Minneapolis continues to be a national leader in the percentage of people who walk, bike, or taking public transit to work. Newly-released U.S. Census figures (2006 data) show more people in the city are leaving their cars at home and opting for alternate transportation.
In the rankings of the country’s 50 largest cities, Minneapolis is again the number two bicycling city in the United States with 2.5 percent of commuters reporting that they get to work by bike - a slight increase from the 2005 rate. That rate is second only to Portland, Ore. and several times higher than the national average of 0.4 percent.
Minneapolis ranked as the number eight walking city in the nation, going from 5.8 percent of its residents walking to work in 2005 to 7.1 percent in 2006. The city also ranked eleventh in the nation for rate of people taking public transit to work with 13.2 percent of its residents using public transport in 2006, an increase over the 12.5 percent rate from 2005.
More than two dozen new projects are in the works in the city that will provide new trails, lanes, and other improvements for cyclists and pedestrians. These plans will maintain Minneapolis’ place as one of the most bikeable and walkable cities around, by expanding the number of new bikeways and walking trails each year.
In addition, the Twin Cities was one of only four areas in the country to receive a $7 million grant for a Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Project from the federal government. With these funds, Minneapolis plans to dramatically increase the miles of bikeways in the city and eventually double the amount of bicycle riding in the city.
For more information on bicycling in Minneapolis, visit www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/bicycles/. To learn more about walking in the city, visit www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/pedestrian. For transit information, visit www.metrotransit.org.
Jan. 16, 2008