Big Cities Hop On The Bicycle Bandwagon

"Cities are accelerating their efforts to encourage commuting on two wheels, putting bike racks where cars once parked, adding bike lanes and considering European-style bike-share programs to get residents out of their cars.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino last month named a former national cycling champion to be the city's director of bike planning. The city is identifying the best roads for bicycling in a mapping project that cyclists eventually may be able to access online. It also plans to add 250 bike racks by next fall and this month will hold a summit of cycling experts to determine a long-term bike strategy.

"There's never been so much attention from cities collectively for cycling as a mode of transportation," says Loren Mooney, executive editor of Bicycling magazine. "Cities are recognizing that it is a realistic and inexpensive solution to a lot of different problems - to the traffic issues, to pollution issues, to personal health issues because instead of sitting in cars for an hour you have people out burning calories." "