America remains predominately a country of automobiles. Only an average of 3.5 percent of commuters get to work by bicycle or foot. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but a new report from the Alliance for Biking and Walking extolls the virtues of the two modes of transportation as being within the public interest:

Where bicycling and walking levels are higher, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes levels are lower. Higher levels of bicycling and walking also coincide with increased bicycle and pedestrian safety and higher levels of physical activity. Increasing bicycling and walking can help solve many serious problems facing our nation.

Other than updating policy issues and advocacy program, the report also ranks states and metro areas in terms of bicycling and walking levels. Oregon and Alaska are at the top of the list for cycling and walking respectively. In terms of cities, Boston tops the list in terms of walkers (13.9 percent of commuters walk to work) and Portland, OR is tops for cyclists (5.5 percent of commuters). The report also compares the US to other nations, looks at the income of bike commuters and pedestrians, and examines safety, funding and policies in place.

The full report is available at the above link as a PDF download.

Dave

Senior Information Specialis