Spokane's Bike equity

[Photo by freddy via flickr]

We’re thrilled to see more bikes on the street every day. The signs are everywhere that bikes are big: the incredible blow-out success of SpokeFest, following on the great turnout for Bike to Work Week, the city council’s decision to fund a bike/pedestrian coordinator position, and support from the county and most of the cities for the SmartRoutes effort, in which we join the Rails to Trails 2010 Active Transportation Campaign to seek an increase in federal funding for non-motorized transportation.

The increase in bikes isn’t just nice road bikes and well-dressed commuters, though. It’s also people hit hard by rising fuel prices that affect not only transportation but also food, and increasingly—as winter sets in—the ability to heat your home.

We would write more about this, but it’s already been said, and said well, by Dave Steele on these “Unseen Bicyclists” at Next American City.

Read it, and let’s talk about inclusion.

Comments

[Hank]

I don't think "real" cyclists are excluding those who ride clunkers or without helmets. People who drive oil burners or don't wear seat belts are not excluded from traffic. I think the goal should be to make bicycles an accepted and expected in the traffic flow. The responsibility for excluding cyclists lies with politicians, businesses, drivers, etc. Why does The Swamp now have bike racks in front and back? Because a group of cyclists started using it as a starting point or destination every night of the full moon. Yet when I go to Albertsons or Fred Meyers I have to lock my bike to the flower rack or take it inside. Spokefest is great for promoting cycling but Bike to Work Week helps promote acceptance of cycling. They go hand in hand because we need more people to ride to have them accepted and expected on the road, but--and I'm just guessing here--more neighborhood level acceptance needs to be done and publicized.

[Terry]

That is a great picture.