More Cyclists = Safer Cycling in Minneapolis

Studies have long linked cycling safety to the number of cyclists on the street -- the old safety-in-numbers maxim in action.

The latest evidence validating this phenomenon comes from chilly Minneapolis. In the mid-1990s, collisions involving cyclists peaked at 334 per year, according to city data reported by the League of American Bicyclists. Since then, bike commuting has skyrocketed 174 percent. Meanwhile, the number of annual collisions has declined 20 percent to 269.

If that's not enough to convince skeptics, LAB has a few more data points:

The link between cycling volume and lower collision rates is the perfect response to the argument that the safety of cyclists shouldn't be a priority because their numbers are few. Minneapolis has done as much or more than any Midwestern city to make cyclists comfortable and safe. Its efforts are paying off, with more people choosing a healthier way to get around, despite a less-than-ideal cycling climate.

Elsewhere on the Network today: The City Fix reports on a truly green laundry in Philadelphia that does its deliveries by bicycle. Walkable Dallas-Fort Worth illustrates how cars can drain vitality from a city, while pedestrians and cyclists enliven it. And Market Urbanism warns that rezoning in Jamaica, Queens should not to fall into the too-common trap of raising density without lifting minimum parking requirements.