place to hang art

I believe I read somewhere that the average driver, at least in the Columbus area, does not drive more than 5 miles away from home on a daily basis. This includes work commuting, grocery shopping, schlepping kids to sports practice, fitness centers…all the daily “go to’s”.  Conveniences are close, roadways are good and parking is easy. Driving is so convenient around here! No wonder COTA buses are empty and light-rail seems impractical. Pedal power, however is on the rise!

The proximity to work and play has made bike use a practical  commuting alternative for an increasing number. I now ask relocating clients if biking to work is a consideration when looking for a home. Surprisingly the answer is rarely “no”. People tend to like the option.

A recent post on the Columbus Board of Realtors site said that the City of Columbus was ranked as 36th in Bicycling.com’s list of America’s Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities and on the heels of that honor, the State of Ohio has just been ranked 32nd in the nation in bike friendliness. Ohio moved up six spots from last year, in the third annual Bicycle Friendly State rankings from the League of American Bicyclists. 
Locally, the City of Columbus plans to invest $10 million this year in bikeway projects. Columbus’ Bicentennial Bikeways Plan calls for an additional 36 miles of off-road trails and 58 miles of on-street bike lanes and routes by 2015.

While 36th place might not sound super spectacular, the six spot ascent is quite significant. Driving is still enticingly convenient but the bike community in Columbus is growing. Hop on!