The Active Transportation Scene in Sioux Falls

One of the beauties of the Streetsblog Network (now with 411 members) is that it gives us a pavement-level view of what’s happening in communities that are mostly glossed over by both mainstream media and what might be termed the mainstream blogosphere. Places like Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

You might not think of Sioux Falls as being a community where there’s a movement for active transportation. But a post today on The MinusCar Project, our member blog in that prairie city, has some encouraging news. Not only is city government looking seriously at improving bicycle facilities, but a survey taken for a long-range transportation plan shows favorable trends (click on the chart to enlarge):

The City has begun a process to write the next Long Range Transportation Plan. This plan endeavors to envision transportation through 2035. The next 25 years.

To begin the process a survey was used to measure current thinking about and use of the transportation system. This is third time this survey has been used in Sioux Falls since 1999, so some trend data is now available.

And the trends are looking remarkably MINUSCAR!

a four point drop for single occupant automobiles

a steady rise in carpooling

a steady rise in walking

a steady rise in biking

The MinusCar Project has been around since May 2005, an eternity in blog years. And what might have seemed like a radical idea back in that time and place — to minimize car use and maximize other forms of transport — is apparently appealing to more and more people. Even in places like Sioux Falls.

More from around the network: Boston Biker has some good news about bike parking infrastructure. Shareable looks at the future of bike-sharing. And Urban Velo posts about a sweet bike portrait project in South Africa.