May 16 is National Bike To Work Day, but a few people in the Peoria area do not need a special day to bike to work.

One of them is Steve Kurt, 48, of Dunlap.

Almost every day, Kurt — despite what the weather throws at him — jumps on his bike for a five-mile ride to work at the Caterpillar Mossville Plant.

“I’ve ridden to work in zero degree weather. It just takes the right clothes,” he said.

He says it is about a 20-minute trip by bike.

Kurt has been doing this since 1996.

“I do it because I can,” Kurt said.

Gas prices and the fitness aspect, he said, are the main reasons he rides.
“I encourage people to bike if they can,” Kurt said. “Enjoy your health while you can.”

Little participation
Kathy John, president of Illinois Valley Wheelm’n Greater Peoria Bicycle Club, would love to see more local people making the bike their primary mode of transportation, but does not see it happening.

John said few people in Central Illinois bike to work.

She said the U.S. Census, in 1990 and 2000, put the percentage of journeys to work by bicycles at less than one-tenth of 1 percent.

“So, only around four employees out of 1,000 bike to work.  I feel that number is probably less in Central Illinois or, at best, equal to the national average,” John said.

She said the reason more people do not commute by bike is because communities, in general, do not accommodate or encourage cyclists.

There are very few trails, bike lanes and bike racks like you would find in cities such as Boulder, Colo., Madison, Wis., or Austin, Texas, she said. 

“I feel there would be more bike commuters if communities adopted a more bicycle-friendly infrastructure such as Boulder, Colo., which has 200 miles of hiking and biking trails.”   

“Boulder’s population is less than Peoria — 91,685 vs. 112,936,” she said.

Little cooperation
“Honestly, Peoria is not bike-friendly. If it was, I, plus many more cyclists, would be commuting to work on a regular basis.” 

Changing Peoria to a bike-friendly environment, John said, would require commitment from the government.

“We have biked with Dutch friends in Holland and they have more trails for bikes than roads for automobiles. The majority of citizens bike to school and work in Holland, where the trails are cleared of snow before the roadways are,” John said.

“Government there is committed to the infrastructure that blends bicycling with public transportation. They have automobiles, but for the most part, use them only for longer trips.” 

John said if Peoria wanted to become more bike-friendly, a big step would be finishing the Kellar Branch of the trail. In addition, she said, making bike trails a requirement of new developments would provide connectivity, and having businesses over a certain size install racks.

John said local elected officials are aware of these ideas.

“Even if you’re not a cyclist, the positive economic impact and quality-of-life issues should be obvious for a community. If local officials are doubtful, they or their staff have only to contact community counterparts in other parts of the country who have successfully integrated bicycling into their community culture,” John said. 

Glimmers of hope
“Peoria Heights is a good example of officials seeing what impact the trail could  have financially on their community developments. It’s very unfortunate that Peoria officials aren’t as enlightened,” John said.

Illinois state officials passed Bill 314 last year called “Complete Streets,” John said.  
IDOT reconstruction in urban areas must now include provisions for walkers or cyclists, she said.

But, Peoria’s response? “Well, there are lots of responses, but very little action to date,” John said.

“As far as more bike lanes and trails for cyclists, there is very little progress in Peoria. Fortunately, there are more and more community members that can see the benefit of these assets to Peoria, as evidenced by residential development along the Rock Island Trail between Alta and Dunlap.”

She added, neighboring communities, such as Peoria Heights, are true advocates of trails and bike lanes and taking the lead. 

“Mayor Mark Allen and Peoria Heights business owners such as Bruce Brown and Alexis Khazzam see what a people magnet and asset a trail through their community is, and the economic benefit it can be for the village,” she said.

“East Peoria has actively pursued completing its trail, and is looking at future connectivity to other communities. If it isn’t already, Peoria will be viewed as an impediment in yet another component that encourages young and old to want to live, work and play in Peoria.”

John’s commitment
John said Bike To Work Day is similar to other special days on the calendar. 

“It’s for public awareness of the option of commuting to work on that particular day.  This is a day for cyclists to take that first step of using a bike, not just for recreation and exercise, but as a form of transportation,” John said.

“It is also to encourage employers to accommodate employees who cycle to work. May is Bike Month, May 12-16 is Bike-to-Work Week, and May 16 is Bike-to-Work Day. Friday is typically casual day for many employees and that is why that particular day of the week was chosen. Having that special day does get people to try bike commuting, because it got me to try it the first time back about 10 years ago.”

John plans to start riding to work this month.

“I live west of Dunlap and work at the Ag Lab. It’s about 16 miles one way, and I use a combination of country roads, Rock Island Trail and then catch a City Link bus on Sommer Road near Pioneer Park and throw my bike on the bike rack at the front of the bus,” she said.

“I haven’t commuted by bike yet this year, but plan to start biking once or twice a week starting in May.”