More Than 1 in 10 Workers Commute By Bike in Some D.C. Neighborhoods
Imagine 20 percent of commuters getting to work by bike in a major U.S. city. No entire city is close yet (Portland, with the highest rate, is at about 6 percent), but some neighborhoods are getting there.
Dan Malouff at Beyond DC shares new data from DDOT showing that in a few areas of Washington, the bike commute mode share is especially impressive. The numbers for specific Census block groups should be taken with a grain of salt because the margin of error is high. But it's safe to say that more than 1 in 10 workers commute by bike in some parts of DC.
Malouff writes:
This fascinating map is part of the background data DDOT is preparing to study a possible protected bikeway on or around 6th Street NW.
It shows how hugely popular bicycling can be as a mode of transportation, even in the United States. What’s more, this data actually undercounts bicycle commuters by quite a lot.
It’s originally from the US Census’ American Community Survey, which only counts the mode someone uses for the longest segment of their commute. People who bicycle a short distance to reach a Metro station, then ride Metro for the rest of their commute, count as transit riders rather than bicyclists.
Keep in mind that DC has made rapid progress on bike infrastructure for an American city -- it didn't have a single on-street protected bike lane as recently as 10 years ago.
Elsewhere on the Network: Sustainable Cities Collective explains how cities like Seattle and Toronto are "rethinking" backyards. And the Dallas Morning News' Transportation Blog says that for a city with no plans to stop expanding highways, building landscaped "decks" to mitigate the damage is likely to become increasingly common.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog New York City
Friday’s Headlines: A Congestion Alert Day
Like everyone else, we covered congestion pricing. Plus other news.
Adams Says He’ll Ban Parking Near 1,000 Intersections Every Year To Make Corners Safer
The city will daylight 1,000 intersections a year. A Brooklyn corner where a boy was killed in a crash is still waiting for the safety upgrades.
Komanoff: IMHO, TMRB is A-OK
Here’s what’s to like about the Traffic Mobility Review Board's central business district toll recommendations. It's a lot!
DOT’s New Emissions Rule is a Big Deal, Even if It Doesn’t Punish States for Polluting
No states will face penalties for building needless toxic road projects — but they also won't be able to hide those impacts from the public.
Cops Search for Hit-and-Run Driver Who Killed 3-Year-Old in Queens
The merciless motorist killed 3-year-old Quintas Chen in downtown Flushing, Queens on Wednesday night.
