Friday morning commute - Commute Share Up

Good morning

• Nationwide, bike commuting in 2011 is up to 0.56% share of all commuters - from 0.5% in 2010. In DC it's up to 3.15% from 3.1% and in Alexandria to 0.79% from 0.7%. But in Arlington and Silver Spring it's down. In the former from 1.4% to 1.29% (Still the 2nd best showing ever) and in the latter from 0.7% to 0.19%. But the margin of error is pretty high.
• "Arlington County has installed brand new fitness equipment along a stretch of the Four Mile Run Trail near Shirlington."
• The Silver Spring Transit center and its section of the Capital Crescent Trail might open next year. 
• One of Arlington's four bond measures might provide more money for bicycling. 
• Armstrong is fired by Nike and leaves Livestrong.

Comments

[Wilbur]

um, no. bike commuting in arlco is not down. the trails now have a rush hour, with heavy congestion. The cues at the lights are as deep as the cues for cars at the lights. And the heavy trail use has extended later and later in the year. Been bike commuting in Arlco for decades - I have never seen the trail use by bike commuters so heavy. --- in fact, Custis Trail may be facing a peak load problem soon where it is over congested - maybe next Spring.

[Wayne Phyillaier]

The short section of the Metropolitan Branch Trail at the Silver Spring transit center may open next month, well ahead of the transit center itself. That section only goes from the Metro Entrance to the south end of the station.

The Capital Crescent Trail section will not be built until the Purple Line is built through the center.

[Crikey7]

And when the Purple Line is built, expect bike commuting there to jump big-time.

[washcycle]

Wilbur, I should say that the measured share of bike commuting is down, based on the way they measure it - which has a wide range of error.

[I forgot]

Sure the Custis is full; it's from all those Fairfax to DC commuters using the trail paid with our tax dollars. During rush hour, they should restrict its use to only those cyclist wearing brown sandals. ;^)

[Riley]

The Silver Spring commuter numbers seem odd in light of the substantial increase in bikes on the street in downtown Silver Spring, the bust bike trail along Sligo Creek at rush hour and the often full bike racks at the Whole Foods but of course I'm sure Montgomery County has the best and most error free data collection scheme. The number of people commuting from far Silver Spring down the Rte 29 corridor was probably low enough that a single flat tire made a significant difference in the numbers.

[Riley]

Where is that edit post button? Busy not bust bike trail.

[I forgot]

Although not explicitly stated on the website, cycling percentage is based on work location, I think. Thus, Arlington to DC commuters are viewed as DC commuters. If you bike to Metro, you are considered a transit commuter if your Metro distance is longer.

[Datageek]

1. no, its based on residence

2. But its true, the answer is your "predominant method of commute" if you bike to metro, you will be most likely a transit commuter. If you bike one day a week and drive 4 days, you will be an auto commuter.

3. The number sampled is fairly small - the data is probably pretty good for the nation, and the ups and downs will wash looking at several communities - but for any one small community, I wouldnt get excited about the year to year changes either way

[charlie]

And they were measuring 2011, no?

[Chris Eatough]

To sum up many of your comments: our collective observations of "there sure are a lot more people bike commuting these days" are more accurate, up to date and meaningful locally than these stats from broad national surveys. If you are interested in some real bike count data, there is some here for trails in Arlington: http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/biking-in-arlington/counter-dashboard/