Sorry, I have to gloat a little. It is freaking cold here!!

https://www.startribune.com/local/13870886.html

Article text:

With outdoor temperatures the next few days likely to be colder than a grocer's freezer, it hardly seems like bicycling weather.

Yet despite the harsh climate at certain times of the year, the number of people who pedal their way to work in Minneapolis ranks second in the nation, trailing only Portland, Ore. among the 50 largest cities in the United States.

That's according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which found that 2.5 percent of commuters in Minneapolis reported that they rode their bikes to work in 2006, the latest year for which figures are available. The national average is .4 percent.

To arrive at its conclusions, the Census Bureau sends out 250,000 questionnaires each month to randomly selected households. One of the questions on the survey asks how the person filling out the questionnaire "how did this person get to work last week?"

Based on returned surveys, the bureau was able to rank the top 50 U.S. cities.

When it comes to walking to work, Minneapolis came in eighth with 7 percent of workers hoofing it. And more people in Minneapolis opted to take mass transit, with 13.2 percent taking a train or bus in 2006, up from 12.5 percent in 2005, the Census Bureau said. Minneapolis placed 11th in that category.

Bicyclists and walkers might soon have even more options and routes to choose from. The Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Project recently awarded the city $7 million in federal money for projects in Minneapolis and some suburbs. Only four communities received the grant. The city plans to use some of the money to build more bikeways.

SWEET! Hey maybe with global warming MSP might not be such a bad place to live after all

Aaron

Been getting a lot of press lately. Kind of odd. Still a waste of transit and infrastructure dollars?

Ugh. My town comes in dead last out of that same group of 50 cities. You MNers do rock, though.

We (Sacramento) come in 23rd, and its never colder than freezing for the worst commute But we do beat San Diego with its much nicer climate

Our main office is in Mpls. I hear good stories from the guys who used to work out there and moved here when I bike in...

Minnesota: contains many cyclists and folks thrilled about being #2 ;-)

"Hello. My name is Number Two"

The numbers are based on a survey right? I wonder how they asked the question and if there's a minimum number of trips per week, for example, to qualify as bicycle commuter.

The article implies that in spite of our frigid winters, we still have a lot of bicycle commuters. I'm guessing though that most self identified bicycle commuters in Minneapolis find another way to work from December through March so the climate really doesn't impact the numbers.

If you ranked the 50 cities based on the number of commuters in January, I bet things would look a lot different. Not to dis the Minneapolis biking population, I still ran across several other cyclists on my way home last night so I don't think we'd be last, just not 2nd.

Anecdotally, I'm seeing LOTS more folks out--even this week--than before.

I've noticed more road bikes out. I've been tempted to ride mine. There hasn't been much snow this month and the roads are actually better without all the melting and re-freezing, - they just stay frozen ;-)

You do not really think they did the survey in the winter?

You know, at some level, I have to trust the Census Bureau and their methodology. Perfect? Likely not. Good enough? I hope so.

Used to see several commuters pre-winter now just one other than myself. (St Paul to Eagan via Dodd road.) Not a popular route but still don't see lots out there anyway.
I agree with tjspiel, if the survey was done in January, results may be different.

Now do a survey after the bridge collapse...

That is (a small) part of why I am going year-round now.

Today made me glad I am off Fridays though.

And acroy, that was really funny!!

Thanks for the post madfiNch.

Riding today was awesome. With the weather we're having right now, you get respect from motorists while riding.

I use the kenilworth trail from St. Louis Park to downtown Minneapolis and it seems that the city does a pretty good job of keeping it plowed - it's usually cleared soon after the streets are. Not much different than biking in the summer. I imagine the rest of the commuter trails around the metro are similarly maintained. It can be scary riding on the streets though.

The cold weather doesn't really trouble me - but the wind is awful! Seems a lot stronger in the winter and somehow always in my face.

I emailed a guy with the city of Mpls when the snow first started. He told me that if there's ever an issue with the plowing for the Hiawatha or Greenway trails, to contact Minneapolis Public Works (dial 311). For issues with the Kenilworth and the lake paths, contact the Minneapolis Park Board at 612-230-6400. The paths are supposed to be plowed within 24 hours after the snowfall has ended, but the guy told me it's usually way sooner than that.

I know what you mean about the winds, btw. Some of the worst winds I've ever ridden against were on that prairie stretch on the Cedar Lake/Kenilworth trail between the woods and downtown!! OMG! Also, Lake Calhoun gets pretty bad sometimes, especially on the east/southeast side(s)!!!