Sometimes I just can’t help being a little jealous. Recently two pieces came across my desk about better mode splits for bikes and walking in Canada.
The Daily Score reports that in Vancouver, B.C., they’ve already blown past their 2021 goals (by 50%!) for bike and pedestrian trips.
And VTPI has an academic paper (PDF, 383K) on why Canadians cycle more than Americans (hint: shorter home-to-work distances are a big factor).
It would be nice to think that someday Portland could not just lead the nation, but lead the continent…
One response to “Northern Jealousy”
It’s kinda hard to tell from that article just how much vehicle traffic has been reduced. The most solid statistic he cites is a ten percent reduction in trips across the city boundary. Just saying that fewer trips are made by car doesn’t really say much. The overriding statistic would be how many miles per capita are driven by Vancouverites, with the exception of pleasure excursions, now as opposed to, say, twenty years ago. Of course when you can walk to the drug store or coffee shop it is better; but do you still get in the car for something else? One must also ask if consumer habits are becoming less organized–i.e. more trips to accomplish less.
Also I have been wondering how Canuck bicyclists fare in the winter? Must be pretty difficult and Vancouver would have the most favorable circumstances, except Victoria. Calgary would be a lot different.
But Vancouver is a great city and one we can continue to learn from! Luv it!…well, in the summer, at least…