With bike sales soaring as people seek out safe outdoor recreation, institutional support and investment can maintain the growth of cycling as commuters start going back to work.

As Americans sought out socially distanced ways to stay active and roads were suddenly cleared of intimidating traffic for much of 2020, bicycling boomed in popularity. In the United States, bike sales grew by 62%, while e-bike sales rose by a whopping 144%. However, writes Andrew J. Hawkins, American roads have also become more unsafe in recent years, with cycling deaths increasing by 38% in the last decade. And the traffic is coming back: after dropping by close to 40% in April, vehicle miles traveled in the United States rebounded to almost-average levels(down only 9% in September compared to the same month in 2019).
To sustain the growth of biking as a mode share rather than a short-lived trend, Hawkins argues that cities must take active steps to improve bike infrastructure and make new riders feel safe on the road. He suggests the federal government can fund programs that direct money toward bike lanes and offer tax credits for bike purchases to incentivize consumers, while cities can expand upon pandemic-prompted "slow streets" programs and temporary bike and pedestrian improvements. "It will be a turf war, as bikes will need to take physical space away from cars to maintain any forward momentum," Hawkins predicts, but the advances of 2020 gave us a glimpse into a world where two-wheeled transportation gets serious institutional support.
FULL STORY: How to keep the bike boom from fizzling out

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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