Categories: Biking

Philadelphia #1 City for Bike Commuting in US!

Hipsters and athletes rejoice in harmony!

What a difference a decade makes… Philadelphia went from America’s Fattest City to the #1 Bike commuting!

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s report finds that Philadelphia has twice (per capita) as many bicycle commuters as any other big city in the US, increasing 151% from 2000 to 2009.

This report comes days after Philadelphia announced their newest bike lanes as 10^th & 13^th Streets for the north-south crowd set to debut starting next month.

But luckily, the Bicycle Coalition found great support for bike lanes: Bike rebels decline when bike lanes exist: bicyclists are 2x’s as likely to ride on sidewalks when there aren’t bike lanes. AND streets with bike lanes have more bike traffic, leading to even skinnier Philadelphians. (ok, the skinny part was joke by me.) Oh, and bike lanes increase female riders, less wrong way riding, and more cyclists wearing helmets. Just saying, for you bike-lane opponents out there.

Center City & South Philly are in the top 25 areas, ranking comparable to Santa Barbara, Portland and sustainable-trendsetter San Francisco.

Want to learn more? Check out the complete Mode Shift: Philadelphia’s Two-Wheeled Revolution in Progress report.

Posted by Julie

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia.