Ride to the Future Dec01

Ride to the Future

Amidst rising health care costs and the great urban rebound, the car is being replaced by alternative means of transport, such as biking. Millennials, one of the largest renter cohorts, are driving 23 percent less today than their peers did in 2001. According to U.S. Public Interest Research Group per capita driving rates have shrunken to 1996 levels.  The American Public Transit Association found that Millennials’ preferred method of getting around is biking, while driving came in last, behind mass transit and walking. But on-the-go Millennials aren’t the only ones choosing two wheels instead of four. Between 2000 and 2011 the number of Americans getting to work mostly by bike grew by 47 percent, New Geography found. According to the latest National Household Travel Survey data the 60 to 79 demographic generated 37 percent of the nation’s increase in biking between 1995 and 2009. Moreover, between 2001 and 2011 the number of biking baby boomers doubled, according to Bicycle Retailer Industry Directory. So how does the growing popularity of biking fit into America’s communities and apartment industry? Zach Vanderkooy, PeopleforBikes’ Green Lane Project International Programs Manager, elaborates. What are the benefits of biking? Zach Vanderkooy: There are so many — it’s a low-cost, convenient way to get around for short trips, it reduces traffic congestion, adds economic vitality, provides access to fresh air, all while being a physical activity that’s built in to everyday life. Riding a bike is inherently joyful and practical. You don’t have to work too hard to sell that. Most importantly, biking offers a chance to explore and engage with a community at a more human scale. Much like people on foot, people on bikes activate a place with recognizable faces — every passing rider is a chance for a...