Mayor Rybak pedals into first place in Great Commuter Challenge
Minneapolis receives ‘bicycle friendly’ recognition
May 14, 2008 (MINNEAPOLIS) – What’s the best way to navigate the Twin Cities during morning rush hour? Would a bicycle get you to work more quickly? Are the bus and light rail more relaxing? Is driving really all it’s cracked up to be?
Riding on two wheels, Mayor R.T. Rybak pedaled toward a first place finish in the Twin Cities’ first-ever Great Commuter Challenge. At the end of his commute, Rybak also accepted Minneapolis’ new national designation as a bike-friendly community.
The Great Commuter Challenge sought the best way to get around town during rush hour. Rybak was the first to complete the challenge. Four minutes behind him was Hennepin County Commissioner Toni Carter, who walked, rode a bus and jumped on the light-rail transit line. In last place was the driving commuter, Star Tribune “Roadguy” blogger Jim Foti, who had a string of unexpected auto delays.
The course took these three commuters from Merriam Park Community Center in Saint Paul to the Central Library in downtown Minneapolis. Along the way, they had to make stops to pick up a newspaper and theater tickets. In addition, Foti had to make a refueling stop. Rybak also refueled, picking up a quick bite to eat along the way.
After all three commuters finished, the League of American Bicyclists presented to Rybak Minneapolis’ designation as a “Bicycle Friendly Community.” The organization, which is dedicated to promoting bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation, gave its Silver status to the city. That four-year designation is given to communities that have made impressive, measurable efforts to integrate bicyclists into the community.
The Great Commuter Challenge, organized by Transit for Livable Communities, kicked off the first-ever Twin Cities Bike Walk Week. A series of events are planned for the coming days, including Bike Walk to Work Day on Wednesday, the opening of a bike center on the Midtown Greenway and the naming of the greenway’s bridge after former U.S. Rep. Martin Olav Sabo.
VIDEO: Watch Mayor Rybak bike to victory
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