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Cities across the country are remaking streets to help people move more efficiently, more safely, and with less energy use while improving the quality of life in commercial districts and neighborhoods alike. One key strategy is making room for bicycles, as the density and compact character of urban environments make riding a bike an incredibly effective transportation option. Leading cities are combining innovative new designs and traditional approaches to transform their streets.

Assuming a one-to-one tradeoff between vehicle trips and non-motorized trips, the DOT report estimated that the program conserved 1.67 million gallons of gasoline and averted more than 30.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions between 2007 and 2010. The report also noted that the increase in non-motorized travel and the decrease in automobile trips resulted in notable reductions in other air pollutants that contribute to health problems. It estimates that boosting the amount of pedestrian and bicycle activity in these communities reduced the economic cost of mortality by about $6.9 billion in 2007. Doctors and the broader public health community have long been advocating increasing opportunities for biking and walking as a cost-effective strategy to reduce illness and wasteful spending on reactive health care. The U.S. DOT report, "Report to the U.S. Congress on the Outcomes of the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program", is available at: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/ntpp/2012_report/final_report_april_2012.pdf.

A study conducted by researchers at Monash University found more than half of respondents said the availability of end-of-trip facilities affected their decision to ride to work in difficult weather conditions. These facilities include undercover bicycle parking, showers, change rooms and lockers. Lead researcher Farhana Ahmed from the Institute of Transport Studies says the importance of good facilities to accommodate cyclists should not be underestimated. "From my analysis I found more than half of respondents said these end-of-trip facilities help them cope with adverse weather conditions and help them ride to work," she says. The government's National Cycling Strategy, implemented in 2011, aims to double the number of people cycling in Australia by 2016. However, this new research by the Institute of Transport Studies suggests policymakers need to focus on cyclists' preferences if they are to achieve this goal.

Getting people out of cars and onto bicycles, a much more sustainable form of transportation, has long vexed environmentally conscious city planners. Although bike lanes painted on streets and automobile-free "greenways" have increased ridership over the past few years, the share of people relying on bikes for transportation is still less than 2 percent, based on various studies. An emerging body of research suggests that a superior strategy to increase pedal pushing could be had by asking the perennial question: What do women want?