Cycle-Friendly Cities

"It has taken a while, but bicycling for transportation is ready to take hold here in the United States. With increasing numbers of riders taking to the streets, it has quickly become apparent to transportation engineers that current roadway designs and facilities could be significantly improved in terms of visibility, safety, and comfort. New and innovative designs are beginning to show up on the roads—and with a new generation of transportation engineers being trained to think about building and maintaining a truly multi-modal system, the future is looking much brighter for those of us who us roll on two wheels instead of four."

The article gives a retrospective of bicycle advocacy, beginning with the League of American Wheelmen in the 1880s. Cycling for transportation gained new vitality in the 1970s and today is an increasingly popular method of transit. As such, the article gives an overview of the various methods that cities can use to accommodate cyclists, from standard bike lanes to bicycle boulevards and raised pavement.