As gas prices gradually rise and temperatures across much of the country remain comfortable, more Americans are opting to leave their cars at home and bike to work or explore the outdoors on two wheels. This shift is being supported by cities, both large and small, that are promoting cycling by adding new bike lanes. According to the 2010 Benchmarking Report from the Alliance for Bicycling & Walking, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., many cities across the U.S. are making efforts to improve biker safety with clearly marked bike lanes.
While most cities don’t allocate significant funds specifically for biking initiatives—New York City, for example, spent around $4 million on bike facilities in Fiscal Year 2009, with 80% of that coming from federal funding—some cities have long-term plans to boost cycling participation.
