We hear plenty of the environmental and health benefits of cycling from individuals and cities that have embraced two-wheels, and understandably so, the bicycle is an impressive tool (in fact, it is the most efficient vehicle man has invented). But a benefit we hear less often about when talking bicycles is the monetary one. However, given the price of motoring and a struggling economy maybe this should change…
Bicycling in San Francisco. Photo credit: San Francisco Bicycle Coalition
A new report has found that American cyclists save a collective 4.6 billion dollars by avoiding driving.
Other significant findings include:
- The average annual operating cost of a bicycle is $308 — versus $8,220 for the average car.
- If American drivers replaced just one four-mile car trip with a bike each week for the whole year, it would save more than 2 billion gallons of gas. At $4 per gallon, total savings would be $7.3 billion a year
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For $60 million—the cost of a single mile of urban highway—the new city-wide bicycle network earned Portland, OR, the highest possible platinum rating as a Bicycle Friendly Community.
The report states the case that cities and individuals alike can help reduce economic struggle by bicycling. Head over to treehugger for the full article or click here to download the full .pdf report.
