Jay Walljasper chronicles the growing influence of the bicycle lobby, and their persuasive argument that policies that are good for bicyclists actually benefit everyone.
In the face of Congressional attacks on bike and pedestrian funding, groups like Alliance for Biking and Walking, the League of American Bicyclists, America Bikes, and Bikes Belong have been instrumental in building the growing bi-partisan bloc of Congress members who support bicycle and pedestrian funding.
Central to their argument is the premise that "All Americans are better off because biking and walking foster improved public health (and savings in health care expenditures for households, businesses and government), stronger communities, less congestion, safer streets, lower energy use and a cleaner, safer environment."
Walljasper cites the stunning fact that, "The number of Americans who commute primarily by bike leaped 43 percent since 2000 according to census data. The number of overall bike trips rose 25 percent." In light of those numbers, it's shocking that "even though biking and walking account for 12 percent of all trip across America, [they] receive only 1.6 percent of federal funding," and that many Congress members would like to reduce that financing to zero.
Read the full story: The Boom in Biking Benefits Everyone, Not Just Bicyclists
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