More Bicycle Infrastructure Across the Country
Since I work in a field that has me sitting in a chair in front of a computer for many hours, I decided I needed to incorporate more movement into my daily life. I “dusted off some old bicycles” we had in our garage this past spring and got back into riding. This new initiative started off as just a necessity to keep up with our daughter’s bicycle riding fun that all children go through and to see if I’d like bicycling again after all these years. I’ve now, however, turned the corner and given myself a goal of a healthier and car-free lifestyle.
Recently, the city of Indianapolis (where I live) has announced a very promising endeavor – a 10-year bicycle path program designed to develop more pathways and access for bicycle traffic throughout the city. The city is actively pursuing Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) grants through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Also, very promising, according to the League of American Bicyclists, the commuter bicycle traffic in Indianapolis has increased 65% from 2008 to 2009. The city has added approximately 22 miles of bicycle lanes throughout the city just in the past two years alone and plans to add 200 more bicycle path miles for this 10-year project. The city seems to be stepping up to the plate to create an atmosphere of alternative transportation methods.
While we realize many things can happen over the next 10 years to thwart these efforts, we at Sevenforty would still like to applaud initiatives across the country such as these that promote programs designed to bring a healthy and environmentally friendly lifestyle as a part of every day living.
We’ve got our fingers crossed that Indianapolis can complete their 10-year bicycle path goal that they believe will rival that of Portland, Oregon!
(Christina Williams has been part of the Sevenforty team since 2008.)
http://www.sustainindy.org/assets/uploads/05_bikeways_10_years.pdf
