"The small number of commuters who switch from driving to biking will never even make a small dent in traffic congestion. It's more of a personal choice for those looking for a less-stressful or cheaper alternative."

I have a lot to say about this, but I'll try to keep it short and simple.

If local, state, and national authorities would help make it safer to ride a bicycle alongside cars on the road, a lot more people would be out on bicycles.

I guess that's a distant hope, unfortunately.

"more fit" should read "fitter"

To whom is that quote attributed? I can't believe anyone from FDOT would say that in an official capacity. It was probably an engineer, but it doesn't represent the view of FDOT as an agency.

With that said, providing cycling facilities absolutely can make a difference in congestion, especially if they are linked to bus routes that include bike racks on the buses. And while bicycling for workforce commuting might not be practical for most people, cycling for errands certainly can be. There's no need to hop into an SUV to return a video to Blockbuster.

frankiejr, That is true. I'm in Portland, OR, and we have a great bike culture, and bike lanes to prove it. Hopefully other cities can follow in Portland's tracks. It'd be really refreshing.

Now, if only they'd pass the Bicycle Commuter Act:

from http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/hr1265.htm:

"The Bicycle Commuter Act would allow an employer to offer a monthly cash reimbursement to an employee who commutes to work by bicycle, providing a tax benefit to the employer and helping defray commuting expenses for the bicyclist.

Under current law, an employer can offer an employee up to $100 a month for mass transit (subway, bus, train, van-pool, etc.) and up to $190 per month for parking, which is tax-free if the employer is making the purchase for the employee. The employer may also give a cash reimbursement for the same transportation, but a cash reimbursement is included as taxable income to the employee. In either case, the employer is able to take a business deduction for the benefit. Another option allows an employer to permit an employee to take a tax-free payroll deduction for the purchase of transit tickets. Participation is completely voluntary. A business is not required to offer the fringe benefit, nor is it required to offer the maximum amount."

Oops. Thanks John. English as a second language and all that...

Bob,

The quote is from the Palm Beach Post article. They don't say who told them that). The complete quote is:

"Transportation officials said the small number of commuters who switch from driving to biking will never even make a small dent in traffic congestion. It's more of a personal choice for those looking for a less-stressful or cheaper alternative."

The whole article is linked at the end of the post.

I must disagree with the statements "new bike ways are needed". As any study has shown, cyclists belong on streets. Wide streets, but not separated from moter vehicles.

The ultimate solution to the issue of re-imbursing cycle commuters is California's Parking Cashout law. This law creates a level playing field for drivers, transit users, cyclists and walkers in that non-drivers must be given a subsidy equal to the free employee parking provided to drivers. I am sure that there will be a dramatic increase in cycling if all jusisdictions enact such a law.