Zoom in on Houston's expanding bike interest

Houston's cycling culture is growing.

Driving the news: The average number of daily bike trips per 1,000 people in the Houston metro area rose by three between 2019 and 2022, going from eight to 11, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Alice Feng report.

• That's per a new report from mobility data firm StreetLight Data, which uses GPS and other location data to measure urban transportation patterns.

Why it matters: It's a drop in the bucket but indicative of a small and growing population that can't get enough of the Houston region on two wheels.

Zoom out: At the national level, the average number of daily bike trips per 1,000 people increased in almost every major U.S. metro area between 2019 and 2022.

• The annual nationwide average for daily bike trips grew 37% between 2019 and 2022.

What happened: Urban cycling took off during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic largely because people were looking for ways to get around or get exercise without potentially exposing themselves to infection.

• Urban bike share programs like Houston BCycle exploded in popularity during the pandemic, making bikes easier to access.
• And many cities, including Houston, have been steadily improving their cycling infrastructure.