Comparing Biking Cultures

Bicycle culture has changed dramatically in the United States. According to the U.S. Census, the number of adults that bike to work in the United States increased 60% from 2004 to 2012 (488,000 in 2004 to 786,000 in 2012).  This increase is so drastic that it “is the largest percentage increase of all commuting modes tracked by the 2000 Census and the 2008-2012 American Community Survey” (ibib). Since this is the largest publicly available pool of data, it can used to make inferences about the general population.

The macro-American trend of increased bicycle-use holds true for Easton. According to data obtained from the United States Census, only 0.10% of the Census Tract 141 (which includes College Hill) population bicycled to work at the brink of the millennium. This number increased to 0.60%  in 2012. In other words, the use of bicycles in College Hill for commuting to work has increased by 600%. This means that College Hill, despite its sloping topography, is faring well in terms of bicycle travel.

More importantly, the data shows that the use of bikes on College Hill has actually been increasing at a faster rate than the national average. This is in stark comparison to the figures of Census Tract 111 of Northampton County, which includes Lehigh University. According to data from 1990, 2000, and 2013, zero percent of Lehigh University’s community members reported using a bicycle as a method of traveling to work. Nevertheless, Lehigh University successfully partnered with Zagster to implement its own bike-share system in October, despite a lack of historical use and a lack of infrastructure. This alludes to the point that Lafayette should be able to implement a similar system, especially considering that Lafayette already has community members that use bicycles, bike racks, and paths across campus. In short, Lafayette has more favorable conditions than Lehigh did when they installed their bike-share system.

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To navigate accross the page please use the following links:
• Bike-share Meets Lafayette
• The Team
• Defining the Scope
• Challenges and Mitigating Factors
• Solutions
• Conclusion
• Bibliography