Not a question if commuter cycling will catch on in city but when, writes Peter Miasek
Anyone from Markham who travels to downtown Toronto will notice the large numbers of cyclists on the roads. Survey data from 2016 show that seven per cent of all daily trips made by downtown residents are by bike, up more than fivefold from 20 years ago. Why the increase? And, more importantly, will Markham ever have such a high share?
The benefits of cycling are well known — low cost, eases traffic congestion, healthy, good for the environment. And yet, only 0.5 per cent of Markham residents cycle to their destinations every day, with no trend up or down. This is disappointingly low, considering that 49 per cent of daily trips start and end in Markham, and 28 per cent of daily trips are five kilometres or less, a convenient cycling distance. Cycling is popular as a recreational activity, but not for day-to-day travel.
Read the full article, “Will commuter cycling ever catch on in Markham?”.