Commuting by Bike Up in NYC (and How to Accomplish the Same in Other Cities)

StreetsBlog reports that bike commuting in New York City shot up 26 percent in 2009, according to data released by the Department of Transportation.  This increase marks the second straight year of cycling growth in the city – last year, it grew by 35 percent.

The new counts serve as evidence of the link between safer bikeways and increased cycling (and decreased dependence on other forms of transportation). New York’s bike network expanded significantly in the past 12 months, including protected paths on major streets like Broadway, Eighth Avenue, the Sands Street approach to the Manhattan Bridge and Allen Street.

On a similar vein, Good has developed a continuing brainstorm on ideas for improving life in cities, inaugurated at the Velocity conference in September 2009.  They will post a new idea daily – such as developing Wide Walks – or wider side walks – in cities in order to “provide spill-out space for businesses and restaurants; green space for landscaping, urban farming, and picnicking; jogging and bike paths; and noise reduction through elimination of noise canyons.”

Many will argue that city life still beats the ‘burbs in terms of convenience, culture, efficiency and environmental consciousness – but evolution and continuous improvement is an ongoing challenge, and necessity.