Aging and Biking

My final project focuses on the age demographics of biking and the overall influence of biking on public health and the effects of aging, particularly the social inclusion and accessibility of the elderly. I worked in a retirement home for 5 years, throughout high school and college, and access to the retirement home and surrounding areas was incredibly car-dependent. Many of the residents in my home could not drive because they had mobility issues, bad eyesight, or simply couldn’t afford to live in the home and their car. You may be wondering if they were not able to drive a car, how would bicycle infrastructure benefit them since they likely aren’t able to ride a bike either. That is a justified concern but through my observation of the places we’ve been, I’ve seen that sustainable bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure creates mobility and access for those in wheelchairs, walkers, and scooters. This is because there is enough space for these mobility devices on sidewalks or bike paths, and they do not have to unsafely travel on the shoulder of the road. Many residents did this at my retirement home to get to the grocery store down the street and one was struck by a car. They are less visible since they tend to be lower to the ground, elevating the risk. The infrastructure here also promotes denser cities with more amenities closer together. This allows residents to not need a car to reach the resources they need such as grocery stores, shops, salons, and doctors. It gives them independence to travel where they want to when they need to instead of relying on their family or the retirement home bus service. One aspect I noticed was the amount of social gatherings that occurred among elderly people. In Amsterdam, the park behind our hostel regularly had large gatherings of people 80+ who traveled via wheelchair, walking, scooter, and even biking to visit and chat with their friends. This access to society and community is not seen among the American elderly to the same extent, especially those who are not able to drive or be driven. In my final project, I hope to explore how this impacts the mental and physical effects of aging. 

Bike lanes can be used for more than bikes! (Copenhagen, 2023, Lauren Johnson)

In my project, I am also going to explore the impacts of biking on public health and it’s long term benefits on physical health, and how it impacts aging and length of mobility. I’ve noticed many bikers far older then what I am used to seeing in the US and have found some sources to back up my observations. My goal is to tie together how the health impacts of biking benefit people long after they stop biking and how the infrastructure creates more accessibility for everyone, even those not on bikes. 

Existing and traveling in the same space (Utrecht, 2023, Lauren Johnson)

The creation of infrastructure like we've been seeing, especially traffic calming infrastructure and seperate bike routes, would be my main recommendations to planners and policymakers in the US to improve mobility and access for all, old and young. In regards to my specific topic, I would recommend using paved asphalt vs cobblestones, which is more applicable to the US regardless. There needs to be a shift in how we view biking and it's infrastructure. It should not just be designed for the physically fit, but people of all abilities should be considered. Wide bike lanes will allow slower cyclists and mobility scooters to use the same space as faster cyclists, whether for commute or recreation. Cycling in the US needs to be more accessible and it will benefit everyone, not just young cyclists. It will elevate community connections and social cohesion and improve access to public space for all people.