In a recent Cycling in Wichita post, John B. is discussing an acquaintance’s choice of a folding bike for getting around town:
Though it looks heavy in person, it’s actually surprisingly light, and folding it up looks simple and easy. Though she doesn’t ride the bus, for cyclists who do as part of their commute (not really necessary in Wichita, but many cyclists in larger metro areas do) a folding bike would be extremely beneficial, seeing as Wichita buses don’t have bike racks.
John says it in passing, as if it’s no big thing, but I was rather shocked.
City buses in Wichita don’t have bike racks? I had no idea. I was under the impression that nearly all metro buses everywhere had bike racks, as a matter of course.
In Kansas: Lawrence buses have bike racks, Topeka buses have bike racks, Johnson County buses have bike racks … Wichita, the largest city in the state, has none.
Kinda spoils the possibilities for a multi-mode commute, doesn’t it? (Unless one chooses a folding bike, of course.)
Come on, Wichita Transit, get with it!
Post tags: Bike Racks, Wichita
There’s a load of great stuff going on elsewhere. A Minnesota congressmen, Jim Oberstar who spearheaded the original federally-funded rails-to-trails program has just gotten a major highway funds allocation for bike lanes, paths and trails. Let’s hope Wichita gets its fair share and uses it intelligently to make bike commuting and better recreational riding happen. (He and other like-minded Minnesotans have made Minnesota the top-rated cycling-friendly state.)
One of the really interesting things is his and others’ observations on kids’ biking, as in riding to school most days. It’s been noted that in the old days when kids rode bikes and walked to school, rather than being driven and bused, obesity was rare, but now 30% of kids are obese.
This means if Wichita will build a rideable street system, and mount a concerted “share the road” campaign, all of us from kids to adults can enjoy better health.
[…] week we discussed the appalling absence of bike racks on Wichita buses. Wichita, the largest city in Kansas has no bike racks on its buses, while communities such as […]