By Kevin Cronin
Board member, ClevelandBikes

While Congress debates energy and gas saving strategies, they should consider one to help Northeast Ohio residents adopt personal energy and cost saving strategies. Congress can help America get out of their car and onto a bike.

Polls identify that more than half of Americans want to bicycle more and drive less. Transportation officials could translate the public goals to public facilities.

Congress could take steps to increases safety for cyclists on the road. Bike lanes and facilities are already required on federally funded transportation projects. Education for car drivers will help in recognizing and acknowledging cyclists on the road, which is the most significant step to improve road safety.

Reducing transportation costs eases the household budget
Even before runaway gas prices, the average American spends 19 percent of their income on transportation, with households that heavily rely on cars for transportation spending 50 percent or more. AAA reports that a typical car commuter spends more than $6,860 per year

Creating the cycling infrastructure encourages cycling, which generates the desired health, transportation and environmental benefits.

Whether New York City (expanded bike trails in 2003 on Manhattan's West Side, as well as bike paths on bridges and saw a 50 percent increase in cyclists since 2000, to 120,000 cyclists a day), Louisville (bike racks on buses contributed to a nearly doubling of bikes on buses to 91,000 between 2002-2005 period) or Chicago (the Chicago bike station, a city-constructed facility has 500 members, paying for showers, towel service and a personal locker), studies show that as cities increase their support for cyclists, cycling increases, with all the energy, health, traffic congestion reductions and environmental benefits that go with it.

As Congress debates what to do about gas prices, they should support cycling, which helps individuals who are doing something for energy independence on their own, and getting some exercise along the way, by simply riding a bike and driving less.

To join the ClevelandBikes Bike to Work rides, log on here. Also, contact ClevelandBikes or call (216)556-BIKE (556-2453) to report a street pothole problem.