Smartgrowthpoliciesadvocateforeconomicallyviable,environmentallyconscientious,andsociallyequitablesolutionsforurbandevelopment.Thesepoliciesweredevelopedlargelyinresponsetoissuesrootedintheautomobile-orientedculture:airpollution,highgreenhousegasemissions,trafficcongestion,andsedentarylifestyles.Inurbansettings,agoodtransportationalternativeiscycling,sinceitisabletoservethetravelneedsofnearlyhalfofcitydwellers’dailytrips.ManyEuropeanandCanadiancitieshavesuccessfullyincreasedcyclingratesbycreatingsaferbicycleenvironmentsandrestrictingordiscouragingautomobileuse.ToevaluatethepotentialeffectsoftheabovemeasuresonAmericanurbanareas,thispaperexaminescasestudiesofcycletracksandbicycleboulevardsimplementedinAmericancities,andhowthesefacilityimprovementshavechangedhowsafecyclistsfeelontheroadandoverallbicycleusage.Resultsshowthetwomethodsareindeedeffectiveinincreasingbicycleusagerates.Ultimately,increasingcyclingratesneedspoliciestodiscouragepeoplefromdriving,thegreatestmodeshareinnearlyallurbanareas.Parkingpolicyhasmajorimpactsonpeople’sdecisiontousetheautomobile.Currently,parkingisoversuppliedandunderpricedinmanycities,makingitirresistibleforpeopletodrive.Decreasingthenumberofparkingspacesavailableandincreasingtheirpricewillincreasepressureondriverstodriveless,especiallyforshorttrips,andtobikeinstead.Itisimportantforplannersandpolicymakerstorealizethatsolutionsfrombothdirections,makingbikingmoreenjoyableandmakingparking,andhencedriving,lessaffordable,shouldbeusedintandem.Thecomplementarynatureofthetwoapproachesmakesitsotheeffectofthecombinationisgreaterthanthesumofthetwo.
