National Poll Shows that Americans Want Better
Biking
52% want to bike more -- Majorities
support better bike facilities
More
than 4 million Texans bike or walk on a regular
basis, yet Texas ranks 46th in portion of spending
on bicycle and pedestrian facilities
A
majority of Americans want to bicycle more and
are prepared to invest tax dollars in better places
to bike, according to two new national polls released
during National Bike Month.
In
a national poll conducted last month by the firm
Belden Russonello and Stewart (BRS), 53 percent
of those polled supported increased federal spending
on bicycle facilities, even if it means less gas
taxes go to construction of new roads. Fifty-two
percent said they would like to ride a bike more
often.
A
survey conducted by the Gallup Organization and
just released by federal transportation agencies
found that the changes Americans believe would
most improve bicycling are the installation of
more facilities for bicycling, including bike
lanes, new paths, and better lighting and signals.
"People
in Texas want to bike, and they want the roads
to be bike friendly," said Gayle Cummins
from the Texas Bicycle Coalition. "As we
celebrate National Bike Month, it is heartening
to confirm that so many Americans support investments
to improve bicycling in their communities."
The
Texas Bicycle Coalition is part of the America
Bikes coalition, which is calling for an increased
federal commitment to using transportation dollars
to create a bike-friendly transportation system.
The federal transportation law, known as TEA-21,
is up for reauthorization by Congress this year.
The Texas Bicycle Coalition is celebrating National
Bike Month with the League of American Bicyclists.
Local
events taking place during National Bike Month
on May 16 include Bike to Work Day in Houston
(for more information visit www.bikehouston.org)
and the Political Pedal in Austin (for more information
contact David Foster at txcwa@cleanwater.org);
on May 17, the Shiner BASH, one of the state's
longest running bike rides originating from three
Texas cities, Austin, San Antonio and Houston,
converge on the historic Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner.
The ride benefits the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
For more information contact Karl Hausmann at
ridedirector@shinerbash.com.
Fifty
percent of respondents to the BRS poll supported
requiring roads to include bicycle lanes or paths,
even if it means less space for cars and trucks.
Currently Texas does not routinely provide for
bicycle travel when building roads, and only 0.3%
of federal transportation funds received by the
state are used to build either bicycling or walking
facilities. Almost half of the respondents to
the Gallup poll said they are very or somewhat
dissatisfied with how their communities are designed
for bicycling.
The
Gallup poll was conducted for the Bureau of Transportation
Statistics (BTS) and the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA). It found that 60
percent of bike trips each year take place on
roads or paved shoulders, and 18 percent of trips
take place on paths or bike lanes. Of those recommending
changes to improve bicycling, 73 percent providing
new bicycle facilities and 8 percent recommended
improving existing facilities.
The
Gallup poll found that 27 percent of adults now
bike at least once a month during the summer months.
In Texas, that means about 4,263,543 adults bicycle
regularly.
The
BRS poll was part of a national random sample
omnibus survey of 1,014 adults conducted in April
2003 for America Bikes. The margin of error is
plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
The
Gallup poll was a national random sample survey
of 9,616 adults conducted in June, July, and August
of 2002 for NHTSA and BTS. The margin of error
is plus or minus 1.0 percentage points. A highlights
report on the survey can be found at the website
of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center,
at www.bicycleinfo.org.
Formed in 1990, the Texas Bicycle Coalition
(TBC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to
advancing bicycle access, safety and education
in Texas. For more information contact Gayle Cummins
at 512.476.7433.
The
League of American Bicyclists sponsors National
Bike Month and represents the interests of American
cyclists, including its 300,000 members and affiliates.
For more information, visit www.bikeleague.org.
Visit www.bikemonth.org
for tips on safe cycling, bike maintenance and
more.
America
Bikes is a national coalition of groups asking
Congress to enact a federal transportation law
to ensure that new and existing transportation
investments improve conditions for bicycling and
walking.
