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Celebrate National Bike to Work Day!

In case you missed it, this is National Bike to Work Week, which culminates tomorrow with National Bike to Work Day. During National Bike to Work Day, participants across the Unites States saddle their cruisers, MTBs, road bikes, and hybrids and turn their morning commute into a statement by opting for two wheels instead of four.

It’s a fitting celebration considering the recent rise in bike-friendly cities and bike commuting as a popular mode of transportation.

40% of all trips in the U.S. are less than two miles, making bicycling a feasible and fun way to get to work.—The League of American Bicyclist

Almost across the board in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, bike commuting has increased by leaps and bounds. That includes states like Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania, all of which have seen a spike in bike commuting to the tune of 100 percent or more. 

In Washington, D.C., bike commuting has skyrocketed, seeing a 498 percent increase since 1990. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that same statistic sits at 296 percent, while Louisville, Kentucky has seen 149 percent growth in bike commuting since 1990.

In most cases, the spikes in bike commuting directly corresponds with a city-wide trend toward establishing more bike-friendly infrastructure.

With increased interest in healthy, sustainable and economic transportation options, it’s not surprising that, from 2000 to 2013, the number of bicycle commuters in the U.S. grew by more than 62 percent.—The League of American Bicyclist

In order to facilitate the emergence of more bike-friendly cities, the League of American Bicyclist has established a merit-based system, which they’ve coined the BFA program or Bike Friendly America. You can see where your community ranks on the scale here.

How will you celebrate National Bike to Work Day? Let us know in the comments below.

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