State of Bicycling in Michigan

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State of Bicycling in Michigan
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1.6 mil Bicyclists in Michigan
Source Outdoor Industry Foundation Fall 2006
Survey
16.5 mil Autos Sold in US compared to 18.2 mil
Bicycles in 2006 Source NBDA Trade Publication
94.5 ride for Recreation or Fitness .3 ride to
Race 5.2 ride for
Transportation Source NBDA Trade Publication
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So what is the state of bicycling in Michigan?
Forty of your friends and neighbors had the
following to say.
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Bicycling is a hit or miss proposition in
Michigan.  We have all the bits and pieces with
trails, bike lanes, shoulders.  A few places,
its a feast.  A lot of places, its a famine. 
And in still others, its a hodge-podge.
Bicycle Advocate
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Bike safety is really important. Bike safety can
save your life. Without it all the hospitals
would probably be full with injuries. Who knows
what the world would be without bike
safety. Elementary Student
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In South East Michigan, recreational on-road
bicycling is difficult and the joy of cycling is
often disturbed by the realities of trying to
co-exist with traffic.  Advocate and
Recreational Bicyclist
7
Bicycling on the Sunrise side of the state is a
wonderful experience. On like our downstate
friends, we need traffic enhancement rather than
traffic calming. Recreational Bicyclist
8
Bicycling in Michigan today involves equal
amounts of exhilaration and terror for the
operator of a vehicle on the roads and trails of
this wonderland state of ours.  While multi-use
trails and off-road bicycling are on the
increase, it is still a lack of education for ALL
roadway/trailway/bikeway/sidepath users (both
vehicle operators and pedestrians) that prevents
Michigan from becoming a GREAT bicycling
state. Former LMB Board Member
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Improving, but in a very uneven and inconsistent
manner. Within a single agency you will find
people who have embraced bicycles as
transportation, some who are still highly
antagonistic and most all of them are in a steep
learning curve on just what is the safest and
most appropriate way to integrate bicycles into
the transportation system.    Landscape
Architect
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In over 80 of all vehicle/bike crashes, there
was a reported injury" Theory being we have to
prevent these types of crashes from
happening. OHSP Analyst
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Not what it needs to be as a result of recent
community and road design, but is on the
upswing. Injury Prevention Professional
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The state of bicycling in Michigan today is
transitional.  My kids need to be able to have
freedom to explore and independence that a
bicycle can give them, yet the awareness and
acceptance from the public that kids and adults
still may play and commute in our neighborhoods
and streets has not universally been reinstated. 
There is still a lot of fear using our streets
for anything else other than automotive. 
Parent of Three, ages 7 to 12
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The ship is turning. ... We are seeing our MDOT
regional staff and engineers more regularly
consider bike and pedestrian issues on their own
as well as seeing locals asking and putting in
bike and pedestrian facilities. MDOT Staff Member
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We have such incredible beauty and opportunity
to enjoy it via our roadways BUT we have an
uneducated, unmotivated motorist population that
puts bicyclists at serious risk FAR too often AND
we dont have the off-road or on-road
infrastructure to AVOID the motorists who are
unaware of the possible presence of bicyclists,
how to behave SR2S Staff Member
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From my perspective bicycling in Michigan is
better than 30 years ago but still has room for
much improvement. Advocate and Bike Commuter
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With the state's initiative to expand on
networking and linking trail systems throughout
the state, this only helps to promote bicycling
in Michigan.  It helps with encourage bicycle
commuters, recreational bicyclists and tourism
within our state.  The dynamics of these
initiatives supported in harmony with the LMB's
mission, creates an awareness of motorists
sharing the road with cyclists.  Librarian
17
The state of bicycling in Michigan is more scary
today with more aggressive drivers, distracted
drivers eating and on cell phones, and more speed
and volume of traffic on roads not designed for
that volume.  For those of us who prefer
to use bikes for transportation to work, farmers
market, shopping, worship, etc. it is not an
option to "ride someplace else" to avoid
congestion.   Economist
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Michigan is top drawer in trails, but is lacking
in quality and quantity of on road bike lanes,
with many cities working hard to improve in this
area of transportation. Advocate
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I see a strong emphasis placed on pedestrian
facilities, but relatively little on bicycle
facilities. Many residents' perceptions in the
City are that the road is for cars and bikes can
ride on the sidewalk and shouldn't be in the road
because it isn't safe. This is simply not the
case. City Traffic Engineer
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The state of bicycling in Michigan today has
made advances way beyond my wildest dreams when I
first became involved in advocacy in the early
90s.  Our local city Planning Commission has
committed to forming a Bicycle Advisory
Committee, MDOT has been  very  supportive of
non-motorized transportation state-wide, even
the local county road commission is cooperative. 
It's almost as though Hell Froze Over!!  Former
LMB Board Member
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Cycling is a major yet often unappreciated
component for Michigans new economy from
tourism, to improved quality of life, to
retaining our college graduates.  Even still,
bicycle facilities planning is not automatically
included in most construction projects as it
should be. Mountain Biker
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The state of Michigan is an ideal state for
bicycling. We have the natural beauty  to be a
top-notch location for bicycle touring." Trail
Advocate
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Bicycling in Michigan, be it for recreation or
transportation, is on the cusp of a significant
shift towards policies, partnerships and
infrastructure improvements that will greatly
