worldwide where people live longer and wanted to
know why. He found nine “power principles” that included communities where
people are moving naturally in walkable neighborhoods, eat wisely, limit
alcohol intake, have time to down shift for meditating or napping, put family
first and belong in some way to a faith-based community.
Weiss
has been advocating the merits of the Blue Zone lifestyle over the past year
and has been nudging elected, civic and business leaders to get on board with
it. NCH sees the project as a 10-year initiative.
Tony
Buettner, vice president of product and business development for the project,
presented Friday an overview of how the project came into being after his
brother examined longevity in Sardinia, Italy and Okiniwa, Japan, where the
focus is on friends, family and downshifting.
“People
with higher well-being cost less and are more productive,” he said. “How do we
raise well-being? It’s all about evidence-based choices.”
The
Blue Zones group partnered with Healthways, a Nashville, Tennessee-based
company that provides support to companies and government entities to make
behavioral changes.
Albert
Lea, Minnesota, was the first pilot Blue Zone project in the United States. The
city added walkways and bike paths, and put healthier foods in schools and
grocery stores, among numerous other changes.
The
result, in terms of one measurement, has been a 49-percent decrease in city
workers’ medical claims, Buettner said. More school children walk to school
there and it is now safer for them to do so, he said.
The
governor of Iowa in 2011 launched a statewide initiative for Iowa to be a Blue
Zone. The city of Spencer was an early participant and now 58 percent of
residents exercise regularly and 13 local companies have become Blue Zone
worksites.
For a
project to work, there must be a commitment to change among community
policy-makers, schools, restaurants, grocery stores, work sites, the media, and
philanthropic groups, he said.
During
the assessment in Collier, Buettner said his team will be looking at each
sector locally, in part to determine the challenges.
“Is
there buy in? Do they want to do the work?” he said, adding that being a Blue
Zone community takes hard work and engagement.
Community
leaders left the kick-off event enthused. Some pointed out that the city of
Naples, with its emphasis on walkable neighborhoods near downtown and bicycle
paths, has a jump start.
“If we start in the city and prove what we
have done in the city, it may affect (others) in the county,” said Alan Ryker,
who co-founded the Naples Pathways Coalition Inc. several years ago to promote
bike paths and sidewalks. “I’m excited about the fact that we are thinking
about it.”
Collier
County manager Leo Ochs said the county can make policy decisions that help and
some decisions, such as putting in bike paths and sidewalks, and promoting
bicycling safety, dovetail into Blue Zone principles. The county has $250,000 a
year budgeted for sidewalks and bike paths, according to county staff.
“Those
are all compliment tie-ins to some of the concepts we heard,” he said.
Stephanie
Vick, administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Collier said many
groups have been working on various projects to promote better health for
years. The Blue Zones project will provide a strong focus and collaboration,
Vick said.
“The
synergy of all of us working together is exciting,” she said.
According to a new report from
the Governors Highway Safety Association, there has been a 16 percent
increase in bikers killed in motor vehicle crashes in recent years. This
comes after years of steady decline. But many groups say these numbers
are misleading, and a more important takeaway is the rising use of bikes
in urban areas, with cities like New York and Washington, D.C. putting
millions into bike infrastructure projects. But all parties agree: there
is much to be done to safely incorporate cyclists onto our roadways,
from adding bike lanes with physical protective barriers to stricter
enforcement of traffic laws across the board. We take a look at sharing
the road with bikes.
