Bicycle enthusiasts gather for summit

Sun April 10 2005
Posted Apr 10, 2005
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Speakers talk about the benefits of commuting and exercising on two wheels. By WILLIAM PETROSKI REGISTER STAFF WRITER April 10, 2005 Bicycle enthusiasts from throughout Iowa converged in Des Moines on Saturday in an effort to keep the growth of cycling on a roll. About 60 people attended the third Iowa Bicycle Summit, with some people pedaling into the parking lot and others arriving in automobiles and vans with fully loaded bicycle racks. The topics included ways of building roads to accommodate bicyclists, safety concerns, Bike-to-Work Week, trails development and other issues. The day ended with a 28-mile bicycle ride. "I think bicycling has a place in this state," said Mark Wyatt of North Liberty, president of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, a statewide, nonprofit advocacy organization. He and other speakers told how bicycling is important for fun and fitness, as well as providing a means for people to travel to work, school and other places. "You hear a lot about obesity in Iowa. This is a way to address it," said Stuart Anderson, director of the Iowa Department of Transportation's Office of Systems Planning. He joked that one of the best things his agency ever did to encourage alternative forms of transportation was to rebuild Interstate Highway 235 in the Des Moines area. The summit was sponsored by the Iowa DOT, the Iowa Bicycle Coalition and the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. Previous statewide meetings were held in 1997 and 1999, but organizers now hope the summit will be an annual event. Anthony Yoder, a Kalona native who is a senior program manager for the League of American Bicyclists in Washington, D.C., told how many communities are being officially designated as "bicycle friendly" by taking steps to accommodate bicycle riders. He said 57 million adults ride bicycles regularly or occasionally, and advocacy efforts on their behalf continue to grow. Some of the obstacles for bicycle enthusiasts include the growth of car and truck traffic, the sedentary lifestyle of Americans, and a resistance to change, Yoder said. But billions of dollars have been spent nationwide over the past decade to construct facilities for bicycle riders and pedestrians. U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, an Iowa Democrat who serves on the U.S. House Transportation Committee, told the summit-goers he will work in Congress to bring more federal money home for Iowa bicycle projects, such as multi-use trails. "This is a quality of life thing people want and need," Boswell said. Jim Davis, 50, a computer programmer from West Des Moines, rode his bicycle about eight miles to Saturday's event. He said he wanted to learn more about what's happening among bicycle enthusiasts, including news about what's happening in other states. "I do a lot of bicycle riding. I enjoy the trails and it's a good way to get from city to city," Davis said. Julie Hugo, 39, who works for a Des Moines insurance company, rode her bicycle to the meeting from her home in Ankeny. She and her friend, Scott Sumpter, operate a popular bicycling Web site, www.bikeiowa. com. She said she was mostly interested in learning more about the possible development of Iowa bicycling trails.