benefit all residents and visitors who bicycle
in our great state. MDOT Employee
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Michigan is beginning to make a gradual, but
special transformation into a healthy, livable
community thanks to the efforts of residents
taking pride and care in their environment and
their home town.  In Detroit, this change is
taking place, but the identity of what the
cycling world can bring to the Motor City has yet
to be fully realized.   Detroit Advocate
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Bicycling is beginning to be seen as a viable
means of transportation.  The state is starting a
more pro-active approach to design and planning
in terms of bicycling. MDOT Engineer
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I am teaching my children to use their heads
properly (wear a helmet!) and that bicycling is a
great form of recreation and transportation for
everyone. Parent
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Im encouraged because I do see more and more
people using their bicycles for transportation
and leisure than I remember in past years. 
However, the potential far outweighs the current
state of bicycling in Michigan Fitness
Professional
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Michigan pluses include Bottle deposit
regulation Motor vehicle drivers in Michigan
rural areas seem reasonably willing to
accommodate bicycles The bad news is driver
ignorance, especially in urban areas  Now, on
my three-wheeler, I frequently get appreciated
accommodation, but too often I get profane shouts
about using the sidewalk or simply get the blank
blank blank off the street  Long Time Bicycle
Advocate
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It's good that people are now talking and
thinking about creating walk and bike friendly
communities in Michigan. Now we need the leaders
and staff at the local and state levels to
implement plans-- where the "rubber hits the
road", so to speak-- and actually take the steps
necessary to make Michigan a walk and bike
friendly state. Environmental Leader
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I would say that the state of bicycling in
Michigan today is spotty.  There are cities that
are taking walkability and bikeability seriously,
there are cities that pay it lip service but do
very little, and there are cities like Detroit,
where there is hostility toward anything that is
not a car.  At the edges of cities, in areas of
suburban sprawl, biking and walking is almost
universally awful -- no bike lanes and no
sidewalks.  In the countryside, well, Michigan is
beautiful.  Where traffic density is low and
pavement decent, biking is great.  There is huge
room for improvement. Writer
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I think the state of cycling in Michigan is
rather sad.  I was taught well by the Team in
Training coaches and am a strong advocate of
being a good partner on the road (we have been
complimented on our cycling etiquette in other
states), but I do not cycle on area roads because
it is dangerous - both because of the condition
of the roadways as well as the lack of
recognition and respect by drivers.  I hope that
we can overcome some of these attitudes in the
years to come... HR professional and a cyclist
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Growing!  But we need to learn to share the
roads. Foundation Staff Member and Occasional
bike commuter who wants to do it more
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The state of bicycling in Michigan today is
mixed depending on where you happen to live. 
Dozens of busy 2-lane highways are practically
unusable for bicyclists because they are already
overwhelmed by too much automobile traffic and
unsafe.  I have two decent-sized towns within
bicycling distance but am forced to drive because
there are no safe routes.Minister
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I wish there were more paved bicycle trails, so
I didn't have to ride on the roads.  That's why I
love the rail trails and Mackinac Island where
you don't have to worry about getting hit by a
motor vehicle.  I believe that additional paved
bike trails would increase tourism in Michigan
significantly! Music Teacher
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Continuous expansion/improvement of  bicycling
in Michigan has a direct correlation to  improved
mental/physical fitness of our citizens as well
as the conditions of Michigan's environment. Ret
iree, parent grand-parent
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Fragmented.  Lots of good starts in lots of
areas but no clear sign of a coordinated
effort. ... Trails vs. roads made for cycling
unclear how both are being pursued.  Experienced
cyclist need the roads beginners need trails,
high traffic areas need trails for all
cyclist. An LMB Member
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"State of bicycling in Michigan is
difficult. There are very few roads I can ride on
and feel safe.  We need more bicycle lanes."
Retired Librarian
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There is a lot to be done to make the bicycle a
more accepted part of transportation in
Michigan. But there are movements in the right
direction Physicist
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"The State of Michigan is slowly adding some of
the infrastructure necessary to improve access to
roads for bikers and access to lengthy trails.
But the overall culture of transportation is
focused on cars and I continue to feel I put my
life at risk when I take to the road each day
cars remain oblivious to my presence. College
Student
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We are all witnessing a growing interest in
bicycling as an alternative form of
transportation in our state, however, on a
community level Michigan is missing a huge
opportunity to embrace this movement much more
needs to be done at the local level to promote
bicycling especially commuting as a widely
accepted means of improving the environment and
promoting the health of its citizens. Epidemiolog
ist
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I'm seeing the interest in cycling on the roads
growing by the year.  Whether it's commuting to
work to save gas money or to hit the back roads
for exercise, the activity/sport is growing
fast.Sports Dietitian
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Bicycling in Michigan is often great and often
frustrating.  Frustrating when motorists don't
know they have to share the road (apparently no
longer being taught to), and when the roads are
so poorly maintained as to be a hazard. Two
instances this week  hit by a snowball thrown by
an oncoming truck, and falling due to ice glazed
road surface. Engineer and obsessive bicycle
commuter
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Common Themes

