"Bike Walk Twin Cities conducts annual surveys at 42 sites around the metro area, counting bikers within the same two-hour period on the same day each year. It found steady increases at most sites, totaling 52 percent more by the end of 2010. For example, after the grant paid for a new bike connection link on the Lake Street Bridge between Minneapolis and St. Paul, the number of bicyclists at that point increased by 218,000 people between 2007 and 2010." ---- Either this is poorly written or completely false. According to this, more than 217,000 people crossed the lake street bridge in one two hour period. Even if they are referring to a one year period, if you break it down per day its not that many.

When counting bicyclist, do they count them the same way they count transit riders, where if you ride your bike to work and then home again after work that counts as two?

Minnesota has some of the best (and possibly the best) bike trail networks in the country. This is unquestionably a good thing. People get more exercise, they are healthier, they get to experience the land (not just drive through it), traffic is reduced and so is pollution. Bike tourists are now coming here specifically to use the beautiful trails, and their numbers will only increase. When I lived in Minneapolis, I'm sure I saved hundreds of dollars by biking rather than driving to work in the spring, summer and fall.

The bike trails are great. However, I see no need for federal funding. Bike trails should be funded by cities, counties, or the state.

jbpaper, that's the same way everything is counted, including vehicle counts on highways.

Bicyclists crossing an intersection with the light? Looks like Photoshop to me

Bicycle infrastructure projects have been wildly successful. Many trails in the area carry thousands of commuters a day, and most projects are only in the tens of thousands of dollars. Only a few trail projects have been over $1 million. This is great mobility value per dollar, especially when compared to a proposed $700 million freeway bridge that will serve fewer than 25,000 per day while simultaneously causing congestion on existing highways which will lead to costly upgrades. Bicycle infrastructure is about as cheap as it gets! I'll leave my car at home in the garage.

How about federal funding for a line to be painted down the middle of the bike paths, so people will stay on their own side. I get tired of rude runners and bikers who lack common courtesy rules to move over.

could you tell them the rules of the road.

To the contrary, cyclists often do obey the signal lights. Though I agree that the obedience rate at signal lights is definitely lower than it is for automobiles. Conversely, bicycles often can't exceed posted road speed limits (unless you're Lance Armstrong on smooth pavement...which doesn't describe our roads!), whereas cars run yellow lights, drive distracted, do rolling stops and brazenly blow off the speed limit.