Bikes: Path Taken

Minneapolis has plans in place to provide more bike paths.

The expansion and addition of bike paths is an effort to get people to use alternative modes of transportation, said Donald Pflaum, transportation engineer for Minneapolis Public Works.

“What we are trying to do in the city is create a network of bicycling facilities that will get people where they need to go more easily,” he said. “We are trying to build these facilities across the entire city so no one is left out.”

Approximately 10,000 people bike on Minneapolis streets every day, Pflaum said. Approximately half of those bikers are University students, staff and faculty members, he said.

Looking good so far. But then we have this cretinous statement:

David Strom, president of The Taxpayers League of Minnesota, said he is a fan of physical fitness and making the city accessible to bikers, but the city is spending too much money.

Strom said most people bike for a recreation, rather than a mode of transportation.

I know why Mr. Strom has a vendetta against bicycles for personal transport. Due to his oblong shape packaged in a rather short frame, he has difficult reaching the pedals. Fortunately, the rest of the urban population falls within a reasonable human factors percentile for navigating on a bike.	S h o r t
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