Pedal-pushers seek ways to make city more bike friendly

From the Post-Bulletin, (Rochester, MN) 03.21.07:

Paul Anderson, a Mayo Clinic computer programmer, is a two-wheeled commuter. He rides his bike to work year-round.

"I do have my limits," said Anderson, 60. "If it's below zero, I don't do that. Too cold. And usually not the day after it snows."

The start of spring heralds a season when thousands of others, like Anderson, can confidently brave the elements almost every day for their commute. An estimated 5 percent of Rochester (Minnesota) workers walk or pedal to their jobs.

That's uncommonly high -- comparable to such bike nirvanas as Portland, Ore. -- and is just one of the reasons why Rochester won an honorable-mention award from the League of American Bicyclists in the group's most recent "Bicycle-friendly Communities" contest. (Read more.)

This is a optimistic, positive article from chilly Minnesota. It considers the challenges, motivations, and satisfactions of everyday bike commuters, and thankfully doesn't give voice to motoring objectors. And it conveys the optimism of the community's bicyclists for future progress.

Image: Post-Bulletin (Rochester, MN). Bike commuter Paul Anderson.
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips