Tucson is participating in a friendly, monthly competition sponsored by the national advocacy organization People for Bikes, in a quest to name the “everyday biking capital” of the U.S. Counts are conducted by Living Streets Alliance (LSA) and volunteers, on the last Thursday of each month (except November) between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m., at the corner of 4th Avenue and University Boulevard.

The American Community Survey data shows a 62 percent increase in U.S. bicycle commuting since 2000. While Americans continue to ride their bikes for recreational purposes, much of this growth is attributed to more people biking as part of their everyday lives: mostly for transportation to work, picking up kids from school, buying groceries, dining out and running errands.

People for Bikes refers to this type of casual, utilitarian biking as “everyday biking”. The counts are intended to showcase the best cities for biking in a humorous and playful way, unlike more scientific initiatives to count cyclists. Other participating cities include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Indianapolis, Memphis, Pittsburgh, Portland and Seattle.

The mission of LSA is to “promote healthy communities by empowering people to transform our streets into vibrant places for walking, bicycling, socializing and play.” LSA is improving access to active modes of transportation in the region through outreach, education, advocacy and research.

For more information, call 520-261-8777, email [email protected] or visit LivingStreetsAlliance.org.