05-26-10 South Bend tops Indiana cities in bicycle commuting

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“Cyclists in the greater South Bend area are riding to work in greater numbers than ever before, motivated by higher gas prices, health benefits and greater availability of safe routes established by the City of South Bend,” Luecke said. “We will continue to work with our partners in the bicycling community, such as the Bike Michiana Coalition, to increase bicycling alternatives and make South Bend a more livable community.” Colfax Avenue is not the only downtown street to receive painted, five-foot-wide bicycle lanes this spring. Bicycle lanes also have been installed on Jefferson Boulevard between William and St. Joseph streets. The Colfax effort is part of the City’s “Cultivate Colfax” improvements from Lafayette Boulevard to Jacob Street, which seeks to promote development, support arts-related and other businesses, and enhance pedestrian, bicycle and motorist safety. “I’m excited to see the new bike lanes added to our stretch of Colfax Avenue,” said Mark McDonnell, owner of The LaSalle Grill. A 2007 study by the Michiana Area Council of Governments showed that the average speed of vehicles on Colfax near Sycamore Street was 39 mph, despite a posted speed limit of 30 mph. “I am thrilled by the addition of bike lanes to Colfax Avenue,” said Paul Meyer, executive director of The South Bend Clinic. “The avenue now serves a wider population of users – motorists, pedestrians and cyclists. The businesses on Colfax will get a second look from passers-by, and the Clinic’s employees will have another choice – a healthy and safe one – in coming here.” Bicycle lanes have been added along the entire 1.3-mile segment of Colfax, between Lafayette Boulevard and Jacob Street. Between Michigan and Hill streets, there are two traffic lanes with a continuous left-turn lane. “The new Colfax Avenue bike lanes into downtown South Bend are fantastic. They provide a safe route to and from downtown for bicyclists to commute to work, shop, visit a restaurant or enjoy other venues in the East Race and downtown South Bend area,” said Judy and Bill Lee, president and treasurer, respectively, of the Bike Michiana Coalition. “On behalf of the Bike Michiana Coalition, we applaud South Bend officials for their forward thinking in providing for a safer, healthier, economical and environmentally friendly form of transportation.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey, 0.55 percent of Americans use a bicycle as the primary means of getting to work. In 2008, the average bicycle commuter share for Bicycle Friendly Communities, those designated by the League of American Bicyclists for their pro-bicycling policies, was 1.5 percent. The statistics, a conservative measure of bicycle ridership, do not account for recreational or shopping trips by residents using bicycles. The question, which asks workers the principal mode of travel they used to work in the previous week, also may undercount total bicycle ridership. -more- Pg. 3.