• Awareness
• Safety
• On Road Facilities
• Beauty/Tourism
• Trails

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What makes for a safe bicycling environment?

• I recently visited a Gold level LAB Bike
  Friendly Community
• More miles of bike lanes than Lansing has miles
  of streets
• Trunk highways had 6-10 paved shoulders
• Share the Road and Bike Route Signs
• 3 Passing Law
• Outstanding weather
• Fabulous scenery

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My Experience

• 7 days 212 miles
• Lanes and shoulders covered with debris
• No bottle law so glass abundant
• Road surface was extremely rough due to design
  and weather issues
• 3 passing law, but not one motorist gave me 3
  in 7 days of riding (motorcycles have 5 law go
  figure)
• Share the Road signs had no affect as I was
  buzzed even where these were present
• Bottom Line I didnt feel safe!

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Where should our priorities be?

• The number of on road facilities.
• That we feel safe riding our bicycles.

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Think about this. According to the Outdoor
Industry Foundation Fall 2006 survey, 35.6
million folks in the US rode a bicycle. Our
government conducts a safety campaign each fall
to protect approximately 50 million deer in the
U.S., but runs no campaign to protect 35.6
million citizens riding bicycles.
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Do we need to shift our priorities to advocating
for local, state and national campaigns to
promote sharing of the road. Pamphlets, signs
and questions on the drivers exam have not got
the job done.
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What if, over the last 20 years, instead of using
hard-won non-motorized transportation-enhancement
(TE) monies to build boxes to put bicyclists in,
we had spent it to teach America how to share the
road? After all, bicyclists are Americas sons,
daughters, moms, dads, grandfathers,
grandmothers, brothers and sisters.
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A. Common vision B. Identifiable bicycle
constituency C. Work together
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2008 Michigan Bicycle Summit
www.lmb.org