Del. bike riders shift into high gear

Between an unpredictable economy and concerns over gas prices, more and more Delawareans are parking the car and hopping on their bikes.

Between an unpredictable economy and concerns over gas prices, more and more Delawareans are parking the car and hopping on their bikes.

Listen:
[audio: 090424bcbike.mp3]

To raise money and awareness for the American Heart Association, Chris Figureida has pedaled more than 12-thousand miles across the United States. So, perhaps better than anybody, he knows just how hostile our roads are for bicycle riders.

Figureida: It’s very, very dangerous. I unfortunately spend a lot of my time on state highways and cars just barely skim past me.

And he says if states don’t do something soon, it’s going to get a lot worse.

And that was the message at the Delaware Bike Summit: If delaware is going to become more bicycle friendly, cities, counties, and the state must all work together.

Jim Westhoff is with the Delaware Dept. of Transportation.

Westhoff: Gas prices are continuing to go up, people are going to be riding their bikes more, we better have roads that accomodate them or we’ll have problems.