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The Top 10 Facts on Bicycling and Walking in the United States by mark on Aug 31, 2009

1) Bicycling and walking make up 10% of all trips made in the U.S., but receive less than 2% of federal transportation funding.

2) Bicyclists and pedestrians account for 13% of traffic fatalities, but receive less than 1% of federal safety funding.

3) 40% of all trips in America are two miles or less, 74% of which are traveled by car.

4) Americans spend, on average, 18% of their annual income for transportation. The average annual operating cost of a bicycle is 3.75% ($308) of an average car ($8,220).

5) A small reduction in driving causes a large drop in traffic. In 2008, the number of vehicle miles traveled dropped 3%, translating to a nearly 30% reduction in peak hour congestion.

6) Transportation sources account for 70% of our nation’s oil consumption and for 30% of total U.S. GHC emissions.

7) Simply increasing bicycling and walking from 10% of trips to 13% could lead to fuel savings of around 3.8 billion gallons a year. This is equivalent to having 19 million more hybrid cars on the road.

8) 89% of Americans believe that transportation investments should support the goals of reducing energy use.

9) 71% of Americans report that they would like to bicycle more. 53% favor increasing federal spending on bicycle lanes and paths.

10) For the price of one mile of four-lane urban highway, around $50 million, hundreds of miles of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure can be built, an investment that could complete an entire network of active transportation facilities for a mid-sized city.

See the original document here

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