Quite an interesting read.
Talks about cycling in Davis and how it all came about and why it has been on the decline as of late.
In spite of the decline, Davis still has a greater cycling mode share than any other city in the US.
http://www.des.ucdavis.edu/faculty/h...ke_history.pdf
Above all, this is the key:
These other success stories suggest that bicycling levels can be dramatically
increased in many American cities in the future. The combined experiences of Portland,
Boulder, and Davis suggest that the requirements for high levels of bicycle use are not, as
has often been cited in the Davis case, “ideal geography and a university town” but rather
“a strong advocacy coalition, clear identification of problems facing bicyclists,
nourishment of political will, and development of policy solutions.” With this as a basic
requirement, Davis is well positioned to regain lost bicycle mode share, and many other
cities around the country, regardless of geographical and other physical challenges, are
candidates for comparable achievements in enabling large numbers of Americans to
bicycle for their daily travel needs.