Places like Portland, OR, and Boulder, CO, hog the bicycle lane when it comes cyclist-centric cities in the U.S. Yet neither of those metro areas leads the pack in terms of the growth rate for cycling commuters. Instead, Charleston, SC, pedals to the top of that list.
From 2009 to 2013, the Charleston metro area posted the highest growth rate (73.4 percent) for cyclers commuting to work in the country’s 100 biggest metro areas. In the Charleston area, 2,753 workers commuted by bike in 2013, up from 1,588 in 2009, according to U.S. Census Bureau data analyzed by the SelfStorage.com Moving Blog.
On the move in Charleston
Kurt Cavanaugh is executive director of Charleston Moves, a nonprofit organization that promotes biking and walking in Charleston. He said the number of people in Charleston who turn to bicycles for everyday transportation is rising, but growth will be limited until bike-friendly road improvements are made. A biking plan for downtown Charleston is being released this summer, Cavanaugh said.
“Our historic city was developed prior to the automobile, and riding a bike is usually faster and more convenient than driving in the urban core,” said Cavanaugh, who bikes to and from work. “With great year-round weather and a flat terrain, Charleston has the potential to be very bike-friendly.”
Across the U.S., bike commuting has jumped 62 percent since 2000, according to Liz Murphy, communications director for the League of American Bicyclists.
“This is tremendous growth, and we’ve seen steady gains each year,” Murphy said. “We’re excited to see this increase, and we’re emboldened, more than ever, to keep working to build a bicycle-friendly America for everyone.”
Here’s our ranking of the top metro areas for the growth of biking commuters.
1. Charleston, SC
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 1,588
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 2,753
5-year growth rate: 73.36%
2. Ogden, UT
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 594
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 960
5-year growth rate: 61.61%
3. Fort Myers, FL
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 1,140
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 1,782
5-year growth rate: 56.32%
4. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 297
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 456
5-year growth rate: 53.54%
5. Indianapolis, IN
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 1,808
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 2,725
5-year growth rate: 50.72%
6. Baton Rouge, LA
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 817
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 1,205
5-year growth rate: 47.50%
7. Washington, DC
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 14,737
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 20,894
5-year growth rate: 41.78%
8. Colorado Springs, CO
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 1,079
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 1,524
5-year growth rate: 41.24%
9. New Orleans, LA
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 3,831
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 5,631
5-year growth rate: 39.93%
10. Fresno, CA
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 1,979
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 2,723
5-year growth rate: 37.59%
11. Little Rock, AR
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 237
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 326
5-year growth rate: 37.55%
12. Pittsburgh, PA
2009 number of workers commuting by bike: 2,396
2013 number of workers commuting by bike: 3,197
5-year growth rate: 33.43%
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau
Data analysis by Elizabeth Whalen
Photos courtesy of Flickr/Charleston’s TheDigitel, Fat-Bike.com, Flickr/Jim Thompson, PeopleForBikes, Reich Associates, Flickr/Jeffrey Zeldman, RootsRated, Flickr/Don Brubeck, Flickr/I Bike Fresno, Arkansas State Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan, WESA
