Both New York and Chicago are in the process of introducing ambitious bike-sharing programs, putting a total of 15,000 bicycles on the streets in the coming months, available to anyone who needs them for short jaunts or longer trips around the city.
While it's certainly cool having bikes available for locals and visitors alike, increasing the number of bikes on the road makes for friendlier cities overall, says a recent editorial in The Christian Science Monitor. Among other things:
Cities that are more bikable (and also walkable) allow for more personal interactions and better social cohesion than the car culture embraced in the 20th century. Bikes bring a slower, more intimate pace of life that can infuse more vitality into a city...
As anyone who has visited Copenhagen, Denmark, or other bike-friendly cities knows, a critical mass of cycling in an urban environment brings a greater feeling of community and togetherness.
Do you believe a simple bike-sharing program can make a difference beyond simply putting more people on bikes? Comment below.
You can read the whole article here.
Related stories:
- New bike sharing program debuts in Minneapolis--St. Paul
- Humana starts bike sharing program for employees
- Is this heaven? No, it's Portland. Bike riding in Portland, Oregon
- Great Places to Ride Your Bike: A Guide to Seeing the World from Two Wheels
- Bike Riding in Washington, D.C.
- Travel With Your Bike - How to Find the Right Bike When You Travel
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Comments
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/the_efficient_planet/2012/11/green_wave_can_the_u_s_embrace_biking_like_denmark_has.html
http://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2011/10/20/how-the-dutch-got-their-cycling-infrastructure/
Yes, bicycle paths make for friendlier cities. I would hope they are also ADA friendly. Community gardens and foraging areas are also great areas that take you out of the car culture especially when you’re able to go and from by bicycle.
Arlington VA and Washington DC have the largest current bikeshare system in the U.S. Capital Bikeshare is a region-wide network, which now includes Alexandria VA and soon suburban Maryland.