Pittsburgh increases cycling rank

In the annual American Community Survey, Pittsburgh ranked in the 11th cities in the country in 2007 for the percentage of city residents that commute by bike. The percentage went up from .8 percent in 2006 to 1.1 percent in 2007.

Scott Bricker, Executive Director of Bike Pittsburgh, thinks there are many reasons why more locals have been commuting by bike. These reasons include saving in gas money, being healthier and more green conscious, and easy commuting through Pittsburgh's dense neighborhoods. Bricker adds that bikes are also very stylish. "Bikes are the new black," he says.

Bricker says with Mayor Ravenstahl's biking initiatives to create more biking lanes and to place bike racks in the city will also bring increase rates in the future. With the mayor's initiatives and more investments, Bricker hopes for Pittsburgh to be a Top 5 biking city in the future.

According to the same survey, Pittsburgh remained in second place next to Boston with 12 percent of locals commuting by foot. Walking commuters also include people who use transit, because they technically walk for parts of their commute.