Oct 19, 2023 - News
Raleigh and Durham see uptick in bicycling
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Momentum for bicycling in the Triangle is growing after a pandemic-era surge in outdoor activities.
Driving the news: Daily bike trips grew by 37% across the nation between 2019-2022, with most of the growth coming in the country's largest cities, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes.
- There was a noticeable increase in both the Raleigh and Durham metro areas as well.
Why it matters: The Triangle has long been — and still is — a car-dependent community.
- But as cities here increasingly invest in creating more connected bike lanes and greenways for riders, bicycle ridership has grown.
By the numbers: In the Raleigh metro area, average daily bike trips per 1,000 residents grew to 20 trips last year — up from 14 in 2019.
- In the Durham metro area, daily trips grew from 14 to 16 over the same period.
Bottom line: Bicycle commuting is still far from the norm in the Triangle, and it will likely take more infrastructure to keep the number growing.