Is Cycling Becoming An Election Issue?

After decades of urban planning being primarily oriented towards automobiles in North America, various signs are pointing towards that model becoming obsolete.

1. When adjusted for population growth, driving in the United States peaked in 2005 and is currently at its lowest level in 20 years.[1]
2. Younger people are deferring or abandoning vehicle purchases for reasons ranging from the persisting difficulty in finding work to a preference for living in bike and transit friendly urban areas.
3. Cycling has increased in popularity to a point where cyclists now outnumber cars on College Street in Toronto.[2]

Elected officials are starting to take note with varying degrees of commitment. Does this mean cycling is finally getting heard as a legitimate election issue? Let’s explore what is being done at all three levels of government.

A bidirectional cycle track on Burrard Street (Vancouver)