For Immediate Release: Sept. 29, 2008

New figures show many more commuters choosing cleaner way to work

St. Paul – The latest count of Minneapolis residents shows a huge spike in cleaner, more efficient transportation, according to energy and environmental experts. New figures just released by the City of Minneapolis indicate a nearly 50 percent increase in bicycle commuters in the city.

“Many residents are looking for a way to save energy and cut their carbon emissions and they have realized that Minneapolis has a significant bicycle network,” said Lynne Bly, Transportation policy director at Fresh Energy.

Bly notes that the latest figures come from 2006 to 2007 surveys, which is before gas topped $4.00/gallon. During that time, Bly said, gas averaged about $2.75/gallon, which makes the numbers even more significant.

“The 2007 data show that there is a growing bicycling movement in Minneapolis that began well before the era of $4 gas. This movement isn’t driven purely by finances—it is driven by people realizing the value, joy, and ease of bicycle commuting in Minneapolis,” Bly said.

“It suggests that if people have another way to get around, they’ll take it,” said Jim Erkel, Land Use and Transportation Director with the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. Erkel agreed that the numbers are significant.

“If people are driving less that should be taken into account when officials are doing their transportation planning for the next 20 years. It means it’s more important to fix what we’ve got and not build new roads into green fields,” Erkel said.

Bly and Erkel credited Minneapolis’ Mayor, R.T. Rybak, for being a bicycling advocate as well as the city’s expansion of the 5.5 mile Midtown Greenway, which drew attention as well as users to a new bicycling artery.

The study also noted that 10.2% of Minneapolis residents walked or biked to work in 2007. That’s the 6th highest rate among the 50 largest cities in the US. The percentage of Minneapolis residents who drove alone to work decreased to 61.1% in 2007, 40th out of the 50 largest cities in the US.

“Bicycling is a wonderful way to enjoy the great outdoors, as well as to protect the great outdoors,” said Joan Pasiuk, Program Director of the Bike Walk Twin Cities initiative at Transit for Livable Communities. “The Census data reflect the growing number of bike commuters, but even more people are using bicycles to reach other destinations like restaurants and grocery stores. As we look to the future, we must ensure that our state’s transportation planning guarantees that bicyclists can travel safely and conveniently throughout Minnesota.”