PBAC

Jesse and I were recently interviewed by WBRU for a story on the growing bike culture in Providence. It seems as though we're not the only one's who've noticed the new numbers of cyclists out there. Its awesome. Many of you are from the ten's of thousands of students who fill our universities here; but many still are the young and not so young professionals who have recently graduated or have decided to relocate here from other parts of the country. These people come here not because its cheap (see high cost of living) and not because its easy to find work (see Boston), but because Providence offers a scale and style of living that is unique. The people who are staying here want to be close enough to easily work in or visit NYC and Boston, but neither can they afford to live there nor want to have to sit in traffic to get there (see Providence Train Station). Keeping these people believing in a bright cycling future here is vital if Providence wants to actually be the place it promises them to be.

A group of frustrated cyclists has recently come together to discuss a strategy to light a fire under the City to make good on some of those promises such as the "Providence Bicycle Network" in particular and safer streets and parking in general. The Providence Bicycle Coalition (or some such thing) is looking to get off the ground and show our elected city officials that cyclists are taxpaying, homeowning, voting adults who are losing their patience with empty promises. The money is there. What are you spending it on?

Stay tuned.