Great Lakes bicyclists take a hike; Minnesota has most cycling commuters in region

By Rachael Gleason
Oct. 14, 2009

Bicycling is gaining momentum in the Great Lakes states.

About 14 percent more residents in those eight states said they biked to work in 2008 than in 2007, according to the American Community Survey, an annual U.S. Census bureau survey of about 3 million households.

Minnesota had the most in 2008 – close to 1 percent of its working population.

In 2007, Minnesota was second to Wisconsin, but a large spike of people switching to bicycles last year pushed it to the top.

Minneapolis alone had more than 4 percent of its working population commuting by bicycle last year, according to the census data.  Nationally, the city ranks second to Portland among bike-commuting cities.

The West had the highest number of cyclists who commuted last year – close to one percent of its working population. The Great Lakes only had about a half percent, but that’s more than the South and Northeast.

Wisconsin had a spike of about 10 percent of people who bike to work, according to the survey. Madison, where bicycle companies such as Pacific Cycles are based, is the state’s top city for biking. The state’s extensive road and trail networks make it easy to bike, said Kevin Hardman, executive director of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, an organization dedicated to bicycling interests.

“Thanks to our dairy industry, rural roads are entirely paved,” Hardman said. “You can ride forever in Wisconsin.”

Wisconsin bikers also have greater protection under state law. Drivers must stay three feet from bicyclists when passing, and they are responsible for looking out for bikers when opening car doors, Hardman said. The state also allocated funds out of its own budget for bicycling in addition to receiving federal money.

“For the first time in eight years, we have $5 million of additional money to put towards biking infrastructure,” Hardman said.   State law requires streets to have biking lanes and sidewalks for pedestrians.

“The rule now, not the exception, is that roads need to accommodate not only bicycles, but pedestrians,” he said.

Indiana, which had the largest percent of commuters switch to bikes at 40 percent, is considering similar legislation, said Nancy Tibbett, executive director of Bicycle Indiana. There are projects for trails and amenities such as showers as well.

Tibbitt attributes Indiana’s jump to soaring gas prices.

“I’m sure it was the gas prices when we had the spike at four dollars a gallon,” she said.

The number of commuters who drive cars and trucks to work fell in all Great Lakes states last year, according to the census data, but there was also a decline of population in general based on the numbers.

The United States, on average, spends about $1.50 per resident annually on biking programs and trails according to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a national bicycling organization based in Washington D.C.
Portland spends about $3.50 per person on biking infrastructure, according to the report.

In European countries such as Germany and Denmark as much as $13 a person is spent on bike lanes and other infrastructure.

In addition to the health benefits of increased physical activity, bicycling saves gas and reduces carbon emissions, according to Rails-to-Trails.

Great Lakes Echo journalists report on the environment