Bicycling: Health risk or benefit?

Abstract

In the last decade, there has been new interest in promoting cycling as a mode of transportation in North America.¹ Two of the largest cities in the United States, New York and Chicago, have set aggressive targets for increased cycling, and to meet them, have launched programs to construct connected networks of bicycle infrastructure.² Canadian cities are also seeing changes, as illustrated in our three largest cities. Montreal has a system of separated bike lanes throughout its downtown core and implemented its pioneering BIXI bikeshare system in 2009. Toronto adopted the BIXI system in the summer of 2011, and is considering building separated lanes. Vancouver began installing separated lanes on major streets in its downtown core in 2009, as a complement to a system of designated bike routes elsewhere in the city.