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